Lacking Wisdom

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

~James 1:5

I don't know about you, but I am sure thankful for that promise right there.
Because I lack wisdom.
Big time.

You see, the thing is, I have never had an 18-year-old son before. I am traveling in uncharted territory. And I have no idea what I'm supposed to do. (This situation feels kinda similar to when I had a new-born. Only this time the circumstances are weightier, and the child has more to say about it all.)
Thus, I find myself feeling helpless, but not hopeless. God, in His grace, keeps on reminding me that HE is completely in control. HE sees - not only to the end of this semester - but through every single day of my son's life. God has a perfect plan, and HE reigns.
Not only is HE sovereign over all creation, but if I ask Him to give me the wisdom I need for my little space in the history of time? HE will!
Generously.
And without finding fault.
So I ask, and I believe. And I trust God is going to deliver us through this phase, too.

Is there a situation in your life for which you need to seek God's wisdom?

My Pin Pal

What?

You've never heard of a pin pal before???

Well, neither have I, to be honest.
And I am not really sure what a typical pin pal would do.
To be honest-er.
But my pin pal and I? We write letters to each other.

At the beginning of the school year last September, my sister-in-law told me that her daughter's class had an assignment to find "a dependable adult to be their snail mail pen pal" during the school year. And she wondered if I would be willing to fill that role. Which I was happy to do! (In part, because I thought it was really cool to be referred to as a "dependable adult." *ahem*)
Only, the entire time we've been writing my niece has been referring to me as her pin pal.
And I think it's entirely too cute to correct.
Thus, I am - and have - a pin pal.

And may I tell you? It has been one of the most delightful experiences I've had as an "aunt."
An experience, that is, which we decided to continue beyond the end of last school year. Because it's fun to write letters - and to receive them. Ya know?
Our correspondence has helped me better know my niece. I laugh when I read her letters because she has a charming sense of humor. I enjoy hearing about the world from my niece's perspective, and chuckle to myself at the things she notices. And I love having a window into her young heart.
More than that, I love having an avenue which allows me to speak into her life. I want to speak, er, write words of faith, encouragement, and hope. I want my letters to be a source of inspiration for that sweet girl. Since we live in different cities and don't see each other often, I see our letter-writing as an opportunity to build into my niece and grow our relationship. And I am praying God will use it as such. Besides, I am aware that letter-writing is a dying art, and I am eager to help keep it alive.

So, my take-away challenge for you today:
Are you a "dependable adult" with a kiddo somewhere in your life?
How about training them up in the fine art of letter-writing, and building into their life in the process?

MOVE

Er,check that! I gave the wrong website in the video. Lansing-area ladies, go to http://www.moveconferencelansing.com/ to learn more about the MOVEment.

TLC at GLC

I poked my head into the Breezeway where my co-worker was playing Bingo with some residents last weekend - to say good-bye as I was heading home. (My co-worker, that is, who I hardly ever see because he works on a very part-time basis on the weekends.) And he said, "I hear you're leaving!?"
The look on my face must have told him that piece of information wasn't yet public knowledge, because he quickly covered it up recovered by saying something like, "You're leaving to go home?"

But when I came in on Monday, I discovered the clever cover-up hadn't actually covered up everything.
Because when I knocked on one dear woman's door to invite her to an activity - she asked me about the "leaving comment."
And what could I do?
I wasn't about to lie to her.
Nor did I want her to feel as though she was being abandoned.
Thus, I told her gently that while I am going to be leaving my regular employment at GLC, I will still be coming back for special occasions. "So, you'll still be here sometimes?" she asked. "Yes," I said, "I'll still be around. Just not as much."
And that answer seemed to satisfy her.

The decision to resign from GLC is the thing I've been wrestling with this summer. It's been the subject of many prayers and much seeking. And the focus of a lot of waiting.
But in the end, God has led my heart to follow Him through another door. I am going to be focusing my time and energy on my speaking ministry. My heart is very excited about it.
And the beautiful thing is, my team at GLC is welcoming me to continue working with them on an as-needed basis. That is - when big events are happening, or when circumstances call for it, I am going to be able to come in and do my "Life Enrichment Assistant" thing. I am going to be able to pursue the path God is paving for me, without completely walking away from the dear folks at GLC.

