Rain

Living in the Northwest, I know that the rain we get throughout the year is what makes the incredible lush, green beauty I love, possible. Still, there are times in the downpours, or even in the drizzling, when the water falling from the sky is just too much! Especially so when there hasn't been much of a summer--when the sun has hardly poked through.


And so it has been in my life...Sometimes the rain comes pelting down so relentlessly that I don't even want to turn on the windshield wipers, so to speak. Sometimes I don't even want to get out the kleenex. I just can't see at all and attempts to uncloud my view, even a little, seem futile. I cry out, "I can't handle this rain anymore! I need the forecast to change!" But the water keeps falling--pittering, pattering, pounding, and splashing in a ceaseless rhythm.


It's a hard place to be! Have you ever been there? Perhaps you are drenched right now too. It's a helpless feeling! Questions resound--"When will my life, when will I, ever not be such a dripping mess?!" God sent a rainbow as a promise to the world that it would never be entirely covered in a flood. Does that promise stand for my heart too? The waters are sure rising high. I feel like I am drowning with no energy left to swim and no shore in sight to head towards. Was there a boat somewhere that I missed?

Well meaning friends or family try to offer a sunny weather forecast with the words "It will get better. We're praying and soon things will change." But what if things aren't getting better any time soon? What if things don't change and the rain keeps coming down? What if there's nothing you or them can do to shut the rain off?


People want to hear that things are going good in your life. They don't want to hear that it's still raining, or that you aren't singing and dancing in the rain or trying to splash in mud puddles. So eventually, one begins to pull back from people entirely. When the weather doesn't change people prefer for you to speak as if it has and to talk of sunshine. That is why I've put off and hesitated to write and send this blog. But I know that there is someone, somewhere out there who has been enduring Washington weather for a long time too. For that one person I bear my soul, my heart, and my struggles with the rain. May you, whoever you are, know that you are not alone. I will be real with you, and you can be real with me.


Here is the one, the only umbrella I am hovering under. Let me share it with you. It is an umbrella of words that I believe God spoke to my heart amidst an incredibly harsh, fierce, downpour when I felt like I was drowning:


"Give Me your fears. It is My job to see to your safety and your needs. Do you hear Me? IT IS MY JOB. DO NOT TAKE THIS WEIGHT, THIS REPONSIBILITY ON YOUR SHOULDERS. Admit that you don't know what you need. I know you are terrified. I know you are exhausted and broken. I know you don't have a clue where to go from here. But please trust Me and put your hand in Mine, even when you are stepping forward into darkness. I promise you that I won't let you fall and that there will be arms to catch you.

I don't want you to have a game plan. I don't want you to have everything all figured out. I don't want you to protect and take care of yourself. If you will just rest, I, your Father and Best Friend, want to and will do all of these things for you. Again, give Me your fears and I will bring My plans to you."

What beautiful words! I'm still in the process of and praying for God to help me believe them--praying that He will help me trust that He will watch out for me and carry me, even when it doesn't feel like it.

If your own heart is breaking, if you are wrestling with confusion, if thunder showers of taxing circumstances are hovering over you, cry out with me to God. Plead with me that we will sense the comfort of His umbrella over us, that we will feel His presence all around us, and that His words will sink into the depths of our hearts in a way that floods us with utter and complete peace. I also invite you to join me in claiming His promise--In John 10:10 He states, "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."

Dear Father, our Healer and Lifegiver, we plead for the abundant life You have promised, not just in heaven but also during our time here on earth. "Abundant"--a word by dictionary synonymous with plentiful, overflowing, and rich. Father, may our quality of life, may our joy not be shrinking or nearly gone. Please manifest Your power on our behalf and fill our lives with passion, zest, and vivaciousness. And may this abundant, overflowing life You've promised, serve as a gripping witness to the world around us, of Your love and power! Father, while we live in this world the rain will continue to come down. But please open our eyes to sparkling emeralds that You are creating in the midst of it all. Thank-You! Amen.

