Trading my “Poison” for Muddy Buddies

This weekend one of my friends held a murder mystery event for my Sunday school class.  We all were given character assignments and challenged to come in costume.  As soon as the game started, we were given a script to read.  In the script the murderer was told that they are the killer, and their challenge for the rest of the night was to convince everyone else that they are innocent. Our hostess made treat sacks for each of the participants, including pill bottles filled with Reese’s Pieces labeled “Poison,” and individual-sized bags of Chex Mix Muddy Buddies.  Muddy Buddies are delicious!  The next day I convinced my husband to trade my bottle of “poison” for Muddy Buddies.

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could trade our emotional baggage so easily?  These negative emotions poison our soul and taint our spirit.  What a blessing it would be to shed our frustrations in exchange for something better.

When Jesus came to walk the Earth, he taught his disciples to love, serve, and forgive.  When negative emotions like hate, frustration, or sorrow creep in, we can be assured that these are not from God.  Trading them in is a much better choice. 

The Spiritual Attack I Should Have Expected

Recently, the leaders of my church put out a challenge to all members to post a three minute testimonial video on Facebook.  Within a day I had the outline for what I felt called to share, but getting it accomplished was harder than I expected.  I don’t know why that should surprise me. Sharing our faith in a prominent way is not what the devil wants, and it makes sense that he would work hard to keep me from it.

He started by playing games with my mind.  What will people think of this testimony?  Will it hurt my business?  Will I look stupid?  If I share my weaknesses, will people think less of me? Thankfully God spoke truth to me that being obedient to Him was more important than my fears of what I might face as a result.  Round one is over:  God 1, devil 0.

Once I actually sat down to do the video, it is amazing how little things got in the way.  My hair looks too stringy, and my smile is crooked.  The light is too bright, then too dark.  The background is too cluttered.  My glasses are causing a glare, better take those off.  My face is too shiny.  Start, stop. Start, stop.  Delete, delete, delete.  Redo it again, and again. It’s just not perfect.  Then God reminded me, “I have never asked you to be perfect.”  Okay, I’m ready, the light is fine enough, the location is good enough, and I’m okay with imperfection.  Round two is over:  God 2, devil 0.

Now the devil sends in reinforcements.  I was in the middle of recording and things were going great, then a loud mechanical sound disrupted recording.  What are the odds that my neighbor would have his grass mowed at midday on a Thursday in 90 degree full overhead sun?  The devil is now playing dirty.  I moved to the back of the house, and readjusted the light, the position, the blinds.  My hair was okay, my face was not too shiny, my glasses were removed.  I was ready.  I was midway through that recording when the mowers moved to the backyard.  Okay, devil, now you’re just being nasty.  At least the front lawn is finished so I set up shop back at the front of the house.  The light was right, the background was okay, my glasses were removed.  I’m all set.  Midway through that recording, out came the blowers, and I am out of time and have to leave for an appointment.  Now I’m frustrated and clearly not in the right spirit to record.  Then God reminded me that my frustration is exactly what the devil wants, and  He turned my frustration into righteous indignation.  As soon as I got back home, I sat down again at the front of the house, and made the video.  My recording was not perfect, but it was close enough, and I posted it.  Round 3 is over: God 3, devil 0.

The next day, one of the church leaders asked for a copy to use in church service that Sunday.  The first time I tried to send it the wifi was too slow.  The second time, the file was too big.  The third time, I used another technique and it finally went through.  Bonus round: God 4, devil 0.

Within 4 days the video had 65 Likes, 21 shares, and over 1,000 views.  About 400 people got to watch it in person during Sunday church service, which is broadcast live on the web.  I don’t know exactly what will happen as a result of this one video or my church’s congregational challenge, but I know the devil will keep fighting.  He is not enjoying this sucker punch in his gut.  I know each of our individual actions are small, but our God is big, and He is in control of this.  It is time to throw the next punch.  If God is leading you to share your faith, don’t worry about the earthly fears or about being perfect.  Expect that you will have spiritual attacks, and allow God-led righteous indignation drive you toward action.  

The Search for Integrity in Uncomfortable Places

Being a person of integrity is not an easy thing sometimes.

It's hard to go against the grain when it seems like you're the only one who has the perspective to question the mainstream opinion. In my 20 years of leadership service, I have seen how one solid comment can change the tone of an entire conversation. Most of the time this is for the better. Sometimes it's not. But the power of words has been clearly demonstrated in times like these.

So what should one do when an entire boardroom seems to have an opinion different from their own?  What should that lone board member do?  Being a person of integrity requires them to speak up. Sometimes that is a very awkward and uncomfortable situation.

Recently I was called to speak to the leadership of a group with whom I serve.  To summarize, my vote differed from the vote of everyone else. Our group always usually has unanimous votes, and the leadership was uncomfortable when that didn't occur. I am grateful that they asked to hear my perspective. But there is no question that I felt awkward and uncomfortable entering into that meeting.

