Seasons

There is a season for everything, right? I am on vacation (alone with my husband for a week - can you believe it?!), and it has been a brief season of rest and relaxation. It always takes a couple of days for the weight of our "normal" routine to melt away so that we can be "in the moment."

I wanted to let you few faithful readers know that I will not be posting as often (as if you already haven’t noticed that!) because I am headed into the busiest two months of my year. In order to be the wife and mom I need to be, I need to step away from everything extraneous, and my darlings………..blogging is extraneous.

I started this blog (you can read my “Why Do I Blog?” post here) because I wanted it to be a place of interaction and connection. Although many of you read this, the interaction part never got off the ground, so I feel completely at peace in stepping away from something that is taking my time without the benefit of truly connecting with people. I will most likely continue posting after my oldest daughter graduates and I finish my school year, but I’m not making any promises. I trust that the Lord will make it clear if I am to continue.

I get one shot at these last few weeks of my daughter’s high school life, and my three other children will be winding up their school years, also. I am also the only one who can stand before God and answer for the kind of wife I was to David. I want to be found faithful in those roles that were to be the most important in my life.

So, you may check back now and again to see if I've posted, and I promise to post again after school is out (if not before).  

Thank you for checking in with me.  I know that I, apart from Christ, am nothing, but I give Him praise if anything I've shared up to this point has blessed, encouraged, challenged, or uplifted you.  God bless you all!

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” Eccl. 3:1

Love in Action!

I know, I know......I haven't been very faithful in keeping up on my posting, but it's been vacation time for all of us here in honor of resurrection day!  We've had a simply wonderful week: we've enjoyed a GREAT get-away day with all of the staff and their families at Gilroy Gardens, we've relaxed in the mountains for a couple of days, and I've been able to get a couple of cleaning projects done.  It's been a good and relaxing time!

If you attend our church, you've no doubt seen the signs, bulletin inserts, video, banner, and sign up tables for Servolution.  I am on the planning team, and we are so excited to see God work through our body of believers at New Life to bless our community.  In short, Servolution is "Love in Action" in our community; as you know, words are cheap, but actions speak loud and clear.  It is our prayer that many will experience the love of Christ through our love and service to them.

If you haven't signed up yet, you can CLICK HERE.  If you have questions about what Servolution is and what we will be doing, you can check the Servolution FAQ page.  I encourage everyone reading (which by the way, some of you need to de-lurk!) to sign up to serve alongside of us.  You won't regret it.

We have all kinds of projects that we will be doing that day, so there's a place for everyone to serve.  We encourage you to serve with your children ages 8 and older.  (Childcare is available for those 7 and under.)  We desire to serve our community not as a strategy, but as an act of love.  You can be a part of it, and I know you won't regret it.

Also, we are in need of projects and project leaders.  If you know of someone we can serve, or if you are already a part of a small group, neighborhood group, etc... and would like to lead that group in a project, just let us know.  There is a "Contact Us" link on the Servolution website (www.nlccservolution.com) for you to use.

I consider it such a blessing that God has allowed David and me to serve in a church body that is so sold out to radically loving and serving others.  Seriously, you guys (and gals) are some of the most giving and loving people I have ever had the privilege of serving with.  I am excited about what God wants to do through us as we live for HIS glory!

Oh, and by the way, "de-lurking" is the bloggy term for leaving a comment to let the person know you are reading his/her blog.  It is considered polite to leave a comment when you begin reading a person's blog so that they have some way of knowing who's out there.  I know some of you live in mortal fear that someone else will know you are reading, so feel free to send me an email if you'd like:  gena (at) newlifecc (d0t) com

Okay, I'm outta here.  It's time to get ready for the new week, so blessings to you all!

Easter

Well, I did a new thing this Easter weekend; I attended all four Easter services!  Let me just say, I LOVED EVERY ONE!  I met many of your family members who came to church with you for Easter; thank you for that honor!  I saw God at work in each service, and I discovered that even though Dave speaks four times, each time is slightly different, so I felt I learned something new at each service.  I prayed multiple times throughout each service, and I felt that I could almost explode from the pure joy of people deciding to come running home to Jesus!  HE is so good, and all glory and praise belong to HIM!   