The In Between

In life I have found that there are very low valleys and very high mountains, and then there's the in between. So much of our existence is spent on the middle ground--in transition. If you've ever experienced a dark valley, I'm sure you would agree that it is a welcome relief to reach the middle ground. And perhaps when you were in the valley, God gave you a glimpse of a mountain top view, which resulted in propelling you upward in the first place, with raised hopes and renewed faith. Undoubtedly though, you have discovered as I have, that the middle ground, the in between, has it's own share of difficulties.

That is where I am in life right now--the transition, the journey, the plodding along. It can be absolutely exhausting, confusing, and discouraging. Snapshots from the top of the mountain are quickly fading from my memory and I'm filled with questions as to if there even is a view to keep heading towards. My mind begins to conclude, "Maybe this is as good as it's gonna get, at least here on earth. Maybe I'll never be able to say that I love my job. Maybe I'll never experience an incredible marriage or a love story that gives me chills and takes my breath away. Maybe God's promises about plans beyond my highest hopes and greatest imaginings, only pertain to my future in heaven. And maybe I should be ok with that--after all, at least I have a job now that pays the bills. At least I am surrounded with friends and family who love me, who I can count on, and who bring me joy. At least I'm not in the deep, dark valley anymore!

Perhaps you are in the "in between" too. Perhaps God placed dreams in your mind and hopes in your heart somewhere at one time in a valley. Perhaps they have faded. Perhaps questions prick into your skin, into your soul, like relentless mosquitos. You wonder, "Did I get off track somewhere? Did I misunderstand? Am I chasing rainbows?"

We doctor our own wounds and try to protect ourselves by taking on an indifference towards dreams. Our attitude becomes, "If it happens I'll be surprised, but I don't want to invest a lot of hope because disappointment stings." We conclude, "Maybe I should just be happy with the way things are. Maybe I should settle for good and quit thinking about great."

I've been trying to take on this approach lately. It's definitely easier not to hope or dream. It's definitely easier to be guarded and cynical. But it's not working very well for me. The Author of dreams, the Founder of hope, won't quit tugging on my heart strings! Like annoying pop-ups that surface on your computer that you don't even know how you triggered, He keeps flashing messages like "Don't give up yet" and "Wait and see," in my face. I fight them at first--trying to close each pop-up window, but He is relentless and persistent. And I feel my walls begin to crumble when He says "In the grand scheme of eternity, your life here on earth is only like the blink of childhood. But like any loving parent, I want your childhood to be fabulous! I want to make your face light up, see you experience new things, hear your laughter, and fill each of your days with fun, beautiful, wonderful memories! I don't want your childhood to just be good--I want it to be great!! Dream again. Please, please dream again!"

So I lift my gaze towards the mountain peak once more. The trail ahead looks long, steep and hard. But my Father and Best Friend tells me that I won't regret following when I see the view. He also tells me that He will be with me each step of the way, He will carry me when I need Him most, and that when I lose heart He will make sure that there are patches of wildflowers, waterfalls, or surprising creatures for me to see, to keep me pressing forward.

My faith still isn't strong. I am still cynical. I am still guarded. Opening myself up to dream and hope again is like trying to move and stretch a contractured muscle. But I'm inviting God to be my GPS and I'm selecting His dreams as my destination. I'm praying for Him to heighten my senses and perceptions to hear each turn He's telling me to take. I'm praying for Him to open my eyes to beauty we are passing along the way--things He is doing, ways He is working. And I choose to trust that if I get off track, just like with a GPS, I will hear the words "Recalculating route." For I have a Heavenly Father who is all powerful, who loves me incomparably and unfathomably, and who will spare no means to make sure I experience the dreams He has in store for me! I get chills as I reflect on His words once again, "I don't want your childhood to just be good--I want it to be great!!"

Wherever you are in your journey, His heart, His words, are the same for you! May He lift your head once again. May He comfort you and overwhelm you with His love. May He lead you towards mountain top views that leave you amazed, breathless and without words! And as His dreams come true for you and I, may we share them with each other--like wonderful home movies that encourage and provide evidence of the greatness He's promised!


"If we are faithless, He remains faithful." II Timothy 2:13

A Hand Full of Aces!

I’m not very good at card games. Risk taking, masking my emotions with a poker face–these aren’t really skills I excel in. So I like card games in which you choose partners! Having the right partner can make all of the difference! It can give me the courage to stay in the game and enable me to actually enjoy myself, versus stressing that I’ll fail each time and embarrass myself.