What a comfort it is to know that God is good all the time. God knows what's going to happen. God is always with me. As I read through the "armor of God", I think about having my feet "fitted with the gospel of peace." Your feet are what take you places. We should use our feet to carry us, along with the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation, towards the goal of the peace.  And with the sword of the Spirit, which his the Word of God, we should speak through our mouths with words of integrity.

James talks about the tongue being a "ruthless evil full of deadly poison (James 3:8)." It is easy to see how negative discussions could break down into an unproductive session of anger and resentment. But if all parties enter into a discussion with truth, righteousness, salvation, and faith, with the intention of finding peace, submitting to God's authority for their words, the power of God will be palpably present in that meeting room.

As you walk into uncomfortable situations, let your feet take you towards a goal of peace. As for the meeting I was worried about, it says a lot about the integrity of the leaders that they asked for a meeting with me in the first place.  It was clear that they brought their integrity to the meeting as well, and it was a peaceful and productive experience.

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, Doggy Doggy Eats Here

One of the joyful pleasures of motherhood is the simple love expressed from our small children. My children are quickly growing up. The texture of our relationship changes as they change, and I am humbled and encouraged seeing them become young adults. Not long ago, my son created a scavenger hunt for his dad and me, with silly riddles that led us around the house. At this point I don't even remember what the prize was, it is the journey to the prize that fills my heart.  

In Psalm 139:23-24, David writes:

"Search me O' God and know my heart. 

Test me and know my anxious thoughts. 

See if there is any offensive way in me 

and lead me in the way everlasting."   

"Test me" he says.  At a young age David was anointed king, but was not to become king until the death of Saul in battle. He spent years in hiding, on the run, being chased by Saul who was envious of him. Saul tried to change his ordained future with his own personal actions. Of course, that did not work out for him. And he did not know he was being used by God to strengthen David, to turn David into the best king of Israel. 

Why was it that my son's scavenger hunt filled my heart? It was because I knew it took an hour or more for him to make the strips of paper, and plant them around the house. I saw the joyful anticipation on his face as we moved from one riddle to the next.  If we could see the riddles of life as God's joyful way of preparing us for something greater, how would that change our perspective?

A life without conflict is not a life worth having. A marriage without conflict will not grow. A Christian without conflict will have a harder time trusting God in the deepest, darkest places of their life. Sometimes it is the "journey to the prize" that matters the most.

Finding Kingship in the Search for Donkeys (1 Sam Chapter 9)

I find it interesting to read 1 Samuel chapters 9 and 10 about how Saul became king of the ancient Israelite people. He was simply searching for his father's donkeys, and his servant recommended that he seek the advice of the local sear to help find them.  Little did Saul know that Samuel was waiting on him.  And he certainly did not know that Samuel was told by God that his visitor would be the first king of Israel. We see Saul's response in chapter 10. Despite being shown several miraculous signs on the way home to his fathers house, and despite having the Spirit of God descend upon him and change him, he still tried to hide among the supplies. It must have been striking for him to learn that one cannot from hide God.

I wonder what other blessings sometimes fall upon us when we are not looking for them. Saul was simply looking for missing donkeys. While I do not expect us to be considered for the blessings of becoming a king or queen, I wonder how many times we have stumbled onto good things when we were on the search for something completely different.

More troubling yet, I wonder how many times we miss the blessings of God because we are "hiding among the supplies". Perhaps it is best that we also remember that we cannot hide from God.  This is true for both the purpose God has planned for us, as well as the blessings He plans to bestow on us. Sometimes we focus so much on the former that we also forget the latter. May we simply focus our energy on being obedient, fully open and receptive to the call God places in our hearts, and the provisions He provides to us in the process. May we always see these provisions as blessings.

A Passport to Appreciation

Written 7/8/15, posted now in honor of our "Fun in the Son" woman's event at church....


Our family planned a wonderful vacation to Costa Rica.  My daughter wanted to see a rainforest, my son wanted to see a volcano, and I wanted to hike.  We chose a tour company reputable in the area to enable us to visit a volcano, cloud forest, rainforest, butterfly garden, turtle refuge, wildlife rehabilitation center, beach, and other things.  We were to walk over suspension bridges and ride an aerial tram high up in the rainforest canopy.  We were excited and prepared.  We read the entire tour book and made lists of things to take. Forty-eight hours before departure we had nearly everything packed.  We were excited.  We were ready!  We organized the travel paperwork and got the passports out of the safe.  We had made sure we ordered the kid’s passports with plenty of time to leave for our trip.  My husband and I have had passports for a while so we weren’t worried about them.  Imagine the anxiety when we realized that my husband’s passport was expired!

One becomes a “passport expert” real quick when one faces such a situation.  The internet is a real friend at times like this.  We learned where the regional processing centers were, and where he could go to get an expedited passport.  The only problem was that this was July 2nd, and the next day was July 3rd, a federal holiday in honor of July 4th.  He left at 1:30 am July 3rd “just in case” they were open, but to no avail.  He visited a private passport processing company that Friday morning hoping to hear good news.  But there was really no hope to get a passport until Monday, and we were flying out on Saturday morning.  We did not purchase travel insurance, and even if we had I really could not easily change my vacation at work at the last minute.  We considered our options, but faced the unhappy reality that my kids and I would have to leave for a foreign country without him until he could get a passport Monday morning.

