HEART'S CRY

Honestly, I've written a dozen personal mission statements and have been part of the process of creating them for groups and businesses. They have been mostly words.  Words on a template. I'm trying to rework my own right now. For continuing education, for independent contracting and for my resume.  Writing a mission seems a mission impossible at the moment. In fact, someone asked me the other day, "What do you do now?"  It is sometimes difficult to understand a mission outside of a job. As a culture, we want boxes, silos and job descriptions.  I've never been put easily put in a box.   So, why am I trying to put myself in one now? True to nature, I am successfully complicating it.  I have worked through Dan Miller's template to a mission statement in addition to googling, reading and finally asking my wise husband. Him:  "What are you all about?" Me:     Pfff "What am I not about?" (Yes, with attitude as I gi...

" “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.   Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.   If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?     So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’   For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.     But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.   Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:28-34

So many hurting hearts in our midst.  A downcast face, tear filled eyes, slumped shame laden shoulders and isolated cries.  Heavy burdens. Wounded and brokenness can breed bitterness and disable us with a victim mentality.  Wounded and brokenness can bring the release of surrender and freedom.  Isolation within or the connection of a perfect heavenly Father.  Powerlessness or personal choice. I choose Him.  This wounded heart cries for the hidden refuge and the safe hands of my God.   I want to fix.  He says release. I want to punish.  He says to forgive. I want to pound my fist against injustice and oppression.  He says vengeance is His. I could write out a long list of why I have the right to be angry.  I could spend hours relating the wrongs done.  I could disassociate or run away.  Disconnect or distract.  Or I can make a choice.  Lie or be truthful.  A choice to connect to th...

 One of my boys texted a question to me late last night.  (He forgets I'm old and go to bed early, but a joy to wake up to!)  "What did you learn today?" he asked. My mind automatically tip toes through time to three little boys who were always on the go and ready to learn.  Sometimes their learning was quiet, and sometimes not so much.   "What's this?" "Why?" "Why does the moon follow us?" "Why can't we have TV?  I don't want to be a troglodyte."  (I had to look that word up.)  Some of our learning as a family was extremely difficult, for all of us.   I loved walking by the lake or the nature trail exploring.  (Actually, me trying to keep up with them.)  Learning together and coming home with baggies of treasure of leaves, grasses and rocks.  Some of my favorite things. Now?  I am still following three boys, trying to keep up and learning along the way. So, what did I learn today? I learned today: ...

Perfectionism is a curse.   A curse to individuals and families.  We tend to strive to protect our sense of perfection to safely tuck our perfect family within.  To focus on what we want to see or hope to see, instead of what is. Families are not perfect.  The fact is, we pass along generational curses and tendencies as easy as "passing the potatoes" at dinner.    Especially if we are so protective and defensive, that we will not see our own fears and issues.  We adopt a sense a pride that we are not like "they were" in relation to our own parents without adopting the humility to see our own pain.   The reality we don't see, but our children experience is what we pass down the family tree.  We puff up with pride.  How do we know we are too proud to humbly learn?  Here are some questions to ask: Are we still blaming our parents?  Being aware is one thing, blame is us not taking responsibility....

My Meditation of Joy  Filled with the urgent Chasing the trivial Driven by the emergent Longing for the simple Searching for sanity Away from the broken Within a spiritual reality  Lies a desire unspoken Seeking a salve for healing A time to be set free His Word is revealing The fruit of joy birthed within me  Escape does not bring joy.  Chasing happiness, entertainment and recreation cannot restore. Working harder.  Doing more.  Being more.  Having more or having it all is a lie once bought.  Looking within ourselves deadens, and without indebts. Pursuing joy.   Not from within or without.  Pursing joy from Him.  His joy!  Being with Him.  Seeking Him.  Acknowledging Him.  Delighting in Him and in His creation.   Completely fulfilled and made whole in Him! Sprios Zodhiates' defines joy in this way, "Blessed, possessing the favor of God, that state...

