Archives for 2010

Life-giving Rain

Whew, finally! After watching the leaves on the trees almost choke from thirst, this past Thursday and Friday we got some life-giving autumn rain. I don’t know what it’s been like where you live, but here in the Heartland, we’ve had an unusually dry and milder than normal fall.

I admit I’ve loved the warmer temps and sunshiny days, but dry spells certainly take their toll. When the trees finally got around to treating us to the gorgeous fall colors we all look forward to, many of the leaves had already made their descent, skittering across streets and sidewalks and crackling underfoot.

The leaves still adorning the trees have been giving a valiant effort at filling our lives — however briefly — with shades of orange, red, and gold, but the colors have not been as vibrant, the leaves not as fresh and healthy-looking. The lack of moisture has shown.

So when the rain came this past week, we all eagerly soaked it up — the earth, with a serious thirst to quench, and us, rejoicing in the replenishing work of God going on around us. Even though the days dawned dark and dreary, excitement and gladness filled our spirits as we offered thanks for the life-giving rain.

Dry spells come to our spiritual lives as well, don’t they? Times when God seems far away, times when it seems we’re not hearing from Him or feeling His touch. But just as certainly as dry spells come — whether in the natural world or in our spiritual lives — thankfully, dry spells go. One day when we have a serious thirst to quench and when the lack of refreshment is painfully evident, God sweeps in and does a replenishing work. He sends a life-giving rain.

How does this look in your life? How does God refresh you? Does the Word finally seem to speak to your spirit? Does He give you a special touch that could only come from Him? Maybe you’re rejuvenated by the beauty of God’s creation or the timely fellowship of a friend.

One thing is certain. However God chooses to send us fresh life, we eagerly soak it up, and we rejoice in its coming.

Do you find yourself choking through a dry spell of your own? Hang on, friend. The rain is coming.

“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.” Jeremiah 31:25

*Flickr photo by lecates, Creative Commons License

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Weekend Surprise!

Some things are just too good not to share. This past weekend our daughter Kelli and her husband Jake met us in Missouri to go on a family outing with my parents and sister’s family to the Silver Dollar City Christmas Festival. While there, we got the surprise of our lives.

Not long after we arrived, Kelli got a phone call from our older daughter Kristin, asking how our day was going, where we were right then, etc. What we didn’t know is that she and Shawn (whom we thought had other plans for the weekend) were trying to locate us and position themselves in our path.

The photo above shows what happened next — pure and total shock! We couldn’t believe they changed their plans to join us! They hadn’t seen Kelli and Jake since the wedding in mid-July and knew they wouldn’t get to see them until Christmas so they just up and decided to make the trip and spend the bucks to get into Silver Dollar City to get a quick visit in since Kelli and Jake were a few hours closer to them this past weekend.

Sure made this momma’s heart happy — and proud that Kristin and Shawn would make that kind of sacrifice to be with the rest of us! Thought you might like to see some of the pictures of our special day. Enjoy!

When we finally calmed down, we asked a passerby to take a pic of our jubilant little family :)

Here’s the happy momma with her precious first-born daughter. She’s a sweetheart in every way :)

Here are Kelli and Jake, the newlyweds, in the stocks. Not sure what that says about marriage :)

As darkness fell, they really got silly :)

None of our kids are too old to pass up the chance to become a gingerbread family :)

As the day came to an end, Christmas lights twinkled all over the city, and we were still overjoyed to be standing there together.

This light display summed up our day. We certainly rejoiced at the unexpected opportunity to be together, and I couldn’t help but share my joy with you all. How about you? What are you rejoicing about this week? Tell me about it with a comment. I’d love to rejoice with you!

“Rejoice with those who rejoice…” Romans 12:15

*It’s not too late to get the current issue of Life Notes, my inspirational newsletter/ezine. Sign-up is to the right.

A Winner…And Some Early Thanksgiving

Before I announce the winner of my Life Notes Subscriber Appreciation Giveaway, let me say thank you, merci, and gracias to each one of my subscribers! I appreciate you guys so much. I appreciate your interest in Life Notes, and I’m deeply thankful that you’ve chosen to support me and help me along in my writing journey by helping to build my subscriber list. That’s a gift I don’t take lightly. So again, thank you!

Now for the winner of the $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble. The lucky subscriber is Heather H.! Congratulations, Heather! I’ll get the gift card to you as soon as possible. Hope you enjoy!

As we think about appreciation and gratitude today, would you join me in thanking the Lord for the blessings He pours into our lives day by day? His are gifts we shouldn’t take lightly, aren’t they? Be blessed by the reading of His Word:

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care…” Psalm 95:1-7

*Flickr photo by woodleywonderwork

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The Grandstands

True to our own little tradition, Don and I went to the movies on Halloween. This year we saw Secretariat and joined thousands, past and present, who have watched victory unfold from the grandstands. Couple this inspiring story of a triple crown winner with the movie’s amazing and moving musical score, and you feel like you’re there, one of many pulling for the big, red horse to win it all.

I couldn’t help but notice one young moviegoer who was so engrossed in the story playing out before us that she nearly came out of her chair with excitement during the last race segment. Sitting in front of us and down a few seats, she rocked on the edge of her chair in time to the beat of Secretariat’s hooves. She was determined to help him win — as were the many who were really in the stands that day.

The energy and cheers of the fans undoubtedly provided Secretariat with the extra measure of inspiration and determination needed to gain the victory. And when the victory was won in such an amazing fashion, the grandstands erupted in unbridled cheers. Not only did the fans earnestly pull for Secretariat, they rejoiced wildly in his victory.

A scripture passage from Hebrews tells us that we, too, are surrounded by such a throng as we run the race of life. People are in the grandstands for us. Yes, folks are pulling for us. Not only those who know and love us, but the scripture refers to those who have gone on before us. What a powerful thought — the hosts of heaven pulling for us, willing us to do our best and then rejoicing in our victories.

Anyone in need today of an extra measure of inspiration and determination as you run life’s race? Close your eyes and envision the grandstands around you. Remember they’re filled with people who want to see you win. Do you hear the cheers? Let them spur you on to victory. Press on. Give it your best!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1

Flickr photo by Ryan Bjorkquist, Creative Commons License

*The Life Notes Subscriber Appreciation Giveaway deadline is this Sunday. Details are in my Oct. 10 post and sign-up is to the right. Don’t miss out on the chance to win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble!

Getting Lost

“[Paul] was…praying one day in the Temple, lost in the presence of God…” Acts 22:17, The Message Remix

Oh, to be lost in the presence of God as we pray… How precious are those times when we’re so caught up in Him and in our communion with Him that everything else seems to melt away.

Don’t you wish that every time of prayer could find you lost in the presence of God? If you’re like me, though, other things compete for and distract from the kind of undivided attention, love, and devotion needed to be truly lost in His presence.

Instead, you may find yourself lost in the presence of the worries of the day or simply the details of certain pressing tasks. Or perhaps, like me, as you quiet your mind and approach a time of prayer, you have a tendency to become too introspective and get tied up in yourself rather than caught up in God.

Such are the challenges of spending time in prayer. If you struggle with similar problems in prayer, don’t give up. Join me in training our eyes to look away from the worries and the details, to look away from self. Let’s turn our eyes to Jesus and keep them there. Let’s go get lost in the presence of God.

“But my eyes are fixed on you, O Sovereign LORD; in you I take refuge…” Psalm 141:8

*Flickr photo by kelsey_lovefusionphoto

*The Life Notes Subscriber Appreciation Giveaway is still underway. Details are in my Oct. 10 post and sign-up is to the right. Don’t miss out on the chance to win a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble!