DREAM ON

Early in our marriage Bruce and I made a bold move to the state of Washington that we expected to last for many years. However, we were surprised to discover that our plans were not necessarily what God had in mind. When the life that we sought after crumbled, we were left homeless. So we turned to our family and headed back to California. We had two small children and had no idea what the future held. It didn’t seem reasonable for us to live with family members for long because they didn’t have room for us.

As I was seeking guidance from the Lord, I was prompted to call on an old friend of mine who was also going through a difficult time in her life. She lived in a large home with her four children and unfortunately, she found herself going through the dark valley of divorce. I sensed that we would be able to encourage one another during this transitional time in our lives. So I asked her if we could move in with her. She said yes. And so Bruce, myself, and our two kids moved into her finished two-car garage. In return for our housing, Bruce remodeled a couple of her bathrooms and we babysat her kids while she went back to school to get her teaching credential. Practically, it was a win-win situation for both of us. Spiritually, God met us in some very deep and healing ways through many long nights of deep conversation. I look on that time of my life with great appreciation.

Eventually we moved on but I remember saying to God that when I got older that I would like to help young couples get started in life. It wasn’t until recently that God reminded me of that prayer and opened my eyes to see that God was listening to my heart.

Now we live in Washington again and we have been given the gift of a little piece of land to live on. When my son Zachary and his wife Erika decided to move up here as well, Bruce and Zach put their building skills to work and transformed a section of our barn into a guesthouse. It is really quite nice. After living there for a year they decided to buy a house close by and God brought another young couple to our doorstep.

Liz and Drew took up residence in the guesthouse while they completed construction on a house that they had purchased. Before they moved in I really didn’t know them at all and now they have become close friends. It was great fun to watch them realize their dreams as they worked on their own home. They were with us for about eighteen months.

On May 15,2010, my youngest daughter Marianne was married to Michael Wallace on our property. It was a beautiful outdoor wedding and they were surrounded by God’s natural touch through creation. The weather was perfect on that day in between rainstorms that lasted for weeks on end. They took up residence in the guesthouse and set to dreaming about their life together. And before long they decided to move to Bend Oregon. 

Around this same time, Zach and Erika, with our grandson Noah, made the decision to move back to California. Their dream was to live at the beach and now they do. Saying goodbye was very hard to do but I am so happy for them and how God has led them along the way.

So in a matter of weeks Bruce and I found ourselves living alone. We spent the winter months together and it was a refreshing time. And then last spring a close friend of mine found herself in a troubling time. She was faced with the task of moving and was not sure of how she was going to find a living situation that would meet the needs of her and her children. So as Bruce and I sought the Lord on this matter and we felt led to open our home to her. She is now living with us along with three of her children and they are a great blessing to us.

 On September 25, 2011, my daughter Emily married Ryan Keith and they have dreams of being full time musicians. They are both very talented and I have no doubt that they will bring beautiful music to the world throughout their lives. So to get started, they have moved into the guesthouse and Bruce and Ryan are building a recording studio on the property.

All of these young couples and my friend and her family have enriched my life beyond measure. I am a blessed woman.

Life is a great adventure! It is such great fun to see the work of God in the lives of others. When Bruce and I moved to this little piece of land we walk the perimeter of the property and stopped to pray for God’s peace and blessing to be upon the land and anyone whom God brought here. What a joy it is to see that unfold.

Let It Be

A few weeks ago I was sitting in church and my mind began to drift to the coming season of advent. I was reflecting on the moment when a young teenage woman, Mary, received the message that she would become the mother of God. Then my thoughts turned to a song that I have listened to since I was a young teenage woman many years ago.

The inspiration for the lyrics to this song came from a dream that the poet had. His name is Paul McCartney and he was in a revolutionary band of sixties and seventies. The Beatles were a group of friends who combined their talents to produce some great music that as a child of the sixties and seventies I have enjoyed over the years. Toward the end of their time together tensions arose amongst them as they were growing as artists. They were finding the band to be confining to their individual expression. During this time, Paul had a dream and in this dream his mother whose name was Mary appeared to him and they had a conversation. His mother told him “It will be alright, just let it be.”

