All knowing...

It's a huge mystery to children everywhere. It's a phenomenon known around the world. It occurs in my house. It happens at your house. Kids have come to expect it.

"It" is the inexplicable ability to achieve what seems to be extrasensory perception:  Mom's gift of knowing where any object is, at any given time and in any given place. Honestly. ESP.

When I was a kid, I was astounded by the fact that my mom knew the exact location of every "lost" item. The laundry room corner was where I dumped over my swim gear, including the goggles for which I had "looked EVERYWHERE."  She told me I'd find my toothbrush in the backseat of the car. Mom was totally aware of the fact that one tennis shoe resided in the garage, while its match lay upside down behind our family room sofa. I would have sworn that mom intentionally placed items in the most improbable locations for the sheer pleasure of messing with my mind!

Moms and their knack of keeping a home seems effortless. Think about it. Take the last roll of toilet paper out of the closet and next time you look, Wa-lah! there's a full supply of toilet paper in there. An extra bottle of ketchup is always on hand. Use the last squirt of body wash and the following day, the empty bottle is gone and a full bottle has magically appeared in the shower caddy.

On top of all this, add mom's wisdom! Mom knows exactly what to say for a broken heart. For loneliness. Hurt. Sadness.

While moms seem to be wise superheroes with all-knowing and all-seeing powers, now and again, we mess up. Moms are human after all.

This month, I've been writing out verses of Scripture from the book of Job. Near the end of the book, God talks to Job and pointedly asks Job about God's greatness. God's words struck a chord with me and helped me reflect on his utter sovereignty, yet precise care and love.

While I might mess up caring for my family, God never errs. His care is constant and perfect.

From Psalm 34, here from The Message:

15 God keeps an eye on his friends,
his ears pick up every moan and groan.
16 God won’t put up with rebels;
he’ll cull them from the pack.
17 Is anyone crying for help? God is listening,
ready to rescue you.
18 If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there;
if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
19 Disciples so often get into trouble;
still, God is there every time.
20 He’s your bodyguard, shielding every bone;
not even a finger gets broken.
21 The wicked commit slow suicide;
they waste their lives hating the good.
22 God pays for each slave’s freedom;
no one who runs to him loses out.

April Showers...

The calendar says April.

The saying goes, "April showers bring May flowers."

It was sixty degrees last week.

The tulips are sprouting in downtown Holland.

All of the above statements are true. In Michigan, however, those statements may be true, but we can and still do receive accumulating snowfall. Such was the case yesterday. The beautiful sunshine of the morning gave way to noon snow globe type showers, followed by blustery winds in the afternoon. Hours later, the bright blue sky was visible yet again. And, as if on cue, we had another round of accumulating snow overnight. Us Michiganders groaned a collective, "ARGH!"

The spouting day lilies and daffodils in our yard were covered in a blanket of snow. One might think the extreme cold and snow destroyed life and the possibility of continued growth, but quite the opposite is true. It turns out that tulips, day lilies and daffodils are hardy plants. In a few short days, as the weather warms, the daffodil buds will bloom into beautiful flowers.


Most of us encounter adversity in our lives. Adversity may come in the storm of sickness. It may rain down in unemployment or the death of a loved one. These stormy times may seem devastating. The blanket of adversity may seem debilitating.


Jesus knows about adversity. He endured trials, sufferings and even torture.  Having Jesus as my Savior means he understands my struggles. Why? Because he experienced and endured the storms of life himself. Nothing in my life can compare to what Jesus experienced. What a comfort it is to know that Jesus gets it. Amazing as it may seem, he not only carries us through the storm, but he helps us grow in spite of them as well.

He gets me. He understands you. He knows my circumstances. He endured your pain.

When the storms of life seem too tough to weather, go to him. He's always there.

Now that we know what we have—Jesus, this great High Priest with ready access to God—let’s not let it slip through our fingers. We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. He’s been through weakness and testing, experienced it all—all but the sin. So let’s walk right up to him and get what he is so ready to give. Take the mercy, accept the help. Hebrews 4:15-16 (The Message)

The trio...

Nothing beats driving into work before sunrise. Admittedly, I miss the occasional winter or early spring sunrise, but the flip side is the beauty of a mesmerizing night sky. It's probably a good thing that my drive takes me through mostly rural country roads for the first half of my commute since I tend to be distracted by the sights around me. My distraction is dangerous only to a foolish road-crossing deer or possibly - me.

This morning's attraction was a trio, high in the southern sky.

The waning gibbous moon. Saturn. Mars.

The stunning trio formed a lopsided Scalene triangle that captured my attention. The captivating part of this trio was the group's placement. The bright moon was positioned between the two planets. Saturn was closest below, to my left but to the moon's right. Mars was a bit further from the moon to its left.

