Encouraging Words: Real

Let's use an encouraging word today.  Share it with someone you love, with a co-worker, with a friend, with a clerk at the store, or with a complete stranger anywhere.

Real - genuine; not imaginary.

Try these also... authentic, bona fide, true, pure, honest, sincere, unfeigned, undoubted, indubitable, unquestionable

Life Writing: Life as Usual

Now, the way I hear it told, for me everything began sometime in the summer of 1966.  A young couple in rural woods of Oklahoma found that they were going to have a new addition to their family.  The doctor said to expect this new family member sometime around March 23 of next year.  So in order to pass the time, R and D went about life as usual - though they could hardly wait.

Somewhere in the rural woods.

At this time, the green house on the hill by the road was home to them and the two rambunctious members of the family- 3 year old A and 1 year old T.  Grandpa G and Grandma E lived just a mile or so up the road and across the creek on the old homestead land.  Grandpa and Grandma H lived on the south side of town on Memorial Road.  Various other family members- aunts, uncles, cousins, great-grandparents, and in-laws- were located in the vicinity as well.  

As summer began to wind down, A’s 4th birthday came and went.  Autumn was in full swing when T’s 2nd birthday came and went.  Thanksgiving soon flew by and Christmas was just around the corner.  R took a job working on off-shore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast.  It was still life as usual.  

Winter ushered in Christmas and the New Year.  R celebrated his birthday.  Then, unexpectedly, almost a week later, D started experiencing contractions.  A quick trip to the doctor to make sure everything was all right was in order and then it would be back to life as usual.  So, off she went.  Soon, R was notified that D was in labor and should probably try to come home.  She spent 24 hours in uncomfortable but not highly painful labor.  He made it back to Broken Bow in record time.

Then, at 10:05 AM on a Wednesday, I breathed my first independent breath.  I was a fuzzy red bundle weighing in at a whopping 5 lbs and 2 oz while measuring 19 ½ inches long.  I was a little more than seven weeks early but overall, I was in great health.  There appeared to be a minor issue with my left eye as it was swollen shut.  And, with that being the worst, the doctor sent me home with my experienced Mom after only a couple of days at the hospital.

I was honored with a given name that means maiden. My middle name means, well, faith.  You know, the theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will.  It also is defined as confident belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, idea, or thing thereby producing trust, loyalty and allegiance.  I am aware there is power in what you name a child.  You may not realize it at the time but it will make a difference in their life.  Mom decided as a little girl that if she ever had a little girl, her name would be Faith and so it was.  And, then, there was a certain song which provided my given name.  I refuse to share it here.

There was joy and celebration everywhere (music begins…).  The world was singing my song (music swells…).  My birth was announced from the highest rooftops and proclaimed throughout the lands (music crescendo…).  It would never again be “life as usual” (music crash).  Okay, so it wasn’t really such a big deal after all and life did go on as usual; but, I am telling or, um, re-telling this story.

Sticky Notes

I have an abundance of sticky notes.  They contain notes from sermons, Bible reading, study, thoughts, and references.  Some are quite extensive flowing along several sheets.  Some are confusingly cryptic.  Some are just on scraps of paper.  Some are in notebooks.  Some are on church bulletins.  Some really are on post-it sticky notes.  The size doesn't matter.  I keep them all.

I desire to organize them.  I want to put them together into a study book.  I'd like for them to be chronological.  I have issues.  Oh, maybe I could put them together in a magazine or periodical format.  (You know, issues.)  I want to share them with others.  I'm afraid that what this blog has become is a collection of sticky notes.

How do I go about organizing all my notes?  Augh!  Overwhelming!  Yet, one step at a time can bring it about.

(Father God, thank you for all that you have shown me through the years.  I pray that you would help me to honor you with all that I do.  There is so much you have done the volume of the books cannot hold it all.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)

From the Archives: Tornadoes

A prayer from March 2, 2008

This evening saw tornadoes in the OKC area.  Thank you, Lord, for the protection You provide.  It is an awesome power that a tornado displays.  Yet, it is only a drop of the power that You hold.  It is amazing and fascinating to watch.  A tornado can capture your attention and keep it.  Thank you, Lord, that I've never been in a tornado.


