As I begin this story the polite gesture would be to invite you over for dinner.  But since this event is appearing on paper, I’ll skip right to the main course of things.

Many restaurants have a menu and a presentation with which attract their desired customers.  My offering is quite simple.  I do have what I refer to as a “catering service” sprinkled with love.   Some of my most interesting dishes have exited my kitchen and gone down the street, sometimes around the corner, and then some of them have presented themselves as near as next door.

At this juncture, it would be important to share that God has SURPRISED my husband and I and moved us to Australia.   But if you’ve read my stories in dated sequence, you have already read the events leading up to our move.

So, without further explanation, I’ll head right to the heart of things that were about to take place in my tiny kitchen.   I won’t speak of my facial appearance, but I’ll be transparent enough to tell you that I was “not” in a positive place emotionally this day.   I was still grieving and missing Canada, along with friends, neighbours, and of course, my own personal “comfort zone.”

It was not an “I can’t wait to reach out to my neighbours” day.  To be blatantly transparent, I wanted to have a pity party and invite in everyone I knew.   However, I was new and I didn’t know anyone to invite.  And even if I did, they wouldn’t want to attend.   After all, who wants to come and dine with someone who is appearing very self-absorbed with the “poor me complex.”   Actually, I hate attending myself, but I was all alone and didn’t like it.

Then it happened!  God’s still soft voice echoed in my heart and mind.  I can’t recall His exact wording, but it was something like,

“You’ve got macaroni in your pantry that needs to exit your home.  Get with My program and make something to share with another.   After all, you’re not going to get to know and love your neighbours for Me (God) without reaching out and touching them.”

Don’t we crave hearing from God in a clear voice!   Well, His impression on my heart was abundantly clear.   Of course when His wishes and directives are “clear,” I’ve found it best and most advantageous when acted upon.

Scrambling to locate the pots and pans (remember, we’ve just moved and been in our domain not three weeks), so I needed to locate where I’d homed them.    All is moving along with progress.  Macaroni boiling, white sauce coming together at my direction, and grated cheese and bacon waiting to adorn the top.  

Within about sixty minutes this macaroni and cheese was ready for travel.  The journey wouldn’t take long as it was only going next door.  So no passport would be required for this adventure.

I left part of myself at home (the fearful part where I tell myself that this neighbour doesn’t know me where I’ve just exited my comfort zone again).    The other part of me, the outward self, explored about forty steps and there I appeared at my neighbour’s front door.

She barely recognized my face, but the mac ‘n cheese was a great cover-up, and besides, seeing what I looked like wasn’t at all important.  What “was important” was that she felt loved.   Her face lit up like a Christmas tree and willingly accepted the casserole dish.

I waltzed home, happy as a clam, and I asked the Lord to use it for His good purposes in building a relationship with this gal next door.  As a Christian you know, we carry about the “living presence of the Saviour,” by the Holy Spirit’s residence within us.   What a treasure in these earthen vessels.   It’s exciting really, because He yearns to “ooze out of the pores of our lives” to touch others and to show them He loves them beyond measure.  And, to top it all off, God likes using us, our hands and feet, in the process.

A couple days had past and the next door neighbor appeared at my front door with the empty glass casserole dish.   Her body language was  in high voltage and joyful “lights of expression” were favorably portrayed on her face.   I stepped outside to greet her, thinking that she would extend her hands with the empty dish.  That was not to be.   I found myself engulfed with arms around me and a tearful comment from her heart.  She shared how I had made her feel SO LOVED!

Mission accomplished!   She wasn’t aware of it, but her arms were embracing the love of the Lord Jesus.   I was just His “delivery girl.”

These encounters with people serve to remind “me” that God can and does DELIGHT IN THE DETAILS OF OUR LIVES.  And, that He longs to impress upon us from time to time, that He would like to extend His love to all who touch our lives through our homes, furniture, cups of tea, cookies, sandwiches, smiles, hugs, and casseroles like macaroni and cheese.  

Let’s pray and be alert to sense His nudges of encouragement to reach out with the “ordinary” so that He can make it “extraordinary” for His saving purposes in the lives of others.   Let’s allow Him to “establish our steps.” 

Proverbs 4:24  “Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established.” NKJV

Let’s work “with God” and not “for God.”  What I mean by this is that we allow Him to be in the driver’s seat, orchestrating the events of our lives, rather than being so busy with our own agendas.  

May I share a statement made in my presence years ago that continually rearranges my daily “accomplish list.”   It’s this:  

“If we want to hear God’s voice more clearly, we need to turn down the volume of our lives.”