For those of you reading this who think that you might get away with leaving the country with an expired passport, think again.  We checked on that too.  The passport is scanned into the computer, so there is really no room for human error when it comes to checking the dates.  And the thought of having my husband imprisoned in or deported from a foreign country was far more anxiety-provoking than going without him.  Thankfully we were vacationing with a reputable tour company that took care of all of our needs once we arrived.  While the kids and I did our best to make the most of our vacation and still enjoyed the activities, we were ever aware that there was something sadly missing.  We missed our husband and daddy.

During this whole ordeal my mind traveled often to the story of Ridley Barren, who lost his wife instantly in a car accident, and lost his young son as a result of a medical error a few days later.  I had just heard his seminar a few days before our trip.  I had the chance to read his book during travel time on our vacation, and I could not help but think my worries were petty compared to that.  My husband was able to join us on day 4 of our vacation, and spent 5 of our 9 days with us.  It was after much effort, as he had to arrive super early at the passport office with a sad story to appeal for an appointment, then sit all day awaiting processing.  Then he had to take a separate flight, and a very expensive taxi ride in the middle of the night on back-country roads with no guardrails, in the dark, in the rain.  But he made it safely, and we were so excited to see him.  We had a wonderful rest of our vacation.

This whole ordeal left me to ponder what life would be like without him.  What if I had to take every family vacation without him from now until forever?  I’m sure I’d be taking a lot more organized tours like this one, with the safety of a reputable company around me.  But having him with me is much, much, much, much, much better. Feeling his his safety and security, while embraced by his love, is far better than being without it.  Seeing him “move heaven and earth” to get to us reminded me of his love for us and his joy for our presence.

On our trip, we marveled at God’s creation and the diversity of plant, animal, insect, bird, and other species on this glorious planet.  But the real lesson was not found in God’s beautiful creatures, but rather on the beautiful and supernatural love he engenders between people he places in a “family.”  May we always remember what is truly important in life…the love of family and friends, and the demonstration of that love through service and actions.  And may I always continue to appreciate my husband for the way he loves and protects us, giving thanks to God for bringing him to my life.

Goodbye to the Green Giant

This week we said goodbye to the Green Giant.

The Green Giant is a 2003 Ford Expedition that served our family well for the past 12 1/2 years. It took over 100,000 miles worth of karate trips, and comfortably carried our family on numerous car trips to various places, such as Yellowstone, Galveston, Pennsylvania, and New York City. It has been hunting, fishing, and camping. It has pulled boats and trailers. It has towed cars. It has carried kayaks. It has been the source of many good memories. It was a reliable, faithful friend.

The Green Giant also kept us safe from a few bumps along the way. Such as when a sun glare made a red light look green. And when a deer ran out in front of us in the dark as we were driving 50 mph. All occupants were unscathed. And even at the end, when I was driving six children to a animal juggling show and pulled out in front of a car I could not see, all of the occupants in our car were uninjured. All things considered, that is a pretty honorable way for it to complete its service to our family.

My husband loved his Expedition. Even though he had 229,000 miles on it, he was planning to invest $1500 or more to rebuild the suspension. He would've driven it until it died. As it turns out, I'm the one who got to drive it to its end. Certainly that was not the way we had planned.

We are not the only one who loves our Expedition. This is evidenced by the extreme difficulty we have experienced when trying to find a gently used one. People simply don't want to give them up! We have come to learn that over the past 12 1/2 years the new price has nearly doubled. The market value for these vehicles is strong. Given how functional and reliable that vehicle was to us, this should not have been a surprise.

My husband has been gracious to me through all of this. Despite how much he loved his truck, he's encouraged with the knowledge that the contents of that vehicle have much greater value than the vehicle itself. And in the end the Green Giant fulfilled its duty to our family with honor and sacrifice.  We will miss the Green Giant, and will harbor fond memories of it all our days.

My Treasure

They cannot take what I have already laid down at Jesus' feet...."You Are My Treasure," by Matt Hammitt

Over the last month I have had two events that have cause me anxiety and angst.  One was a work-related item which is now settling down and I will not discuss it in this essay. The other was a car accident, which occurred this past weekend when I was driving with six precious children in our SUV.  Thankfully no one in my vehicle was injured, and the person in the other car had minor injuries. Yet these big life events can give us pause.  Will there be legal implications? Will there be an insurance settlement?  Might I be sued?  These are things that can keep us up at night if we don't put them into proper perspective.

My mind is drawn to the conclusion of TobyMac's song "Steal My Show:"  

My fame!

My feet!

