The Seasons of Motherhood

Aug

2022

Grumbling

Grumble – just the word itself sounds negative and discouraging. Grumbling is an expression of discontent or complaining. How often do we find ourselves with a feeling of discontent and we want to be sure that everyone else knows about it.

I am reading through the book of Numbers in the Bible and the grumbling of the Israelites always brings about the same response from, “what is wrong with them?” They had been slaves in Egypt, and God showed up in a big way demonstrating His power by inflicting the Egyptians with the 10 plagues and then parting the Red Sea so they walk on dry ground. What an amazing demonstration of God’s power and abilities and care for His people.

God helped the Israelites, which numbered over one million people, to walk out of Egypt with all their belongings while also being given things by the Egyptians, and cross the Red Sea on dry ground as free people. Only God could orchestrate such a grand feat. Imagine being part of that whole amazing process. Watching the 10 plagues take place before your eyes. Watching Pharaoh let the Israelites leave. Then walking between 2 walls of water on dry ground.

As if that wasn’t enough, God provided manna for the Israelites to eat. They didn’t have to work for it; they just had to go out and pick it up. All they needed to pick up was enough for the day.

There were multiple instances of the Israelites grumbling, but the one that amazes me the most is the following excerpt from Numbers 11: 4-6:

“…And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

So they wanted to eat fish that cost them nothing. They were slaves. Had they forgotten that little bitty fact? The fish cost them something. It cost them their freedom.

So fish, cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic are more valuable than freedom. At least from their current vantage point, that is what seemed valuable.

If you remember from Exodus 2:23 “During the many days the king of Egypt died, and the people of Israel groaned because of their slavery.”

When they were slaves, they weren’t happy. When they were free they weren’t happy. When they heard about the people in the Promised Land they were going to have to defeat, they grumbled. As you continue to read through Numbers, you see the Israelites grumbling. No matter the situation, they were discontent.

Being discontent with our current situation is what causes us to grumble. Discontentment is the heart attitude. If you ever wonder what is in your heart, look at what comes out of your mouth or is seen in your actions.

No matter the situation, do you grumble and complain about it? You have a heart attitude of discontent. Other people that are around you know if you are a grumbler and a complainer. Ask them and find out what they think.

If we put off discontent, we must put something on. What is the new heart attitude we should strive to have? Thankfulness.

“For although they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21).

No matter the circumstance, we are called to be thankful. When a situation happens, God is sending it your way to reveal what is in your heart. Take some time to evaluate what comes out of you in response to the circumstance.

You have a choice. What will you choose?

Mar

2022

Hear My Voice

When our youngest daughter was about 6 months old, she would cry when she was dropped off at the nursery at church. A pretty common occurrence for babies and children to cry when their parents leave them. They usually stop after a while, or once they get involved in another activity. Kudos to all the nursery workers and teachers that help these sweet ones get through this time in their life.

On Sunday nights, my husband and I would teach the preschool children so we would drop off Delaney in the nursery. I always told them if she didn’t stop crying to bring her back to me. I remember one particular Sunday night, I was teaching the children a Bible lesson and the nursery worker brought her back in her car seat. Since I was teaching, they just brought her into the room and set her down. I kept teaching and she stopped crying. Why? Because she heard my voice. I didn’t have to pick her up or give her any attention. She knew everything was going to be okay because she could hear my voice.

How comforting the sound of someone’s voice is. When we are separated from a loved one, it is nice to be able to talk with them via the phone so we can hear their voice.

I was reminded of this as I read John 10: 3, 4 “…The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him, for they know His voice.”

As believers, we are God’s sheep.

There is a lot of noise and confusion in the world. There are a lot of voices vying for our attention, and we have a choice of who we will listen to. The better we know our shepherd, the better we will listen to Him.

God does not speak to us in an audible voice. He gave us the Bible to speak to us. “He has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.” (II Peter 1:3). God does not speak to us audibly, but everything that He has said that we need is in His Word.

Does God’s Word provide you comfort? Does God’s Word give you direction? When you have a choice what do you listen to?

Delaney knew my voice. She didn’t in that moment see me, she heard me. How many think that they need to see God in order to believe in Him? Delaney didn’t have to see me, she knew me because of my voice. My voice provided comfort and peace to her.

Is there an inner turmoil that you feel? Does your mind feel confused or in a haze at times because of what lies before you?

