glow on...

i found the coolest little craft on pinterest several weeks ago, very simple, but who knew there would be SO many illustrations involved in this activity... aHEM, you take a glass jar, any size any shape, purchase some glow paint at your nearest craft store, take the glow paint and dot it on the inside of the glass jar, hold it up to the light then turn OFF the lights? and you have an amazing little magic firefly jar that glows just about long enough to put you to sleep... now that you understand the simplicity of this craft, you'll wonder, welllll why didn't she MAKE it? because i didn't... i had all the stuff prepared in a nice plastic bag sitting on my dining room table (because of course we don't use that to actually serve food... how ridiculous would THAT be...)..;)... i let the bag sit on the table until one night i was turning off all the lights as we were getting ready for bed and noticed that something was glowing on my table...i had completely forgotten about my previous craft attack and had simply left all the items in the bag and the glow paint had absorbed the light and was glowing through the plastic bag... i turned the lights back on and regardless of the hour decided it wouldn't take long to create a glowing masterpiece... so i got busy and created some dots inside a jar and then (just like a 5 year old) promptly ran into our bedroom and told my husband timmy to "turn off the lights, turn off the lights"!!!, i proudly displayed my handiwork and he was actually impressed by the "coolness" factor of this little glow jar... we then experimented a bit and he held the jar up close to his bedside light, we darkened the room one more time and the jar glowed even brighter! it was such a fun surprise, but even more so was how GOD surprised us with His illustration.

WE are like glow paint, on our own, without any light (God) we can't realize our potential and actually be who we were created to be, we can't glow on our own... but to carry this a bit further, when we are close to that Light, our glow, our relationship with God gets stronger and glows brighter... but just like glow paint, if we don't have regular access to the Light, we cannot glow and we simply fade out, on the plus side? you always have the potential to glow, just revisit the Light, it's always there...

1 John 1:7 says "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

God wants us to enjoy and absorb His love and His light, He has provided a very real way for us to be close to Him through his Son...the opportunity is there, hopefully we won't be like my jar of glow paint and just sit there on the unused dining room table, hopefully we'll realize that we can be turned into something amazing if we just allow Him to use us... so glow on, my friends, glow on...


OH and i needed to show you a little sample of these jars... these are the ones from pinterest 'cuz i was too lazy to take pictures of mine:) enjoy...

fight or float??

recently i've been in a bible study on thursday nights with a wonderful group of friends. we're reading through "experiencing God" by henry t blackaby...some of you may remember this book from years ago, but good ol' henry revised, updated and gave a bit of a face lift to his previous edition and had his son work with him...awesome...

the last book we went through was by lee strobel, "the case for the creator", it was a difficult road, and i missed several chapters of scientific knowledge that i probably would have scratched my head and attempted to look intelligent through my confusion, but those of you that know me, would probably understand that this particular way to learn about God, is really not my cup of tea...yet, the discipline of actually finishing the book, now sheds a fresh perspective on our new reading, i would liken the two books in my mind to running a marathon, hitting the wall, and c r a w l i n g over the finish line with lee strobel, and comparing "experiencing God" to lounging in the sun on a tropical beach somewhere and simply absorbing these concepts... YES...

so, the reference to fight or float? how do we experience God, i decided that a word picture is always a good way for me to relate to what God has for me. it seems quite often the bible uses water references; baptism, walking on water, Jesus calming the storm, good GRIEF we even have jonah in a whales belly...all water references and locales (well the whales belly might be a stretch but where else would the whale BE??)... anyway, have you ever thought about when you're in a really difficult situation and you're literally wrestling with God, or life, or some type of decision that is pulling you every which way? this would be like a rip tide, something that could pull you under, especially if you fight!... then you have treading water, you don't go anywhere, but you keep your head above water and you basically sustain your life (but it's SOOOO tiring...) this would be complacency, going through the motions and still trying to do things on your own... lastly, what about just laying back in the water and letting it buoy you up and sustain you while you simply relax and float...effortless, supported by unseen hands, hmmm...this is the spot, this is where i want to be, i want to float and depend on God...

