Top Five Things to Love About Conferences

Lisa Lickel's 

Top Five Things to Love About Conferences

1. Networking

2. Teachable Moments Abound in Every Arena

3. Book Fairs

4. Food

5. Autographs

The weekend of September 23-25 wasn’t only for the American Christian Fiction Writers Conference, but also Wisconsin Writers Association, which met in Stevens Point. While I claim being one of those Introverts, I recognize that meet and greet is a necessary part of the writing and publishing business and it’s slowly coming a little more easily. I was given the opportunity to teach a workshop on a topic that was new to me – editing vs. critiquing, so while I prepared to teach with great handouts, the reality of fifty minutes goes by too way fast, and I was woefully under-prepared for the amount of participants. Lesson for me: focus more tightly next time! I enjoyed the book fair more this time around and had fun talking to people who stopped by my table. Lesson for me: when I stop worrying about what I’m going to say or if I sound nosy and focus on other people, I have more fun. I loved meeting the poet laureate of Wisconsin and buying an early signed Christmas present for my hubby. The hotel served great food, and that always seems to loosen up the crowd.

How about you? What do you like about conferences? Let’s share our favorite moments.

Skydiving

By Charis Seeley

               The tiny plane rose higher and higher into the sky. I hunched over on the floor, sandwiched between the pilot and small door. My instructor, Dennis, sat in front of me. Only the pilot had a seat. Too late to go back now.

                I pressed a finger to my carotid artery. My heart pumped stronger, but no faster, than usual. I fought the urge to fiddle with the chest straps on my harness. Are these tight enough? I looked at the pack on Dennis’ back. I check my altitude bracelet. The needle danced at 9,000 feet.

                Dennis turned around. He joined our harnesses so that my back touched his chest. He checked a bunch of clasps I couldn’t identify. His right hand extended over my shoulder and gave me goggles. “Are you ready to jump out of a fully functioning airplane?”

                I’m not sure if I nodded or said yes. Whatever it was, it wasn’t a ‘No’.

                He twisted the handle, and the plane door popped open. At that height, there’s almost no way to conceive how fast you’re going. I remembered the instructions he gave me on the ground. He’ll put his right foot onto the step. My right foot goes outside his. Then I’ll move my left foot onto the step. He’ll pull back on my head and count into my ear. Then we’ll jump. While in freefall, I only need to let my arms and legs relax. He’ll do the rest.

                I moved closer to the doorway. Something in my body railed against this. In that moment, I knew I should be afraid of falling. I laughed in my head. That’s why I’m here! And the fear was gone. I looked down and saw his right foot on the step. I guided my foot to the place it should be. Or I try. The wind was so strong that it blows my whole leg around like a flag. I don’t remember how my left foot ended up outside of the plane. Neither of them ever touched the step.

                Dennis spoke and counted. Then we fell, twisted and flipped in the air. My body was not relaxed and concave.  I had pulled a ‘Superman’; my legs and arms were stiffer than a sheet of plywood. I felt his ankles wrap around mine and yank them back. We steadied out. His hands gripped my biceps and cracked them into the proper position.  I felt something snap on my left shoulder. My arm had come out of socket and he pushed it back in.

                The rest of the flight was smooth. At 6,000 feet, I pulled my own parachute. We landed to the cheers of friends. It wasn’t like the drop on a rollercoaster, but it was definitely fun.

                My right foot reminds me of when God asks something of us and we obey without commitment. On the ground, Dennis said “I have a vested interest in your safety. We’re strapped together with one parachute. I want to live. You’re going to be fine.” It put my mind at ease. I knew I didn’t really have to try very hard. Dennis would fix it. When we obey God’s original call to action but do not follow it through with the actions He requires of us, we’re bound to get hurt. It is important to put your right foot onto the step, but a lack of commitment will have you uncontrolled freefall and your endeavor will not bear fruit.

Heaven Has No Coda

by Robin J. Steinweg

“It’s fall,” my friend says.
“No!” I surprise us both with more volume
and vehemence than I meant.
More meekly, I explain my stand.

“It’s summer still. You want proof?

The trees are green; the grass wants mowing.
I still see Japanese beetles ravaging roses.
The calendar says there’s still one more day.”