Lately, in my life, I’ve been dealt a pretty tough hand of cards. Almost every aspect of my life is up in the air right now and I don’t have a clue how things are going to turn out. I vacillate between many emotions–from fear, to sadness, to disappointment, to anger, to denial, to feeling utterly exhausted/depleted and like I can’t go on. Confusion has been bombarding me from every direction, leaving me bracing myself for the worst. Hope seems a mirage–vaguely there in the distance, but every time I think it’s within my grasp, it vanishes.

I reached a breaking point a couple of weeks ago. I crumpled into the arms of a close friend, sobbing profusely and ready to fold my cards altogether. With no courage to go on and absolute uncertainty of what to do, I just wanted to crawl into bed, go to sleep, and not wake up until something turned for the better. Yet “better” seemed to me like a card highly unlikely to show up in my hand for a very long time. My thought process was essentially, “I’m already lying here broken and beaten on the ground–Go ahead Disappointment, kick me a couple more times. Go ahead Heartache, swing at me again. What’s another blow? Maybe absolutely everything will fall apart. Oh well! I’m on my way to becoming numb!”

The next morning, God tugged on my heart with the most beautiful parallel! In essence He told me, “Lindsey, I’ve chosen you as My playing partner. Don’t fold! I’ve got a hand full of aces and face cards (or in a game of Rook, I have all the “trump” cards)! So go ahead, keep laying down your cards, because I’m playing right behind you. Don’t be afraid! I’ve got your back! It doesn’t matter if you don’t feel skilled or if there’s nothing good in your hand. WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER! I AM YOUR PARTNER! IT MAY BE A LONG GAME, BUT THEY ARE NO MATCH FOR US!”

This revelation, this realization, brought me to tears! Wow! When I feel like I’m bringing nothing to the table, the King of the Universe has chosen me as His partner! No one loves me more than Him, so somehow, some way, I know that everything is going to work out. Point cards still aren’t really showing up in my hand. I still don’t have a clue what’s around the corner or how things are going to unfold. But that’s ok, because I’ve been chosen by the Best Playing Partner there is!

So slowly, I’m starting to lay down my cards again. And though it is a process, I’m feeling less and less stressed and afraid of embarrassment/failure, and am beginning to approach a point of enjoyment as we play. I’m still cautious. A part of me still expects hands to get taken. But there is also a new view emerging for me and it is this: Even if more hands get taken again along the way and I’m disappointed, I’m going to trust that my Partner knows best. Perhaps He sees hands I’m better off without. He also knows what hands are essential–and I look forward to watching Him play high on those rounds! Calculation and strategy are His forte and He loves sweeping in when the chips are down, with the element of delicious surprise!! Yes, I know when I look back later I’ll see that He took the hands that counted! And I’m eager to cheer when He comes through, yelling out “That’s My Jesus! That’s My Partner and Best Friend! He’s solid! He’s wise beyond compare! He can be counted on!! When He steps to the table, no one is a match for Him!”

Maybe life has dealt you an awful hand of cards. Maybe you feel like folding too. God’s words to my heart are the same for you! He wants and has chosen you as His playing partner, and it doesn’t matter how skilled you are (actually the less wisdom or skill we bring to the table, the more opportunity it allows Him to come through, without us getting in the way by taking the wrong hands and throwing points out). So step forward and don’t be afraid! He’s got your back! Watch Him take the hands that count! Stay in the game long enough to see that His strategy is flawless! Hear Him say to your heart, “WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER! I AM YOUR PARTNER! WHEN YOU ARE WITH ME, NOTHING AND NO ONE CAN RIVAL US!”


Claim His promise in Isaiah 41:10:

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” (NIV)

Traveling Through The Unknown

I set off on a trip recently to visit my parents who were speaking in Canada. My Dad had e-mailed me directions, so I printed them off, packed my bags, and headed out the door. It was a bit of an adventure for me. I'd never been to Kelowna, B.C. and never crossed the border by myself. I had no idea what to expect. But I was determined to meet up with my parents and trusted my Dad's instructions to get me there.