You know, in life we never stop learning!    We learn from books, teachers, parents, friends, google, and a myriad of other sources.  Not all of the sources available are accurate or worth giving our time and energy to.   But there are needs and events that crop up which seem to place us in the “now it’s time to learn how to ……” and you can fill in the blank.    Having to learn new things can be intimidating to me. 

This particular morning I was on my way home from a meeting and when I saw the “E” for empty on my gas indicator, I fortunately viewed an upcoming service station ahead of me.  My first thought was to wait a few days until my husband was home and let him do the task of filling the tank.   But to be honest, my reason for hesitation was that I didn’t know “how to do this task,” and felt uncomfortable attempting this on my own.   It may sound simplistic to you; but in moving to this new country there were dozens and dozens of “changes and challenges” that God was helping me overcome, and I wasn’t up to how to “pump gas” into the tank.  

This new day brought a new opportunity of moving out of my “comfort zone” (where I secretly enjoy living) and face a new “inner fear” of such a practical task in life.  God wants to help us face all our fears, large or small, huge or insignificant, with His strength and help.  

As I came within a block of the service station, I made the decision to pull into the area and asked the Lord to help me, in whatever way He chose, in this “new venture.”

You know we can say, “Well, I trust the Lord;” but it wasn’t until I pulled into the service station and got out of the car did I show by my actions that I was actively going to trust Him.    He wants to meet “all our needs,” not just some of them.   And believe me, living close to “empty” on my gas gauge was a need I was experiencing.

This “now it’s time to learn how to fill your car’s gas tank in the country of Australia” class came into my personal focus.   I was dangerously close to empty, and so I thought it best to make an appearance in the “how to fill your gas tank” class registration.

Moving to a different country with many varied cultural and practical ways of doing life can be very STRESSFUL.   This recent encounter with a service station was one of my new adventures.  Trust me on this one, not all service stations are the same as my home country. 

The everyday automotive task of filling your car with gas, or petrol as the term is used in our new location, is one that my husband usually handles on a routine basis.   I must say that enjoying the scenery from the passenger’s seat while this task is being carried out is most relaxing.  In all honesty, I’ve been spoiled. 

On this particular week my husband was out of the country and the gas tank was announcing that it was hovering on empty and something needed to be done about the situation.   In that I was the only one “in town and available,” the assignment arrived at my personal doorstep.

It’s now time to say that, prior to this event, I was not shown “how” to perform this rather simple task.     Well, it was simple from where I used to live, but here in a new country I had no idea what to do.  I went under the assumption that all service stations were equal….and they are not!

If the events of that day were recorded on video and posted on You Tube, we would have over a thousand internet visits by now.  I approached the station slowly and with caution.  Before arriving at the pump, I needed to locate which side of the car the opening was to refill the tank.    I’d like to speak to the manufacturer on this one, because there were no pictures on the dash showing me where the filling spout was located.

Upon arrival at an appropriate gas pump I asked the Lord for help.  Goodness knows, He knew I needed assistance.   My eyes were busy searching out for the first person in sight.   Yes, I found one and she was just completing her fill up and looked available.   I introduced my first need.   I wanted to know where to place my credit card to pay for my upcoming purchase.  She was smiling from ear to ear, and I’m not certain if that was her normal demeanor, or she was about to burst into laughter at the ignorance being displayed before her.   We both had a laugh though and that helped me relax.

She was very astute and quickly advised me of my options.  I could grab that hose with the enlarged handle and fill the car at that point and pay afterwards; or, I could take my card inside the station and pay there.    So without delay, I pranced into the building, with my confidence building.  

My cell phone camera should have been in operation capturing the cash attendant’s facial features.  He viewed my approach to his counter with an odd smile (at least I interpreted it as a smile).    I didn’t expect a lengthy conversation; so I handed him my card and shared that I wanted to fill up the car and then come back in to pay the amount.

Then the unanticipated dialogue began.  “What part of the United States are you from?”   I knew better than to say, “How did you know I was from America?”   It’s obvious for Australians to detect your accent.  My brief question gave away my cultural roots.   After the “interview” with the station clerk, he told me what to do.   Now, with that under my belt, I went back out to the car.    At first I couldn’t open the little door that held the opening to the tank.    Another obvious detail I wasn’t informed about. 

After perusing the dash board area of my vehicle and all the buttons, I located a picture that looked like a release button for the tank area.