My family, my career

Take it away

Take it away

It’s all yours now

So take it away

Take it away

It’s you I wanna live for

Are we ready to have faith like that?  My career is yours. My income is yours. My legal security is yours.  They cannot take what I have already laid down at Jesus' feet.  But what about my kids? Am I ready to lay them down for Jesus? Ouch!

As a new believer nearly 2 decades ago, I read Genesis 22 for the first time, where Abraham was tested to choose God over his son Isaac.  As in infertile couple back then, I really associated with the infertility journey between Sarah and Abraham. The idea of turning over a child seemed heart-wrenching, extreme, and foreign. Surely his faith must be stronger than mine!  Of course, in the end, Isaac was spared.  God's plan for good continued. But in that moment, what a difficult decision that must have been.

Once I am ready to lay everything down, then the anxiety will disappear. Once I trust God to be with me through all circumstances, then the worry will abate.

What about those precious six children, two of them my own, four of them my cherished nieces and nephew?  Am I ready to lay them down at Jesus' feet?  If you look up the inspiration for the song "You Are My Treasure" from Matt Hammitt, quoted at the beginning of this essay, you will learn that it was from him receiving dreadful news that his unborn son had severe congenital heart disease. He realized that he had to lay his unborn son at Jesus's feet. His son, named Bowen, is now five years old.  You can read more here...

http://bowensheart.com

God is good all of the time. He is working all things for our good. Even in those days where we mess up, total two cars, and send a woman to the hospital.  Even when we have six precious lives in our hands spinning in the middle of the intersection. Thank God they were all OK this time. I know they are yours.  It seems hard to give them to you, but I know that I am helpless to protect them without you. I need to lay them at your feet! 

But I also need to be reminded that YOU are my treasure.  The contents of my vehicle were worth more to me than anything I could ever own.  Yet they pale in comparison to to the treasure that awaits, that my brain cannot even begin to understand. I give my worry to you. I give my angst to you. Teach me what I need to learn from this.

Sure, there are practical things I have learned which help with life on Earth.  When I approach a major intersection while traveling on a secondary street, I will double and triple check before proceeding into the roadway, looking again midway if needed. I will be more aware of limited visibility caused by the anatomy of certain roadways. I will be more aware of peripheral field loss from the presence of a front seat passenger.  And if I ever plan to go to the Belcher Center again, I may take a different route!

But there are clearly much bigger things to learn from this experience.  May this memory not fully pass until the true lessons that need to be learned are understood.

Cow Slobber and Horse Blood

My husband and I are spending a relaxing, kid-free weekend with friends at their farm.  Today I took a two-and-a-half hour nap.  There is something about being present in nature that is very relaxing.  While we do have cell-phones as a link to technology, much of our time was spent outside, enjoying the spring weather, listening to the frogs, crickets, and other natural sounds of the farm.

Usually my children join us, and take the job of feeding the horses and cows.  I dutifully took their place today.  It is funny how the cows will take the "cow candy" right out of your hand.  The horses are much more graceful, refined animals.  One of the two horses will let you pet him, even after a horsefly just drew a few drops of blood.  Needless to say my hands were messy when the feeding experience was over.

The farm is muddy, with cow pies scattered throughout.  Bugs and critters abound.  The dogs greet you with dirty paws.  The view of burning trash piles are visible in the distance.  Yet the moon and stars are bright, and the rhythm of nature is relaxing.  The good conversation with best friends is refreshing.  With such benefits, the dirt and the slobber seem irrelevant.  The privilege of feeding the animals is rewarding.

This has been a refreshing weekend, indeed.

Rest Well, My Angel

"It's not my job to mold my children, but to unfold them."

Those were the words from a former mentor of mine, and are perhaps the best parenting advice I have received.  It is not my job to mold my children, but to unfold them.  Let that sink in for a minute.

It is no secret that I am a Type A individual. Type A individuals work hard. Type A individuals try to never miss work. Type A individual will go to work when they are sick, unless there is clear documented fever, vomiting, uncontrolled diarrhea, or a swab positive test for flu. We simply don't miss work.  And we don't let our kids miss school either.

I guess it's no surprise that type A individuals also have a high risk for early heart disease and heart attack. They tend to sleep less well. They tend to suffer from high levels of burn-out and stress. Yes, they get a lot done, but to their own peril at times. Perhaps trying to mold my children to be like me in this regard is not such a good idea after all.

My daughter has a pretty bad cold right now. Her test confirmed she does not have strep. She does not have fever. But she was up pretty late the last two nights due to a disruptive cough. I took her to the clinic, and we all agree this is likely viral. She is on day four of illness, so should start feeling better soon.

She also is going to church camp this weekend. This means she is likely to go to bed very late, around midnight, and wake up relatively early. She will be in a room with many others, so sleep quality is questionable.  She has two tests at school today, but not until the last two class periods. She woke up early this morning, but is now sleeping soundly after I re-dosed her cough medicine.  My husband is home today, and is clearly able to drive her to school later. Letting her sleep in a little and go to school late is a reasonable suggestion, but for some reason this is a difficult decision for my Type A personality self.

