His presence...

It was May 2003 when I approached a small quaint chapel in Yosemite Park, California.  This is the picture of the original chapel taken by Ansel Adams, the famous photographer who swept the hills and valley's of Yosemite with his black and white photos of a heavenly place. I think this picture was taken in the 1920's or 30's.

Driving into the park with my friend Martha was uneventful until you passed through the dark tunnel. The sun would appear through the small tiny cracks giving you a sense of the daylight ahead.

What I wasn't ready for was the breath taking beauty of God's country. And certainly I wasn't ready to feel the presence of God.

Martha and I cruised through the park, stopping and taking pictures, enjoying the blooming of the spring flowers and foliage. Stopping by every stream and listening to the quiet flow of the water over the rocks and listening to the deafening sound of the waterfalls that were just beginning to flow after the melting snow of winter disappeared.

We stopped at one of the waterfalls and walked right into a rainbow. The cool spray of the water bathed my face, and standing at the end of the rainbow felt as if there really must be a pot of gold if we looked hard enough. It was a very surreal moment and we captured the rainbow on film standing about 20 feet away. No words, we just stood there and enjoyed the miracles around us and prayed in silence and awe.

After seeing the tall redwoods we came upon a small chapel sitting back from the road. With it's steeple and stark white paint, peeling ever so slightly it made the chapel look unkempt and uninhabited. I asked Martha to stop the car and wanted to know if she wanted to enter and say a prayer. She said it didn't look open and she would wait in the car.  I walked to the front door and it was locked. I felt a calling of sorts and walked to the side door and found it was slightly ajar. I called to Martha, she said no she would wait for me, "Be careful" she said.

I opened the door or maybe it was opened for me.  Either way I was standing in the middle of this God filled country church. I felt almost paralyzed for a moment and had cause to take a very deep breath. It was one of those moments in my life I have never forgotten. I felt the essence and presence of God and I was humbled in that moment. Even now there are days I think of that moment and I am thankful that I can feel that kind of love and joy. I had always loved God, but this was one of those times I really felt God.

You don't have to be at a special place to feel God or his presence. Just get still and quiet and focus on that still small voice inside that could be God attempting to have a conversation with you. So go be a friend of God's today, He is always up and always listening.

Epitome of patience...

I was struck by this particular photo of my mom and dad, circa 1990.

Waiting for family and friends to arrive it was not unusual when you pulled in our driveway to find them sitting at their favorite bench right below the kitchen window, and the aromas that came from that window amazing!! You almost always knew what Louise was cooking. She was an amazing cook and an amazing mother and friend.

They were both always gracious and welcomed all who entered their home on Poppy Street. I guess we don't realize until we are older how much we learn from our parents.  We realize when we are confronted with the same things they were confronted with too. It is how they handled issues that has taught me how to walk with unconditional love, acceptance and a patience I didn't think I had.

I would like to thank them for many things, but especially for never saying a cross word to our spouses, our children or their grandchildren. If they had strong opinions they kept them to themselves and let us learn to live our own lives our own way. 

They somehow had the wisdom that once your children are grown, they must find their own way. I am sure they had plenty to say to me many times, but they were quiet and wise beyond their years. They really never caused me any pain or grief, I am not sure it was the same for them. But they walked quietly and endured whatever they held inside with grace and a quiet courageous spirit.

It says a lot about their character and their genuine love that I truly understand in the September of my years.

So no matter where you are in life...parent, grandparent, son, daughter, sister, brother, husband or wife... Let's teach our children kindness, patience, love, acceptance, love of country and God. Let's not let a generation of young ones get by us without passing on some quiet advice and show them by the way we live our lives how to live theirs.

Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is within your power to act. Proverbs 3:27 NIV

I waited for you...

I love this picture that depicts patience and a reminder to stand steadfast in our walk with God. The picture says it all. Through all he patiently waits. Are you that kind of patient person?

Sometimes in life we wait for people to take notice of us or of the things we do or don't do. We grumble in traffic, get angry at the cashier at the store, or impatient with our children that they don't learn as quickly as we'd like, or that we constantly have to remind them to pick up toys, do their homework, etc.

Today I attended and helped host a luncheon for volunteers at my church. It was a day of service and attending to the volunteers as they attend to us. It was a day for me about gratitude without expectations.  When we are walking right with God and following what it is He asks of us, all we need to know is that it is the right thing to do. To be of service is what God teaches us. God will bless you for your service, just like the dog sitting through a storm, that may be the very time God will bless you.

Kindness, generosity and a giving, willing spirit is what we should strive for. Kindness always repays kindness, patience always brings about patience in others, and a willing spirit will always be blessed by the soft hand of God. Continue to be of service to others and wait patiently for God's power and love.

If we seek spiritual greatness, we must first become servants.