This dream led Paul to write the song Let It Be. Over the past forty years, I have listened to that song and always thought that it was inspired by Mary, the mother of Jesus. The message that this song brings to me is one of faith. Faith to believe that in the midst of trouble and darkness there will be an answer.

Mary of Nazareth, when visited by the angel Gabriel, was troubled and frightened. Mary’s life changed forever at the moment of this announcement. She would be given the gift of caring for and loving Jesus from his conception until the bitter end of his life on earth. It is interesting that the name Mary actually means “bitter.” Because Mary was given this great privilege from God to raise Jesus, the bible tells us that, for all time she would be called “blessed.”

After Mary receives clarification from the angel as to how all this is going to occur, her beautiful response is one of complete surrender and trust. She says to Gabriel, “Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.”

 Mary said YES to God!

Gabriel did not tell her the details of the future. He did not tell her that she would be in danger because there would be forces seeking to end the life of her child. He didn’t mention that she would have to travel a long distance while pregnant. He didn’t tell her that when she arrived at her destination, exhausted and ready to give birth that there wouldn’t be anyplace for her to stay and that she would be forced to deliver her child in a filthy, stinky stable.

Gabriel also failed to mention that she would see some amazing things during the course of Jesus’ life. She saw Jesus grow into a man. She was there when he began to astound the scholars of his time. She was there and witnessed his many miracles and healings. She was a woman that was truly blessed with great joy and great sorrow.

I find it interesting that Gabriel did not ask Mary if she wanted this gift of being Jesus’ mother, instead he announced to her that this is what was to come. What would have happened if Mary had said no? I think that her resistance to the call of God would have caused her much grief. Jesus would have still been born but Mary would have missed the blessing God had for her.

When I consider my own life I can see how easy it is for me to resist God in times of trouble. I want out of my suffering. I think that this is a very human response and that is what makes Mary’s ability to surrender and trust so extraordinary. I have found that resisting what God brings to us does not change the circumstance. However, what does change is how we walk through those dark valleys. If we can surrender to God and trust that God is with us, we can find peace in the midst of very trying times.

The song Let It Be has three main messages that speak to me in a prophetic way.

• Speaking words of wisdom – Mary’s surrender and trust in God when she proclaimed the words, “Let it be to me according to your word.”

• There will be an answer – The answer is Jesus!

• There is still a light that shines on me, shine until tomorrow – Jesus is the light of the world that will shine on us all forever!

I pray that as I continue to walk through my life that I will be able to say YES to God in whatever circumstances I find myself in whether they come with great joy or great sorrow. I pray this for you as well.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Occupy Whoville

Last night, before I went to sleep I started reading the autobiography of Nelson Mandela. I have been meaning to read his story for a long time. He has lived an extraordinary life and I know that I have much to learn from his journey. His life began in simplicity. He came from a large family with very little material wealth. However, as a boy growing up in a small village in Africa, God was filling Nelson’s heart with a great abundance of life that money and possessions cannot give to a person. God gave Nelson eyes to see the world around him and appreciate the gift of God’s creation. This good beginning was a catalyst to the calling that was on his life.

This morning as I was lying in bed listening for the voice of God, How the Grinch Stole Christmas popped into my head. I lay there thinking about that story and I began to see how this story mirrors what is happening in our country right now. 

Cast of Characters

Grinch – played by the 1%

The people of Whoville – 99%

The Grinch was a very unhappy creature and was suffering from a heart that was too small. In his attempt to make himself feel better, he inflicted pain and suffering on the people of Whoville by stealing from them. He thought that maybe if he used his power to push them down and oppress them by taking away Christmas, then they would be as miserable as he was. The Grinch, in his warped and twisted mind thought that the way to find peace was by having more than his share. So he set out to rob everyone in town of their happiness.

