The Lessons Trees Teach

Today's walk began like any other.  I laced up my sneakers, put on a hooded sweatshirt to guard against the misty rain, pocketed my cars keys and cell phone and hit the trail.  I was a little disappointed there were no majestic birds or curious deer to see today.  All I came across were acres and acres of trees.  Every one the same stretching as far as the eye could see.

Or were they?  As I made my way through the woods I felt God speaking to my heart.  "The trees are representative of people.  Their personalities, attitudes, lives."  After that, I began noticing subtle differences and as I did, I saw the lessons in the trees.  As you look through these pictures, can you identify with any?  Which tree are you like?  Is God speaking to you through the stories the trees have to tell?

Some people try to stand alone.  They have pushed away the protective hedge of God's love and peace.  Why are you standing alone?  Anger?  Pride?  Insecurity?  You don't have to be in a solitary situation..  Unlike the tree rooted in one place, unable to move, you can choose to do as it says in James 4:8: Draw near to God...and He will draw near to you.

Some people are cliquish.  They surround themselves with like-minded people, but it's almost as bad as standing alone.  They tend to think of themselves as superior to others.  Psalm 1:1 says, "Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers."

Hebrews 12:1 cautions "Therefore since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  Are you ensnared and entangled in sin?  Does it have such a grip on your life that it's becoming difficult to separate it from who you are?

It may be slowly, insidiously becoming part of your framework or the ugliness of what you think you're hiding in your soul may be obvious to everyone around you.  2 Peter 2:19b "For a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him."


















Perhaps you're mired in circumstances.  Life is one big swamp, and the water's edge is creeping up.  You feel if one more thing goes wrong, you may just start drowning.  It's not anything you've done necessarily, it's just life.  Psalm 40:1 & 2 promises "I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry.  He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire."

Or maybe, everyone around you seems to be enjoying life.  They seem renewed, blossoming, growing...it just doesn't seem fair.  You know they aren't living a godly life, and yet it appears that all is going well for them.  By contrast, you love God, you try to walk in His ways, but you're in a season where you feel dried up, dead, and you're barely hanging on.   Psalm 73 addresses this.  In verses 2 -4 it says "But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold.  For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.  They have no struggles, their bodies are healthy and strong."  Further on the psalmist laments in verse 13 "Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure; in vain have I washed my hands in innocence."  But by verse 16-17 he sees the truth "When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God, then I understood their final destiny.  Surely you place them on slippery ground, you cast them down to ruin."  Finally in verses 27 & 28 it says this "Those who are far from you will perish; you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.  But as for me, it is good to be near God.  I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds."

When you find yourself in an unpleasant situation like that, how do you react?  Are your words life affirming and sweet like honeysuckle despite how you're feeling?  Or harsh and critical?  Does your thorny demeanor make people run in the other direction?  Proverbs 15:1 says "A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger."

And when you see someone falling, do you come alongside and bear them up?  Proverbs 17:17 says "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity." 

When we are not rooted in the Word, and the full force of life's fury comes against us, it can be easy to get knocked off our feet.  We may be tempted to believe false teachings which  twist God's truth to try to form a new truth  But it leads nowhere and bears no fruit.  However, when we keep our focus heavenward, we become unshakable in our certainly of what and whose we are.  Single-minded in purpose, growing in His strength and power.  Psalm 1:3 says "He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields his fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither, whatever he does prospers."

When I listened to the simple prompting of the Spirit to look beyond the surface of sameness, I was blessed by what I came across.  I invite you to discover some insights for yourself - there's so much more than I've shared here.  The next time you walk in or past a grove of trees, look at them.  REALLY look.  Marvel at the variation in the shades of green and diverse shape of their leaves.  Notice the patterns of the bark, the health of the trunk.  Like the people in your life, they are all different, and yet, God created and loves each of them.  The trees have lessons to teach, but above all, they speak to the majesty, creativity and glory of God.

Changing Seasons

Last night I went for my usual walk around the lake.  Spring is definitely here!  All kinds of babies from fawns to goslings have their parents scrambling to feed, care and protect.  Under a foot bridge, the cacophony of cries from nests filled with tree swallow chicks was almost deafening.  Moms and dads darted back and forth, gathering insects for their young.  They seemed none to happy to be disturbed by the noise created as I walked across the wood and iron structure.

