Shopping - love it or leave it? (Advent 2017)

"14 shopping days til Christmas" - "Order now to receive your gifts in time" - "Buy one get one!" - "Shop for others, get Christmas cash for yourself"........ we are bombarded each minute. It's all about the stuff. So how does all of this fit in with the Journey? 

It goes back to the destination - what is yours? For so many, it IS all about the gifts. No matter how many times we say it or read "Christmas is not about the presents" - in reality, it is. How many of you let all of your plans revolve around what gift you will give to each person? We put off thinking about the huge credit card bills that will arrive in January and focus only on the joy of the moment when the 'perfect gift' is opened. There were many years in my past that our tree was insanely piled with way too many gifts. We had the money to spend, so we did. Even then it bothered me. Out of necessity we have changed our ways- and though there is still focus on gift giving, it is so different than it used to be. 

So how do we approach 'shopping' on our Advent Journey? I used to love the process of shopping ~ the festive crowds, finding the great deals and the joy in finding just the right item. So today I have been pondering the elements of shopping: 

*making a list

*planning where to go and how much time and money to spend

My destination this year is to draw closer to God in a way I never have before. I want to be so filled with God's purpose for me that everything else fades away. So if I am 'shopping' for that I need to make my list. What do I need in order to reach my destination? Then I need to plan where to go in order to get those things. When shopping I have a budget, so I need to budget for this as well. Mostly time - which seems to be the most difficult to manage. Time for prayer, Bible study, service and worship.

Why do we shop for the things that we do? Mostly we respond to ads. I have been doing a lot of knitting lately and I did a search online for a certain type of knitting needle. Within seconds my social media feed was filled with ads for knitting items.  (newsflash - if you think that you can do anything online without someone watching - you can't!) Our daughter does not have cable television in their home. They watch recorded movies, or shows on NetFlix, so they don't see commercials. When the granddaughters come to visit sometimes they watch TV at our home and immediately the thing they focus on are the ads "Grammy, I want that!" "Grammy - look, we need that!" 

Here is a what-if for you: what if our world was filled with advertisements that were so appealing and inviting for God that we couldn't resist? What if you saw an ad that prompted you to pray in such a way that you simply had to pray right then and there? Think also of the ads for charitable organizations.  I'm not saying they aren't worthy - of course we should support those places that help animals, children with cancer, veterans and elderly. What if instead the 'ad' was for the widow who lived 2 doors away from you that hadn't eaten a full dinner meal in weeks - would that ad play on your emotions enough to make you act? Would you open your wallet and shop for her as quickly as you would the malnourished dog that is on the screen? What if the ad was for a method of prayer and Bible study that would put you more in tune with God, without spending a dime - would that move you as much as the flashing plea for the latest and greatest phone that will deplete your bank account for months to come?

Shopping - it's how we spend our time and money. What will you shop for this year?

Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."  NIV

Will I still buy and give gifts this year? Yes. As a token of love and expression of care. Will they be extravagant and excessive? No. It has taken a long time to break the bonds of consumer greed, but it feels good to look to those other treasures that are so precious to give.

Advent challenge #5: Make a shopping list today of the things you can give of eternal value. Maybe you need to give a gift to yourself?

Prayer: God help me to see beyond to flashy ads of the season. Help me to look 'next door' at those who are in need every day. Keep me on the Journey for the right reason this year. Help me draw closer to You. Amen.

Which way should I go? (Advent 2017)

*Fastest route

*Least traffic

*Scenic route

*No tolls

When you are planning a trip, what things do you consider in planning your route? I love to take scenic routes, mostly because there are so many interesting and unique things to discover. What looks like a town with nothing to offer, when driving by on the interstate, often reveals a charming few blocks of boutiques, shops and diners. Unless you venture off the most traveled path you miss it!