I am so thankful for the way God has worked out these details for me. What a joy it is to experience His hand as I have sought Him, and to be filled with such peace as I walk with Him.
Yeah, I think I'm receiving a little TLC of my own. *smile*

***My last "official" day at GLC will be next Friday.***

It's What I Do

So, the other night we had a family meeting of sorts.

That is, we got together to explore a possibility.

OK. We test-drove a car.

Brian is in the driver's seat.
I'm riding shot-gun.
The boys are in the back.
And as soon as we get out on the road it seems the three of them simultaneously exclaim, "Alright. Let's see what she can do!" While I'm all, "Whoa, buddy. Take 'er easy now."
From the backseat I hear, "Zero to sixty, Dad. I'll time it. Go!" And I'm saying, "Oh, really? What if there's a policeman ahead of us. You wanna pay the ticket?"
Then comes, "Oh, yeah! Take this curve without slowing down!" And I'm all, "What if a deer jumps out in front of us?"
Next, someone challenges, "See how fast you can go in reverse!" And I reply, "No you don't. What if..."
At which point Josh interrupts with a hint of exasperation in his voice, "Oh, Mom. You're just worrying about every little thing that could possibly go wrong."
And I'm all, "Well, yeah. I'm a mom. That's my job!"

Can I get an "Amen!" from a sister who knows what I'm talkin' about?

Digging Deeper, Seeking HIS Voice

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

~John 10:27

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Seems like a fairly simple statement at first, doesn't it?

The sheep listen.
The Shepherd knows.
The sheep follow.

Simple.

But what if we dug deeper? What if we studied the implications?
If the sheep are listening, the Shepherd must be speaking.
If the Shepherd knows, He must be knowledgeable. Furthermore, the sheep must be knowable. That is, they must be submitting to the Shepherd and trusting Him to know them.
And if the sheep follow, the Shepherd must be leading.
So, perhaps that simple statement could also read: I, the Shepherd, speak. And because I speak good things, My sheep listen to my voice. I have the ability to know all things, thus I know my sheep. They know I am good and they trust me - so they welcome Me into their lives, to know them and care for them. And My sheep - who listen to and trust Me - also follow Me. Because I lead them, and show them where they should go.
Oh, what if we took time to dig deeper into the Word of God and seek His voice? If we got quiet and listened? Really listened - with the intent of letting Him shape us?
What would HE do in our lives, if we let Him have free reign?

I would love for you to join me at the Women's Listening Retreat on October 7 & 8, as we embark on this journey to seek His voice.

Annnnnd, She's Gone Again

Three weeks.

That's how much time we got to have with our girl before she went away again.

Yeah. Sunday, Brian drove Elizabeth back to Wheaton.
Cuz it's time for her to start a new school year.
*sigh*
And she doesn't have plans to come home again until Christmas break.
And if she gets accepted for a project for which she's applying (Which I'm sure she will. Because she's such an amazing young woman. And I am not biased in the least. *ahem*) she says we probably ought not come out for Family Weekend in November - because she'll be busy with preparatory activities for the project all weekend. So we really wouldn't get to see her, anyway.
And I'm going to miss her sweet presence around here.

But this is good and right and the way it's supposed to be.
My baby girl - growing into a beautiful woman.
Following the path set before her by God.
Who loves her even more than I do.

Ahhhhh. So thankful I can trust HIM to watch over her every minute of every day - with love and wisdom and power and grace.

Need Help?

How Big is GOD?

TLC at GLC

Several weeks ago I shared a story here about playing Uno with a few friends - two of whom I labeled "All There" and "Hanging on by a Thread." Remember them?
If you don't have time to go back and read that post, I'll remind you: In addition to having most of her mental faculties intact, All There also has a tendency toward impatience and being easily agitated. So, for today's post, let's call her: Easily Agitated.

And now, if you will, imagine playing a round of Euchre with Easily Agitated, Wouldn't Hurt a Fly, and Mr. Nice.