The first couple hours of travel were beautiful, comfortable ones. I rode the ferry to Edmonds and drove up I-5 to Bellingham. Everything was relatively familiar. From Bellingham, per my Dad's instructions, I turned off on a lovely country drive up to Sumas, the last city before crossing the US/Canada border. He had even noted for me to be sure and gas up in Sumas and to dispose of fruit or vegetables, if I had any. I followed his instructions to the letter.

Customs was less smoothe than we'd anticipated. They decided to detain me and search my vehicle. They found nothing, of course, and finally after about 45 min., they let me proceed on my way again.

This is the part of the trip that took me a fair leap out of my comfort zone. For one, everything is posted in kilometers. Fortunately, my car's speedometer displays the conversion in a way that's pretty easy to catch on to. But still, everyone was whizzing past or tailgating me as I tried to keep around 5 km over the speed limit, speculating cops would look to nail foreign plates. It was a bit frustrating, but the scenery was lush and new to my eyes, so I tried to shift my focus.

Time and kilometers rolled by slowly. Another difference I noticed in Canada is that they don't post very many signs, stating how far it is to the next major cities. Looking at my Dad's directions, I realized that he hadn't written any estimates that way (like "stay on this highway for about 90 km" or "it will be about an hour until your next turn"). My parents and I both had no cell phone service either, being out of the country. So I couldn't call to get an idea about my progress or of what to expect.

After nearly 6 hours of traveling, I began to really wear down. It had been pouring rain after crossing the border. I had no map of where I was. Ironically, hope began to leave me after I passed the town of "Hope" and changed highways. For from there it was a series of mountain ranges to cross. There were so many ups and downs in terrain that I couldn't use the cruise control, so my leg was getting tired. It also snowed for about an hour of the trip. And the semi drivers were crazy--getting under my skin as they often do in the states as well. On the downhill they'd tailgate me in the slow lane when I was already going 10 km over the speed limit (75 mph), but of course then they'd crawl on the uphill and I'd have to pull out and pass them.

As I mentioned earlier though, the hardest part was how desolate it was, with several hours between any towns whatsoever, and scarce signs to even give a hint as to how close I might be getting to my destination. It's difficult when everything is unfamiliar, you don't know what's around the corner, and there is no time frame to aim for! You begin to wonder if you'll ever get there and you have absolutely no clue where you are.

The one hope I kept clinging to as I plugged along, was that I know my Dad is trustworthy, so he would make sure to give me instructions that would get me there (even if they weren't as specific and detailed as I wished they would have been :) ). I had turned on every highway he told me to, so eventually the roads would have to lead me to him and my Mom--to a safe place where I could rest.

Eventually they did. There was just one minor glitch in the last turn off, but it wasn't hard to figure out. Plus after realizing his mistake, my Dad posted a sign with an arrow and my name, to make sure I found the right street. As I pulled in, parked next to their RV, and then joined them inside, plopping down on the couch, a sense of relief washed over me. "I'm here! The long journey is over and I can just rest for awhile. Dad's directions did get me here safe. It's so good to be here and I'm looking forward to soaking up and enjoying the time ahead!"

As I reflect on my trip and the journey, it astounds me how much it parallels my actual circumstances in life right now! After following God's leading in resigning from a job that was beating me to a pulp, and having the 2 major jobs I'd applied and was hoping for fall through at the last minute, it feels like I'm out in the middle of nowhere. I'm worn down. My hope is faltering. At this point in my life, I'm also wrestling with questions about what He has in store for me with my love story. My heart cries out "How much farther, Lord?" There's another mountain range and the snow is coming down and I ask "How do I make sense of where You've brought me? What's around the corner? This doesn't feel very good! I can't take much more! Do I even want to go where You are taking me?"

Perhaps you can relate. Perhaps you are facing confusion or questions in some aspect of your own life right now. Perhaps you have encountered pain. Maybe you wish you had a map or a clear idea of how much longer your circumstances will persist. Are you exhausted, discouraged, perplexed, broken-hearted, feeling all alone, or losing hope and faith in God's plans? Maybe everything is falling apart and you're crying out "Where am I and where do I go from here?"