“The sheep follow Him, for they know His voice.” (John 10:4). Do you know God’s Word? Whenever there is a decision to be made, do you go to God and His Word looking for clear direction? The sheep follow God, because they know His voice. How eager are you to know the voice of God? Do you spend time in His word not just reading it but memorizing it? Can you quote His word like the lyrics to the songs you hear on the radio?

Delaney knew my voice. Amongst all the other voices that she heard on that particular Sunday night, it was my voice that brought her comfort. There are many voices trying to provide you “comfort,” but is only God’s voice that will provide you with true peace and comfort.

John 10: 3, 4 “…The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them and the sheep follow him, for they know His voice.”

(When Delaney was four, she was a sheep in our children’s Christmas play. So appropriate to use this picture for this blog:)

Mar

2022

Gary Dykema My Father-In-Law

Paying tribute to the man who is and now was my father-in-law brings a flood of memories and emotions. The impact he had on so many has been evident by the outpouring of love in so many tangible forms to he and my mother-in-law during his battle with cancer over the last 3.5 years.

Gary Marvin Dykema was born July 13, 1945. He was saved at a young age, but did not start growing in his walk with the Lord until his high school years. He met my mother-in-law during high school as well, and they were married shortly after graduation. He was a hard worker, but he also liked to have fun. He would leave for work at 4:30 in the morning and sometimes not come home until 11:00 p.m. because they asked him to work extra. He retired from working in a factory for General Motors after 30 years, and then worked as a car salesman for 18 years. Like I said, he was a hard worker.

His service to the Lord was seen in many different areas, but his favorite was singing. At his memorial service last week, the choir director told me that no one sang as loud as Gary. Everyone wanted to sit near him because he helped them to read and sing the music better. In their previous church, he was the song leader and my mother-in-law was the pianist. They often sang duets together. They made a great service pair not only in the church, but also outside of the church. They liked to go calling on people that had visited the church. They are both so friendly and easy to talk with that soon after a visit you knew you had just made a lifelong friend with them. Neither of them knew a stranger.

Gary loved his family. He has two children; my husband Dave and his sister Pam. Gary has 2 grandsons, 3 granddaughters, and 2 great-granddaughters. He was able to meet both of his great-granddaughters. Having his family around was always a delight, especially at the cabin. Being at the lake and hearing the peals of laughter across the lake either as he drove the boat or just watched from shore was one of his favorite times. This is where I first met him. At the cabin. He and my then boyfriend (now husband) would be in the boat while I skied, knee boarded, and flew through the air on the tube. He was a great teacher and knew every single time what I needed to do to make the next time more fun.

He also loved to play games and tell jokes. Whenever playing a game and we couldn’t remember the rules, we would call him so he could refresh our memoires. Every summer when they came to visit, he and my mother-in-law would teach us a new game. The new games they have taught us have spread around the U.S. Now we get texts from friends that ask us about some of the rules of the games we have taught them.

He knew how to tell just the right joke at just the right moment. I had a favorite one that I made him tell me every time I saw him. It kept getting better with more details. Good thing we have it recorded.

Gary Dykema is now signing praises to His Lord and reunited with his brother and his parents and others that have gone to heaven before him. He is in heaven, not because he went to church and sang in the choir. He is in heaven with Jesus because he had a personal relationship with Jesus. Gary believed that Jesus died on the cross paying his penalty for his sins. His purpose in living was not to work hard, or play games, or tell jokes. Gary’s purpose in life was to glorify his Creator and Savior as he did those things. If there was one thing that Gary would want anyone to know it is that Jesus loves you. Jesus died for your sins, but you have to do one small thing – believe that Jesus paid the price for your sins on the cross and ask Him to be a part of your life.

Gary Dykema, thank you for your legacy that lives on not just in your family but also in all the friends you have made along the way. We know that God’s timing is perfect and His plans are perfect, but we wish we could have kept you around for a little bit longer.

Feb

2022

I Will Trust in Your Steadfast Love

Suffering. No one likes it and as we wade our way through it, most of us think “What did I do to deserve this?” or “Why me?” or “When will this be over?”

A few months ago, I had Covid. I know that many of you reading this have had it too. I had a fever that would not go away. I was tired it seemed like for forever and couldn’t make it through a day without a nap. Even now, I have this “pain” that comes on me when I am tired or my allergies are bothering me. The long term effects of Covid that so many of us struggle with.