I thought I was being smart - and ending problems before they began - by partnering myself up with Easily Agitated. I mean, I can handle her scowls and jabs when I make stupid plays. Would rather they come my way than be sent to Wouldn't Hurt a Fly.
So we set on to playing cards, and I had the false sense of security that we could play together nicely.
Oh, Karen. When will you learn????
Before we got too far into the first round, Easily Agitated became agitated with Wouldn't Hurt a Fly for playing an incorrect card by mistake. And when Easily thought Wouldn't had repeated the same mistake a few minutes later? She actually picked up the card and threw it back at Wouldn't. Uh, Easily humbled herself quite quickly when she realized her own mistake. And, thankfully, Wouldn't seemed oblivious to Easily's antics.
Of course, through the entire game with all of its drama, Mr. Nice was being just that.
He's such a nice guy!
I think it was his kind demeanor which helped me to not get upset with Easily. I was reminded of a conversation I'd had with another staff member about Easily. She had commented that Easily was probably a really sweet lady in days gone by. Before dementia started setting in and changing her personality. Thus, I kept telling myself the behavior I was seeing probably wasn't coming from her true self. And by the grace of God I was able to extend kindness to her - even when she seemed not to have any for anyone else.
And so I learned another method of covering a person with TLC.
You've gotta give them the benefit of the doubt.

Is there someone in your world who needs you to assume the best of them, even though they may be showing the worst?

HE Speaks

Oh, how I love Jesus!

Oh, how I love His tender mercies and faithfulness.

Oh, how thankful I am!

If you've been hanging out with me this summer, you probably know that I've been wrestling.
It has felt like a very long time of praying, and waiting, and wondering, and longing for answers, and thinking I know what to do, and doubting, and praying, and waiting, and... I have finally made the decision to which I believe God has led me.
So, yesterday morning I was sitting in the living room having my quiet time and I was thanking God for leading me. I thanked Him for His faithful and perfect provision, and the peace which is resting in my heart. I thanked Him for knowing what I need, and for the memories He was bringing to me about His faithfulness in the past.
I spent time praying - thanking and praising God. And petitioning Him to continue leading me.
Because I only want to go where HE wants me to go!
And then I read the verse for the day:

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

~Psalm 32:8

And my heart nearly burst.

Could He have spoken any more clearly???

In that moment it was as if God were sitting right there next to me, holding my hand and looking into my eyes, saying, Dear one, just as I have been faithful to you in the past, I will continue to be. You have been seeking My hand and I know your desire is to follow My lead. And now, I give you My Word - I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.

And I? Am listening for His instruction and counsel!

Doctor's Orders

Imagine, going to the doctor and having him give you a GOOD prescription!

I mean, I'm not talking about anything as wonderful as a script for a cruise - paid for by your insurance. I've long thought something like that would cure all my ills. And would certainly be a worthy investment on their part. But, to no avail.

Anyway, my doctor's recent orders weren't that good.
But they were good!
The thing is, I have mild scoliosis and am seeing a doctor to try to "straighten up".
At my first visit he found that I have one leg shorter than the other - which is the cause of the whole problem. He instructed me to get some lifts to wear in my right shoe, and gave me some stretches to do. Which I have been doing.
At my second visit I was happy to hear his report that it looks like we're heading in the right direction. But the best part was when he added to my list of daily exercises.
He pointed out a spot on my back where the apex of the curve is located. And he told me to fold a wash cloth/small towel, place it under my side relative to that spot, and lay down on it.
Just lay down.
No stretching, tensing, turning, or anything else.
Just lay still.
Had me start off once a day for five minutes, and told me to "work my way up" to 15. (As if he knew how hard it is for a mom to sit still in one place for that long! *wink*)

And that was the first time I have really been super excited about Doctor's Orders.

Because my doc told me to lay down and do nothing else for 15 minutes.
Yes, sir!

I Quit! And that's OK.

BTW, that noise in the background?
My son, washing dishes. A.K.A., Me NOT washing dishes.
Beautiful sound, isn't it??? *smile*

TLC at GLC

Did you know yesterday was National Chocolate Day?

