Zig-Zagging Along

I've written before about my morning walks along the road near our home.  Rather than walk up and down the road multiple times I choose to walk in a zigzag pattern in order to get in more steps and distance.  I make a tight back and forth path, and I also walk along little driveways and paths along the way. It's amazing how different the walk can be each day, depending on how wide I make my turns, how far out past the pavement and just other little things that I change up.  A few days ago, as I was walking along praying and thinking, when I came to the dead end of the road I noticed another woman walking.  She also was walking in a zigzag pattern!  I had never seen her before and I greeted her and said "I notice you do the same thing I do,  it adds steps!" We walked together for a bit, and she told me that she didn't like to walk all the way to the end of the road, so she just walked back and forth in that little area.  I had always noticed a closed gate at the very end of the road and since there is a steep drop off to a draw between the hills, all you can see of the house is the metal roof. The home has been there for a couple of years, and I always wondered if it was a weekend home or if anyone was ever there.  The gate is always closed and  sometimes locked and I had never seen anyone until that day.  As we walked she also told me that she usually walks in town with her husband, but he had gone to work early so she just decided to walk there by the house.

Every day I would see that gate and wonder about the house down the hill.  Often when we take our granddaughters on golf cart rides to the end of the road they would ask who lived down the hill.  I never had the answer.  As I chatted briefly with the lady on the road, I told her that we live in the first house as you enter from the highway.  She shared that they really didn't know many people on the road, they just pretty much stay at their house.  Just from our short chat she invited me to bring the girls sometime on down the hill, "we have a fun hiking trail around the house that I think they would like".  

Along our road there are probably about 15 homes, possibly a few more that you really can't see from the road.  There are winding driveways and locked gates that may just lead to empty acreage.  I walk along that road nearly every day, and I always see something new.  I anticipate seeing the deer, I know which homes have barking dogs and sometimes I give a wave to someone driving by.  Every now and then something unexpected comes along, like another person walking in a zigzag pattern that was thrilled to chat for just a few minutes.

As we journey through the Advent season, instead of anticipating what I know will come, this year I'm keeping my eyes open for the unexpected.  Ways to form habits of reaching out to people and making connections.  Not just 'for the season' but building relationships that last and are nurtured by caring and love.    I live in the first house on the road and my new friend lives on the very last house on the road - so many stories and opportunities lie in between. If it hadn't been for a simple zigzag walk at that very moment our paths may not have crossed. Who or what will cross your path today?

I know lots of twists and turns are coming over the next few weeks.  I also know that a great Light shines brightly to guide the way.  

Psalm 25:8-12 The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray. He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way. The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his commands. For the honor of your name, O Lord, forgive me my many sins. Who are those who fear the Lord? He will show them the path they should choose. NLT

Prayer focus for today: Your neighbors.  As you walk/drive by homes on your way to your own, pray for those who live there.  We have become a world that keeps to ourselves, and shelter our houses with gates and shutters.  How many of you know the names of your neighbors? Do you know their family members and the things they face in their lives?  Growing up I knew everyone on our block, and all of the adults knew the names of the children too.  We were a family of sorts.  Some we knew better than others, but we were all neighbors and cared for one another.  Pray for your neighbors today and maybe even meet a new one!

Anticipation - what's coming?

Yesterday as I sat in worship and listened to the guest speaker, I was touched by the young woman's words and I pondered something she said all day.  At nearly 60 years old I have experienced many Advent seasons, many special church services and I know the routine of what is to come in the church calendar year.  So why do I get excited and just as thrilled each time Advent rolls around? It was a comment she made that resonated with me - putting myself back in the time scripture was written, trying to imagine the people it was spoken and written to originally. They were waiting for a messiah, they didn't know what form he would take.  They had ideas in their minds, but still they didn't know.  There was hope, there was wonder, and there was faith.

I know the end of the story. I know who Jesus is and what he has done for my life and the lives of countless others.  Am I still waiting for the promise of peace, trust, love and forgiveness?  Absolutely! Even though I know, I still wait in anticipation of his second coming.  His fulfillment of God's plan for all of us. I know there are skeptics, and even some of you reading this may think "that is all well and good, I love the good 'feels' but look at our world?  There is no invisible Savior that is going to change things.  It's just how things are and people are the only thing that will change the world."  Put yourself back in those early days - don't you think the people the prophets were speaking to thought the same things? They experienced oppression, slavery, hunger, disease, perversion and all of the things we still see today.   Yet many of them kept looking, kept watching and kept believing that their messiah would come.  They had that trust and faith that someday good would win.  