Don’t we so often think when we are suffering for longer than we expect to say “How much longer?”

We saw that last week as we looked at David’s anguished prayer in Psalm 13. He cried out to the Lord saying, “How long, O Lord?” We left off last week with pouring out our anguished hearts to the Lord. When we are suffering, we need to tell the Lord how we feel. It is important to acknowledge our feelings. When we can name them, we then can better identify what is causing us to feel this way. If we do not identify how we feel, we tend to push our feelings down and pretend they are not there. This causes many other issues.

Once we have laid our hearts out before the Lord and let Him know how we feel, we come to the balm in Psalm 13:5, 6.

“But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.”

So often when we change from looking at the human condition to God, we see the word “but.” In other words, God wants us to see that there is contrast between who we are and who He is. There is a contrast between what humans have to offer and what God has to offer.

When we have laid out our hearts before the Lord, then we need to recognize who God is.

First, we see that God has steadfast love. He has an everlasting love for us that will not be taken away.

When we are crying out to God and asking Him how much longer, we forget that He has a steadfast love for us. We must commit to trusting in God’s steadfast love.

When suffering and disappointment and hurt rage through our hearts and lives, do we commit to trusting in God’s steadfast love?

God does not change. His love for us is steadfast. When we are in the midst of suffering and in pain, we think that God has forgotten us. We think that He has abandoned us and we are in the midst of suffering all alone.

We must make a choice. Will we choose to trust in God’s steadfast love, or will we choose to feel sorry for ourselves? Since God is unchanging and His love for us is steadfast, it is us as changing creatures to make the choice.

What does your heart rejoice in? David says that our “hearts shall rejoice in your salvation.” (Psa. 13:5). If you have “Confessed with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9), then you enjoy salvation.

If you are saved, you don’t need anything else. When life lets us down, the thing we should rejoice in and cling to is that we have been saved. Saved from eternal separation from God. Saved from eternal punishment. Saved to an eternal relationship with our Creator. What else do we need?

But, we think we need so much more. We think we need the blessings that this world says are blessings. When we trust in God’s steadfast love and we rejoice in our eternal salvation, what else do we need?

When we choose to dwell on the good things that God has given to us, it will cause us to “sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me” (Psalm 13:6).

God deals bountifully with us. The problem as humans is we choose too often to look at the bounty that the world says is bounty and think we are lacking in worldly bounty so God must not love me.

God loves you with a steadfast and bountiful love that is never self-centered on His part, is never lacking, and is continual. When we stop measuring the love of God to the worldly standards of love, we will begin to see how steadfast and bountiful His love is.

After you have poured out your heart to God and told Him how you feel (Psalm 13:1-4), you need to then focus on who God is and what He has done for you. Allow these thoughts to rule your thinking and in so doing your emotions will change from pain and hurt to joy and thanksgiving. As David so often did, you will “sing to the Lord.” (Psalm 13:6)

Feb

2022

First Step in Suffering

Last week, I talked about “Imitation is the highest form of flattery” related to the suffering that we experience in life. There is not anyone that would say that life is easy. Life is hard. There are definitely many wonderful things in life, but there are also hard things in life that we have to struggle through. Sometimes, those moments feel like we are in a quagmire of quick sand with no hard ground in sight nor a lifesaving hand from a friend.

The pain is so deep and intense all we want to do is figure out some way for it to go away.

Usually, we resort to what seems like it will bring relief at the moment. We lash out in anger at whoever is nearest. We indulge in whatever food makes us feel better and continue to indulge until we can’t eat another bite. Maybe we drown our sorrows in alcohol or drugs. Sometimes, we hide away and cry for days and can’t seem to move off the couch or out of bed.

Then what?

After we have lashed out in anger, eaten our way through a container of ice cream, drank to excess or “drugged up” until we pass out, or cried until our eyes are puffy and we have missed a week of life; what is it that we have left? What did all of these things do for the pain? Is the pain still there? Is the sorrow still lingering?

And what do we have to show for it but broken relationships, weight gain and clothes that don’t fit, and chores that still are not done and a boss that is angry because our work still isn’t done.

So what do we do?

David went through many difficult challenges in his life. He is such a good example of how to handle the emotional turmoil that we deal with.

Psalm 13:1 starts with “How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever?”

Don’t you feel like God has forgotten you and the pain is going to never end? Don’t you just want to ask God how much longer He will make you suffer?

