I am...

“It is dangerous to be concerned with what others think of you, but if you trust the LORD, you are safe.” Proverbs 29:25 GNT
Do you worry about what others think of you?
That kind of thinking can lead to disastrous results including fear, low self-esteem and failure to lead a confident , productive life.
To change how you think about yourself, try this instead: As you read through the Bible, make a list of "I am" statements that reflect how God sees us.
Here's a few to get you started:

• I am important to God - Psalm 139:16 "Your eyes saw my embryo, and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me, before any one of them had yet happened." No human being I know cares so much about me to keep track of the details of my life like God does!
• I am in God's thoughts - Isaiah 49: 14-16 "The people of Zion said, “The Lord has turned away and forgotten us.” The Lord answered, “Could a mother forget a child who nurses at her breast? Could she fail to love an infant who came from her own body? Even if a mother could forget, I will never forget you. A picture of your city is drawn on my hand. You are always in my thoughts!"
• I am cared for - Matthew 6:25-26 " I tell you not to worry about your life. Don’t worry about having something to eat, drink, or wear. Isn’t life more than food or clothing? Look at the birds in the sky! They don’t plant or harvest. They don’t even store grain in barns. Yet your Father in heaven takes care of them. Aren’t you worth more than birds?"

Now keep going to see what other verses you can find that show how God thinks about you. Post your list somewhere that you can see it each day and read over it often.
For those who are constantly overcome by thoughts and feelings of insecurity and fear, seeing yourself through God's eyes will bring healing and a sense of security in the Father's love.

Tomatoes and more tomatoes

Be glad you can do the things you should be doing. Do all things without arguing and talking about how you wish you did not have to do them. In that way, you can prove yourselves to be without blame. You are God’s children and no one can talk against you, even in a sin-loving and sin-sick world. You are to shine as lights among the sinful people of this world. Philippians 2:14-15 NLV

Last weekend, I bought a half bushel of Roma tomatoes to make and can spaghetti sauce. I haven't canned sauce for a while so I had forgotten what a big job it is. About halfway through the process of blanching and skinning the tomatoes, I realized I was grumbling to myself about all the extra work I had taken on. I didn't have to buy those extra tomatoes or make sauce - after all, I still had lots of tomatoes in my garden which would ripen over time. I could freeze them and make sauce later when it was cold outside.

The more I complained to myself, the harder the job seemed to become. My back started to hurt between my shoulder blades and I felt really tired. But then I decided to put on some praise and worship music so I didn't have to listen to myself complain.

As the music seeped into my soul, the job became easier and the tight muscles in my back relaxed a bit. No - not because the job had become easier, but because I had a change of attitude. I remembered why I wanted to make all that sauce; how good it would be to have a taste of summer in the dead of winter and to have some to share with my children who had families and jobs that prevented them from canning.

After I got all the tomatoes in my big roaster to cook, I remembered I needed to run some errands. On the way home, I ended up at a roadside farm stand where I bought another half bushel of Roma tomatoes to make more sauce.

No, I'm not a glutton for punishment. I know the amount of work that lies ahead. But because I can already see, smell and taste the goodness, I'm motivated for the work ahead. This time I'll start the process with praise and make the big job a lot easier!

Lord, help me to do everything without arguing and complaining. Thank you that a spoonful of praise makes everything easier! Amen.

In Pieces...

“Those who love Your Law have great peace, and nothing will cause them to be hurt in their spirit.” Psalm 119:165 NLV

Yesterday I wanted to make a special thank you card for a friend who recently gave us a wonderful gift. I decided on an idea that matched her personality and assembled my supplies.

As I started working on the card, I decided it needed more texture - a bit of embossing perhaps, for the background of my focal image. So I pulled out my die-cutting machine and a favorite embossing folder. But when I got ready to run the folder through the pressure rollers in the machine, the handle wouldn't turn at all. I'd been having some problems with the handle mechanism for a while, but now it was totally frozen.