Friends, God is incomparably more trustworthy than any earthly parent or loved one! He knows where He's leading us and He's going to make sure to get us there! Often He doesn't show us the big picture. Often we wish we had more specifics, clues and details in the directions. But He has promised to guide us and to keep us on the right path. In Psalm 32:8 He declares "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you." He also promises in Isaiah 30:21 "Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way; walk in it.'"

Jesus has backed these promises up in sacrificing His own life--all to convey, "No one loves you more than I do! No one cares more about your ultimate and highest good, than Me! Please just keep listening. Keep following. You can count on Me to bring you to a safe place where you can soak up and enjoy what I've planned for you! Trust Me, you do want to go where I am taking you!" He promises "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:9). He also says in Matthew 7:11, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

My trip up to Canada was rough, but my time there with my family was wonderful and absolutely worth it! As you and I look back on our lives someday, may we also say that though parts of the journey were incredibly long, harsh or difficult, what God had in store was absolutely worth it too!




P.S. I love nothing more than seeing how God brings beauty out of any and everything--how He can weave all things together for good!! (Romans 8:28) His stories are the best! In the midst of my pain today, I heard a new song by Steven Curtis Chapman called "Beauty Will Rise." The words and music gripped my heart and convicted me once again that no matter how dark the night may seem right now, joy will come in the morning and beauty will rise from the ashes!

Realizing that he wrote this song after the tragic death of his young daughter inspires and moves me! His pain has been so great and deep, yet he sings with hope and faith that God will still come through in bringing about beauty out of everything that "will take our breath away." I will join him in singing this song. Maybe you will too--I've posted the link to it (on you tube) on this blog. I'd highly encourage you to watch it, but also to close your eyes and really listen to the words as well! May God enable beauty to rise in your life, right here, right now!

Robbed In Security (June Link 2008)

We’ve all been there...With increasing airport security measures and regulations, it seems each time I travel I am “re-educated” on the latest standards. My recent vacation was no exception.

With my departing flight for the trip, I was left completely amazed and speechless, as I cruised through both check-in and security in 20 minutes. So the morning of my return flight, I re-packed everything the same way, anticipating a hassle-free return. Check-in went smoothly once again, and I stepped up on the escalator heading toward security, sighing with relief that soon I would be seated at my gate.

Alas, my celebration was premature. As I went through security, my “re-education” came after first surviving the process of “stripping” to bear feet and removing my hat with embarrassment to reveal my rumpled hair. It was then that I was informed that even though my face cleanser fit into the specified zip-lock bag, the container itself exceeded the new ounce limit.

Needless to say, I was absolutely frustrated! The same zip-lock bag and cleanser had made it through security without so much as a raised eye-brow on my departing flight. I had specifically packed it as a carry-on item, so that if my suitcases were lost or arrived late, I’d at least be able to care for my skin.

Yet here they were, telling me that I would not be able to continue through security with it. I proceeded to discuss, with a bit too much “enthusiasm” in my voice, how my bag was already checked. The cleanser was not cheap and I was not about to throw it into the trash can. I was told my only option was to check it in my suitcase, if it hadn’t gone through security yet. Determination rose within me. So back down the escalator I headed, re-visiting the check-in counter and pleading with them to locate my suitcase so my cleanser wouldn’t be confiscated. They resisted initially. However, there is something to be said for prayer and persistence. Eventually, one of the ladies gave in and said she would go attempt to find my bag, even though “it’s against policy.” And finally, when I was just about to give up hope, she re-appeared with my bag in tow.

As we travel through life, isn’t it interesting the lengths the devil will go to in an attempt to steal our joy? I mean, here I was, rested and relaxed from a wonderful vacation, and he was trying to rob me of my delight on my first day back. What a sick pleasure! I actually pity a being who lives to ruin the lives of others. He is a thief who is never satisfied. Joy, peace, and meaning will always be out of his reach, so he strives to keep them out of ours.

Yet while I can pity his voidness, I refuse to keep silent about his attempted robbery. I will expose him for the crook he is!

What ways has he been attempting to steal your joy lately? What ways has he been trying to rob you of your peace? He will cleverly try to mask his schemes, leading us to apparent “security” and then snatching pieces of our hearts and minds when we least expect it.

