Category Archives: Uncategorized

Uncommonly Beautiful Girlfriends Weekend

28 Tuesday Apr 2009

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

, , , , , ,

birthday-007birthday-0111birthday-010

My weekend began  in a torrential downpour while driving north on I-35.  It was thunderbolt alley all the way to Dallas.  Every fiber of my being wanted to stay home and not endure the stress of a rain-soaked ride.  Todd prayed for me, and encouraged me to take my time, stopping often.  What was the hurry anyway?  Contemplative exercising began on my way to the retreat, I meditated and slowed my pace.  My pace was sooo slow, I arrived 6 hours after departing, usually a 3 hour tour so I’m told. 

One of my dearest and oldest friends Amy(we’ve known each other 32 years) stayed on speaker phone supporting me along the journey as the water flooded the roads and buckets full of water blasted my windshield.  She has been with me in all sorts of dicey situations and this was no exception.  She was voted nicest in my high school.  A woman of gentle strength.  A true leader.  Her persuasive speech led me to a retreat 30 years ago where I met my Lord for the first time.   

Once I arrived, however road weary and rain soaked, it was another wonderful, life changing, and life challenging retreat.  This was the retreat of the women of Stonebriar, a congregation northeast of Dallas.  For many of us, we were renewed in all ways eternal, detoxing the synthetic ideas away as we  sat under the teaching of accomplished author and speaker Cynthia Heald (Author of the Best Selling Series Becoming a Woman of…. ) 

CARE (Christ’s Arms Reaching Everyone), a women’s ministry I was involved for four years until moving away in January, nourished me in this way.  Now it was a weekend of care for the soul – CARE was evident in the lives of the ladies over the whole weekend. Leaving CARE in Tucson, directed by the godly lady Barbara Tompkins was a raw and painful loss from my life in Arizona.  After 4 months away from the beloved women of CARE  God was lavishing me with John 15:15 as he did 30 years ago this month.

God’s friend:

A friend is a term of endearment that literally means one who walks beside, one who is near, one who is beloved, or those who belong to one another. As God made man, Jesus had every right to expect those He died for to serve Him as slaves, yet He chose to consider us His friends: “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends”

 (John 15:15)   Live Fearlessly by Lenya Heitzig & Penny Rose pg.197,

  Uncommon Beauty, 7 Qualities of a Beautiful Woman , Cynthia Heald’s latest book,  was our spiritual formation class for the weekend.

Although the women we will discuss were ordinary, they became beautiful by choosing to live extraordinarily. They were comfortable with who they were, they rose above their circumstances, and they persevered. Their lives have encouraged me to take risks, to seek wisdom, and to live selflessly. It is so easy for me to get caught up in my own world and seek comfort for myself alone. It is easy for me to focus more on my outward appearance than to develop gracious character. I have learned that lasting beauty is bestowed on those who posess “a certain something,” qualities that are the “soul’s own doing,” which can only be described as uncommonly beautiful. ”                 

 Cynthia Heald Uncommon Beauty , pg.8

Side note…I would like to place a copy of this book in every young woman’s hands I know in  middle school and above.  

  April 21st Chambers stated “We look for God to exhibit Himself to his children, but God only exhibits Himself in his children.” 

 He exhibited Himself in ladies I met through passion, wisdom, integrity, selflessness, graciousness, contentment and courage, the titles of all the chapters.  Cynthia also refered to her book Maybe God is Right After All,  because it was clear Cynthia has kept her hand in His encouraging us to do the same, for God’s Word Is All the Truth You’ll Ever Need, a chapter in the book… 

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-

 His good, pleasing and perfect will.”  Romans 12:2 

The radiance of Christ was clearly evident at a Marriot just north of Dallas.  The beaming smiles of godly women greeted me as I pulled into the underground garage, bathing away the grime of stress from this harrowing drive, and my new-found gracious friend Mary Shave (entertainment and emcee for the entire weekend) guided me to my room.  Joy and sorrow is part of every woman’s life, and this weekend was no exception.  When the speaker shared that  her Mom was struggling at the end of her 96th year of life, a group of women quietly left the room to pray for her non-stop while she spoke.  Servant’s hearts  were everywhere.  I received welcoming hugs from women I’d never met at most every turn.  More than Texas hospitality, this was the love of Christ in action.  The women in white were our spiritual leaders for the weekend.  Karen Hawkins and her worship team were obedient and humble as they spoke and sang us continually into His Presence in a ballroom.

