The Best Breakfast Ever!

  

   We had been fishing since before dawn without a single bite. Maybe the water was too warm. Maybe we weren’t trying hard enough. Perhaps we were simply content to just float and watch the sunrise in silence.

   When the mist cleared, we noticed someone on the beach. "How's the fishing?" he shouted. My friend, Pete, heard him suggest we cast out in another direction. We thought, what the heck, we’ll try. To our surprise, the fish were hitting and before we knew it, we had caught our limit. We took up the anchor and headed to shore.

   The man on the beach was bending over a campfire and we could smell the fresh bread he was baking in a dutch oven. Pretty soon we heard the sizzling of fish in the pan and we realized just how hungry we were. The man smiled and waved and invited us to bring some fish and join him. All of a sudden Pete cried out, took off his shirt, and jumped in the water to swim to shore. The rest of us rowed in and pulled the boat onto the sand. Crazy Pete - we were all thinking.

    We walked over to the campfire, and there, to our utter shock, cooking breakfast for us, was the friend we had watched die just a few days earlier. Were we dreaming? He was joking and talking as if nothing had happened, and he warmly greeted us.

   Our friend was alive. He was alive! And he was making us breakfast! Pete sat next to him, weeping. What was this? What happened? All we knew was that the joy and love felt greater than ever – and our hopelessness and grief were now turned to hope and laughter. Jesus was really here.

   When he died, we grieved that things would never be the same again.

And now that we knew he was alive, we were - and are - sure of an even greater truth which sounds the same but means so much more:

   Things...will...never...be...the same...again!

My book, "Tapestry," is available at Amazon.com. It, too, will give you nourishment of the soul!  Click here for information and to order: Tapestry

A Home Isn't Always a House

This painting is by 4-year-old Mesa Toft.
She named it "Valley of the Paint."

There is banana gook on the makeshift high chair; a fleece ladybug blanket on the couch; children’s books everywhere; paintbrushes in the sink; toy trucks on the coffee table; and sippy cups still in the fridge. A sticky mystery resides on my iPhone, and the TV isn't working quite right. These are all telltale signs of a week spent with lively, button pushing, curious, and adorable 2 and 4-year-olds who are now back home in Texas. I’m not quite ready to pick everything up or clean. I kind of like basking in the afterglow of their "happy."

On another note, I drove by our former home in the mountains yesterday. My vintage Oriental Poppies were blooming and two horses now reside in the pasture our own beloved horses used to frolic in. The scene was a picture postcard as rain (and tears) gently fell.

Now, I could choose to deal with both these things with more tears--missing the children and remorse over the loss of the home our family built with our own hands. The "sads" could come quite easily if I let them. But I just can't host regret. I do have a choice on how I let these things affect me. I choose to be thankful and that changes the way I think - which changes the way I feel.

I am thankful for the week the kids were here and the fun we had. I appreciate the happy memories we made in our old family home. I feel blessed with the life we now lead in the beautiful high desert of Colorado. And I am so excited for the things ahead that are coming and that are good and that I don’t even know about yet.

Yes - I will and do live in this place of promise and hope. I choose to make that my home now.

Yup. It's time to pick up the toys and wipe off the stickies.

For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11

My book - Tapestry - The Divine Design for Your Life - will change the way you think and unlock God's amazing plans and promises over your life. Click to order at Amazon.com.

Speak To That Storm! (Or God Loves James Taylor)

There's a new album out by Bethel Music called "You Make Me Brave," and I love the lyrics of one of the songs that says "The waves and wind still know Your Name." Remember those times in the Bible when Jesus spoke to the weather and everything calmed down? The sea calmed. The wind stopped. He even tells us we could move mountains. What kind of power and authority has He given us?

Check out this post I wrote on my Facebook and then read the rest of the story right after:

"The storm ceased, the clouds parted, and rainbows abounded - literally - as the concert began. It was a wonderful experience - touched ALL my senses - made me weep a bit just to be there with my daughter, Bess, in such a beautiful place with a beautiful sound.... When James Taylor sang "Fire and Rain," he picked up his old guitar and with his beautiful playing and his amazing voice filled Red Rocks Amphitheater. Later, when we were heading to our car, we could still hear his final encore song bouncing off the rocks near the parking area. Everyone just stood silently, facing that rock, and listened to "Shower the People You Love with Love." No wonder Rick and I fell in love during all those 70s concerts at Red Rocks!"

So what is the rest of the story?

Five minutes prior to those clouds parting, it was storming with a vengeance. Dark clouds, heavy rain, wind, thunder, and lightning pummeled the park. Bess and I sat in her car wondering if the concert would be cancelled. I remembered the words in that song - remembered the promises of what happens when we speak out loud to our storms. I shouted: "Storm stop; go away; rain stop; blue sky come! In Jesus' Name!" I texted my husband to pray. I swear, within two minutes I saw white clouds moving over the tall red rock walls. Soon Bess looked out her driver's window and declared there were two rainbows. The rain stopped abruptly. Everyone got out of their cars and began to ascend the hundreds of steps into the theater God made when He created the earth. Soon the sun was shining over us. The storm was over Denver in the distance. We saw more rainbows, more lightning over the city in the distant view from where we sat. But the weather over us was perfect. I think God loves James Taylor, too. What an amazing experience! The next day Jamie, Bess's roommate, told me the rain never stopped that night at their apartment which is about 10 miles away.