Time didn’t permit me to look around to see if anyone was observing this show of “automotive ignorance” with this woman trying her best to just simply fill up her car.   I was focused now and on a mission.   How difficult could it be, I had all my instructions memorized.   I opened the tank door, located the pump, pulled it towards the gas opening and then another obstacle arose.    Where in the world is the latch you pull or push to get the gas flowing?

Breathing deeply now, I began asking the pump handle (under my breath of course) where in the world do I make it work as there was no latch to press or pull.   By now my confidence was out of touch with reality; and it was apparent that I needed to meet another” new friend” in the pump area of the service station for further directions.   I verbally grabbed the first person I saw and shared my dilemma.   

It’s amazing how helpful people can be when you’re in a “pickle at the pump.”    Her instructions were clear as a bell.  “Just press the button!”

Quite obvious, if you know where the button is located.   My eyes took a quick inventory of the handle…..I couldn’t see anything that resembled a button.    By now this woman had the same “ear-to-ear smile” the last gal had; and I doubt it was her personality oozing out.   She was exercising restraint from bursting out in hysterical laughter.  The facts, plain and simple were, she couldn’t believe I didn’t see the “obvious.”

The button that everyone was referring to was HUGE and right on top.  As I’m asking, “Is this the one?”   “Yes, she responded.  Just PULL the pump out and PUSH the button.”    The gas came guzzling out into the car tank.   I was thrilled, to say the least.    I stood there proud as a peacock that the liquid was flowing effortlessly into my car at lightning speed.  

Now it was time to reconnect with my third “new friend” inside the station at the cash register.    May I say at this point of the story that I was so pleased there were no other customers in the store.   The attendant took the card, made the needed deductions from it and just looked at me with a big smile.   “See you again!”   I couldn’t exit the store fast enough.

When I pulled away I thought to myself, “Well, I’ve just shown my ignorance to three new friends, and all three were smiles through the process.    I also assumed that all three people would be sharing about their laughable episodes observing me at the gas station at their dinner table that night.   But it didn’t matter to me, because this new learning curve brought smiles to three strangers and helped me realize that God would provide my “every need”……through three new people who loved to laugh; and it didn’t matter that I was the object of their joy.   Who knows, I may see them again at another “gas-filling event.”

What “needs” are you currently facing that God would like to be a part of?

Little things mean a lot!   Haven’t we all heard that phrase!  Well, in this kitchen adventure, it brings new meaning to the term “little things.” Integrity in the pantry might be a better title of the story, but for now, let me introduce my pantry associate and onsite observer.

This event took place on one “ordinary morning.”   At least I thought it was ordinary until the doorbell rang, and to my surprise a young friend (she was about ten years of age at the time) appeared at our front door.  She was there to visit.  I love pop-in surprises because they always catch us in the act of being ourselves, and come alongside whatever task we may be involved in at the time.   Surprises can also capture us without any makeup on; thus, exposing us to the trauma of transparency.   And goodness knows, we need more transparency in our relationships.  And this one will surprise the socks right off of you.

Some reading this might interpret the word “surprise at the front door” as an interruption.   God calls it a “divine interruption;” and on this beautiful day, He was introducing me to a very sweet encounter.

Before this “doorbell” event, I was in the midst of organizing our kitchen pantry.   Just allow your imagination to go wild for a moment.  The counter tops were full of grocery items of every sort.  In other words, my kitchen was an absolute mess.

You know in life, some of the most profound and wonderful lessons disembark to exhibit that we need to be caught in the act of everyday living whether our homes are tidy, or in a full-blown mess. 

My little blonde-haired visitor could have cared less about whether I had makeup on, or the pictorial condition of my kitchen counters.  She came over to visit me!   And what a joy she was.  

What I love about children is that if they come to see you in your home, they’re not coming for entertainment.  They’re coming over to just “be with you.”    After all, if my visitors are under three years of age, I just remove my Tupperware or pots and pans from a cupboard and they’re happy for hours.

It didn’t take rocket science to see that I was just cleaning the pantry and rearranging the goods back into a reasonable layout.   We chatted for some time about this and that, and all was well.

Then she popped the question.  She was thirsty and wondered if I had anything good to drink.   Inefficient me, I only had milk in the fridge and that wasn’t on her top five drink options.   I responded with a “just milk.”  The odd thing about it was that she asked again, and I told her we didn’t have any good carbonated beverages like Pepsi or Coke.

My responses created a quietness about her and the atmosphere seemed cool for a few minutes; and I couldn’t understand why the change in the emotional room temperature.

My focus went back to the pantry and instantly I knew why she became so quiet.   Just ahead of me on the shelf was can of 7up!   She had seen this can and thought that would be an enjoyable treat.   Her assumptions were that I had lied to her about now having anything tasty to drink.