Oh, and by the way, when Dave was describing his perfect day (waking to the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, having it brought to him, having all the time in the world to read the paper, etc....., I (along with many of you) thought he was hinting at what I should be doing for him!  :-)  Actually, he may have been hinting, but I am blessed because HE often gets up and makes coffee, brings it to me on a tray with the newspaper, and encourages me to take time to read and relax.  I'm blessed, I know.

This Easter weekend was filled with mixed emotions as two of our church family members had funerals for loved ones.  However, in some ways, it seemed most appropriate that their family members' funerals were during a season when the resurrection Sunday reminds us of the hope we have through our risen Savior who has conquered death and given us eternal life with Him.  The knowledge that our loved ones are with Jesus and that we will see them again brings comfort in the midst of incredible grief.  I thank God that He is our comforter and that he knows our pain.

On Tuesday, we are off with our staff and their families for a day at Gilroy Gardens.  We take all the staff families somewhere on the Tuesday after Easter each year as a thank you for ALL the extra work they do to prepare for Easter.  I am so looking forward to our time together.  We are blessed with the best staff, and we love each one so much.  It is wonderful to see all of our children having fun together, and we love the chance to simply "be" with each other.

Well, my children are wrestling in the living room, and I await the crying that is sure to ensue.  You all know how it is.....it starts off so fun, but inevitably someone gets a little too rough and doesn't know when to stop, and it's all downhill from there!  And usually, I know exactly which child will be the one to turn all the fun around.  Do you have that "one" in your family also?  ;-) 

Our Guest

My last post reminded me of a poem by Edgar A. Guest.  When I was in high school, I was given an old leather volume of his poems, and I memorized one for an English assignment.  Since that time, I've had a soft spot in my heart for his poetry; it is folksy and simple.  Many years ago when Dave and I were in an antique store in Pacific Grove, I found a volume of his collected verses published in 1934 and I bought it. Guest died in 1959 after writing more than 11,000 poems and having over 20 poetry volumes published.  An interesting aside, his niece, Judith Guest, wrote the best-selling novel, Ordinary People.  Edgar A. Guest was called "the poet of the people."

Anyway, as I originally was saying, my last post reminded me of Edgar A. Guest's poem, "Our House," so I thought I'd share it with you.

Our House

I like to see a lovely lawn

Bediamoned with dew at dawn,

But mine is often trampled bare,

Because the youngsters gather there.

I like a spotless house and clean

Where many a touch of grace is seen,

but mine is often tossed about

By youngsters racing in and out.

I like a quiet house at night

Where I may sit to read and write,

But my peace flies before the tones

Of three brass throated saxophones.

My books to tumult are resigned,

In vain my furniture is shined.

My lawn is bare, my flowers fall,

Youth rides triumphant over all.

I love the grass, I love the rose,

And every living thing that grows.

I love the books I ponder o'er,

But oh, I love the children more!

And so unto myself I say:

Be mine the house where youngsters play.

Oh, little girl, oh, healthy boy,

Be mine the house which you enjoy!

How to Know Where Grace Lives

I was looking through my collected quotations tonight (for journal starters for class), and came across these sayings. I thought I'd share them with you. May your home be where grace lives.

How to Know Where Grace Lives

* All the neighborhood kids want to hang out at the house where grace
lives.

* There is always enough for one more where grace lives....one more for
dinner....one more to sleep over....one more hug....one more kiss.

* You can see people dancing where grace lives.

* You can hear things like, "Please forgive me, I was wrong....You are my
treasure..."

* The eyes of the children where grace lives shine with joy and anticipation. They have not been wounded by impossible expectations. They have not been distanced by rejection. They have been embraced and accepted and loved.

* The moms at the houses where grace lives are just regular, everyday moms,
but God lives inside them. By His power, they are becoming holy and righteous
and good. They stumble but recover quickly. They make mistakes but say, "I'm
sorry." They get blown by the winds of heartache and adversity, but their hearts remain tender toward God.