So. Remember my story next time a storm tries to thwart your plans - whether it's a weather storm or one of those storms of life. Speak out loud to it. Tell it to go. Expect a miracle! (And if it doesn't happen the first time, keep trying...keep hoping!)

I would love to hear your testimonies of speaking to your storms!

It's a Promise!

The Lord your God in your midst,

The Mighty One, will save;

He will rejoice over you with gladness,

He will quiet you with His love,

He will rejoice over you with singing. 

Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV

Honoring Mother-Love

My Mom, Marjorie Krohn, and me in 1977

To you, young mothers of toddlers and babies;

To you,  pregnant with promise - trying to conceive or ready to bear;

To you, mother of teens, still feeling like a child yourself;

To you, stepmom, and to you, adoptive mom; and you, single mom, loving beyond measure these lives entrusted to you;

To you, mother of adult children far and near;

To you with the mother's heart to serve the hurting, the orphaned, and the abandoned ones;

To you, grandmother, your heart bursting with pride;

To you, mother who has borne the saddest of losses;

To you, mother, who now resides in the glory of Heaven;

We honor you today, and we declare that a mother’s heart is always and forever full for her children no matter where her children are. We declare that eternity stands in awe at who you are; that angels minister to your every need and keep your heart and soul safe; that Jesus holds your hand and wipes your tears of joy and sorrow; that Holy Spirit is always with you, grants you wisdom, and helps you overcome.

And God Most High, who created you and who calls you His beloved daughter, stands ready to give you more joy and more purpose beyond what you could ever understand or hope for. You are loved eternally by your children and your own mother. May God bless you and keep you and cause His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you peace today and always. Receive the Lord's gift to you today of laughter and joy and a deep "knowing" how very much you are loved.

Amen.

20 Things I Learned From Hip Replacement

This guy would make anyone feel better.
Thank you to my friends for gifts and cards,
emails, text messages, phone calls, prayers...

1. I am so brave.
2. I am such a chicken.
3. I am such a baby.
4. I AM able to survive surgery.
5. I CAN wake up from anesthesia.
6. Surgery makes you tired for a long time. Rest, rest, rest is important.
7. Other people's prayers give me strength when I can't pray for myself.
8. Being still, calm, and patient while recovering is very hard.
9. Downton Abbey seasons one through four are a delightful distraction from pain.
10. My man, Rick, is an awesome nurse with a killer soup recipe.
11. Replacement hip joints are big, and they are AWESOME!
12. My body is amazing to be able to accept this new part.
13. Arthritis no longer exists in my hip.
14. It has been 4 weeks and I feel good and can walk without limping.
15. I can shave my ankles, and put my socks on by myself!
16. God heals through surgeons and surgeries, too. It is as much a miracle as a creative miracle.
17. It is probably NOT a good idea to tell your husband, while he is driving you to your surgery, what song you want played at your funeral in case you don't make it. (If you must know, it is "Tennessee Stud" by Johnny Cash. Hey, I like it. Good memories....)
18. It is a good idea to remember angels are with us as we go through surgery.
19. It is a good idea to pray and to know that God is indeed with you and your surgery team.
20. The surgeon does his part in making needed repairs...but it is God that brings the healing. I am thankful for the surgeon and the Healer!

Our bodies are uniquely created to heal themselves. I love it that this is even possible. God is so brilliant a Creator. I have been given a new chance - a new lease - on life. What will I do with that?

Have you read my book, "Tapestry - The Divine Design For Your Life?" There is a message for you in there - and for everyone - no matter where they are in their relationship or non-relationship with their Creator. Buy it for you!! Gift it to someone you love. You can read part of it by clicking here - and order. Bless you!

Rabies and Babies

   My brother, Chip was 9 and I was 11 the summer my mom went to work at the local bank. In those days we were plenty old enough to watch ourselves without a sitter. Mom would check in by phone every couple of hours.

   One day,  I heard a yelp followed by the kitchen screen door banging shut and Chip running up the stairs with blood squirting from his forearm. I ran him into the bathroom and had him hold it under cold running water while I called Mom, who said she’d be home right away. Meanwhile, good Girl Scout that I was, I applied a death grip tourniquet above the wound. Do not try this at home! It’s a miracle he didn’t lose his arm.

   Chip had been feeding his squirrel friends when one lunged and bit him. Needless to say, It did not bode well for the poor neighborhood squirrels that summer. They were trapped and tested for rabies.

   I remember walking Chip up to the doctor’s office every day for several days for his painful rabies shot in the stomach. He was so brave. The alternative would have been to wait and see if he got rabies, but then he might possibly die. The choice was clear.

   So…here I am making a wise and clear choice to surrender with all hope that I will be healed in the hands of a surgeon whom God has gifted with skill, wisdom, and compassion. God has promised to heal me this way. I have to trust in His promise. The hospital sent me a list of things I should pack for my stay - books, ipad, pajamas, shoes, phone cords, music. It kind of feels like I'm going to camp!

   See you on the other side of hip replacement surgery!