In my own life, he tries to keep me unceasingly busy, urging me to believe that when I finally “catch up” in my “to do list” and projects, then I’ll be secure and at peace. However, when I step back and honestly look at this reasoning, I see that no matter how much time passes or how many things I get done, more things step up to fill the place of those I accomplish. Furthermore, I am young and single now–life will by no means get simpler once I’m married and have kids.

Thus, though it is a long process, I’m praying for God to enable me to reclaim the peace and joy the devil has stolen from my life through busyness. I’m praying for God to show me what things to let go of and how to spend my time day by day, so that I don’t put off truly living and enjoying the beauty of the moment, like a check I will one day cash in. I’m praying for Him to help me prioritize, and schedule in time for relaxation each day, not packing my schedule so full to the gills that it is whirlpool I struggle to breathe in. For there are no guarantees of the future. Each day is a gift.

Another way the devil tries to fool me is in the realm of beauty. This is one of his biggest conspiracies. All around the world and across the country he whispers lies to women that we don’t measure up in some way. He attacks from every angle–too fat or too skinny, too pale or too dark, too short or too tall, hair that’s too curly or too straight, wrinkles, blemishes, and the list could go on and on. Everywhere we turn there are pictures, magazines, or movies of air brushed, “perfected” beauties. He converges all of these avenues to convey a single message: “Beauty equals security and it is within your grasp.” We are flooded with an exhaustless list of how we can reach this–creams, lotions, new hairstyles or color, the latest fashions, diets and exercises, manicures, pedicures, waxing of every area imaginable, teeth whitening, tanning or tanning creams, facials, body wraps and peels, make-up for each feature of our face, and cosmetic surgeries of every kind.

I do not share these to condemn them–in fact I have tried and continue to access many of them. Yet I have found that in almost every case, the security I was aiming for never comes or is short lived, whether it was a new outfit, new lip gloss, or a fresh haircut and color. Just like in the airport, the devil portrays the illusion of “security,” while he confiscates our joy and peace. He presses in with a perpetual need for just a little bit more, or burdens and overwhelms with maintaining standards of beauty when we do achieve them. He himself is miserable and he is determined that we will share in his misery and restlessness.

Perhaps your resistence is strong in the area of beauty. If so, I guarantee he is attempting to make you feel inadequate in other areas of life. He makes hollow promises of security relating to enough money, enough knowledge, enough success at work and at home, enough friends, enough possessions, enough intimacy, and more. He will use any distraction to keep us so wrapped up in striving that we fail to notice him pick-pocketing us of our hearts and souls.

Additionally, he will send tragedies, illness, heartache and hardship our way. He is just that obsessed with stealing the fire in our eyes, the glow in our smile, and the warmth and life in our hearts. He never plays fair, attacking some of the most loving and caring people I know, while not laying a hand on the cruel.

I don’t hold an easy, light-switch formula in my hands for dealing with any of the devil’s conspiracies, whether it relates to busyness, beauty, measuring up, or heartache. Until his time is up, he will continue hounding us to hand over our “ounces” of joy and peace. But this hope I do cling to: the same God who cared enough to pull strings for me to be able to check my face cleanser at the airport, cares dimensions more about seeing to it that joy and peace stay within our possession! He can and will break the chains that bind us! He died, so that we might be restored. Friends, I believe with all my heart, that if we will keep coming to Him on a regular basis, asking Him to set us free and make us whole, He will do so! He’s promised to–“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” He declares, “I have come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly” (John 10:10b). May He rescue your joy and peace. May He fill your life with true meaning and purpose. May He turn the devil’s attacks into illustrations and stories to share about His love, power and faithfulness. May He reminds us all that there is something to be said for prayer and persistence–persistence in seeking Him and leaving our lives and hearts in His hands.

Quality Time At Christmas (Christmas Link 2008)

It seems most of life’s greatest parallels, life’s greatest lessons, come when we least expect them. Such is the case for me tonight. I’m home for the holidays at my parent’s place in Walla, Walla, WA. Winter has hit hard here this year with about 3 feet of unforeseen snow.

