Summertime...

... and the livin' is easy. So much of my life is beautiful right now. 

We've spent a week camping with family and enjoyed lazy days at the beach, hikes, and even natural hot springs in a spectacular riverside setting in the woods, seemingly in the middle of nowhere. 

 I stand outside my door in the quiet and gaze at the river, the hills and mountains. I look up at the spreading Willow  and the Russian Olive trees thriving near the river. I watch a trail of ducks paddle by. And I feel a little overwhelmed by the beauty surrounding me. I get to enjoy this every day.  

I hear the voice of my grandson "Hey, Oma!" in the morning as I step out of my little home. He joins me on a walk to the garden, looking for any changes. We move the large leaves aside in one of the raised beds and discover a cucumber! And a zucchini! We pull up a garlic bulb to see how big it is. He joyfully runs to hang it up to dry in the garden shed. He is my sidekick in the garden, for sure! 

I look at photos and texts on our family texting site and feel grateful that my adult children are all in good places right now. It hasn't always been so. 

And I remind myself... never take this for granted. Never EVER take where you are RIGHT NOW for granted. 

I feel grateful and I feel sad at the same time. 

I feel sad because our world is in such upheaval right now, and I wonder what that will mean for our children and grandchildren. 

Can one be happy and sad at the same time? I believe so. I can still choose what to focus on when life gets overwhelming. And for me, that is truth.  Living hope. Not wishful thinking. 

 Our associate pastor spoke on Psalm 23 last Sunday.  It really is one of my favorite Psalms.  

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not WANT. Or, put another way, I have EVERYTHING I need. Or, put another way, I LACK NOTHING. 

Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need. 

This Psalm was written by David when he was being chased by a king who wanted him DEAD. How could David say words like these in those times? I ponder that a lot. Could it be because he had experienced God's rescue at other times? He had trust in his God. And because of that, he ultimately felt secure, no matter what. 

Sometimes when I wake in the night, I recite this psalm, because it gives me comfort and readjusts my focus. 

And so, I continue to enjoy life and express gratefulness for all I have been given on this day, at this time, in this place.  And I continue to remind myself that my hope is in a God who loves and cares for His creation - this world. 

In this world we will have trouble, but take heart, Jesus has overcome the world!  The future is bright! 

The Fixed Heart

  Using blog2print.com, I decided to compile my blogs into books this past year. As I was thumbing through one , I came upon this quote that spoke to me more than ever, with all we are going through in our world-turned-upside-down. So here it is again: 

"...the fixed heart is the secret of courage. Courage is an affair of the heart; courage is the consciousness of the heart that is fixed...What, then, shall we do in the day of frightfulness? We shall do our duty; the thing we have to do tomorrow morning. We will do that, and do it well; and do it cheerfully...What this nation  needs, now just as much, and perhaps more than anything else, is the multiplication of strong, quiet souls who are not afraid of evil tidings, even though the zeppelins may be coming, and will not add to the panic that demoralizes, but will do their work."

an excerpt of a sermon by G. Campbell Morgan, March 3, 1916 called The Fixed Heart In the Day of Frightfulness

May we each do our duty, the next thing, with a fixed heart. 

"He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is fixed, trusting in the Lord." Psalm 112:7

Thursday Things

I've been wracking my brain about what I could possibly post here that would get me out of the funk I am in lately. Today I've been reminded of the importance of gratitude, even and especially in dark times. So, instead of writing about it, I'll add some photos of what I'm grateful for today.

road trips with stunning views

carefree, laughing children and happy pets

tasty, wholesome, homemade

yellow flowers!

autumn and its changing colors

words to pray when I am faltering (thanks to Lectio365 app)

rainbows and incredible sun breaking through (no filter!)

I hope you are all keeping in mind that there is still so much good in the world. 

Then and Now

While working at decluttering a home a few weeks ago, I came upon stacks of old newspapers. This particular article had been torn from a page in our local paper dated Tuesday, January 13, 1976! It was a fascinating read. 

We probably have all heard of people or organizations  on social media whose personal articles, interviews, opinions, and more have been 'taken down' by 'fact checkers' simply because they have the power to do so.  

