Monday, October 26, 2015

Dear Grammy…

Thanks for coming up to see us this last weekend! 
We missed Papa though.  What’s in Africa that could possibly be better than
us?

You said Mama and Daddy went out on something called a date.  They don’t ever do that - which makes sense because why would they ever want to leave us? 




We loved being with Auntie Mimi too!

You seemed to be really glad she was there too.  You used to take care of three little girls so I’m sure we must be a piece of cake to take care of, right?  Right??

I liked riding in your car…




even though you don’t have any snacks in there.

And Costco with Grammy is fun!  I haven’t figured out yet that you can actually take home all the stuff in there so I was happy to hold Minnie Mouse…




play the piano…



And ride the horse…



But why did you make me get off?  I did NOT want to get off.  Why did you stop taking pictures, Grammy?

So Grammy, when are Mama and Daddy going on a date again? 


Sunday, October 18, 2015

A cure for Dread

I'd say that for me, DREAD is the most common way fear shows up in my life.

I wrote the post below a few years ago but as I'm slowly making my way through 1 John, I thought about it again this morning in a new light.  Here's my original post and then some thoughts from this morning:

                                    ___________________________________________




dread:  to fear greatly; to be in extreme apprehension; to be reluctant to do, meet or experience; terror or apprehension as to something in the future

I heard someone mention this word not long ago and it’s made me take a look at how much influence dread has in my life.  I think I've underestimated its power.

Dread can be outright terror about doing something.  It's a paralyzing fear of something awful happening.  But it can also be a nagging apprehension about the ‘what ifs’ in life – the kind of below-the-surface feeling that prevents us from sleep or from stepping out in faith.  In other words, dread can cripple us. 

Dread is a lie straight from the master-liar.  Imagining what might happen is not keeping our minds and hearts focused on Truth.  None of those ‘what ifs’ we come up with are really TRUE.  It’s what the bible calls ‘vain imagination’.  In fact, I don’t think it’s too strong to say that dread is sin

In Deuteronomy 1:29 God says, “Dread not, neither be afraid…”

Dread declares God to be unfaithful.  It’s saying (without coming right out and saying it), “God, You aren’t enough.  If ________ happened, I couldn’t handle it.  When I have to face _________, You won’t get me through it.”

What do you dread?  Your next mammogram?  Loss of a loved one?  An uncertain future?

We can lean into God’s strong arms when dread creeps in.  His presence, His nearness, His powerful control over all of our circumstances brings peace and trust.  (I’m speaking to myself here.)  Maybe you need a counselor like I do.

Lord, forgive me for rehearsing ‘what ifs’ and by doing that, declaring that You aren’t enough for me and my circumstances.    Your grace IS enough for whatever You have for me.  Remind me of Your promises.  Help me rehearse the Truth.


___________________________________________

I read this verse today:

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  1 John 4:18

"Perfect love" drives out fear and its evil stepsister, dread.  But HOW?  And what in the world is "perfect love?"

This idea of love that is perfected or completed is all throughout 1 John.

Perfect love is living out God's love for me by loving others, completely depending on his Spirit in me to actually do it!  

It's the weirdest solution to fear, don't you think?  How would loving others deal with my fear and dread?

Fear shifts all our focus onto ourselves and how whatever we're fearing will affect us.  It makes worry, anxiety and dread boss us around.

Loving others with Christ's love gets me out of myself, my perspective, my small world of me.   Actually trusting in God's ability to work His love through me is incredibly powerful in setting me free from fear and dread because I experience His life flowing through me.  It doesn't take long to realize that I have a huge God living in me.  And fear is destroyed in the process because which of the things I dread can possibly compare to His love?

Something for me to think more about for sure...




Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Links I liked



Fakebook
@facebook.com
Facebook’s not real, y’all.



11 frugal ways to prepare for an emergency
@clarkhoward.com
Do you have an emergency stash?  I don’t but I’m thinking about it seriously.  I’m actually hoping that Jesus returns before this is necessary but if He doesn’t, this makes good sense.


Dear Me
@The Honey Pot
Dear 16 year old me…


Hummingbird webcam
@allaboutbirds.org
Assuming you don’t have anything better to do, watch some hummers!


Why some 13-year-olds check social media 100 times a day
@cnn.com
When 200+ eighth graders allow their social media feeds to be studied by child development specialists, the results are both telling and frightening.  "To know what each other are doing, where they stand, to know how many people like what they posted, to know how many people followed them today and unfollowed them ... that I think is highly addictive."


About Not Waiting Till Marriage: What No One Tells Kids & What I Wish Someone Had Told Me
@aholyexperience
There’s a story I know about that, that’s likely never going to be told. You don’t need to know the self-hating, shaming pain of that story – just that your father is a very caring man who knows that the soul of a woman needs to feel a deep safeness before you ever touch the skin of a woman.


Tuesday, October 13, 2015

What’s up?

A bullet list, that’s what!



  • October in Oregon is magnificent!  Take-your-breath-away magnificent.  Taking a walk brings lots of scripture to mind… “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes--His eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, because they are understood through what has been made.”  Romans 1:20  Don’t you love that God even helps us know Him better on a walk?



  • But all is not beautiful in the NW… We have millions of these creatures filling the air outside.  The ash whitefly (I googled it).  So I think these help remind of the mysterious parts of God’s plan that I’d like to ask Him about when we have a chat in heaven.  Why??




  • My daughter texted me this pic from the grocery store.  Hadley is such a good mommy – unashamed, really.  The caption could read, “If they start crying in the store, you gotta do what you gotta do.”

  • I completely let my imagination run away with itself tonight… the neighbor’s dog was barking outside for hours (not typical) and I hadn’t seen any activity over there for a couple of days.  After calling and texting and ringing the doorbell, I decided there had been a terrible tragedy (pictured it in detail, actually) so I went to our other neighbor’s and asked him if he had seen anyone around in the last few days.  He hadn’t but had noticed the dog barking all day.  So since Jeff wasn’t home I asked him if he would come with me to go in the house (I have a key).  He was nervous about going in someone’s house uninvited but I assured him that I often took their mail in and fed the dog.  We rang the bell.  Nothing.  With a shaky hand, I unlocked the door, ready to face a pile of dead bodies.  “Hello?”  And that’s when the son came around the corner with a startled look on his face.  Ooops.  I apologized profusely for coming into his house uninvited but explained my completely rational reasons.  A few minutes later his mom called me saying she’d been in a meeting all day and was just now getting my texts and voicemails.  The moral of this story:  follow your gut and be better safe than sorry.  My neighbor agrees, thankfully!

  • I’m going to get caught up on Downton Abbey – I completely missed season 5.  When last I watched, Mrs. Hughes and Carson were wading in the ocean holding hands…
     
  • My hair is driving me crazy.  Flat.  Falling forward. Maybe I need a whole new look?

No, too much work.

Definitely time to get off this rabbit trail of bullet points and ridiculousness.  Happy October!

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