My dad has picked up a second occupation–official snow shoveler for our surrounding neighbors and family living in the area. He’s put long hours into clearing out driveways, walkways, and the roofs of covered car ports that were threatening to cave under their load of snow. Additionally, tonight I heard him saying that if my brother decides to come home, he will do whatever it takes to make sure he can have his own private space in their RV. He will do this, regardless of if the freezing weather has caused any damage in the lines that he has to fix.

As I overheard him saying this, my heart sank. Selfishness crept up within me. I wanted to say “Dad, even though you’ve been helping people, you haven’t been around much, and now you’re going to be gone working on the RV, yet another day? Time is passing so quickly and soon I’ll be heading home. I flew all the way over here to see you. Can’t we please spend some quality time together?”

Then tears fill my eyes as Jesus grips my soul with His words:

“Linds, even though you’ve been reaching out to and helping people over the holidays, you haven’t been around much. There’s still presents to wrap, cards to write, phone calls to make and people to visit–will you be gone yet another day? Time is passing so quickly and soon you’ll be heading back to work. I came all the way from heaven to Bethlehem to see you. Can’t we please spend some quality time together?”

Wow!! There’s the true meaning of Christmas, from a fresh angle, but just as moving! The God of the universe came all the way down to our meager planet, just to see and be with us! Jesus left His throne and family for 33 years, enduring heartache and trials we can’t begin to grasp, all in an effort to say, “Do you see how much I love you? Do you recognize how much you mean to Me?” No weather, airports, traffic, or lines we brave, no expense we undergo to be with our families over the holidays, could even begin to hold a candle to the sacrifice He made!

His heart has not changed. His desire remains the same. To each and every heart that will listen, comes His plea again this Christmas: “Can’t we please spend some quality time together? I came here just to be with you! They had no room for Me at the inn 2,000 years ago. Will you make room for Me? Time is passing quickly and I’ll be flying home soon.”

Our Heavenly Brother, the Best Friend we could ever ask for, is aching to spend time with us! His heart sinks when he learns of our jam-packed schedules. With a lump in His throat and misty eyes He quietly says, “You haven’t been around much. Will you be gone yet another day?”

It’s time to rearrange our priorities. As He blows out His candles this birthday, let’s make His wish come true! In light of His great sacrifice and love for us, it’s the least we can do!

What's Cookin? (April Link 2008)

I came up with a grand idea at Christmas–a grand idea that I would bake cookies and treats to give to people to show how much I care. So I carefully selected 4 to 5 scrumptious-sounding recipes and went about the necessary preparations. I took great care to purchase the exact ingredients called for, and even picked up red saran wrap and adorable tins, to cover and send the goodies in.

I put off the cooking until the last day or two possible, however, because I was intimidated. When I finally buckled down, spread out the ingredients and recipes, and began mixing up what was called for, I discovered Martha Stewart’s shoes didn’t fit the way I’d anticipated they would! In fact, they didn’t fit at all! Everything I attempted flopped. The macaroons weren’t sweet enough, the peppermint cookies were too hard or too soft, the fudge tasted burnt, and I didn’t even try to make the gingerbread angel cookies with lemon frosting, because I was so frustrated and discouraged!

To my defense, I will say that I was missing a few key appliances/tools that the recipes called for. I didn’t have an electric mixer or a double boiler. I reasoned that everything could still work, because people have been baking and making desserts long before all of our modern technology. I can see now, however, that there’s reasons why specific appliances are called for in the recipes, and if you don’t follow what they say, you can’t expect the same results they describe and achieve.

As I reflect on this story now, I’m actually chuckling to myself. But at the time, when my grand idea splattered up in my face, I was devastated to the point of tears. It was an enormous lesson for me to learn in letting go and opened up my eyes to a rich perspective on life.

Can you relate at all to my experience? Perhaps you haven’t flopped with cooking, but some other aspect of your life hasn’t or isn’t turning out the way you’d hoped, planned, or anticipated. Like me, you may have started out with the best of intentions or gone about the necessary prep work. Then somehow, somewhere along the way, everything fell apart.

