Pondering my Options for 2014

Have you seen all the new 2014 cars?  Oh my word!  There are a plethora of choices and they have numerous options.  Satellite radio, now there’s one I do consider to be a must have on my next vehicle; it’s not optional!  I used to get to car shop weekly when I lived in the Chicago area; Interstate 90 is wonderful for that. 

The classic question many seek to answer the last few days of each year is not what new car model they will purchase. It’s “What are your New Year’s Resolutions?”  My experience in this exercise is not very positive.

According to Google, who, of course, is THE smartest person in the world, based on the statistics compiled by University of Scranton, Journal of Clinical Psychology and published on 12/13/2013, only 14% of people over the age of 50 achieve success with making resolutions.  Only 39% of those under the age of 50 achieve success. With percentages like that who wants to make them. 

I want to be honest and say that I often do consider the power I could have if I did make a resolution and keep it, but it doesn’t last very long.  LOL  I will say that this year I pondered my options quite thoroughly. I’ll use an acrostic to share them with you.

O – Opinions – This is a good place to begin because all options are based on someone’s opinion.

OK, so maybe I’ll work this year on changing others opinions of Me.  That won’t work.  Takes way too much time and effort and I’m not giving them any more of my time or effort.

My husband. Ha!  I tried that and failed. AND don’t you dare tell me anything about my husband that’s negative.  I know all kinds of ways to hurt you and if I don’t get the job done, I’ll turn you over to my kids. Believe me, you DON’T want that. 

One knows Taekwondo,

One is an attorney,

One is an artist and can make a caricature out of you and post it on the Internet and you’ll never live it down and

The last One, but certainly, most assuredly not least, she has learned everything from all the rest cause she’s the baby and you’ll be decimated.

Nah, just forget it, this is way too much work and I don’t care what other people think anyway. This is not an option.

P – Portent – One of my new words this year.  Yes!  I LOVE love LOVE words.

First, let me share its meaning.  Dictionary.com states it like this “an indication of omen of something about to happen, especially something momentous!"  So you see it fits this time of the year. 

Some folks think they are portent.  They attach the ‘IM’ in front of the word and believe they are IMportant.  If you have to add the IM to the word, you’re not; Just sayin’.

There are people who portent; they try to predict what is going to happen next year.  I don’t put too much stock in those things; they are a good read at best.

Where do I get my portents? From the Word of God!  Everything I hear in the world today, I’ve found to be a portent from the Word of God.  Since God is at 100%, all His foretelling’s come true; changing this is not an option.

T – Trade – Oh boy, I love to trade….you have to have something in order to trade…..

Let’s see, husband?  No way!  I’ve had this one for 32 years and besides we are a pretty stunning package deal, so nope, not up for a trade there.

There’s the house.  Ha!  No way!  The Lord gave us that one and what he gives to me is never up for trade.

I don’t think there’s anything I’d trade except for some of my bad habits but no one ever wants those.  Sure wish I could just give them away……Doesn’t look like I have anything I can trade right now, so this is not an option.

I – Invent – Invent a new me; Ha!  That’s not goin’ so good. 

I tried that once.  I had to pretend and hide the real me; I threw away all the masks I purchased; they were all non-refundable and back then we didn’t recycle ANYTHING especially masks.

God’s been working on me for 53 years and you can see how that’s working out.  I heard him talking to the angels the other day and they wanted to know why he keeps trying and he replied I was worth it, so I guess I’ll leave that one alone; that’s not an option.

O – Others – Oh, yeah, baby, I would love the chance to change others. Let’s see…

My parents, no; they put up with me already without any complaints.

My family, no; no one can change them.  God’s having a pretty tough time his-self, so I’ll leave that up to him.

Just about this time in my devotions, yep you got it, me and God are having devotions (they pretty much last all day) AND he made me so good I multi-task while we’re talking…….He told me to leave others to him; my job is just to love them just as they are and he can handle the rest.  So changing others is not an option.

N – Norms – What I consider to be normal

One Man and One Woman makes a marriage…..nope not changing that.

Life begins at conception….nope not changing that.

Everybody ought to go to Sunday School every week…nope not changing that.

A happy wife makes a happy life….nope not changing that. I will be happy no matter what; not changing that. 

Daily Devotions – ah, can’t change that or the witchy woman returns and no one likes her.

Looks like changing norms is not an option.

S – Same – I guess the only option I’m left with is to keep everything the same.  If it’s not broke, don’t change it, right?