It was a comforting sight. It reminded me of our heavenly trio. Father. Son. Holy Spirit. God. the Father, the central bright light. Jesus, the Son, to his right, reigning on high. And the Holy Spirit, a bit more distant because he is here with us on earth. Living among us. With us.

God's love. Jesus' grace. Holy Spirit's fellowship. A visual reminder in the early morning sky.

Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. I Corinthians 8:6

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.  John 14:26 

The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.  2 Corinthians 13:14

Prior moon shot from Jamaica

Sunday - Closed...

Jamaica. Our favorite winter vacation spot. I've written several posts about this beautiful island. If you're so inclined, you can read a similar post here or another here and here or here.

We try to visit our happy place once a year and this year we were blessed to find ourselves there again. Our week was absolutely amazing, not to mention relaxing. Jamaica has a way of cleansing our bodies, souls and minds. And each year I find I can learn much about life from our wonderful Jamaican friends.

Our must-stay place is The Hibiscus Lodge, a spectacular small hotel, set on cliffs overlooking the Caribbean Sea. The hotel is situated on acres of lush gardens just steps from the hustle and bustle of Ocho Rios. The serene gardens are in sharp contrast to the horn-honking, music-blaring streets of the city. To step outside the gate of the hotel is like stepping into another world.

The streets of Ocho Rios are filled bumper to bumper with cars, buses and route taxis. The sidewalks are crammed with foot traffic. Workers and students make their way to work and school. Vendors and panhandlers beckon for attention. Six days a week, the streets look like this:

 Six days of hustle. Six days of noisy bustle.

But on Sundays, the streets look like this:

Streets are empty. Shops are closed.

In sharp contrast, churches are full. Gospel music permeates the air.

Jamaicans are hard workers. Many work twelve to sixteen hour days, six days a week. Many walk to work. Many find creative ways to travel miles to work. And yet on Sunday, they rest. They worship.

If only Americans could turn back time. Back to a time when Sunday stood apart. As a day to rest. A day to worship. Ah, but we've followed our pocketbooks. We've followed our desires. We need to shop seven days a week. We can't be inconvenienced.

Jamaicans may be poor as measured monetarily, but don't be deceived. Jamaicans are wealthy beyond belief. Their belief makes them rich beyond measure.

Thank you, Jamaica, for the lesson. We would be wise to learn from you.

Ya mon!

“‘There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a day of sabbath rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a sabbath to the Lord.  Leviticus 23:3

A Familiar Face...

So I'm at a winter conference right now. In Florida. In February. Under sunshine. Hard to take.

Not.

While a lot of my time is spent in meetings, I have enjoyed spending some precious spare time walking the spacious grounds and relaxing in my beautiful room. I'm learning a lot. I'm soaking up information like a sponge. But perhaps the most unexpected part of my trip so far has been the uncanny likenesses I have encountered from my fellow team members whom I met in person for the first time.

First there's the guy who reminds me of one of my former bosses. His mannerisms and facial features just plain remind me of my old boss.  Then there's another man who has one of those familiar faces that you can't quite place. It took me until day two to realize he bears a really strong resemblance to Pete, our favorite car salesman.  But it was this morning, while four of us shared breakfast, that my heart tugged at me with nostalgia.

As I listened to our group's eldest couple share their family history, I realized this kind gentleman reminded me so much of my dad. A thinner version than dad for sure, but definitely an uncanny likeness. And even though my dad's been gone for nearly ten years, as I write out this blog post, I am snuffling. I  have tears in my eyes remembering how much I love and miss my dad.

I long to see my dad again. And yes, I'm confident I will see my dad again some day.

I have this assurance because of God's Word. Jesus promises us that he prepares a place for those who know him and love him. Some day I look forward to the great reunion that will take place in the heavenly realms as his children are welcomed into the biggest family ever.

His family. My family. Your family.

From John 14: 1-3 (here from The Message):

“Don’t let this throw you. You trust God, don’t you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my Father’s home. If that weren’t so, would I have told you that I’m on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I’m on my way to get your room ready, I’ll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I’m taking.”

Focal point...

If you have ever given birth, chances are you took a childbirth class. And if, once upon a time, you took a childbirth class, you probably learned breathing techniques. And if you learned breathing techniques, you probably contemplated and encountered your valuable focal point.

Your focal point.

Simple stated, your childbirth focal point is exactly what it says it is. It's the point, or object, or thing or person on which you concentrate or place your entire focus. Placing all thought, emotion and feeling aside, your focal point demands your entire attention. Your focal point's objective is to bring you to a place where pain, self, others, and essentially the entire outside world, becomes secondary.

Seems simple, right?