(my friend laughs)

“Hang on if you want. As for me, fall’s the season.
Rip up the garden, toss out the old vines
and spent blooms. Till the soil, add organic material
to rot over winter. Cool nights make great sleeping.”

(I press my point)

“There’s still harvest to be had! More flowers;
all they need is a little extra care—to be covered
when it’s cold.

(I feel hot tears prick my eyes)

…to be enjoyed just a little longer.”

“Are we still talking about the change of season?”

(All at once I understand my emotion)

My friend has born no losses yet of family. No loved one

 has grown stooped with summer’s passing. 
No frost has nipped the bloom from a cherished vine.
Fall seems short and cruel when winter looms.         

But hurrying in to interrupt my desperate grief
comes the truth with its solace and
unwavering calm, its unending joy:

“Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be

away from these earthly bodies, for then
we will be at home with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8 NLT).

Life in Christ is a song. Fall is the bridge and

winter the outro. Heaven has no coda! The Composer
keeps adding voices and melodies in an eternal Arioso
Giocoso.

“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am

He who will sustain you. I have made you and
I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you” (Is. 46:4 NIV).

(I smile at my friend)

“You know, you’re right. Fall has the bluest skies 
and the brightest surprises under the chlorophyll in the leaves.
It has all the beauty of spring, the wisdom of summer, and
the promise of new beginnings.”

Suspended in Time

By Narola Rolie Grady

I took a trip of epic proportions this morning.  I didn’t set out to do that, but it just happened.  It reminded me of those time line exhibits in a museum…..the kind that kids race through, while parents are torn between learning something new or corraling their offspring. 

My journey began in the early silences of a new day.  It was the words of a national leader that caught my attention.  “LORD, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.”  Psalm 90:1.  Moses’ heart is full as he looks back over a tumulteous life  with one foot planted in sandy desert and the other in eternity. 

A dwelling place.  I bow my head in reverence as I listen to this private conversation between man and his God.  The One who formed that baby in the womb, and quietly filled his mother’s heart with a determination to keep him alive, even if it meant releasing him to an Egyptian princess. 

Moses carries that dream for his people, one so filled with the fire and power of the Almighty, that it almost destroys him when he attempts to take on Egypt singlehandedly.  But even as he retreats to the back side of a desert, God’s eye follows His every move, waiting until the flesh is broken and Moses no longer trusts in his own strength.

Moses goes on to voice this fiery relationship between Jehovah and a nation bent on living out of darkness.  Now in later years himself, this leader- turned-worshiper yields to a sovereign majesty who makes earthly joys pale in comparison.

Around verse 14, my heart joins in the refrain.  “Oh, satisfy us early with Your mercy, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days!”  I’m straining along with those early forefathers to fully enter the Promised Land.

Then I watch as Moses circles back around at the end.  “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us;  yes, establish the work of our hands.”  Peace invades the room, fills the day, and I slowly stand, knowing that this 24-hour time capsule is safely preserved for eternity. 

Criteria for Selecting Leaders in the Church

By Michael Elmore

There is a push today in many churches and denominations to advance leadership within the local church. 1 Timothy 3:1 commends those who have the desire and the initiative to seek leadership within the church: “Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer, he desires a noble task.” However, a considerable number of pastors and Christian leaders select leaders in their churches without considering the biblical qualifications for choosing leaders.

2 Timothy 2:2 is a pivotal verse which depicts three qualities in selecting Christian leaders: “And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” The apostle Paul depicts three key characteristics that must be followed in choosing those to lead the Church of Jesus Christ. Look at the verse carefully. Note that Paul does not say that these qualities should be on the job training program, they should already be inherently part of a potential leaders Christ-like character based a certain level of Christian maturity.

First Paul states that potential leaders must be someone who can be entrusted. To be entrusted means to hold a trust of someone else’s property or well-being. As we raise individuals into leadership positions we must recognize that we are entrusting them with the greatest responsibility of all: other people’s spiritual lives and destinies.

Second, Paul states that a potential leader must be reliable. Reliability is the quality of being someone that can be counted on consistently. Consistency is a mark of Christian maturity and leaders without this quality are not fit to lead.

Third, Paul states that potential leaders must be qualified. What does Paul mean when he states that they must be qualified? Simply this: a qualified individual being considered for Christian leadership must have been mentored in Christian service. Whether this is through formal education or an in-depth mentoring process taking the time for necessary preparation for leadership is essential. Again, Paul states in 1 Timothy 3:6 that a leader should “not be a novice, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil.”