The shocking ending to this story is how, the now, poor and oppressed people of Whoville responded to the Grinch’s greed. Instead of starting a war with the Grinch, they chose to come out into the town square and gather in peace and love as a community in solidarity. It was this love that they shared with one another that finally created change in the mind of the Grinch and ultimately enlarged his heart. He was transformed by the love that the people of Whoville gave to one another.

I pray that as the people of our nation and our world come out into the streets and join together in solidarity that the hearts of the 1% will be opened and we will witness a miracle.

This morning as I was pouring myself a cup of coffee, I asked God to give me hope. Part of my morning ritual is studying the Bible and lately I have been studying the book of Romans. My passage reading for today was the following:

Romans 15:1-6

We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.  Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.  For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written: “The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.” For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures and the encouragement they provide we might have hope. May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord, I pray that you will give those who are strong and have much a heart of compassion and generosity to those who are weak and poor. May we as a community seek to build one another up. God, I pray for you to fill us with hope. Enlarge our hearts and give us your eyes to see one another as you see us.

Changes

Life is made up of a series of changes.  To be alive is to be in a continual process of transformation. So why, as human beings do we resist change when it comes to us?

I had the great joy to spend the past week visiting my son, his wife, and my grandson who, after living in our house for a year, moved to California to pursue their dream of living at the beach. Living with Noah (my grandson) was so much fun. Watching him grow and interacting with him on a daily basis brought life to me so it was a big change when they moved away. I remember when my own children were young and our parents would come for a visit how hard it was for them to say goodbye. I thought that they were a bit melodramatic when it was time to leave because it always brought them to tears. But yesterday when I knelt down to give Noah a kiss and hug goodbye I was swept away with emotion. Now I understand the deep love and connection that grandparents feel toward their grandchildren. In my heart I know that this change is good and right but it still hurts.

During this trip to California, my daughter, Emily, was united in marriage.  She and her husband, Ryan, committed their lives to one another at the beach where my son Zach and his family now live. If they had not moved to this beach, chances are Emily and Ryan would not have been married there. It was a perfect day and as the sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean, Emily and Ryan pledged their love and devotion to one another. What a grand celebration it was to witness my daughter so happy and filled with love. At the reception, we had a time to speak a blessing over Emily and Ryan. My mother offered a blessing to both of them as they began their new life together.  My mother was given the gift of watching their love blossom and grow from its inception. This is because Emily has been living with my mom for the past four years since the death of my dad. My parents had been married for fifty-two years when my dad died so this change was enormous for my mom. Emily coming to live with her was truly a gift from God to ease the pain and loss that she was experiencing. Change is painful when love runs deep. My mom’s love for Emily is deep and losing her to Ryan is good and right but it still hurts.

Life moves forward and change will always come. Zach’s wife, Erika, announced that she was pregnant while we were there. So our second grandchild is being formed in their mother’s womb. The anticipation of who this person will be brings me a sense of wonder. I already have love in my heart for this little one and they are only about the size of a peanut.  I look forward to the day that we will meet face to face.

Letting go is what change is all about. We have to let go of what is so that we can make space for what is to come. When we arrived home last night we were faced with another slight change. A few years ago, our daughter, Marianne, adopted three ducks that a friend of hers was giving away. My husband, Bruce, loves animals and became their caretaker. He always names his animals and has quite a relationship with them. This has brought life to everyone else who lives here. About a year ago one of our ducks escaped from the safety of their pen and our dog Rusty killed her. It was a sad day. Last night history repeated itself and another duck had fallen into the jaws of Rusty. When we got to the duck she was very wounded and we knew that it was time to let her go. It was so sad to see her downcast head as she struggled to breath. So with compassion in his heart, Bruce put her out of her misery. Ducks are social creatures and now we only have one duck so it is time to let her go as well. Our local feed store will find her a new home. The era of the ducks is over.

