Perfect Timing

I’m writing this post while sitting in the ER with my husband who is trying desperately to pass a kidney stone. This is our second trip here for this issue in 6 days. He will be the father of the bride in THREE short days. We’ve been looking forward to this wedding for over a year. Why now? This isn’t the first time I’ve asked myself that question this year. What about God’s perfect timing?

Are You Sure, God?

Last month my mom landed in the ER and was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Upon further investigation, we found out she was in need of a new heart valve. She, too, has been looking forward to the wedding. In fact, it’s been her goal to be here for it since my dad passed last year. When I thought all hope of her meeting that goal was lost, I had that same question— “Why now?”

An Exercise in Faith

My faith is getting quite a workout lately! When I reached out to my amazing support system last month with news of my mom, I said in my text that, though I did not understand the timing, I was choosing to trust that it was perfect. Then I had to talk myself into believing it!

Yes, He’s Sure

While I was trusting His perfect timing, God was confirming it with each test result. My mom was indeed a candidate for a less invasive procedure to replace her valve. And it happened in short order! Some people wait months for one and she got hers the very next week, leaving a trip to FL on the radar.

The Results

I am beyond thrilled to tell you that nine days after having her valve replaced, my mom was cleared to come to FL for the wedding. And with a heart that is functioning far better than it was a month ago! This is a true testament to God’s perfect timing. It wasn’t at all how I would have drawn it up though!

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord. “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”

Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT

I asked my “people” to pray for a wedding miracle for my mom just three short weeks ago. Tomorrow she will be boarding a plane for FL. I think that qualifies!

Now we need another one. Stay tuned for the rest of the story….

(I’m finishing this post in the OR waiting room–TWO days before the wedding)

March 11, 2023

Did you RSVP?

The abbreviation RSVP originates from a French phrase, but in English it means please reply to an invitation. When I got married, I included a card insert with a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the RSVP. With the advancements in technology, that is no longer the norm. My daughter requested the responses to her wedding invitation be made electronically via her wedding website.

Hillary set February 1 as the deadline to RSVP for her upcoming wedding. Surprisingly, well over half the invited guests hadn’t replied by that date. I’m not completely sure why the response rate was so low, but my theory is that, because most of the guests have to travel a distance, we already knew many of the answers. Thankfully, technology allowed me to round up the responses without too much hassle.

In the midst of collecting RSVPs, I was reminded of the most important invitation I’ve ever received. You received the same one. God has invited each of us to be part of His family through faith in Jesus.

“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.”

‭‭John‬ ‭1‬:‭12‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Replying to this invitation has eternal consequences:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

‭‭John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

So, how does one RSVP to this invitation? A positive reply involves four steps:

1. Recognize that your sin separates you from God.
2. Ask God for forgiveness and be willing to turn away from your sins.
3. Believe that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave.
4. Invite Jesus into your heart and life and begin to follow Him.

Here’s the deal—God will pursue a positive response but won’t force it. He gives us free will to choose. I consider my saying YES to His invitation the best decision I’ve ever made.

Have you RSVP’d yet? As long as you still have breath, it’s not too late to say “yes!” He is awaiting you with arms wide open and more love than you can ever imagine. Please, come be part of the family and enjoy the abundant life that Jesus came to give. The benefits are eternal and I promise you won’t regret it!

January 21, 2023

(Out of) Balance

Have you ever been on a seesaw? It’s been a while for me, but I remember how hard it was to get in balance with the rider on the opposite side. The heavier one ended up sitting on the ground while the lighter person was suspended in the air. Getting in balance required some delicate redistribution of weight. I have found that to be true in my life with the weight of my various commitments as well. That has never been more obvious than in the past few weeks when my pace essentially went from “rabbit” to “turtle” overnight!

Two Extremes

Rabbit

The weight of my “to do” list last fall nearly grounded me. It’s not that any of my commitments required too much of me, but rather, it was the sum of those commitments that pushed me to my limit and beyond. I didn’t know if I was coming or going some days. God was faithful to provide, as always, but I knew I needed more balance in my life—less Martha, more Mary! What kept me going was knowing that January, and a chance to catch my breath, was right around the corner.