The Bible states that potential leaders must be able to be entrusted, be reliable and be qualified. In today’s church there are great needs to be met in the realm of leadership. However, when out of desperation we select immature or unqualified leaders in the church we are only hurting ourselves and our congregations. This type of leader almost always falls short. Often, they are a source of constant frustration for those in authority above them. And usually they end up shirking from their leadership role.  Sometimes they must be involuntarily replaced. This is indeed a painful task to perform.

Christ-like character must be shaped and molded carefully. Galatians 4:19 reminds us that developing character takes times. “My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you.” Christ-like character must be formed. Forming character takes time, it takes nurture and it takes patience. Leaders should not be selected too early in the process of becoming more like Jesus.

A Day in the Life of a Home School Mom

By Sharon Wilhite

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A...

H - HONOR God with prayer and Bible reading to begin day

O - OATMEAL for breakfast (grins or groans!)

M - MAKE beds so do NOT fall back in them!

E - ENERGIZED by exercise (or dark chocolate)

S - SCIENCE, social studies, Spanish, second grade, Silliness!, etc. etc.

C - CHAPTER books read aloud at lunchtime

H - HEAD to library, bank, post office, grocery store, etc. etc. etc.

- "O" says "ah" as in "octopus"

O - OPPORTUNITIES:  music lessons, volunteering, sports, jobs

L - LAUNDRY, laundry, laundry washed, dried, folded, hopefully put away

M - MEALTIME in the evening with Dad

O - ORDER everyone to bed, ORGANIZE the next day

M - MEDITATE on Scripture, read for enjoyment to end another day 

Meet Me in St. Louis

by Marvin Ferguson

 Our daughter's boyfriend, Tim, held season tickets to St. Louis Cardinal baseball games. And so, Judy and I jumped to the invitation for an exciting weekend.

It was 4:30 a.m. when I put our suitcase in the trunk of our car. Then, in the dark, we traveled through the back roads toward the main highway.

Already traffic was moderate. People were off to visit friends, family, or perhaps going to work or joining us to the airport.

The parking lot at General Mitchell Airport in Milwaukee was quiet. A few cars parked in designated spots while people rushed toward the terminal.

Inside the airport apprehensive passengers scanned the arrival and departure schedule. Long lines of people anticipated checking in along with the necessary body search. There was so much to do at the airport.

Down a long corridor Judy and I searched for Gate 15. When the ticket agent mentioned our name I knew we had arrived. "Airtran flight number... is now boarding." How were we supposed to know all the other passengers were already on board?

Twenty-five minutes ahead of schedule and we were airborne.

As some passengers stared out the window at the vast landscape, others either slept or read a magazine. Meanwhile, the flight attendant stayed busy serving us beverages along with a snack.

One hour and fifteen minutes later we were in Lambert International Airport with other people browsing through a gift shop or searching for a luggage carousel.

Finally, with a small overnight bag, two very special people greeted us. After a smile, a hug, and the usual chatter, we traveled toward The Renaissance Hotel downtown. Later that day, it will be an exciting baseball game at Busch stadium.

It was a pleasure to visit our daughter and her friend. But what I liked best was watching all the people. And God loves them all.

NEW BOOK PROVIDES PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PROVERBS LIVING

By Gail Smith

Did you know one of our bloggers has a new book?  Congratulations to Kathryn Lang on publishing Practical Proverbs.  In celebration we share her press release below.

Life comes at you hard and some days it takes all the strength you can find just to get through the day. The Book of Proverbs is packed full of advice and steps to help make it a little easier to push on through to the place you desire to go.

 

"This book is right on target - practical advice and simple steps!" Troy works in Alabama as a contractor and craftsman. He enjoyed the humor and honesty of the way the book unfolded.

"It says practical, and it is! Kathryn Lang writes with the experience her life has given. This is a great read for anyone. I learned so much!" Bethany is a student from Colorado and beginning her own journey to the Proverbs life.

 

Practical Proverbs breaks down eight of the traits that can be found in the Book of Proverbs. Each trait comes to life with tips and ideas that allow each reader to mold that trait into his or her unique life.