My keepsake for the time with these eternal beauties was led by a woman of excellence, Dana Cooper,  in a deeper walk with my Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and revived friendship with Christ and new friendships with women.

Reporting from Dallas…

Resting in Him, Trish

Traveling Pants…Make Do and Dye in Blue.

27 Monday Apr 2009

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 9 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

 makedomondays

Lydia, the maker of fine purple cloth in the book of Acts,  closely resembles my life after college where I was privileged to sell exquisite, high-end women’s clothing, the purple cloth of our day.  Loving it so much, even after moving to a fancy desk job at the corporate office, I worked any weekend shift available at the retail store Mandels.  Their clothes were the staple of my business wardrobe.    God is molding me to be more like hospitable Lydia as I interface with my husband. Lydia was known as God-fearing, something I hope and pray comes to mind as you know me…something I aspire toward in my daily walk  

Meet Lydia:

“On the Sabbath, we left the city and went down along the river where we had heard there was to be a prayer meeting.  We took our place with the women who had gathered there and talked with them.  One woman, Lydia, was from Thyatira and a dealer in expensive textiles, known to be a God-fearing woman.  As she listened with intensity to what was being said, the master gave her a trusting heart and she believed!”

 After she was baptized, along with everyone in her household, she said in a surge of hospitality, “If you’re confident that I’m in this with you and believe in the Master truly, come home with me and be my guests.  “We hesitated, but she wouldn’t take no for an answer.” (Acts 16:13-15, The Message)

 I wrote a study for women leaders on Acts, mostly to share all the incredible insights wise men and women had poured into me while in Chicago, and to freshen and cement the teachings into my brain. Fun note… I would sneak into D.A. Carson’s class whenever I could, and sit with all the scholars.   Sticking out like a sore thumb with my faux black fur vest and matching hat…complete with leather gloves trimmed in black fur, who was I kidding?  I’d sit in the back row and glean.  I could only glean from the words spoken in English…the class required both mastery of written and spoken Greek…ouch, that’s why I had to sneak. 

I love dyed cloth like Lydia.  Every 6 months I dye my jeans with Rit dye and they are a crisp, cool, blue indigo much like the water at Lake Travis.  The jeans have traveled east and west as much as my weight.  Just like the girls in the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, each girl had a different figure, but the pants miraculously fit each one as the girls shipped the pants around to all the exotic locales the girls visit.  

Make do with blue, and dye your jeans to keep them fresh looking. On a note of interest, Thyatira, our new friend Lydia’s hometown,   was famous for its purple dye. A handful of kosher salt in the hottest water your machine will give you and dye away. Throw in a worn out white top and girlfriends, you’ve got a new look for the weekend…extra slimming when you where the same shade top and bottom. 

We learn so much from the prayerful women sitting riverside on the seventh day…2000 years later.

Rest in Him, Trish

Food on Fridays..Make Do Tabbouleh

17 Friday Apr 2009

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 10 Comments

Tags

, , ,

Saturday was my Birthday, I turned 45.  Traditionally on my special day I lolly-gag around the house and talk to my brothers and sisters, spend a relaxing day in my “jams,” and Todd cooks up a magnificent dinner,and this year, my sweet daughter whipped up an exquisite dessert.  Though I usually go for Baklava, this year it was Italian Sponge Cake by request.  “Little Chef” did a fabulous job with a challenging recipe.  

Saturday was also the day before Easter, and preparing dishes for church and our family was both unavoidable and my delight.  Entering a market or store of any kind was not on my plan.  Tabbouleh is always a standard side dish to our roast lamb every year and this year was no exception. 

Prep time 15 minutes

1/3 c bulgur rinsed and drained

3/4 c boiling water

1tb evoo

1 tb fresh lemon juice

1/2 ts. grated lemon peel

1 tb. chopped fresh cilantro or mint

1/2 ts. salt

1 c of English cucumber …diced

1/4 c diced green pepper

1/4 c finey shredded and diced onion

Pour boiling water over bulgur…let stand…whip together the rest and combine and chill till serving.

Atkins For Life, pg. 309  Robert C. Atkins, M.D.