I will always go to church more than once a week.  I’ve got to be saved and it takes a lot of church to keep me saved.  My portent says “Let us not give up meeting together. Some are in the habit of doing this. Instead, let us cheer each other up with words of hope. Let us do it all the more as you see the day coming when Christ will return.”  (Hebrews 10:25)

I will always be a happy wife so we have a happy life. I set the tone of my household every day through daily devotions and my attitude.

I will always love my family and will cherish our relationships no matter how crazy, stupid or dysfunctional we may be. They are mine and I will not change that.

I will always be a rebel saved by grace. I will cherish my Savior and his grace and forgiveness and daily seek to be more like Him.

I will always be beautiful at every age and at every season of my life!  If you have a problem with that, you can talk to God.  He’s still working on me so perhaps there is hope for your thoughts on that.  Just don’t tell me.  He likes to keep me looking up!!

I will always strive to please everyone around me.  This is one area God has had some success in lately.  I now know the value of no.  Sometimes the one I need to please is me and I need to say no to you in order to say yes to me.

Based on the facts and analysis of my options, I chose ‘S’.  I’m keeping things the same.  That seems to work best anyhow.  

Happy 2014!!  Best of luck in the New Year!

Promises, promises, promises.......

Hey, guys, we won't be going......
But you promised!....(usually accompanied with head hanging down and the stomping of feet as the person walks away from the messenger)...................

I've seen this scenario play out way too many times in my life.  Whether they were promises made to me or promises I made to my children, this scenario is fraught with disappointment.

I do know that the best of plans can be impacted by life.  The car needs repairs....you have to work unexpectedly....you don't have the money. Even when you understand the reason the promise has been broken or delayed, the intense disappointment is there.

Looking at this from the view of the one who made the promise is something we understand only after we mature. Some of the hardest messages I ever delivered was to tell  my kids we couldn't do something that I'd promised we would.  

Another aspect of promises are the promises we make to others if or when they do something. If you'll clean your room by noon we'll go to the park and have a picnic.  I call this the if/then promise. 

It's this aspect of promises made and not fulfilled that has me pondering today.  Imagine you are God up in heaven watching all of us on earth and talking to the angels.......

* * * * * * *
Jesus - I am so disappointed!

Angel - You are?  Why?

Jesus - I have so much to give and so much I want to do, but it seems she just doesn't get it.  I promised her and she's not doing her part.

Angel - Lord, what are you talking about.

Jesus - I told her that anything she would ask in my name believing, I would do it. John documented that three different times in his book.  (disappointed sigh)

Angel - (watches the woman as she sits with a defeated look on her face)

Jesus - What really gets to me is that my power, my ability to do anything is documented and demonstrated for thousands of years and she still has no clue the power that she is capable of releasing and unleashing.

Angel - You know, sometimes I wish you'd let me go down there and shake her up a bit and tell her some things face-to-face like when you sent me to talk to Mary.

Jesus - (smiles ruefully) Nah, I know she'll get it.  I believe in her. Let's watch a little longer.

Woman on earth - (starts to ponder what she knows about God)

• Led around a million or more people out of bondage in Egypt and provided them food, water and clothing and shoes that did not wear out.
• Made meal and oil last for a prophet, woman and child through a famine, one day at a time.
• Used a man who didn't believe in himself, along with 300 men, to defeat a huge army that had bullied and stolen from them for years.
• Used a little servant girls testimony to encourage an unbeliever to seek and find healing for leprosy.
• Delivered three young men who stood for righteousness in the face of an egotistical king out of the fiery furnace and changed the direction of an entire nation.
• Turned water into wine.
• Fed 5,000 with only 5 loaves of bread and two fish.
• Healed the servant of a Roman soldier without even meeting the sick man.
• Raised a young man from the dead because he had compassion on the woman who mourned her son.
• Healed the blind, the lame, the deaf.

Woman on earth - (picks up her Bible to read God's Word; John 14:10-15)

"¹⁰ Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

¹² Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

¹³ And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

¹⁴ If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments."

Jesus - (smiles to himself as he sees the faith raising in her heart)

Angel - What are you smiling about?

Jesus - I love it when she reads my Word.  Her heart starts beating a little faster and her faith reaches out and touches my heart.  Now let's see what she does about all this today.

* * * * * *

Some promises require us to do our part. His promises are well documented.  His promises are forever.  He has not changed.  It's me who needs to do my part.