 

Kathryn C. Lang speaks and writes about encouragement and positive living. Her website, www.thepeculiarclub.com, carries articles about living the Proverbs life and pursuing a life of peace, joy and hope. 

 

Practical Proverbs is available for eReaders through Smashwords.com and other formats. It is available in paperback form through Amazon.com and CreateSpace.com. 

 

Join me in congratulating Kathryn!  We are all so thrilled for your success and we're praying God will use your book to influence and encourage all.

Light Is Sown for the Righteous

 Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart. (Psalm 97:11, KJV)

By Helen Knueven

How do you sow light? Sowing represents something going into the ground – being buried in darkness; a seed. (You haven’t seen the last of it though!) It will revisit the earth in beauty. But for a time – darkness will be the companion of the seed, along with dirt. Not such a great sounding situation.

I pondered the scripture and the meaning. To me, it is a fascinating concept. I know that light cannot be overpowered – and by one strike of a match a dark room is lightened. It seems that light would be overpowered if it was sown.

And yet, God’s Word says the light is sown.

I remembered that Jesus Christ is the Light of the World –and I thought about the utter darkness of the Cross. And yet – the brilliant light that Christ gives to all who believe.

Yesterday, I received an email from a missionary friend in Cambodia. She said, ‘Please pray for us – things are not right. Our children had their house broken in – My husband fell into a pit, and my own wrist is broken. And on top of all of that, sickness has attacked.

Then I remembered the scripture. “Light is sown for the righteous.” Cambodia is a dark place where sex trafficking is done without restraint – and God has sent our friends there to bring His love into this dark corner of the world.

Our friends are sowing the light of Christ into Cambodia – perhaps you know missionaries that have went into dangerous ly dark places to spread Christ’s love.

I believe that we can pray for them and sow light into the darkness too. We can be partners with them drawing upon the light that only Christ gives; expecting to reap a harvest of light. Our efforts can seem so weak – so lacking and yet all God expects us to do is give our best. He will pick up the slack and cause seeds to grow.

How will you sow light today?

Prayer: Lord, help me to go into the darkness, declaring your goodness in the midst of a crooked generation, and shine as your light,
in Jesus name. Amen.

Book Nook: A New Year

By Shelley Akins

Happy New Year! 

No I’m not messed up with my calendar. I’ve always thought that the beginning of school was a more appropriate time to celebrate new beginnings and starting over. At the start of the school year, you get a new teacher, new classroom, new people, new unsharpened pencils, clean white paper full of possibilities. You get new clothes and new shoes. Anything is possible in this new year.

 

As a kid, teacher and now a parent, I looked forward to these new beginnings. When I was a student, I was reunited with friends that I hadn’t seen for an entire summer. As a teacher, I was filled with the hope of the year that was to come and what great and awesome things my students and I would do together. Now, as a parent of a kindergartner, I’ll send Joel off to school on Monday with the anticipation of learning new things, meeting new people and starting his own journey into the school cycle.

In light of this New Year, I have made some reading goals for myself:

1. I will read at least four non-fiction books before the end of May. I’ve been generating a list and am excited to read them.

2. I will read at least 10 books on the Illinois Read for a Lifetime list (can be this year’s list or past years). I discovered new authors and wonderful new stories. I will not spend time reading books I don’t like just because they are on this list.

3. I will read the five books on my shelf that others have lent me and give them back.

4. I will continue to read the next books in the series as they come out: Power of Six, Beautiful Days, and Goliath come out in the next few weeks.

5. I will keep track of everything that I read. This was a resolution of mine a few years back and I am still working at it.

So five goals. If I add it up that’s 21 books to read in nine months. That’s doable.

What are your New Year’s goals?

Shelly can be reached at shelly.akins@yahoo.com. She’s always searching for book recommendations.

Five "Showers of Blessing" From a Late Summer Rain

This morning sitting on my "porch of praise" I was blessed by a big, loud, blowing thunderstorm.

1.  Rain, pouring down, sweeping in sheets across the avenue, darkening the sky, but brightening my day. 

I love thunderstorms.

2.  Thunder-- rolling, rumbling, crashing, electrifying the sky.

It is beautiful and powerful and awesome~

Just like the Lord God Almighty!

