Category: Faith

Gift of Friends

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“As iron sharpens iron, so a friend sharpens a friend.” Proverbs 27:17 (NLT)

When Dale and I moved to the upstate of South Carolina, I was amazed at how many people had friends for decades. Families were close together and able to visit one another. People have family Sunday meals with one another. Friends go back to childhood in many cases.

I know such things exist, but basically being in military towns we often were the ones who were a bit different. Our family was distant. Old friends were distant. It was something we are used to.

Today we had ladies Bible Study at church. Afterwards we all went to lunch together. As I sat there I listened to conversations. There was history in each conversation. I loved that.

After leaving San Diego we struggled to feel like we belonged. We were used to our way of life. We had our church and church family. We were a tight knit family. We all knew each other’s history. We had seen the good side and the not so good side of each other. We knew one another and there was a history with us.

I had actually thought when we arrived here that the feeling of belonging would not happen again. I was settled in that thought. The Lord proved me wrong when we first walked into our church. I have never felt the love and acceptance so quickly as I did with this group of people.

So, today, as I listened to the other women talk, I realized that, although we have only been here eight years, I belonged. This group of women have held me up, made me laugh, given me joy, prayed for me and became an extended family to me.

I am so grateful for my friends here. They are truly a gift.

A Mother grows up

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Mothers nurture, it’s an instinctive trait in most women. I know it was for me. When mothers are born, it is an unbelievable event. You look at the little baby in your arms and all of a sudden you are a mother badger. That has always been my animal of choice in describing my need to defend and protect my daughters.

As the children grow, which they do quickly, mothers lag behind. I know personally I have straggled behind, not willing to catch up. I have dragged my feet, declaring that I still need to be there for my daughters in all areas. Not necessary, really.

Yes, I know that I will always be Mom to them. I will be available for them if they truly need me.

This week as I started to send our youngest daughter an anniversary card I looked at the card. On the front is a lasso type rope around the words Happy Anniversary. I picked out the card because their wedding had sort of a cowboy theme underneath the southwestern beauty of their wedding. Mentally I looked at the card and knew it just happened a few months ago.

No, fourteen years ago this evening (October 2nd) we watched as our daughter went from Miss to Mrs.. It happened quickly and yet I could see the moment that she was no longer just ours, but his.

When I realized that it was their 14th anniversary I retrieved Dale’s and mine wedding book. Inside I have what we did for the first 20 anniversaries. I wrote just a few words each years as reminders. Under the year 14 for us, I wrote, Dale in Rhode Island, Cathi in San Diego. Dale and I recounted the events around our 14th anniversary. His Dad had passed away in early January that year. We went to Pennsylvania and hours after the funeral we drove Dale to Pittsburgh so he could fly to Rhode Island for a school for the Navy. I stayed with his Mom for a couple of days and flew home to our girls.

Looking on the list I noticed how many anniversaries he was somewhere and not together. Such is life as a Navy couple.

As Dale and I talked about our fourteenth anniversary, we talked about how old, wise and mature we were. Without noticing the proverbial brick landed on my head. A Mother grew up.

It hit me. The young woman that we watched 14 years ago is not the same woman she is now. She is a wife, a mother herself, half of a couple who have been through and survived much in this short time. My baby is grown up. It is now time for me to grow up.

I no longer need to fret over her. Yes, I can always love her and worry, but I no longer need to be that helicopter, wondering how she is, and what is going on. I can watch from a distance knowing she has this.

I once bemoaned the fact that the girls did not call daily. Dale looked at me as only a father and husband can and simply said, “Didn’t you raise them to be strong, independent women?” I answered that I did. He then said to me, “Then what’s the problem? You did well.”

So, as I start on this path of a grown up Mom, I look to our Lord. I have known their whole lives that I have only been blessed for a season with them, but our Lord is their Lord. He will be the One to guide and direct them. He provided strong men of God for my girls. He has blessed them in many ways. Now, this foot-dragging Mom is now getting out of the way, but not completely.

If’s and Then’s

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Yesterday while at lunch there was a young family in the next booth. They had a child with them who was becoming restless. I heard the parents encourage the child by saying, if you can sit still while we finish our meals, then you can get ice cream. They then went on to ask what kind of ice cream, and if he wanted sprinkles and all of the usual toppings. Soon, the child was calm and the parents ate in peace.

So often as parents, we use this tactic. If you eat all your supper, then you can stay up an hour later, if you behave for the rest of the month, then we can go do something special.

As adults we do this to ourselves, if I can save such and such amount, then I will be able to afford whatever, or if I lose so many pounds then I can fit into that dress/suit.