The Miracle Worker

I just returned from seeing "The Miracle Worker" at the Fallon House Theater in Columbia. I LOVED IT! I took Kari and a friend, along with Dave's mom, to see this Sierra Repertory production because Kari had just finished reading the book for her book report. The play received good reviews, and after seeing it, I would say the reviews were right on. The woman who played Annie Sullivan, the teacher who worked with Helen Keller, was fabulous! And let me tell you, the drama was a very physical one for the individuals who played Annie and Helen. If you have any free time this weekend, I know you would enjoy seeing it. I had also never been inside of the Fallon House Theater, and it had so much character! The only problem for the younger children is that the floor is not sloped that much at all, so it was difficult for them to see some of the action on the stage. I also loved the sets which feature beautiful manzanita branches and a twilight sky behind them.

On our way to the theater tonight, we stopped in Sonora to have dinner and we saw a group of men from Monte Vista Chapel having dinner. One of them, a friend, came up to say, "Hi!" because I hadn't seen them. This group had headed to the hills early this morning to ride their bikes before heading to the men's retreat at Silver Spur tonight. These men live for the Lord and it was good to see them out doing something fun together. I'm praying God blesses them all during their retreat, and that the Lord will be with their wives and children this weekend.

Dave returned home from his conference tonight while I was at the play. We just spoke for only a few moments because he's worn out, but tomorrow I know we'll go on a walk or a drive to catch up with one another. I'm excited to hear what he learned and what was confirmed in his heart.

Marriage Book Resources

Since I mentioned a few posts back that I would list some of my favorite marriage books that I've read through the years, I thought I'd better follow through! I have a tendency to get side-tracked; can you tell?

Anyway, today I will share three books (besides the previously mentioned For Women Only book by Shaunti Feldman) that I greatly benefited from.

The first is Love and Respect. David and I were blessed to hear Dr. Emerson Eggerichs and his wife speak at a pastor's conference soon after his book came out. I think it was one of the best marriage teachings I have ever heard. We bought the book right then, and truth be told, we both read it in a couple of days. Both of us felt that we learned things we didn't know before that would definitely help our marriage be better. I don't know of anyone who's read the book that hasn't thought it was a book to help new habits be born. Sometimes we just have to learn a new way to communicate. I love that he shares a word picture that is easy to relate to: men hear through blue (male) earphones and women through pink (female) earphones. Sounds fundamental, doesn't it? However, when you read this book, I think you'll agree that we, as women, overlook this very real fact most of the time. I found out that I was doing and saying some things that came across to Dave as disrespectful even though that wasn't what was necessarily in my heart. And I was surprised at how small some of the things seemed to me, and yet, they were very hurtful to him because he has an innate need for respect. Women respecting men is counter-cultural in our society right now, but I know that I am commanded in the Word to respect my husband, so it benefits me to learn how to better do this.

Another book, Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas, was also a very informative read for me. The subtitle says it all, "What if God's primary intent for your marriage isn't to make you happy . . . but holy? And what if your relationship isn't as much about you and your spouse as it is about you and God? Wow, now that really flies in the face of what we're told about marriage today. If we're not happy (so the secular notion goes), then surely God is not glorified, so it's okay if we get out. Now, I'm not saying that if a woman is in an abusive situation that she should continue to stay, but there are lots of Christian marriages ending for non-scriptural reasons.

A third book is called His Needs, Her Needs (subtitle: Building an Affair Proof Marriage) by Willard F. Harley. I haven't read this for a few years, but I remember thinking that it was a good book.

In speaking of all three of the above books, I realized that I don't have a copy of any of them in my home at the moment because they have all been lent out at some point to someone, and I don't for the life of me remember who has them. If you are reading this and remember that you have a copy of one of these books, feel free to let it "fly away home." But, just as quickly as the books might find their way back into my house, I know they'll be gone again soon because I have a hard time keeping books to myself!

I pray for my marriage continually, and I hope that you are praying for your marriage as well. I remember the saying that "the biggest detriment to a 'great' marriage is a 'good' marriage." I think that's true. I pray that you are not stuck in a good marriage, but that you will be able to experience a great marriage. Nothing worth having comes without much work, sacrifice, and perseverance. Keep praying; keep believing; keep working and learning. A Christ-centered, growing marriage can bring glory to God, and even though my marriage isn't perfect (and never will be because two imperfect people are in it), we continue to choose to put the Lord first in our individual lives and to look out for the other's interests. I pray our lives and our marriage bring honor to the One who continues to mold and fill us.

