Selah

Well .. it has been a long while ... a long while. But I am back ... with a purpose ... practicing being still. I have joined Kim Klassen's Be Still 52 class. It was my gift to myself this year.

Quiet with a purpose ... creating within stillness ... Selah.

This is my image for week 1.

Sela

It is one that speaks of my place of rest ... my provider of peace .. and patience. My piano is a place of refuge for me. A place to breath ... to create ... to feel. Upon its keys my frustrations fade ... the business of my day falls away .. and I simply just am. It provides the backdrop for my first image. The rocks are actually tiny pebbles from a beach in Italy. They are so very smooth ... polished by the never ending tumbling of the seas pounding embrace. They feel differently than any stone I have ever touched here. They bring me to the beach again when I let them fall into my palm. I built an Ebenezer with them tonight. It took a while ... they are small ... they are roundish ... they are slippery. That is where the patience comes in. Life is like that ... a balancing act ... sometimes it takes more than one attempt to make things balanced ... it takes effort ... it takes time ... it takes dedication ... and determination. This little stack of pebbles reminds me that my God is faithful ... He is also my rest ... my soft landing spot ... my peace. He can be found best in the quiet ... in the Selah ... in the breathing of stillness. I am so very excited about what I am to learn in this journey of Being Still.


-Lisa

I've Been Redeemed

Hello, it's been awhile, 6 months to be exact.  Strange how times fly.  Strange how after so long a song on the radio brings me back to this place.  The place of writing and sharing ... of vulnerability and transparency.  But, here I am. 

My life has been so full lately.  I have found myself put upon a new path ... and with that path a new journey with new responsibilities.  I have had to revisit a time of my life that was very abusive, and see it from God's point of view.  He is revealing truths about that time that are some times startling ... other times freeing ... and still other times challenging.  One thing that He has reveled to me in walking forward from this time in my life is that I am prone to abuse myself emotionally in the form of negative self-talk ... which has led to me pondering just why I do it.  Which leads me to today .. and the song ... I've Been Redeemed by Big Daddy Weave. 

(Here are the words .. in case you have not heard it .. and then I will share what God showed me.)

Seems like all I could see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me "son
Stop fighting a fight it's already been won"

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be
I am redeemed, I'm redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, "Child lift up your head"
I remember, oh God, You're not done with me yet

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I'm not who I used to be

Because I don't have to be the old man inside of me
'Cause his day is long dead and gone
Because I've got a new name, a new life, I'm not the same
And a hope that will carry me home

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I'll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, 'cause I'm not who I used to be

I have heard this song so many times ... but today God sang it to me and revealed something to me ... the person singing is redeemed ... and yet carries "heavy chains" and wears the "Stains" of one who is not.  How many of us are like that?  I would venture to guess many of us.  You see, all of the negative words that I speak to myself continually add to the links in the chains that bind me ... stain the way I feel about myself.   And then there was the following line: All my life I have been called unworthy Named by the voice of my shame and regret ... and it hit me ...  I "one redeemed" allow myself to be deceived and named by a voice other than that of my Father.  A voice the has filled me with untruths that have undermined my self-esteem and, even worse, have muffled the voice of the One by whom I am Redeemed.

I call myself unworthy ... the truth is I am priceless.

I call myself ugly ... the truth is I am perfectly and wonderfully made.

I call myself unfaithful ... the truth is I am full of faith

I call myself wounded ... the truth is I am healed

I call myself misunderstood ... the truth is I am understood to the innermost parts by El Roi 

The list goes on and on.

The truth is that Satan feeds me twisted truths .. truths that can be proved when viewed through the lens of this world ... and I ... over time ... buy into them and the mirror of the world empowering these words to shape me and form me.  The most amazing part of this is that eventually I come to believe the words and speak them to myself over and over again. 

Notice with me a simple concept in the chorus of this song ...

I am redeemed, You set me free

So I'll shake off these heavy chains

Wipe every stain, yeah, I'm not who I used to be

Notice with me a simple truth in the chorus of this song ... the person talking declares that they will shake off the heavy chains ... wipe off every stain ... how many times do we loose sight of the fact that we, as believers, are redeemed?  How often do we pick up heavy chains that we do not need to carry .. by choice ... by deception ... and walk a road that is not made for us?  How often do we forget that we are redeemed?

I am redeemed, You set me free

So I'll shake off these heavy chains

Wipe every stain, yeah, I'm not who I used to be

Oh, God, I'm not who I used to be

Jesus, I'm not who I used to be

'Cause I am redeemed

Thank God, redeemed 

Lisa

When Words are Not Needed

I took this today ... out towards the edge of town.  It was a glorious end to a day that spilled out the blessings of hearing God's voice and following it.  Today I chose kindness.  Today the rewards of that were incredible.  May you find beauty that all but stops your heart from beating in this world, and when you do may you take the time to just stop at the crossroads and appreciate each and every detail of it.

Lisa

Keeping it Real - Even When it Means Looking in the Mirror

Sometimes we seem to miss signs that the Lord is trying to get our attention ... trying to send us a message ... trying to guide us towards something.  They catch our eye for a moment, but then are dismissed as we rush ahead on our own path.  Today when I was driving home, the words on a sign jumped into my vision and read themselves into my thoughts as I was driving past them at 45 miles an hour.  It struck me.  It resonated with me.  It drew me back to it, and in response I had to park and walk back to it and take this picture.