One of the most beautiful sights I witnessed was this gorgeous creature perched as happy as you please on a rock.  Pretty sure it's a Great Blue Heron.

I slowly, quietly, made my way to the waters edge, carefully testing one of the larger stones to see if I could get a footing.  I lifted my camera phone and voila! A picture worthy of a postcard.  Within seconds, he was off, and I quickly snapped a few more.

As I rounded corner away from the lake and into the wood, I was suddenly struck by how lush everything was becoming.  It had rained the previous two days and everything had a more intense color.

The brown tree trunks appeared almost black, and the leaves were a deep, rich green.  Everything smelled clean and fresh.  I remembered coming this way not much more than two months before when the trees were barren and the only leaves were brown and crisp and strewn across the forest floor.  How very different it looked today. And I know in another two months time it will appear different still. The vegetation will be even more thick, filling out the gaps and totally blocking the view to the lake just beyond.








As I pondered all the changes, I thought back to a conversation I'd had a few days before with a young woman interning in my office. She knows my penchant for baking and to a lesser extent, cooking. She asked me if I'd always been so passionate about it. "No" I laughed. "I HATED to cook when I was younger." She seemed shocked. "It was a different season of my life" I explained. "The kids were young, I was working several jobs to make ends meet. The last thing I wanted to do was spend time in the kitchen when I got home." I went on to explain that I'm a very different person these days.
I love spending a Sunday afternoon cooking and baking for the week.  I get tremendous joy from creating yummy treats to give to family and friends.  Tangible evidence that I've spent time creating something just for them, to make them feel special.

I've discovered a new found joy in being outdoors experiencing nature.  I've taken to having my camera with me on my walks to capture simple and amazing beauty right in the local park. (Okay, it's just a camera phone, but you can't deny I've gotten some amazing shots with it!)  I feel like I'm beginning to develop a bit of an eye for capturing God's incredible beauty in nature which is a totally new interest for me.









I've become an even greater lover of sunsets...reveling in the rich golds, pinks, and purples painted across the sky and the shimmering glow dancing across the face of the water as the sun slowly slips down behind the edge of the lake to ultimately be swallowed up by the trees.  I have always led a busy life, and my calendar is still very full, but I have learned the benefit - the absolute necessity - of slowing down to enjoy life.  Of experiencing it with all my senses.  Of being quiet before God to hear what He is whispering to my soul.  It is an exercise I wish I had learned many years ago.

I've also discovered the importance of friends.  True friends who will laugh and cry with you.  Who don't care if your house is a mess - they come running when you tell them YOU'RE a mess at that moment.  Who when they say they will pray for you, actually do...and you know it because you feel the peace, the calm, the presence of God when you can't utter a word in prayer.  I now say "I love you" unashamedly and often to those friends because I truly do. 

Yes, I'm in a different season in my life.  It is rich, and full, and beautiful - much like spring.  But it wasn't all that long ago that I went through the winter.  Things were barren and often looked bleak.  However, I've learned to see the pockets of beauty that still existed during that time.  And I now appreciate spring all the more because of it.

Author and speaker Priscilla Shirer (daughter of preacher Tony Evans) shared in one of her studies something that stayed with me.  She said her entire single life she had longed to be married.  And when the day came that her now husband proposed, she was elated...for a few minutes.  Then she looked at the ring on her finger and realized that for all intents and purposes, her single life was now over.  And suddenly, she wondered what she had done with all those single years.  Now that she's the mother of young children she sees it happening again.  The temptation is to wish away the time - waiting for the day your baby can crawl, then walk and talk, then head off to school and before you know it, they are married and you wonder where?  Where did the time go?  Each season of life is to be lived to the full and appreciated for what it teaches us.

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 are the well known "a time for" verses.  "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven."  Verse 11 goes on to say "He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

The devotional Jesus Calling put it this way a few days ago..."Here and Now comprise the coordinates of your daily life.  Most people let their moments slip through their fingers, half-lived.  They avoid the present by worrying about the future or longing for a better time and place.  They forget that they are creatures who are subject to the limitations of time and space.  They forget their Creator, who walks with them only in the present."

