Please walk down another street...

Autobiography In Five Short Chapters Chapter I I walk down the street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I fall in. I am lost... I am hopeless. It isn't my fault. It takes forever to find a way out. Chapter II I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I pretend I don't see it. I fall in again. I can't believe I am in this same place. But it isn't my fault. It still takes a long time to get out.  Chapter III I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I see it there. I still fall in... it's a habit... but, my eyes are open. I know where I am. It is my fault. I get out immediately.  Chapter IV I walk down the same street. There is a deep hole in the sidewalk. I walk around it. Chapter V I walk down another street. - Portia Nelson

HOPE

                                                                                                                                  
Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
                         my hope comes from Him.
    He alone is my Rock and my Salvation;
                        He is my Fortress I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God;
                        He is my Mighty Rock, my refuge.
Trust in Him at all times, O people;
                        pour out your hearts to Him,
        for God is our refuge.
                        Ps. 62:5-8

Things I Love About My Husband

(Just want you to know that I could hear the MOAN from some of you..)

10.  He's clean, and He cleans.

9.  He's not afraid to try new things (like scuba diving or one of my new cooking attempts  - equally      life threatening)

8.  He gets that I love shoes

7.  The opinion he values the most is God's opinion

6.  He WANTS me to flourish, and prays for it to be so

5.  He fixes stuff

4.  He hugely believes in our kids, and delights in our grandkids

3.  He's a really great kisser

2.  He's a champion for the abused woman, and the neglected child

1.  He's shown me how Jesus loves

My battle with thoughts, words and cats...

Yesterday's Super Bowl will be marked in my memory by yet another cat trying to jump onto my head.  I've written about that before - how my head seems to attract the activity of cats - but this time it had an unusual (!) element.

We were at the home of friends, enjoying the game with several people as well as the family cat - who had sniffed and investigated me, but had seemed pretty bored with what she found.  I thought I was cleared.  It's like the feeling I have when I make it through security at an airport!  

And then came the twist.  My friend Debbie SAID TO THE CAT, "Do you want to jump on Jeanette's head?"  At which time, the cat walked around the recliner, jumped from the floor to the top of the chair and swatted at my head.   Really?  The cat took my friend Debbie's suggestion??????  It was just weird.

My reason for sharing this with you is this...

The responsibility of care for my elderly parents,  the reaction to my husband's decision to be obedient to God and place a stake in the ground for peace in our community, and my heart's vulnerability to be pierced with the sorrows of those around me has led me on a journey.  I am very intentionally 'bringing every thought (and every word) into captivity'.  One thought can lead me down a road of anxiety so quickly, if not captured and accepted, or rejected and replaced.  The picture of Maggie (above) reminds me of what a thought or a word can do - and how the effects expand from that one...little...word or thought. 

 This is not a devotional, surface, "that's nice" concept for me.  This is a "the enemy's intent is to steal, kill and destroy" vs. "I HAVE COME TO BRING YOU LIFE" process for me right now...today.  

So, today, LORD - "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight - oh Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.  (Ps. 19:14)  Thank You that You know my past, my present and my future.  When I take my dad to the doctor today, (and try to advocate with another doctor on behalf of my mom today), remind me that You hold them and You hold their future - it's not all up to me and my very limited wisdom.  I thank You for every bit of today, Lord.  Thank You that You ARE the Redeemer and the Restorer and the Defender and the Healer and the Deliverer.  Thank you from the bottom of my heart.   

Love, Jeanette 

I Feel Strongly About Toilet Paper

There are some things that most people have an opinion about...

Toilet paper (Personally, I’m for it) - single or two-ply?

Licorice - black or red? Coconut seems to cause some division -water, oil, milk or butter?  Lima beans, peas, and cooked spinach - also seems to draw some discussion.  Gluten?  Red meat?  Mother's milk?  

Seems to be less people wearing pajamas at home but more people wearing pajamas at Walmart - where do you stand on pajama wearing?

Style, length and volume of worship at church can get the words going.

How about being put on hold, having to go through 85 automated cues, having the real person not be able to help you and then ending the call with the famous, “can I help you with anything else today” statement?

I could go on with the things that people feel strongly about (just off the top of my head) but I’m not gonna...

What if we felt strongly about loving each other?  What if the message of our actions and our lives yelled - “I love you more than my opinion!!!!” -  instead of, “I’M RIGHT!”  How about practicing with the small things?

Jesus answered, “The foremost is, Hear, O Israel!  The Lord our God is one Lord; and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.  The second is this, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.  Mark 12:29-31

Every move I make I make in You....

It was my Sunday to lead worship this morning. I did something I rarely do - I led what I personally needed to declare. Usually, my M.O. is to lead on behalf of the fellowship. Today I felt permission to lead from a more personal place.

"Every Move I Make I Make in You" - Don't even remember the last time I led that song - it involves La-la's and I'm not a La-la'er! But, when I walk into my parents accommodations these days I feel the definite need to know that I'm not alone - and... that I'm not failing when I can't fix them - and... there is a way to do this with joy. I am definitely not the one in control of life.

In my heart I sang over my friend who goes in for a biopsy tomorrow morning. A tumor on her liver. Lord, what happens in the realm we cannot see when we sing Your song loud and strong? "You are good and Your love endures forever." We declare Your Goodness, Lord, in the lives of those we love and are contending for.

Life is crazy. While I am helping people be ushered into heaven at the end of their earthly lives, I get to hold a brand new little guy. A gift who was prayed for and prayed over for a long time. Crazy, crazy day.

You are the Lord my God. I desire to love You, listen to Your voice, and hold fast to You, for You, Lord, are my life. Deut. 30:20 (...from Beth Moore's, "Praying God's Word Day By Day"...)

Is that a cat on your head?

I was sitting on a friend's couch a couple of weeks ago and (unexpectedly) their cat jumped up (in that silent, stealth-like way) right where my head was occupying. I've had cats jump from kitchen counters directly onto my head - freestyle jumping. Again, stealth-like - I didn't even hear that the cat was in the room until it was on my head! Or, perhaps you'd like to hear about my sister's CRAZY A.D.D. cat who was racing all around the living room but stopped long enough to dance on my head (again, while I was sitting on the couch).

Yes, I am a dog person. Yes, I know that cats are smart and know if someone is not a fan - - - but really? Do they need to be on my head. No, I do not wear some cat-nip type hair product that they just can't resist. It's just a strange part of my life.

I've had many strange cat experiences. Too many to mention here.

What's my point? GOOD QUESTION!

Do I walk around, afraid every day? "Is THIS a day that another cat will dance on my head?" "I must stay far, far away from cats." "I will protect myself from ever being taken advantage of by a cat again!" "I think I'll stay in my house all day - no cat is ever going to hurt me again!" Do I now EXPECT a bad experience with cats?

What a fulfilling way to live! I've just let a POSSIBLE cat moment shut down my life.

Don't let fear or disappointment or self-pity ("no one else really knows what it's like to have cats jump on their heads like this") rule you! Don't let fear make your decisions for you. Tell the enemy where to get off. "RESIST him and he will flee from you."
We know that "God has not given us a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind."

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." John 14:27