One's first thought at meaning might be ... "Your" life is fragile - handle it with prayer.  Most days, I would have read it that way, but today I read it differently. For right before I was embraced by these words, I was deep in thought about how short I have been on patience lately.  I have so much on my plate and never seem to get in front of the 8 ball ... to quote a friend who has been feeling the same way.  Expectations of me as a teacher these days are so high.  I work long hours and pour my heart into trying to make sure that I have done everything I can to ensure that "No Child is Left Behind."  There is so much pressure on us to achieve, achieve, achieve.  We are reminded over and over that within the next few years 100% of our kids must pass the AIMS ... and that in two years  all 3rd graders must score higher than FFB on the AIMS or they will be retained.  We are asked to fill minutes so full that the true weight of them would not fit on a dozen clocks.  And ... somewhere in all that, I have become stressed to the point that I have lost my sense of humor and find myself smiling a little less often.  I forget that I want my classroom to be a fun place ... a place where we laugh and are captivated my learning ... instead of a place where we "have to learn."  The foremost takes energy and planning ... it does not happen by chance. It is the product of the magical, creative side of teachers who can make the mundane nothing short of amazing through careful planning and is birthed bu the love of doing just that ... making learning magical.  I am that type of teacher ... but it is hard to remember that on days when I feel smothered by the pressures of the outside forces that be.  Anyway, today God was talking about that with me.  Reminding me that when my patience runs short, His runs in abundance and is there for me to drink of - if only I would ask.  That He has equipped me for this work ... woven within me the creativity to weave for these children learning in ways that ignite their innate desire to learn and create as well ... and that He is there to remind me of that when I loose sight of it ... if only I would ask.  That he breathed the passion for this career for a reason ... that He uses me to touch the deepest parts of some of these kids ... that I live on in them years after they have walked through the hallways of my school for the last time ... that he has chosen me to be a part of this ... that He can revive that passion tenfold when it begins to dim ... if I ask.  AND THEN .. OUT OF THE BLUE ... "Life is Fragile .. Handle with Care." 

"Life is Fragile ... Handle with care." for me today was God reminding me that the children that I call my students are fragile ... and when I feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and uncreative ... when I feel like I am failing and can't seem to get a second wind ... I need to handle it with prayer.   I need to remain steadfast in prayer and relinquish it all to Him ... that He might do His work through me ... and empower me to do the job that I know He has called me to.  The lives I touch every day are fragile ... I need to handle the journey with prayer.

Then I get home and decide to go on Facebook and low and behold the following picture is the first thing on my wall.  (Courtesy of Meg Bitton Photography who is amazing if you are in here area!)

And this was the caption:
Friends.....so much more is accomplished with kindness than anger. I know that things make us angry and emotional, but remember...people make mistakes and its better to love than hate.

And ... although I am not hating people ... nor am I begrudging people of their mistakes  or trying to be unkind ... but God had a translation in this for me as well ...

Being kind is a choice it is something that needs to be done intentionally.

We have to filter everything we do through the filters of kindness and love.  We have to make sure that they are the motives behind each decision that we make ... no matter how mundane.  Take for example the following paper that I found on Pinterest.

Some of the statements in the first column can make kids feel little ... while the statements int he second column get the same message across without causing damage.  It is simply a choice of the words said ... it is  ... Being kind ... intentionally.

As you can see God was pouring signs down upon me today from all angels and venues ... and today I did not miss them.  I know that what He showed me today does not only apply to my school kids ... it applies to each and every person that is in my life. 

It is 

a way of doing business 

... a way 

of doing 

life.

How I Will be Remembered ...

Of all the traits that my youngest daughter has inherited from me, my propensity for procrastination is one that I am most challenged by.  The only thing that is worse than one procrastinator .. is two procrastinators.  I cannot count on my hands the number of times that she has procrastinated about telling me some deadline for school ... which leaves me with less time than I need to follow through and help her complete the pending assignment or task ... because the truth is that I need time to procrastinate as well.  Between the two of us, we end up in facing deadlines frustrated and grumpy.

The most recent example of this phenomenon was in regards to her 5th Grade Explorer Report.  We were actually doing so well ... extraordinarily well, in fact.  Her report was done, EARLY! .. her note cards packed away in her backpack .. BEFORE the due date  ... and her Power Point was less than ten clicks from done!  We were enjoying a delicious meal with my mom (who just finished her readiation ... praise the Lord!) when Jillian reminded me that she really wanted to wear a costume during her presentation.  Now, to her credit, I did know this weeks ago .. but I refer you back to the fact that I am a procrastinator.  Mt first spoken response was, "Sweetie, your presentation is in two days.  Mommy, just worked 10 hours, and I really am not sure that I can get it done.  Nobody else has worn a costume .. it'll be fine."  Her response ... a simple, understanding, sweet one ... "It's o.k., Mommy." Said with such understanding and tenderness, that I knew right away that I was destined to pick up my keys, say my good nights, and go out to find something that I could make into an outfit fit for my little Sacajawea."  Which, is exactly what I did ... with a happy, giving countenance.  I did not begrudge her, huff nor puff ... no, I smiled and told her that I would go out and see just what I could do.  She wrapped her arms around me and said, "You are the BEST Mommy in the whole world."

Driving from store to the other (there were only two needed) ... it hit me that this is one of the times that I will be remembered for in her heart.  Long after I am taken home, my youngest will speak of the time that her mommy smiled and tackled the stores to find the perfect costume for her ... even though I was tired.  In that moment, a simple truth hit home ... we will be remembered by those that we come in contact with here in this life ... we have no choice about that.  What we do have a choice about is the way that we will be remembered.  We need to be intentional in the things we do, the way we give of our time, talents, and treasures,  the way we serve others  ... and we need to choose to do all of it with a cheerful heart.  That is really the only part that we have control over ... but, either way, we will be remembered.

Oh, if you are wondering about the costume ... Ross had the perfect brown tunic in the Teen's dress section, and Walmart had all the needed trimmings to make this costume:

The supplies that I found with NO TROUBLE at all!  

The finished costume .. complete with Sacajawea's

prize possession, a turquoise belt. 

(All for under two hour's time and $22)

A happy heart + 2 hours time + $22 =

1 very Happy little girl ...

and a Mommy who is smiling from ear to ear 

because she is ...

"The best mommy in the whole world!"



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Flood Insurance

I was blessed to spend the weekend in the company of some amazing women in Williams, Arizona.  We spent the weekend learning more about the incredible Lord that we serve and the manners in which we should approach him.  We learned about looking up instead of out ... the sovereignty of our creator ... and His ability to heal in one day, that which we would (in our earthly expectations) think would take ten times as long, or maybe never at all.  I learned a few things that meant a great deal to me, but those are for another post.  Today's story is about an illustration of trust that God gave me on the drive out of the retreat center.

On the way out of the center, I noticed something that had been cloaked in the unending darkness of night when I had arrived on Friday ... a lake.  If you know me even a little, you know that I am compelled to stop at the miraculous beauty of nature and document it through the lens of my always present companion ... my camera ... and this lake was no exception.  I pulled off the winding road to home, and was rewarded with this view.