Some of my beautiful hostas were shredded in a recent hail storm.  They were going to be beautiful this year because of the timely moisture and their maturity.  I was so sad and I had decisions to make. Would it be best to cut the broken stems and leaves, or leave them be?   Ugly and tattered?   Even the new ones that had one single empty stem now?   Did they have any value left? "I can't cut you," I say out loud.  "You need what you have left to gather energy and nutrients to restore your roots."  After consulting the oracle, (google) I found I was right. (I always wonder what my neighbors think after I stand over my plants conversing with them over tough decisions. lol)  They may not be pretty or very functioning this summer.  On the other hand,  if they stay and wait and absorb, they will become strong once more. God is so good to me!  He speaks to my heart through a language I can unde...

Moms, stand as a hedge between your kids and the "what's in it for me" rush in our culture!  The best gift we can give our kids, is the gift of knowing it is not all about them. Because, (wait for it) it is not all about them. How can it not be, when they are the most amazing and cherished children in the world?  At least mine are the most amazing.  Loving my three boys has been the best part of my life.  Right behind  my husband and God. I would love to say I faithfully kept these priorities throughout their lives and I never obsessed over or stressed them out with my "loving."  Or that work or helping someone else didn't ever come before them all at times. Reality is, sometimes it is easier to make life all about them.   Or is making it all about them really about making it all about me? It is so easy to do.   And so important not to to do. If I could pass any words of wisdom to Moms raising young child...

Growth mindset is all about learning from mistakes and adversity.   John Maxwell states, "Those who profit from adversity possess a spirit of humility and are therefore inclined to make the necessary changes needed to learn from their mistakes, failures, and losses.  They stand in stark contrast to prideful people who are unwilling to allow adversity to be their teacher and as a result fail to learn." (Maxwell, John "Sometimes you Win Sometimes You Learn," P. 19) I've been mulling this over all day.  Adversity can only profit me if I set aside pride and defenses.  If I puff out my chest to defend my rights, I lose?  I think I get it, when I can see it in myself.   When I'm looking.  Does this make sense?  I don't want to be an arrogant and prideful person.   However, do I truly see as I am?  Am I seeking God's and others' insight to the evidence of pride in my life?   Dr. Maxwell says the impact of pride on on...

Moving from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset is a huge paradigm shift for me.  More importantly, I am focusing on growth instead of goals.   This has been a personal and daily journey for me. What have I learned today?   Have I grown today?  What does learning look like? To me. A path?  A journey? Puzzle?  A Labyrinth! Walking the path God has set before me.  Knowing what is in today.  Following God for tomorrow.   Trusting.  Learning. Trying the path, evaluating and trying again.  Connecting.  Linking.

A track running straight and true through the sandhills of Nebraska.  I stood at this crossing and looked as far as I could to the East and as far as I could to the West.   My mind is big picture so keeping it focused on one track is a struggle.   The vast sky, the open plains and sense of eternity fills my being with creativity and a desire to explore. Some may say this place is boring, monotonous and mundane.   A train crosses grass covered desert on its well-worn track.   As an ant running back and forth across its footpath to carry its stores to the cache. To me, it communicates a whole heart committed to the path laid before it.  It is the cry of my heart for this summer.   To find my track and to simply travel down it.   I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the  LORD. They will be my people, and I will be their  God, for they will return to me with all their heart.  ...

I have been traveling and back and forth between time zones this week.  I woke up today in Central Time and will be going home to Mountain.  My brain has had to shift to figure out if I'm early for a conference or late.  I giggled to myself, "I'm in between times. Without a time. I am going to have to get used to this."  Then, I'm speechless.  How true this is. My brain is trying to function on one time, while my heart is locked on another.   God has such a way of speaking truth to my heart.  My brain always follows my heart.  My heart cries out to Him in all of its mess and glory and truth.  My brain gets caught up in the day to day distractions.    I am truly in between times.   Between now and then.  Between temporary and eternal.  My heart is wide open even if my brain still stuck on time. I hope this is as encouraging for you this morning as it is for me.   We are between times...