This published article below was spurred on by the death of the Chinese premier Chou Enlai (China's head of government from 1949-1976)  who who was apparently revered in the press for his intelligence, wit, and accomplishments, but hardly a journalist thought it important to mention the evil regime he was a part of. The italicized words here are excerpted directly from this newspaper editorial. I have highlighted some of the words in red ink. This is a timely reminder to us all. 

Selling One's Birthright 

 .... Just what is it we as journalists are here for......? 

We are here to make sure there is never one single, undisputed version of the truth handed down from the government to the people, to be accepted without question. This is the sole reason we make such pests of ourselves around the politicians and the police, and the reason we often draw attacks from the Chamber of Commerce types for being "knockers, not boosters". 

In short, we are the guardians of pluralism. And the Chinese Communists are the open and sworn enemies of pluralism. In China, a single institution, the Communist Party, controls every school, every press, every loudspeaker and every pen in the land. All books, all paintings, all music, drama and ballet are judged by a single criterion; whether they express the approved ideology.... 

The Chinese communists intend to do far more than merely make life difficult or impossible for independent thinkers, as the Soviet government did to Alexander Solzhenitsyn. They intend to make it impossible for independent thought to exist. 

Remember, independent thought is not a universal trait: it takes a special environment to survive. It is only possible where every individual is a member of many different institutions - family, church, club, labor union, trade association, state -- all making different and sometimes conflicting demands on his loyalty, forcing him constantly to choose and decide between different values and alternatives. 

Under the Chinese system, every institution in the land, including the family, is considered to be a local branch office of the state. The Chinese attitude towards the press was expressed perfectly by a Chinese journalist who was asked by a Western journalist whether a government-controlled press was consistent with liberty. 

"But  of course," he answered. "Here, the government serves the people, and the press serves the government. What could be simpler than that?"

But it doesn't work that way. No government, no matter how chosen, can ever "serve the people" so completely to be above criticism. If that attitude had prevailed in the US, the Watergate scandal would never have been brought to light. 

There is one right way for human beings to live, and that is the state of having no one right way to live forced down their throats. Even the Christians, who believe in God's plan for mankind, accept this: in their belief, God chooses to allow Satan to exist and tempt mankind, so that he may choose the good of his own free will, rather than accept it blindly. 

It is a strange symptom of the malaise of our times that many Western intellectuals seem to have a death wish: a desire to destroy the very social system that made it possible for them to become intellectuals. They tire of the pain of thinking, the hardship of choosing, and the constant frustration that comes of being responsible for the fulfilment of one's own dreams. They seem to want to give it all up for a system that offers security and a sense of common purpose --at the expense of thought. 

This, to our minds, is a perfect example of selling one's birthright for a mess of pottage. And journalists especially should keep this in mind... 

We cannot leave it to journalists and mainstream media to give us both sides of a story anymore. It's important to continue to exercise our right to freedom of speech, which includes the right to access various opinions and information so that we may determine the truth for ourselves. The information is out there. It should continue to be accessible. 

A free press is the unsleeping guardian of every other right that free men prize.

 ~Sir Winston Churchill

Five Minute Friday:: Design

 We are all designed differently, and we are all a masterpiece. I know it doesn’t always feel that way, but that’s the truth. 

We are God’s workmanship/masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. (Eph. 2:10) We are created in God’s image. We are all a beautiful work in progress.

 Another word for masterpiece is poem. Have you ever thought of yourself  as a poem? 

We are designed for community. We are designed for relationship. We are designed to be emotional. We are designed to be free and uninhibited. We are designed to be safe. We are designed to need each other. We are designed to love, to cry, to laugh, to share, to forgive, to create.  

God’s design for the world has never changed. We are promised that one day there will be a new heaven and a new earth—the kingdom of God is here and is coming. How wonderful is that?!

Have you ever pondered the way you were designed? Have you ever wished your design was different? Have you ever been complimented for a personality trait you may have, perhaps one you have berated yourself for? It’s a lovely feeling when someone sees the uniqueness of you and encourages you, isn’t it?

And God saw all that he had made and it was good. And when he had created humans, it was VERY good. Your design is VERY good.

Photo by Birmingham Museums Trust on Unsplash

We are a divine work of art

C.S. Lewis

This post is part of the weekly Five Minute Friday link-up. Freewrite for five minutes on a given prompt. Feel free to join in!