It is not my job to mold my children, but to unfold them.  While teaching my children to have a strong work ethic is good, it should also be rational.  Having her miss a few classes without any missed tests, to give her body time to heal and rest is much more rational.  

Rest well, my angel.

The Birth of "She-Man"

Tonight my daughter and I went to a local concert for The Digital Age, a modern worship band comprised of four former members from the David Crowder Band.  The lead singer, “Mike D” Dodson, read some Facebook messages from a girl named Brooklyn, who reached out to the band members about her struggles with depression and cutting.  They dedicated a song called “I Belong” to Brooklyn and others struggling with stress and insecurities.  This song touched my daughter very much.

At the end of the concert, my daughter spoke with the band members, and told the lead singer that she enjoyed his story.  He shared with her some scientific information he read about how a person’s posture can make them feel less anxious.  He encouraged her to uncross her arms, put her hands on her hips and spread her legs apart.  He told her he uses this posture when he is nervous before a performance.  As he coached her through this posture, she could not help but laugh.  It was then that “She-Man” was born.

I remember seeing comic book pictures of He-Man, standing mighty and strong, with a posture befitting a “Master of the Universe.”  But there is really only one master of the universe, and his name is God, existing as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.  And given that we have the Holy Spirit within us, we have every right to feel confident, secure, and safe.  We need more “He-Mans” and “She-Mans” within the Christian church, fully embracing the power and confidence of the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Thank you, “Mike D”, for the science lesson.  And thank you, The Digital Age, for a fulfilling night of worship.  May you breed more “She-Mans” and “He-Mans” of faith with your music. 

Judith

My mind keeps thinking about Judith.

My family just returned from a mission trip to Mission Arlington in Arlington, Texas.  Our youth pastor told us at the beginning of the week that there may be someone we connect with—someone we think about a lot—as a result of our ministry there that week.  For me that is Judith.

Our group organized three backyard bible clubs.  I spent most of my time in the clinic, but at the end of the first day I finished with enough time to join the bible club late in the afternoon.  There is where I met Judith.

Judith had two small children.  Most of the activities were designed for older children, but still Judith was there.  Her oldest child, a daughter, was dressed in a knitted shah and was held by a dancing youth worker.  Judith was holding her sleeping baby boy.  She was standing around smiling.  At first I thought that she lived at the apartment right next to our activity area, but as it turns out she was from another building.  But she was there, drawn to the activity.

I decided to simply talk to her.  I told her what we were doing, where we were from, and why we were there.  She smiled as she watched the kids sing, dance, and play games.  She told me she was from Kenya, and had been here for less than a year.  She was attending a Kenyan church somewhere in the DFW area.  I thought she had already been saved.  We simply chatted, and not much else.  But she was smiling much of the time.

The next day my husband and I were not there, but my daughter talked to Judith.  At that time, my daughter shared the salvation message, and Judith prayed to accept Christ.

The third day, my husband talked to Judith for an hour, and answered all of her questions about what it meant to be a Christian, who Jesus was, and what a Christian life looks like. 

The last day, my son helped her carry her son back to her apartment.  During testimony time, Judith asked to share her testimony as well.  Her testimony was that a lady talked to her on Monday, a teenager led her to Christ on Tuesday, a man answered her questions on Wednesday, and a boy served her needs on Thursday.  Given the size of our group, these acts could have been done by anyone as we all shared duties regularly.   But it would seem divinely inspired that all of these people in her testimony would have the last name of “Hurley.”

I didn’t get Judith’s last name.  I didn’t get her phone number or address.  We know where she lives, but we are not sure of her apartment number.  I’m sure we could find this information if we asked others at Mission Arlington.  But I know her address on my heart, and it has touched me more than I expected.   

Help My Spanish is Tired

I just got back from a brief mission trip to an indigent care clinic organized by Mission Arlington in Arlington, Texas.  I continue to be amazed at the resourcefulness of our youth, and their desire to serve and lead. 

During this trip, I found myself in the middle of a clinic where a large percentage of the patients did not speak English.  Our youth leader asked me to scope out the clinic and decide how our students could serve in that ministry.  While most of our youth were involved with service projects elsewhere and a backyard bible club, some could serve in the clinic.  One came and happily filed charts and papers for hours.  Another moved all around the clinic fetching this and that with a committed desire to help.  And one served the entire day as a bilingual Spanish interpreter.  The need for bilingual services was so great that he stayed well past the requested time, and was clearly physically and emotionally drained by the end of the day.  While he is truly bilingual, translating medical symptoms, terms, and instructions is difficult and put him in a very important and sometimes uncomfortable position many times.  Two pastors from our church came to visit the clinic and give encouragement, and it was apparent during their visit that my bilingual assistant was mentally fatigued.  To put it poetically, “his Spanish was tired.”  He stayed several hours after that anyway.