Jigu! Thunder Drums

I had a surprise in my email inbox on Thursday evening; I had won tickets for me and my family to see Jigu! Thunder Drums at the Gallo Center! Now I can never again say I haven't won anything. Actually, I couldn't say that before because I did win a cute lunch box on one website and a book on another, but those don't hold a candle to the Gallo tickets! The contest asked for the number of tickets we would need, and I debated on whether to put "6" in the number box. I mean, who would give away SIX tickets to the Gallo?! Well, I decided to be honest, and I received what I had asked for!

We had a great time: the Gallo Center is beautiful, the show was entertaining (no falling asleep during this show!), and it was a memorable, FREE evening for my family! :-)

Bibles and Burlap

I arrived home a couple of hours ago from our church's women's retreat. I had a wonderful time, and I felt so absolutely blessed by the women who attended. I was blessed by the women who were able to ride up (and back) with me, the women who were in my cabin (Go Cabin 6!), the other women who attended, and by the speaker. I met some incredible women that I had not previously had the privilege to knowing, and I caught up with some others that I am not able to visit with very often.

I was blown away by the love and acceptance I felt between us all. I love it when God shows up and speaks to us about things we weren't even aware that we needed to address. He is so good! Life is not easy and hurts are many and deep. As I looked around the meeting room, I was honored to sit in the presence of so many courageous and beautiful women. I am so proud to know that they are a part of "my" church family and that they are walking the hard road of surrender and obedience. You all ROCK, and I am praying that you all continue to allow God to pour His spirit on you and through you. I specifically wish you could see how beautiful you are! I was humbled, challenged, inspired, and convicted through your stories and testimonies.


I heard there were a couple of midnight (or perhaps a little later) expeditions involving flashlights and burlap bags. There may even be an incriminating picture or two floating around. Just know that I pray for all of you delinquent souls ;-), and I am here to provide a model for you to follow.

Let's remember all that God spoke to us, and let's live out the Love that He poured over us. Love to you all!

Seriously Now!

Seriously now, doesn't the above dessert look oh-so-sinfully-delicious? A couple of months ago, I found a great blog that has been a source of culinary inspiration for me, although I must admit that I've only made one of the recipes. The Pioneer Woman does give me lots to drool over, however, and I think you might enjoy how she presents her recipes. Why don't you head on over to The Pioneer Woman Cooks and see what it's all about.


Ree, the pioneer woman, also has a regular blog which has frequent installments of her her life story with the Marlboro Man, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels. If you enjoy beautiful photography, you'll love her site. She even gives tutorials on how to achieve the effects she uses on some of her photographs. I find it fascinating! Go to: Confessions of a Pioneer Woman.

22 Years and Counting!

THEN........
Yes, it's official! As of today, Dave and I have been married 22 years! And now I am feeling really old, because I've been married as many years as I was single! Can this be true?

Dave and I took a drive over to Berkeley today. Although it was raining on the way over there, we experienced a beautiful, sun-shiny afternoon. Truth be told, Dave and I love the rain and would not have been disappointed had it rained all day, but we did enjoy our walks in the bright light of the crisp, cold day.

It may sound corny, but I consider myself blessed beyond measure to be married to Dave. Now.......DON'T GET ME WRONG! We have struggles just like every other married couple, and NEITHER one of us is perfect by any stretch of the imagination (just ask our kids!). There have been hard times, questioning times, blissful times, boring times, joy-filled times, hold-on-to-your-seats times, and just about every other time you can think of - JUST LIKE THE TIMES IN YOUR MARRIAGE!

Before meeting Dave, I had chosen a path that was leading me away from what God had for me. I didn't fully put my trust in God, and I took some things into my own hands, afraid that maybe God wasn't real, didn't care, and didn't have a plan for my life. That path held overwhelming hurt, betrayal, loneliness, and darkness. Had I not fully surrendered those things to the Lord after an intense time of hurt and loss, I would not have been open to what He had for me - David. I KNOW WHAT I HAVE BEEN SAVED FROM WHICH IS WHY I FULLY APPRECIATE THE BLESSING OF MY MARRIAGE! God's grace is overwhelming; this is why I consider myself blessed.