What I want you and I both to know is that we are not failures! Many, actually most talents, goals and dreams, don’t come easily. Virtually nothing worthwhile is achieved overnight–whether it be weight loss, organization, grades, career goals, balance between relaxation and productivity, financial stability, managing the responsibilities of a home, or strong relationships with our family, friends and God. Yet how quick we are to run ourselves into the ground when results don’t happen right away! How quick we are to believe that it’s a lost cause and we’ll never get there. Our “cookies” don’t turn out and we’re ready to give up altogether.

Wouldn’t it be foolish for me to never try baking again, because I had one disappointing experience? Even as I sit here writing this, I can already hear several of you responding “don’t give up, Lindsey–you’ll be a great cook. We’ve all made mistakes.”

And I will turn that same encouragement back to you! Whatever it is you’re facing and discouraged about, DON’T GIVE UP! Persevere, pray, and you will get there! YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE! Ask God, as I am now, to enable us to let ourselves off the hook of having everything we are aiming for together right this moment. We have such high expectations for ourselves for fast and quick results and success. It’s just not realistic. May you and I both recognize and respect ourselves for even trying, and acknowledge that we are learning and growing through the process! CHANGE TAKES TIME! As we practice or invest time and energy in our goals, we will discover one of three things: It’s actually something we are able to do well in; we need to keep “cooking” but try a different “recipe;” or we gave it our best shot and found that it may never be our thing, but we learned valuable lessons for life during the process.

Here’s a few other lessons/parallels I learned through my baking experience...

Some “Baking Tips” for Life (none of which I’ve mastered–all of which I’m praying God will grow me in):

-When we take on too much, we set ourselves up for failure. Start small!

-Starting off with the right ingredients is essential, but the quality of effort and amount of time invested are equally as important.

-When we put things off because of our fears or feelings of inadequacy, ironically the odds are dramatically increased that what we are dreading becomes our reality.

-Don’t be afraid to get messy or to make a mess. Dive in wholeheartedly!

-We need the right Mixer (God), to blend everything together–life “by hand” doesn’t work and is utterly draining and exhausting!

-Be prepared to wait–almost everything takes time to rise (or to solidify, like fudge).

-Though we want to naturally be gourmet in what we attempt, it’s valuable to remember that if everything came easy for us all the time, we wouldn’t need each other–we wouldn’t need God.

-Sometimes the best concoctions and discoveries come from “mistakes” and experimenting.

-Ask God and trusted friends for recipes or helpful tips they’d recommend (in all avenues and aspects of daily living). Better yet, involve them in the “baking process,” and cook together!

-Likewise, once you discover a great recipe, share it with others and/or help them “bake!”

-Often times laughter really is “the best medicine,” when things flop or fly up in our face. Ask, “Is there any humor in the situation?” (Sometimes the funniest thing I find is how worked up I allow myself to get over something that is actually small, in the grand scheme of things! A friend’s perspective can also provide humorous insights. My close friend Diane had me exploding in laughter, when she took a bite of one of my hard cookies, in the middle of my baking drama!) :P

-Don’t be afraid to try again! (Remember, it took Thomas Edison 2,000 attempts to successfully invent the light bulb. Yet now, the world is lit up, because of his persistence).

-Lastly, from personal experience I have found that God’s recipes (for life, circumstances, and the future) are always the most fabulous> but He usually only gives them to us one step at a time!

So pick up your wooden spoon, wire whisk, or electric mixer, and stir it up!!

P.S. An extra tidbit for my “single sistas” or anyone else who’s waiting on some aspect of their future:

I’m sure you’ve all seen or experienced a mom teaching her little girl how to cook something, and involving her in the process. Now picture God inviting us to join Him in the kitchen to help Him cook up a fabulous recipe–one we’ve never tried. Let that little child in you come out–that little child who used to get excited about new experiences and the unknown. Then choose to trust the Cook. Measure what He says. Stir when he asks. And don’t be afraid to ask for a taste--to lick the spoon! :) Get ready for incredible aromas to fill the air and whet your appetite!

P.S.S. 2 promises:

“Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you.” I Peter 5:7

“The eyes of man can’t see, his ears can’t hear and his mind can’t imagine what God has in mind for those who love Him!” I Corinthians 2:9