Did you ever take a drive in the mountains on a sunny day when, all of a sudden, around the next curve, the sun disappears and it's darker outside? You know it's because the mountain is blocking the sunlight, but you can't wait to get around the next curve to be back in the light!
Our lives with God are a lot like that.
We can be going along on our merry way when, all of sudden, we're in the dark. We thought everything was fine. We followed the road and stayed between the lines, so where did the darkness come from? Why has the way become unclear?
Sometimes it has to do with not paying attention to the signs along the way. Sometimes it's because we've taken a wrong turn or exit. A lot of the times it's because we've allowed an area in our lives to become a mountain.
You see, unlike the sun rising and setting, God never moves. His light remains to guide us. It is when we "move" in a wrong direction or allow a "mountain" to block out His light, that we are in the dark.
A "mountain" can be anything in your life that has grown big enough to block out your focus on God. It could be that you've gotten so busy that you don't have "time for God." It could be that you've been following your own way for so long that you didn't even notice you were "in the dark." Or it could be that a very real problem, hurt or situation has become so difficult that you can't see anything beyond it.
So how do we "get back into the light?" The bible tells us that His word is a lamp for our feet and a light to our path. (Psalm 119:105). In 1 John 1:5 we learn that God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.
If we spend time reading His word, we can't help but be "in His light." His word can guide us in knowing which roads to take and give us the "signs" along the way.
What about those mountains? Maybe it's time to "move them" or "remove" them. God is bigger than any mountain we could possibly have in our lives. The creator of the universe is more than capable of helping us to move any mountains. Nothing is too difficult for Him. (Jeremiah 32:17) In fact, He tells us that we can move the mountains, ourselves, with a little faith. (Mark 11:23).
What mountains do you have in your life that need moving? Do you want to be "back in the light?"
Spend time in the Word, follow the road "signs" and keep driving...it'll be just around the next curve!
Friday, November 28, 2014
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Are You Trying to Have a Hallmark Family Moment with an "Addams" Family?
With Thanksgiving and Christmas coming soon, there will be a lot of family gatherings. With everyone gathering in one place to spend the holidays together, you may be envisioning the perfect "Hallmark" family get-together, with everyone happy and enjoying each other. The house will be decorated down to the smallest detail, including the holiday salt and pepper shakers. The food, of course, will be cooked perfectly and served on time, and your table will rival any image featured on the cover of the Southern Living magazine. At least that's what it looks like in your mind, right?
What happens, though, when your family is less "Hallmark" and more "Addams" family? (The Addams Family was a television show in the 1960's. Each member of the family was quirky and unusual. They did not look like anyone's idea of the "perfect" family, but they were a close family).
There is a lot of pressure and stress in trying to create the "perfect" family get-together. It's almost as if you think that if you "set the stage" and make all the arrangements and preparations, it "will be wonderful."
But that's not how real life is.
Did you grow up in a house where everyone "got along" with everyone else and life just went along smoothly? Probably not. Do you remember getting together with grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins for the holidays? Did the visit always go smoothly or are you just remembering it that way?
When you mix together parents who work full-time, kids who'd rather be doing their own thing, and families traveling distances for the holiday, the odds are that things may not go smoothly. And when you toss in the individual personalities and issues that are ongoing in family relationships, it could even be "lumpy."
The thing is, you don't have to have a "Hallmark" family to be able to enjoy your family get-togethers. You just have to make the most of what you have and be thankful that you have it.
Let this holiday get-together be more about "being together" and less about "the perfect family moment." If you like to cook and have time for it, then enjoy your preparations. If you work full-time, however, consider buying a cooked turkey and having it sliced. You could have everyone bring an item and you could set up a "Holiday Buffet" with paper plates, napkins and colorful plasticware. Remember it's about the "being together" NOT the display.
Just a note about the people you may know who may not have family in the area to spend the holidays with. Invite them to your gathering. It will be a blessing to you both!
This year, make the decision to make the most of your holiday family get-togethers. Remember to "be in the moment" and make memories. It's not about the perfect family at the beautifully set table with the perfect menu, it's about the real people gathered together. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so make the most of today... even if your family is more "Addams" than "Hallmark."
What happens, though, when your family is less "Hallmark" and more "Addams" family? (The Addams Family was a television show in the 1960's. Each member of the family was quirky and unusual. They did not look like anyone's idea of the "perfect" family, but they were a close family).
There is a lot of pressure and stress in trying to create the "perfect" family get-together. It's almost as if you think that if you "set the stage" and make all the arrangements and preparations, it "will be wonderful."
But that's not how real life is.
Did you grow up in a house where everyone "got along" with everyone else and life just went along smoothly? Probably not. Do you remember getting together with grandparents, aunts and uncles and cousins for the holidays? Did the visit always go smoothly or are you just remembering it that way?
When you mix together parents who work full-time, kids who'd rather be doing their own thing, and families traveling distances for the holiday, the odds are that things may not go smoothly. And when you toss in the individual personalities and issues that are ongoing in family relationships, it could even be "lumpy."
The thing is, you don't have to have a "Hallmark" family to be able to enjoy your family get-togethers. You just have to make the most of what you have and be thankful that you have it.
