Down South Sisters- Gift and Thrift

“Your calling is where your greatest joy meets the world’s greatest need”

We had a fantastic guest speaker at our church for revival and I wish with all my heart I could remember his name… I will come back and add it later. He made this statement in one of his sermons and it hit me right where I am.

I realized that I have many talents, but not all of them are my calling.

When I spent some time with God and opened my heart, I realized that when we find that one thing that makes us forget the time, and lose ourselves, and makes our heart sing.. there is a direct and indisputable link (if you look in faith) between that one thing and something the world is in wrenching, desperate need of.

And I believe this is true with everyone, 100% of the time.

Did you ever wonder if some people are just “born angels”… I do and I have some of those sweet spirits in my life.

My mom was diagnosed with cancer this year and it has been amazing how many angels have come across our path during this tough time….

I found this article in Woman’s Day and it blew me away.

Wabi Sabi is an old Japanese philosophy that sees much beauty in the imperfection of everything. The artists that practice Wabi Sabi leave a crack in each vase, or an imperfection in each artwork to express their belief that imperfection and impermanence are to be embraced.

In practical application,

That old beat up floor… Wabi Sabi would say… “What a beautiful Wabi Sabi floor,, it is full of character and imperfect perfection that does not require “fixing” or worrying about.

That old sweatshirt your husband won’t throw away…. Wabi Sabi would say… “What a Wabi Sabi companion I have, his affection for this Wabi Sabi shirt is a reflection of his belief that old does not mean useless..

Get it?

I did and I love it!!!!

I have two stories today that are 100% true and illustrate that God can always surprise you with who, how, and when he communicates.

The Bible

Today I got a Bible from my friend and co-worker Wendy. We had talked about Bible’s yesterday and I said I really needed a new one….one that had big print since I am getting old and can’t see as well as I used to!

The Bible, of course, was already at the local Goodwill store waiting on her to find it for me. She brought it to me the next day complete with a note in the back from the previous owner quoting scripture that spoke directly to my heart AND a sweet little pocket card that was inside and looked to be a gift to a wife from a husband with a poem expressing the blessing of others in our lives… How can that not be from God?

The Dream

My friend Lorie, who lost her son Stephen, had a dream. In the dream she knew Stephen had passed away and yet she met him on the road riding bikes with a new friend. She asked him who the new friend was, and as teenagers are known to do, Stephen rolled his eyes and said “Mom, I met him in heaven”… one look said “Mom don’t worry, he must be ok since I met him in heaven”….. She was able to talk with him and give him a hug before she left the dream, and felt a real sense of closure as if she finally knew he was ok and that she had been able to say goodbye. Again, how can this not be from God?

AND God must have a sense of humor. What mom has not seen that look from their teenager that says “oh Mom you are soooo silly.”

Personal Insults, Racial Slurs, Physical Threats.

Does that sound like Christian behavior? That is what is going on right now with the passing of the Health Care Reform Bill.

How can we profess to be Christians and do these kinds of things?

What is the difference between this behavior and what the radical muslims did on 9/11? Actions in the name of religion or beliefs that cause harm to others.

As Christians, no matter what our opinion is on any issue, we must be a shining example to the rest of the world on Christian Behavior. Not only should we not participate in this sad behavior, we should correct and admonish those who do.

This is not a political statement. It is a statement from one Christian to other Christians. Do not tarnish the image of Christianity by your actions.

God can see you and so can the rest of the world.

Most of us Christian’s believe in free will, great idea right, God gives us all the rules, the commands, the philosophies to live by and then leaves it up to us to make the right choices…

Being the imperfect human beings that we are, we don’t always make the right ones, and some of us keep making the wrong ones over and over again.

The funny thing about free will is that God does not protect us from the consequences of our acting on free will.

If we cheat on our income tax, God will let us go to jail.

If we speed, God will let us get a ticket or crash.

If we drink and drive, God will let us hit a tree or worse yet, another car.

The blessing of free will is, that if we choose to do the right thing, it is a free choice and there is so much joy in doing something because you trust in God’s wisdom and because you want to do what is right.

The curse of free will is, that we are free to choose but we are not then rescued from our poor choices. Are we still saved, yes but only from hell, not from the results of what we choose here on this earth.

No it’s not a typo. I mean “Aunt” not Ant….

In looking back on my childhood, I had two aunts that were a little crazy in a good way. By that I mean, they could always make me laugh, still do. They could always surprise me, still do. They could always put me in my place, still do. And most of all they could always make me feel special, still do.

