mamehrin

I can’t tell you how excited I am each spring as my daffodils and hyacinths start to poke their leaves up through the soil. I am always very ready for the cold weather and winter to be over and these early spring harbingers remind me that the end is near.

However, it always snows on my poor plants at least once before they are in full bloom. To my surprise and satisfaction, they always come through with little to no damage. I have learned (verified on P. Allen Smith’s website) that they have an “anti-freeze” that allows them to tolerate the snow and freezing that usually comes several times during their blooming process.

Many of life’s lessons can be painful and can freeze us if we allow it. On the other hand, with the “anti-freeze” of the Holy Spirit working in our lives, we can have a godly reaction to these lessons that can keep us thriving like He intended.

After the snow

A recurring theme in my life is about my response to life and the struggles I go through – some of my creating, others that are not. It struck me several years ago that as a Christian, my response to circumstances affects those around me, whether I like it or not. It reminds me of water.

Water that has no outlet will get stagnate. It has to have somewhere to go, a purpose if you will. Think of a swamp. Water flows in and stays. There is not much use for swamp water. It stinks and is unappealing. All sorts of grossness grows in the swamp water.

On the other hand, a fresh spring is much more inviting in every aspect. Water runs constantly through any given section of the stream, staying clean and healthy.

I can choose to have God help me with the things in my life. I can allow Him to continually flow through me and keep me spiritually healthy. I am so much more inviting to others when I am not ugly and smelly spiritually. I can draw many more people to Christ when I am letting Him work though me and my circumstances. I want to be a fresh water stream – not a swamp. How about you?

Ok – since I brought it up…

It all started with two of my kids getting appliances in their mouths to spread their upper palate to correct their crowded teeth. Needless to say, it is as painful as it sounds. Being the concerned parent, I wanted to get as much nutrition in them as painlessly as possible. It all started with a recipe I wanted to try.

As near as I can remember, it included cooked squash, tomatoes, chicken broth, peanut butter and spices and some heat – either cayenne pepper or tabasco sauce – all cooked together and pureed. My family is always good about trying whatever I decide to concoct and we have semi adventurous taste buds, so I didn’t think too much about this one and figured it would be good for them – easy to eat and good for them.

It was the first time my then future son-in-law ate with us. He still rates this as the only meal he has had of mine that he didn’t like. My kids quietly slurped their first servings and didn’t eat any more. I didn’t think it was too bad and probably would eat it again, (as long as I didn’t have to fix it!) however, I couldn’t get anyone to eat the leftovers.

My intentions were good, but if I would have thought about it, the sore palates of my children probably would have appreciated something much less demanding and more in the way of comfort food – chicken noodle soup or pudding for example. How often do I bulldoze over the feelings of others in my life with no thought for what would really minister to them? If I would take the time to think about their true needs and pray about it, I would probably get it right a lot more often than I do.

Since my family has left home, I have realized I really don’t care to cook. I CAN cook and people don’t mind eating my cooking (unless it is peanut butter soup-which might be another blog!). However, my culinary offerings should come with a list of disclaimers, the recipe and what ingredients were substituted. AND – especially if I am making something for company – it never quite turns out. Take this weekend endeavor into making cinnamon rolls (my apologies to all who might have had one).

It started out innocently enough, with my regular recipe. In trying to hurry things along, I dumped some of the wet and dry ingredients together, but didn’t get them mixed up quickly. As I was kneading the dough, I realized it was full of lumps. I squished and I pulled and I massaged that mass of dough trying to reduce the amount of lumps in it. It never did seem to smooth out, but apparently baked up fine.

The second batch was doomed from the beginning as I went in knowing I was out of milk. Since many bread recipes don’t call for milk, I wasn’t concerned. However, when I measured out the flour, I found I was a good cup short of flour. I had some flour tortilla mix that came to the rescue. On reading the ingredients, I found it was mostly flour, shortening, and some leavening. I figured most of those things were already in the dough, so it was all good. Other that a slight over-raising on the dinner rolls, they turned out-I guess.

When it was time to frost the rolls, I again came up against my milk shortage. Creamer is a milk substitute right?

I am so glad God doesn’t run out of ingredients or take shortcuts when He works in my life. When I give Him control, everything turns out well–emphasis on the “when I give Him control”….

I was sent a quote from my boss this week. Since it was from her boss, I paid special attention to it:

“If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”

After I read it, I can see why it impressed them. I searched for who it was credited to, expecting Helen Keller, Mahatma Ghandi or Albert Einstein. Imagine my surprise to see that the saying came from Bruce Lee. I have been long impressed by the lengths to which martial arts masters go to perfect their skills. I have seen many films (though few of Bruce Lee’s, unfortunately) and know that they do not limit themselves physically.

I do tend to limit myself, physically and spiritually. I make excuses for my physical limitations – “I’m over the age of 50.” “I have never been very active.” “I don’t have time to (insert activity here).” My spiritual excuses are just as pathetic. “I have been a Christian most of my life – there is not anything new to learn at this point.” “I don’t have time to really dig into God’s Word.”