Christmas In Our Hearts

Sometimes a song says it best. These lyrics are from the  group Downhere's song Christmas In Our Hearts from their album How Many Kings. It's quite timely, although it's an older song (and the band, one of my favorites,  is no longer together). It just reminds me that you can't really shut down Christmas! 

Land adorned with snow, trees silver and gold, a fire crackling along

Red and green decor, carolers at the door, and that family feeling is strong

Would it be less Christmassy, if all of it were gone? 

Even if nobody said Merry Christmas, if even the choirs and belfries made no sound, 

There would be peace on the earth, and forgiveness 'cause it's Christmas in our hearts. 

Everywhere you go, the poor and orphans know the Spirit is stirring the soul,                                        

as love and caring dare beyond the standard fare, to get back what the world stole. Is anything more

 Christmassy, more sweetly apropos?

Even if nobody said Merry Christmas, if even the choirs and belfries made no sound, 

There would be peace on the earth, and forgiveness 'cause it's Christmas in our hearts. 

Sacred night so timeless, we through shadows roam; 

Lend Your star to guide us to our heart's true home. 

Even if nobody said Merry Christmas, if even the choirs and belfries made no sound, 

There would be peace on the earth, and forgiveness 'cause it's Christmas in our hearts. 

Oh, if every sleigh bell on earth just disappeared, the 24th of December we'd start ringing a new year

There would be peace on the earth and forgiveness, 'cause it's Christmas in our hearts, 

Christmas in our hearts. In our hearts. 

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash

Tea and Peace

Hello, faithful readers and visitors alike! Long ago I decided I wouldn't apologize for my lack of haphazard blogging. Life's too short to care about whether I show up regularly or not. I continue to enjoy having this space and can't seem to cut myself off from it. And I do still enjoy visiting the blogs I come upon or have marked as my favorites. It seems, although blogging may not be as popular or even perhaps a dying trend, I find it to be a way to connect with others who enjoy sharing their thoughts in a quiet way. At least that's how it feels to me. Sort of like sitting across the table with friends, enjoying a cup of steaming hot tea.

Speaking of tea, I found this mug at a thrift store the other day, and I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. I think I was meant to spend $2 on it. I'm always on the lookout for mugs that speak to me.  Due to my health challenges at this time, I am limited in what I can eat or drink, so instead of complaining, I have decided to make what I CAN consume as enjoyable as possible. This mug brings the experience of drinking tea up a notch :)

Today my Lent reading from Pauses for Lent by Trevor Hudson was from Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers.  

How does one live as a peacemaker in the world in which we find ourselves?

 With the COVID-19 in the news constantly, and it being classed as a pandemic, there's a lot of fear and anxiety infiltrating our neighbourhood, city, province, country, and world.

A friend of mine has a partner who is at risk due to his ill health and he is extremely anxious about catching this bug, she tells me. I ask her how she's feeling and she says "Stressed".

I watched a group of people at Costco practically swarm the deli worker as he rolled out freshly packaged hamburger.  He couldn't even place them in the refrigeration area before they were snapped up.

I observed a driver in the parking lot who angrily gestured at another driver for no good reason.

I have a friend who's worried about her young daughter living on the streets and pregnant.

Another friend is scheduled for a very invasive operation as a last ditch effort to help him live longer, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Sometimes it's just a little overwhelming, isn't it?

This world needs peace as never before.
Peace to replace fear.
Peace to replace anxiety.
Peace to replace injustice and violence.
Peace to replace self-preservation.
Peace to replace hate.

I am reminded of the words of Jesus when he was in the boat in the middle of a storm. He spoke to the wind and waves, saying "Peace, be still". No yelling, no frantic efforts. Just speaking words that calmed not only the storm, but his friends.

May I find the right words and actions to help those who come across my path.

May we all be peacemakers in this crazy world.

Stay well, friends.

Our need for peace cries out to heaven as one of 

the deepest yearnings of the human heart. 

My young teacher

"The older I am, the younger are my teachers"  

I read this today on Instagram this morning, and  I've been ruminating on it ever since.  I know that I have been reminded to appreciate the little things, to be present in the moment, and to celebrate victories, large and small!  All this from my almost-two-year-old grandson.

Truth!

A readerly afternoon

One of my favorite pastimes is reading, as my friends and family know. I listen to some bookish podcasts, which helps me keep a list of books that sound promising. I have an Amazon wish list that I will never get through, even if I live to be 120 years old!   As well, it's easy to follow others' recommendations on Goodreads. Of course, just talking books with other book-loving friends helps too! A trip to the library to pick up holds is usually a highlight for me.