Go ahead and ask Him. Go ahead and tell God how you feel. We feel like God has forgotten us in our pain and in our sorrows. We feel like He doesn’t even care about us and our suffering. “How long will you hide your face from me?” (Psa. 13:1).

God wanted us to see the struggles of David, who was a “man after His own heart,” (Acts 13:22), and how he handled the challenges and the calamities of life. He called out to God. David did not deny how the suffering made him feel, he did not try to hide from the pain. Rather, he took the pain to the Lord and told the Lord how he felt.

Have you done that? Have you told the lord how heavy the burden is? Have you told the Lord how you feel about the situation?

What happens so often is we deny how we feel and try to cover our feelings and pretend we aren’t hurting, or we go to a friend and tell them everything about the situation and how we are feeling. Neither one of these are the solution.

David showed us that we must take all the pain to the Lord and tell Him how we feel. Have you done that?

David asked the Lord, “How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?” (Psalm 13:2). This is how we feel. How much longer is this pain and suffering and sorrow going to go on for?

We don’t know the answer, but God does.

So go to Him and tell Him how you feel. Don’t bury it. Don’t hide it. Don’t drown it. Don’t run away from it. Take the pain to the Lord.

Feb

2022

Imitation is the Highest Form of Flattery

“Imitation is the highest form of flattery” (Oscar Wilde)

Have you heard this saying?

I have said this to my daughters often when they mention to me that one of their sisters or a friend is copying their attire or something else about them. They usually are not very happy with me, and remind me that they want to be unique and not have others copy them. My daughters have me pretty well pegged these days, because before they even tell me about someone imitating them they tell me “I already know what you are going to say.”

Imagine if Jesus had the same reaction with us for imitating Him. Imagine Jesus sitting on the right hand of His Father and saying, “You are not going to believe this, but ….is imitating me again.”

Rather, when God our Father or Jesus catch us imitating Jesus, they exclaim, “They are acting like we want them to act, speaking like we want them to speak, thinking what we want them to think.” This is what God has always wanted for us, to imitate Jesus.

“For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you and example, so that you might follow in His steps.” (I Peter 2:21).

What did Jesus do for us?

He suffered for us.

Suffering is hard. Suffering leaves us broken and hurting. Suffering causes confusion in our brains. Our hearts feel like they are so broken and heavy they are going to literally fall out of our chest. Our eyes are tired from the tears. They are red and irritated. We can’t eat. We have trouble sleeping. We are “weary and heavy laden.” (Mt. 11:28-30)

Christ suffered for us so we could follow in His steps. He suffered for us so we would know how to suffer. He suffered for us because He loved us so much.

“Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God and afflicted.” (Isaiah 53:4).

Did you ever stop to ponder that while Christ was on the cross bearing the burden of our sin, He was also carrying the weight of our griefs and our sorrows? Go back and look at Isaiah 53:4 again.

He loves us so much, He carried the weight of our sorrow with Him on the cross. Doing this while being rejected by man and having His Father turn His face away because of the sin that Jesus was bearing for us.

When we are on the floor face down crying out to God because of our pain, remember that Jesus experienced it first. He felt the weight of your sorrow and your grief. You are not going through the suffering alone, Christ is by your side reminding you, “I know how this feels, I know how heavy this is.”

Then He wants you to trust Him.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30).

Do you trust Him to go in this field you are in and let Him carry the weight you are carrying? Do you trust Him enough to learn from Him? Do you trust Him enough to take on the yoke that He offers you?

We don’t understand the path that we’re on

The pain is heavy and the road is so long

We can’t see the end or the way to carry on

So we look to our Savior who will do us no wrong

The burden is heavy and cumbersome too

It hurts and is painful each step of the way

If only the pain could ease for a few

So we look to the Savior for a glimmer a ray

He told me He’d suffered and felt all this pain

There isn’t one thing that is foreign to Him

Nothing surprises or causes disdain

So we look to our Savior with eyes so dim

Will He really walk beside me and teach me the way

Never leaving me to go a moment without Him

This path is so hard and I just want to stray

To a way that makes this pain not so grim

Though that way my be easier this moment, dear one

The end will result in more grief and more pain

Take the pain to your Savior, don’t walk my dear one, but run

Let Him help you bear the weight of this burdensome pain

Then search His Word

The way to obey Him you must

For in obedience to truth

You will find Him to trust

Faith is key to the way through this pain

Do you trust your Savior who bore all this grief?