Believe that God and Jesus are one; if I can't get my head around that, believe it because he demonstrated that by his works.

Ask, in Jesus name, for the things that are needed.

Love Jesus and keep his commandments.

The promise?  If I will do this, great things and greater things can be done for the kingdom of God.  Yes, my heart is beating a bit faster and my faith is increased.

I'm looking for someone coming down their dusty road looking for a promise to be fulfilled today!

Daily Gift

The mist smears the view

Smudges hide the day

What to make of it

Will the color be hid by grey

I left the view just a moment

Returned to find skies ablaze

Color ignited by the sun

Splashing over the mountain maze

Once again I am reminded

Each day is a gift from God

Each breath I take a blessing

I stand arrested; I applaud

There is no one like our God

No one can paint the sky

No one can order my steps

No replacement; No standby

There is only one true God

Above Him there is no other

No one can do the things He does

So I shall not seek another

To fill my emptiness

Or be my very best friend

For when all is said and done

With Christ I will forever ascend

Puzzle Pondering

Puzzles, beautiful pictures

Pieces angled, round, straight

One here, one there

Interlocking, creating beauty

Puzzles, missing pieces

Unfinished and empty

Lying there incomplete

Sad, without purpose, useless

People, beautiful pictures

Some tall, bent, round

Here and there they meet

All creating beautiful pictures

Beautiful pictures, you say?

Ah, beauty is subject to interpretation

Bound by your experiences

Loosely framed, without shape

Puzzles, your experiences

Jumbled together in a heap

Some tall, happy, round, sad

All waiting for interlocking

Your puzzle put it together

One here, one there

Interlocking complete

Waiting to create, take shape

Who can fix this puzzle I cry

Empty, unfinished, a heap

Bound, mind limited by my experiences

Longing for shape and beauty

Me, a beautiful puzzle

Created by the Master PuzzleMaker

Interlocking my hand in His

Purpose, a thing of beauty and grace

Pieces angles, round, straight

One here, one there

Interlocking, His balm of Gilead

All creating beautiful pictures

Missed Moment

Grabbed the camera to catch the moment

Batteries were sapped of energy

Ran inside, replaced them quickly

Only to return and the moment had passed me by

Your name flashed through my mind

Knelt to pray, phone rings urgently

Ran to answer, missed them

Only to return and your name slipped by

I sit here listening to the stillness

Missed opportunities paramount in my thoughts

Transformation, renewing vie for attention

Which one will win this vicious cycle

As I ponder on these things for a moment

I recall a simple truth shared

The dog who will win this fight

Is the one you feed alright

I grabbed my Bible and found my place

Feeding the dog that won my fight

Renewing my mind wins hands down

I refuse to let this moment pass me by

Dreams

Dreams....they pound away in my head
What if I could just....and away my thoughts slide
It's not as though the dreams are impossible
It's just that they like to hide
Behind all the busyness of life
Away they silently glide

Do they mean anything at all
Are these dreams real
In the quietness of the moment
Or when alone and still
Back into my life they march
Wooing, inviting, restlessness they reveal

Desire like none other
Unreached loads of potential
Knocking and rocking my world
Claiming to be essential
“When will you do something”
They scream; not inconsequential

Dreams....they pound away in my head
“Ignoring us would be a crime”
My thoughts like frenetic gestures
The hands of an excited mime
Seeking to make the connection
Shouting now! “Make the time!”

The road forward is crooked
Some sharp and dangerous seams
The path ahead is well traveled at first
Many look to have passed these beams
Ah.......the landscape is changing
Road less traveled, more extremes

It is up to me to decide
Will I let this road less traveled
Create a desire for adventure or
Give up and become unraveled
A fighter lives in this body
I will not give up nor become rattled

I will pursue these thoughts, these dreams
These nagging thoughts so rife
With hope and adventure
No, I will not let the busyness of life
Generate within this lovely lady
Disappointment and strife

I see this for what it is
The chance to achieve
A new opportunity to pursue
Not to sit around and grieve

Ah…there is the mime again

“Up!  To your dreams cleave!”

Dreams, the first step to reality

Pretty soon they will blossom

Wonderful partners they make

Work hard, don’t play opossum

Plan, practice, do it over again

The end result will be awesome

Dreams, they pound away in my head…………………….

How do you see it? Consumed or Consumer?