Today as I read my Bible, I was reading in 2 Chronicles chapter 7. It’s a familiar chapter and holds a verse that is often quoted. As I read the chapter, though, it occurred to me, that our God is a good Father. He was talking to Solomon in this chapter and I read familiar things.

2 Chronicles 7:12-18, ” Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. 17 As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, 18 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.” (NKJV)

In this passage God our Father gave Solomon goals to do things. This is all very positive. But, again, as the great Father our God is, He presented an opposing view also.

2 Chronicles 7:19-22, “But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them, 20 then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them; and this house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples.21 “And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and this house?’ 22 Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this calamity on them.’ ” (NKJV)

As parents we have also given warnings with the “if’s and then’s”. To me, what this means is, I have a choice as to what to do. With our children, we used to say, “Do you want to learn this the easy way or the hard way?” We would give them advice and let them choose. Sometimes they chose the hard way, which would give us concern as parents. Sometimes the hard way, although it is not the perfect way, does produce wisdom.

As I see it, I am presented with choices daily, will my if’s and then’s produce great results or will I once more learn the hard way?

A Quiet Friday

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For most of the week we have heard about Hurricane Ian and how it was going to affect our state. It did make landfall this afternoon in some of the areas we lived in the low country and some places that we would drive through and visit.

It has done some damage and caused some flooding. Our youngest lives in Charleston and they chose to ride it out. This morning we ran some errands and went to lunch with a friend. We came home and turned on a weather live stream.

In the meantime, we texted with family in the area and realized they were all safe and sound. Thank you Lord! I was fascinated to see the footage of the area we lived in for several years and found I had fascination to try and see beyond what was being broadcast.

There comes a time when after watching for a few hours you begin to realize the storm is onshore, and the remnants are present. We have been in the area long enough to know that tornadoes are always a possibility and we must be prepared.

All the time watching television and looking occasionally to our outside seeing that it is just a rainy Friday for us. As I sit here writing, the rain is a gentle rain and the wind is breezy. I know several people are still dealing with the vicious part of this storm, without power and seeing flood waters rising. And, it may become worse for us later today and this evening.

I am reminded that none of this has escaped our Lord’s attention. I marvel at the power of the water and the storm surges. I see that trees are ripped up and easily tossed.

I am fascinated by this all. The power of nature, the beauty of it all also. Our God created nature and all it’s properties. He knows the wrath of the ocean, and the force of winds. He spoke storms into being. Along with this, our God sees the hearts of the people affected. He knows the hurt, the fear, the panic people experience. He knows each and every moment of a storm.

You could wonder why He doesn’t stop storms, why He doesn’t prevent loss, why He doesn’t speak to the wind and the water. It’s a valid thought in these times, Why?

“Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 16:29-31 (NKJV)

Our God sees all, knows all and has a plan for us all. He knows the number of hairs on our heads, and has counted those in our hairbrush. He has a plan for each one of us. He is aware of each bird that has fallen this week in this storm. He cares for them. We are so much more valuable than the birds of the air. He cares for you, and He has a plan for us in stormy weather and in calm.

Promises

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“So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
It shall not return to Me void,
But it shall accomplish what I please,
And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.

12 “For you shall go out with joy,
And be led out with peace;
The mountains and the hills
Shall break forth into singing before you,
And all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13 Instead of the thorn shall come up the cypress tree,
And instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree;
And it shall be to the Lord for a name,
For an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.” Isaiah 55:11-13 (NKJV)

God promises that His word will not return void. God’s promises are true and perfect. He will accomplish all that He says.

Today as I walked, the wind was blowing through the trees and I could hear the sound of the wind. I could feel the force of the wind helping me along with each step.

I looked into the woods surrounding our home, the trees were truly clapping their hands and the nearby mountains and our hills were singing in the wind.

God is powerful. He speaks to the wind and it sings back to Him. Praise His glorious name.

Storm

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Hurricane Ian is approaching Florida. By time this is posted, it will have already hit and started it’s damage. Many are already interceding for the people of the state of Florida. Family, and friends who are there are checking in to make certain others know they are okay for now.

Ian is close to a Cat 5 hurricane. I used to look at the coverage on the television and think how bad it was. But, in watching the news I saw people. I didn’t know them, I didn’t think about what they were going through. I did pray, but I confess it was not earnestly.

A few years ago Hurricane Michael hit the panhandle of Florida. It was a Cat 5 hurricane. Our oldest and her family evacuated and went west. They ended up finding an rental in Louisiana, I believe. They did not come to our home because the storm was eventually making it’s way to our neck of the woods.