Not only was he helpful to me, but this student’s bilingual services were shared all around the clinic.  A visiting orthopedist treats patients there on a regular basis, and clearly uses this as a ministry to lead people to Christ.  My bilingual assistant was in the room with this orthopedist for extended periods several times, translating the salvation message while this physician shared the gospel intently with three patients.  As a ninth grader, I doubt this student has had the confidence or the opportunity to witness to people like this.  But he got to learn how to do it from an experienced Christian, while serving as his interpreter.

Our youth pastor speaks of hitting a “wall” where we sometimes are physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. He sees this as a good place to be, because it is in those moments that the indwelling Holy Spirit takes over.  The idea of witnessing to and praying with people can be intimidating, yet this student got to practice this three times. When he was tired and wanted to rejoin his friends, the Holy Spirit acted through him as the willing vessel ready to be used for God’s purpose.  Put simply, when his Spanish was tired, the true Master was ready to take over.

In the end, I am constantly reminded of three truths:  1) God is good all the time, 2) God knows what is going to happen, and 3) God is always with me. Just as He was with my young Spanish translator, He is also with me, and He is with you if you have accepted Jesus into your heart.  If you need to learn how to do this, I’d be delighted to share that path with you.  But if you don’t feel comfortable talking with me, there are other options.  I know an awesome ninth grade student who can share the path with you as well, in English or Spanish. 

Enjoying the Gift of Rex

In honor of National Love Your Pet Day, I am posting this essay I wrote several months back.  I love our dog Rex!

7/15/15

It's amazing how much joy a dog can bring to a family.  Tonight my daughter was having a bad evening, but found peace and calm lying in bed backwards next to the dog.  There is something about resting and stroking a dog's fur that can make someone relax.

Rex does not have a fancy pedigree, and he did not come from a pet store.  We found him on the side of the road, and he was perfect since we met him.  He slept all night without whining that first night in the crate, and he learned to potty train very quickly.  He did not dig, and he does not bark much, other than at appropriate things outside our front door or on the other side of the fence.  He has a "big dog bark" but he is actually a sweet dog that acts more like a baby.  He is happy to see us, and loves to get us exercise by taking us for a walk.  He is a true joy.  He is our Rex.  And tonight he is helping my daughter get to sleep.

"Good boy, Rex.  Good boy." 

The Taste of Love in Pink Pancakes

This year I took advantage of the fact that Valentine’s Day was on Sunday, and I made pancakes and bacon for breakfast.  To add an extra Valentine’s Day flare, I added red food coloring to the pancake mix.  The result was pretty pink pancakes.

Of course the pancakes did not taste any different, nor did they have any difference from regular pancakes in nutritional value or texture.  I used the same box mix as usual, and did not change any additive ingredients.  But somehow these pancakes seemed to taste better to my kids, simply because they were pink.  My daughter said it best when she said she could “taste love in the pancakes.” 

This reminded us of the song by Chris Rice called “Smell the Color Nine,” where he reminds us that trying to figure out the mysteries of God is like trying to “smell the color nine.”  Of course “nine’s not a color, and even it if was you can’t smell a color.”  Similarly, no one can really “taste love.”  But on this Valentine’s Day my kids knew love was there simply by the extra effort expended to make the day special.

There are many who cringe at the commercialization of the Valentine’s Day holiday and feel there is sometimes too much expense and materialism attached to February 14^th.  In many ways I agree.  Yet on this Valentine’s Day the cost of food coloring was just pennies, and the rewards were great.  Sometimes these little things we do for our loved ones can make a big difference.

So whether you “believe” in Valentine’s Day or not, I hope you will make the effort to help the loved ones in your life feel special from time to time.  Go the extra mile, do an extra service, buy an extra gift, or do whatever you feel is important.  Sometimes these things don’t cost too much money or time, like adding red food coloring to a favorite breakfast meal.  It was just enough for my family to “taste the love in it,” and it was well worth the effort.

Searching for a Heart in the Carpet

My family visited some friends for an overnight outing to their farmhouse on 60+ acres.  We had the pleasure of sharing Saturday morning with them, and enjoying the peacefulness as the morning sun shone through the windows.  When walking through the living room, my friend found a heart-shaped sun spot in the carpet. He called several of us in to see it, but it was gone just moments later. His vision was captured in a still photo taken with his smart phone.

Sometimes love is easy to find in our homes, workplaces, and schools.  Other times we have to search for it in unexpected locations.  Sometimes its appearance seems fleeting at best.  Yet even in the most hostile places, we can often find little rays of sunshine in the darkness, if we look to find them. 

Can we believe that despite our worrisome circumstances, there are still reasons to hope?  Perhaps these simple pleasures will be found if we take the time to look.  And perhaps after doing so, we will have the pleasure of a much needed “warm, fuzzy feeling” as we find our own “heart in the carpet.”

Man of Many Men

My husband just fixed the sink last week.  It seemed fitting to publish this essay now, from the Hurley archives, dated 3/23/13.....