When Dave and I became engaged (on April 21, 1985 in a meadow in Yosemite with El Capitan and Half Dome looking on), we made a commitment verbally, and in our hearts, that we would never leave one another; no matter what, we would stay. Have we thought back to that commitment a time or two or a thousand? YES! Really now...........in marriage, it would be WAY easier in the moment of a tough time to bail, but that short-term easy answer would not have been the right thing and the consequences would have always followed us.

I think of the verses in Philippians which say, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider [your spouse] better than yourself. ...You should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of [your spouse]." There have been times when my selfish flesh has wanted to look out for only MY interests, but I am to consider Dave as better than myself. That doesn't mean I put myself down, but it does mean that I must consider what would be best for Dave and our marriage. And honestly, selfish ambition and vain conceit never lead to unity - in a marriage, in other relationships, or in a church. However, putting other people first, while still maintaining healthy and scriptural boundaries, does lead to unity and it brings glory to God. That is my ultimate prayer - that my marriage would bring glory to God, not because of any goodness on my part, but because of the gift of His amazing grace to me which I can pour out to my husband, and Dave can (and does) pour out that same grace to me.

As I said before, I consider myself blessed.

Wow! I didn't know where this post would lead when I sat down to share that we've celebrated a great day together, but I do pray that what poured out through my fingertips tonight is in someway honoring to the One who has given us so much.

Today.......

Still Here!

I know; I know.....it's been a long time since I've updated my blog.  Let's just say that 47 journals and 47 essays have been consuming my time.  I have motivation to finish grading the essays, however, because next week I collect 32 four to six page research papers.  

I also have a sick child in the house, and your prayers would be appreciated.  I know there are so many struggling with this awful sickness that has been going around, and many have had relapses (much like my son), so please use a little more hot water, wash your hands a little more frequently, and get out that spray can of lysol for a tour of your door knobs and faucets handles!  :-)

For Women Only

Hello everyone! Today's post is aimed at the women who read my blog; men, you can just skip this one, but you might want to direct your wife here.

I bought this book, For Women Only, when Dave and I were at a conference in Indiana quite a few years back. It is a book that I recommend if you haven't read it already. But I've also found another resource that has beneficial for me as a woman, wife, and mother.

I subscribe to the Family Life Today podcasts (which are free), and I just finished listening to some really good stuff that I think would benefit all wives. In fact, I find that most of the Family Life Today programs bless me in some way, although like anything else, each broadcast isn't always "right up my alley."

So, that being said, if you have some time to invest in bettering your marriage, go to familylifetoday.com and try to get the podcasts for Feb. 6 (Affirming a Man), Feb. 7 (The Power of a Woman), and Feb. 10 (The Cost of Sexual Purity with Josh Harris). All three are great information that your husband will thank you for hearing. Today's 2/12 message (although I haven't listened to it yet) looks to be another good installment of the series.

I've got some other great books that I will recommend in my next post, but seriously, go check out the above-mentioned book or the podcasts. Isn't your marriage worth it?

Accountability

Tonight was the membership class at our church, and David and I had the opportunity to meet some great people.  I always like being with Dave at the class because it provides a chance for me to connect individually, perhaps for the first time, with people who are new to the church.  The thought came to me tonight that perhaps we should host an open house at our home every other month for all new members so that they can get to know us a little better as the very real people we are.  Immediately after having that thought, the other part of my brain kicked in telling me that it will have to wait until summer when I am not in school; it is simply not smart for me to consider adding another event at our home with our schedules.

I think Dave must get tired of hearing about all the thoughts I have, and truthfully, if I followed through on all the things that pop in my head for us to do for and with people, we'd never have a free moment to be together as a couple or as a family!  :-)  And all these thoughts are from a woman who has a personality that gets tired when she's been around too many people!  I sometimes think that Satan uses this ploy (the myriad thoughts of things I could be doing for people) to try and convince me that I'm never doing enough, that I can never be enough, and that I'm not good enough. 