Their home and their properties survived, but all were damaged. They thought the house they were living in at the time escaped serious damage, but, after the first night home, our daughter woke up in her bed to see the light above her filled with water. For the next several weeks they slept in the guest room and our granddaughter slept in her toyroom, two rooms that were safe enough to sleep in.

Another few weeks later, Dale and I visited our Florida kids. We were shocked to see the damage that still was present. There were no highway signs. Something I never thought about. Homes were covered in tarps because of waiting for repairs and supplies to fix roofs. Trees were mowed down in swaths. My words fail to describe.

In the immediate aftermath our daughter talked about the stench that was present. With no power, food had spoiled. Being on the Gulf of Mexico, fish is a staple in homes. Imagine the smell of rotting fish in overflowing trash cans lining the streets. Trash pick up was impossible with the trees, vehicles and parts of houses in the streets.

I am saying this to give an idea of what people are facing right now. Florida is a place filled with senior citizens, and military families. Everyone is part of someone’s family. Everyone is important to someone.

Lord, You know exactly where and when this storm is going to hit. Go ahead of the storm and prepare the route. Be in the midst of the storm providing safety and peace to those who are riding it out and in their homes and evacuation centers. Be present after the storm moves on to be the provision for people, for states, for cities. Provide what needs to be done. Amen

“The Lord is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.” Nahum 1:7 (NLT)

Jehovah Shammah ~ The Lord is There

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This name reveals that in the new Jerusalem, the Lord is there.

Confession time once more. For the past couple of weeks I have been in a passing funk. I have been agitated, but not all the time. I have been frustrated, but not all the time. I have felt tired and weary, but again, not all the time.

I have told myself that my agitation and frustration have been because I haven’t been able to do a whole lot during the summer when my elbow was healing. I have told myself that my weariness is not being active and not sleeping through the night in weeks.

But, I also know that these are all excuses and not necessarily reasons. I had lost my joy. I have a mantra a fellow blogger once challenged me to repeat, it is “the joy of the Lord is my strength, I have the joy of the Lord.” All true words and a reminder to me me to know I do have joy and it is my strength from the hand of God.

This morning as I walked, I realized that our driveway is my prayer closet. It is the place where I can come into the presence of God and love Him. This morning as I walked, I started to pray, but then I heard the following.

Are you agitated? Yes, I am there. Are you angry? A bit. I am there. Tired and weary? Yes. I am there. This conversation continued until I realized what I was being reminded of. In every circumstance, in every emotion, in every feeling I have, God is there. He is there to soothe, to comfort, to restore, to hide in, to rest in, to breathe in. He is there. He does not wander, He does not leave. My God is there. Jehovah-Shammah. He is the lifter of my head, my bright morning star, my comforter, my shield. God is there. He is never going to leave me or forsake me. In the midst of everyday life, He is there. What a comfort to know this. We can rely on Him. He will never abandon us. God is there.

Psalm 139:1-18

O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
2 You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
3 You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
4 You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.
5 You go before me and follow me.
    You place your hand of blessing on my head.
6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
    too great for me to understand!

7 I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!
8 If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave, you are there.
9 If I ride the wings of the morning,
    if I dwell by the farthest oceans,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me.
11 I could ask the darkness to hide me
    and the light around me to become night—
12     but even in darkness I cannot hide from you.
To you the night shines as bright as day.
    Darkness and light are the same to you.

13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
    and knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
    Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.
15 You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
    as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
16 You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.

17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God.
    They cannot be numbered!
18 I can’t even count them;
    they outnumber the grains of sand!
And when I wake up,
    you are still with me! (NLT)

Keepsakes of the Heart

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“Every time I think of you, I give thanks to my God.” Philippians 1:3 (NLT)

There are years when this day passes like every other day. The 27th of September, the month is almost over and soon October will be here. A day in the month, a day of the week.

Still other years my mind travels and my heart opens up to remind me of the keepsakes I carry there. On September 27th in 1966 my Mom passed away. It seems like ancient history most times. My sisters and I not only survived, we thrived. We continued on in our life. Yes, we met with more than a few hiccups, but we kept moving and going and are stronger today because of this event.

When the years come where this is on my mind, I sit and study the reasoning behind my thoughts. Am I okay? Do I miss my sisters? Am I on that tape of wondering the what if’s?

I am okay. I do miss my sisters, who doesn’t when we live far apart? And yes, I do compare my relationships with my daughters and wonder the what if’s in life.