Chopping up all my ingredients, cilantro, green pepper and onions I reached into my crisper and pulled out a zucchini.  Zucchini is not in my recipe, cucumber is.  Reluctantly I diced the unwanted veggie and tossed it in my bowl.  Sauntering over to grab the bulgur wheat out of my pantry, I noticed we were out, but hey, I had sesame seeds.  We recently moved and replenishing cooking staples seems to be a never ending battle for me.  We frequently eat pancakes from the Better Homes and Gardens cook book (p. 88) and “kicked it up a notch” with the bulgur wheat (as well as flax seed, chopped nuts, berries, whatever adds interest and nutritional value).  Substituting the sesame seed for bulgur wheat, and the zucchini for cucumber, I proceeded with my preparations.  It was an experiment in making do, and my family knew it…hey, I knew it.  Just because something looks like something else doesn’t mean it has the same nature and characteristics.  My tabbouleh was sub-standard.  Edible yes, tasty…sort of. 

Do you have any make do spiritual practices?  A book you’ve grabbed a hold of and become so excited over you reference it more than the Bible, or give it greater authority that the word of God.  Maybe it becomes you daily devotion instead of sitting with God’s word.  Spurgeons’ The Soul Winner has been that for me.  The book is boxed up and sitting in the never-never land garage attic right now.

Spurgeon speaks directly into the crevices of my life unhindered in ways that other books never can, but its not the eternal breath of God, no matter how close.  If God’s word is the real thing, don’t make do with the faux-tabbouleh’s of the literary world.  The Word of God stands alone in its authority, and must be directly piercing into you, just like the Sword that it is.  Great authors like Spurgeon are excellent mentors and teachers along your journey, but never substitutions for the real deal. 

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me.” 

John 10:27 KJV

Rest in Him, Trish

Passover and The Angel of Death on Golfview Lane

10 Friday Apr 2009

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , ,

Yesterday was Passover and Maundy Thursday.  Passover  marks the start of the Jewish Feast of Unleavened Bread that recognizes God’s salvation of the Jewish people from the bondage of slavery in Egypt some 4,000 years or so ago.   On the eve of Passover, on the night that Jesus was betrayed, he celebrated the Passover meal with his disciples and essentially telling them it was fulfilled in him, that the bread and wine of the Passover meal were symbolic of his own broken body and blood that would be shed on the cross just the very next day!  Spending time creatively hearing God’s word as I prepare my home for the festivities of each week not just Holy Week is vital to my soul care.

 Last Sunday Todd’s message was “What’s So Triumphant About the Triumphal Entry?  (After all Jesus was crucified by the end of the week).  He encouraged us to read through the parallel passages each day this week to review the events leading up to His betrayal, arrest, trial and crucifixion.

 Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11 and Luke 19:29-38 were my companions, while preparing dishes for the weekend and viewing scripture filled videos as I folded laundry and ironed for Easter.  The Matthew DVD by the International Bible Society is a new Southard must this year.  Helping set all my senses to the events of the week,  I sipped chicken broth and drank grape juice,  “Wild Purple Smash,” by Wylers.  

We enjoyed a not so traditional Seder evening meal and Todd read through the story of the Last Supper, discussing the significance of Christ in the Passover.  A restful simple evening which set our hearts to the things of God.  Wikipedia (hardly an authoritative source on the Passover, but adequate for my purposes) coached me on the significance of bitter herbs( we used cilantro). Several other additions and solemn insights came from a memorable evening with my friend Susan who allowed us to celebrate the Jewish Passover with her family last year.   They do not see Christ in the Passover.

One of the most searing memories I have of Holy Thursday was reading the story of the Passover to my daughter one morning in 2000 and later watching  two four year old girlfriends, one from a Christian home, one Hindu, swipe paint brushes above doorways and giggle up and down the hallways of our apartment building.  Seeds of simple faith at work in the heart of child.

“What are you girls doing?”

“Oh Mom we are putting blood above every door way so the angel of death will pass over all these families.”

I sat the girls down and told them in very basic language the rest of the story.  I was afraid they wouldn’t realize our Lord had paid the price of the guilt of sin by his life on the cross.  My daughter laughed again….”Oh Mom I told her already and they ran off.” 

“Jesus must appear to you and to your friend individually; no one can see Jesus with your eyes.  And division takes place when one has seen Him and the other has not.  You cannot bring your friend to the point of seeing; God must do it.  Have you seen Jesus?  If so, you will want others to see Him too.  “And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either” (Mark 16:13).  When you see Him, you must tell, even if they don’t believe.”

