Called to Love... Like That

Knowing Judas was just hours away from betraying You... You washed his feet.

You served him... in love.


Knowing all of the disciples were just hours from leaving You in Your darkest hours, to even death... You washed their feet.

You served them... in love.


Knowing Peter was literally hours from consciously denying You.  Not once.  Not twice.  But three times.  Even after committing to follow you even to death.  Even after being warned that he would deny you, and then emphatically doing so... You washed his feet.

You served him... in love.

John 13:34-35 (NIV)  "A new command I give you:  Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

God help me.  Help me to answer the call to love... like that.

Even knowing... especially knowing...
to serve another in that kind of love!

The Gift of Today

There was a time when there were days that it seemed it was all I could do to muster enough energy to get out of bed.

This morning, one of my very first waking thoughts were, "I have been given another day of life.  What a gift."

God is doing a continued work in my heart.  A mighty work for which I am beyond grateful.

I have been clinging to the following since the middle of January.  I believe that I am seeing this promise take life.

I Peter 5:10 (Amp)  "After you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace [Who imparts all blessing and favor], Who has called you to His [own] eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will Himself complete and make you what you ought to be, establish and ground you securely, and strengthen, and settle you."

(NIV) ... "will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast."

What promises and gifts of Him and His grace are you noticing in your own life today? 

Diluting God's Blessing

DIRECTIONS: “Mix contents with 3 cans of cold water.”

I handed her the can of juice and asked her to make it. We found a pitcher to mix it in. We read the directions together. I opened the lid on the concentrate for her. I walked away.

One more thing to cross off of my list. A task delegated and done. Simple.

A few minutes later I returned. The juice was diluted. Terribly diluted. What had happened? How had this occurred?

Upon further investigation I discovered that the directions had been followed. Cans of cold water had been added... 1-2-3.  

Then I learned the rest.

After the 3rd can of water had been poured, the pitcher was not full. To a young girl this did not look right. Surely there must have been some mistake. The pitcher should be full, shouldn’t it?

After adding 3 cans of water as the directions instructed, and as we had discussed together, she proceeded to fill the pitcher the rest of the way.

She didn’t trust the directions on the can. The people who had made the product told very clearly the directions to achieve completion.

Yet it was questioned. It didn’t look right. It was decided it must not be right and actions were taken into her own hands.

I confess. I’ve done that same thing. Not with a can of juice, but with directions of another kind. I have done the same thing with my life. I am given step by step instructions from God.

I follow the instructions exactly as they are given. Nothing is left out or altered. However, after the directions are completed, I step back to survey the situation.

It seems too simple. It doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t look quite right. Surely there is a different way. There must be more. How could these instructions be what was intended?

I question the Maker with the master plan and the master directions. I take matters into my own hands.

My survey of the situation is not how the plan was intended to be. I am disappointed in the outcome. I am frustrated that it has turned out as it has. It does not provide near the fulfillment that could have been.

I sometimes dilute the blessing and outcome that God had intended. If I would simply just follow the directions…

Everything You Do

A new favorite around here. The radio gets turned up anytime this song is on. Great encouragement, motivation, and reminder all in one!

Have you heard it?



Do Everything
Steven Curtis Chapman

You’re picking up toys on the living room floor for the 15th time today
Matching up socks and sweeping up lost cheerios that got away
You put a baby on your hip and color on your lips and head out the door

And while I may not know you I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes does it matter at all
We’ll let me remind you it all matters just as long as you do

Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
Cause He made you to do every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace with every move that you make and every little thing you do

Maybe you’re that guy with the suit and tie; Maybe your shirt says your name
You may be hooking up mergers, cooking up burgers but at the end of the day
Little stuff big stuff in between stuff God sees it all the same

And while I may not know you I bet I know you
Wonder sometimes does it matter at all
We’ll let me remind you it all matters just as long as you do

Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you
Cause He made you to do every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face
And tell the story of grace with every move that you make and every little thing that you do

Well maybe you’re sitting in math class; Maybe on a mission in the Congo
Maybe you’re working at the office; Singing along with the radio
Maybe you’re dining at a five star; Or feeding orphans in Myanmar

Anywhere and everywhere you are
Whatever you do it all matters
So do what you do and don’t ever forget to do

Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face and tell the story of grace as you do

Everything you do to the glory of the One who made you cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face and tell the story of grace with every move that you make and every little thing that you do

When God Appears Where You Least Expect Him

Have you ever noticed God show up in the most unlikeliest of places?  Have you ever asked Him to reveal Himself to you in any given day, only to notice that if you hadn't been watching for Him you just may have missed it?

This last weekend found me out of town for work.  While in the lobby I noticed myself quietly singing along to the song coming over the speaker.  It caught me off guard... because it was a song played on Christian radio.  I was instantly aware and reminded that I was not alone.

Yesterday at work, while in the office of one of the staff, the radio was playing quietly in the background.  It caught me off guard... because it was a song played on Christian radio.  But not just any radio.  It was the exact station I often listen to.  I was instantly aware and reminded that I was not alone.

God appeared where I least expected Him.

When was the last time you asked for God to reveal Himself in the day to day of life?  The ordinary.  The mundane. 

When was the last time you noticed that prayer answered in a seemingly small way?  Small enough that if you hadn't been looking, you just may have missed it.

How and when has God appeared where you least expected Him?

Yes, I'm Still Alive

Well hello, hello.  It's been so long since I've had a moment to be here that I almost feel that I need to re-introduce myself.  *grin*

I had not indented for it to be this long, but then life has a way of shaking things up a bit.  Not necessarily what we had envisioned or planned, but sometimes it just comes and we have only one choice.  To take it one day at a time.

I am learning to navigate what appears to be our "new normal".  I have returned to work FT with some weekends and traveling as part of it.  

My husband's business has not yet sold, although we do finally have an offer that appears more promising than any others we've had.  Less than we had hoped for, but enough to get us out.  We're praying that 2 more weeks or so will find us wrapping up this chapter of our lives. 

In the meantime he has hired a FT employee to help out.  Even so, he is working an average of 5-7 hours a day making little to no money.  The way we have had to set it up to get relief for our time has left the profit margin very minimal.  We're just thankful for no more 13 hour work days!

The last 2 weeks have been particularly busy.  We have been working every day with having something every night.  One week was our VBS averaging about 100 children a night.  I led the music so that was 2.5 hours of singing and actions each evening.

The week immediately following we were able to spend our evenings with friends we only see every 4 years or so.  Although it made for busy days, it definitely gave something to look forward to each evening.  What a gift to be given our evenings to re-connect and share.

I do finally feel that maybe a routine is beginning to settle in once again.  I wondered for quite some time how I would ever find time to continue here, yet that is something I want to do and so I will keep working to find snippets of time for this place.  For you.

I owe some of you e-mails.  They remain in my inbox to respond to.  You have NOT been forgotten!

If it helps to affirm the lack of time I've had for the computer, I have only today been able to respond to birthday wishes given the first week of August.

Thankfully this busy-ness is not intended to be permanently added to our schedule.  Just a season to get us through... 

For each one of you still here... thank you seems so inadequate.

You have no idea how much it means to me that you would still be hanging around!  I do not take it for granted the time you have given in this wait as I sift through this part of my journey.

You bless me...