And so that you don’t come away from this story thinking I’m a real jerk by keeping the soda to myself, let me explain.  That can of 7up was an empty security can which you could place money or spare keys in.  If anyone was around your home and looking for keys or money, they would never think of looking into a 7up can, now would they.

As soon as the penny dropped in my thinking, I showed her the can and opened it.   When the explanation was given, her sweet eyes became like giant marbles in disbelief.  We both laughed hysterically.

It was a teachable moment for both of us.  For things we see don’t always appear as they really are.  Yes, in life, many things are disguised to look appealing, yet in and of themselves they are empty.

This scenario, when explained, was important for her to know that I loved her and would have shared anything in my cupboard with her.  But more importantly, my integrity was on the line, and the 7up can was the illustration soon to be exposed.

This little one is now a wonderful young mother with a family of her own and we’ve grown very close over the years.  But we still look back at the day I was “honest” with her; and yes, honesty is the best policy.  She may never have trusted me with her heart and her friendship if I hadn’t come clean about the “can in the pantry.” 

More things in life are caught, rather than taught.  Children learn from observing our lives.  They’re not looking for perfection, just “honesty.”

Call me the next time you’re tidying up your pantry and I’ll bring the 7up.

Finding balance in our values, priorities & activities

My Mom used to say that whatever opportunity came up in school my hand shot up before I ever knew what the task was.  With that in mind, I’d like to travel back in time and invite you into my heart. 

Once at a summer camp volunteers were being sought.  I still had the “hand–…itus” disease.  Camp organizers needed someone to attend to the John at the camp.  At 15, this sounded interesting, until I was escorted to my new assignment.  The John was the “boy’s bathroom.”  I was not a happy camper, but it was the beginning of toning down my “enthusiastic willingness.”

So, in tandem to our will, emotions, and thoughts, in our life journey we are accompanied with three external constant companions: VALUES, PRIORITIES, and ACTIVITIES. 

They function as guides dictating our interests and involvement.  As with any journey, it is always helpful to start with knowing our true NORTH.  Once Jesus is set in our hearts as Master or Lord, He becomes our North, and our three travel companions then prepare us for our life journey.

However, if our bearings are NOT taken with respect to Jesus being our NORTH, there is no doubt we will actively wander aimlessly all over the map.  For many years, my true North was rooted in activity. 

Recent advancements in technology have simply made our busy lifestyles busier.  What once was merely a means of decorating our façade has become all–consuming and overtaken many lives.  Many are actively yet fruitlessly living for God’s purpose and His kingdom.  In essence “Activity doesn’t mean productivity.”

A quote from an Experiencing God devotional puts it this way:

“One of the great challenges of the Christian life is determining what God does NOT want us to do.” 

Perhaps, like me, you have said “yes” even before someone finished asking you to do something.  On the surface I was extremely active. I was the human dynamo, and boy was I busy.  However my life was empty – and barren.  

At this time in my life I found great fulfillment in being busy and needed, and of course there was always something to do!  My entire being moved from one commitment to another, and relaxation was out of the question!

My need to be needed overtook my life, and my precious family fell to the bottom of my priority list.  My quiet time with the Lord simply became a checklist item – another event squeezed in-between other responsibilities.  My activities, like weeds, were choking the “life and relationship” I needed to have with God.

It was during this time that God allowed and used difficult circumstances to get my attention.  One day while lying on the sofa because I was literally burned out, I heard a Godly man on the radio speak about the “busyness” of life.  His concluding remarks brought me upright on the sofa:

“If you’re too busy to pray, you’re too busy!”

I was troubled and knew I needed to make some changes.  God helped me realize that I had allowed the needs of others to orchestrate and dictate my life’s responsibilities and activities.  I finally saw that just because there were needs, I wasn’t the one destined to meet every one.

I had struggled with saying “yes” to God’s assignments, and “no” to others.  In my mind it was because I wanted to help and be involved in others’ lives, but in reality the activity was filling a greater void in my heart, and that often was at the expense of my home and health.  How often had I done things to overcome my own insecurity – just to be recognized, praised or included?  

God’s Word wonderfully and powerfully helps us see through the “lens of His eyes,” His perspective.  Sadly I saw that I was saying “yes to everyone, but Him.”  I was allowing “the need to be needed” to dictate my real responsibilities and priorities.

It was then, God brought my focus to my day–timer which allowed me to identify how my schedule would align with His plans for me.