  Chambers, April 9

It is a Good Friday!

Rest in Him, Trish

The Town Parade in Pink

30 Monday Mar 2009

Posted by in Comedy, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized

≈ 7 Comments

Tags

, , ,

mit-moms-parade-march-28th-2009-001Saturday was our town’s Heritage Festival, complete with a local parade.  I participated, and had a great time marching in my first parade with my neighbor Rona, my new friend and prayer partner with MIT (Moms in Touch), who previously had  invited me to join her every Monday to pray with them. We marched as a group wearing pink one in all.  When invited, my first thought was “Oh my, I don’t own any pink… or do I.”  Most of you would assume my thoughts would be on prayer, but they weren’t.  

On any given day my wardrobe consists mostly of black, white , khaki, and a sprinkling of navy. My husband and daughter rarely see me in anything besides my black and white Nike warmup.   The ladies in the neighborhood probably think the only thing I own is that Nike outfit.  We see each other at the mail box and it is regularly washed, but frequently on.  La Encantada has a wonderful shop called “Lucy”  which sells workout clothing, and upon my move to Tucson 5 years ago, the getup was purchased and been my uniform since.  My dear friend and prayer partner Kim passed on several of her chic yoga sets, and I enjoy wearing them, but I must confess my Nike outfit is my fav. A year ago on my birthday I received several pink additions to my wardrobe:  a camisole from Kim’s daughter Mandy, an argyle sweater from another good friend, Heather,  and a twinset from my wonderful mother-in-law Marilyn.  How does one receive so many gifts of clothing, yet continue to wear the same sweat suit every day? Why do I do this after receiving wonderful gifts of clothing ? The pursuit of simplification is a constancy in my life, and clothing has been the easiest place to simplify.  My goal:  I attempt to keep 100 items in my wardrobe all the time, including shoes, socks, and yes, underwear.  Packing for trips has become a breeze, and whenever I receive something as a gift, or purchase something new, its a replacement, not an addition.  Something has to leave generally. 

Where is this blog going today?    Ann Kroeker’s Make Do Monday calls for making due with what you have.  My challenge from that is for you to whittle your closet to 100 items, and learn to “make do.”   Oh, I hear you’re screams and cries, but let me encourage you to make do, and see what happens.  Why simplify your clothing?  Well, the economy is tough and all your chic threads collecting dust in your closet could give your local Goodwill a serious cutting edge advantage to the mall.  Fashion philanthropy reduces fellow fashionista credit card balances by luring them to a $3.00 rack.  Reducing your inventory will free up your time. Don’t believe me?  Watch and see how much more time  you will free up from not having to decide what to wear.  Astounding!  (I must confess though, that the parade attire was a bit of a decision process given I had three pink sweaters to choose from).  How many outfits do you try on before leaving for work each morning?  Going to small group?  Attending Bible study?  I hesitate to drop the big C, but you know it’s true, and also for church?  All that extra time in the morning can be spent sitting at the foot of Jesus.  He will speak to you no matter what you have on.  He stands at the door knocking and waiting while you dither your time away on which shoes to wear.

“Has anyone by fussing in front of the mirror ever gotten taller by so much as an inch?  Have they made themselves more beautiful in the eyes of God?  Deepened their walk with Christ?  All this time and money wasted on the excesses of fashion.  Does it really make that much of a difference in the eternal perspective of our lives?  Instead of looking at the fashions, walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers.  They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it?  The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them”. 

 Matthew 6: 27-29 The Message.

One side note:  I highly recommend everyone finding and joining a  Moms in Touch group.  These are a wonderful, committed and purposeful group of women who don’t mess around.  You arrive at a given location, ours is at Methodist church near my neighborhood, and pray together in groups for the children and the teachers in our schools in target-ted prayer for an hour each week. 

 

Rest in Him, Trish

Gossip part two…Hails bruises

27 Friday Mar 2009

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, , ,

The year was 1999 and the magnificent city of Lake Forest, Illinois was leveled in hail.  The city was literally sunk into the depths.   Hail bruises a roof and you don’t see the damage till years later when it dies an early death.  Our family moved to Lake Forest immediately after and my husband attended seminary, worked as a small groups pastor, and sold new shake roofs to the majestic dwellings in the forest.  Everywhere you looked the devastation from the hail was evident.  Ten years later you can probably still see damage they may never have repaired.  Like hail, gossip and the contempt for others consumes and shatters the lives we have decided are less valuable than our own.  The bruises are for others but the decay will be our own.