Don't let another moment slip away.  Begin today walking with Him in the present.  He has made everything beautiful in its time, so live the time you're in right now to the full...the seasons will most assuredly change down the road - don't miss a second of the one you're in.

Fleeced

Judges 6:36-40:  Gideon said to God, “If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised— look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said.”  And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water. Then Gideon said to God, “Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece, but this time make the fleece dry and let the ground be covered with dew.”  That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

Have you ever heard someone say they were "putting out a fleece before God?"  This is the story in the Bible they are referring to.

Let me give you a little more background...over a period of time after being delivered from Egypt, Israel had begun "doing evil in the sight of God."   They began  to worship Baal and other gods.  As punishment God "gave them in to the hands of the Midianites" for 7 years.  It was at this point that an angel of the Lord visited Gideon with this greeting in  Judges 6:12 "The Lord is with you mighty warrior."

Gideon's response sounds very 21st century to me: "Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us?  Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”  Aren't we so like that?  We've gone and disobeyed God, then turn and blame him for the bad things in our lives. 

There is much back and forth between Gideon and the angel resulting in Gideon's request for a sign which is given. But Gideon goes back to the "sign" well not once, but twice more as the scripture above notes. He knows he's pushing it.  It's why he says "Do not be angry with me". 

So why all this talk about fleeces?  Because a few weeks ago, armed only with the knowledge that this story was in the Bible, I brought a huge doubt up to God for the 40 millionth time and threw in a "fleece" of my own.  No, I didn't lay wool out in the backyard.  I asked for something to be given to me that I thought would be extremely unlikely I would receive unless God was in it.  It was a specific item that needed to come from a specific person.

In truth, I'd done this once before.  In September of 2010.  I knew I hadn't stacked the deck in my favor back then because as simple a request as it was, it went unfulfilled - just as I was afraid in my heart of hearts it would be.  Then, about a month ago, a situation presented itself that reminded me of that earlier fleece.  Because all this time later although some circumstances have changed, I still have the same question, I decided to lay the same fleece out.  "Well, even Gideon did it twice" was my response to my cousin when she cautioned that I'd already done this exercise once without the answer I was hoping for. 

In all honesty, I should have done a little more research on this before going forward.  Going from memory, I thought Gideon's use of a fleece was more about his seeking wisdom and assurance that he was on the right track.  What I now see more clearly is that it was about Gideon's lack of faith.  We are told in  Hebrews 11:1: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."  Gideon needed to see to believe.  Similarly, in John  20:24 Thomas said “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” He was speaking of believing that Jesus had been resurrected. Jesus' response in verse 29 is "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

I needed concrete "proof" of what I hoped for.  So what happened this time?  I received the item. In spite of many circumstances that could have prevented it, I received it in a special way.  Has this put my doubt to rest?  I'm sorry to say, like Gideon, that one "sign" has led me to want further confirmation.  After all, I didn't get a positive result the first time, so why should I trust the positive this time?  Is it just what I want it to be?  If possible, I may have even more questions now.

In a response to "Is it acceptable to 'lay out a fleece' before God in prayer", the web site gotquestions.org has this to say in part: "Still, Gideon asked for two more signs because of his own insecurity. In the same way, when we ask for a sign from God, even when He does provide it, it doesn’t give us the answer we crave because our unsure, wavering faith doubts that it was from God. That often leads us to ask for multiple signs, none of which give us the assurance we need, because the problem isn’t with God’s power, it’s with our own perception of it."  Well, they certainly nailed my experience on the head.

Despite it all, I don't bring you this story as something negative.  Whenever a lesson is learned, there is something good to be gained from it.  In my case, I've been reminded about a number of things.  

• Read and understand a passage of scripture before "using" it.  The very least I should have done was go back over the story before going forward.  It's similar to what Mom always said - think before you speak. In this case, understand before you act.
• We are not meant to have all the answers.  If we did, there would be no need for faith.  God provides what we need, when we need it and not before.
• There are promises in God's Word that we can stand on. Ps 84:11 says "For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless."  and Ps 37:4 says "Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart."  "No good thing" is not always what we want or wish for - it's what the Lord knows is best for us.  And when we delight ourselves in Him, His desires for us become our desires for ourselves, and they are granted.