God began with my attitude about serving Him.  He helped me realize I had been working “for Him” and not “with Him.” It was through painful discoveries that I found that I had it backwards.  “My” calendar was full of tasks and plans, and then generously sprinkled with requests to God to bless them.  I had been just too busy to listen to God – often merely reading His Word and then closing the book. 

At the time, my heart cried out:  “God, I can’t seem to see you and detect your activity in my life.”  God used a stranger on a radio to point this out.  Only then was I ready to hear some wisdom in the area of “listening to and for God.” 

This stranger said that if I wanted to hear God’s voice in my inner being, I NEEDED TO TURN DOWN THE VOLUME OF MY LIFE.  If God had wanted to contact me, my busy life would have returned an “all circuits are busy,” message, and His call may have ultimately gone to “voice mail.”  God is usually not in the habit of shouting above the roar of activity with which we surround ourselves.

My busyness had taken on a life of its own, and needed constant attention to stay afloat.  Hardly ever taking time to just “breathe and relax,” my mind was continually preoccupied.  The continual flurries of activity never ceased, and were rendering me spiritually fruitless, I realized that I was the only one responsible for eliminating them.  

It was at this time that God got “down to business with me.”  Since God is more concerned with character rather than connection, His methodology seldom uses instant gratification – you know, the very heart of Social Media.  

My continual “pedal to the metal” life had been creating a roar of activity through which I could barely hear His voice or feel His gentle promptings.  I understood my need to “eliminate distractions” bulldozing me to the point of overload, and soon I was spending more time in my daily marinating time with God, and my day timer started to take on a “fresh new look.”

Basically it’s learning to walk “with Him” and not “ahead of Him.” This meant asking God to sift through the requests being made of me, and allow Him to indicate whether I accept or graciously decline. These passages were the start of that journey:

Scripture Proverbs 4:20; Proverbs 3:6

“Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established.”  “In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

We live before an audience of One, and like you, I want to hear His “well done!”  In essence, God’s cares more about who I am BECOMING, rather than what I am doing for Him.  When my insecurity finally allowed me to understand that He adores you and me – just the way we are … warts and all.  He wants us to be fruitful, thereby eliminating our need to continually post on social media. 

Alas, social media maven, Annie All-together, who spends hours daily posting her every move so that her 985 “friends” can stay updated on her perfect, put–together life is simply not living in reality.  

If our desire is to please our Lord and hear from Him, we do not need to do everything.  If we were, we become like the performer who has to keep multiple plates spinning lest the plates come crashing down.  Why? He is simply trying to impress others. 

Like books, our lives should have margins – space to give our eyes relief from constant words.  Life margins are needed so we won’t become overwhelmed and overcommitted.

In a 2011 sermon titled, “Rest God’s Way,” Greg Nance said:

“In his book, “Margin,” author Richard Swenson describes modern society as so over-committed and over scheduled that we have no space left for rest. He went on to say that as a society, we’ve forgotten what margin is. In the push for progress, margin has been devoured. He describes margin as:

‘…the space that once existed between ourselves and our limits. It’s something held in reserve for contingencies or unanticipated situations.’

“As a medical practitioner, Dr. Swenson was seeing a steady stream of exhausted, hurting people coming into his office. He says that a majority of them are suffering from living without margins.

“Margin is simply a byproduct of living in sync with our Savior’s schedule according to the Scriptures. To find margin we need a Messiah who gives us instruction for both labor and rest.”

I am convinced that Satan’s easiest tactic is to “keep us distracted and too busy,” so we don’t have time to get our life in line with God.  Once we are correctly positioned with our True North, God provides us with our individual GPS or GOD’S POSITIONING SYSTEM.  However, like the phone app, God only gives us one instruction at a time and waits until that is done; then you receive another instruction.

What is clear now is that “If I’m too busy to pray…I’m too busy.”  After God, my family should be my first priority.  As appealing as ministries and opportunities may sound, if not instigated or orchestrated by God, can easily overwhelm us. By taking time to talk to God about our activities and involvements, we give Him the opportunity to “influence us….our heart and mind.”

Consider what happens when we consume garlic, we don’t need to announce it!  It “oozes” from our pores.  Similarly, being in the center of His “direction” allows us to ooze Jesus into everything we do. We’ll be “contagious with Christ.”