The lake is actually a reservoir that is formed by a the Santa Fe Dam.  Constructed between 1892 and 1895, this dam was built to provide the Santa Fe Railroad water for its steam engines.  Today it holds back 70,000,000 gallons of water.  Standing at the dam's edge one need only rotate 180 degrees to see the following view.

A view of the outskirts of Williams, nestled in the shadow of this dam.  Home by only 3,094 people, Williams sits in the direct path of the water's fury, should the dam give.  The dam is considered a high risk dam, because the loss of life that would occur should it give ... and yet they stay ... trusting the ingenuity of man to hold back the flood.  This made me think about how easy it is for man to trust his ingenuity ... and yet how difficult it is for some to trust the sovereignty of God.

Why is that?  Well it is a matter oh head vs heart.  With our heads, or intellect, we invent the most amazing things ... but, this very same part of us cannot  accomplish the task of trusting the Lord with everything.  This trust must come from the heart alone ... and must be developed and refined by an ongoing, ever-deeepening relationship with Christ.  We know this in the difficult times ... we are born knowing to run for protection when things are rough and we feel endangered.  But, in the peaceful times we tend to put our trust into our own understandings, strength, and intellect.  The problem about this is that they will eventually fail us .. just as that dam will eventually crumble under the weight of time.  The people who live in the shadow of this possiblilty are currently working on a plan for the day that  comes to pass ... a plan that may or may not work when it is one day put to the test.  I am so thankful that I have a protector that never fails ... that knows each and every trial I will face in life, and how to equip me for each of them.  I know that there will be floods in my life, but my heart knows that I belong to the one who alone can calm the seas.

Are you like the residents of WIlliams?  Living in the shadow of an impending flood and working to figure out a disaster plan?  Find your way to the one that can give you the only insurance that you need to survive any of life storms ... Jesus.  He has paid the cost for your premiums already ... and waits only to start a relationship that will last when all of our creations have crumbled with time.

Lisa


The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the LORD,you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. Psalm 34: 8-9

Better than a Hallelujah

I have been praying of late that God would lead me in writing some thing ... asking that He would gift me the words to express His heart on a topic that I will share at another time. I full expected that the request would result in the pouring out of promptings of my heart ... the amazing flood of thoughts that spill rapidly onto the page ... a luxurious melody of words weaving together ageless truths ... with me the mere secretary ... working fervently to capture each sentence exactly. A beautiful image ... one that I have experienced, but this time God has chosen to answer my prayer with object lessons designed to teach me from the inside out.

It began with a song that I heard on the radio, Better than a Hallelujah sung by Amy Grant. The lyrics are as follows:

God loves a lullaby
In a mothers tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.
God loves the drunkards cry,
The soldiers plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah.

The woman holding on for life,
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes
The tears of shame for what's been done,
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

Better than a church bell ringing,
Better than a choir singing out, singing out.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah

This song began me thinking about what God wants from us ... a relationship ... and the two distinct ways that we as humans seem to approach it which I will call the "Busy Christian" and the "Balanced Christian." Let me describe myself to you and then I will let you know which of these labels I think that I currently fall into.

I have a bookcase filled with Bibles, Bible studies, commentaries, books on apologetics and Christian literature. I listen almost exclusively to Christian music. (Although this is simply because it fills me like no other music can, not because I think Christians should avoid secular music.) I go to church just about every week. I pray every day, and try to find a Bible study to join when I can, and sometimes even do one on my own. (Although I rarely seem to finish every page in any given Bible study.) I also go to a small group once a week. I "do" a lot of things that Christians would agree are great things to do ... things that I should do as a Christian. Things that make me a "busy Christian." I "do" so many things, but do they bring me closer to God? Do they take me deeper? I would like to go out on a limb and say the answer is yes and no.

What God wants from us is a deep, personal relationship ... and these things in isolation could actually be hindering me from having this with Him to the depths that He would like me to go. You see the one thing missing from my list is spending time with Him and spending time in His Word. I am going to be transparent here and tell you that I give of my talent and treasure, but when it comes to time ... I just don't have any left when I am done with all of the day to day doings to read my Bible. Are you beginning to see what I am getting at? I have time for so many things, many of which are things that Christians should do, but I do not have time to sit and get into the Word. Now I am not saying that we as Christians should give up "doing" the things that I listed, I think that they are important ... they are great ways to share faith with like minded people ... a way to grow with each other ... but they are not the one on one relationship that I believe God wants with each and every one of us.  Busyness, be it faith based or world based, is one of the greatest tools that Satan uses to separate us from the one on one, personal  relationship that God wants from each and every one of us ... the relationship that He paid for with the blood of Christ.

So what do I do with all of this head knowledge ... Nothing until my heart changes ... and how does that happen ...  only through getting a little more personal with the Lord ... today.

Forgiveness

It has been so long since last I posted.  Life took over and left me without much time ... But, today I return with something important to share.  A lesson, a reminder, and a story to tell.  So sit back and let this unfold around you.  Stop for a moment and see if you can identify with either of these two characters ... their plights ... their sufferings ... their choices ... and then, if you are so moved, take some time to make the difficult decisions that these two women had to make ... weighing the consequences carefully ... because as with most choices there are hearts at stake.

And so the story begins ...

Life is full of choices.  Some are big, some are small.  Some difficult, some easy.  Some well thought out, some spontaneous.  Some edifying, some destructive.  On one site I visited the person posting shared that a speaker at a conference they were at said that "the average adult in the USA today makes about 35,000 decisions each day."  Incredible right?  Well, this story is about one choice ... one choice the choice of forgiveness.

Imagine if you will a woman torn over a decision, she has to make.  She mulls it over, weighs the consequences ... she spends time with it ... and makes the choice that she feels would be best.  She knows that there is a danger in the choice, a danger in repercussions, but she makes the choice in good faith that it is the right thing to do.

Here is another fact about choices dear reader ... they all carry with them consequences.  Some bad, some good.  Some harmful, some benign.  Some fantastic, some tragic.  Some expected, and some unexpected. But they all have consequences ... 

And so she made her choice, but little did she know the storm that would ensue.  Anger and wrath poured out upon her from one who was affected by the choice.  One who was looking at the choice through a different set of experiences and feelings ... and the result was tragic.  In a split second in time, a long time friendship was damaged ... and it left both hearts bleeding.