I won't be placing another fleece out anytime soon.  If my hands are full of the wool of my doubts and insecurities, they won't be empty to receive the gifts and assurances He wants to place in them.  I will continue to pray on God's timing, wisdom, and discernment in the situation at hand, trusting that He will do what is in my best interest in His perfect timing.  It is easier said than done, but I know it's what's best. 

The Oxymoron of Me - The Wild, Quiet Life

I tend to live life at 100 mph.  Always doing, always thinking, always connecting people one with another.  I work a full time job, head a ministry that could easily be a full time job, and have spent a lot of time lately with my 22 year old son who's been going through some tough stuff the past 6 months.

On top of all those things vying for my time, I'm on the church praise team, lead a monthly women's prayer group, and I try to stay in touch with many friends through emails, cards, and trips to the diner for a cup of coffee.


And then there are my interests and passions.  Writing, singing, reading, biking, walking, the theater, and most recently some very amateur photography.









I'm very lucky in that while I'll never become wealthy doing my job, it has wonderful perks which allow me access to local theaters, Broadway, concerts, theme parks, ball parks, restaurants and more...all at no cost.  A friend once joked that I live a wild life of constant entertainment.  That might be a tad overstated, but I am fortunate to have many cultural outlets.

Recently though, I've slowed down.  I've taken my foot entirely off the gas pedal.  I've begun to coast.  Part of it might be attributable to the very early spring here in New Jersey.  Beautiful, sunny weather with temps in the 60's, 70's and even 80's last month made day after day a wonder to behold.  And behold I have.  Where normally I'm one to look at the trees and wonder when they'd gone from bare to full bloom, I'm now outside each day seeing the subtlety of change.

Buds tightly closed one day, are cracked open the next.  A day or two later I see the flowers begin to unfurl.  Like watching time elapsed photography, I'm aware of trees, shrubs, plants and flowers slowly and beautifully coming back to life.  Bursts of color...yellow, red, pink, green,  purple, white...a veritable rainbow of hues cover the landscape.

And then there are the walks along the shore of my lake.  Spectacular sunsets compete each evening for "best in show".  Golden sunsets shimmer over the ripples of water.  Trees are highlighted against skies painted with such exquisite intensity it's as if they're on fire.  Even the moon, stars and other planets like Venus and Jupiter have put on an amazing display night after night.

So what's the problem?  Well, I find myself in uncharted territory.  While I've slowed down before, for a day, a weekend, maybe on rare occasion even for a week's vacation, this has lasted for months.  My soul longs to be outside and commune with God's creation.  I rush to the park after work to catch enough light to take the 3 and a half mile walk through some of the woods and fields near the marina.

 I've been setting aside all else so that I can quiet my heart, extend my hand, and let God lead me in the dance.  It's as if I can't absorb enough of the sights, sounds, and smells that surround me outdoors.  I try to log each one somewhere in my mind, tucking it away.  Hiding the experiences in my heart.  It almost scares me.  Why this sudden push to soak in the beauty and stillness of my surroundings?  Why the hesitation to take on all those responsibilities that used to consume my day?  Am I subconsciously aware that there will come a time when I can no longer indulge my senses in this way?  Will there come a time when things are so hard I will need to dig deep to remember this closeness to my Creator?  I don't know, but I'm fighting the part of me that feels guilty for stepping off the treadmill and just standing in awe at all that's around me.

After all, doesn't Psalm 46:10 say  "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth?" (NIV) And Psalm 23: 1-3 remind us "The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me  lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul.  (emphasis mine) He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake."(NIV).  So why should I feel bad?  I also think about Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 which says: "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace."

I can't stay in this place forever.  I need to get back to family needs, ministry tasks, day to day obligations.  But I have come to believe that this is a God-given season of refreshing.  An extended downtime when He and I can walk together and I can simply drink in all He has to show me and reflect on it.  He has created a world for me to enjoy and I am being obedient when I take the time to do that. When I once again have to pick up the pace, I pray I can find balance.  Rest stops along the highway.  Or better yet, instead of going only 0 or 100 mph, cruising more consistently at a manageable 50.