3.  Curb-side creeks flowing down, washing clean the streets and sidewalks.

4. Rain pitter-patter pounding, soaking flowers, fruits and veggies, bring life to dry ground.

5. The fragrance of  rain-washed freshness, fills my heart and lifts the spirit to the all powerful

Creator God

Who rains down all good gifts

Onto all His children

Simply 

Because 

He loves us

And just when you think it's all over

Ka-BOOM!

One last shout-out from God, the Rain-giver's exclamation point.

Thank you, Lord, for these showers of blessing! All creation is telling Your glory.

By Gail P. Smith

Squirrels, Noodles and Forgiveness

By Kristi Paxton

Our relationship with Fluffy Tail and cohorts is complicated. When we were in college, we were poor, so my big burly husband often stepped out the back door of our rented farm shack and shot a squirrel. Have you ever tasted a squirrel salad sandwich or squirrel and noodles? Minus the tiny hairs, it is remarkably similar to salad and noodles with chicken, but more labor intensive.

Now, thirty-five years later, I often see same burly husband sitting on the deck, now a squirrel chase  spectator. He is weaponless. I imagine the squirrels remind him of olden days, chasing his brothers.

Next day, I might catch hubby on the same deck, armed, nobly taking aim at a squirrel that has managed to eat a hole into our house. I wonder how he could murder our furry friends. (Incidentally, I’ve never seen one go down in combat)

One night during the flood of 2008, we were watching CSI and my husband disappeared outside for a while. He returned and took his place back on the couch. I figured he’d left his mower out in the rain and went to rescue it. No explanation needed.

Two CSI episodes later I heard a persistent squeaky sound coming from the basement.  “What is that noise?” I asked.

“Oh, that’s my pet squirrel. I found him drowning outside, saved him, brought him in and built him a little house with a bed downstairs.” Hubby didn’t look up from his show.

“Yeah, right.” I refused to look at him and dignify his response.

Another CSI episode ended and the squeaking persisted. During commercial break, I got up as if heading for the bathroom, but went downstairs instead. Behind the utility room door was the squeak source. In a tidy box with a neatly folded red washcloth was a baby squirrel, his wet hair plastered to his bony body. He shivered and squeaked at me.

“I met your friend,” I commented, staring at the screen.

“Yeah, he almost drowned and I saved him,” said my husband proudly.

Next morning, “Pink” (We named him “Pink” after the Pink Squirrel beverage) was fully fluffed, full of fleas and ready to join the family. I glanced at our two leering dogs and suggested we release “Pink” far from home. My husband resisted. He’d already bonded with his new baby.

“You know, some day you will have to decide if you want to murder them or adopt them,” I said.

When he left for work, I delivered “Pink,” in his house, still lying in his bed, to the animal rehabilitation expert in our town. I don’t think my husband ever forgave me.

How Does Your Garden Grow?

By Sharon Wilhite

 

How beautiful is a well-watered, well-tended garden - lush with colorful fruits, vegetables and flowers! I love planting, photographing, and picking the fruits (or veggies) of my labor. 

I do NOT like weeding my garden (nor do my children!). However, left unchecked, weeds grow much faster than the seeds I planted and will soon take over - ruining what could be beautiful and flourishing.

While out weeding together, I tell my children that weeds are like sin in our lives; fast and easy to grow but so hard to eradicate once firmly established. If the soil is dry, some weeds are almost impossible to pull, and a sharp hoe must be used to dig them out; if the garden is moist from a good rain or hose watering, then those same weeds come out with much less effort.

Consistently watering one's life from the living water of God's Word will keep the soil of our heart soft - making it easier to weed out the bad and grow what is good and pleasing to God.

"But GROW in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ." II Peter 3:18

 

 

I'm Turning Fifty!

By Lisa Lickel

What I've accomplished pre-fifty:

·         Got married and raised two pretty nifty kids

·         Enjoyed my college degree in history by living local history

·         Visited the 49 continental states

·         Published three novels and a great load of other stuff

·         Lived in a really cool house with a garden and grapes and lily of the valley all over

·         Learned to like venison over beef and ice-fished bluegills over catfish. Still working on the asparagus.

What's on the Bucket List before the next fifty closes:

·         Hold a grandbaby

·         Help the kids move One Last Time

·         Move ourselves to the farm (as in, not the funny, but our own)

·         Sign a half-dozen more contracts for novels

·         Figure out how to use a smart phone

·         Use my new passport for a country not attached to America

How 'bout you? Got any burning bucket list desires?