Reader I pause for a moment to speak to a truth ... one choice, always begets another, and the consequences can build from choice to choice.  It is a dangerous field to navigate at time ... and should be taken carefully and with great prayer.


And as with most choices, this unfolding situation, presented to her yet another choice ... the choice of pride or humbleness.  You see, even in the aftermath ... even when weighing the cost ... she knew that her choice was right ... but she was also painfully aware that it had angered and hurt another person.  It was not the intent of her choice, but it was a direct result of her choice.  And so she began to grapple with a truth spoken into her heart ... that as a follower of Christ she should approach her friend and ask for forgiveness.  Oh, how I wish I could convey correctly the battle that raged within her. To feel so wronged, and yet be asked to ask forgiveness for hurting someone else.  To swallow her pride, put being right second, and the feelings of the other person first.   But she really had no choice.  The Lord made that clear ... in her heart ... in the sermon at church that Sunday ... He was relentless in His request ... and in the end she submitted to His desires.

I would love to tell you that asking for forgiveness make everything better ... it seemed to her like it should have .. after all forgiveness is supposed to go both ways ... it is supposed to soften hearts ... to mend ... but in this case it did not.  For her plea came back unanswered.  She was left wounded again, only this time by the choice of another to choose anger over forgiveness.  Oh, how she prayed for the Lord to reconcile her to her friend.  Oh how she waited upon him ... and still is.  But, to no avail it seemed as if there was to be no relief from the oppression of anger ... and to this date there has not been.  But ... she waits in the peace that she was faithful to forgive and ask to be forgiven ... she was obedient to the tuggings of her heart that called to her follow an example set long ago ... and put another first and extend grace and forgiveness.

And that is the end of the story ... an ending that is simply unfinished.


As with most good stories, there is a moral.  A nugget or two of truth that call out to be shared.  So, what are the morals for this story you ask ... well there are a few.

1.  Anger with out forgiveness will run like a forest fire seeking to engulf and destroy ... it is easily fed ... and tends to grow over time.  It feels righteous at the time ... but is equally, if not more, dangerous to the person that is harboring it as it is to the person at whom it is aimed.

2.  Being right does not mean that you can't be held responsible for the effects your choices have on others.  To quote another ... Apologizing does not always mean that you are wrong and the other person is right. It just means that you value your relationship more than your ego. - Unknown

3.  On this side of Heaven ... there will be those that do not make the choice of forgiveness when it is presented to them.  You might even be one of them, as I know that I have been at times.  BUT ... it does hurt.  It hurts both the person being denied, and the person that is doing the denying.

4.  Followers of Christ are called to forgive:

Matthew 6:15-17

¹⁵ But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

Matthew 18:35

   ³⁵ “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.”

Matthew 18:21-22

 ²¹ Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” ²² Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.

Matthew 5:24

24 First go and be reconciled to your brother," he recommends, "then come and offer your gift.

5.  Called or not ... forgiveness is a choice ... a choice that has consequences just like any other choice.

So how does this apply to me you ask?  Well, that is simple.  Search your heart.  Are there people that you need to ask for forgiveness ... but the pride of thinking you are right (and you may well be) has gotten in the way?  If so, pray about what the Lord would have you do, but don't put it off.  Time is not your friend in this.  OR are there people that you need to forgive ... that you need to release from the wrath of your anger, disappointment, and hurt?  If the answer is yes, then know that it will hurt you in the long run ... holding grudges ... punishing others ... only breeds more negative feelings that will bury themselves in your heart and fester.  AND ... if you are a follower of Christ then people are watching to see if your actions match your words when you are faced with the decision of asking for or giving forgiveness.  Asking for forgiveness can be hard ... but we are told to do so.  Giving forgiveness without a preceding emotional punishment can be hard ... but we are told to do so.  If we choose not to either of these there are consequences ... and inevitably more choices.

Lisa

Life is ... good.

So tonight I am sitting in my mom's living room listening to her breath as she sleeps on her couch. I listen to the patterns of her breathing like sweet music, and as a mother I know that there was a time that it was she sitting listening to my rhythmic pattern of life ... smiling and thinking, "Life is good." How time flies by and tables turn ... sometimes without one realizing that it has even happened, for tonight it is I that watches her with a heart full of love and thinks, "Life is good."

Most of you know that I am a survivor of breast cancer. Some of you even walked the road with me, and watched God's goodness and faithfulness anoint me for a journey that He would use to change lives and bring Him glory. That was 8 years ago this month. How time gently slips away as life is lived ... hardly noticed or acknowledged until a moment comes when once again you are reminded of the fleeting gift of life, a moment of vulnerability, of clarity, of truth.

Such a moment came to pass late last week when my mom called me to tell me that a suspicious lump had been found in her breast during her mammogram. While not definitive, I could not help but wonder at the irony. You see I have spent years wondering if I would ever have the colon cancer that almost took her life over 25 years ago, but I never ... in all my years ... ever wondered if she would get breast cancer like me.

How familiar it all felt. The waiting, the additional tests, the speeding up of time as one takes the steps of finding out they have cancer. Familiar, but different. For this time, I find myself on the other side of this disease. The side of caregiver, supporter, loved-one ... and I found it rather challenging and uncomfortable. Having already walked this walk, I already knew that the people who walked the path with me shared in the journey, the pain, the uncertainty. What I never realized is just how helpless those that share in love this walk of cancer feel. I am grateful for this lesson, and appreciate those that walked with me and all they went through, because to be honest I think it was perhaps harder on them than it was one me. How many of you offered up strength and encouragement, but cried when I wasn't looking as I have this week? I count your tears precious, and I understand now the sacrifice that you offered up as you supported me.

Today, my mom had a lumpectomy ... with the same surgeon, in the same hospital, during the same month and I sat in the waiting room to experience the surgeon's footsteps. I could not help but notice all the ironic twists of similarity right down to the type of cancer they think it is and the location of the tumor. But, there was a similarity even more important than all of those combined and that was the anointing of my mother for this journey. You see, 25 years ago she faced cancer without a personal relationship with Christ. I remember it. It seemed dark and scary and deadly.