I generally wrap up my posts with some conclusion, some 'insightful' thought,or lesson learned, but today I feel like I'm just wondering out loud.  It's been such a strange time for me.  I'd love to hear about any similar experience you might have had.  What have YOU learned from it? 

A Journey Through Time: Finding Purpose In Him

So there's this thing called "Random Journal Day".  I was made aware of it a week ago by my friend Dawn at Beneath the Surface, and invited to participate.  I thought about it for days, knowing that many, many entries were of such an intensely personal nature on one particular subject, that it wouldn't be of much help or interest to anyone other than myself to see where the road has led. 

Tonight, I finally sat down and began leafing through page upon page of hand-written thoughts, prayers and emotions.  As I remembered, there was an inordinate amount of logging on a situation that will remain between me, God and those journal pages.  Perhaps if there's ever a day when it works itself out, I'll share the journey to the resolution, but not today.

Today, I share an entry from June 4, 2007.  I had been separated for 5 months, had gone from leading worship at a church of 2,000 to one with a congregation of 20, and had recently escaped a downsizing at work but was putting in 16 hour days. In the midst of all this change and upset, I was reading through Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life.  Each day had a Bible verse and a question posed.  This particular day the verse I read was Colossians 1:16b "Everything got started in Him and finds its purpose in Him."

The question posed  was this:  "In spite of all the advertising around me, how can I remind myself that life is really about living for God, not myself?"

Herein lies the irony...my profession is that of commercial writer for a radio station.  It is, in fact, my job to convince people that life is indeed all about them.  That they have a need for a service or product that must be met, and that they are worthy and deserving of satisfying that need. 

The response I logged was:  "An interesting question given the 'purpose' of my current profession.  And given all the 'me' questions swirling in my head lately - 'what should I do about my job, my marriage, my church?'  It seems it would all be so much easier to stop thinking about me and concentrate on God.  Not that the questions will disappear, but maybe the answers will come once things are in the proper perspective.  So how DO I remind myself that it's about living for God?  When I sing at Journey (my church at the time) I look out at just 20 people in the congregation, but I'm enjoying leading in worship - I know it's for God - there's no glory in singing in front of such a small group, yet I'm still content to do it.  It's from the heart and an act of worship, it's not about me - and that's a good thing...I believe I'm using the gifts He gave me, which is pleasing to Him, but I'm not sure whether they're being used for His purpose for my life.  


I know one answer to the question posed - and probably to several of my own - is that reading my Bible and meditating on what it says as well as daily prayer will help me to remember it's about God and what HE wants to do with me...and not about what I want.  I've gotten what I want before and it led to heartache.  I just need to be willing to put down those desires I think I want and need to be willing to wait and see if it's what He has for me...what will fulfill that purpose?  Will I reconcile?  Remain single?  Find new love?  Pressing questions for me, that when held up in the light of eternity, are so very unimportant.  What is important is how I react, act and handle those situations as they unfold.  The world is watching how Christians behave - they need to see Jesus in me and not me struggling for control over Jesus.  In the end, I want to be like Paul and count it all joy - the trials, the hardships and the good times because they all form who I am and how I interact with my Lord.


Lord, you have promised to take care of me, telling me to be anxious for nothing.  So once again, I make a conscious effort to lay down my fears, concerns, uncertainties and desires, knowing you are sufficient to supply all my needs and that you will never leave me or forsake me - and I in turn will strive to live for you."

Almost 5 years later I have some answers to those 'me' questions I grappled with as well as a new found purpose.  I've been divorced for about a year and a half.  While I know that God hates the dissolution of the marriage vow, there were reasons present which 'covered' the decision to end the union.  I am a healthier, happier, more effective person because of it.  I still don't know if God's will for me is to remain single or if He has a new relationship in my future, but I know that His timing is perfect.  The church I now call home is not the one I was in 5 years ago with just 20 members, however that tiny church plant was the place where I was introduced to my life's purpose.  Community outreach was a huge part of who they were as a congregation and I quickly realized that it was something that spoke to my heart in a powerful way.  I now head up a ministry at my new church called CommunityConnections.  I'm at the same job, but have the help I so desperately needed after the downsizing.  In fact, that job has provided contacts and blessings to help further the work of the outreach ministry.  I've walked through a lot of highs and lows in 5 years, but the Lord has been faithful to His promises to always care and provide for me and He has never left me...and I continue to strive to live for Him.