My husband is the head sensei at a karate school in town, and the students there call him the “Man of Many Men” which they abbreviate as “Momm.”  How they get away with this is a profound mystery, yet somehow my husband seems to like it.

My husband is a tough guy for sure.  Over twenty years of martial arts and five stripes on his black belt make this an unmistakable fact.   He does all the tough things that many guys do, like shoot guns, hunt, and fish.  He is somewhat of a survivalist, always trying to prepare for what may happen next.  And he is aware of all the mental factors that go into keeping himself and his loved ones safe in many situations.  Yet he also likes to do photography, and teaches political science at the university.  And after a lifetime of thinking he had no rhythm he is now learning to play guitar.  His mind is always active, and his evenings are spent searching the web for knowledge about many different things.  He always seems to be able to fix nearly anything, such as cars, lawn mowers, pool cleaners, door frames, clogged pipes, and broken light fixtures.  I’ve heard such people described as having “grit,” the motivation within oneself to persevere and keep trying until they achieve whatever they set out to do.  Occasionally he needs help, but not very often.  He is a great source of advice on basic legal matters also, and seems to be able to find anything needed on the internet.  He is truly a “man of many men,” as his name proclaims.

Yet after nearly 20 years of marriage, I still sometimes wonder what is really going on under his cap.  Kind of like an onion, we have layer upon layer of experiences that make us who we are.  Yet when you peel back the layers of a person it is never clear what you are going to find.  But I guess we are not meant to know such things, and this complexity keeps things interesting and matures us in ways not otherwise possible.

We will have our 20^th wedding anniversary soon, and I certainly hope we both have the health to make it 20 more.  I don’t know how much better I will come to understand him in the next 20 years, but I look forward to the journey.  My daughter is only 11 right now, but if I could look ahead to the type of man I would like her to marry someday, I hope it is a man of integrity who will take care of her needs and protect her, as her father protects and takes care of us; a man with “grit” who will have the motivation to work through challenges relentlessly; a man who has a lot of things working under his cap; perhaps also a “Man of Many Men.” 

Goodbye with Grace

Breaking relationships is always difficult.  When is the right time?  Are we doing it with the right motivation?  Are we following Godly methods in the process?  These are all very challenging questions.

In Matthew Chapter 6, Jesus Himself says that we should forgive others for their sins against us (Matt 6:12, 6:14-15).  A chapter before that he says that if we harbor resentment with our brother, we should first be reconciled to our brother before we give God our offering (Matt 5:23-24).  God clearly calls us to forgiveness and reconciliation.

Yet Jesus also taught that sometimes people will simply not think the way they should, or act the way they should. In Matthew 18, Jesus says that if a brother or sister sins, we should first go and point it out to them.  If that does not work, then take two or three others to discuss.  If that does not work then take it to the church for them to provide counsel.  If that does not work, then we are called to “treat them as [we] would a pagan or tax collector” (Matt 18:15-17).  There are also many Bible verses validating adultery and “sexual immorality” as a divorceable offence (Matt 19:9).  

So how do we both forgive and reconcile, while also acknowledging the need to dispel and divorce?  I believe the answer to this comes from our personal motivation and spirit in the process.  There are consequences to a sinner’s actions, but will we use the Holy Spirit within us to love the sinner while we hate the sin? 

A wise mentor once told me that “Reason is not something you can force someone to have.”  There are people we simply will not get along with, and whose thinking we cannot change.  But we should not believe the lie that they are beyond God’s pursuit or love.  Through my own conversion experience I learned three truths:  1) God is faithful, period; 2) No one is unsaveable; and 3) Forgiveness is complete.  If that were not true, then my arrogant, type A personality self would still be running 90 miles per hour away from God to the misperceived security of self-sufficiency.  If He can save me, then He can save anybody.  We simply have to realize that salvation of the lost person is God’s job, not our job, other than what God calls us to do in witnessing to the person and living our lives as Godly examples.

Does this mean that we should continue to return to situations with difficult people who mistreat us, ridicule us, lie to us, and cheat us?  Doing so would be foolish. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly” (Prov 26:11).  Yet as we let this person suffer the consequences of their actions, can we pray with a positive spirit for the person we are leaving behind, entrusting God to continue to pursue them and use this perceived “bad” thing for the person’s good?  If we harbor anger, resentfulness, and unforgiveness, we reduce our usefulness towards the ultimate goal of refinement, maturity, and salvation of the person with whom we are called to still love.

A simpler message is that of grace.  As we have received, so we should give. And this can lead us to a goodbye with grace. 

Back to the Daily "Grind"

Well we did it again...we returned once more to work and school after the Christmas holiday break. Returning to the daily "grind" after some time off can certainly be a challenge.  Hopefully many of us made some positive memories and were able to catch up on rest.  The question is, how can we bring these positive things back to our work or school routines?

Some people are not returning to positive work or school environments.  So how is one to bring the joy of the holiday season into their daily routines?  Perhaps it helps to remind ourselves that difficult situations help us find our true potential.  And if life was too easy, it would be boring. Who wants to live a boring life?

