To Say The Least

Today the house is quiet. When I clean up a mess, it stays clean! When I set myself a task, I can finish it without interruptions. Its not the first day of school for Josh (but that will be coming very very soon!), it is quiet because of a generous friend.

I picked her son up from school yesterday and she met us at Kids Club later that night. It wasnt out of my way, it didnt take up much of my time, I didnt even have to make afternoon tea! But earlier that day, she had noticed that I looked a bit under the weather and so last night offered to have my kids for the whole day today. Wow! She thinks this isnt much to do for me, but it is a huge blessing that I really really appreciate. Not only is she cooking with them today, and no doubt humouring my daughter in many and varied conversations, it takes about half an hour from her place to ours and she insisted that she would come and pick them up!

There is a lot I could be doing... completing two subjects for my TAFE course, doing reports for work, doing my mums BAS (sorry mum!), cleaning and tidying, preparing for sunday school, and cooking dinner among other things, but I will use this time in the manner with which it was given ;) - to rest and recouperate... and write! And if I do, those other things will be a lot more enjoyable and easy to accomplish.

Often a gift which is "the least I could do" means a whole lot for someone else. I know of another friend who's church is advertising for a new pastor. She is setting aside some time in the coming year so she can help in whatever way is needed. Wow! As a pastor's wife, I know that will be such a blessing for the new pastor. He will be freed up to do more ministry because of her willingness to serve.

Many times, service that fits our gifts, talents, abilities and passions is quite easy for us to do and doesnt seem like much. But it is encouraging and a blessing to those who recieve it. I know there are times when service is hard work, but if its God who's asking me to serve, then in the light of the amazing gift of His Son, its the least I can do for Him!

The 'least' you could do might be to look after someone's kids, or serve in the kitchen at a ministry event, or set up chairs for a church service, or design a website, or join a choir, or write a note, or give a gift, or teach sunday school, or help at youth group, or make a dinner, or just say to someone, "how can I help?". And I'm not just talking about pastors or churches at all, there are many people in our community for whom those acts of kindness are just what they need and might just pave the way for God to work in their lives.

Ask God who He would like you to help. He has gifted you with many things you are good at, or very able to do, and some things in particular that He uses to bless others when you do them.

Even if you feel its the least you can do, do it! You might just bless the socks off someone and enable them the time and resources to bless others.

The Father Of Hearts

I have some brilliant news. I know I haven’t been here chatting very much lately, but I just had to tell you about this. And by the way, Im working on a way I can stop in here more often while keeping all those plates spinning ;)

We went to Brisbane on Wednesday for Josh’s heart scan. Y’all can read about why here and here. The doctor studied the ultrasound for quite some time, even asking Josh to change positions so he could see from a different angle.

The result – the specialist could find no trace of an aneurysm! We were expecting that it would have grown as it did last year just because his heart is growing. We would have accepted if it had remained the same size. We would have been pleasantly surprised if it had have gotten smaller but it just is not there. WOW!

I did pray that day asking God to heal it, because I know he can, I just didn’t expect that he would! Those other outcomes were OK with me, but I still asked for more.

I spoke to a great group of about 100 ladies on Thursday night and shared that the most memorable thing about this whole experience isn’t the fact that Josh’s aneurysm has disappeared, though I believe that is indeed a miracle, but that God has been all that we need the whole way through. With strength that doesn’t fail, peace that doesn’t fade, and life that doesn’t fall short of the fullness that He has promised to those who choose to trust him daily.

Rich Mullins wrote a song about finding perfect peace. He said lots of people say follow your heart, or follow your nose, or follow your dreams but those things are so subject to change with emotions, circumstances or others advice. The chorus goes like this..

The Father of hearts
And the maker of noses
The giver of dreams
He's the one I have chosen
And I will follow him

I know that God is the creator of hearts and could heal Josh, and I am soooo thankful that he did. And like there were 4 years when he chose not to heal it, and many circumstances in peoples life where He chooses not to intervene, sometimes things are going to happen in my life which are heartbreaking and hard for me to understand. But even in those times, I am going to choose to follow Him. Because He is God and He is worthy of my allegiance and he sent his Son to die for me so I could spend eternity with Him.

So Id like to say, along with thousands of others over the years (and millions of others over the centuries) To the father of hearts and the maker of noses, to the giver of dreams, you’re the one I have chosen and I will follow you.

The Lost Ring

Today's guest post is by my dear friend Connie Heckathorn...

When Jim went into hospital in July, he removed his wedding ring and I wore it on my thumb--just till he came home again. But when he passed away, the ring--engraved inside "Semper Tuus"--was the only tangible memory I had decided to keep. I was very aware of my husband's keeping of that promise to me of faithfulness to be "Forever Yours".