That is what I anticipate each year when Advent comes around.  I still trust and believe that good will win.  I read the ancient text and try to put myself back there, not knowing but still believing that things will be different.  It can be hard to do that when you are already a believer.  I also looked around the sanctuary yesterday and wondered how many people were sitting there thinking "oh, all the pretty decorations will be up soon, the choir cantata is in a couple of weeks, I have decided on my extra giving for the season,  I love it when the manger scene is up there on the altar area"...... those things are Advent for many people. While I grew up with the traditions of all of those things, and I still choose to worship in a place that enjoys them, that is not what I'm waiting for.  The anticipation of peace, true acceptance and love is what I am waiting for.   Some of you may also be stifling a chuckle or full on belly laugh when you know that I am a Christmas decorating fanatic.  Here is a little glimpse into the weird person that I am:  my Christmas decor and my approach to Advent are two very different things.  I surround myself and adorn my home with items that are sentimental and treasured.  My prayers and thoughts/actions about Advent are something else entirely.  I prefer to sit in a dark place, with perhaps a candle, or out walking, away from noise and all distraction and connect with my God.  I deeply ponder how I can be different as I journey through Advent.  I anticipate the change in my life as I wait for my Messiah - as I wait for pain, suffering, disease, poverty and despair to end.  I get excited about the secular aspect of what we celebrate at Christmas.  But my soul longs for the beauty and simplicity of Advent.  I treasure connecting with the words of ancient Scripture that still bring life to me today.

So what is coming?  We may think we know, we put our spin on it and have the next few weeks all planned out.  My challenge to you today - put yourself in the place of those hearing the words of Isaiah for the first time.  Imagine what it would feel like to have that kind of hope and truly believe it will happen.  I still believe........ I wait.

Isaiah 11:1-10 Out of the stump of David's family will grow a shoot - yes, a new Branch bearing fruit from the old root. And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of wise counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.  He will delight in obeying the Lord. He will not judge by the appearance nor make decision based on hearsay. He will give justice to the poor and make fair decisions for the exploited. The earth will shake at the force of his word and one breath from his mouth will destroy the wicked. He will wear righteousness  like a belt and truth like an undergarment. In that day the  wolf and lamb will live together, the leopard will lie down with the baby goat.  The calf and the  yearling will be safe with the lion, and a little child will lead them all.  The cow will graze near the bear. The cub and the calf will  lie down together. The lion will eat hay like a cow. The baby will play safely near the hole of a cobra. Yes, a little child will put its hand in the nest of deadly snakes without harm. Nothing will hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain, for as the waters fill the sea, so the earth will be filled with people who know the Lord.  In that day the heir to David's throne will be a banner of salvation to all the world. The nations will rally to him, and the land where he lives will be a glorious place. NLT

Prayer for today:  Victims of human trafficking.   This is a HUGE problem in the United States, and Houston, TX has become a top location in the world for this practice.  We can't sweep it under the rug, inform yourself so that you know what to look for.   Here is a site (one of many) where you can learn more. It's not just dark alleys and immigrants - it's our young teens, small town boys and girls and your neighbor.  Be informed, and pray!

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oese/oshs/factsheet.html   

An Advent Journey Week One - Anticipation

Every year when I was a kid the goodies started to arrive shortly after Thanksgiving.  My mom worked in a title company and back in the day it was common practice for lots of 'gift giving' between businesses.  There were gifts from the realtors, gifts back and forth between the banks, insurance agencies and other companies in town.  One of the best gifts was a box of chocolates from See's Candies.  Now I am not a big chocolate lover, but there was something about opening those boxes and seeing all of the different shapes nestled in their own little compartments that was exciting! I do love caramel though and   I thought I knew which ones were the caramels by the shape - but one time I bit into what I thought was a caramel and instead got some yucky super sweet fruity nougat thing!  I knew I didn't want that to happen again, so I came up with a solution, I turned each one over and gently poked my little fingers into the bottom of the candies to find the caramels.  No one would know, right? I got in a little trouble over that one!

