Air travel today allows you one 50 lb. suitcase and it still cost you $25 dollars. Then you are allowed one carry on and a purse or a laptop. Doesn’t sound hard until you try putting 10-14 days- worth of clothes and shoes, toiletries, jewelry, and gifts to take or bring back from your travels. That being said I had to make some hard decisions. You all know how I am about my books. So on my recent trip to Hawaii I took no books. I figured I could use my phone or laptop—not so much. God is however the one who gives us the desires of our hearts and on a trip to the laundry room to return pool towels I found an entire shelf of books with a sign that said, “take one leave one” then underneath it said, “wouldn’t fit in suitcase.”  My heart leaped as I leafed through them like a kid in a candy store. That’s when I happened upon this one, “Fly A Little Higher”.  It failed me not. A great read with a great message. It’s one of those when life throws you a lemon make lemonade stories and the greatness that is within all of us if we will just look for it. I hope if you’re looking for a book to make you grateful and at the same time make you think and search your heart this would be one.

My take-a-way: Life doesn’t always go as planned. Bad things happen to good people but as good people make good choices in bad situations the world is a little better for the life and legacy they leave. When I don’t know what to say if I pray God will give me the words. I am grateful for the life I have.

John 10:10 (NIV) “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

“Intimacy is the capacity to be rather weird with someone - and finding that that's ok with them.” ― Alain de Botton

The definition according to merriam-webster of the word intimacy is a state marked by emotional closeness, something that is very personal or private.

A definition I like better that I’ve heard from several speakers on the topic but to none that I am aware of originated it is, “In to me you see.” It is one person allowing another person to look into their soul. The soul being made up of one’s mind, will, emotion and intellect.  Being intimate involves the mixing of our life with another's, a mingling of souls, a sharing of hearts. This is something we all long for because it's how God made us. We were designed to connect.

The only way to truly be intimate with someone is to allow them to see who you are—on the inside. It’s not about just sharing facts it’s about sharing feelings. In order to share feelings one must recognize they have them and be okay with what they feel themselves. Because God made us, He intimately knows us better than anyone can. For this reason, He can make us feel known in a way that no one on earth is able; and in this we can experience intimacy in an indescribable way. Intimacy with God through His Son Jesus has been the most rewarding and life-changing thing I have ever experienced.

As I grow older I realize how few people have real intimate relationships. They have lots of friends, family, co-workers, neighbors but no one who really knows them or whom they know. As I was thinking on this it dawned on me in order to know others we have to be okay with knowing ourselves and sharing that part of ourselves with others. This takes time, patience, understanding and risk. Too few people are risk takers. Risk takers trust. They trust a rope, a car, their own abilities, or others abilities just to name a few. When we trust God to meet our needs and take care of us we can begin to learn to trust others.

Action step: Begin to learn about yourself. Journal feelings for a week or so. Ask yourself some tough questions and take the time to answer those tough questions. What do you like about yourself? What frightens you? How do you feel about your relationship with the Lord? Do you trust Him? We usually only trust people we know very well. If you find you’re having trouble in the area of intimacy try spending more time with the Lord and trusting Him first. Then watch your ability to be intimate with others grow.

Matthew 11:27 (KJV) "All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.”

What The Ornament Boxes Can Tell You

102815

When we first got married we didn’t have any ornaments for our Christmas tree so I made some. My husband’s parents gave us a few and we bought a few a Sears.  When we took them down I put them in a card board box.  We used that card board box for a few years.  As the years went by we purchased more ornaments; baby’s first Christmas, people bought us some from special places and special people.  Girlfriends gathered to make ornaments we saw somewhere because there was no Pinterest. Then the children started making ornaments at school. We went places and bought more ornaments. People picked up on what we were interested in—shoes and the collection was growing finances were not so the card board boxes grew, became tattered, and finally gave way to newer cardboard boxes. Then when the years went by and the kids grew up, moved out and yes, the dog and the cat died—we got brand new red shiny ornament boxes. I was glad to throw away the dingy, tattered, red marbled card board boxes. This year I missed those boxes.

I was decorating our tree due to a lot of upcoming travel and started hanging our collection of ornaments. As I opened each shiny red ornament box I remembered all the years I pushed my cart down the aisle and said to myself, “Someday I will purchase those.”  My someday came sooner than I could have ever imagined. I didn’t realize with the arrival of the Red Ornament Boxes would bring the empty house and a new chapter in our life.

What are you thinking you can’t wait till someday to have? What are you wishing for in your future? Did it ever occur to you that they really aren’t that important? It’s not the box; it’s what’s in the box.

