thirty minutes

Rewind a couple of months.

I was making good decisions with my eating habits. 

Exercising. 

I had lots of energy. 

I loved the feeling of wearing clothes that didn’t show all the bulges most everyone has had to battle in one season or another in their life.

Then I stopped.  As quickly as I started.  I made not so great decisions. 

Lost my energy. 

I felt horrible all the time because now my clothes were an obvious evidence of the bad choices I made throughout the day. Weeks. Months.

Fast forward to two days ago.

As quickly as my decision to start/stop/start again, my disposition changed.

All it took was a decision.

The motivation to not want to live my life ‘in the rut’ I was feeling was always there but something changed.

It wasn’t anything in me even though it was me who made the decision. 

Someone stopped their evening plans and proposed to work with me for 30 minutes. 

That was all it took. 

I immediately was on board. 

The frustration with the lack of energy and the all too familiar rut through my adult life was at a devastating peak. 

I was desperate. 

There was one stipulation. 

I couldn’t just ‘laugh him off’ like I did one time before when he tried to work with me months earlier.

I said I would do my best.  

I laughed very little.

I complained. 

I moaned. 

I was a mess of a student. 

He didn’t flinch. 

He made me do some exercises that I sure was not in the beginner’s guide to exercise.  They were exercises I have never thought to do because in my mind, they were not a beginner’s exercise but more for an intermediate student.

40 grueling minutes later, I had my first session under my belt. 

Today was my second session. 

Honestly, I was regretting it.  I just knew it was going to be the same intermediate exercises and I wasn’t excited of the potential pain. 

I was surprised. 

It felt good to stretch. 

More importantly, some of the intermediate exercises I did in session one were easier to tackle on day two.  I think I was surprised to feel stronger. 

40 minutes later, session two is behind me.

It has only been two days but my eating choices have been better and I anticipate good energy each day because I am eating better.

It was only a decision.

Someone only offered thirty minutes with me.

It made a difference.

Who do you know that needs thirty minutes with you? 

Who can I offer thirty minutes to?

Only thirty minutes. 

It spoke to me that I was worth that person’s time.

I mattered.

Only thirty minutes of your time.

Not just to exercise but maybe to talk. 

Maybe to go for a walk. 

To have lunch. 

To go shopping. 

To pray.

To sit together.

To laugh together.

Sometimes that is all it takes to lift someone up out of their rut. 

To just offer some of your time with them. 

Your decision to offer thirty minutes can transform someone else in ways that seem so insignificant to you but that action moves mountains in their life.

Let God speak to your heart.

He will guide you to the person who needs your thirty minutes.

aware

My protector, my dear husband has long encouraged me to be aware of my surroundings.

Physically. 

Spiritually.

My initial reaction is from a negative standpoint.

I purpose to keep my guard up. 

Not yield to a flippant attitude with my safety.

Physically.

Spiritually.

This word of wisdom is just as important from a positive perspective. 

Physically. 

Spiritually.

Many times. 

God has positioned me in a place of serving.

Being aware of my surroundings has developed my observation to gently reveal a word of encouragement. 

Give a much needed hug. 

Reveal a tender heart.

Kneel down to speak kindness as I give attention to a child.

Slow down to talk to an elderly person who just needs a moment of my time without feeling the rush of the world all around her.

Many times. 

I don’t realize what has transpired until I am past that moment in time that seemed to go in slow motion.

Then I know.

I was a vessel for Him.

The pleasure is mine.

Does He know?

I believe so.

when I think of him

When I think of him.  Many words.  Many thoughts.  Many smiles.

Twenty-four years have given me many ways to experience who he is when nobody is looking. 

To truly know his heart. 

To let him be a living example to me.

To our sons. 

compassion is a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate the suffering.

He is tender-hearted.

Especially toward children.

Especially toward widows. 

Especially toward those less fortunate. 

Especially toward his children. 

Especially toward his wife.  

Especially toward his Mom.  

Especially toward an obviously struggling soul. 

Especially toward a stranger.

He is quick to find a way within his ability to alleviate the situation.

He has opened his wallet to minister to a family that might be having a lean Christmas because of a sudden job loss. 

He has quietly and anonymously given children money so they can take their own widow Mom to lunch on Mother’s Day.

He is quick to extend money to a widow, just because.

He is quick to offer money or help to someone who couldn’t pay him back.

He is quick to extend mercy, grace, and humor to his sons.

He is quick to show kindness, mercy, and gentleness to his wife.

He is quick to visit his Mom, just because.

He is quick to offer a word of encouragement to a struggling soul.

He is quick to offer assistance toward a stranger, just because.

What makes this man so tender?  So willing?  So aware?

He listens.

He listens to the heart of the person but more importantly, he listens to his Father’s heart. 

He does it when I’m not looking.  I just happen to see some instances.  God is pleased.  So pleased He has someone to work through.  I pray I can listen. Hear my Daddy’s heart.  That compels me to reach out to a hurting world.  Just because.