Today is one of those lazy days. I'm fighting a bit of a cold, so I decided it was okay to pamper myself and spend a few hours in the middle of the day to finish off a book I'd been really enjoying. 

Night of Miracles by Elizabeth Berg is a book about residents coming together finding the true power of community. It's a  follow up to The Story of Arthur Truluv. Both books are heartwarming fiction taking place in the small town of Mason, Missouri.  

Berg has a way of developing realistic characters and situations and although there's a sweetness to these two particular books, there's also pain and sorrow. Her books are always full of beauty and hope in the middle of ordinary days and trying life circumstances. She understands the complexities of life. She writes about all ages and stages of living, and in these two books, the older characters are portrayed so well. 

I've read several Elizabeth Berg novels over the years, and have enjoyed the majority of them. She writes women's fiction really well. The first book I ever read of hers (quite a number of years ago) was about a marriage that was falling apart. I had just finished reading a similar book by a Christian author, and Berg's book rang much more honest and believable to me. 

It's a joy to find fiction books that I lose myself in. It doesn't always happen. 

Friendship

The greatest thing any person can do for another is to ... take the time and have the discernment to see what is most deeply there, most fully that person, and then confirm it by recognizing it and encouraging it. 

Martin Buber

Listen

Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity.
Simone Weil

I've been part of a study group for several weeks now where we are sharing our stories with each other. The rules are to sit, listen, and let each other share what we want to or need to. No judgments, no fixing, no advice, no interrupting. Then we thank each other for sharing the hard parts of our lives.

I wish I could transfer the way I pay attention in this group, to how I listen to my own family and other friends. It seems hard to simply listen. More often than not, I'm partly listening (it might LOOK like I am fully listening) and partly formulating my response to what I'm hearing. But what would it be like to really listen and then pause before I replied?  What would it be like to make it my goal to value the other's words and need to be heard more than valuing my need to be heard, to have my opinions validated, advice accepted, and my needs met?

I messed up again today. I caught myself and did my best to listen and validate.
 "It must be really hard", I said.
"Yes", she replied, "very hard".
I may not have agreed with how she was handling this difficult situation, but if she wasn't asking for advice, it was better for me to simply listen. To be generous by saying nothing.

Not so simple. But so important.

Five Minute Friday: Breathe

Without thinking too much about it, after reading Paula's post,  I decided to take the Five Minute Friday Challenge - writing for 5 minutes on the word of the week, like a freewrite, so no editing allowed! Here goes...

Breathe. 

Just breathe. How many times have I said that to myself? Just breathe. Take a deep breath.

Sometimes circumstances are such that I feel my thoughts spinning or playing over and over like a broken record. Maybe it’s something I said that I regret. Perhaps it’s something I did that I can’t undo. And so I get on this track that’s moving so quickly, I can’t get off. Does that ever happen to you?

Sometimes I just need to take a step back and breathe. Slow my thoughts down and then sit myself down and tell myself the truth. Is this a life or death situation? Is this the end of the world as I know it?  Will I become homeless through these actions? Will I ruin someone’s life? The truth is, it’s uncomfortable, I am sorry I made that decision, and yes, it even hurts a little. Especially when it’s not the first time it’s happened. Big reveal: I’m not perfect. 2^nd Biggest Reveal: And that’s okay. In fact, it’s good. Can you imagine how much pressure there is on having to do everything right ALL THE TIME?

So, after a ‘cool off’ period with myself, somewhat like being penalized in a hockey game (mind you, I have rarely played hockey!), I calm down and it doesn’t seem like such a big deal anymore. What was I all flustered about anyway? It was one little mistake.

And I breathed. 

***

There.. that wasn't so bad ;)

Book Review: Growing Up Social

The average American child and teenager spends at least 53 hours a week with technology, directly in front of screens. That's a lot more time than they spend interacting with parents and other people. This world of constant digital distraction and attention (screens are everywhere!) means that children aren't growing up the way we did. Memories of playing in back yards, bushes, and other 'wild places' might be absent from today's childhood. Curling up with a good book, being read to, and participating in family discussions are not part of many of today's children's experiences.