Psalm 46:10 says, "be still and know that I am God"... these eight little words have quite a punch to them, each one significant...
BE; exist, live, thrive, state of being.
STILL: devoid or abstaining from motion
KNOW: to be aware of the truth; certain, actuality

fighting life's riptides, treading the mundane exhausting daily waters, or trust God and float...be still and know...i think i'll choose to lay back and let the cool water of God's love soothe my floating soul...

seasons?

there are "seasons of life", "reasons for the season", "season of change", "changing seasons"... you get my point... it's as obvious as a single spot on a dalmatian:)... there are seasons everywhere, the very word conjures an image of trees, leaves, evergreens and NEVERgreens, but season also represents change, or an evolution, or possibly a new beginning... so many concepts, hence my relating to spots on a dalmatian...
to find the connotation that you want to explore obviously involves context;

"seasons of life"= commentary on stages of getting older or aging...a nice way of saying that if we follow the natural order of life we will eventually be in our "wintery months"...

"changing seasons"=many times a reference from those who don't live in southern california and actually observe a change in seasons; leaves morphing into a variety of hues, diminishing warmth, snowy holidays...

"season of change"=not one of the better known idioms referencing change (and possibly just one that runs through my own head) but a reference to limbo life, the moments, weeks, months sometimes years of accepting all things new surrounding us... family growing up, loss of loved ones, acceptance of personal limitations, challenging personal limitations, finding the equilibrium to make the season a positive stepping stone to whatever the next season may be...

"reason for the season"=Jesus, referencing the Christmas season and celebrating Christ in Christmas
for God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him would not perish but have everlasting life....John 3:16

recently timmy and i had a discussion about the christmas spirit and how we all tend to look for more opportunities to demonstrate God's love at this time of year; pay for someone's dinner, serve food at a homeless shelter, put a quarter in the salvation army bucket... all good things, but why is there a spotlight at this time of year? why is it merely seasonal? i guess what i took away from that conversation was a bit of a weighty conscience and a challenge to not allow "the reason for the season" phrase to dictate an annual event, and to actively (actions vs. words) pay homage to our Lord and Savior who gave everything for us, and think/act on this as a regular exercise in faith.
"
When we think of the word reason, many of us may think, "well doesn't there have to be some question involved?" and of course if we're using Jesus as the answer to the Christmas season that totally works. But what if we just simplify and turn the other well known phrase around "Jesus is the answer" and combine the two and take out the question (uh-oh, sounds like math to me...)

Jesus is the reason for the season + Jesus is the answer = Jesus IS the reason:)

a pinch of crazy is all that's necessary:)

ah, what fun it is to check in with your grown children, enjoy holiday break time and sit back a bit as you enjoy the new little ones (and some not so little ones...) try to create new traditions and throw them up against the wall (the traditions of course) and see what actually sticks in this crazy, busy world...

our world, as so many are pointing out recently, is compiled of technology, lights, sounds, and busyness...when you have a moment to observe it all, you can literally, audibly hear the WOOSH as it passes by... it can be quite amazing to ponder that gravity actually does its job... how we manage to stay on this planet and not be literally turned upside down is completely a God thing:)...

in this past week... a break from work i might add... (i love the school system's furlough days? hey, we may not get paid in money, but we DO get paid in a lot less guilt by taking a much needed break, in the long run, SO much better for your health...) we have attended some necessary doctor appointments, acquired a long overdue furnace, spent time with our youngest daughter, her husband and our new granddaughter... of course the latter half of this week was the highlight, due to emily, jeff and eiley visiting and staying with us...what a thrill to see a little face that reflects genuine adoration for her hardworking, adoring parents, and to be able to see a glimmer in eiley's eyes as she looks at her grandparents like they're a bit strange, but mildly amusing:)...

more joy (and busyness) to be had as we made the rounds to great-grandparents, aunts, uncles and any other eiley stalkers out there (hi karen) that had the chance to stop in and see the east coast group as they enjoyed their west coast roots...