I love a good fight. I like to see my team win. Contests where two equals duke it out until the strongest wins gets my adrenaline rushing and my entire being is consumed in that moment. If the winner is the team or person I'm rooting for, what extreme joy explodes thru me and I love to dance around and shout. It's even more fun if I am taking the side of the underdog against all my family. If my side wins in that situation, PRICELESS!! lol

Imagine being on the Moses team. Millions of people moving through the land based on the cloud by day and the fire by night. You wake up in the morning and the cloud is not over the Tabernacle, it's moving toward the east side of camp. Do you excitedly get everyone up and packing, overjoyed because you are moving today? You're eating bread that no one can bake; it's just there every morning for you to pick up and eat. At least you don't have to try and make breakfast. It's sort of what we do on a busy day; get breakfast from McDonald's on the way out of town in the morning. (well sort of)

So you're on the Moses team. The contest is against those people on the other side of the Jordan river. You have no idea what their strengths or weaknesses are. So being a great coach, Moses chooses scouts from the 12 offensive and defensive teams under his leadership. The objective is to go into their territory and check it all out. Are they strong or weak; are they fortified and dug in, or are they in temporary housing? Is the turf good or bad; rich or poor. You get the picture. They leave and are gone for 40 days.

As they arrive, you see the bounty they are bringing back from their scouting trip. I mean how can you not. Two men are carrying grapes so large they're hanging on poles and carried on the shoulders of two men. Excitement and adrenaline rushes through your body as you anticipate this contest. Just imagine being able to live in a land where grapes are that big, not to mention all that other stuff the other scouts are carrying.

Moses calls a pre-game planning session and everyone attend. Spirits are high, anticipation of the game day is pumping through you and you can't wait to hear the plan. The men are sharing what they saw. When we win this game guys, we are going to live on honey and milk; it flows in that place. I mean just look at this fruit, that's what the land produces over there. BUT there are giants there. They are huge and their cities are fortified like strongholds.

Snap, Crackle, POP! Is that what your dreams would have done? Or would you have been like Caleb? Let's go Team Moses, Let's go!!

Caleb could not convince the people. Matter of fact, the other men's report ended like this. "There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight." (Numbers 13:33)

What I find interesting is that they saw themselves as grasshoppers and small. Because of this, they assumed that the giants saw them in the same way. They projected in their attitude and their words so much negativity that the entire team, all 12 defensive and offensive teams, except two people, were consumed and defeated with their attitude before the game even began.

As I ponder on this I remember the past history of this Moses team. Before they began this hike in the outdoors, they lived in Egypt. Their ancestors knew about grasshoppers. Oh yes they did! God sent grasshoppers and locusts to terrorize and consume every living plant on the face of the land when Pharaoh, the great king of Egypt, refused to let them go on the hike.

Isn't that how we are sometimes. There's a big bully in our path. We know we are smaller, under weight, not as smart perhaps. So we assume that bully sees us in that way too. Our own negativity and limited insight projects defeat before we even give it our best effort.

Imagine if they would have seen it differently. Grasshoppers consume! They may be small but they can do a lot of damage together! Remember what happened when God sent them into the land in a great swarm? We can do this! Let's go.

What would have happened was just as Caleb said. They could have overcome the giants. They could have swarmed through the camp, consumed the enemy, and taken possession of the land. They were on the winning team, but they could not see themselves that way.

There is one difference between being consumed and being the consumer. One letter; D and R. It's an attitude. You can be a D and be Defeated and negative and never get anywhere in your life. Keep doing the same thing you always do and keep getting what you always get. OR you can be an R. An R is a Realizer. A Realizer is someone who can take something and make a profit out of it. Someone who clearly understands the value of something and is able to convert that into profit.

The result of the Moses teams first response to the game was defeat without fighting. They roamed in the desert until all the men who did not believe died. The victory that was eventually realized was minus several team members. The enemy didn't change; the team changed.

How do you see your situation? Does it defeat you; are you consumed by the overwhelming odds that you see against you? Or are you a realizer? Is there something inside you that sees those same things but the outcome is that you win? The difference is one letter!

Don't waste your past experiences. Negative or positive. Learn from them. Look to realize great things in your future because of what your past has been. You can be consumed or you can be the consumer. Which will it be for you?

As for me, I will possess my dreams!! I will become what I was truly meant to be!! Let's go team, let's go!! We will, we will, rock you!! Sing it together now!! We will, we will, rock you!!