Gary Chapman. and Arlene Pellicane have written Growing Up Social to empower parents to make positive changes, away from an over-dependence on screens. They include how to teach skills that every healthy person needs to master: affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention. Love languages are also covered. This book helps parents set a healthy balance so that their family can live with screen time, not for it. This will not happen unless there is intentionality and this book is the ticket to practical help.

In many ways, this is much more than a book about living with technology today. It's about how to have a healthy family in a world where varied distractions take us away from the relationships we value the most. I'm sure we have all experienced times when we haven't felt valued by those we love. This book includes practical ideas, quizzes, and discussion questions to help families focus on  and show respect to each other.

This book is relevant to anyone who values their relationships with those closest to them and is willing to take steps to improve communication, resulting in a healthy balance between digital and face to face communications.

This would be a great gift for those with young children. In this ever changing, challenging world, parents need all the help they can get in raising healthy, well adjusted, happy children.

I received this book free from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review.

Life...a Beautiful Choice

Today, I joined a friend to be a part of the Life Chain, a national event one Sunday a year where those who believe in the sanctity of life and the value and humanity of every unborn child, line a busy street, standing quietly and prayerfully, holding signs that remind the community of this truth.

Take my hand, not my life.

We are Voices for Life

Life.. A Beautiful Choice

.. and others, but those are the ones I remember right now.

When our children were school age, we used to participate as a family every year. But I haven't participated for several years. I decided to follow my heart and attend this year.

Sadly, I think I was the only participant from my church of probably 350 people. Maybe no one else knew about it. But, the truth is, even when it's been advertised in the bulletin, very few actually show up. Disappointing. It isn't something that people jump to do. I understand that. Even some Christians feel it does no good and causes divisions. I think if it's peaceful, positive, and prayerful, it's a good thing. It keeps the issue alive and forces people to think about it, even for 30 seconds, as they drive by. Maybe it starts a conversation that wouldn't have happened otherwise. We ARE talking about life and death of an unborn child and a violent solution to a hurting woman's crisis. There HAS to be a better way for a civilized society to help women and children, doesn't there?

I hate confrontation and I don't go out of my way to make a scene. This was definitely NOT in my comfort zone. And I'm not alone in that sentiment. But I'm glad I went anyway.

I had a great conversation with the guy standing beside me. He wasn't exactly excited about standing on the sidewalk holding up a poster, either, but said he felt it was the least he could do, and compared to what happens to other Jesus followers around the world who stand up for what they believe, this is not too 'risky'. And we both agreed we were glad we did decide to come. There is something about standing unified with other people from various churches (He is Catholic, I am Protestant). How often do we actually do that... join together as Christians.. across denominations?

Apparently last year there were a few angry hecklers who confronted several participants.  But, thankfully, this year was a peaceful hour, with lots of positive thumbs ups  and honks from drivers passing by. Maybe one or two who showed their disagreement by yelling or flipping the bird. But that was minor.

I do believe there is value in this 'demonstration' but it definitely shouldn't and doesn't stop there. Thankfully, I have met many people who give of their time and money towards helping women in distress, and providing comfort and practical solutions. That is what we are called to do. 

The Life Chain was a good choice for me this year. 

Improvisational Skillz for a Better World

verb im·pro·vise \ˈim-prə-ˌvīz also ˌim-prə-ˈ\.: to make or create (something) by using whatever is available.

One thing I look forward to in the morning is a good cup of jo. I have a keurig and it does a pretty good job (depending on the quality of the coffee, of course). But sometimes mornings call for something a little more special. To celebrate getting up in good time, perhaps? 

So, in those cases, I use this: 

This is an aeropress coffee maker I received last Christmas. It's perfect for making lattes, which are my go-to special coffee drinks.  It is inexpensive ($30), simple and you can take it pretty well anywhere (camping?) and know you'll be enjoying a GOOD cup of coffee.

I have hummed and hawed lately about what type of milk frother to purchase. There are a few options out there costing anywhere from $10 (battery operated, no steam frother) to well over $40 and over $100 if you add the steamer option.  

I have been using a mason jar lately. It does the job, albeit,nothing to rave about. The milk is bubbly, but not thick and creamy. 

1. pour in milk

2. screw on lid. tightly.