“I have found in the course of a long, public life that the things that I did not say never hurt me.”  Calvin Coolidge

Like hailstones the steady pounding of words, break through and destroy, some are small and some are large, all damaging.  Todd Southard

 Hail happens when hot air mixes with cold air to create a torrential storms.  Some storms swirl out of control and you get tornadoes.  Hail is the steady pounding of words that destroy your soul. Our family never saw the hail come down in Lake Forest, but we saw it come down rather shockingly in Texas hill country yesterday.

A  friend and I were talking about why someone would gossip.  Rest assured the two of us have enjoyed our fair share of scripture memorization on any text which includes the tongue. Do not perceive me as one in a perfected state, after all He is not done with me yet.

She enjoys A.W. Tozer’s “Renewed Day by Day” the following is from March 17th.

“Contempt is an emotion possible only where there is great pride.  The error in moral judgement that undervalues another always springs out of the error that overvalues ones self.  The contemptuous man esteems himself too highly, and for reasons that are invalid.  His high opinion of himself is not based upon his position as a being made in God’s image;  he esteems himself for fancied virtues which he does not possess.  The error in his judgement is moral, not intellectual.”

The car dealerships just south of us will not be able to sell one single hail damaged car, no matter how fancy the car.  We may have driven out with our shiny new fliver the previous week, perhaps even full of pride and a slightly higher opinion of ourselves because of our new ride.  Who will buy it with the windows busted out and 3 inch divots all over it.  Remember this visual the next time an acquaintance has a story about someone you must hear. They are not valuing the individual as they should and reflecting God’s value of human life. 

hailing-in-austinmarch-25-2009-001Be gracious, break away and head for the cover of your Father before the hail falls.119twitter7

Have you ever held contempt in your heart for another.

Your verbal hail is leading you to hell literally.   

 

Sharing is helpful if the confidant or counselor is part of the problem or will be assisting you with the solution.

Tozer points to  Proverbs 16:5

“Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord;  though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.”

“The result of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quiet confidence forever.  Then my people will dwell in a peaceful place, and in safe and restful dwellings.  But hail will level the forest, and the city will sink into the depths.  Happy are you who sow seed beside abundant waters, who let ox and donkey range free. 

 Isaiah 32: 17-20 Holman CSB

Rest in Him, Trish

Rest in the Rabbitat

25 Wednesday Mar 2009

Posted by in Comedy, Restful Homes for Our Families, Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

, ,

Tom and Susan Bean built a rabbitat out of very simple materials and attracted cottontails to their Flagstaff home.

Tom stated in the February issue of Arizona Highways, ” I began throwing carrots into the burrow entrance, ”  In fact, I started to ring a little bell each time I went out with a carrot.  In a surprisingly short time,  the desired Pavlovian response occurred, and rabbits began to come out and await their carrot.”

The few followers I have on this blog may have picked up my focus is to rest in the Lord and what that entails in my daily living.  The “Unnatural Habitat” article has been stewing around in my brain since it arrived in the mail and the following are just some changes I made to help the wildlife in my habitat. aka husband and teen daughter.  Here are the carrots:

Step One

Forget the house for the morning and spend the entire morning studying God’s word.  I began in Chambers and he led me through a morning of contemplation on “Friendship with God”  (March 20th).  Everyday I visit and chat with my Father all day, but today He was my friend as I poured through Genesis 18 and then onto my WYAMDaily prayer calendar readings.  Writing in my journal, thinking and forcing myself to be still in His presence for the morning hours.  A big help withnoise reduction in our new home has been the elimination of the TV noise. Unhook  it if you have it in your house.  We are 2 1/2 months now without it and no one is complaining, our time with God has expanded exponentially.  My family occasionally views shows on the internet. The accompanying quiet is oh so….tranquil.  We all have library cards and check out movies just a quick walk away from our library.  We also occasionally rent, but you would be surprised at the selection.  Our library will order a popular request.

Step Two

Remove all clutter from most surfaces daily.  Clutter removal is visually restful to the eyes and moving has made this quite a challenge to me.   This week I moved 6 boxes out of the corner of the dining room into the garage.  Just physically lifting and relocating them was a challenge, last night during dinner I didn’t have to stare at them and think “where will I put everything in those boxes”   The “putting” just may be to the local Disabled American Veterans van if they pick up here in Texas.