In July, I was called and selected for jury duty. The defense attorney asked us relevant questions and irrelevant ones, such as “Who’s your favorite comedian?” and “If you could live anywhere, where would you go?” The latter caught me off guard, and I tried to think of where I would move; only I couldn’t. When I recounted this to my husband, he was just as shocked as I was. Iowa has muggy summers and bitter cold winters, two things I don’t do well in. But we have a toddler, the school system here is amazing, we love our church and our friends are like family.

If I could live anywhere, I’d live right here.

By Charis Seeley

http://charisseeley.blogspot.com/

Breaking Through the Fog

Are you THE Kathryn Lang - the one that writes for that paper?” My husband’s groan could not be heard, but I could see it written all over his face. He sat helplessly as my head began to swell.        

                                                                  

 “Yes, that’s me.”

 “I love what you write.”

The one compliment would have made my day. The fuss the ladies began to make over me made my year! It seemed like the perfect time to pitch my book.

 “I’m editing my book right now.”

 “I know it will be great. Never stop writing.”

That has been my problem in the past. I have stopped doing the things that I found a passion to do. I stopped writing when I was a teenager because I got a rejection (just one did me in). I stopped dancing in college because one coach told me I did not have the body to dance.

The praises that I received were an amazing boost to my ego. It was definitely something that I could get accustomed to hearing. But it was the reminder to stay true to my passion that meant the most.

Over the last few weeks I have struggled to stay on task. The dollar signs have clouded the passion and made it difficult for me to find my way. The fog began to lift yesterday. The encouragement from these women made everything crystal clear.

Never stop. Once you grasp your passion and your dream then pursue it to the end.

Humor is Grave Business

By Robin J. Steinweg

My mother and I visited the monument company to choose a headstone for my dad’s grave. We’ve cried enough tears the past five months to start a new river. We miss him. We know the verse from Psalm 116 that says “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” This is a solemn undertaking. Both of us recognize that. So how is it that so many things strike us funny at the wrong time?

The proprietor took us to the back room to see samples. A prominent sign displayed this boast:

“We guarantee all of our headstones for life.”

(Whose? Think about it.)

Mom has a propensity for popping off poetry at a moment’s notice. She dreamed this gem one night, and it was true of my dad: “I am a steamfitter, it’s the life I have led; stopping and starting and bumping my head.”

Mom wondered if we should engrave that on the back of the stone (which otherwise will be as bald as Dad’s head was). I mentioned it’s only fair to include a verse for Mom, too, since if the Lord tarries she might share the same resting place. She didn’t miss a beat: “Roses are red, violets are blue—I’m happy now, ‘cause I’m with you.”

Do you know any amusing epitaphs? I found a few:

Here lies Johnny Yeast. Pardon me for not rising.

I told you I was sick

Here lies Lester Moore—four slugs from a forty-four. No Les No More.

Here lies the body of Jonathan Blake—stepped on the gas instead of the brake.

I knew this would happen

Beneath this grassy mound now rests one Edgar Oscar Earl, who to another hunter looked exactly like a squirrel.

Owen Moore: Gone away owin’ more than he would pay

She always said her feet were killing her, but nobody believed her.

Here lies Ann Mann, who lived an old maid but died an old Mann

Johnny was a chemist, but he ain’t no more; what he thought was H2O was H2SO4.

On an atheist’s stone: All dressed up and no place to go

Double Stuf

By Lori Boruff

Snack time. One glass of cold milk to share. Two Double Stuf Oreos. One for my grandson and one for me. At 20 months, he knew to eat the middle first! Did someone teach him that or is it just natural to go for the good stuff first?

My attempt to teach him how to eat an Oreo slowly didn't work. He wanted the good stuff now and wanted it all--like all over his face! With a chocolate disc in each hand, he strutted to the waste basket and threw the rest of the cookie away. All done.

I think that describes me. I go for the good Stuf in life first, want it all, want it now. And when I get it, do I even slow down to enjoy it? What about the other part, the not so appealing part? Do I waste it?

 What is the good, fluffy Stuf in life?

l        A beautiful summer day...that I'm too busy to enjoy.

l        A long hug from my husband... I cut short because clothes don't fold themselves.

l        A favor for a friend....that took more time than I selfishly wanted to give.