My accountability partner (a fancy, churchy title for a true friend given permission to speak the entire truth into my life) and I spent the past fall making a list of the lies that we found ourselves listening to.  Many of the lies I listed had to do with how much I wasn't doing for people.  There's my husband (whom I could definitely serve better), my children (whom I could definitely parent better), my friends (whom I need to spend more time with), my extended family (whom I feel I often neglect), my neighbors (whom I need to invite over more to build deeper relationships with), my church family (whom I would love to be able to do more for - in the way of notes, meals, prayers, checking up on, personally welcoming and keeping up with each person), my co-workers (whom I could encourage and pray for more), and my students (I would love to be able to attend more of their sports games, and perhaps have a Bible study/prayer time with the girls, and be more purposeful in my interactions with them outside of the classroom).  And these are just the things I can think of off the top of my head; I know if I stopped to think any longer, I'd have more.

When I shared with my accountability partner my list of lies, she, of course, saw it all from a completely different perspective.  We decided that we would switch our lists of lies with one another, and find Scripture to speak the truth about the lies we listed.  It's not like I haven't identified the lies Satan tries to use with me most often (through Bible studies, truth-telling friends, and the Holy Spirit), it's just that the thoughts sneak in disguised as "good things to do."  One by one, those "good" things pile up until there is not a single individual in the world who could do, and be, all the things I have piled on myself.  Did you catch that?  "I have piled on myself."  I know that I am not the only woman with this struggle!  Because of the filter we see things through and the lies we are vulnerable to, we sometime miss seeing Scripture as objective truth in those areas.  My accountability partner and I reckoned that the only way to handle our lists was to find the truth for one another, and that's just what we are doing.  We will meet tomorrow night to trade our lists back, but each lie will have a corresponding scripture that we will read and meditate on when we find ourselves falling victim to the schemes of the evil one. We will then be able to check in with one another to see how we are doing in deflecting Satan's lies by putting on the full armor of God.

I pray that you all have someone in your life to have these truth-telling moments with - a person that allows you to be who you are (really and truly), and yet loves you enough to encourage you to continue growing. I am thankful for my friend, tonight, and for the truth of God's word.

WHAT IF....None Were Enough?

I wanted to share a blog post with you that I thought was very well written. The story the author has written is a beautiful analogy, and I especially like that she brings some culture into my life by posting famous artwork with her writing. If you have some time, pop on over to Mental Tesserae. I'm pretty sure I am partial to this woman's blog because I've always wanted to craft mosaics. :-)  

Some Fun Projects!

I'm not the craftiest person in the world, but I do like to personalize my living spaces. If you've been to my home, you've no doubt seen these phrases that I stenciled in my kitchen:



Doing those stencils (measuring out the letters, centering the phrases, painting them on) took a lot of time and work, but I believe in the power of words so that investment of time was worth it to me. You see, I place words, phrases, scriptures, and poems around me all the time to help me keep my focus right. They encourage me, strengthen me, inspire me, and comfort me. I want my children to grow up surrounded by words (vocally and written) that encourage and build them up to become all that God has for them to be. I have struggled with listening to negative words in my head (self-talk), and I find that having His word and positive thoughts around me, visible when I need them, continues to help me as I retrain my mind and form new thought habits. I think that's why I'm enjoying the projects I've been doing with some Uppercase Living products. I have been able to place meaningful words around me in a new and easy way. You can see some of my new projects below.

"Gather Round" in the dining room.

This tile says, "Grant me patience to deal with my blessings." So true! :-)

"The best things in life aren't things." Again, so true!

Is "L" for Larson or Looney?

It's hard to see on this metallic canvas, but it says, "Always kiss me goodnight."

So, among doing laundry, making dinner, running kiddos hither and yon, and working, this is what I've been up to. It's good to have a little creative outlet every once in a while, don't you think? :-)

I'm still alive, and I've been thinking....

One can tell that my desire to blog is not because I want to be famous in BLOGLAND! If you've taken a ride around blogland for any length of time, you know that a key to becoming a "Blog Big Wig" is to post often so people will keep coming back. Well, I've had too much going on to check in here, but I thought I'd stop for a few minutes just to let you know I'm still kicking, even if you haven't seen me here for a while. Life seems to go in cycles, and when it rains, it pours. There have been some situations that have wrenched our hearts; unexpected tragedies and relationships in crisis. My heart has grieved for the losses of life, relationships, and dreams. I have no answers, but my heart is with those of you who mourn and grieve. Oh, may the God of all comfort reach down, and tenderly hold and strengthen you. You are in my prayers.