I have found some very helpful and practical “sieve questions” that I pour through whatever I’m asked to do. I’d like to share them with you:

• Has God asked me to be involved here? 
• Has He said anything about this in His Word? 
• Do I have a quiet inner peace about “doing whatever?”  Or, do I feel pressured to do it?
• Will this involvement be in keeping with His priority for my life?
• Will this involvement take me away from family responsibilities/priorities too much?
• Will this involvement keep me too busy to have “quality time with Him?”
• If you’re married, is my spouse “on board” with me taking on this commitment?
• Is this in keeping with my “giftedness?”

These questions give me a “clear idea” of whether I should say yes, or no.  I love God’s kindness in helping me recognize this and reduce my self-imposed stresses.  I am still learning the “disciplined art” of saying “yes” to God and “no” to any activity He wasn’t asking me to join.

My calendar is in continual transformation, but since His working in this area of my life years ago, my day timer and clogged spiritual arteries have taken on a new and refreshed direction.  My activities and priorities look different, because He is helping me to evaluate them from His vantage point.

You can finish this sentence: If we don’t come apart and be with Him … there’s a good chance we will simply … fill in the blank…………

To summarize this process of uncluttering our hearts, let’s look again at our three lifelong travel companions – Values, Priorities and Activities, in light of putting Jesus first in our lives:

Our VALUES determine our PRIORITIES;

Our PRIORITIES determine our ACTIVITIES;

Our ACTIVITIES determine our HEART-BEAT

 

So, how is your calendar looking?  For Whom is your heart beating?

                        We’ve just been groomed…and aren’t we adorable!

Sometimes a photo is worth a thousand words!    I’ll never get over the fact that God delights in each of us and longs to be involved in our everyday lives, even in the mundane and seemingly unimportant.  This story may be uneventful for you, but it made all the difference in the look and presentation of these Pomeranians to the delight of their owners.

A delightful neighbor of ours would pass by our home with her two small Pomeranians on her way to the local park which was situated behind our home.    If I was relaxing on our patio or working in the yard, I would often notice their arrival.   It wasn’t the voice of the owners that announced their whereabouts, it was the tiny noise of the bark of each of the dogs.  It was as though they were barking out, “We’re here  in your vicinity and ready for you to come and pet us.”

After some months passed I decided one day that the next time I saw the eight little moving paws head our way, I would pause (maybe I should say paws) and introduce myself.    It was a sunny evening and I was out on our patio relaxing.  Yip, yip, yipe, yipe, I heard the little furry-like sounds approaching our area.  I peeked over the fence just in time to view the over abundant array of fur that adorned these two little Pomeranians.  Their owner was more than pleased to share her bundles of fur with me for a while, and I always looked forward to their arrival near our yard.

One day we got to talking about grooming them and the experiences this lady had with a professional groomer.   Apparently the groomer wasn’t at all verbally kind to her two wee ones, and even over-trimmed one of them.   This wasn’t a pleasant experience for either the owner or the dogs.   

What she didn’t know was that we had a Pomeranian and a Papillon, and that I enjoyed grooming them myself in my home.    During the course of the conversation I mentioned, that if she would like me to come over and groom them for her, in her own home, I would be pleased to do that and share some tips with her on how to be able to groom them herself.

She seemed pleased with the offer and after a month or so, she invited me over to see what I could do.   I remember assuring her that I would be tender with my voice and groom them the best way I knew how.

Now I had been grooming our dogs for six years and had a routine of procedures I followed down to an art.  But when the morning arrived for this grooming appointment, I found that I was extremely anxious about attempting to coiffure her tiny Poms.   She was very understanding and kind, which helped a great deal.   

It was at this point of anxiousness that I felt the need to “share in prayer…to the Lord” and ask Him for His help.   If you would have overheard my vocabulary, you may have laughed.   But then again, I wasn’t talking to you….but my Savior.  

I laid out my concerns one by one to the Lord.   It was like a blueprint of my trimming plans.  My last request was that He would “calm the Poms” and help me do a good job.   I need to insert here that Pomeranians can be very nervous and hyperactivity is their norm.    One cannot trim a “hyper pom” otherwise someone can get injured….the one with hair all over its body, or the one doing the trim job.

The ding, dong was the electric announcement that I had arrived at their door.   The welcoming dogs could be heard clear to the sidewalk.   Needless-to-say, I had a very furry and warm welcome.   My first thought was go get down to the dogs’ level so they could check me out at their height.   This meant getting on my hands and knees so proper introductions could be made.   They knew me from a safe distance, but they had never seen me with equipment before, specifically scissors, electric trimmer, nail cutters and the like. 