3. shake the jar like crazy for a minute

4. remove lid

5. heat jar in microwave

6. pour frothy milk/bubbly milk in prepared espresso

As I was doing some research, I had a light bulb moment. As I watched a few videos on various milk frothing equipment and methods, I realized I had an Epicure coffee press sitting in my cupboard which I hardly used. It closely resembled this ($46): 

So, I took it out and tried it. Oh my! Best frother EVER! (It also makes a great little pot of coffee and keeps it hot!)

It made a delicious latte and rivaled my favorite coffee shop one.

Enjoying a quality homemade latte meant I wouldn't have to decide whether to support  Planned Parenthood with my coffee purchase that day (I had to figure out some way to make you aware of this horrific practice going on with Planned Parenthood, so that link is IT).  If you'd like to make your views known to Starbucks, here is a link directly to their company information where you can email them.

How about you? How do you make and enjoy your favorite cup of coffee in the morning?

Seeing In The Dark

Someone once said that faith is not a personal possession until you have suffered. That person understood that the very nature of faith requires the grit and courage to be in the dark so you can eventually see in the dark. Then faith becomes faith. 

                                               
This is just one of the many of the underlined and starred excerpts  in the book Seeing In The Dark by Nancy Ortberg. This book is her long awaited sequel to Looking for God, which I have not read, but hope to in the future.


 If you've ever gone through a rough patch in life, and you wonder what God is up to and how on earth things will ever change, this book will be an encouragement to you to sit and wait until you can 'see in the dark'. Until you have done this, says Ortberg, you will not "hear the whisper or see the flicker".

It's where we actually are, not where we want to be or hope to be, that God works. His kingdom becomes real to us exactly where we are.

And Ortberg reminds me that although God sometimes makes His presence known in strong and unmistakable ways, other times it's in the quiet, little things. Some random 'coincidence', words of encouragement from a friend, being inspired by a beautiful sight that reminds me of how big God is, or a word read at just the right time.

There are a lot of jewels in this book, and it's definitely worth buying a hard copy, because no doubt you  will want to underline some of those truths and reread this book or lend it to a friend.

I received this book free from Tyndale House in exchange for an honest review.

The Easy and Comfortable Life

It's at this time of the year that I can feel my stress levels start to inch up just a little, in anticipation of all the commitments coming up in the next few months. The sweet slower paced summer days will soon be over, monthly meetings reconvene, work gets into full gear again, church activities increase, ministry commitments begin, decisions on community classes of interest need to be made.. well, I'm sure you can add to this list.

It feels like the easy, comfortable life is over and REAL life begins again. And I'm not anticipating it, but rather dreading it just a little, to be honest.

This short video reminded me that the 'easy, comfortable' life is really not the goal and if I make it that, I will always be striving towards it and become dissatisfied with the everyday challenges and commitments that make up my one, precious, unique life. Do I really want everyday to be a day without something to stretch and grow me? Do I want to live in my own little selfish bubble where comfort and ease is king?

I was reminded that these challenges and commitments ahead of me, if I keep my attitude in check, are what can make for a fulfilling, passionate life.

It's in the giving that we receive.

My prayer is that I will remember this as I begin to plan and implement my goals and schedule this next season.

What did you think of this little video?

The Anxious Christian

I heard an interview with Rhett Smith not long ago, and decided to review his book The Anxious Christian, sent to me free from Moody Publishers, in exchange for an honest review.

It was refreshing to read something that didn't come from the perspective of anxiety/worry being a sin, followed my admonitions to 'be anxious for nothing', and calmness would settle in.  I wish it were that easy. 

Being anxious about an event or life circumstance doesn't mean there is something wrong with one's faith. Rather, Smith believes that anxiety can be what causes us to lean into God and trust Him, thus being a catalyst for moving forward in life. Anxiety is a human condition, although some struggle more with it than others. Although the book did not explain the spectrum of anxiety, I do believe there is one. There is worry and then there is debilitating ANXIETY and a whole host of degrees of anxiety in between. At least, that's how I perceive it. 

One can choose how to deal with anxiety. There is a) the hiding, pretending all is fine, but feeling shame and b) honesty and working through it.  Anxiety is what can propel us to fight against living a 'safe life' in the comfortable ruts we have made, never daring to face our fears. But, as we know, the less we face our fears, the bigger they grow. And our lives can become stagnant, only a shadow of what they could be. It's a daily choice to walk through fear and 'grab life'. Some days are more successful than others! 