About 16 years ago we took a family trip and drove from Texas to Kentucky to visit our niece and her husband where they were attending seminary. It was a lovely drive, and though we did do some stretches of interstate we also stopped at some wonderful attractions along the way.  I fondly remember visiting Graceland, and my family laughing at me when I shed tears at Elvis' graveside. I also loved Shakertown and the step back in time. I was homeschooling our daughter at that time so we incorporated history lessons into our travels. One unexpected treat, that was not planned, was our visit to Abraham Lincoln's cabin. We hadn't planned on visiting and as we were driving along (I do all the driving) my husband noticed the First Abraham Lincoln Memorial noted on the map. We had to exit and drive a little different route, but it was so worth it!

Inside this memorial is a replica cabin of Lincoln's childhood home.  Nearby is the Sinking Spring where the family gathered water. It brings history to life to see these things rather than just read about them in a textbook. If we hadn't taken an alternate route we would have missed it. 

I also think about planning routes when I fly: 

*fastest flight time

*non-stop or layovers

*time of day - arrivals and departures

*convenience to destination

All of these things come in to play when planning a route.  For me, I don't mind a few layovers because it usually means saving money. There are so many things to consider when planning a route. You can't really have a pleasant journey without planning your route and what you want to accomplish on that route.

When I think about my Advent journey this year route planning is essential. Do I want to just rush through the fastest way possible to arrive at my destination? The time and days to get to Christmas will be the same, but the route I take to get there is in my control.  

So what things come in to play in your route planning? There are things I want to 'see' along the way, so the scenic route is my choice. I want to take in all of the wonders of the season, the Scripture story, the connection with people and the remembering of my parents. They formed my early life, and I spend time remembering the ways they loved my sister and me, how we always knew that home was a safe place. I can't call them on the phone anymore, or sit around a table with them. Yet their presence is with me always.

Though Christmas is not about 'stuff' and decor, the items I place all around my home during the holidays are part of my scenic route. I have ornaments on my tree that our daughter made in elementary school. I have items that I remember my Mom placing around our home each year. We use a Christmas tree skirt that was Waylon's first wife's. Our home is filled with 'stuff' but it all is there to remind me of the treasures of life. Some of the cups are chipped or cracked, just like our lives have cracks and imperfections. When I hold that Santa mug in my hand I'm reminded of filling it with milk on Christmas Eve with my Dad, to make sure Santa had a treat at our house.  That fragile, cracked ceramic mug won't hold milk anymore, but it surely holds love.

We have over 2 weeks until reaching our destination, which route will you take to get there? Will you just rush through on the speedy toll road? What price will you pay to get there fast? 

Consider a different route this year, one filled with treasures that you can only see if you get off the fast lane. 

Luke 10:38-42 As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. but Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"  "Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed - or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Advent challenge #4 - Take some time to be "Mary" today. Instead of rushing, doing and stressing take the simple route of "being". 

Prayer: Lord I want to see You today. Help me slow down, get off the fast track and look for blessings of Your presence today. Help me show You to others as well. Amen.

Reservations (Advent 2017)

5 years ago, in the winter of 2013 I had a plan. My husband and I would be celebrating our 30th anniversary later that year and we were going to take a dream trip. The destination was a fall driving tour through New England. I started about 8 months before the trip making reservations. Most of you know that New England in the fall is a popular location for tourists, especially people like us who live in the South and rarely get to experience fall temperatures and foliage colors. Even starting that far ahead there were some locations (inns, restaurants etc) that were already booked. 

When you are starting a special journey reservations are important. There is expense involved, as some places require deposits of money - and though we got excellent deals on airfare by booking far in advance, there was extra expense for trip insurance, in case we were unable to make the trip. Traveling to an area that we had never been to also brought its own concerns.  When relying only on travel books, websites and brochures it is hard to know what things are really like. I have been disappointed in the past when advertising was, shall be say, a bit deceptive!  We had an advantage though.  My sister and brother in law had traveled on a similar trip just a couple of years prior. I trust them completely and when she shared a large collection of maps, routes and brochures I knew my planning was getting easier. Also, with personal recommendations from someone I know and love, the planning became one of my favorite parts of the journey.