The reality is that I have settled on plateaus – not only settling on them, but settling FOR them. I am not happy with my physical or spiritual self and need to get off my “plateau”. It is time to set some goals that push me a bit. I love a challenge in other areas of my life – it’s time to reach for the sky!

The last few weeks, I have been thinking a great deal about enduring friendship – the kind that last for years. It started with a mystery novel about a couple of neighbors that experienced life together – raising children, canning and baking, the changing of the neighborhood and going through the loss of their spouses. In contemplating their longtime friendship, I realized that I had a much closer example of that type of friendship. My grandmother and her friend have experienced life together for over 60 years. They raised their families, went through tragedies, found new life in Jesus, and experienced the loss of their spouses. The last few years, they met for weekly Scrabble games, making up their own rules, giggling all the while. The last few month brought another change to their friendship as Grandma’s friend had to move out of state. They still found a way to stay in touch weekly through the modern means of Skype. A couple of weeks ago, brought an end to the earthly part of their friendship, as Grandma’s friend went to be with her Savior. I like to think that Mae has a Scrabble board set up and waiting for Grandma.

I sometimes yearn for a friendship like that and have some of the best friends now that I ever have had. However, I simply don’t have the time left to have a 60 year friendship with someone. But Wait…I DO have a friend like that – One that has been with me through the good times and the bad, raising my family, even the loss of my spouse (through divorce). I have the Friend that “sticks closer than a brother” and He has been with me every moment of every day since my birth.

Trust.
I have a cat-not the one that likes to sit in the shower-but another cat. This one, though neutered, still thinks he should reign the free world. He tends to get into scrapes that can leave him injured. (I keep wondering what the other cat looks like!) Occasionally, an abscess will form under his skin. This is where the trust comes in. He will allow me to lance the abscess. (The details are pretty disgusting, so I won’t share them.) Enough to say it involves me hurting him. While I am causing him pain, he lies there purring – loudly!

Do I exhibit that kind of trust with my Heavenly Father? Like the cat, I tend to think I know what is best for me. While my willfulness results in pain, I can allow it to fester and become spiritually sick. My Father will nudge me and let me know that He can help whenever I am ready. Do I react with total trust, like my cat does? Of course not! I want to hold on to my festering sore – strangely afraid that it will hurt! I delude myself into thinking that I am OK with the wounds when, in reality, I am terribly ill. Jesus never tells me it won’t hurt to deal with the pain I have caused myself, but He assures me that He makes all things beautiful in His time. It’s time to realize that He loves me completely and it fully worthy of my trust.

Each year, in the fall, I think about cleaning out my flower beds so they will be ready for springtime.  Every year, in the spring, I find the new flowers poking out through the old, dead flowers.  It is exciting to see the new signs of life, but I find it does make it pretty hard to clean the bed out as I carefully work around the new flowers, trying not to disturb the fresh growth. 

I have a lot of good intentions of cleaning up messes in my own life.  Even when I try, I find I am not able to clean them up on my own.  I have to turn them over to God to get the best results.  He can build on the mess I have created due to my own rebellion or stubbornness.  If I allow Him to work, soon there are bits of new life poking through and creating beauty where there once was confusion and death.  He gently cleans away the mess and allows His splendor to shine through.

As I have been fighting a massive cold bug the last week or so, I have been a bit consumed with monitoring my physical health.  I realized my health was not going well when I found I had no energy, seemed to run a low grade fever, and produced copious amounts of nasal fluid. I decided things were trending down when one side of my face swelled up and I had a distinct mump-like sensation (for those of you not old enough to have had the mumps– imagine eating dill pickles while the glands in your jaw cramp violently). This finally convinced me it was time to stop at Urgent Care where they prescribed antibiotics and, hopefully, things are looking up.

Do I monitor my spiritual health as diligently?  Do I watch for warnings signs that things are not well with my Savior?  What does my attitude look like?  Do I readily slide into prideful, judgmental thoughts?  Do I snap at those I love the most?  Am I easily angered? Any of these symptoms, along with others, indicate a rift in my relationship with Christ.  The prescription for spiritual wellness?  Like any relationship – the only way for it to grow, is to spend time with Him.  Dive into His word – it’s His “blog” to us.  Spend time seeking Him (easier said than done), but I have found it is all about priorities.  I have cancelled several appointments this week due to my physical health because I felt it was in my best physical interests (and others!).  Maybe it is time to prioritize my time with Him so that I schedule it into my day.  Which reminds me – please excuse me.  I need to go spend time with Him today.  He’s waiting…

Panic threatens—

Are finances my security?

Is a job my provider?

No! Jehovah Jireh is my God.

Time after time He fills my needs –

Always in time with just enough.

He says, “Wait. I have a plan. You can’t see it –

You are looking at the backside of the loom.

When the weaving is done,

When the pottery has been fired,

Then people will see Me reflected in you.”

God, my heart’s cry is to glorify You.

Help me be patient –

To look for opportunities to serve You during this time.

Thanks be to Jesus who gives us victory!