Wrong.

Presenting...my focal point:

This odd little stuffed animal claims to be made by the Plush Toy Company, Incorporated of Floral Park, New York, in the good old U.S. of A.  He is anything but plush. How he came into my possession is fuzzy, but I'm sure my hubby either won him at the county fair, or from one of the coin-operated metal crane-scoop games. I must have kept this strange, red misfit with the apple on his chest for sentimental reasons because, obviously, it wasn't for his soft fluffiness or charming good looks.

At any rate, this skinny fellow with the one-thread whisker and lopsided ears seemed to make the perfect candidate for the focal point award. Now maybe it was his sheer goofiness, or possibly it was my lack of determination, but most probably it was the sheer pain of childbirth that caused my attention to shift from my focal point to myself. Not long into the throes of childbirth, I had completely lost focus.

Last week, my daily reading, dated January 29, in Sarah Young's, Jesus Calling devotional began with these words:

KEEP YOUR FOCUS ON ME. I have gifted you with amazing freedom, including the ability to choose the focal point of your mind.

Ah, so true.

Every day, I need to reset my focal point. I need to focus my eyes on the Lord above, who has His best in mind for me. It is easy to turn my focus inward. I frequently allow the circumstances around me to control the focus of my mind. The behavior of people around me, my health, my family and my emotions can just plain get the best of me and leave the worst of me exposed.

Over and over again, God gently reminds me to come to him. To call out to him. To focus on him.

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:18 

And we have the best example of all to follow in Jesus. His focus was laser-sharp on our Father:

Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!  Hebrews 12:1-3 (The Message)

Dear God,
Help me to focus on you and only you. Help me to make you my focal point so that you bring me to a place where pain, self, others, and essentially the entire outside world, becomes secondary to you. Only you.
Amen

Pop Secret...

Orville Redenbacher. Act II. Jolly Time. And my personal favorite - Pop Secret. 

Yes, it's popcorn. That delicious, fluffy, sit-on-the-couch-and-watch-a-movie, snack.

Preparing popcorn has gotten easier over the years. Back when I was a kid, we melted butter in a pan over the open flame of our gas stove. We added popcorn kernels, shook the pan back and forth and waited patiently. We had a big aluminum lid for the pan and as the kernels popped, the lid would raise higher and higher. After we transferred the popcorn into a gigantic bowl, we melted more butter and drizzled that over the popcorn.  Mm good.

Then came the Jiffy Pop days. These one-use disposable aluminum pans were pre-packaged with popcorn and stove ready, but the heating procedure was the same. Jiffy Pop was a luxury for our family, because it was way more expensive than bags of popcorn kernels, so we rarely enjoyed this treat.

Air poppers made their arrival on the scene when my hubby and I were newlyweds. Making popcorn using this method was entertaining and messy. I recall watching popcorn fly not only into a strategically placed bowl underneath, but also everywhere else, littering counter and floor.

When microwave popcorn arrived on the scene, the stress and mess of popcorn was over. Simply placing a bag "this side up" and heating in the microwave yielded delicious, no mess popcorn in a variety of buttery flavors. Butter. Double Butter. Movie Theater Butter. No fat added. Ha!

The aroma of popcorn is unmistakable. The saltiness undeniable. The flavor remarkable.

The other night as I enjoyed my Pop Secret Movie Theater Butter popcorn, I pondered popcorn. Weird? Yes. But ponder I did nonetheless. I wondered how something so hard, so tough and so ordinary, could turn into something so soft, so fluffy and so spectacular. Naturally, I searched on my favorite's website and here's what I found under their FAQs:

A combination of heat and steam is needed to make the popcorn “pop”. The inside of a popcorn kernel has a small amount of moisture that is surrounded by a hard coating. When the Pop Secret bag is heated in the microwave and the temperature reaches around 450°F, the moisture in the kernel turns to steam and the kernel explodes or pops.

Popcorn has an uncanny likeness to becoming a Christian. Our hard, tough, ordinary hearts contain small amounts of moisture. When heated either by the tough circumstances of life, or by the simple knowledge of knowing there is more to life than ourselves, we find ourselves ripe for change. Our appliance for change is Jesus. Jesus transforms our tough, hard hearts into soft, pliable ones. He adds his aroma and saltiness to each of us. We are changed in an instant.

We are the salt of the earth. We are the aroma of Christ. Our flavor can make a remarkable difference in the world.

As far as God is concerned there is a sweet, wholesome fragrance in our lives. It is the fragrance of Christ within us, an aroma to both the saved and the unsaved all around us. 2 Corinthians 2:15 (Living Bible)

 “Let me tell you why you are here. You’re here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You’ve lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage." Matthew 5:13 (The Message)