Of course, my warranty had recently expired and I didn't have a clue what the problem was. All I could see were dollar signs to replace one of my favorite crafting tools. And I wasn't happy at all!
So I did the unthinkable - I began to take the machine apart to see how it worked. I wasn't sure what I'd find or even if I could fix it, but since I'd probably have to buy a new machine anyway... I decided to risk it to satisfy my curiosity.

Since you can find just about any kind of information on the Internet, I went to my favorite craft forum, Splitcoast Stampers, to see if anyone there had ever had trouble with their die-cutter. Lo and behold, I did find several crafters whose machines had developed problems similar to mine. Following their links, I arrived at one site where the photos showed a dismembered die-cutter as the crafter shared her problem and how her wonderful hubby fixed it.

Like my friend's machine, my problem was a little bearing inside the handle mechanism which rusted and broke, preventing the crankshaft from turning to move the pressure rollers. My hubby confirmed the diagnosis. But because I didn't realize it when the problem started, I had forced the handle, causing the crankshaft to twist as well, making it almost impossible for me to get it out.

To make a long story short, the owner of a local machine shop was able to get the twisted crankshaft out for me. I called the die-cutter manufacturer and was able to get inexpensive replacement parts - so in about a week, my machine will be as good as new!

Often, it's little things in life (like those tiny bearings) that build up to cause us big problems. We try to force our own solutions, without God's help, causing even more problems. But if we keep focused on God and our relationship to him, trusting in the advice from his divine "fix-it" manual, we will function smoothly, no matter how much pressure life puts on us.

Thank you Lord, for your Word that gives us peace and keeps us on track in the mists of life's pressure. Amen

Relish

“But each day the LORD pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life.” Psalm 42:8 NLT


Yesterday I finished a marathon 2-day canning project – homemade Relish!
My Mother-in-law taught me how to make her recipe many years ago and it is so much better than the commercially made product. It’s a combination of

• 20 pounds of cucumbers
• five pounds each of peppers (red and green), onions, cabbage and green tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. each of mustard and celery seeds
• 3-4 Tbsp of turmeric
• 1-2 cups of sugar (to taste) sugar
• 1 quart each of vinegar and water.

On day one, the veggies are ground up and salted, then left to stand overnight. The next day the excess water is squeezed off the veggies until they are almost dry before cooking them in the fresh water and vinegar-spice mixture.

I have changed things up over the years. For example, I don’t stand over a hot stove and cook the mixture for one and a half hours. After I burned a batch a few years ago, I decided to let my crock pots do the cooking! The crock pots keep the mixture moist and I only have to stir things up occassionally while they cook for 4-5 hours on high. Sure it takes a bit longer, but I’m free to do other chores while the pots do all the work. LOL!

This year’s batch was about 2/3 the size of the recipe, but I ended up with 14 pints. I thought it would be enough to last for 2 years for my husband and I, but when I told my daughter about the relish, she immediately said, “I gotta have me some of that!” Oh well… I guess I can always make more next year.

Relish is a condiment – not something people usually eat by itself, but something they use to help enhance the flavor of other foods. I love the thought that God can make me into a condiment for his use. He takes all the trials and hurts that I’ve gone through and adds lots of learning experiences, interactions with others and a little heat to make me into a person who will add just the right touch to help to bring out the best in others.

It may be a marathon process, but I suppose God loves the process just as much as he loves seeing the finished product all ready to enjoy – just like I enjoy making and seeing my relish all canned on the counter!

Thank you Lord, for my relish and for preparing me to spice up the lives of others. Amen!

Just like a deer that craves streams of water, my whole being craves you, God. Psalm 42:1 CEB

Deer have always fascinated me - probably because I don't remember seeing any where I grew up, except for in the zoo or local wildlife preserves where they fenced in areas for them.