One particular truth from this book jumped out at me, based on Jeremiah 18: 1-6 where God tells Jeremiah to go observe the potter working with the clay.  Smith shared what his grandmother said to him when he was young. "Do you know that when a potter is working with the clay he never takes his hands off the clay as he is shaping it... and do you know the good Lord never takes His hands off of us?"  That was a great reminder that God is ALWAYS with us through the tough times. We don't walk through them alone. 

This book was encouraging, caring, and honest, a good reminder of the importance of working through anxieties. Included are end of chapter questions, activities and prayers, which would be especially helpful in a small group study. 

The Anxious Christian is well worth the read and is a good introduction to the healthy Christian view of anxiety and how God can use it for good.  For a more in depth study, I would recommend the book The Good News About Worry by Dr. William Backus. 

Simply Open

"Lord, open me to release, that I may receive, become, and do..."

Are you looking for a simple, but transformative prayer that can be used everyday to help you become more aware of how God is working in your life? Author Greg Paul shows you how in Simply Open by introducing an intentional exercise of opening yourself up to God through a prayer that can be used no matter where you are or what you are doing.

Paul explains that a contemplative path is open to us even in the busyness of our everyday lives. As much as we might like to go on a quiet spiritual retreat to help us focus and hear from God, he says it can be done using our senses in our everyday life. "This path is so simple that you can integrate it into the most complex schedule and pick it up again immediately if you forget about it for weeks at a time."

The only thing required is a desire to become open to God, ourselves, and others. Actually, this prayer is really seven specific prayers focused on the five senses, the mind, and the heart. Each chapter of this book is focused on one aspect. What I love about this book is that this spiritual practice encourages us to reach out to others, it's not just inward focused. Greg Paul, who is a pastor of a church which reaches out to inner city homeless people in Toronto, adeptly illustrates that we can experience God's love through all of our senses and as we do, we move towards loving others in practical ways. This theme is woven throughout the book.

 In order to actually use what's been presented in this book, I would suggest writing the prayers on notecards and have them easily accessible, until it becomes more familiar. If you are not usually one for praying prewritten prayers, you may feel a bit awkward at first. But it may surprise you how freeing it is to read a simple prayer that states exactly what your heart's desire is.

If you are looking for a new way to become more aware of how God is speaking to you in your everyday life,you might appreciate this book. It's worth reading through quickly, then going through it slowly to really help internalize it.

Thanks to BookLookBloggers who sent me this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

How to Lose Blog Readers for Dummies

Here's how:
1. Don't publish comments
2. Blog very rarely

As I was catching up on emails, tidying up my inbox, I happened to check my email spam folder (who knows why? I usually never do!) and found a comment for my blog, waiting to be published! That means this particular person (who happens to be a faithful reader of mine) might have thought her comment was not worth publishing! How far from the truth! Everyone who comments on my tiny little blog in the corner of this ginormous blogiverse is valued and worth publishing! Unless, of course, you really ARE a spammer. You know what happens to spammers.. I won't go into details!

So, I went directly to my blog and checked the 'comments awaiting moderation' page. Oh. dear. All this time I have been publishing comments from my phone, but it turns out I have missed a LOT. Well, a LOT for me, means about 20. :)
So, my apologies if you have ever commented on my blog and then noticed I never published your responses.

Which reminds me of a blog I had started following several months ago, and commented on. One of her reply comments was found in my 'awaiting moderation' file today! Earlier this year, I read one of her posts about commenting on blogs and comments not being published and how that didn't feel very affirming (I agree!).  Was that my doing? Oh, I know, small potatoes in the world we live in. But it did make me think. We are an insecure group of people, aren't we? Or maybe it's just me.

Anyway, haven't been blogging much. Life, you know. Busyness. And mood. They say that when you journal, the spaces between your entries are as important as what you write. I think it's the same with blogging. Are you a fair weather blogger? I guess I am. I don't go into too much detail about struggles (I do share that with close friends and those I trust) and for me, that just feels right. Everyone blogs differently and that's good. The truth is we all have struggles and we all have times of celebration. We are all unique and we have different reasons to blog. In this season of my life, it's very random (no pressure to write) and usually light hearted. I do love to laugh, and sometimes I have to use my own life as fodder!

Have a great day, all, and remember to check your spam and comments awaiting moderation!