From Praise to Praise

Palms laid down
On the ground
People join the joyous chant

Songs of praise
Hosannas raised
The King arrives triumphant

Passover meal
The deed revealed
Judas takes his leave

Anguished prayer
The cup He'll bear
All sin Christ will receive

Judas betrays
A kiss he lays
Upon the cheek of Jesus

Peter denies
Three times, then cries
He knows his sin is grievous



The guards mock
Chief priests lock
Forces against this man

Pilate abstains
The crowd complains
So he gives in to their plan

"Crucify Him"
"Crucify Him"
Replace last Sunday's praise

Whipped flesh torn
Crowned with thorns
Upon the cross Christ is raised

"Remember me"
Is one man's plea
Although the other scorns

"Into your hands"
The end, as planned
The temple curtain torn


Three days He's gone
And then at dawn
The stone is rolled away

No body here
Alive, it's clear
All praise this Resurrection day!

By Toni Campbell  All rights reserved

Dancing, Sinatra and God

Last weekend, I went with about 75 others on my church's annual women's retreat.  The event took place at Sandy Cove in North East, MD - a beautiful retreat center with nicely appointed rooms, delicious, plentiful food and the waters of the Chesapeake Bay lapping on the shores of the grounds.  As an extra special gift, God provided absolutely perfect weather on Saturday...70+ degrees, with a light breeze and clear blue skies.  When I read in Psalm 19: "The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of His hands!" the sunsets over the bay at Sandy Cove are often what comes to mind.

The theme of the weekend was "Shall We Dance" and our speaker was Catherine Martin of Quiet Time Ministries.  I love the illustration she paints of dancing with God...wrapped in His arms, surrendering to His embrace and following His lead in a vibrant, intimate, ongoing relationship (dance) with Him through this life...perhaps even more so because it is something I'm so not good at otherwise.  God has given me many creative gifts:  I write.  I sing.  I act.   But dancing?  Not so much.  I've lost several acting roles somewhere in the dance audition.  It's something I've always wanted to do but it doesn't come naturally and I've never taken lessons.  Well, except for that time a few years back when at the ripe old age of 46 I thought a 10 week tap course might help me score a role in 'Singin' In The Rain'.  It did not and for good reason, I admit.  Those poor tap shoes haven't seen the light of day since (that's me in the blue tee shirt staring intently at the instructors feet - to no avail!)

I love watching "Dancing with the Stars" and it should come as no surprise that I like to route for other underdogs.  Those who start out as awkward, clumsy, two left-footed ugly ducklings like me...but through weeks of practice and perseverance, become swans, capturing the nuances of the dance, and bringing the audience to their feet.  That's my dream.  But while I may never look graceful on an actual dance floor, with the right Partner, I can and will be swept into a beautiful, dynamic life dance that will have the angels jumping to their feet with applause when I arrive home.

Our Friday night session asked the question, "will you dance with Him?" and it was centered around Jesus' interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well.  Saturday morning we were challenged with "will you sit at His feet?" and received fresh insight into the story of Mary and Martha and how to cultivate a heart of devotion. 

Saturday afternoon, we had 4 hours of free time to spend on any number of activities: a craft, Pilates, line dancing, playing games, shopping and more...but when God gives you the perfect day in the middle of March, there's only one thing to be done with it as far as I'm concerned.  I headed outside to revel in the day.  I walked the grounds with one friend, and chatted on the dock with another.  I even soaked up the sun with a good book for a bit. 

Session 3 was entitled "will you recognize Him?" and was based on the story of the prophetess Anna, who was on hand when Jesus was presented to Simeon in the temple.  I especially loved this session because it touched upon truths that I have learned and lived first hand.  Like the truth that God is the God of detail and that He loves to surprise you.  He knows your life and your needs intimately - even down to the smallest detail - nothing is too unimportant to bring to God.  Perhaps one day I'll share in another blog post a very special story of when that happened to me in a big way ...but if you want to read it sooner, it's in a book by Carol Kent called "Miracle on Hope Hill and Other Stories of God's Love" - page 55 to be exact.  Come to think of it, the story came to be in that book because of a visit to Sandy Cove about 2 years ago.  Just one of the exciting spins on this dance floor of life with God.

