More

More. That's the word that I'm taking into 2018 with me. I don't do resolutions anymore, mainly because they don't really work for me. I do like to set goals or 'intentions' as is the buzzword these days, it seems. But I don't intend to list them or berate myself for failing to meet them.

Back to 'more'. This word is directly related to the verse I'm holding onto for this year.

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to Him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen

Now, I'm not sure what this is going to look like for me and my family this year. But nevertheless, it is God's Word and since He doesn't lie, I'll continue to believe it. By faith, because isn't that the only way we can hold onto promises? We trust that the one who makes them will keep them. 

When Life is a Roller Coaster

Life might be a highway, but it's definitely not a straight stretch of ribbon! It's sometimes more like a roller coaster moving through the dark--sometimes slow, sometimes fast, sometimes high, sometimes low -  don't you think?

One day you wake up with a big smile on your face. Life. Is. Good.

Little, simple things bring you joy.

You received the news you had been waiting for.

You feel good. You have purpose.

All is well in your little world.

In fact, you feel on top of the world.

God is good! you say.

Then you hear that bit of disappointing or confusing news.

Or you read something tragic and scary in your news feed or in your local newspaper.

Or you wonder if your life is making a difference, because it sure doesn't feel like it.

Or your physical health isn't optimum, and productivity is a thing of the past.

Is God still good? you wonder

Or you just seem to be coming up against the same struggles and nothing ever seems to change, even though you have hope and faith.

And you start thinking about the future. Tomorrow and the hundreds upon hundreds of tomorrows which may follow and what they are going to look like. How uncontrollable the future really is.

You read more about horrible events in the world with no quick solutions in sight.

And you worry.

Is God still good? you ponder

Then you receive a hopeful word.

You have the most encouraging time with friends.

Their prayers are being answered!
Your prayers are being answered!

Changes are happening.

And the sun is shining again.

And all seems well with the world.

Isn't God good! you say

And then your heart breaks for your friend, who just shared something hard with you.

And there are no easy fixes.

It's complicated.

Tragedy strikes.

And  personal dreams shatter.

Is God still good? you ask yourself

And there aren't any wise little sayings or pithy quotes that are going to really make a difference.

All you can do is trust, wait and learn to see in the dark.

And believe,

simply (but often not easily)

believe

that

God is always good.

Oh, Lord, I do believe. Help my unbelief. 

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. 

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!

My Hero

The mouse saga continues..

The other day, I dropped in on a few dollar stores to pick up a few more traps, but they were totally out. It's that time of the year, and I'm not talking about the most wonderful time of the year, either! It's Mouse Time, I'm afraid.

You know, we've always had pets in this house until the last few months. Buddy the Cat was more than a lap warmer, as I have discovered...

Anyway, I decided to follow in my sweet, kind-hearted, lover- of- all- creatures daughter in law's footsteps, and purchase a live trap (the humane way to catch mice). The problem is, what do you DO with the thing once it's caught? That part might be extremely inhumane. I think I prefer the trap/snap method!

The other night we awoke to such a clatter... a constant scritchy scratchy noise that effectively ruined the rest of our night's sleep -  and we figured another mouse had made its way into a vent or drawer or enclosed area. That morning, however, Dave discovered that the humane trap was occupied. The peanut butter had done its work.

"Now what?", I asked. "What do we do now?"

"I'll dispose of it", he said.

"How?", I asked.

"With a pail of water... in the garage.."

"No!!! That's mean!"

"Let me worry about that.."

When he got home from work, I asked him what he had decided to do with the little critter in the garage.

It was still there, sitting in an empty pail (with a lid of sorts over it, so it couldn't get out). I then had to put my foot down and give him the ultimatum.. no supper until that poor thing is ..well... taken care of.. (humanely please). 

Ten minutes later, he came in the front door and sat down at the table.

"I drove down to the hills near the park and let it go on the trail", he said. "It won't be returning to our house."

You did that, for me?? Oh, thanks, sweetie. Yes, he's MY HERO!

Mouse total: 3

Trespassers will be ...

 My husband tried to keep the news from me for over a week! He knew I'd probably not take the news well. Yes, my imagination does get the better of me sometime.

The last few days I have been hearing little crinkly, crunchy noises, but I suspected it was the house creaking with the icy winds that have been blowing. Sometimes our heating ducts make noise, as well, so I convinced myself that's what it was.

However, he came home today and had a funny little smirk on his face - the one which tells me he's been keeping  a secret but it's impossible to carry on the charade --  and said, "Promise me you won't go crazy if I tell you this.. "

"WHAT?!" I asked "Tell me, what is going on.. " I thought it might have something to do with his work.. a pay raise? a move? being fired? (ha!)

"There's a mouse in the house. I saw it there this morning." (He pointed to where I sit EVERY morning in my reading corner).

"Where?!" Eek. My eyes got bigger and rounder. I slowly edged towards a chair. He chuckled, and pulled out a few mouse traps. He set them strategically around the house.

I tried to carry on  making dinner and puttering around the kitchen.

Needing a broom, I opened the hallway closet door and I saw it! Out scurried.. the mouse!!! I held the broom like a weapon and yelled for my hubby to save me! The chunky critter dashed for cover under our piano. And that was the last we've seen of it.

Until less than two minutes ago, as I was composing this post, I kid you not!!.. I heard a SNAP!! Was it? Could it be? It was!

I'm a wimp when it comes to little teeny tiny mice.. I know.

What are the chances that this was the only trespasser during this cold snap?

The Spiral

Do you ever have one of those days? One where you let your imagination run wild and fears you have rise up, leaving you exhausted and discouraged?

Yeah, I had a day like that yesterday. Thankfully, I had the wisdom to leave the house after supper and check out the craft store and visit with a friend for a bit. No, I didn't even share the particulars, but I didn't have to. It was just good to get out and focus on something else. It helped.

And this morning I got up and decided a brisk walk in the cool morning air was in order. I talked to God, was reminded of some comforting Bible truths, and met up with a friend to finish up the walk.

Not everyone will understand the feelings that threaten to overwhelm at times. Not everyone goes through it! And it's not something that is easily overcome. It takes some work, in my experience.  It can be difficult to  turn those spiralling thoughts off.  

There's definitely something comforting about sharing with someone who says, "You, too? I thought I was the only one!" Two friends and I once studied Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. I remember it being a beneficial time for all of us.

I've got  The Anxious Christian, on my radar-- heard an interview with the author  and it sounds like a great book.

Do you have any books that are 'keepers' and have helped you through your bad days?