It birthed in me a fear of cancer that would stalk me throughout my life until I myself faced it .. and viewed it through the eyes of my Savior who came along side me and carried me through the fiery furnace just as He did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. How I remember the amazing peace that filled me and fueled me ... tangible, undeniable, unmistakeable. That is why I could not help but notice that very same anointing upon my mom ... tangible, undeniable, unmistakeable ... and I know without a doubt that He will carry her through this with the gentleness and faithfulness that only He can have ... filling her with peace and joy ... no matter what the road ahead has in store. And I, will walk with her .. in the shadow of His presence, seeking His face ... remembering with every step the lessons I learned from my cancer walk so many years ago.

The surgeon thinks that they caught it early, that she was able to get clear margins. That is good news. And we wait, in peace, for the pathology report on the sentenial node to reveal if the cancer was contained, knowing no matter what God is with us and Life is good.

Christmas Wishes

With this Christmas season upon us, I found myself pondering this night Christ was born. What was it like? I could imagine the whole Earth holding its breath in quiet anticipation as Mary went through the process of giving birth, the angels waiting with baited breath as the miraculous moment drew near. I found myself humbled at the splendor of it all and penned the following words.

Christmas Wishes


This season of
Christmas with it brings
A time for presents
And glittery things
Shopping carts
And endless lines
Paper and ribbon
treats divine
Holiday visits
And family time
All in all
Wonderful things
But is that really
What Christmas means?

For long ago
It all began
With the virgin birth
Of God in man
When the Holy of Holies
Sent to die
Was born in a manger
And gave His first cry
which rang through the darkness
And circled the world
As angels heralded
The birth of God’s Word
The hope of all nations
Of redemption found
All of Heaven did in
Holy adoration resound

I sit here tonight
Contemplating this all
Reconciliation born
in a cold, lonely stall
the night
to end darkness
The life to end death
That began the minute
He drew His first breath
And I am left speechless
The words will not come
So, I sit humbled
by thoughts of the One
Born in a manger
On that night long ago
And of our Father
Who loved us so
That He sent to Earth
His only Son
So the cost of our sin
Might be undone.

So, come let us worship
In this Holiest of times,
Let us honor
Our Savior
Salvation divine
With reckless abandon
And hearts open wide
To the will of the One
Who in us resides
Let us eagerly seek
to understand
the indescribable gift
Of God
made man.

May your Christmas be one of Christ filled joy,

Lisa

Sharing: Life is too Short

It has been so long ... and I do have so much to share ... BUT .. on the way here I stopped at the Pixelated Image blog and read a post by one of my all time favorite photographers David deChemin. I am coming up on my 8 year anniversary of the day I found out that I had stage 3 cancer ... pondering life and its preciousness ... and his words hit home. So today, I will put my own thoughts on hold and will instead share his. Take time to ponder them ... sit with them for awhile .... then look at your life .. really look. Are you waisting it? What are you doing with it? MInute by minute .... day by day ... are you making a difference? Life is short.

__________________________________________________________________

This isn’t really one of those helpful photographic posts, so if you’re jonesin’ for info on what gear I’m packing for New Zealand, you might want to just kind of move along But I’m bursting to say these things, and I’m hoping someone out there needs to hear. I do.

As some of you know there’s some big changes coming down the pipe for me and I’ll give you a full report as soon as I can. I’ve fought the urge to make these changes for a while now and something finally cracked.

I had breakfast with a close friend of mine yesterday and it’s that meeting that is making me write this, because I can’t keep it in this morning. His wife, one of my favourite people on the planet, is fighting for her life against inoperable brain cancer. She’s fighting, but she’s not well, and the doctors are talking in terms of quality of life, not healing, not remission. My heart is breaking for her. My heart is breaking for him. A young couple that, like all of us, thinks they have forever together, have all the time in the world to chase their dreams. But we don’t. None of us do. It’s an illusion.

Life is short. We seem to think that we’ll live forever. We spend time and money as though we’ll always be here. We buy shiny things as though they matter and are worth the debt and stress of attachment. We put off the so-called “trip of a lifetime” for another year, because we all assume we have another year. We don’t tell the ones we love how much we love them often enough because we assume there’s always tomorrow. And we fear. Oh, do we fear. We stick it out in miserable jobs and situations because we’re afraid of the risk of stepping out. We don’t reach high enough or far enough because we’re worried we’ll fail, forgetting – or never realizing – that it’s better to fail spectacularly while reaching for the stars than it is to succeed at something we never really wanted in the first place.

A woman emailed earlier this year. Her husband, the love of her life, was a fan of mine and he’d just come through a tough fight with Leukemia. She asked if I’d take some time with him, go shooting with him if he came to Vancouver, sort of as a celebration of his recovery. I said yes, of course, how could I not. But I was busy, about to travel, and could we do it in a couple months when summer rolled around and I had time to host him. Of course. Let’s talk soon. I got back two months later and sent an email saying, let’s make it happen! And 5 minutes later got a reply telling me the leukemia had returned with speed and fury and within days he’d gone. Even now, I’m writing this with tears, though anyone that knows me knows it doesn’t take much.

We think we’ve got forever and that these concerns that weigh us down are so pressing. We worry about the trivial to the neglect of the most precious thing we have: moments we’ll never see again. We talk of killing time, passing time, and getting through the week, forgetting we’re wishing away the moments that comprise our lives. We say time is money when in fact the time we have is ALL we have. Money can be borrowed, time can’t. We fear taking risks, unaware that the biggest risk we run in playing it safe is in fact living as long as we hope and never doing the things we dreamed of. And then it’s too late. We watched our favourite TV shows, we fought a losing battle with our weight, we picked up the guitar once in a while and never quite finished the french language courses we wanted to do. We managed to get a large flatscreen and new cars once in a while, but the list of things we’d have done if we could really, truly could have done anything, kept growing. And we never did them.

I don’t know how to wrap this up. There’s no resolution. I was in Sarajevo last week thinking about all this; I’d be walking the old city thinking how amazing it was, looking into the hills that surround it. And then it occurred to me, just over 15 years ago the citizen of Sarajevo that stood in this spot was likely to be hit by mortar shells or sniper fire. We’re all terminal folks. We’re all in the sniper scope. We’ve got less time that we think. For every ten people that email me and say, “I wish I could do what you’re doing. I wish I could follow my dreams, I wish, I wish…,” I wonder if even one moves forward. I hope so.