However, there are alternate definitions of 'reservations'. Some that come to mind are:

1. a : a limiting condition 

• agreed, but with reservations
• • 
    

   b : doubt, misgiving 

• had serious reservations about marriage

2.: an area in which hunting is not permitted; especially : one set aside as a secure breeding place

3: something reserved: such as

a : a tract of public land set aside (as for use by American Indians)

The doubt definition is one that creeps to mind as we begin this Advent journey. "Will things really work out as I plan?" "What if I can't get everything done before Christmas?" "Will my gift really make a difference?" "Is God even listening to my prayers?"  We all have reservations in life. Letting them take control is the battle to be overcome. I also think of our Native American reservations - though perhaps a good intention when they were planned, I see them as isolating and controlling. A reservation for some could be considered a prison.

So what do we do to battle our doubt? How can we move to focus on the joy of a reservation, an appointment, with God and open ourselves to His blessings this season? 

When I was planning that trip of a lifetime back in 2013, I focused on the good. I looked for places and events that would add joy to our lives. Memories that would be made that we could look back on and remember with fondness. I had waited all my life to take that trip and with careful planning and well thought out reservations and plans it turned out fantastic.  Were there bumps and detours along the way? Of course! Just the traffic getting out of Boston airport on the first day was enough to make my husband say "And we are doing this why?" Yet we pushed forward, crawling through the city traffic and arriving at our first inn.  As we looked around at the quaint village we knew it was all worth it.

I look at this picture now and it makes me smile. We are a bit older, my hair is longer and I dream of visiting Vermont again someday. We pushed through the reservations of spending too much money, wondering if we would choose the right places to stay and eat, and we relied on our paid reservations to satisfy. 

What reservations are you making for Christmas? Are you reserving time for you and God to work out the best in yourself? Are you reserving time for your family for special events together, rather than rushing to and fro? Or are you having doubt that this year will be different? 

Doubt is a powerful force.  I battle doubt every day. "Will my family stay healthy this next year?" "Will my business continue to grow and provide for us?" "Will I be able to help those who need it?" I call on God to push through my reservations and doubt, and I am making a new reservation with Him - to trust, obey and believe. 

John 20:27-29 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!" Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." NIV

Advent challenge #3 - Put aside at least one doubting reservation that you have plaguing you and make a reservation with God to trust. Make plans, trusting that His good will come about for you, and if detours come - ask Him to guide you through them.

Prayer: Jesus, as I remember your story, help me write a new story for myself. Take the doubt from me in all things, and draw me close to you as I plan for, and anticipate, the extreme blessing you have for me at the end of the journey.  Amen.

What is your destination? (Advent 2017)

I think we all know where we are headed - to Christmas. Most of us have a regular pattern that we follow each December: looking over our shopping list, planning the gifts, buying the gifts, scheduling the parties, making the cookies.......you get the idea.  It often looks the same year after year. Even though the destination is December 24-25 and all of our normal family festivities I want you to think outside the box this year. The destination may be Christmas, but let's take a special journey to get there this year. 

Take a different road, plan a new event, give in a new way. Make this journey to Bethlehem different than any other you have taken before. If your destination is simply to arrive at worship on December 24 - attend your normal chosen worship service all dressed in your holiday finery, then go home for the feast you are missing so much. Or maybe your destination is also to arrive on December 24, do all of the Santa fun, make sure the gifts are wrapped and stockings are hung, then collapse in fatigue on December 25. Or there could be one more destination - to simply exist through these next 3 weeks and get to December 26. To push through the grief of the holiday season without your loved ones, or with a life that is so far from what you expected that Christmas is the last thing you want to celebrate.

We all have a destination. The journey holds the real excitement! So many unexpected things can happen along a journey and many of them are missed because we aren't paying attention. So this year make it a thoughtful journey. Make December and Advent 2017 the journey you have been waiting and planning for all year. 

Your first task is to really ponder what you are seeking. 

Acts 17:22-28a Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: "People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship- and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and have our own being."  NIV

As we start this Journey of Advent, choose a destination. Prayerfully consider where you want to be at the end of trip. Do you want to be closer to God? Do you desire a fuller, richer life of faith? Maybe you want to draw closer to someone you have been estranged from. The destination is a personal one. Maybe you want to completely venture out in a new path of business or personal growth. Choose wisely! Once you have that destination in mind, be ready for the ride of your life. This Journey is going to be like nothing before.