Yesterday I was very busy in the gardens: watering, weeding and pruning. Late afternoon Pastor Daryl dropped in, so I stopped for a cuppa. He helped me feed the horses before he left. Inside, washing my hands, I was suddenly aware that Jim's ring was not on my thumb. Had it come off as I distributed the horses hay? In the waning light of evening, I ran out and carefully scanned the ground where the horses had been eating. Crying, a prayer rose from my heart, "O Lord, help me find the ring!"

Too late to do any more searching, it would have to wait till morning. I was aware there was little chance of ever finding it, and I must accept that it was only a symbol and I should not attach too much feeling to it. But my heart ached at the loss.

Before 6am the next morning I was having my 'quiet time' in the sunroom, enjoying a new day dawning. I opened my Bible to Luke 15 and was reading the parable of the lost coin. "Lord Jesus, please help me find my lost ring", I prayed again. I felt a strong urge to go search in the front garden where I had been pruning. I had not cleaned it up so there was a mess of branches, twigs and leaves littering the ground. With the sun coming up and still in my pyjamas, I got down on my knees and methodically began to scratch around in the prunings beneath a well pruned bush. I searched around every rock, pushing mulch carefully aside for about 20 minutes, reminding myself that "the shepherd had found his lost sheep" and "the woman had searched carefully and finally found the lost coin".

As I pushed some leaves aside I saw something shine in the early morning light--Jim's engraved ring--the wedding ring! Tears blinded my eyes, "Thank You, Jesus, for guiding me in finding the lost ring". Joy overwhelmed me as I cried and thanked a loving God who cares about EVERY thing in my life.

Thanks Connie for sharing that special answer to prayer!

Love You!

The Spoiler

WARNING ** The following post contains a spoiler for the movie Sister Act **

I trust that you all know me well enough by now to know that I do not consider myself any more amazing than anyone else. I don't think I need to remind you of my many shortcomings, although you are welcome to go here to read them.

But... in fairness to the great feats my friends have undertaken to make sure I know this... yes I do know that there are some of you out there that think I am amazing.

Today, two people commented on my amazingness. (I still feel guilty writing a post about how amazing I am). The first was a 'just because'comment from a friend who wanted to be sure I knew how she felt. The second was in appreciation for my calmness in calling an ambulance and relaying information this morning at church when a little baby stopped breathing. The baby is now fine, the breathing difficulties were a reaction to reflux.

So, for the record, I accept your compliments and, though I do not feel worthy, I believe that you feel this way and I thank you. But here's the spoiler - it's not me!

Have you seen the movie Sister Act with Whoopi Goldberg?

Remember the shy nun Sister Mary Robert who had the tiniest little voice and Whoopi got her to sing amazingly well? Well, guess what, it wasnt her singing! Wendy Makkena was acting and her songs were sung by Andrea Robinson!

Its a spoiler for me, because that was one of the great themes in the movie, how she was able to find that inner talent/beauty and make it shine. I know that some of you see things in me which you think are great. And I do pray that you will see in me something that inspires. But I have to share with you the spoiler - it's not me!

Paul says in Philippians "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose". Not only does God enable me to do what I do, he even gives me the desire to do it! I could do nothing without Him. Seriously! I might be a good actor, but I would be off beat and off key without His Spirit in me.

If you see any hint of love for the unlovely, if any glimpse of joy through sorrow or stress, if any peacefullness during calamity, if any patience in trying circumstances (you might have to look a bit harder for that one ;), if any kindness to those who are nasty, if there is any goodness, faithfulness, gentleness or self control, it's not me!

And I know I said it last post, but it will remain true for all that's left of this time on earth. It is only through submitting our lives to Jesus, through reading the Bible, prayer and by God's work in us, that any of those things can be real in our life.

So thankyou, I appreciate your applause, but all credit goes to the One behind the scenes that gives Life to the performance.

Start Acting Like It!

I heard a story this morning about a time when a church nearly split over where someone was parking their car. I'm guessing there was a problem of attitudes, both the person insisting they should park their car there, and those inconvenienced by this choice. I know I am a very young and inexperienced pastors wife, but a carpark? really? In many years I might look back and see how naive I was disbelieving that this is any cause for division, but for now, I am absolutely astounded.

And I pray that as I age, and by the grace of God, inconveniences will never cause me to be angry, or to anger others. Ahh, thats not some pot-luck old lady thing is it? I have to start it now. We have some terrific older people in our congregation, many of whom I can say "I want to be like them". But its not an accident they are like that. Selfishness is too ingrained in us to naturally let things slide. It's only God's love that brings about those selfless traits. And its only God's Spirit who can do that in us.

So, I'm sorry for passing judgement on the whole car parking issue, I'll use it to remind me (and you ;) of the need for Love like His.