After the socializing, it was down to business.   My request to the owner was to stand back about ten feet and allow me to be in control of this upcoming coiffure appointment.    I began with the little female.   Getting down to their level was important, so I cushioned myself on the floor, picked her up, and laid her on my lap with her feet in the air.   Guess who “not in control” was now   I said a quiet, help me Lord and please “calm this wee one” so I could begin, and so she (and her adoring owner ten feet away) would enjoy the process.

It was INSTANT!   The little one immediately relaxed and the rest was history.  I was so happy, I almost went into tears.  I could tell by the look on her dear owner’s face, she was happy too.    The same result occurred when I began trimming the other dog.

All were pleased, and the dogs were relieved when I headed out the front door.  I had an inner grin all the way home realizing again how personable God wants to be…..if we would just invite Him into our every circumstance.

Proverbs 3:5 & 6   “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding; but in all your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.”

These are the “finished” wee ones……..and arent’ they cute

                           “Greeting on a Sunday Morning”

Do you find yourself sometimes yearning to do “BIG things” for God?   I have.  Over the years though, I’ve found that it is never what “we do for God” but rather, “what He longs to do through us.”   This helps me relax a bit, and realize that I’m to just stay close in my walk with the Lord, and allow Him to orchestrate my steps and my circumstances. 

The verse that follows has refreshed my mind and attitude about daily living.   God encourages us to trust Him to where He will orchestrate our steps.  We never need to put ourselves “out there,” nor to manipulate our way into situations or platforms of service.   God is the One who is in charge of all that.   For me it has meant many times that I must relinquish the “driver’s license” of my own life, and get in the back seat of the car (so-to-speak), and allow Him to be in control of my life. 

Years ago when I was teaching a Bible Study I remember encouraging the ladies to relax regarding social situations and gatherings where “you haven’t been invited.”   If God wants us at a particular gathering, we’ll get invited.   Otherwise, we aren’t meant to be at the event.   What peace it is to know that He knows where He wants us to be and when.  May I invite you to spend just fifteen minutes “pondering the verse below” and see how that might look in your day-to-day experience

       Proverbs 4:26   “Ponder the path of your feet and let all your ways be established.” 

At first this real life story begins in such an “ordinary way.”   But with God, He takes our “ordinary” and makes it “extraordinary”.  I love greeting people at church on Sunday.   I mean that.   Every Sunday morning I can’t wait to arrive and stand at the door to welcome anyone and everyone coming through the doors.   On any given Sunday I had the privilege of saying good morning and smiling to about 300 people.  I just LOVED being there at the reception area to welcome each person.  There are a variety of reasons why I personally feel that greeting others is an important ministry.  In fact, I’d even say critical. 

My husband and I have attended many churches through God’s direction, and we’ve been to churches where you can walk in and walk out and never have any personal contact, either verbally,  with a smile, or even eye contact.  Naturally, we are drawn to those we know, and feel comfortable with.  But greeting others brings me out of my comfort zone and into the “moment of relational love” on behalf of our Lord Jesus towards every person that comes through the doors.

Often God encourages me to “Dianne, leave yourself in the car, and go in and represent Me to every heart coming through those doors.” Each handshake can be a prayer for that person.   After people see that we are friendly and available each week to greet them, many people will linger momentarily for a warm handshake, a smile, and an acknowledgement that they are so special to God.  This is a way that He would welcome them, through these little personal ways, letting them know that He is “so glad they have come to worship Him and learn about Him.”

There are two precious encounters I want to share with you.  I woke up this particular Sunday morning in a not-so-good frame of mind.  I just didn’t feel like welcoming that Sunday.  Another way of phrasing this is that I didn’t feel like smiling that morning. 

Ever feel that way yourself?  But, thanks to the prompting of the Lord, I went to church anyway.  There was a widow who arrived and I always feel they need a special touch or hug.  This morning as this lady approached me, I gave her a hug…and then…pulled her close again for a longer embrace.  Afterwards she looked at me and said these words:  “Dianne, I needed that this morning.  You are the only one who touches me all week.”

This has made a real impact on me for life.   Cell phones and texting can be very helpful, but how many times have we been in a restaurant and everyone at the table is firmly gripping their cell phones and not in conversation with anyone at their table.   I want to scream at those times because people are forgetting and neglecting to actually look into the eyes of another person and have real conversation.

Greeting people coming through the doors of our church in a small caring way is an incredible tool for sharing the love of Christ.  We never know the burdens, anxieties, cares and grief that are encased in each person entering the doors.   Let’s stop asking others “How are you?” if we don’t stick around to listen to their response.