Advent challenge #2: Choose a 'destination'. Write it down. Don't get bogged down in how you will get there, simply dream about arriving at that chosen destination.

destination

[des-tuh-ney-shuh n] 

 

noun

1.

the place to which a person or thing travels or is sent:

2.

the purpose for which something is destined.

adjective

3.

noting an attraction or event that people are willing to travel a long distance to 

get to, either because it is very good or distinctive or because it is located in a   popular and interesting place.

Prayer: Lord of all, guide me today in choosing a destination that will help me grow. Help me look with expectation into the unknown. Be with me as I take the first steps and give me patience to enjoy the journey and all that is holds along the way. Amen.

Where is the Journey taking you? (Advent 2017)

So many things to do! Each year as Thanksgiving approaches I have a plan to tackle the holiday season with organization and ease. Then after the turkey carcass is cooked down and all of the pies are gone it hits me - Christmas! Now we don't have a long gift list or big extravagant parties to attend, but there are many traditions in our family that I look forward to. Writing this blog has become a tradition that is very important to me and I realized that I have been pretty quiet in this front for quite some time. 

When I saw this photo it made me think of the journey I'm starting this Advent. The road is steep, winding and dark. Yet it is illuminated with streaks of light and speed. Off in the distance is the unknown, the mystery. There is so much to see along the way. I want to take in every twist and turn, each surprise and enjoy the trip. Growing up in the mountains in California I learned to drive on roads with hairpin turns and switchbacks. There is no speeding, unless you want to take a side trip careening down a granite and pine tree slope to a tragic end! With so much concentration needed to stay on the road it is hard to notice the beauty all around. 

I want to approach this advent season as if I am on a long and winding road in a new land. My road will have exits though. Places to stop and take in the beauty, the wonder that is beyond the obvious path. 

What do you want to discover on your advent journey this year? What are you looking for? I have the obvious things: health for myself and my family, business success in order to provide for our needs as well as help others who are less fortunate, draw closer to God because in all things He is my guide. The challenge is to not be caught up in the distractions of the season but to get off that speeding path now and then to pursue these things.

Advent challenge #1: Take a moment today to write (either with pen and paper or in notes on your phone) your advent journey discovery desires. Share them with someone for accountability and encouragement.

Prayer: Lord guide us safely on this busy path as we draw closer to You. Help us see the hidden treasures along the way and thank You for them. Help us to look beyond the obvious and discover the unknown, as we journey to the best Gift of all.  In Jesus' name. Amen.

It's not just about the yarn

I'm a bit obsessed these days ~ with knitting. Over 50 years ago while watching my grandmother do embroidery with gnarled arthritic hands I asked her why she still stitched. "It helps my joints not hurt so bad". I understand that now, yet when I was 9 years old all I wanted to do was create something beautiful. I crocheted my first afghan at age 9. I learned to sew and took over making my own dresses after great instruction from my mom. I took turns at embroidery, cross stitch and years of quilting yet always with a crochet project in the works as well. I shied away from knitting because it was just too hard and confusing. Being left handed, and self taught I couldn't quite get my head around the process.

About 3 years ago, as I started the purging process of my craft closet, I looked again at a bin full of exquisite yarn.  I had donated most of my 'cheap stuff' to local thrift stores, sold at garage sales and used for projects with my granddaughters. I had also received a large box of excellent quality sock yarn from a friend. I decided to try knitting one more time (but not socks!) Nearly all other hobbies have faded into memories and knitting is my new passion. There is just something about looking at a hank or skein of incredibly soft fiber (alpaca, wool, linen and more......) that screams to be wound into a cake or ball, then cast on to needles and over time become not just a thread of fiber but a garment or item to be worn and provide comfort.