Step Three

Food for the wildlife.  My travels this week included a very long trip to the grocery store where I purchased all the things my family loves to eat.  My husband loves salmon, and the special of the day was salmon so I bought 5 and stored 4 in the freezer.  My daughter likes snacks so I took her with me and she selected all her favorite snacks to fill the pantry.  Her delight in picking them, the expression on her face as I said yes each time she placed an item in the cart was worth it all.

Step Four

Treat myself to cleaning help.  I called a local house cleaner and asked if she would ever consider coming for one hour to help.  She had never been asked for one hour, but if that is what my budget afforded she would gladly accept.  Five hours later “Josey and the Cleaning Cats” (that’s really the name of their company) arrived and cleaned for exactly one hour and threw in an extra 1/2 hour for free once they figured out my husband was a Pastor.  I insisted they leave at one hour, but they insisted back it was important to them to give in a small way also.  I cleaned things all afternoon in preparation for their arrival knowing they would be able to come in and do a special forces attack on my habitat if they didn’t have distractions of bunnies everywhere.  MaggieBry3866.wordpress.com has a very funny blog on this.  Our teen daughter could not understand why we cleaned before the cleaning ladies arrived, but it became perfectly clear once she saw them decendon our home and attack it with great speed and intensity of purpose.

My family members are organized and efficient.  I have prepared painstakingly to have them arrive home to a lovely, clean, picked up place of solace.  My room in heaven is filled with books,and messy piles of stuff I adore.  My casa here is occupied by others so the work today will show them my tangible response to their desires.

We all stuggle from time to time with the question “Do they really know me?”  One look at my husband or daughters precisely cleaned and ordered closets will tell you they don’t waste time looking for things.  One area is in line.  The Rabbitat is ready.

Homemaking is important and today was my artful expression of love to my family.

“A whole generation of women exhausted themselves trying to have it all, when we should have encouraged them  to examine the choices and pick out the ones that suited them best”  Thomas P. Farley

A restful rabbitat suits me best.

Rest in Him, Trish

Gossip

16 Monday Mar 2009

Posted by in Comedy, Uncategorized

≈ 5 Comments

Tags

,

011Yesterday I was walking Daisy, and as dogs doo,  she did.   She is a very small dog, and chose a lush front yard to deposit her present.  With great hand motion, from my pocket a bag appeared with a flourish, so that all passing could see the quick removal of the stinky specimen.  What to my wondrous eyes did appear…but nothing….and I mean I could not see a thing.  Leaning  over and looking as close as  possible without sniffing the blades of grass, still no scoobala.  My family loves to refer to what Daisy deposits outside as scoobala, because its the ancient Greek word for, well, you know…  Lots of pastors will throw this in an occasional sermon just for laughs and giggles for the kids.  We laugh, we snicker.  Somehow it is always funny.  Leaving scoobala in my neighbors lawn is very uncouth.  I looked through my pockets to see if I had reading glasses.  No, of course not, who carries readers to walk the dog.  Who knew the need for peepers for peering @ poo? 

How can one practice what Leighton Ford calls “The Attentive Life,” discovering God’s Presence in things?  What will He speak to my heart as I face Him in lauds?  Leighton has Ranger …I have Daisy…

Today on make do monday, let us see what  can be learned about sin while walking the dog and spending time in Psalm 19. 

We all leave a wretched stench when we choose gossip and unnecessary words just to fill space.  Oh we may think we’ve left nothing behind, but we have.    Don’t do it.  Don’t say anything regardless if it’s true. “The fear of the Lord is pure enduring forever; the judgements of the L006ord are true and righteous altogether. ” Ps. 19v9

Gossip, and the ever popular, I suppose I could share this with you as a prayer request, but don’t tell a soul.  “Who can understand his errors?  Cleanse me from secret faults.”  Ps. 19v.12

 Well my friends that is a smelly. 

  Be sure and think through how the person sharing the scathing details could benefit from its publishing to you or to other people in your circle.   Acknowlege her information…hey its awful you feel this way.  Do not engage.  Remove yourself quickly …being faithful to friends includes being faithful in their absence.  Let nothing unclean deposit on your lawn.