                                                  

Waiting was part of the fun.  I knew each year about the same time that fun stuff would start to arrive at our house, those business gifts.  Mom would often let me open the box for the first time, before the finger poking episode, and choose the first chocolate. It's so exciting to get that first peek.  This year I want to experience Advent as an exciting adventure, starting with the anticipation of what is to come. I want to open the 'box' of this season and see all of the wonders, the variety of experiences and the unexpected when we think we know what is coming but we are totally surprised.  

Sometimes really unexpected things come along with the good.  Just like those square chocolates, that I thought were caramel, things may not be as they appear.  This year open your eyes to the unexpected.  Look a little deeper at things and explore what it may mean for you.  In our world of fake news, rapidly spreading information and hoaxes galore search for the truth.  Don't just take things at the first glimpse, dig a little deeper for real knowledge and understanding.  Value the opinions of others, yet examine them and form your own opinions. Follow your belief and then be able to express why it is your belief.  Do all of this with love ~ anticipate growth this Advent season, a broadening of your understanding in all areas.

Anticipation can be troubling.  It may bring on anxiety, doubt, fear.  It can also be exhilarating!  How will you approach this Advent season?  

Let's journey together!

Psalm 25:4-5 Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow. Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in you. NLT

Prayer focus for today:  children and adults in slavery.  Yes, slavery is still a huge problem in our world. One of the biggest areas of slavery is in the chocolate industry.  Before you buy this year be informed!

http://www.thegoodtrade.com/features/fair-trade-chocolate

http://fairtradeusa.org/products-partners/cocoa

https://www.facebook.com/Slave-Free-Chocolate-185449184662/?fref=ts

A Wonderful Dead End

I don't have a fancy gym membership, my gym is a dead end country road. I zigzag walk that road nearly every day for 2-2.5 miles.  We live in a subdivided area that consists of 3-5 acre tracts.  However, it is mostly undeveloped so it doesn't 'feel' like a subdivision.  There is an interesting variety of homes on our road. From modest 1970's ranch styles (like ours) to mid sized new construction all the way up to beautiful mega homes.  There are young families, singles, empty-nesters, widows and retirees living along our road. We are as diverse as the homes! The land is mostly wooded in cedar with some oaks and other hardwoods mixed in. There is evidence of deer, hogs, raccoons, opossums and other animals along the way. Dogs, cats and horses too. 

As I was walking and praying/thinking this morning I mulled a lot of random things over in my mind.  I thought of friendships that I have and what causes those relationships to endure.  Some from many years ago, others that are new and developing.  I love my friends. I walk by this sign every day and it reminds me about the good people that are in this world. Friends that go the extra mile and even after they are gone are deeply missed and loved.

I walk down this rocky side road each day and think of the bumps and obstacles that I have encountered in my 59 years.  Sometimes the road is slippery, always rocky, but  it makes me pay attention to where I step and how I proceed. Though you can't tell in the picture, it is also a hill. So it can be a strain at times to walk up and down that hill, especially when wet. When that is the case I am even more aware and careful.  But I still travel on that rocky road.

Sometimes when I walk the view is open and and beautiful, like today.  Other days the fog rolls across the hills and the beauty of the area is obscured or even totally hidden.  Yet I know it is there.   Most days I see 20-30 deer on my walk including a beautiful 8 point buck. Other days I don't see even one - but again, I know they are there, so I always watch for their appearance.

My faith is the cornerstone in  my life.  I encounter hard times, happy times, sad times and really frustrating times.  My faith is always there.  I have gone through periods where I wonder why God seems so distant or silent, then I realize it is me who has pulled away. We have all been experiencing one of the most difficult times in our country.  I have friends that are showing behaviors that astonish me- from BOTH sides of the political aisle!  I have really good friends who believe very differently than I do.  They are still my friends.  I have had times when things (whether politics, religion, life choices etc) didn't go how I wanted them to but I didn't rant and rave to my friends that made those choices.  Over my 59 years, and voting since I was 18, I have endured terms of leaders that I absolutely and totally disagreed with yet I never spewed some of the venom I am seeing today.  I may have thought it and mulled it over, but never would I put someone down because of the choice they made freely and that is their right.  I may not agree, but to say and do the things that we are seeing now in our country from people I never expected to react in that way hurts my heart more than the issues.