So when I met my husband, it fascinated me to see the deer as we drove through his childhood haunts. He was able to spot them long before I would, because I wasn't used to looking for them. Since we now pastor here in central PA at the edge of our little town, there are an abundance of deer.

Last night at the end of the day, I took several photos of five deer who wandered out of the woods onto our softball field to nibble at the grass. One, a fawn, isn't visible because he ducked back into the woods as I approached.

I decided to try to get as close as I could for a photo and walked slowly toward the grazers. One of them watched me the entire time while the others grazed happily away, looking up at me occasionally. When I got too close for comfort, about 75 yards away in the open field, the one standing guard snorted loudly, flicked its tail and bounded into the woods, followed by the other three.

Heavenly Father, even as I crave your sweet presence today like those deer craved the sweet green grass, , help me to be alert to the things that so easily tempt me to forsake you. Help me to flee from those things and to warn others as well. Amen!

Staring at ceramic geese

My Danny Boy Dawg is a hunter at heart, but now that he's somewhere between 10 and 12 years old, with arthritis in his back and hind legs, he can't hunt like he used to. Ever since we got him from NBRAN (a Brittany rescue organization) 2 years ago, he spends his doggy days with his nose to the ground leisurely exploring his back yard or lying in a patch of warm sunlight on his soft blankets, chasing birds and other small, furry critters in his dreams.

Every once in a while, he shows his true hunting nature though. Several weeks ago when a baby bird fell from its nest during a bad storm, Danny had his nose to the front door all day long, wanting to go out and get the bird sitting on a fallen tree branch .

There's another nest of baby birds in a bush just off the front deck that he loves to watch as well - he could sit there for hours just staring at them, every muscle in his body tense and ready should they dare to leave the nest. And all the local chippies know they better hide when Danny's outside.

But my favorite Danny Dawg hunting incident happened last week when we were on vacation at our friend's cabin. We took Danny for a walk around the campground. Suddenly his body tensed and he inched as close as he could to two white ceramic geese, each about a foot tall, in a permanent camper's yard. For several minutes, he stood perfectly still, eyes focused on the pair, willing them to move so he could chase them.


Even though he's older now and apparently can't see very well, when he encounters a bird or small animal, his hunting training and instincts kick in. He focuses on that which he's been trained to do.

What a great reminder for us as Christians! "Teach me your way, Lord, so that I can walk in your truth. Make my heart focused only on honoring your name." Psalm 86:11 CEB

Amen!

The Shepherd's Rest...

“If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to God.” Romans 14:8 CEB
There are times when all of us have to take a step back – when life becomes overwhelming and we need to take some time to regroup and recoup our spiritual resources. We need to sit back with the Lord and just let Him minister to us – to help us remember that we belong to him.

Last week, some dear friends offered us a “time out” by letting us stay in their cabin at a church campground in West Virginia. It seems like the Lord wanted us to rest as well because before we left for our trip, both my husband and I had to visit the chiropractor. We both were suffering from lower back pain which prevented us from doing a lot of hiking and other strenuous activities on our mini vacation. There was no Internet at the cabin so my time was spent relaxing, praying, reading and writing.

Retreating to a quiet place and spending time with the Lord helped to bring my life back into balance again, giving me the courage and motivation to go on. It helped me to refocus on the important things and to trust the Lord in the face of life’s changes and harder times looming on the horizon. I needed to be reminded that I belong to him and he cares for me.

Thank You Lord for that time spent with You and Your energizing, healing touch!

Masterpiece

“For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10 NLT

I have a confession to make - I'm a scrapbooking tool junkie....

If you ventured into my office/craft room, you'd see shelves from floor to ceiling full of paper, templates to make all sorts of shapes and 3-D embellishments and ribbon. One plastic dresser is full of different sized punches and another contains rubber stamps, markers, pencils and paints. Other dresser drawers contain fabric, brads, beads and whatnot for every occasion.

Each of my tools and supplies was purchased with a specific purpose and project in mind - carefully chosen to create just the right look for that special someone. Since many of those tools and supplies can be pricey, I usually choose carefully and use coupons!