now, as i sit here quietly writing this little blog, i can only smile because timmy and i can now close our eyes and imagine that cute little baby girl actually talking to us, cooing away at her parents and attempting to snag sweetpea's tongue (she was successful at one point..)...we can enjoy and revel in the fact that we are familiar with her compact 14 pound person and know what it's like to hold such a precious package... yes, it's hard to wave goodbye at an airport as we watch the little family pack up all their carryons, but we also know that God is first in their lives and we'll be seeing them so soon (thank you skype!!)...

and now the new crazyness will ensue, clean up, get in the holiday spirit (maybe a bit wistfully, i must admit...) but get ready for our oldest jenna and her wonderful husband andrew to come enjoy christmas with us... yep, a pinch of crazy is all that's necessary, and we thank God for that gift:)

confusion with a side of clarification please:)

once again i come up with confusion and asking God for clarification...what's funny is that on a daily basis He DOES confirm my very existence by nudging the little things that are relevant to my person...yes, maybe they are relevant to others as well? but i find it interesting that He cares to confirm what i'm learning about Him right now...

timmy and i are in a thursday night bible study group where we are wading through the research and reasonings of lee strobel and "the case for the creator"...goodness it's technical and more than a bit mind-blowing, and on a weekly basis i procrastinate in reading the full pages that our group has agreed upon... my mind struggles with wrapping around scientific, mathematical and cosmological explanations that justify the existence of God... last night , one dear member, (and i might add pretty brilliant) member of our group related a story of how einstein's "theory of relativity" is actually based on genesis 1:1 "in the beginning"...she explained very clearly, how this brilliant man's life work was all about proving time... it's existence, how it came to "be" or rather "begin"... although so much of this is way over my head, i must admit when it comes to einstein and the obscure concept of time, those two in tandem make a nice little mental sandwich...i am fascinated by this man's life but i am also intrigued with ALL things related to time:)... so last nights discussion wielded many moments of sparked conversation...

of course, since my realm in this world tends to be about thoughts and feelings, emotions and how we handle them? part of the reason for me struggling with my current reading is the lack of humanity, or rather the lack of discussion regarding the human need/desire for God... no, this is not a measurable concept, we are incapable of measuring need, want, desire through mathematics or quantum physics... but our nature, the very nature that is in the image of God, is not measurable...hence my struggle... but i come back to earth when our study group reminds me that this book is attempting to be logical and scientific, and to drop the "human" variable into the equation would probably deviate the whole emphasis of what we are attempting to digest... therefore i will persevere and get my studying done (maybe on a less procrastinatory level...) and open my mind to the level-headed world of numbers instead of warm fuzzy feelings...

and just for fun, to demonstrate God's sense of humor in tipping his celestial hat to my confusion? this morning i brewed myself a cup of good earth tea...this is not necessarily a daily practice for me, due to time constraints, but we were enjoying a relaxing breakfast and tea always seems to be representative of relaxation and the aaaahhhhhh factor;)... anyway, i opened the little tea bag and good earth always has a thought for the day or quote on the little tea bag "tab"... ahem

"when God made time, he made enough of it" ~celtic saying.... :)

i read this little quote to timmy and we both had to smile, because once again God showed us that he cares for us exactly where we are... confused or clarified it's all good when we realize who's in charge...

EMPHasis...

recently i have had some experiences that keep pointing in one direction, but i couldn't possibly tell you what i will DO with this direction... i truly think that God is speaking to me regarding the human trafficking situation, but you've totally got me what exactly He's saying... i feel that i need an interpreter... does anyone else out there feel that God is speaking to them in a foreign language? you know He is directing you, guiding you, you just don't exactly know how to apply, understand or comprehend what He is saying...

examples:
1. over a year ago our church hosted an art sale in huntington beach where the proceeds would go toward stopping human trafficking...naturally my ears perked up because of the "art" aspect, but i wasn't feeling led to participate.

2. a dear friend of mine told me about an event that was held at the sawdust festival venue called "isanctuary", proceeds would go toward stopping human trafficking (sound familiar)?? i volunteered for set-up and dipped a toe in the waters of helping in a verrrrrrrrry small way... i'm now receiving e-mails regularly regarding this organization and future opportunities to help.