The reality is, I will never know if I would have had conflict with my mother during my teen years. Neither will I know how I would have handled (or how she would have handled) my getting married young and moving away. I will wonder what kind of a grandmother she would have been. Would I have had to tell her not to spoil my girls? Yes, there are a lot of what if’s, not only because of losing a parent, but in life in general we have what if’s.

It’s been 56 years since she passed away. Breakthroughs have happened in cancer research, the world has greatly changed. We have grown up. I do wonder what she would think of cell phones and computers and flying cars, oh yeh, that hasn’t really happened yet. I got distracted.

In truth, my memories of her are keepsakes. Things to pull out on occasion and examine and look at. I am thankful for those memories. I know some are from stories and some are actual memories. She gave my sisters and I a good foundation. She gave us strength, and a sense of humor. I was once told by my Dad that I had my mother’s temper, don’t know if that’s a good thing…

So today, although the keepsakes have escaped from the vault of my heart, I am thankful she gave me life. I am thankful for what she instilled in me. I am thankful I don’t have her nose. I am thankful that for eleven years of my life I had a great Mom.

A Memory kind of day

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“Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,”
  whether to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:21 (NLT)

Today is one of those rainy days. The kind of day where pajamas call to you and a blanket is yearning to be wrapped around you. They will have to wait a few more minutes this evening as I write this.

My mind today has been filled with snippets of memories. Japan has come to mind as has Maine and San Diego. Each memory has been brief, but poignant to me.

A family in our church has just returned from an extended mission in Asia. This morning we briefly talked about Asian food. She is hungry for food from that region. I told her we understood, as we are continuously looking for good Japanese food. It’s hard to explain what we are looking for though. It is food that first fills your senses with the greeting and the particular smell of soy, barbecuing to a certain crispness and the smell of seaweed all mingled together. It’s a scent you carry with you and in earnest we look for.

Another couple has relocated from CA, a familiar area to us. She was also part of the conversation and I mentioned Mexican food. She smiled and agreed with me. Although the south has many incredible dishes, Mexican dishes are not part of the ‘must write home about this’ category.

A little later a friend mentioned lobsters and how her eight year old son long ago asked for a lobster. We talked about the price and how it is only on a luxury meal where you get lobster. I recounted how we knew lobster-men in Maine and our oldest cut her teeth on lobster. It was a shock to her little system, when at three years old we moved from the coast of Maine to the other side of the country.

I find it funny that most memories center around food. But with meals come conversations and conversations lead to friendships and family. We always said while serving in the Navy that God cuts the orders and Uncle Sam paid for the way there. For 21 years the Lord directed our steps. He told us to turn to the left, or to the right. He guided us in the way He wanted us to go. He never failed us.

Because of this, we now have deep impressions in our minds of times and places and people He brought into our lives. The memories today are precious to me, but I confess, I wish the Lord would now direct us here to the places that food would take our taste buds back to what they remember.

Learning

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years ago I had someone tell me that the best way to learn is to teach. This was after being asked to teach a Sunday school class. I had never taught a Sunday school class, let alone actually read the Bible at that point in my life.

I trepidly started the class. Often I had to stop and ask one of the students questions. It wasn’t part of the lesson, but I knew this child knew more about the Bible than I did at that point. He was a third grader at the time. It was humbling, but in truth, I did start to learn by teaching.

Now, teaching Bible studies is one of my most favorite things to do. I enjoy the adventure of putting a lesson together and studying the material. I eagerly start and know each lesson in advance and am confident.

Until this current series I am doing. When asked to teach, I pray about the subject and it comes to mind and excitement begins to build in me. This time, I prayed as I always do, and the answer challenged me. I prayed some more. Same answer. I tried a third time, thinking I misheard the first two times. Wrong! Same answer. So, I acknowledged that I had heard and with deep breaths, I started to study.

Yes, one of the best ways to learn is to teach. I am learning so much with this study. It is bringing me out of my comfort zone. It is challenging me to lean on the Giver of all lessons in life. Together, the Lord and I are presenting this study. Actually, it is more Him than me.

Sundays hit me harder with this study. The class is on Monday mornings. So, come Sunday a mild panic sets in. Will I present this right? Do I have an actual grasp of the material? Am I comprehending this?

Yes, these are all questions that run through my mind on Sunday afternoons. The questions excite me. They stimulate my mind. The challenge me. This is all great stuff. Granted, the panic is not the best, but what it is teaching me is that I am learning with this lesson. I know without a doubt that this material has been picked out by the Lord, as it is something I wouldn’t have thought of. I am excited.

When the Lord challenges you, it’s a great adventure. He felt I was ready to be stretched. He wanted to teach me something new. I am learning through this teaching.

“The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8 (NLT)