 Slow down. Enjoy the good moments! Make them last longer.

What about the rest...the hard part that just isn't as good without the cream.

l        More month than money.

l        Rebellious children.

l        Everything breaking down...at once.

That's the hard Stuf. We wish we could throw it away but the truth is...it's part of the whole package.

God uses the hard cookie part to make the double portion of good taste even better.

Next time I'm going to eat the outside first and really enjoy the Double Stuf. Would you like to join me?

Taste and see that the Lord is good....Psalm 34:8 NIV

A Pocketful of Change

Today's post is by our latest blog adventurer Rolie Grady.  Welcome!

“Just give me fifteen minutes each week,” implored Sally, the housecleaner.  “We can organize your drawers and closets in no time!”  She watched Jane, her elderly client, for a response.  Jane, physically fragile, was recovering from yet another accident.

 

My heart hurt as I listened to the story.  This was not a whimsical suggestion.  Sally knew Jane’s independence would disappear if she refused to simplify her lifestyle. 

Several years ago, the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder.  “Get your house in order,” He said.  I knew what He meant.  My house was filled with unfinished projects relegated to a  rainy day status. 

“Yes, Lord,” I dutifully replied.  “Just as soon as I tackle this “To Do” list.”  That wasn’t good enough.  He kept insisting until I finally took that first step.  It began with a half hour in the basement.  My goal:  Clear one shelf.

“Aren’t you the ambitious one!” taunted the devil.  He had a point.  But I dug in…15 minutes here, a half hour there over the next two years.  Clearing a path one grocery sack at a time.

Eventually, I noticed a change.  Cleaning went much quicker, and my family could actually find what they needed.  I was able to fill my days with LIFE instead of guilt-driven “To Do” items.  Little did I know that God had a bigger plan for this lesson.

In 2006, Mike and I purchased our first house.  My hands shook as I signed the papers.  We walked in wonder through empty spaces that would soon be filled with our earthly possessions.

Then panic struck.  Would there be enough room for everything?  Suddenly my two years of training kicked into high gear.  A list of more items to throw or give away came to mind.  Yes, we could make this work!

Moving day came and went smoothly.  After that, adrenaline kept me going until the last box was unpacked.  It was time for a good cup of coffee as deep satisfaction settled over me.

 

 I felt another gentle tap on my shoulder. “See what obedience will do, “whispered the Spirit.  “There is a place for everything and everything is in it’s place.”

 

Yes, I sighed.  Who could imagine all this beauty?  God knew I couldn’t handle a complete overhaul in one sitting.  It was too much to think about.  But He converted those daily offerings into something magnificent….a pocketful of change at a time.

Narola (Rolie) Grady has been in the Quad Cities area since 1993.  She lives in Davenport with her husband, Mike, and their son, Sean.  Rolie has attended several of the QC Writing Conferences, and appreciates the hard work it takes to excel in this craft.  Aside from writing occasional articles, Rolie loves to worship by playing piano.  She has also been a speaker for various groups for the last 10 years.

God Speaks in a Variety of Ways

As evangelical Christians, we have a firm commitment to the written Word of God. That is as it should be. However, we forget that the first revelation that God gave was through that which He created. The Apostle Paul writes in Romans 1:20 “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made.”

I made my usual pilgrimage to the Black Hills of South Dakota this summer. The sacred beauty of that holy place never fails to strike me afresh each time I visit. The mountain grandeur: great hoary ponderosa pine, deep fresh water lakes teeming with life, cool moonlit nights filled by a galaxy of stars ebbing, twinkling and sparkling along the Milky Way. Here in the sacredness of God’s created order His voice wafts to me through the trees astride a gentle mountain breeze. God’s voice comes quietly, yet it is strikes me like thunder. My human spirit longs to be quelled by the Spirit of Creator God.

Perhaps you do not have the luxury of making a pilgrimage this summer to a favorite place filled with this kind of majestic certitude as I often do. Yet, you can afford to embrace the sacredness of God’s creation wherever you are. You can immerse yourself in its beauty and listen with the ear of your spirit to His still and thunderous voice. Perhaps connecting with the Holy through His created revelation will provide you with a fresh avenue of communion unlike any that you have experienced before.

Michael Elmore

Bettendorf, Iowa July 2011