Eccleseastes 3:3 (NKJV) “3 To everything there is a season,
A time for every purpose under heaven:

2 A time to be born,
    And a time to die;
A time to plant,
    And a time to pluck what is planted;
3 A time to kill,
    And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
    And a time to build up;
4 A time to weep,
    And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
    And a time to dance;
5 A time to cast away stones,
    And a time to gather stones;
A time to embrace,
    And a time to refrain from embracing;
6 A time to gain,
    And a time to lose;
A time to keep,
    And a time to throw away;
7 A time to tear,
    And a time to sew;
A time to keep silence,
    And a time to speak;
8 A time to love,
    And a time to hate;
A time of war,
    And a time of peace.”

As most of you know I love photos. I take pictures daily. I love to capture the moments that life brings. Photos like this one I could do without. Even when the photo is of a beautiful healthy colon that belongs to you--you could still do without.  This is not a photo you typically see on the mantel or plastered on a Christmas card.

Cleansing is not always a comfortable process.  Oh we love the results but the time between can be downright painful.  By now you have probably guessed I am not just referring to house cleaning or cleaning our car. I am sharing on cleansing our bodies. I’d like to say it was as easy as hopping in the shower and sure that’d be cleaning the outside of the body but what of the inside of the body? Do you know what is used? Salt. Interesting I know. This was probably the saltiest drink I’ve ever drank. It was at least two hours later before I began to truly experience the effects of that salty solution.  This little 5 oz. drink literally moved everything that was in me out of me. That’s when it hit me; salt (what God calls you and me) is a powerful element to remove the garbage from people’s lives.  The salt did what it was supposed to do. It didn’t matter how my body felt about it, once the salt was ingested into my body there was no turning back. I couldn’t return to my previous condition. I was changed. At times the process was painful. At times I felt like my entire body was on fire. Still at other times I felt like life itself was escaping me. I felt faint and weak.  

Do we realize how potent of a substance God compares us to? It is not just something that flavors food. It is not just something that preserves meats. It is a cleansing agent. Years ago they used to rub newborns down to clean them after birth.  Salt can melt snow and the hardest hearts.

Matthew 5:13 (NIV) ""You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot."

Bottom line was after the process of cleansing prayerfully the doctor will see a clean and healthy colon. I will get a clean bill of health and life will go on. I however will be forever reminded each time I see a salt shaker that a little of this white stuff can’t do much except maybe increase blood pressure—but a lot of this stuff can do some real renovating.

I pray you enjoy your day much more than I enjoyed mine. May you get some real wisdom from my sharing my real life experiences.

Okay so I am back from vacation and have hit the road literally running. Landed in Pittsburgh at 6:30 and was in attendance at the Revival Fellowship Women’s Conference North by 1:30PM. Attended the same conference the next day and it was so helpful. You would have thought I’d have slept through it all but in reality I was only on the verge once and a little nudge from a friend and a stick of gum brought me back. Why was it so intriguing? The topic was Branding You Brand New. The questions posed by the main speaker Wendy Walters really made you think and take responsibility for where you are in life. The locating questions were not easy and had you digging in the recesses of your emotional and spiritual man. At the end of the conference I came away more focused on what my purpose on the earth is for.

Sometimes we simply need to be asked the hard questions. Jesus was always asking questions of His followers. At times the answers to those questions caused followers to turn away from Him. That is the chance great mentors take when trying to locate mentees and get them to engage in the higher life we are all called to. Mediocrity is so easy to find oneself in. To be true to ones calling is to not just fly a bit higher but to flap a bit harder. Flapping takes work and pulls us away from the flock. It may even get us a degree closer to the destiny for which we were created.

For more information check out Wendy K. Walters at http://www.wendykwalters.com/  Tell her I sent you her way.

Oh and my take-a-way, “Do only what the Father authorizes you to do.” -Wendy Walters 

John 8:29 (KJV) “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.”

It’s amazing what you can do when you have to.  Recently I took a nine hour plane ride followed by two separate five hour plane rides. I disliked both of them. I felt trapped. There were too many people in too little space. That being said one waited until they were ready to burst before going to the bathroom, ate food they didn’t care for, was nice to people they didn’t know and basically just suffered in silence for long periods of time. Why? Because they knew it was temporary and that there was a reward at the end. People can put up with a lot if they know it will be over soon. It’s amazing what one can endure knowing that paradise or home is on the other end.

Hebrews 12:2 (NIV) ” fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

When we begin to think of this life as a temporary journey with heaven at the end it makes the unpleasant conditions of life bearable. We can put up with just about any uncomfortable situations we find ourselves in. The problem exist when we think this life is all there is. The problem exist when we fail to understand that heaven is the reward for a life well lived.

I’m home safe, how about you?

Thanks for coming aboard with me today while writing from Maui. While visiting here in Hawaii I had the privilege of going snorkeling.  At first I was a bit fearful of hopping in the big ole blue at “The Drop Off”. I wanted to see where Nemo grew up but I did not want to run into that Barracuda fish that ate all his brothers and sisters. I headed into the water with a flotation device that my instructors assured me I wouldn’t need. They promised salt water was different and that I would naturally float. After a few short minutes with my feet above the water unable to go anywhere because I was overly buoyant I threw the floaty back to the boat and enjoyed the snorkeling. I was fearful because I’d had one bad experience. I didn’t trust because I’d never been instructed properly. You can be in the same situation but under different circumstances and experience totally different outcomes. Expectations do not always match our realities.