One of the biggest takeaways for me on Saturday night were these statements that Catherine shared:  In experiencing your romance with Jesus, you should linger excessively, listen eagerly, look expectantly and love extravagantly.  Again this resonated deeply with me.  I love to spend time not only reading God's Word and praying, but in spending quality time in His creation, appreciating with all my senses this world He's given us.  It is in these special moments with God that I love to linger...listening for His voice - in the sounds of the birds, in the whisper of the breeze, through the music of the water lapping on the shore. Looking expectantly at snapshots of His glory, waiting for the day of His return.  And I thank Him for his extravagant love - returning it to the best of my limited ability with songs of praise.

The final session on Sunday morning posed this question..."will you remember that the best is yet to come?" and described Mary Magdalene's joy as she encountered her risen Lord at the tomb.  It's certainly not a 'spiritual' song, but as I listened to Catherine talk about 'the best is yet to come' I couldn't get the tune of the Frank Sinatra song by the same name out of my head.  It ends this way:  "Wait til you're locked in my embrace, wait til I hold you near.  Wait til you see that sunshine place, there ain't nothing like it here.  The best is yet to come and won't that be fine...the best is yet to come, come the day that you're mine." 

Are you ready to be locked in His embrace?  Don't you want Him to hold you near?  The best is certainly yet to come, but let's dance with Him while we're here.

Time to Plan a Wedding

Is this the little girl I carried, is this the little boy at play?  I don't remember growing older, when did they?  Those are the opening lines to the song "Sunrise, Sunset" from "Fiddler on the Roof"...and that is my reality today.

My little girl got engaged last April.  It was exciting, but still a bit nebulous because no date was set.  Until today.  It's no longer "my daughter's engaged"... it's "my daughter's getting married, October 4th, 2013."  Now it's really real.  Now the planning begins in earnest.  But first, let me reminisce...

She's always been early.  It started when she arrived two weeks before her due date, and 26 years later, she's always the first to arrive at work, losing patience with the ones she has to wait on to gain access.

She's always been a bit of a daredevil.  I remember her in a baby swing, throwing her little feet out to force herself higher - the legs of the swing would sometimes lift off the ground.  I thought then, this kid is going to love amusement park rides...and in fact, the higher and faster the roller coaster, the better she likes 'em. She's a little heavy-footed on the gas pedal too!

She's always - well almost always - been a Fashionista.  It started with her first tap costume - a 'bo peep' like number that she pranced around in long after the recital...and now she's a visual merchandiser for a well-known, world-wide clothing chain.  Of course, there was a year or two in there when goth clothing was her thing.  Not the makeup, hair or piercings, but oh how I remember those horrible baggy pants with tons of zippers.  It's hard to believe that same child who once proclaimed "I hate dresses - I'm going to wear a suit at my wedding!" now wants to say "yes to the dress" - and desires one of the laciest 'vintage' wedding gowns I've ever seen.

And she's always been creative.  When she was about 4, I took her for her regular check up.  The doctor asked her to draw a picture of herself.  When she was done, he was amazed.  "Incredible detail for a child her age" he marveled.  "She's drawn buttons on the clothes, laces on the shoes, and barrettes in her hair."  When she was about 7 and her brother was 3, she wanted him to play school.  He whined "mom, I don't WANT to learn my letters and numbers again!"  Jackie thought a moment and  played on her brother's interest of ocean creatures.  "I know...we'll play 'sea school' she announced..."I'll be Mrs. Octopus, and you can be a whale!"  Now that's creative - my son bought into it 'hook, line and sinker'.  Ultimately, she graduated from college with a degree in Visual Arts with a concentration in photography.  Some of her work can be seen on her photography Facebook page...J.C. Photography

I'm proud of my daughter and the woman she's become.  She's hard-working, thoughtful, giving and loving.  She's chosen a man who loves and cares for her and takes care of her...and occasionally indulges her penchant for stuffed animals since their apartment complex frowns on having REAL polar bears and tigers live on the premises.  And now, she's getting married.  October 4, 2013.  We have a date.  Let the official planning begin!