I can say what everyone else says, "It's been busy," but that is just a fact of life when a woman is married, has four children, and works outside the home. Sometimes the "I'm busy" excuse is altogether too convenient when there's something I want to avoid. There is, in this season of my life, always someone that needs to be somewhere, or needs helps with something, or needs to talk about something, etc... So I've been thinking about that a lot. As I'm living God's purposes for me in this busy season, He still desires that my heart be stayed on Him. I have not had the time to do much reading lately, however, I found an excerpt in a book on my "To Read" list that has me thinking "The Reflective Life" by Ken Gire is the source of the quote below.

What I've been thinking about lately, and with a healthier sense of anxiety, is this. What constitutes a life that pleases God? The closer I get to the end of my life, it seems the only question that matters. Is the life I am living pleasing to God?

The question will keep you up nights. And it should. As we pull the covers to our chin and settle into our pillows, that's the question that should bring our day into the presence of God for His scrutiny. Did the life I lived today please you, God?

How many things do we have to check off on our to-do list before we can say yes to a question like that? How many questions do we have to count before we can be done with them all and drop off to sleep?

Only one.
Have I loved well?

When asked the secret of living the Christian life, Augustine replied: "Love God, and do as you please." The thought of that is both liberating and confining. Liberating because it means we are free to do whatever we want. Confining because it means our love for God sets the boundaries of that freedom. It guides every thought, every action, every conversation. And it does so every minute of the day, every day of our life. Instead of a Byzantine complexity of laws to regulate the details of our life, we have only one. The love of God. When that is the heart of who we are, it changes what we do. And it changes something else. How we will be judged.

St. John of the Cross once said that "at the evening of our day we shall be judged by our loving." As we look back over our day, what we have done is not as important as how we have done it. Better to do little with much love than much with little love. For without love, whatever we do will be dismissed with a judicial wave of heaven's hand as just so many trivial pursuits (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).

So it's the end of the day, and each of us is lying in our bed, reflecting. Have I loved well? Has love been the beating heart pulsing through all my activities? Can it be heard in all my conversations? Seen in my eyes? Felt when other people are in my presence? Was the truth I spoke today spoken in love? Were the decisions I made today based in love? Were my reactions? My devotions?

Have I loved well?

If we can answer yes to that question, it is enough. It may not be enough for our employer. It may not be enough for our fellow workers. It may not be enough for all the carpools and committees and other things on our calendar.
It may not even be enough for us.
But it is enough for God.
- Ken Gire, "The Reflective Life: Becoming More Spiritually Sensitive to the Everyday Moments of Life"

Gena here again - Yes, that is a good question for us to ask ourselves as followers of Christ. I want to be able to say at the end of each day that all the circumstances that God allowed me to experience, all the people I interacted with, all the deeds I did were drenched in love, most specifically, HIS love.

So.....after a week and a half of not posting, these are the thoughts rambling around in my head and heart. Have I loved well?

They Found It!

Yes, we received a call just before midnight from the police department saying that Hannah's car had been found.  It was not far from our house, and the police had pulled over the person driving it because it had expired plates on it (they had switched the plates).  The guy driving bolted and wasn't found.  The passenger was arrested and had been on parole, so the officers told us he would be in jail for at least a year.  In this day and age of over-crowded prisons, I don't know how they can be assured of that, but I digress.

Anyway, we had to look at everything the officers were pulling out of the car to say if it belonged to Hannah or not.  There we stood, not far from a big intersection, at midnight in cold rain saying, "No, Officer, those four shaved keys do not belong to our daughter; neither do the cigarettes, jackets, envelopes with return addresses on them, and other "paraphernalia."  

What was weird was that we did not know that the guy they arrested was in the back of the police car that we were standing next to.  When we pulled up, there was another truck that had been pulled over (for another reason), and Hannah's car was in the middle of the road with the driver's door open.    So, Dave and I stood there in the rain, talking to one another right outside of the car window where the arrested passenger had been placed.  I think the officers should have informed us of that fact, because I can guarantee that had I known he was behind those dark windows two feet away from us, I wouldn't have stood there.  :-o

The funny thing was, a friend of ours thought he saw Hannah's car being driven by someone on a road between the high school which is right near our home on Sunday.  He was behind the car, and he noticed the license plate frame said it was from Modesto, and he noticed the license number.   He said the driver looked like he was David's size, so he assumed since it was so close to our house that the car had been recovered and Dave was driving it.  Well, tonight when we got to her car, sure enough, the license plate frame was from Modesto, and the license had the number he had remembered. The officer also asked how tall Dave was because the guy they had seen running from the car appeared to be about 6'3".  So, our friend had seen Hannah's car on Sunday; it's just that the tall guy driving it wasn't Dave!  :-)  The car has some residual damage from its jaunt around the town with the thieves; there is a cut on the outside of the driver's side door, and the inside smells strongly of cigarette smoke.  