Some of us are returning to work or school environments which include difficult people.  Perhaps it is helpful to remember that it is from our dealings with difficult people that we may learn the most.   Argumentative people help us learn our own positions better.  Immature and naïve people provide us our best opportunities to plant seeds that may take root in these young people's hearts years from now.

I have definitely seen my email begin to bustle with activity this week. All of the things that have been put off until after the holidays are now requiring attention.  I will get through this as I have in years past.  And perhaps, if I am fortunate, I'll realize that this is not a "grind" at all, but rather a blessing.

Ode to the Cell Phone Case

I do not lose things very often. But when I do, I do a good job.

All is not well when I lose my cell phone case. I "believe" in belt clip phone cases. This keeps my phone with me wherever I go, and whenever I need it. I can feel it pretty quickly when it vibrates.  And it is handily available whenever I need a flashlight, a map, access to my calendar, and a myriad of other things. When I lose my phone case, all is not well with the world.

I pity the people who keep their phones in their pockets. It's uncomfortable.  Often you need to shift the phone from one pocket to the next. It's less secure. Certain pockets are too shallow to keep your phone properly protected. It can be hazardous. Many people have a cracked their screen from sitting down with their phone in their back pocket.

It's no wonder why some people routinely lose their phones. Not having it properly affixed to your belt makes you more likely to set it down on any tabletop or counter. And many young children or toddlers can certainly operate it and send text messages to China. You don't want to send unnecessary text messages to China, do you?

I feel naked when my phone is not attached to me, much like how others feel when they are not wearing their wedding ring or watch. Things simply just don't feel right if my phone is not on my waistband.

Oh, woe is me.  Does anyone want to feel sorry for me today?  My daughter might happily call me a "whaaaambulance" to help me deal with the loss of my “dorky” phone case.

I guess I won’t convert all of you to my way of thinking.  In the end it is a little thing.  But isn’t it interesting how little things can disrupt our day?  My cell phone case was found right where it was lost—under the blankets of my bed.  I guess I fell asleep with it on my waistband and it landed under the sheets.  No wonder I couldn’t find it.  But what would have been the worst case scenario?  I’m only $20 and a short trip to the mall away from a new case.  Wouldn't it be nice if all of our problems could be solved this easily?  What a waste of effort to spend our frustration on such little problems.

At least it’s a funny story, and I am laughing as I write this.  And my practical yet “dorky” phone case is properly relocated to its home on my hip.

Happy Hoofbeats

A recent morning not too long ago I heard my son awake upstairs, jumping around.  He was clearly in a good mood.  My son is a “morning person,” and always has been.  He has done well keeping himself entertained in the morning so the rest of his family can sleep in a little.  He usually is pretty quiet, but this morning I heard him upstairs.  It occurred to me that I could easily ruin his good morning by yelling upstairs for him to “Be quiet,” or giving him a lecture.  Instead I decided to sit downstairs and listen for a while, grateful that he is a joyful, happy kid, who woke up in a good mood.

I fall into this trap when I am reading or doing work on the computer.  Not long ago my daughter came downstairs singing with headphones on while I was typing a message on my computer. She was clearly in a good mood, enjoying a good song and doing a gleeful little dance as she was getting a snack.  Similarly, I wondered how I might ruin this mood by barking at her for breaking my concentration.  In the end, that email was not urgent, and we had no timetables to keep.  I decided to watch her for a while and be grateful that she was joyful and happy.

The desire to have “peace and quiet” as an adult is something of which we should not be ashamed.  We do have work to finish, and deadlines to meet.  We need to get our kids focused on finishing tasks when we have a timetable to keep.  And sometimes our stress level requires us to have time to decompress.  But sometimes the efficiency we desire is not really a requirement, and our desire for “peace and quiet” robs us of an opportunity to join our kids in joyful moments.  And worse, it may rob them of these happy moments.

Maybe as we hear these happy hoofbeats, we should think about joining in on their joy.  We might find a little bit of happiness there ourselves.

If It's Not a Sheep It's a Cloak

I enjoy doing jigsaw puzzles.  It is relaxing to me to pick up a piece and try to find where it fits.  Sometimes I sort by shapes or colors.  Sometimes what I think is a piece of one thing ends up being a piece of another.  Sometimes I am convinced a piece will fit in one area, only to find it does not.  Today I am doing a jigsaw puzzle with the picture of a Christmas manger scene.  I had cream-colored pieces which I thought were of sheep, only to find it was part of a wise man’s cloak.

Sometimes in our lives it seems the “pieces are not fitting.”  We end up with one disappointment, or a series of disappointments, that cause us to question our role in this world or this time.  The devil is quick to exploit these little disappointments and blow them out of proportion.  Perhaps we all need to be reminded that we have a perfect place in this world, and were created for a purpose that only we can do. We have our own little spot in the jigsaw puzzle of God’s plan.  And once we find it, we learn it is a perfect fit. 

written 12/29/15