Turtle

It’s January! I am enjoying the life of a snowbird once again. Fewer commitments equals less stress and more margin. That’s all good, but the drastic change of pace has been a real shocker. I’m not good at sitting still, but I’m getting some good practice this month!

December and January have been extreme, in opposite directions, and I could use some balance.

How Do We Find Balance?

Jesus perfectly demonstrated balance in His life here on earth. The demands placed on Him were FAR greater than anything I’ll ever experience, yet a 24-hour day was enough for Him. How did He do it? He looked to God, not to people, to determine His priorities. Sometimes that meant that He had to say “no” so He could say “yes” to what was most important.

“Very early the next morning before daylight, Jesus got up and went to a place where he could be alone and pray. Simon and the others started looking for him. And when they found him, they said, “Everyone is looking for you!” Jesus replied, “We must go to the nearby towns, so that I can tell the good news to those people. This is why I have come.””

Mark 1:35-38 CEV

When we’re “out of balance,” let’s learn from Jesus. He not only modeled it, but He also taught it:

“But more than anything else, put God’s work first and do what he wants. Then the other things will be yours as well.”

Matthew 6:33 CEV

I frequent Aldi and one of my favorite cereals they sell is called “Balance.” The cinnamon version is my preference. Balance, at Aldi, is comparable to “Life” cereal made by Quaker Oats. If you’re of a certain age, you may remember a commercial for Life featuring Mikey back in the 70s. Much to his brothers’ surprise, he liked it!

Balance—like Mikey, I like it!

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November 23, 2022November 23, 2022

Stuck

“How are you doing?” It’s not a question we care to answer honestly with just anyone, so the answer is often short and sweet. I do hope you have someone in your life with whom you can discuss the topic on a deeper level. After all, we were made for community. Are you feeling stuck in your circumstances by any chance? If so, keep reading. There’s a remedy for that!

Grief Journey

My dad passed away nearly 8 months ago. It’s been a REALLY busy 8 months, possibly on purpose, but not necessarily. Some days feel like a struggle to stay afloat. I didn’t really have time to work through my grief or even give much thought to it. So, in response to a nudge from the Holy Spirit, I signed up for something else to do! I signed up for GriefShare through my church. It wasn’t because I needed something else to do, but rather, it was because I needed to do something else—address my grief. It was my way of forcing myself to sit still long enough to face my grief and work through it. The bonus, I think, has been going on this journey with a group of women that I didn’t even know beforehand. We’ve come to enjoy spending our Monday evenings together.

The title of last week’s lesson was “Stuck” and I’m sure we’ve all been there at one time or another. Maybe you’re there right now. I don’t know the current circumstances of your life, but I have a feeling you are facing some challenges. After all, Jesus assured us that we WILL have trouble in this world (John 16:33). Trouble comes in all shapes and sizes—a troubling diagnosis, a pink slip, a broken relationship, financial strife, the death of a loved one, etc. Sometimes the trouble is so overwhelming that we become paralyzed by it, unable to move. We get stuck!

The Solution

If you find yourself stuck right now, I have the perfect antidote—gratitude. It’s a popular topic this week as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving. Do you have an attitude of gratitude? We learned in GriefShare that gratitude is a healer. By placing our focus on the good, the difficulties we are experiencing lose their potency. Look around—search for beauty and blessings. They are there! Let’s not allow our feelings to boss us around. Instead, let’s stand firm in the truth.

The Reason—Jesus

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT

As followers of Christ, we ALWAYS have reason to be thankful. Jesus saved us from our sins by dying on a cross. That’s how much He loves us. And three days later the tomb was empty—He defeated death! Through faith in Jesus, we have the promise of spending eternity with Him.

We can trust Him with our trouble and be thankful in the midst of it. No matter the difficulty, we can find comfort in knowing that God is with us and will bring goodness and love into the situation.

“Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life.”

Psalms 23:6a NIV

For that, I am thankful! Clothe yourself with an attitude of gratitude as you gather round the table to celebrate Thanksgiving. It’ll look good on you. So good that you may never want to take it off!

Wishing you and yours a blessed Thanksgiving!

The outcome of an attitude of gratitude.