Sure, I have a few superfluous supplies laying around - things I just had to have because they were on sale or because I saw a "really cool" card design which used that one special item. But for the most part I use everything I have here in my craft stash frequently. Since I've been creating handmade cards for over 10 years now, I have most of the things on hand that I need when I sit down to craft. But I am always on the lookout for new gadgets to make my crafting more efficient or more fun.

Best of all I love sharing those tools with my friends and grandchildren!

My wonderful Creator has been crafting my life for way longer! He has all the tools He needs on hand to create a masterpiece.

- He adds dabs of joyful colors here, dark shadows there - all designed to highlight His glory and power in my life.

- He carefully chooses from His pattern stash to provide life experiences along with God-ordained mentors which prepare me for tomorrow's challenges.

- He has all sorts of cutters to trim away excesses - those things which add unnecessary bulk and distractions.

- God stamps His image in my heart and embosses His promises on my mind as a constant reminder of His hand with me.

Everything I need - every lesson, every promise, every help along the way - all these things He freely gives me so I might live a life that glorifies Him!

Thank You Father for caring so much that you choose just the right tools to craft my life into a masterpiece fit to be used for Your glory! Amen.

Hidden potential...

Are you a visual person? Do you tend to judge things by how they look?

Sometimes I do that, but being a frugal crafter, I often find myself giving things a second look to search for an item’s hidden potential. For example, old books that are coming unglued or dog-eared old maps, make a wonderful supply of “design paper” for card backgrounds or embellishments. Or an empty cereal box can be turned into chipboard embellishments like fancy monograms or buttons with a little cutting, design paper and glue, mimicking their more expensive chipboard die-cut counterparts sold at the craft store.

Maybe that’s why I also enjoy certain home improvement programs like HGTV’s Property Brothers. Two brothers, one a real estate agent and the other a contractor, help people to purchase their dream homes. They start by showing their clients a move-in ready home with everything on their must-have list. This serves as a reality check for the clients because the home is usually way out of their price range.

Then they show their clients several “fixer-uppers” along with renovation plans which fit into the client’s budget. These properties which might be glossed over as unacceptable at first glance have the potential to become the show-places their future owners want. The client decided on a property and the renovations start. Ultimately, the homes end up looking as good or even better than the move-in ready house.

But, what about people? Do you judge them by how they look as well, or do you look for their hidden potential?

The prophet Samuel was told to go to the house of Jesse and anoint the future king of Israel to replace Saul. When he got there, he met and sized up each one of Jesse’s sons – all were good looking and had the appearance of great potential. But God cautioned Samuel not to pick any of them.

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at the way he looks on the outside or how tall he is, because I have not chosen him. For the Lord does not look at the things man looks at. A man looks at the outside of a person, but the Lord looks at the heart.”” 1 Samuel 16:7 NLV

God had his eye on David, Jesse’s youngest son who was still a gangly, awkward teenager. He wasn’t much to look at yet, compared to his brothers who were already grown up, buff-looking warriors. But David’s heart stood head and shoulders above the hearts of his brothers because of the young man’s devotion to God. His hidden potential was what made him important in God’s plan.

We need to be careful how we judge others because we can’t usually see at first glance what’s inside. Yet God knows what they have the potential to become with a little work. and he has both the time and the patience to do it! After all, take a look inside your own heart and check out what he’s doing there!

Thank you Lord for looking at our hearts and giving us a chance to become all you know we can become. Amen.

Shields Locked!

“You are my hiding place and my battle-covering. I put my hope in Your Word.” Psalm 119:114 NLV

I have a group of very dear friends whom I've never met face to face. We are actually all part of a Internet writing group, sharing our love of the writing craft, critiquing each other's work,

But over the past 5+ years that we have known each other, we have become a very close-knit bunch, sharing the ups and downs of life and especially praying for one another..