There will still be pain

But His share He will bear, and in this you will find great relief.

So imitate Him in how He bore His sorrow

He went to His Father asking for wisdom and strength

To bear all the pain of His sheep for tomorrow

Look only to the Savior with eyes full of faith

Rest in His promises

For here there is peace

For tomorrow His mercies will be ever new

So trust in Your Savior He died out of love for you

Oct

2021

Persistent and Compassionate

I like a good story. I think we all do. We love the height of suspense in a mystery. The thrill of accomplishment when the underdog rises up and does something great. We love the sweetness of a romance that blossoms and grows. We all love to watch a story about a dog. (What is it about those sweet puppy faces that strikes us at the very root of our hearts? I wish I knew the answer to that, but that is what keeps me coming back to raise another puppy for Leader Dogs for the Blind.)

When we read a good story or we watch a good movie, don’t we sometimes want to tell the characters what to do or how to respond? We want to tell them what is lurking around the corner.

I just finished reading through Kings and Chronicles in the Bible. There is a constant theme throughout these books. You will either see “and they did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.” Or they did what was right in the sight of the Lord.” The latter is not seen as often as the former.

As I finished up II Chronicles, I read an amazing verse.

“The Lord, the God of their fathers sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place.” (II Chronicles 36:15).

What do we notice about God in this verse? He is persistent and compassionate. God never gives up on His people.

As we read through Kings and Chronicles, we see that God allows His people to suffer because of their sin. He punishes them for the sinfulness of their ways. They reap the consequences of their choices. They experience hardship in so many different ways because of their sin. They experience famine, invasion, captivity, plundering of their goods, heavy taxation and rule by their very own kings, etc. They saw their children being taken away into captivity because of the sinful choices they made.

But God…He never stopped loving them. He never stopped pursuing them. He never stopped sending messengers to remind them of who He was.

He never stops having compassion on us.

In our relationship with God, are we selfish? Do we pray through our list of requests, never thanking Him for the things He gave to us the day before?

Do we see people running from God and think to ourselves, “that’s too bad?” or do we cry out to God on their behalf asking Him to continue to have compassion on them. Asking Him to work in their hearts and lives and not stop sending to them messengers. Maybe we are the messengers.

The prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) remembered the kindness of his father. His father never stopped praying and watching for his son to come back. God kept watching for the children of Israel to come back to Him. He never gave up on them.

Do we give up? Do we wonder when to stay on the porch as the father in the prodigal son did, and when to chase after the wayward son?

God is faithful. He never stops loving us and having compassion for us, even when we go astray. Yet, He never forces us to love Him. He never forces us to serve Him. He never forces us to follow after Him. He doesn’t beg and plead for us to yield our whole hearts to Him, yet He tells us that if we do we will find so much more peace and joy.

We like a happy ending. No one wants the dog to die at the end of the movie.

God also wants each of us to have a happy ending. He knows that the only way for this to happen is to follow Him. To seek His face. To fear Him.

Where are you in your walk with God? As a believer, we are on a journey. This journey is called progressive sanctification. We will never arrive until we get to heaven.

Do you need to make that journey back home like the prodigal did? The compassionate and persistently loving Father is waiting for you.

Oct

2021

Fall season of Mothering

One of the reasons I enjoy living in Michigan is the various seasons we get to enjoy. Granted there are times when it feels like from day-to-day that we could experience every season in one day. Snow in the morning and t-shirt weather in the afternoon. I think there are many other parts of the world that probably experience this same phenomenon.

This year I was very excited about my garden and planting it. We put up a new fence so the deer could no longer pillage my produce when it was ready for me to pick. We also buried the fence so the woodchuck could not dig his way underneath. It has been a joy this year to be able to go out to the garden and pick berries, green beans, corn, tomatoes, peas, cucumbers, zucchini, squash, and potatoes. The summer season of gardening and picking produce has been a wonderful thing. I feel so much healthier having eaten my way through my garden these last few months. Every day when I go out to the garden, I am greeted by the sunflowers. The bees are busy on them and the sunflowers have happily turned their faces to the sun.

As my garden begins to slow down its production and we turn our eyes to the joys of fall with pumpkins and cooler temperatures, I am reminded of the season of life that I am entering. I feel like it’s the fall season of my mothering. I have been entering this season for a while. Our oldest daughter left for her first year of college 6 years ago and our youngest daughter left for her senior year of college in August. The days of having one of our children under our roof is coming to a close.