When we arrived home, Dave "febreezed" all the upholstery, and we put an air freshener inside.  Hopefully, the smell will dissipate quickly, although Hannah didn't think she wanted to drive her car tomorrow anyway.  We will be buying the recommended "Club" for her car tomorrow since she owns one of the more frequently stolen cars.  All's well that ends well, except you still feel a little vulnerable knowing the people who stole it had our home address on the registration slip that was in the glove box.  

Just thought I'd update you before I head back to bed.  Thanks for your prayers; the extra set of wheels are so appreciated and needed with our schedules!   Oh, and her car had a full tank of gas!  :D

The Pendulum Swings Both Directions

Where has the week gone since I last posted?  I can tell you that two winter formals and three church families with weighty, painful situations have held my heart, my attention, and my prayers.  My daughter's stolen car has still not been recovered, so we've had to work at coordinating our schedules for many places we all need to be.  Your continued prayers for the return of her car would be appreciated. 

The peace that comes with the rain has been good for my soul today.  I trust that God is still in control, even when so much seems out of control with those around me.  Sometimes there are no easy answers and pain is around every corner.  I am choosing to stand on His promises that it is He who comforts us (Is. 51:12) and that He, himself, is our peace. (Eph 2:14)  We are reminded to look to the Lord and HIS strength when we don't think we have what it takes to go on.  There are times when life throws us curve balls, and we simply cannot be ready for what is thrown.  It is good for me to remember that nothing is a surprise to God.  He knows what's coming and He is wanting us to keep our eyes on Him.  If our eyes are locked firmly on His face, we will be held steady.  It's when we begin to look around that the seas become dicey.

As a total aside to the tragedy and crisis that has been before us, I thought I'd post a few pictures of my kids and their friends from this weekend.  These are pictures of happy times, and I am reminded that the pendulum swings in both directions.  I am grateful that my kids have good friends, and that their hearts are open to us and the Lord.  They both had a good time at their respective formals.

Hannah and Friends ready for a show and dinner in San Francisco.

We took their pictures in downtown, a fun idea.

Album cover shot - Dave loves to have the kids do these!  :-D

Okay, Eric thinks his mom is corny with this shot.  Shhhh....don't tell him I posted it!  :-)

Eric and Andriese

Are Eric and Andi really only 15?

Air It Is!

My husband is at the BIG MacWorld convention in S.F., and I just know he's envying (oops! I mean looking at) all of the new products, especially the new MacBook Air. (I know those pictures are really small, but they're the only ones I could find!) I just know he's spent time trying it out, thinking it's the coolest thing ever. He tends to think every new Apple product is the coolest thing ever. He left on Tuesday afternoon for the S.F. airport to pick up a friend of ours from Colorado who flew out just for MacWorld. It's their yearly ritual to meet up for MacWorld, and I'm glad they get to do that. He'll get home tomorrow night, and I'll have to (oops! I mean get to) hear all about it, look at all the free gizmos, keychains, t-shirts, notepads, frisbees, and such that they give away, and try to bring him back to his everyday world. :-D

I must say, being home without him has its challenges, especially since Hannah's car was stolen. (By the way, prayers for its recovery in good condition would be appreciated. I didn't post about it when it happened (Sunday night) because I was hoping it would be found right away, and we would just go on our happy way!) Boy, I have taken for granted that Hannah has been able to drive herself to school at 7:00 AM this year! This morning, I was going to have to get Hannah to her school and drive for two different school carpools that Dave and I do on Wednesday mornings. Crazy! Thank goodness for good friends who help out. Tomorrow morning, since I work and leave early, I'll again be relying on my neighborhood friends to help out. Just another reason I'm glad I live in such a great neighborhood!