I am seeing comments that people think and believe our world is coming to an end, a dead end that is inevitable. You know what, I have felt many dead ends were inevitable in my life. I thought things would never change, or that choices that others made were so against what I believed that my life would be destroyed.  I sometimes thought that things were hopeless and out of my control.  I have even at times thought about running away so that choices other people made could be avoided and I could just ignore them. What I did (and do) instead is I love.  I love God.  I love my family and my friends even when I disagree with them. I look beyond the things that I disagree or dislike and remind myself of what I love about them, and I hope they do the same for me.  I still help those in need, I still believe in law and order and I will teach my grandchildren how to love and give.  What they choose to do when they are adults is simply that - their choice.  

I may live on a dead end road, but it is a wonderful variety of sights that make it what it is. From home styles, to landscape, and even the cars that are parked in the drives - all different, some I like and some I don't .  I still wave - I smile and we all take care of and respect our little road. I don't berate or talk down about my neighbors choice, because it is theirs. I would never dream of posting a comment like "well our road is RUINED because you painted your trim that color, nothing will ever be the same and it is YOUR fault!" In life my ultimate dead end is the best of all - because I know the promises of God, and I'm thankful, so when I have rants I take them to Him, and I choose love and respect.

Philippians 4:12-13 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.  For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. NLT

Ecclesiastes 3:14-15 And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose is that people should fear him. What is happening now has happened before, and what will happen in the future has happened before, because God makes the same things happen over and over again. NLT

Be a Blessing!

When I started working with Jamberry (Direct Sales, hand and nail care products) I was impressed with the corporate office and how very generous they are.  We often have specialty wraps where a portion of sales goes to various charities. We have given to the Autism Society, Canada Fire Relief, Nepal Earthquake, the Now I Can foundation, the American Heart Association and Breast Cancer causes.  Last year at our annual conference Jamberry announced going a step further and devloping our Brand Values then living and working in those values.  There are so many Direct Sales companies, and I have worked for several. None have compared in the way they 'give back' like Jamberry. 

Since my second month of selling, over 2 1/2 years ago, I have done a fundraiser each month where I donate my commission as a way of giving back.  It is just something I personally chose to do and continue to do.  I have done fundraisers for things like family medical bills for a child with cancer, animal rescue, substance abuse awareness, preemie birth expenses, and women's shelter help.  For the month of November I decided to do something a little different.  I wanted to involved my granddaughters, so I am gathering sponsors for Blessing Bags.  Rather than purchase Jamberry products and a portion go to the cause, I'm simply asking for donations of $25 to sponsor a Blessing Bag.  The recipients of the bags will be the Alzheimer's & Dementia resident patients of Morning Star Memory Care here in my home town.  I spoke with the staff and they suggested things like word search books, pencils, simple puzzles, large print playing cards, tissues, etc.  As my portion I will also put in our Nourish hand lotion. It is great for men or women and that is my contribution to the bag.  By sponsoring a bag you can help me fill them up with lots of goodies to bless those residents.  My granddaughters will help fill the bags and also help me deliver them.  Should I gather enough sponsors my next plan is to take bags to another dementia unit at a local nursing home.  I chose this group of people because for the last few years of my mom's life she suffered from Parkinson's related dementia.  Though she didn't live here, she was a resident of a wonderful care facility and I know that small gestures and gifts like these made all the difference to her and the other residents.

I plan to deliver these bags before Thanksgiving, so I would like my sponsors to 'give' by November 15.  If you are local to Fredericksburg and would like to write a small note to include in a bag I would love that too!  I will update with pictures and the progress of my Blessing Bag project. If you aren't interested, please pass along to someone who may want to help.

To sponsor a Blessing Bag (or two!) you can send via PayPal, friends and family to koplin57@gmail.com  Make a notation: Blessing Bag and your name so I can thank you!

To arrange other payment options please email me at that same address listed with Blessing Bag in the subject line.

Why I work for Jamberry:

How do you view thankfulness?

It's November.  Soon we will start to see social media posts flooded with people stating what they are thankful for.  It's kind of like the annual "give to the local charity, help out and check my generosity box for the year".  I think by taking the month of November and stating something you are thankful for each day can be a good practice, but why limit it to November?  When I saw this graphic it jumped right at my heart:

Yikes!  Take a moment to really digest that..... what DID you thank God for yesterday? In our world of instant gratification and things often coming so easily to us I know I forget to thank God for things sometimes. But I will say that when I started the simplification journey, about 18 months ago, I became more aware of thankfulness.  I am still working on that process, and I may stall for weeks at a time, but when I get back to it my soul is refreshed.  I find that fewer 'things' are important to me, and my thankfulness meter goes way up when I am less distracted by material things.  It's hard to do that though when so much emphasis is put on what we possess.