Yeah. I didn't either. Until I read about it in the announcements at work.
And it just so "happened" that one of the day's activities was a cooking demonstration of Chocolate No-Bake Cookies.
Coincidence? I think, NOT!

So, as soon as dinner was over I got busy with a few of my favorite friends and I showed them how to prepare those tasty treats. (Most of these women had never made No-Bakes before. It was fun to see how amazed they were that you can NOT BAKE cookies. *smile*)
As you can imagine, the chocolate-y aroma filling the kitchen made our mouths water. And when we sampled the cookies (Still warm. Yummmmm!) everyone was delighted.
But the most delightful part was when I witnessed one particular lady ticking off a mental list of everyone in the building with whom she wanted to share the extra cookies. Oh, she kept me busy running from room to room as I hand-delivered each cookie at her command.
Oh, if you could only have seen the way their faces lit up as I told them we'd just made cookies and wanted to share. Many of them resembled excited kids on Christmas morning who've just been given a great big gift to open. It was beautiful!
And all because one dear woman made sure we shared.

Is there someone in your life upon whom you want to shower some TLC? Why not try sharing a chocolate cookie???

P. S. We're getting Elizabeth back Sunday! And we're whisking her away to take a short family vacation next week. Sooooo, I'll not be posting here until (probably) August 8.
Until then, may the peace of Christ rest upon you, and may His grace sustain you.

Worth Remembering

Last week I received an email from a very worn-out, discouraged mother. Who happens to be expecting her fifth child(!) at the end of next month.
As I typed out my response to her, I couldn't help but remember the struggle of having littles. Of battling feelings of jealousy towards a husband who "got to" be gone so often for work and work-related activities, when I "had to" be home with the children. While simultaneously being grateful beyond words for his efforts and long hours - which allowed me to be home with the children. (Yeah. That nearly gave me whiplash, too. No wonder moms are such volatile creatures! *wink*)
I could recall the angst I felt toward their angst. The days when I wanted to fall on the floor kicking and screaming, simply because they were. And it wasn't because they made it look so attractive. It's just that I felt like I was about to explode, and kicking and screaming seemed like a good release.
I resonated with her disdain for a young child's expression of disrespect - though I've found it doesn't change much when they're teenagers. *ahem*
And with sadness I identified with her comment that she often finds herself so angry and short-tempered that she doesn't even laugh when her kiddos do something cute.
Oh, those were some tough days.
Then, yesterday morning during my quiet time, I was reminded again of another years-ago struggle.
When I longed, even ached, for quiet time alone with God. When I simply wished for an uninterrupted opportunity to read my Bible and pray. When I would have loved to not have to tip-toe down the stairs, fearing that one creak in the floor would invite a trio of "helpers" - who would do anything but help.
OK, let's be honest. At the time I just wanted to be ALONE. If God were limited in His ability to be all places at all times, I probably would have been content for Him to rock the babies in the other room while I decompressed. Alone.

And the crazy thing?
I found myself enjoying the memories.
Really.
Honest!!!
That is, I found myself reflecting on God's faithfulness to see me through those moments days years, and I recognized the value of what HE did in me through the struggles. God led me to consider His wisdom and power and attention to detail, and He showed me once again that He hasn't wasted a single trial which I have endured. Rather, He has used all of them - every.single.one. - to shape my character, or grow my faith, or enrich my understanding of what a good, good Father HE IS.
And so I can say - though the times were difficult - they are so worth remembering, for the sake of giving glory to God.

Are you in the middle of a struggle right now? May you be encouraged to know, God has not forgotten you. In fact, He is in the process of doing something beautiful.

My Proposal

Monday night Brian and I were at one of our rental houses painting bedrooms.
In the sweltering heat.
For our "date night" activity.
Yeah. We're quite the romantics.
Ahhh, but sometimes necessity trumps romance. And the painting needed to get done.
(By the way, if you know any girls looking for a house to rent in Lansing, please send them to me. I would sure love to have girls move in this time. Cuz guys? Oh, how they can trash a house. Just sayin'.)