Everything that is alive will someday die. But without death there is no resurrection. As we learn to accept change in our lives and let go, we make room for new growth. Love is what makes change so difficult. When we love something or someone we do not want to let go. The deeper the love the more difficult the letting go becomes. Our hope rests in knowing that resurrection awaits!

God give us the strength to embrace change rather than resist change believing that new life will come.

The Beauty of the Ordinary

     

Today is the 4th anniversary of this blog and so I decided to celebrate by sharing my first post. So if you missed it the first time around, enjoy!

     I have been a bird watcher for many years. They are such beautiful and interesting creatures. I envy their ability to fly from place to place and explore the earth with such ease and grace. A bird’s eye view is having a grand view from on high. As I look out my window, I see birds lighting on the very tips of the pine trees that line my driveway. This gives them a 360-degree view of their surroundings. I sometimes think that they are looking for the next destination or maybe for something to eat. However, there are other times that I think they are just resting and taking in the spectacular view.

            Since moving to the country a few years back, my husband, Bruce, and I have enjoyed watching the many types of birds that fly over our property. We see and hear flocks of wild Canadian geese, flocks of barn swallows, owls, vultures, bats, and a wide variety of colorful wild birds. But the birds that excite us the most are the eagles and the hawks. Bruce is particularly drawn to red tail hawks. God has used these creatures to speak to him over the years in some very profound and meaningful ways. So much so that he chose the name Red Tail Woodworks for his new business. One day this summer we had a great surprise when our future son-in-law, Ryan, walked into our house carrying a feather he found on our property from a Red Tail hawk. The feather displays the beauty of this bird with its rich rusty color sprinkled with black and white. This was no ordinary feather. Just one single feather displays the majesty of the bird!

     Today is the beginning of my 55^th year on the planet, so after dropping a friend off at school, instead of going home I decided to take a walk on my favorite trail. I feel the presence of God when I am surrounded by creation. As I was walking along the path I noticed a feather on the ground. It was black and quite ordinary as feathers go so I just kept on walking. And as I continued down the path an inner voice said to go back and get that feather. I had a little conversation with myself as to whether I should listen to that voice but decided to see if God had something to say to me so I walked back and retrieved my prize. I remember as a child how much I loved finding feathers. They are so unique in their design. Each feather is one of a kind and yet they are all similar in form. This led me to consider how this is true about people as well. Each person is a unique creation, designed and crafted by the Creator and yet similar in form. Like these two feathers, some, by appearance stand out in the crowd while others are quite ordinary, just like the birds that they came from.

This train of thought led me to consider how I have wanted to be spectacular like the eagle or the hawk and yet I find that I am more like the raven, quite ordinary. As I was pondering these things I thought about how in the human race there are very few individuals that stand out in the crowd and leave a lasting mark in the world that out-lives their own lifetime. It is true that we will be remembered by our family for a generation or two but after that time has passed the memories of our existence will be no more. Of all the billions of people that live throughout time, are some more precious to God than others? Clearly some are more precious to us as human beings. Are some more spectacular than others by virtue of how they look or what they do? Clearly this is part of the condition of the human race. We love to have heroes and celebrities to adore and we find them in all walks of life. So is it wrong for people to stand out in the crowd? The answer of course is no. I am glad that God created eagles and hawks in all of their splendor. I get a thrill out of seeing them soar far above in the azure sky. And just like the birds, I am thankful for the many outstanding human beings that have lived throughout the ages. My heroes are the men and women who have gone before me and given their lives for the good of others. There are far too many to name but two of my favorites are Mother Teresa and Martin Luther King Jr. I am thankful that God has given me living examples of how to give my life away.

Each person is a gift to the world. Everyone has the same Creator whose love is given freely to all. It doesn’t matter whether you are an eagle or a raven; you are a precious gift to the world given by your Creator. There are many more ravens in this world than there are eagles or hawks. Ravens are actually very beautiful birds and considered to be among the world's most intelligent animals, but because of their commonness we tend to overlook them. So let us be glad in who we are and enjoy the abundant variety of people that we share life with on the earth!

Luke 12:24
Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!