I don't fault any of you that will post those "I'm thankful for" comments all month long.  I have kept journals and diaries since I was a young girl, and my thankful for comments (along with my gripes, and rants) are recorded regularly.  I don't tell you that as if I'm holding up a badge, I only say that because being thankful is a behavior that can be learned.  It takes practice and repetition.  I think I have shared before that a few years ago when I was in a deep depression I still wrote in my journals, but they were dark and brooding entries.  I made myself start a 'joy journal'.  I committed to only writing things that I was thankful for in that specific journal.  The early entries were things like "I'm thankful for a home with A/C on a hot day", "Plenty of food in our refrigerator", "A washing machine to do our laundry" etc. As I continued day to day to write those things down, things that I basically took for granted, I realized those were things that many people do not have. It didn't take long and my joy journal had longer entries and I was being thankful for many things instead of focusing on my depression.  For me, that joy journal helped me to be aware of thankfulness at all times, not just the month of November.

So think about that quote again: What if you woke up today with only the things you thanked God for yesterday?  

Psalm 107:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. NLT

When is the last time you played?

Last year at a women's retreat that I was speaking at we did something a little different.  I have been meeting with these women, off and on, for over 20 years.  We try to have an annual retreat that includes relaxing, Bible study, more relaxing, sharing, cooking, eating etc.  I totally took them by surprise one day when I said "Today we are simply going to PLAY!"   In looking around that room of 50-60 year old women, several said "we play, a lot". I wasn't talking about playing with the grandkids, which of course is play and is important, but real play simply for the fun of it.

The highlight of our day was a mystery trip to go bowling!  Many of us hadn't bowled in many years. Some had gone with kids and grand kids, but on that day it was all about us. We laughed, we bowled badly, but a few got their form back and wowed the crowd. I'm sure others in that building were wondering what was up with those 10 women that went crazy if we simply got the ball down the lane and not in the gutter. We had such fun!  A couple of hours later, with some aching backs, we laughed all the way back to the retreat location. The rest of that day we played games like Catch Phrase, Celebrity, we colored, we sang and danced...... it was truly a day of play.  As you can imagine, in a group of 10 women at our age, we all had things going on in our lives.  There were children and family members battling cancer or other illness, long term medical care issues, financial worries, declining personal health, grief and more.  Did a day of play make those things go away, or lessen their presence in our lives?  No, but it also didn't kill us to laugh! By taking a bit of time to nurture that need for joy in our lives we actually were strengthening our inner self to be able to go back to all of the things we were facing.  Some of the comments after that day of play: "I haven't laughed that hard in so very long, it felt good!" "I should do this more often, I really feel better".  "Why don't we just play more often?"

I've been thinking about that day of play a lot lately.  Imagine how we could bless someone that is struggling if we invite them to just play for awhile?  It doesn't mean you don't care, or that you are making light of whatever situation is being faced, but the value in stopping for awhile and simply being frivolous is healing in its own right.  

For several years I went on 3-4 campouts a year with an all women's camping group. These outings were truly all about play.  Some were simply relaxing times away, with other women that hook up and haul a trailer (large or small) and have some fun.  Others included elaborate party themes, complete with costume dress up and parties.  Play.  When I first joined that group it was during a difficult time in life for our family, worry about our adult daughter and nothing we could really do about it.  To just take a few days away to laugh, share and have fun made those times a bit easier.  Did it make the problem go away? No. Did it mean I didn't care because I was off having fun?  Absolutely not.  But each time I returned from one of those campouts it was like the day was a bit brighter and hope was restored, at least for awhile.    I miss those campouts, and the fellowship with women.  I haven't made it a priority to attend one in a long time. The sharing of our lives and realizing that all of us battle things is a bond that is hard to break. When we play together and pray for one another the load is somehow lightened.

I've been neglecting play lately, and I think that is why it is so heavy on my mind.  Just like all of you we face financial worries (now our 19 year old furnace needs to be replaced), we have medical issues for several family members and as always we wonder what tomorrow will bring.  I hope you will join me in adding some play back into your life.  Not just playing with the 'littles' in your family, though that is great and important, but play for you.  Do it for yourself and you just might be surprised at how good it feels.