I'm not sure where it started, but during a particularly difficult time for one of the gals, another one closed her e-mail with the illustration of a line of ancient soldiers in battle, with their shields locked together. As long as the army advanced together, the arrows of the enemy couldn't get through their wall of shields and they would all protect each other.  She ended her e-mail of encouragement with the words, "shields locked."

Whenever one of us is going through a hard time, we can count on the others to pray.We lock our shields together and advance into the enemy's territory, protecting our vulnerable needy, sister behind the wall of shields as we advance her prayer request to God's throne.

It's more important than ever that we band together in prayer. If we try to go it alone during these difficult times, we may become fatigued, depressed and overcome by the trials of life. But if we align ourselves with others who can surround us in prayer when we are most vulnerable, we will be better able to get through the trials

If you're not part of a group that prays, begin to ask God to help you find a prayer partner or prayer support group. Join or start  a small group Bible Study where relationships can be built - including prayer relationships.

Remember that  friendships take time and care to cultivate, but as they grow and are nurtured, will offer solid, strong support. My online writers' group grew into the supportive group it is today through several online Bible studies where we chatted in real time. It didn't just happen over night.

Check to see if there is some kind of local organization in your community that is centered with prayer. We have a Christian Women's organization in my community that features monthly "prayer coffees." I've been attending them for two years now and have been watching the group gel together and become a strong support system  through prayer.

If needed, take advantage of  ministries that offer phone-in prayer lines. While they won't give you the support you need for long-term trials, they will help in the short-term. Speak to a pastor for help in finding prayer support.

We were never meant to fight life's battles alone! Prayer is the best weapon to fight against life's difficulties and is most effective when done with others. Shields Locked!

Thank you Lord, for friends who are willing to go with me into the battle through prayer and lock their shields around me when I need it! Amen.

Adopted

None of us can choose who our parents will be. But  what a blessing it is that parents can choose their children! Whether the child is planned for and loved from the time they're conceived or actually chosen by the parents through adoption, a child can enter into life knowing they are loved and wanted.

A couple who are friends of my family travelled to China several years ago to adopt a little girl with special needs to round out their family of two boys. Over the years, this young girl has blessed the family and all who know her because of her happy nature and ability to find a way to accomplish whatever she sets out to do in spite of her handicaps.

Her adoption prompted the couple to develop a ministry to encourage  others seeking to adopt, both internationally and here in the US. Because of their abundance of love, the couple recently returned to China to adopt two more  special needs children who have also blessed those of us who know them.

In a spiritual sense, when we choose to follow Christ, we are adopted by God into his family.

"An adopted child is no less a son or daughter than my natural born children. And to apply that in a spiritual sense, I  have learned that to be a son of God makes me no less his son than his true son [Jesus]. Adoption has changed my life. But it's also changed my relationship with my Father in heaven." ~Billl Schick.



“But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” John 1:12-13 NLT

Pressure cookers and pea soup

My dear brothers and sisters, always be more willing to listen than to speak. Keep control of your anger.” James 1:19 ERV

"Cloudy, rainy days are perfect for soup." Grandma gathered the ingredients for her prize-winning pea soup recipe. She decided to use her new pressure cooker that night to help the soup cook faster. She smiled to herself. "Oh yes, the family will eat well tonight!"

She checked the rubber sealing ring on the cooker before tightening the lid, then turned up the heat to build up pressure and tenderize the hard, dry peas. Then she left the kitchen to finish some mending.

Within a few minutes, she heard a loud crash in the kitchen. What a mess! The pressure cooker popped its top and pea soup dotted the walls, ceiling and floor. Right away, she knew what happened. Something blocked the steam vent, causing pressure to build up inside the pot with no escape.

Well, supper was a little late that day as Grandma cleaned up the mess and started again, this time using a regular soup pot. We might not have noticed, except that Grandma kept looking at the green polka dots on the ceiling and her new pressure cooker now resided in the attic.