When I look back on the hard times I had growing up. I remember them. I remember summers in their “normal” houses with warm beds and great food and laughter and closeness. They weren’t perfect.. but they were oh so close for a little girl who had so much “no where near perfect” in her life.

They loved me. It was that simple.

I was important to them. It was that easy.

Aunt Dot and Aunt Pat made me feel safe at a time in my life when safety was more than enough. Still to this day, when I am in their presence, there is a warm sense of security that overtakes me that I can’t find with anyone else on earth.

 Don’t underestimate the power of the mighty Aunt. 

Ok here it is, the truth about getting older:

In some ways it stinks, and in some ways it’s beautiful. Now wasn’t that simple.

I find myself less tense about the petty stuff, but more worried about the brevity of the rest of my days. I find myself more sure about who I am and my gifts, but less sure about why in world I am still struggling to use my talents successfully. I find it easier to forgive most things, but harder to tolerate laziness and lack of motivation. I have more appreciation for life, but less physical strength to enjoy it fully. I find myself afraid of living less often, but afraid of dying more often. I am more responsible for my actions, but less certain why.  I talk to God more. I worry for my child more, because I know with a certainty that I won’t always be here. I love my mom and respect what she has been, and done, more than ever in my life, but I worry that my child may not feel the same way when the time comes. I see my mistakes more clearly, but realize there is absolutely nothing I can do about them. I have more physical pain, but I have less mental pain. I no longer care if I gain 5 pounds, but I do care about my cholesterol and blood sugar and blood pressure and my lumpy boobies.  I love my sisters and brothers more, but am sad that I can’t see them more often. I smile at sunsets and full moons and spring flowers. I cry at the same things. I am at the same time unimaginably glad to have been here and inexplicably sad to think of leaving before I have done all I wanted to do.

Oh my gosh… life is so strange. It’s kind of like a Rubik’s cube,, you can’t ever seem to get all the colors lined up at the same time.

I think that many of our fears are tied to Ego and Self and when we are able to do something for the glory of God somehow all the fear goes away. I will use the following little story about myself to illustrate.

When I was in 2nd grade we were studying Benjamin Franklin and since we were young, we were studying a made up story about how a mouse who lived with Benjamin Franklin was the true creator and not old Ben himself. Anyway, it was decided that the story would be a little performance at a parents meeting the next week. I loved the story and somehow was chosen to do the part. I practiced and practiced and practiced, I learned the story frontwards and backwards.

The big night came, and all of my family and the school were seated in the Auditorium. I was behind the curtain in the center of the stage waiting. I had on a cute little outfit and some mouse ears made out of a milk jug. It just so happened that my best friend was operating the curtain and she had never seen me in my little mouse ears so about the time she pulled the curtain back she saw me and…..

if you are familiar with little girls this age you can probably guess what happened. She began to giggle uncontrollably and as soon as she looked at me I started to giggle. This went on for what seemed like an eternity with me trying to compose myself, then looking at her and giggling. Finally, they took her off the stage and I was able to give a flawless performance and then run crying off the stage.

Ever since then, I have been mortified by ANY kind of public speaking or performance and I am a singer/songwriter and love the spoken word so this has been a great hindrance to me my whole life.

However, the very first time I actually performed for a reason other than my own selfish desires, the fear vanished.  I have come to realize that when we are doing things for the right reason, fear can’t stop us.

When the Purpose is clear, The fear disappears.

Did you ever attend church and feel like the entire service was directed at you?

Well that is the way I felt last Sunday. We did the most beautiful song in the choir. It was called bow the knee. I am pasting the lyrics below and you can find the song on Rhapsody or any of the music sources online.. you might find a version on You Tube but I haven’t tried… I will update you if I find it somewhere. The words are awesome!!! I found the lyrics at hymnlyrics.org

Fount it!!!!! Here is the link to a video on You Tube

Bow the Knee

There are times when circumstances make perfect sense to us,

As we try to understand each move He makes.

When the path grows dim and our questions have no answers, turn to Him.

*Bow the knee;

Trust the heart of your Father when the answer goes beyond what you can see.

Bow the knee;

Lift your eyes toward heaven and believe the One who holds eternity.

And when you don’t understand the purpose of His plan,

In the presence of the King, bow the knee.

There are days when clouds surround us, and the rain begins to fall,

The cold and lonely winds won’t cease to blow.

And there seems to be no reason for the suffering we feel;

We are tempted to believe God does not know.

When the storms arise, don’t forget we live by faith and not by sight.