Whatever your dream is, find a way to make it happen. Your kids can come with you. Your job can wait. You can find someone to feed the cat. I know, I know, there are so many reasons we can’t and some of those reasons are valid. Life is not only short, it is also sometimes profoundly hard. But I think sometimes our reasons are in fact only excuses. If that’s the case, take stock. I talk alot about living the dream, and I’m an idealist, I know it. But it’s not self-help, positive-thinking, wish-upon-a-star. It’s the realization that life is short and no one is going to live my life on my behalf. And one day soon – because it’ll seem that way, I know it – my candle will burn out; I want it to burn hot and bright while it’s still lit. I want it to light fires and set others ablaze.

Life is short. Live it now. And live it with all your strength and passion now. Don’t keep it in reserve against a day you might not have. While the ember is still lit, fan it to flame. Be bold about it, even if your circumstances mean all you have is to love boldly and laugh boldy. Because now is all we have, and these dreams won’t chase themselves.

End of sermon, thanks for listening. I just kind of needed to get it out there. It wasn’t the point of this but if you’re the praying type, send some mojo out for my friend and his wife. God knows who they are.

__________________________________________________________________

Amen Daivd. Amen.

Finding Freedom in Being Wrong

Have you ever had an epiphany? A moment when shocking truths rained down upon you with such unbelievable clarity that you were literally left stunned and humbled by it? I have ... recently ... and it was both painful and freeing.

You see a few years ago, I learned a valuable lesson about gossip and talking about others. I got it in my head. I knew that it was wrong. I knew that God did not approve of it. I vowed to not do it. I even was lead to undertake an amazing journey of purposefully building other people up. BUT I didn't really get it ... until recently when I became the victim of gossip. Someone I know talked about me behind my back, and I found out about it. I was crushed, my feelings were battered, and I have had a really difficult time trusting her now. Her words against me were so powerful, but they also brought with them a powerful lesson. For in the midst of my hurt, God spoke to my heart saying, "This is how it felt when you did the same thing to your friend."

I was shocked, for in that moment I realized that my head knowledge about gossip had not changed my heart's understanding of it ... had not brought about repentance from it. You see, although I had learned that Gossip was wrong, I was still carrying with me justifications for why I had done what I had done... rational, believable reasons that had become like truth to me ... and although I had changed, I had not repented. I had not ever come to the end of myself and owned being wrong, but, in that moment God unveiled my eyes ... and I saw all my justifications fall away ... leaving an unmistakable truth ... I was 100% wrong.

For in my hurt, I knew that there was nothing that would justify my hurting someone else the way that I had been hurt. In that moment, my friend's face was woven into my pain ... in that moment, God showed me how badly I had hurt her ... and I for the first time took ownership of that truth in my heart. I was wrong. I was wrong, and I had never really admitted it fully with no excuses. I was wrong, and was in bondage to the lies I had told myself to justify it. I was wrong, and had never been able to seek true forgiveness because I could not see that there was more to be forgiven for. In that moment, I took my sin to my Father's feet and I cried out to Him from my heart and asked for forgiveness. I offered up not one excuse, and the most amazing thing happened. In embracing being wrong, I found peace and freedom and realized that it was in admitting being wrong that I found God's mercy, and healing.

A few weeks out, and I can't help but wonder how many times we do this. I keep asking myself how many times we try to hide our Sin, just like Adam and Eve tried to cloak their nakedness (and sin) in the garden when God came to call upon them. I keep wondering how often do we do such a great job of justifying what ever it is that we are doing, that we no longer recognize it as sin. I think it is probably more often than we would like to think. We need to make a point of asking the Lord to search us and know us ... to examine our hearts and bring to light any impure or sinful actions, thoughts, or words that we might really lay them down ... to illuminate any sin that we have too grown comfortable with ... and make it once again painful that we might recognize it for what it is and repent.

So what happened to me in all this? I found an amazing freedom, freedom from a sin I did not even recognize to be unresolved. I repented, and sought forgiveness. I found peace in the pain of learning, and I finally understand the depths of the damage that speaking unedifying words about others can do. I recognize it fully for the deceiving destroyer that it is, and will stand against it whenever it comes calling. I found freedom in being wrong.

Lisa

This Broken Vessel

Good morning all! I pray that this post finds you all going deeper with our God and King. I offer up today another poem. One day soon I will sit down and share some amazing God stories ... but for now ...

This Broken Vessel


Holy Redeemer
Wonderful One
Paid in love
with the blood
of His Son
the cost of my ransom
the weight of my sin
nailed to the cross
to bring life within
this broken vessel
for a glorious King
now poured out inside me
to His glory brings
this broken being
unfit and lost
forfeiting all
for the life of
Christ's Cross.

- Lisa 2010

Hello my bloggie friends. I have so must to tell you about what I have learned in the next week, but for tonight you will have to make due with a new poem ...


Child of Mine

Child of mine
Lend me your ear
Come, cast down your sorrows
Let go of your fears
Deny the world’s lies
For they are not real
Trade them in now
For my truths revealed
For I know of your weakness
Your fears and your pride
I know how you stumble
I’ve heard when you cried
I know all your secrets
So, stop trying to hide
From your Father who loves you
Who in you resides
It’s time to go deeper
To surrender it all
To let go of your life
And answer my call
For you are my child
Held tight in my hand
Come, there are truths
You must understand
By me you are cherished
Your appointment’s divine
I formed, made, and chose you
At the beginning of time
You’re called for a purpose
Nothing’s by chance
You’re not defined
By your circumstance
So come now surrender
Just lay it all down
Stop chasing things
That just can’t be found
For I am sufficient
I’m all that you need
I’m your protector, your healer,
Come rest at my feet
For I am waiting
I’m drawing you near
It’s time to go deeper
You’ve nothing to fear.

May we all go deeper ... deeper in love with God ... deeper in obedience to God ... deeper in relationship to God ... deeper in God's Word .... and may we do it with excitement and dedication.

Lisa

I want to share a post that another friend of mine just shared on Facebook. I think that it paints an amazing perspective of hope and faith when facing a problem that is so big it feels impossible to face or do anything about. She is a missionary and writes about the trying to make a difference in the poverty of Costa Rica.