I am thankful for these college years, these years of transition. They give me time to adjust to having no kids at home. To being needed in a different way. To being a mom in a different way.

I am no longer on the field. I am no longer on the sidelines passing out orange slices and juice boxes. For most days, I am not even in the bleachers.

My days are no longer planned around game schedules, practice schedules, piano lessons, work schedules…

So how do you mother well in this season, this fall season? The same basic things that were important when they were young continue to be important today. That has been what has helped me to transition.

Daily time spent alone with God in His Word and in prayer. This has been the Rock that helped me through the other seasons so now that we have moved on, it should not change. No matter what season you are in, time with God in His Word and prayer is a non-negotiable.
My identity is not found in being the mom of my daughters. My identity is found in Christ. This identity never changes and will never change. It will never go through a different season. Rather I will always be who God says I am: Adopted, redeemed, forgiven, and His Workmanship (His poetic Masterpiece).
Be available. When they call answer the phone and make time to talk. I learned this from my mom. No matter when, she always answered and made time for my phone call.
Time together in person is best. Phone calls to check in and hear each other’s voice is also a great way to stay connected. Now that we are in a new technology era, a text to let our kids know we are praying for them or just checking in when they are busy lets them know we are thinking of them. As nice as technology is though, it doesn’t replace spending time together or talking to each other.
Another thing I have committed to is sending letters. Every week while my girls were in college, I have sent them a letter. Usually, my letters were filled with information they might already know, but it’s nice to get a letter and see that familiar handwriting. Knowing that someone on the other end thought enough to sit down and put pen to paper and write a note. My older girls still get letters, but not as often.
Our middle daughter recently had surgery. I was thankful that my schedule was such that I could be there for surgery and take her freezer meals for when she was back to work. It was nice to be available and assist her.
Keep looking for ways to serve and love others. Were there times when someone helped you out? Be that someone for another.
Love your husband well. He has often taken 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th place while your kids were small. What can you do now that will show him that you love him?
Keep loving your parents well. As your children were growing up, your parents and your husband’s parents may have taken a back seat. How can you love your parents well? We are commanded to “honor your father and mother.” (Eph. 6:2). There is no time frame for this verse. At every stage of life, we are to honor our father and mother.

No matter the individual, we are to “love your neighbor as yourself.” (Mark 12:31). In this season when life is changing and transitioning, be a student of others and learn to love others well. Our children are always watching us and learning from us. They are watching how we go through this stage because some day, they will go through it too. Just because our kids are out of the house, does not mean they stop watching how we live life. We are always an example to them, whether good or bad. Strive to honor God in all areas of your relationships and be open to those that may have a word of constructive criticism for you, even if it is your kids. After all, they are the ones who know you best.

Jul

2021

Be Still

I went hiking in the Upper Peninsula (U.P.) of Michigan with my middle daughter. She asked me a while ago if I wanted to go hiking and camping in the U.P. I told her I would be willing to camp 1 night in a tent. I know for you campers that is not a big deal, but for me that was a big deal. (My hips told me for about 5 days after how big of a deal it was.) So we left the house on Friday morning at 4:30 a.m. We arrived to our destination and began our hike by 11:00 a.m. We hiked the Lakeshore North Country trail for about 15 miles and ended at a campsite in Grand Marais. The view was breathtaking. The companionship was wonderful. The memories we made were priceless. The endurance I had amazed me. We brought our dehydrated meals in pouches and my daughter brought a little pot with a little propane heater to heat the water. I was so spoiled, I even had a cup of tea as we watched the sun set over Lake Superior.

It was an amazing trip. It was a much needed trip. I wouldn’t say that 30 miles of hiking in 2 days and sleeping on the ground in a tent with the movie “Back to the Future” blaring until midnight a vacation, but getting away from life for 2 days to gaze in fullness at God’s creation was something that my soul needed.

I found my worship in church so much richer.

I found my perspective a bit deeper.

I found my desire “to be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10).

Jesus knew how to be Mary and Martha both. He knew how to sit and worship His Father, disciple His disciples, and heal the many who followed Him. He had the perfect balance of worship and work, and His work always pointed to His Father.

I long for this balance.