My Redeemer Liveth

Music can usher you into His presence in ways you would never imagine. 

This song speaks volumes to the Spirit deep within me. 

It meets my deepest need to praise Him. 

Words gathered together so lovely that paint the picture of the lover of my soul. 

I love that. 

Read each word slowly.

Let the words linger in your heart. 

Let them bathe you and usher you into His majesty. 

His mighty power. 

His goodness. 

His amazing worth is beyond these words.

 Redeemer

Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning?

Who taught the ocean you can only come this far?

And who showed the moon where to hide till evening?

Whose words alone can catch a falling star?

 well I know my redeemer lives

I know my Redeemer lives

all of creation testifies there's life within the Christ

I know my Redeemer lives

the very same God that spins things in orbit

runs to the weary the worn and the weak

and the same gentle hands that hold me when I'm broken

they conquer death to bring me victory

 now I know my Redeemer lives

I know my Redeemer lives

let all creation testify that there's life within the Christ

I know my Redeemer

 

He lives to take away my shame

and He lives forever I'll proclaim

that the payment for my sins was the precious life He gave

now He's alive and there's an empty grave

and I know my Redeemer lives

I know my Redeemer lives let all creation testify

that there's life within the Christ

 I know my Redeemer

I know my Redeemer lives

 

Job 19:25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth.

praise

My favorite moments with Him are when my eyes are closed.  My thoughts are totally on Him.  Totally and fully abandoned praise is my most favorite time every Sunday morning. 

Nothing rushed. 

Nothing hindering that sweet time with Him. 

I wish it was longer. 

Much longer.  If I have the house alone or everyone is asleep, I can sneak some praise time with Him.  Such a sweet time to think about Him and how I can praise Him.  It makes me feel like all is right in my world when I set time aside to praise Him.

When I fully think of Him.  Fully abandon that moment with thoughts of Him and how precious He is to my heart. 

Tears flow.

Tears freely flow.

My heart is SO very tender toward Him.  He has been my everything and we have shared so much through all my years, I can't help but have sweet and tender thoughts toward Him.

I love this time with Him.  I look forward to it and carefully prepare and set aside that time with Him.

Tears have not always come to me easily.  I don't know what has changed that in my adult life, tears would easily fall when my heart was tender toward a situation, frustrated toward another, or upset.
I use to guard my tears to a fault.  I would dare myself to build a wall to keep my tears from falling but I didn't have that ability.  They would still fall, so I would walk away.  I think I didn't like to show my tears because it left me in a vulnerable place.  My true feelings, exposed. 

One day I realized how precious my tears are to God.  If they are THAT important to Him, there was no sense in trying to hide them or keep from letting them flow.  So now I embrace them because they mean something to Him.  He is okay with them.  I am okay with them.


Psalm 9:1-2  I will praise thee, O Lord with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvelous works.  I will be glad and rejoice in thee; I will sing praise to thy name, O thou Most High.

Psalm 126:5 They that sow in tears, shall reap in joy.

God’s pleasure

Years ago, as a young family we watched Chariot’s of Fire.   A movie that is a fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics:  Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrams, a Jew who runs to overcome prejudice. 

 There is a scene in the movie that took my breath away when we first watched it and it still does as it became a favorite line every time we watched the video. Liddell told his sister, Jenny, “I believe God made me for a purpose. But He also made me fast. And when I run, I feel His pleasure."

I believe God made me for a purpose.  But He also made me a Mom.  And when I am taking care of my husband and my boys, I feel His pleasure.

Now my boys are grown, one almost 21 years old, the other is soon to be 17 years old.  This season has been excruciating for my heart.  I was not expecting the shift.

Boys learning to spread their wings, to become young men.

Boys learning independence.

Boys learning to feel God’s pleasure in their own lives. 

I’ve had to learn to shift my purpose somewhat.  I’m still Mom but not the same Mom that they needed when they were much younger.  I didn’t know it would change.  I’m still walking this path of uncertainty. 

Totally by faith!

Faith extending way beyond what I ever dreamed imaginable. 

God knew.

 I didn’t. 

I’m so glad I don’t have to have it all figured out. 

He is in control. 

He is all I need.  

My husband has been a source of encouragement for me.

Helping me to stand back and let God reign and be my strength. 

Keeping my focus on my Savior and not on the circumstances. 

Always encouraging me to ‘just love our boys.’

 

Philippians 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable until his death.

go about doing good

I love to pray. 

I love to talk to the One I love with all my heart. 

The One who makes my day. 

The One who completes it. 

My morning prayer always includes a plea to give me eyes to be good to someone that day.

Without even purposely thinking about it, my heart wants to go about doing good to someone that day. 

It is almost a mission if I think about it too much. 

Nothing significant in my eyes but to that person, it is a kind gesture. 

I love having a purpose. 

It gives me courage more than I realize.


Psalm 34:14  Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace and pursue it.