Likewise, when we fail to vent our anger properly, it causes pressure to build up inside us. We may eventually blow up, spewing anger over everyone around us. Or, the pressure will build up to an unhealthy level, causing physical or emotional internal damage.

Today's verse offers sage advice on anger management.

Listen first - this gives you a little space/time to diffuse the emotions of your anger

- Listen to your emotional response to the anger. What triggered your anger? Is it in proportion to the offending event, person or problem or is it magnified out of proportion from past events that weren't dealt with properly?
- Listen to what the other person has to say. We may have made untrue assumptions about something they said or did that caused anger to build up.

Speak second - Take time to choose your words carefully if/when a response is needed

- Speak the truth in love
- Speak in "I" terms about how you feel and not "you" terms which can ignite further anger, hurt or retaliation in others.
- Talk about the problem with a counsellor or pastor first to gain an outside perspective if you are having difficulty.

Keep control of your anger - don't let it control you.

- channel it into a healthy activity
- use it as a healthy motivator - for example, an emotionally wounded person becoming a helper for other victims
- practice forgiveness. It doesn't let the offending person off the hook for their actions - but it does relieve you of the need for getting even.

Lord help me to properly vent my anger so that I don't hurt myself or those around me. Amen.

God is...

It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6MSG

"How do you convince an atheist that Jesus exists?" Two teens in my Sunday youth Bible class recently asked this question because they had a family friend who refused to believe there was a God.

Their question led to a discussion of the ways we know Christ is real:

• Personal experience - I know Christ exists because I had a real, up-close and personal experience with Him when I was a child, following an abusive experience.I knew Him as a big brother while growing up and I've known Him as a Father since I became an adult. I can't imagine living without Christ in my life because of all the times I 've sensed, known, felt His love and presence with me.
• The experiences of others - When I hear the testimonies of others, my faith is strengthened. In some cases, their stories help me to know I'm not alone - not the only one wh has ever felt a certain way. Other times, I am awed by the things God has done for them.There are simply to many valid experiences by others to say that God isn't real.
• Nature- the development of a baby in the womb and feeling it move for the first time. The Grand Canyon, The intricacies of a snowflake and the fact that there are no two alike. All I have to do is look around and I can see Him everywhere.
• Miracles - How a person with cancer becomes cancer-free and the doctors can't explain it. How a migratory bird finds its way thousands of miles to a seasonal nesting area for the first time, even though it's never been there. How situations line up just right for the perfect outcome, even though it looked impossible in the beginning. Even "coincidences" or God's little miracles incognito are evidences of his reality around us. I've seen too many "God-incidences" not to believe.
• Because the Bible says it's true.The Bible is a life-changing book. When a person sets out to disprove God by discrediting the Bible and ends up believing instead - wow! Now that's a powerful testimony of the truth of God's word and his existence.

While they cannot change their friend's mind, they can pray for him and live their lives so that he will see the reality of Christ in them - then trust God to do the rest.

Lord, help us to live every day so others will see your reality in us and believe! Amen.

Expections and judgements

“So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 7:12 NIV

Childish giggles drifted down the stairs, bringing a smile to my daughter's lips. The two youngest children were playing well together in their bedrooms - at least for the moment.

A few minutes later a large thud rocked the house, coming from the upstairs bedroom area. My daughter tensed, waiting for the ear-splitting shriek that would surely follow. When nothing happened, she sent her oldest daughter to be sure no one was hurt.

As Eve peered into the girls' bedroom, her three year old sister Katie looked up at her from the floor, thinking she was in trouble. "I can espain...," she said. "I was trying to fly."

At one time or other, we all try to fly and most of us learn the hard way that we can't.

So why do we expect that others can fly; or read our minds to know exactly what we need when we need it; or perform some other impossible human behaviors - and then judge them harshly when they fail?.

Lord, I don't like being judged when I fail someone. Help me not to judge others either. Amen.