As I was hiking, I was often meditating on Psalm 46:10 “Be still, and know that I am God.” Why do I need to be so busy? So often, I get my identity from all that I do. I am a nurse. I am a real estate agent. I am a counselor. I am a puppy raiser…

Is it enough to say “I am a Child of God?” I try to get my value and my worth from the titles I wear. God in His graciousness has allowed me to be part of His story, but am I always taking the pen? Am I trying to write in my version of the story by getting my value and worth from these titles rather than from my Savior who shed His blood for me?

The most important roles in my life are wife and mother. I never want to be so busy with all the other things I do that the ones I love best miss out on my best.

So what did I learn while hiking 30 miles and sleeping on the hard ground and taking countless pictures and marveling over and over at the beauty that surrounded me? I learned that life is short, and I need to live it to the fullest doing the things that are most meaningful and always taking time for the people in my life. The question is how will I live that out?

How do I make a living and still have time to be still? What do I say no to and what do I say yes to? I feel like it is harder now than it was when the girls were smaller. I long to be a Mary and a Martha. I long to walk as Jesus walked and not get hung up proving who I am.

Apr

2021

The Meditations of My Heart

I love spring. Everything starts to get green, and the yellows, reds, and whites of the flowers and trees begin to give off their radiant beauty. The drab brown of winter is replaced by the spectacular colors of spring. I have some beautiful tulips that have added some beauty to one of my flower beds that I don’t remember coming up in previous years. I love the surprises of bulbs.

From my kitchen, I can see the flower bed that is the most work of all my flower beds, but it also has the most beauty. It always needs to be weeded or flowers dead headed. I spent an afternoon weeding it and sprucing it up. It still needs a bit more work, but it looks so much better now. Getting rid of the weeds and the dead leaves from last year brings out the beauty and the fresh colors of spring. As I write this, I am looking out my window and enjoying the beauty of this flower bed and am thankful I put the work into cleaning it up. My back was sore after I finished, but the pain is worth the enjoyment.

Psalms 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

The meditations of my heart are like my flower bed. As I meditate on the sweet things of Scripture there is beauty that comes from my mouth and my life. When I meditate on the things that are opposite of what Philippians 4:8 says we are to think on, the weeds and dead leaves are what comes from my mouth and life.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” (Phil. 4:8).

Have you found yourself thinking and meditating on things that are opposite of this list in Phil 4:8? Thinking about lies, dishonorable, impure/dirty, shameful, humiliating, and decrepit things. These are the weeds and the dead leaves that clutter our hearts and our minds.

Most of us don’t consider that our thoughts contribute to our health, our viewpoint on things, the words that come from our mouths, our sleep, and the actions that we perform.

The meditations in our hearts impact our lives.

So we must be intentional about the meditations of our hearts. Many times we are not aware of the things we think. They are fleeting thoughts that come and go without us even realizing it. Yet, when we begin to be intentional with our thoughts, the beauty of intentional meditation and prayer changes our lives.

The beauty of the tulips did not happen overnight. The bulbs were planted years ago with forethought. Now that all the dead leaves and weeds are gone they are better able to give off their vibrant beauty. It is with intention that the bulbs were planted and it was with intention that I cleared the bed of all the ugly debris.

So we must be intentional that the meditations of our hearts are “acceptable in your sight, O Lord.” (Psa. 19:14). He wants to help us with this as well so the Psalmist draws our attention to this fact by using two more names for our Lord. “Our Rock and our Redeemer.”

Jesus saved us and rescued us from our sin. He wants to continue to rescue us from the sin that so quickly comes to our thoughts. The sins we so quickly seek to meditate on.

Be intentional on what you meditate on. There is no better thing to “chew on” and dwell on that God’s Word. Pray it back to Him. Have a conversation throughout your day with God about His word. Don’t let you morning devotion time be lost memory throughout your day, rather let it be a lasting and impactful memory throughout your day.

Psalms 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

The Seasons of Motherhood

Grumbling

Hear My Voice

Gary Dykema My Father-In-Law

I Will Trust in Your Steadfast Love

First Step in Suffering

Imitation is the Highest Form of Flattery

Persistent and Compassionate

Fall season of Mothering

Be Still

The Meditations of My Heart

Psalms 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

The meditations in our hearts impact our lives.

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

You Favorite Posts Delivered To Your Inbox

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Psalms 19:14 “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

The meditations in our hearts impact our lives.

Share this:

Recent Posts

Recent Comments

Archives

You Favorite Posts Delivered To Your Inbox