“I’m gonna go fight poverty for two and a half hours. Two and a half hours on a Tuesday morning to solve the biggest problem in the world. What a joke. We will show up with a bag full of bread and an armload of bananas, and the children will clamber around us like ducks at a pond. A bunch of little ducklings, falling all over each other for a bit of bread and a soft pat on the head.

And for 2 and a half hours we will laugh and play and eat, and we will talk about Jesus. And when we leave, they will be just as poor as when we arrived. Poverty taunts us as we drive away. It’s overwhelming. The problem is so big, and we are so small. It feels ridiculous… showing up to war wielding a loaf of bread.

Of course that’s how David showed up. Just a shepherd boy with some bread for his brothers, a kid who was quick with a sling shot. He chose for battle against a giant, not a sword, or the kings armor, but five smooth stones. And he won.

He said to the giant:”You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the LORD Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the LORD will hand you over to me, and I’ll strike you down and cut off your head. Today I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s, and he will give all of you into our hands.” ~1 Samuel 17

I kind of love that. I’m going to feed the ducks, now. And then, with all my might, I will hurl a tiny pebble at their giant enemy. And I hope it hurts like hell.“

And I love that.

So pick up your pebbles, people. Here we go...

First, I think that each of us should hurl some pebbles at this massive giant ... see my last post for a great way to do so ... BUT think this also holds an superb truth for us in every day life ... what giants are you facing? A friend of mine just found out she has breast cancer ... hurl some pebbles. Another is lost in a marriage that desperately needs healing ... hurl some pebbles. Another has grown bitter over the years and just can't seem to find her way back to peace ... hurl some pebbles. What battle are you running from? Stop, take a deep breath, remember who is fighting with you, and hurl some pebbles!

Lisa

When Words Make a Difference

There are so many times that I log on and see all those hearts on the map and wonder about each one of you. I wonder who you are ... what your lives are like ... if you really stop in a read the ramblings of this Arizona girl. I wonder if God speaks to you through these words ... and I wonder if these words make a difference at all. I have shared so many moments of my life and learning. I have been transparent with total strangers ... and have loved reading the blogs of those who post here. Funny how we can share this cyber-life here together.

Today's blog is going to be a bit different, and I would ask that you read all the way through and then pray about being part of this most amazing opportunity ... I am, and will be praying, that God raises up people to do so.

It all begins with an amazing couple of people who started a non-profit called Remember the Poor that seeks to provide for the people of Uganda in Africa. They work tirelessly to make a difference and provide ways for others to do the same. Enter another amazing family that has started a church called The Mission, who's focus is reaching the lost and reaching out the the orphans and widows of this world. Working hand in hand, God has used these people to bring an opportunity of compassion and love to anyone that is interested. You see, this small group of people is doing something amazing, they are working to support an orphanage in Kisii, Kenya.

This orphanage is run by a man and his wife that have such hearts for these lost children. They have taken them in and are doing everything they can to provide food and education for these kids, but they do need help. That is where we come in. God is moving to provide for these kids through whomever is willing! I could pause here to tell you stories of poverty that would fill your heart with sorrow, show you pictures that would break your heart ... but I won't. There is really no way to truly understand the depth of it unless you go there and witness their reality through the window of ours here in America. It is horrible. It is uncomfortable. It is easier to ignore, than to bear the weight of the truth of it. I know. I too have struggled with it, struggled with choosing to see what is happening there ... embracing the reality of it ... to let it sink into my soul and be unsettled about it. This is not about guilt though ... instead it is about Love ... it is about using what we have to help others ... to be God's hands and feet ... to be a blessing ... to build relationships. This is an opportunity to help children who are in need of help. Let me introduce you to a couple of them.

Meet Brian.

Diana ...


And Norah.

These are just 3 of the 15 children that need sponsors. You can sponsor their food and medical care or their school tuition (they are required to pay tuition by the government if they are to go to school) or both. A partial sponsorship is $45 a month, and a full sponsorship (food, medical, and tuition) is $90 a month. Your donation would be processed through Remember the Poor and will be 100% tax deductible. The best part is that teams from the states go out a few times a year and you are encouraged to send your child letters, photos, and small gifts. They will know you as their family here in the states ... you will have the chance to build relationships with a child on the other side of this earth ... to this child, you will be God's hands and feet. My family is going to sponsor one of the children partially (it is what we can do right now) anyone want to take the other half and help us to sponsor him/her fully? This world is really not such a big place, and we as humanity are really not that different from one another ... these children ... they are like our own ... young, fun-loving, and God's treasures ... would you please pray about helping?

If you are so led, please click on this link (The Mission) to go and fill out a form online. Message me if you want to join me in making the sponsorship of one of these children full.

May God's will be the object of your heart's desire ...

Lisa

A Little Too Much Me

I was listening to a Sermon yesterday and the Pastor was talking about letting God permeate all of your life. How He must be the center and all things us must be wrapped around and flow through Him, that His glory might be know to others ... to the nations ... to the lost that do not know Him yet. His graphic organizer of this was a set of concentric circles with God at the middle, and I as I sat looking at that set of nested circles I began to see how much like an onion I am and how much more there is that I have not surrendered. I can look at the layers on the floor and call them by name ... my children, my marriage, my work, my tongue, my health and so on. It is easy to look at the pile and remember the sometimes painful separations as these layers were peeled from me through times of deep learning and relinquished to my King ... mine and no longer mine ... these area's of my life are such blessings to me now. It is easy to forget that there is still so much more to me on the cutting board. The deeper, inner parts still so tightly bound to each other that I am not even sure how to call them by name. What are these parts that I have yet to surrender, and why do I tense up a little at the thought of doing so. Why does the idea of surrender bring trepidation, when the result brings such peace? I don't think it is the letting go. I don't think it is the fear that the Lord will be surprised or wouldn't want to the part that I am giving. I don't think it is the fear of having those deepest parts named and revealed. I think it is more a desire to not loose myself, an innate instinct to preserve self ... combined with an ominous fear over just how much is left hidden in reserve if I did daily ask the Lord to take every peace of me ... to peal back layers one by one ... carving daily a piece of self that I might get to the heart of all those circles.