Matthew 5:13 (NIV) “"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”

Floating in the ocean was effortless compared to swimming in the rivers, lakes and streams in and around West Virginia. No salt in the water and we humans don’t float nearly as easily. That’s what got me thinking about this scripture.  We are the salt of the earth. Could that imply that we are to make heavy things light and impossible things possible?  Oh I know about salt preserving things and making things tasty and even causing thirst as well as being a natural bacteria fighter, but causing things to be able stay afloat as opposed to sinking was a new one for me. This is our lesson for today: you and I are to be the salt of the earth. We have a big job but we don’t have to do it alone. Just be what God called you to be and that my friend is enough.  Being salt makes us very valuable and useful. Smile my friend you are

The Beach Got Smaller

102115

Today I am writing from the Honeymoon capital of the world—or so they say here. I have spoken with several couples in my three island excursion and observed several things. The one thing that stood out to me the most was what a couple who was celebrating their 64th Wedding Anniversary said, “The Beach got smaller.” After walking away I heard myself saying over and over, “The Beach got smaller.” Now whether or not the beach got smaller or their view of it in their minds was bigger once upon a time I will never know, but it got me thinking. When we are young and fall in love everything seems bigger and brighter. As we get older even the bed doesn’t seem big enough anymore and we’ve upgraded to a King-size mattress from our newlywed full-size bed. What’s with that? Perhaps it’s not that the beach got smaller but that we no longer sleep in the middle if you catch my drift. When we want to be close it seems we always have lots of room. It’s only when we decide we need more space between us that the bed grows small.

Ecc. 4:11 (NIV) “Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone?”

We need to celebrate marriage. Celebrate doing life together. Celebrate family. There will be a day coming when there will be no marriage or giving in marriage. Let’s celebrate the here and now. Singles celebrate the time you are single and enjoy life to its fullest. You may not be in Hawaii but you can enjoy your own slice of paradise right where you are.

Luke 17:34 (NIV)” I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left.”

Making a Difference

102015

A little contribution along with others contributions can make a big difference. While traipsing through a dense rain forest I noticed several little tributaries. None of the little streams were very big but they were all headed in the same direction. Later in my self-guided tour I could hear a rushing sound that kept getting louder. You guessed it I found out where each lead. Here is the lesson:

When we each go our separate ways we can’t create a lot of power. When we all decide to get together and flow in the same direction we can have tremendous power. Each of these tributaries was coming to the head from all different levels and places, just like each of us. Along the way the contributions being made were also leaving behind a life giving substance. In the path they were traveling, flowers were being fed and releasing their fragrance.

You may feel as though you are not doing much. Perhaps a prayer here, a tithe and an offering as committed, and a telephone call or card to a friend (tributaries) all headed in the same direction—to love others as we ourselves want to be loved. (Matthew 22:39)

Matthew 10:42 (NIV) “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward."

Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

Most of you know by now I am on vacation in Hawaii.  It is a dream come true. I never thought I would ever get to be here and yet here I am.  I thought I knew what Hawaii would be like. I thought I knew what it would look like, how it would feel and what the food was like; until I got here.  This is not at all what I thought Hawaii would be like.  It is extremely humid in October, rains everyday at least in one part of the island and has numerous terrains.  One minute you will be in a tropical rain forest and the next minute you will be in an arid lava bed and still yet just a few miles further a beautiful sandy beach that can either be black sand, green sand or white sand and even salt and pepper looking sand—not at all what I expected.  I thought I knew. I was wrong.

So, you may think you know what heaven is like. You may think you know how God or Jesus looks. You may be surprised. The best descriptions you will find are in the Bible. We all plan to go there or at least I hope you do; but because we think we know we don’t bother to read up on the location or the people who run this location.   Trust me. You may be surprised. 

Did you know there are cowboys in Hawaii? Did you know there are 10, 11, or 12 of the 13 climate zones in Hawaii and 8 of them are on the Big Island and you can see them all in one day (we did)?  There are no snakes in Hawaii.  Hawaii is one of the most racially diverse places in the world as there is no majority – everyone is in a minority.

I thought I knew about Hawaii. I was wrong. In the last week I have learned so much. They don’t export coffee, pineapples or macadamia nuts.  They do grow potatoes.  I should have read more before I got here. I do not want to be surprised about how little I know when I get to heaven.

Matthew 22:29-33 (NIV) “29 Jesus replied, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God. 30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. 31 But about the resurrection of the dead--have you not read what God said to you, 32 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at his teaching. “