Last night, during one of my sleepless nights after an exciting World Series game, (my other obsession right now is baseball) I was pondering what it is I love about knitting. All of it. I can look at those balls of yarn and imagine creating a shawl that will keep a loved one's shoulders warm, or a scarf that will be the perfect accessory for a friend or to wear myself and express my quirky style. I think the most enjoyable part is the rhythm of the needles in my hands as they slide back and forth, through the loops of yarn that somehow become a completed project so complex, yet as simple as the way you wind the yarn around that needle. I also understand now what my grandmother meant by keeping her hands active and moving kept the pain away. So much better than taking a pill!

I do a lot of thinking and praying while I knit. My world has expanded through knitting as well. A few weeks ago there was an annual yarn crawl going on in my area. All throughout central Texas 20 yarn and fiber shops participated in an event that ran for 10 days and drew hundreds of women and men. Over 3 days I drove many miles and visited 12 of those 20 shops. I received free patterns, won a door prize and added a few new needles and items to my stash. I also watched people. I saw carloads of women laughing and visiting those shops together. I listened to them talk in each shop about what they would make with the beautiful yarn that was the shop special. I saw some crying (literally) as they remembered their friend that had passed and had always been their driver for the yarn crawl in previous years. My favorite local shop is a magical place. Women (and again a few men) gather there each week just to stitch together. They share their lives and talk. In this age of electronics and instant gratification just like me they are drawn to something as simple as a ball of yarn, a pair of knitting needles or crochet hook and creating. 

What once seemed like a completely foreign language to me (a knitting chart) has become a familiar friend and a piece of the puzzle needed to connect me with other people. I enjoyed my solitary drive over the hills and roads of Texas broken up by laughter and meeting new people in each yarn shop. I met women who are looking for help in their lives and I was able to share my business with them. I sat in one of the shops and just stitched for awhile, learning about the young woman who got through her cancer treatments by knitting and now she makes soft caps for others who are going through chemo.  I met another woman who lost her husband and now her yarn shop friends are her family, the connection that helps her through the grief. 

Really it is about people. There is still something deep inside each of us that yearns for connection with others. We may say we are more connected than ever through our phones and computers, but there is great joy in sitting next to a friend, working through a difficult knitting pattern together or simply listening to them share the latest story of their life. For so long I have been driven to succeed in my business, to provide for us in monetary ways. That is still a necessity. I will continue with that, but more importantly I will knit.  I will talk to people in person, I will learn about them and get to know them, because that is what the true value in life is. 

Communicating Freedom

About 3 years ago I was in a bit of a funk and searching.....didn't really know what direction I would take as I finished out my 50s, and struggling to determine my purpose for my later years in life. I did a study in a wonderful book "Discovering Your Divine Assignment" by Robin Chaddock. Through the course of that study I determined that my purpose is to communicate freedom. Now the more you ponder that, it can take on many facets. For me it manifests itself in my spiritual life, my business life and my personal self expression. I finally felt free to do and say things that I should have embraced much sooner in my life.

Communicating freedom, for me, comes in many forms. I lead classes at the Christian Women's Job Corps, where we teach job and life skills and empower women to discover and improve their lives in many ways. I also run my own business, focused on helping others. Through health and wellness and a non mlm (multi level marketing) business model I lead a team of people just like me. We have needs, bills, and dreams for life and we work together to achieve them. We range in age from 20's to mid 60's and all have found our place. 

I love this image! For so many years I stayed in my own fishbowl. Going along with what was expected of me, or trying to blend in, in order to please others. Taking the leap is scary! We might land on the outside, gasping for breath until a kind soul places us back in our bowl. Or we just might land it that shiny new bowl - with new views and endless possibilities. When I took the leap it was with abandon. Now as I explore each new fishbowl it becomes easier and easier to leap to the next. I hope to communicate that freedom to you as well. Step out and try something new, or something that you have always wanted to do.Take a chance on things that others tell you "you can't do that!' and prove them wrong. As long as you are breathing it is never too late to make a change. My purpose is to communicate freedom ~ what is yours?

Your first step to freedom   ←←Take a look.

For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. Gal. 5:13 NLT