Let this holiday get-together be more about "being together" and less about "the perfect family moment." If you like to cook and have time for it, then enjoy your preparations. If you work full-time, however, consider buying a cooked turkey and having it sliced. You could have everyone bring an item and you could set up a "Holiday Buffet" with paper plates, napkins and colorful plasticware. Remember it's about the "being together" NOT the display.
Just a note about the people you may know who may not have family in the area to spend the holidays with. Invite them to your gathering. It will be a blessing to you both!
This year, make the decision to make the most of your holiday family get-togethers. Remember to "be in the moment" and make memories. It's not about the perfect family at the beautifully set table with the perfect menu, it's about the real people gathered together. We are not guaranteed tomorrow, so make the most of today... even if your family is more "Addams" than "Hallmark."
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Are You A Master Gardener in Someone Else's Life?
My husband has an amazing gift for gardening. He can grow so many different kinds of plants and his specialty is orchids. They are beautiful! The time, care and nurturing he puts into the taking care of his plants shows in how they flourish. He truly has a "green thumb."
I, on the other hand, have a "black thumb." It doesn't matter how many different kinds of plants I try to grow or how much time I spend on them, they never seem to survive.
I am a Master Gardener, though, when it comes to nurturing, fertilizing and taking care of the loved ones in my life. I try to pay attention to their needs and am aware of their "growing" seasons and "dormant" seasons. I do my best to shine just the right amount of light (encouragement and wisdom) into their lives.
With all this tending to the other "gardens" in my family, I didn't realize that my own garden had gone dormant. Where there should've been buds and blooms, there were only stunted plants overshadowed by weeds.
Isn't it amazing how we can spend so much time taking care of others and forget completely about ourselves?
In the past year, I've been trying to learn more about me and what helps me to "grow." I'm trying things I've always talked about trying, but, until this year, never did. I went to a writer's workshop in a town I'd never been to and with people I didn't know. I also went on a cruise. I had so much fun at both and felt energized! It felt like coming out of a long sleep.
How is your garden growing? To quote my sister, "Are you Bonsai-gardening someone else's life and leaving your own to wither?" Bonsai gardening is a very detailed, labor-intensive, nurturing type of gardening. The careful, selective pruning at just the right time to shape the plant takes a lot of time. If you've ever seen the little Bonsai trees, it can take years to grow a very small, carefully shaped tree.
Are you spending so much time on everyone else that you've forgotten how to take care of yourself? Here's a test...ask yourself this..."If someone gave me a day all to myself to do whatever I want, would I have any idea what I would like to do?" If you can't come up with one thing you'd like to do, your garden has gone dormant and it's time to bring it into the sunlight and start nurturing it. Start by making a list of what you'd like to do. Have a "possibilities" list and a "dream" list. Do something off your "possibilities" list...soon...within the next month! Share your "dream" list with your loved ones. Sharing it helps you move toward a "someday" of actually getting to do it.
It may take time for your garden to start growing again, but it's worth it. We weren't created to wither away, we were created to blossom and bloom!
Become a Master Gardener of yourself today. I guarantee you'll have a "green thumb" in YOU!
I, on the other hand, have a "black thumb." It doesn't matter how many different kinds of plants I try to grow or how much time I spend on them, they never seem to survive.
I am a Master Gardener, though, when it comes to nurturing, fertilizing and taking care of the loved ones in my life. I try to pay attention to their needs and am aware of their "growing" seasons and "dormant" seasons. I do my best to shine just the right amount of light (encouragement and wisdom) into their lives.
With all this tending to the other "gardens" in my family, I didn't realize that my own garden had gone dormant. Where there should've been buds and blooms, there were only stunted plants overshadowed by weeds.
Isn't it amazing how we can spend so much time taking care of others and forget completely about ourselves?
In the past year, I've been trying to learn more about me and what helps me to "grow." I'm trying things I've always talked about trying, but, until this year, never did. I went to a writer's workshop in a town I'd never been to and with people I didn't know. I also went on a cruise. I had so much fun at both and felt energized! It felt like coming out of a long sleep.
How is your garden growing? To quote my sister, "Are you Bonsai-gardening someone else's life and leaving your own to wither?" Bonsai gardening is a very detailed, labor-intensive, nurturing type of gardening. The careful, selective pruning at just the right time to shape the plant takes a lot of time. If you've ever seen the little Bonsai trees, it can take years to grow a very small, carefully shaped tree.
Are you spending so much time on everyone else that you've forgotten how to take care of yourself? Here's a test...ask yourself this..."If someone gave me a day all to myself to do whatever I want, would I have any idea what I would like to do?" If you can't come up with one thing you'd like to do, your garden has gone dormant and it's time to bring it into the sunlight and start nurturing it. Start by making a list of what you'd like to do. Have a "possibilities" list and a "dream" list. Do something off your "possibilities" list...soon...within the next month! Share your "dream" list with your loved ones. Sharing it helps you move toward a "someday" of actually getting to do it.
It may take time for your garden to start growing again, but it's worth it. We weren't created to wither away, we were created to blossom and bloom!
Become a Master Gardener of yourself today. I guarantee you'll have a "green thumb" in YOU!
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