Anyway, back to Monday night.
Brian and I were diligently painting trim (and wiping up occasional drips) when he asked me a thought provoking question. In light of all the political rhetoric flying around these days, he said, "Karen, what would you do to make America great again?"
First, I laughed because I thought he was joking.
Then I paused, because I had no idea what policies would make this nation whole.
And, finally, I had an answer.
I said, "Well, I have a proposal. But I'm pretty sure it would be met with resistance. No, more than that. A lot of people would have nothing to do with it."
In my heart, the answer to the problems we're facing as a nation - no, as an entire world - is submitting to God. If we would only - every.single.one.of.us. - surrender to His Lordship, follow Him, obey His Word, love like He loves, and trust His heart - oh, what a beautiful world we would have in which to live.

Can you imagine it?

It would be heaven on earth, I'm telling you.

Yet, the sad reality is - there are many people who would have nothing to do with it. Because their hearts are hard and their eyes are blind, and they do not understand that God is good.
So with this vision fresh in my mind, I am praying for those people. I am begging God for mercy and asking Him to draw this world to Himself.

Because HE is our only hope.

Pity or Praise?

So, What's it About?

A friend asked me the other day if the listening retreat I'm hosting in October is "for mothers".
She wanted to know - what is going to be the subject of the messages I'll be sharing?

Actually, her first question could best be answered, "Yes, and."
That is, it is for mothers - as I trust God will be speaking to every mother in attendance.
And it is for women who are not mothers - as I trust HE will be speaking to the heart of every woman who comes, whether or not she has children.

Regarding her second query, over the course of our 24 hours together I will be speaking three times. The text I will be using is Matthew 14:22-33. However, while I have in mind an outline of what I'll say, the focus of the weekend is going to be listening to God - not to me. And so, while the subject of the messages will be that passage, the content of the messages will be unique between each woman and the Holy Spirit.
Because HE knows each heart.
HE knows every woman's circumstance.
HE sees tomorrow.
And HE knows what to say.

So, what's it about?
It's about listening to God and trusting Him to speak the words we need to hear.
I cannot wait to witness what HE will do!

If you would like to register for this retreat or find out about the details, please visit my website.

How to Get a Kid Off His Play Station

It's simple, really.

Just give him a gun!

OK. Wondering how many readers have flipped out and are ready to send me hate mail.
*wink*
But, honestly, that's what just happened in my home.
My mom and dad are getting ready to move, and are giving away all the things they don't want to take with them to Florida. Which includes a few guns my dad has had since who knows when. Which included a Remington something-or-other - like the ones that were standard-issue in World War II.
Full disclosure: I am not a fan of guns, but Matthew is intrigued by them. Talks about them all the time. And, while I didn't really see the value of this "gift," he was thrilled.
And can I tell you? I don't think Matthew has been on his Play Station since we've gotten home with those guns. Granted he's been at work some of the time (Did I mention he's working at Arby's now? Yep. My baby has a job!) but usually if he's home for more than 20 minutes, he's sitting in front of the TV - ridding the (virtual)world of zombies and other bad things.
Ahhhh, but not the past few days. Nope. His every spare moment has been spent researching the guns, learning about when and how they were used, and even some studying about how they're made.
In his braver moments he has started taking them apart. And I - though I am not terribly interested in the ins and outs of a gun - absolutely love seeing his young mind so engaged. He's all about discovering the mechanics of the gun - figuring out how it works, why this lever goes this way and that one does that, etc.
Matthew is like a sponge, eager to soak up information and knowledge about his new finds.
And I am delighted to see it.
Because I get tired of the constant battle we have over screen time.
Soooooo, fellow moms, if you're looking for a way to have your kiddos participate in mind-expanding discoveries - rather than mind-numbing games - might I suggest you let them get into something which really interests them? Even if it means you have to stretch your comfort zone?

And, to put any restless hearts at ease - know that everything is secure.
Matthew has been through gun safety training.
We don't even have ammunition for the guns in the house.
No need to worry.

Edited to add: *insert eye roll* Not even five hours after I finished writing this post, Matthew was playing on the Play Station. But we had a good conversation about how great it's been for him to be involved in using his mind to learn the past few days. And, he did ask me to leave the tabs open on my computer which he is using to research the guns. So I am confident he'll be back at it soon. *wink*

We've Got it so Easy!