Watching the video on the news just captured my thoughts.  I couldn't look away for fear of missing something.  Lord, I want to look at You in that same way.  I want to see Your awesome power and holiness.  I want to be captured and captivated by Your presence so much that I can't bear to look away for fear of missing something awesome.  You deserve my complete attention.  


Help me to see You in everything.  Thank You for what You do that I never acknowledge.  Forgive me for glancing past even the smallest miracle.  You are incredible, powerful, true, just and perfect.  I cannot understand it all.  I accept it anyway.  Now, dear Lord, help me to rest.  This prayer I utter with the groaning desires of my heart in Jesus name alone.  Amen.

Bumpy Monday - Breath and Challenge (06/06/08)

Well, it's almost time to get back into regular work activities. I'm thankful for the job that I have even though I don't always treat it honorably. There are times when I just get tired of getting up and going to the stress each day. This week I'm looking forward to addressing a couple of items that have been hanging on for quite some time. I'm sure there will be other things that interfere with the primary plans but I'll be seeking a singular focus from God in order to do the job He gave me for His glory.

Today's God Moment happened as I began praying for this week's work activities. God reminded me that He has the power over it all. And when I dwell on that thought, I recall that He has the power over my next hearbeat. He and He alone has given me breath. Just as He give power to the stars to light the night sky. How awesome.

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:10)

Our pastor challenged us today to live our life pure as if we know that Jesus is returning for His church at a set time some few hours in the future. God is good and will help when His children ask. There are times when I'm comfortable and don't consider how soon the return might be. Yet, I long for Christ to come. He has promised that we won't have the same struggles in heaven as we have on this earth. I desire that struggle free time. I desire the time when I can praise and honor with abandon knowing that the world and this flesh no longer have influence on me.

And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. (Revelation 19:9)

Thanks for listening.

Encouraging Words: Kind

Let's use an encouraging word today.  Share it with someone you love, with a co-worker, with a friend, with a clerk at the store, or with a complete stranger anywhere.

Kind - benevolent, compassionate, and humane.

Try these also... warm, loving, altruistic, charitable, caring, responsive, tender, sympathetic, merciful, tolerant, affable, amiable, cordial, polite

Garden Lessons: Control

There are many things our garden has taught us this year.  From the early days of trying to start the plants to the times of putting them out to the small harvest gleaned, we've gained knowledge.  However, the one thing that stands out to me right now about our garden is control.

My awesome husband put a sprinkler system in so that the garden would always have water.  That has worked really well.  It "rains" on our garden every other day for about 30 minutes early in the morning.  Has that helped our plants produce?  Do we have an overflowing abundant crop of tomatoes?  Are the squash coming out our ears?  Are we leaving corn on everyone's porch?  Are we selling our peppers to the local restaurants?  I don't think so.

Our part of the country is gripped in a massive heat wave.  It is oppressive.  The temperatures are in excess of 100 degrees early in the day and continue that way through the night.  It is tiresome.  The grass is dry and crispy so that our dog can hardly walk on it.  It is severe.  We eagerly look to the skies for some indication that there might be some rain.  It is relentless.  It hurts us.  It hurts our garden.

So, even with the sprinkler system running regularly, the garden shows the stress of being in the drought and heat.  Grasshoppers have decimated the corn.  Squash bugs are on everything.  Potato bugs are on the eggplant.  There aren't any bugs on the hot pepper plants, nor are there many peppers.  Honeybees are rare visitors to our garden.

Ultimately, it has shown me that even when I think I can control things, I cannot.  I still HAVE to rely on God for the increase.  I can do my part to till the earth (prepare my heart), to plant the seed (read His Word), to water the plants (read His Word and pray), and to care for the plants (watch my tongue, etc) but the increase comes from Him.  I can be doing everything right but still not have a good harvest.

(Father God, I thank you for the harvest that has come.  It is an abundant bounty from you but may seem small in the eyes of the world.  Lord, it is more than we had and that makes it abundant.  I pray for relief from this gripping heat.  Thank you.  In the name of Jesus I pray, Amen.)