And if I do, I will be patient. I will be kind. I wont envy. I wont boast. I will not be proud. I wont be rude. I will not be self seeking. I wont be easily angered. I will not keep a record of wrongs. I will rejoice with the truth and I will always protect, always trust, always hope and always persevere. (1 Corinthians 13:4-6)

I want to be an old lady like that. And I want to be a woman like that now. I want to be a mother like that, a friend like that, and a wife like that.

I like it how the Message puts it

"If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.

Love never gives up.

Love cares more for others than for self.

Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.

Love doesn't strut,

Doesn't have a swelled head,

Doesn't force itself on others,

Isn't always "me first,"

Doesn't fly off the handle,

Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,

Doesn't revel when others grovel,

Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,

Puts up with anything,

Trusts God always,

Always looks for the best,

Never looks back, But keeps going to the end."

1 Corinthians 13:4-6

I asked Hannah yesterday what she would say to a particular young friend if she asked "What should I do if I want to be a Christian?" Hannahs response - "Start acting like it!"

Of course there began a teachable moment about Christianity being a relationship with God beginning with beleiving in Jesus and choosing to follow Him, but her perception was good - those who follow Jesus should be acting like it. In the sermon on the Mount Jesus said "By their fruit you will know them".

By spending time in the Bible and in prayer, through the work of the Holy Spirit in me, I'm gunna "start acting like it!"

Peace Out.

The Return

Do you remember the time Jesus and I went on a date? Now you probably don't, 'cause this particular event happened 15 months ago, but I was reminded of it today in a very special way.

The date I'm referring to was a special occasion when I felt that God was asking me to give some money to a lady who couldnt afford glasses. I really wasnt sure how it would go or what she would think. Most people aren't used to others giving them money out of the blue. It went better than I expected actually, but as is often the case, I did not get to see the final result. And that is OK.

Today, however, 15 months later, after not having seen the lady for about 9 months, I saw her at work. She told me with an excited expression how much easier it was to drive now, and how she could see the computer screen at work. Actually when she saw me walk in, she told me to wait at the desk while she went out to the back office to get them just to show me.

Im not taking any credit for the gift, it was God's idea. And I'm really praying that she doesnt think about ME when she appreciates her new gift of sight. I pray that she'll shake her head and wonder why that crazy follower of Jesus would do something so outrageous. And I pray one day she will wonder why this Jesus would do something so outrageous as to give His life for her. And I pray she will bow the knee to the King of Kings who loved her so much he gave her some glasses to show that He cares.

Do you have a date planned this week? Better check your calendar :)

Shocked

Bryce made me a gerbera garden for my birthday. I LOVE gerberas. A friend told me last week they are the smile of the garden and my garden is well and truly smiling. One of the little gerberas wasn't smiling for a week or so though, it was a bit traumatised by the whole planting experience.

Bryce was eager to get the gerberas out of their pots and into the newly prepared holes in the garden bed. The potted plants needed a bit of roughing up around the roots to get them ready for the soil, but he was a little too heavy handed on the first gerbera and it didnt take kindly to having some of its roots broken. It spent its first week in the soil with all of its leaves and its two flowers limp and lying on the ground. It was still alive, but had no strength. We watered them every day and even covered this struggling one to protect it from the sun and it's just starting to look better this week.

Sometimes our replanting in life can leave us feeling weak and unable to stand. It's sometimes like God picks you up out of your little pot where you have been comfortably living, only to rip away your network of roots and leave you seemingly fending for yourself in a hot and dry environment.

But that little gerbera wasnt left to fend for itself. Many times a day we all would go outside to see how it was doing. The kids would water it with their mini watering can "just like daddy's", Bryce and I would water it once a day and make sure it was protected from the afternoon sun. We knew that its life in the pot would be limited, but if it survived in the garden it could go on living and growing for countless seasons.

The little gerbera did have a rough time, but all that breaking of roots has enabled it to start putting out its own roots. The change in environment will, in the end, be for its good, though I'm sure it doesnt feel like that at the moment.

"And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God and have been called according to his purpose."Romans 8:28

You might have had a rough time lately, but know that you have not been left to fend for yourself (even though it might feel like it). You might be weak and unable to stand, but God is caring for you, protecting you and nourishing you so that you can fulfil a greater purpose.

God uses everything that happens in our life to bring about some good. Sometimes we see the fruit of others coming to know Him, sometimes we see the growth in ourselves, sometimes we see others blossom in the relationship and service with Him, other times the growth is under the surface and not for us to see. But God can and does use any situation to grow us, and bring glory to Him.

Whether you have just been replanted, are weathering a dry season or are standing tall, remember to drink deeply of His living water today.