3. i ran across a gorgeous t-shirt from one of my favorite companies "threadless t-s", the most artistic t-shirts i've ever owned and they always make a subtle statement...this one was a the silhouette of a girl with a "birdcage corset" the door is open and she is being set free...proceeds for the sale of this t-shirt? to put an end to human trafficking.

4. sunday morning at church an incredible group from maine came to share and sing at our church, refuge, they are called the wrecking, what aMAZing hearts...their cause and EMPHasis? to raise awareness and money for notforsalecampaign.org the prevention and abolishment of human trafficking.

5. and now today? i am compelled to write this because i was just on "stumbleupon.com" where an article and petition regarding human trafficking at an orphanage in haiti was brought to my attention.... i have 2 friends that at this moment are working in haiti to provide some medical relief and my prayers and my thoughts are naturally with them...so needless to say to read an article about something that is in this very spot? and that God has managed to tie up so many loose ends over this past year to point towards doing something.... maybe it's just to write this, maybe it's just to EMPHasize that God does talk to us and sometimes we do need an interpreter... maybe someone reading this is my interpreter;) if the least we can do is to sign this petition? then that's what we can do...

WEEK 2: Crazy love challenge...SMALL steps...

how many times have you asked for the strength and faith to take a small step toward a goal; breaking a habit, learning something new, getting to know someone, mending a relationship... there are SO many things that we as human beings would love to be/do but we can be overwhelmed with "self"...
our internal dialogue might go something like this...

"that's not my gift, i'm not talented in that area (music, art, communication, interpersonal relationships...)"

"but i've lived in this neighborhood for 20 some odd years, i'm gonna start talking to my neighbors now?? they'll think i'm really strange/odd/weird... "crazy"...hmmm..."

"every time i talk to them i feel like an idiot, they either patronize me or they cut me off, what do i do with that?"

these are all very valid reasons to not do something, to not try, to stay in the same spot... BUT what has God been saying to you in your 10 minutes of focus time this past week?? i'm sure, (like me) you have been hearing something pretty persistently in your ear and in your heart... what keeps coming back into your mind like a merry-go-round... what keeps repeating that God won't let you NOT hear... yep, we can ignore it? but we can also start with small steps... little things...

moses didn't think that he was a communicator (at ALL) yet he was asked to lead a whole bunch of people through a wilderness for forty years... God gave him the tools to be a leader, moses didn't really start out that way:)

maybe you've been wanting an opportunity to talk with a neighbor that you might see several times a week as you put out your trash bins...now follow me on this... lift up your hand, put it in the air, look at said neighbor, wiggle your fingers and say "hi"... it's a start... a small step...no, you don't have to present the gospel to them right there at the curb with your hand on your recycled trash bin... but you can do something...

lastly, this is a hard one, and maybe not something that is pressing on your heart or mind? but maybe it is... a broken or bruised relationship... something that has really taken a beating... small step? be the first one to open the door to communication, once more a simple "hi" can be a beginning...

prayer is a powerful thing, and God is opening all sorts of doors inside of you if you allow Him to make you aware...

i want to leave you with a little bit of a small step "vision"...

how many of you remember "indiana jones and the last crusade" (spoiler alert if you have never seen this movie...!!)

i will often think of a particular scene (many of you probably already know where i'm headed with this...) where indiana's father (a beautiful codger role played by sean connery, you gotta love it...) has been shot and indiana in order to save him must accomplish some tasks to encounter the holy grail which will save his father's life... the particular moment that i envision is when indiana is in a large cavern with no apparent way to get from one side to other without plummeting to his death, literally closes his eyes and takes one small step into what he presumes to be thin air... with the first step the optical illusion of rocks that create a bridge to the other side of the cavern to obtain the holy grail? is clearly marked and he makes his way across (of course throwing a bit of sandy rock across it to make it clear for the way back....oh indy...you're SO brilliant... or at least your writers did a great job...)... of course indy did this to save his father's life and this is completely fictional but i LOVE the graphic illustration of taking a small step of faith...

what is your small step? what will you do this week that takes you one step closer to what God is calling you to do??
close your eyes, put your hand over your heart, take a breath and step out...

2 Corinthians 5:7 for we walk by faith not by sight...