How funny is it that my human response to surrender focuses on and responds to the process or surrender versus the rewards? Intellectually I get it, intellectually I want it ... but, my heart lingers pulled in a daily tug-of-war to surrender or to control. What I do know is the LORD is firm in His stance. He wants me all ... every layer surrendered. He is not a God of pieces ... He is a God of all or nothing ... black or white ... and although He is patient and waits for our hearts to align to His will ... he will not settle for anything but everything. It all comes down to daily surrender ... beginning with praying daily that He would show me that which I am holding onto ... that He would ask and take each layer ... naming it ... claiming it ... and receiving it for His glory. By daily praying for less of me, and more of Him. By willing releasing my grasp on control and letting Him have His will, with me standing in the middle of it ... instead of opposition to it.

We all have these layers. Layers that are too cherished. Layers that are too painful to release. Layers that are too comfortable. Layers that feel like they would just tear our world in two if we just gave in. Hurts that are held to long, when forgiveness feels like to big a pill to swallow. Areas of pride, that bring selfish pleasure ... rather than eternal glory. Addictions, gossip, the glittery trappings of the world, big things, little things ... things named and unnamed. I think the overwhelming fear is not that God would not take them and relieve us of them ... but that He would.

Oh Lord, search me and expose me. Call to my heart, mind, and soul the desire to let go ... to die daily in self ... to stand in your will when it comes to surrender instead of opposition. Bring me to a daily understanding of what it means to really belong to you ...

Lisa

Warning: Road Closed Ahead

I have long marveled at the people that call themselves "storm chasers." The people that literally abandon everything the minute that a storm breaks that will spawn tornadoes. They hear its call, and must follow. To some they might appear reckless and insane ... but I understand their draw. I, too, am a chaser. I chase sunsets. I have for years. I watch the clouds in the afternoon build and my heart races. I speculate about what colors will be spayed out upon them and just how grand the sunset will be. I pre-plan a plan of attack and wait for the sun to bid its farewells for the day ... anticipating anxiously that moment when I can chase the color and capture it with my camera.

Today was such a day. The clouds were perfect ... the conditions were right ... I just knew that there was going to be a great sunset ... and there was. The only problem was that the sun has begun to set earlier and earlier and I was about 5 minutes late in leaving my house. Like any of the famed tonado chasers on T.V. I sped down the road to my predetermined spot to take the picture, watching the light dim, the colors intensify ... knowing that I might just miss its creciendo ... praying (literally) that God might just hold it a minute longer for me ... allowing me to capture the beauty that what was making my heart race. I hit every green light. My chances seemed good. I had my camera in my free hand, and was feeling pretty confident that I would indeed make it. That is until I drove up upon a sign complete with flashing lights that said: "Street Closed." Really? For real?

I paniced for a moment ... glanced at the sun's farewell display which was just peaking. What was I to do? I was temped to drive around the road closre sign. My "spot" was within sight. My only other option was to take the detour through the housing subdivision to my right. Where would it lead? I did not know. But, I did know that the sunset was minutes away from over, so I took it. Driving down the road ... my eyes watching the light fade ... the urgency in my herat pounding ... I came out on a street that runs through my neightborhood as well and turned west. Within minutes, the road ended smack dab into a huge dirt field ... the perfect spot to shoot sunsets. Nothing from me to the mountains to break the scence. I pulled into the edge of the field and jumped out of my car only to realize that the most spectacular moment of the sunset was indeed over. Now based upon my description of my passion you might imagine that I was creastfallen ... that I view the chase as a failure ... but it was actually a win. You see I found the perfect spot. The spot that I will return to the next time that the sunset draws me to it. It is perfect. It is mine.

Driving home I began to realize that there is a life reminder in what happened tonight. You see there are so many times in life that we run into road blocks. Times when we are on a set course and God throws up a barricade that stops us in our tracks and redirects us. We have a choice to make when this happens though ... we can turn around and backtrack ... we can go around the road block and continue on the same path ... or we can let go and follow the detour path that God has provided us and in doing so find that what He has for us is so much better in the long run than what we had started out chasing. Thank you Lord for the reminder ... may I always face the detours with the same enthisiasm as the journey that led me to it.

With that said, I could not resist sharing some other sunset and cloud pictures that I did chase down on other days in the last week ... I do so love chasing ...

Lisa

A Few Poetic Words

Wow, it has been awhile. I have never taken such a long break from my blog ... and I can't help but wonder if there will still be anyone that comes to check in. :) So, if you are reading this, thank you for coming back. Sorry, I have been gone for such a long time!

It has been an amazing summer. God and I have been working on learning what one on one time means. I have run the gambit of feelings ... from loneliness to excitement ... and have learned so much. Those lessons though are for another day, as I am still in the process of putting to words what I am learning.

One thing that this time has done was awakened the poet within me ... and that is what I thought I would share today.

Today's poem is about coming home to God ... about realizing that I was a weary traveler ... feet dusty ... legs tired ... yearning for home.

Welcome Me Home

Here I am
once again
returning to you
a child of sin

Tired of wandering
longing for home
returning to the place
where all is known

Wrap your arms around me
call me your own
as I run towards you
welcome me home

Splay my heart open
just lay it all out
search every part
leave no room for doubt

Call me by name
make me your own
as I run towards you
welcome me home

Lay my life open
wash my soul clean
teach me to serve you
to know what that means

Take all my burdens
as I lay them down
to honor the one
who's head bore the crown

Wrap your arms around me
call me your own
as I run towards you
welcome me home

-Lisa 2010

From time to time each of us will wake up to find ourselves far away from home. As humans, we are prone to wander, and there are so many roads that tempt us to follow them. Maybe that is you right now. Maybe, like me, you have been caught up in the hectic pace of modern life and simply fall further and further away from God because you don't make time to spend one on one time with your Father. Days lead to weeks, and weeks to months ... and before you know it you are feeling disconnected and alone. Maybe it is something else. Maybe it is something completely different. Whatever it is, the amazing thing is that our Father is waiting right at our side for us to turn around. Notice that I said, "right by our side." You see, although the prodigal son had to walk all the way home to his father's house ... our Father is only a heartbeat away from us ... no matter how far we think we have gone. So, if this is a time like that for you ... just stop walking. Seek God. Ask Him to welcome you home ... home is closer than you think.

Lisa