“Keep back Your servant also from presumptous sins; Let them not have dominion over me.  Then I shall be blameless, And I shall be innocent of great transgression.”  Ps. 19v13

One of the most powerful sermons I have ever heard was by Tim Ayers.  He spoke of stealing.  We steal reputations. Remember the words “Thou shall not steal?”  Exodus 20v15

What do I do with the stuff left on my lawn?  How do I forget a person’s willingness to cast dispersions or broker information, and gain an edge in the gallows of “gossip girls” in church bathrooms?  Can’t I defend everyone’s honor and give them what my husband calls a “liguel smackdown?”

“I have often regretted my speech, never my silence.”  – Publius

 “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12 v.19

 Pulling in so close the only breath or words one hears is His.  He soaks our wounded hearts with love and caring passages of tenderness and protection.  Humans always fall back to the carnal and vengeance seems so exciting.  Why do we gossip? Positioning? Makes us feel like we are in the know?  Disparaging someones character?

 Our minds race…”oh but I thought she was a true friend, someone safe…how could she toss peoples stories so flippantly to another.” 

Put space between yourself  and  brokers of information. 

Live in James 3, practical teachings on gossip…photo copy the chapter and carry it in your pocket when devious mind wanderings erupt your brain. 

Clean fresh mown grass…no lingering smells…no brown smushes.

 The heaviest load any man carries on his back is a pack of grudges.   Unknown

 Give yourself permission to walk away… 

 The need for reading glasses will be gone.

Chambers was searing today ” Tolerating a wrong attitude toward another person causes you to follow the spirit of the devil, no matter how saintly you are. One carnal judgement of another person only serves the purposes of hell in you.”

Sometimes the stuff which cuts and stings the deepest at the time, God turns around and uses it for His Glory.

  “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation 119twitterof my heart, be acceptable in Your  sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer. Ps. 19v14

Rest in Him, Trish

Pastor’s thoughts…..

23 Monday Feb 2009

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

A letter by Todd to the people of Hope…. 

 

This coming Sunday it will eight weeks since our arrival. In this time Dr. Bob Rowley, our District Superintendent has installed your new pastor, the 2009 Budget was submitted to you at our January Business Meeting with your agreement of support, and we have begun a new series in Ephesians, exploring God’s Eternal Purpose…and You.  What encourages me most of all however, are the signs of life I am seeing among our youth (did you know there are three youth attending who simply began “showing up” and are being drawn closer to the cross?); favorable feedback from visitors regarding the warmth and welcome they have experienced from you, and your continued willingness to support the work and ministry of this church.  I thank our Lord for your faith in him, and your love for one another.  Good things are happening, and no matter how small or insignificant they may seem, we need to take time and celebrate.  Thank you Lord for what you are doing here at Hope in our midst.    

 

Last Sunday in Ephesians 1: 15-23 we talked about God’s desire and provision of Empowering the Church through Prayer.  I want to again invite you to be a part of prayer for our body as it is through prayer that God affects change in the lives of others.  Prayer is the sharpened ax that brings down the tree! 

 

First was our Attitude in Prayer: That it is to be a God-directed, Christ-centered celebration of thanksgiving and praise that is unceasingly in petition for others in the church.  Paul’s attitude of gratitude is because of what God in Christ has done for us, and because of what he observes in people’s faith in Him and love of one another.  Paul expresses a most appropriate, yet very big ask of God.  He prayed for God’s Divine Enlightenment for the Church through an ever deepening understanding of, and intimate relationship with God, in Christ, through his Spirit of wisdom and revelation.  He prayed  as I do today, that God’s Spirit would open the eyes of our hearts, offering ever increasing understanding from the very core of who we are, that we may know the hope to which he has called us, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.  Wow!  That’s a God-sized prayer for all of us to pray for one-another. 

 

Our burden of prayer is that the mighty power of God may be known in experience by its operation in us who believe, and that we lay hold of it and accept it from Him as a gift he wants to give.  God has equipped the church (again, that’s you and I), with power beyond what we can imagine, and “That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come…”  Power for the church to transform the world for Christ.  If we only knew, truly knew and exercised the power available to us in Christ through the Spirit. 

 

If you did not have the chance to join us at the church or from your homes last week, I want to again invite your participation each Sunday evening from 6:30 on for a season of prayer leading up to Easter.  Consider joining us! 