Servants are like flowers in a garden: they have upon them the dew of heaven, which, being shaken by the wind, they let fall at each other's roots, whereby they are jointly nourished.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 1 Peter 5:6 NIV

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Become what you Believe...

Just like the young girl running toward a dream, and leaving her own footprints in the sand, I believe we can all become who we believe.

Once you believe you are amazing you will become amazing! You will start using your gifts to make that difference in others!

One of my favorite Bible stories resides in Matthew 9:27-31. It is the story of the two blind men that seek help from the Lord. They cry out to him asking for mercy and to have their sight restored. "Do you really believe I can do that". they answered YES! He touched their eyes and said "Become what you believe." This of course took GREAT FAITH, the basis of the story is this: They believed before it happened. They had great faith and they put action to their faith. They pursued the Lord, they pursued their dream to see, they pursued their healing! They became what they believed!

This is not magic or something unattainable, the power and faith we have within ourselves is greater than we can imagine. I love the word excellency. Mediocrity in the things of God is unacceptable. Make excellency your standard.

Sometimes things overwhelm us and your dream may seem unattainable. But I say set a goal for yourself. It doesn't have to be anything big, start out small with great faith and see where it takes you. It is the first step towards excellency.  Goals demand a willingness to take risks, to lay our life on the line, again and again.

What do you want to do with your life? Where are you going to be in 1 year, 5 years, or 10 years from now?

All opportunities or desired goals involve risk. There will be no success handed to you on a silver platter.But you'll make your own successes and you can carve out your own victories and trample on your own enemies, and you overcome your own difficulties and you set a standard to live by, a standard of excellency.

Don't forget that excellency demands priorities. Set a realistic goal and take it one step at a time. Remember to continually check your progress. You know why people don't check their progress...because they aren't making any.

Faith will not sustain itself. You must learn to maintain your own faith. You must learn to trust and take baby steps in your progress. Faith will suddenly become a way of life for you, something you can depend on and savor.

Make a difference in someone's life by a word of encouragement, a simple hug, a listening ear, a jester of kindness...and most of all a soft place to fall and rest.  We all need a soft place to fall.

1 Corinthians 13:13 "And now these three remain, faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Be love today...

Angel on my shoulder...

The is LOVE MY SISTER WEEK. If you have a sister who has made you laugh, wiped your tears, hugged u tight, watched you succeed, saw you fail, cheered you on and kept you strong, remember her this week. Sisters are a promise that we will have a friend forever.

I couldn't think of a better way to honor my sister than talking about her generous heart and spirit. Her name is Debbie.

She is in the business of helping and counseling others. She works in downtown Los Angeles at a school where wealth is not realized.
She has to cope with hungry children, angry parents, and children with emotional problems we can't imagine. Through it all she counsels, guides, and listens with a kindness and grace.

This week was particuarlly difficult as one of their 5th grade teachers, a 39 year old man committed suicide over the weekend.  So Monday started with a flury of questions, crying children, and many unanswered questions? Where to start? Reporters, cameras, and questions that had no answers.  But the children, well they don't wait, they show their emotions right up front. They didn't understand, he was loved by his students and all that knew him. How do we explain that away...We don't. Instead we listen, comfort and attempt to move forward.

This week was also her birthday and the anniversary of our mother's death September 29th. Both of these events occured on the same day. I sent her a gift that day trying to lift her spirits. She thanked me but I knew it was a difficult week all around.

The following day while she was out getting gas she accidentally left her wallet on top of the gas pump...She was a little preoccupied and distracted.  She didn't realize until she got home that her wallet was nowhere to be found. Her thought of course, what else could go wrong?  She tells me she prayed to her angels and asked for her wallet to be found. We both believe in angels and the power they possess.

Indeed she had an angel on her shoulder that day. She was a little fractic trying to call banks, credit card companies...you know all those important things we need to take care of when we think all is lost.
The next morning she received a  call from her car insurance company and they asked her if she had lost her wallet? A little perplexed she asked "How would you know I lost my wallet?" Well the lady said "Someone had picked up your wallet that was left on the gas tank, and the only information in your wallet that could connect them to you was via an insurance card."

The lady was kind enough to give Debbie the information and she learned he worked not far away from her home. She went to the place of business and asked if a man named Daniel worked there? Daniel suddenly appeared and handed Debbie her wallet. My sister was so grateful she tried to give him a thank you gift, he starred straight at her and said, "No thank you, that is what we do."  He really did refuse the gift and only said he was glad to help. Sounds like angel intervention to me!!!

Now if you don't believe in angels, take a closer look at the story. My sister is that way, she feels satisfied to make someone else's day. She is an angel to many, family, friends, and strangers. I am blessed to have such an angel in my life...thank you Debbie for being my sister angel.

Take the time to do a random act of kindness today and you be an angel on someone's shoulder.

Encourage one another daily, as long as it is Today...Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)