 

Here are a few things you can be praying for:

  • One another.  That we may know God better, and exercise his life-transforming power through prayer.  Consider taking our church directory and start praying through it by name.  
  • Our youth and children, especially on Sunday nights during the youth meeting.  They are in great need of intervening prayers at this time.
  • For Alan and Dan as they work with our youth, and for others willing to come alongside as helpers and leaders on Sunday nights.  When 3 youth who do not attend the church are coming to our youth group on Sunday nights, you can bet the Spirit of Christ is working in our midst. 
  • Easter planning and outreach
  • The 10,000 homes within 3 miles of the church.  That they may know the One who saves; that we may discern the Lord’s leading on best to reach them; that they may begin to think of Hope as their neighborhood church
  • The 80 or 90 children in Kids Day Out preschool, their parents and the teachers that come through our doors each day, many of whom do not have a church home.  Same prayer as above.  I have been invited to do a weekly chapel service which I am most willing.  Pray for others to come alongside who can help me in this wonderful, truly international outreach opportunity within our walls.
  • All the preschools, elementary, middle and high schools in this immediate area, their teachers and leaders, the students, etc.  Brushy Creek Elementary is the school directly across the street.
  • All in our church who are in leadership positions and their families: elders, pastors, deacons, trustees, teachers, volunteers…for their passionate pursuit of the Lord, and that we will live Christ-like lives that are an example for all
  • Our national and local leaders   
  • Those who are ill or have special needs

 

Praying for you all this week,

 

-Todd

Religious fashion shows…

23 Friday Jan 2009

Posted by in Uncategorized

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

My glamazon movements be it in the kitchen, scouring the toilets with a pumice stone (spent a large chunk of time making a big splash there yesterday), the car, the line at the post office or waiting on a bench outside Sephora for our daughter have purpose.  God  consistly  guides my day through selected readings from each section of the bible.  I use the YWAM personal prayer diary daily planner.  My first reading  today is Matthew 23 from the Message. 

 Eugene Peterson titled the chapter Religious Fashion Shows.  Jesus is warning religious leaders not to place beasts of burden (my Rolling Stone take on Eugene’s words) on their people.  I found the whole chapter completely intriguing…

I am a “religious leader” who loves fashion shows.  Saturday mornings were filled with excitement, Elsa Klensch came on at 6am with shows from Paris, Milan, Tokyo and anywhere you can imagine. 

 Growing up in Iowa does not sound so chic, but it is.  Women in my home town dressed beautifully, and my mother was and is vivacious and  very, very elegant … extremely funny to boot…. Praise God.  The men were not so well dressed with the exception of my gracious Dad and several others to include Ray and Mike.  The  big joke was that I had to go out of state to find a man to marry who would wear a collared shirt.

  Resting here at the breakfast table my handsome collared shirt hubby has delivered scrambled eggs to my place mat.  Perhaps my days of pudge will fade. 

Back to fashion…the current fashions are stunning for spring and flattering for all.  The traditional 50’s knee length A-line skirt is in vogue and complements all figures. 

Sooo what are religious fashion shows and how can I avoid them. 

Very fashionable prayer…Notre Pe’re qui es aux cleaux, ton nom soit sanctife’e; ta volonte’ soit faite sur la terre comme au ciel; donnenous aujourd’hui notre pain, quotien; pardonnons a ceux qui nous ont offens’es; et ne nous induis point dans la tentation; mais de’livivre-nous du main; car a toi appartient la regne, la puissance, et la glorire a’ jamais.  amen   Impress all your hip peeps with your french, but how will you lead them to Jesus if they cannot understand the language your speaking? 

2006 had a conference “Wake Up Call”…Christianity in America won’t survive another decade was the tag line to hook you to the conference.

  Our Father who art in heaven boiled it down for us in all sorts of practical ways in Matthew 23.  Our pure clean heart washed with our  Saviours blood is the breakout fashion statement for all times.  Gorgeous gold belts and chains are not necessary for this type of hip,  the chains broken from the enslavement of hypocrisy are hip.

  “For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then turn him into twice the son of hell as you yourselves are”  Matthew 23 v. 15  NLT 

 Well ouch and douple ouch…I crossed 15 hours of land to get to Texas, making new converts twice the sons of hell was not what I had in mind.  Our sign of beauty will not be from bejeweled prayer shawls. 

Leading others to the presence of the Lord is all the leading I want to do…

I’ll be leaving the religiousity to those who want to make fashion statements.  My heart is trembling my friends and resting in His peaceful presence all at the same time.

True alive faith in Christ is the only style…Rest in Him Alone, Trish