The other encounter took place very early one Sunday.  A young Asian woman entered the reception area with her daughter.  She was very friendly and outgoing herself.   She seemed new, so I asked her how long she had been coming on Sundays.  This was her first Sunday at this particular church.  Before long we were in an engaging conversation about Christianity.   I shared that I was delighted to have met her and made a comment about being so friendly, and that perhaps she would enjoy standing with me to welcome others.   To my amazement, she stood across from me and began “helloing” everyone (I know that’s not a word, but it should be!)   She was marvellous in her friendly approach to others.   

Over the weeks we both began feeling very comfortable with each other and as time passed, she began to open up about her life, her hurts, and her struggles.   She shared that she didn’t believe in God.  Each time she shared about her life, the Lord seemed to give me illustrations and stories to share with her that brought another perspective to her struggles and questions.  This woman slowly began to ask questions about why she was born and what was the purpose in living.  These are questions we have all had.

This adventure of the two of us greeting went on for over a year.  We have moved to another church in the area, but we kept in contact with this gal and her daughter.

Another year went by and she phoned to tell me she had given her life to Jesus Christ and was attending a Bible Study to help her learn more about how to have a walk with her Lord.    Several months went by and she phoned to invite my husband and I to attend her baptism.   This baptism was a public declaration of an internal decision to follow the Lord in her life.

To honor her, and God’s work in her life, I want to share just a portion of her testimony.

            “Through daily prayer and having a quiet time with God, I poured out myself to Him.  I then pray, “Dear Father God, You created me.  You will see me through.  You will show me the way to solve all my troubles and grant all my needs in a timely manner.  Such feeling was similar to having a warm and mighty pair of hands upholding me at the back and protecting me.  Thank the Lord that He removed my self-sufficiency, so that I could only depend on Him to solve my problems.  Slowly I’m learning to trust Him and humbly submit myself to Him and forsake my self-righteousness and pride.”

What began on an ordinary Sunday, God used me to introduce her to the personal love of Christ for her.  Greeting each person is a tremendous joy, because in the manner in which we greet each individual, we have the opportunity to express to them that they are “significant to God.”   People need to know that before they ever sit down in the sanctuary, that they’ve been touched by His love and acceptance.

“People may forget what you teach, but they will never forget how you made them feel.”  William Buechner

Whether it’s in a church setting, social gathering or new in the neighborhood, let’s be the first to “say hello” to others and make them feel welcome.

Have you ever been invited to join friends for a lovely late afternoon dinner on an island?   Up to this point, my response would have been no.   Not many of our friends have a boat.  Many have little boats that you play with while soaking in the tub, but most of them would never admit to engaging in this style of yachting. 

We had some dear friends who wanted us to join them “on water” and our destination was to be Orcas Island.  That island paradise is host to a beautiful restaurant and hotel.   Now this was our anticipated destination.

Arrangements were made, and a time all set up to meet them at a particular “dock” location.   We were thrilled to be invited and join them in this adventure.   It’s important to embrace the word “adventure” because this word will be reappearing later in my story.

I’m not exactly thrilled about boats, and even less enthusiastic about water.  I don’t mind the bathtub or water that doesn’t exceed three feet in depth.  My husband assured me of the skill and experience of our friend.  He had owned and operated many a boat in his life, and this water adventure would prove to be a delightful two and a half-hour pleasure-trip to this beautifully landscaped island.  Just the scenic trip in itself would be a thrilling experience, not to mention a delightful early dinner.

As my husband was waxing eloquent about the safety features of this 26 foot Bayliner, and he assured me that the captain (our friend) of this excursion was trustworthy, competent and experienced.   What could go wrong???  My mind immediately went into protective mode.  All that was on my mind was are there sufficient safety jackets, how deep is the water where we would be sailing through, and how long would this “cruise” take?

The long-awaited day arrived and we happily went aboard this beautiful boat.   The wife of this man gave us a grand tour that lasted about two minutes.   I mean how long does it take to locate everything on a 26’ boat?  My only concern was the “ladies room.”  It wasn’t large, but sufficient to meet the needs of all on board.

At this point, I’m very relaxed and enjoying their company, the friendship, and the comforts of this pleasure craft.  Bear in mind, we haven’t left the dock yet, but we are on the water. 

If I remember correctly, our friend assured us that he had checked the gas gauge and everything was in order.   Now, this detail is important to remember.   He had announced that his boat had a full tank of gas!

We’ve now pulled out of the dock and into the waters.   After cruising along on a lovely sunny afternoon, we noticed the island and could now see the restaurant off in the distance.  I’m thinking, this is great!  I can be OFF THIS BOAT in twenty minutes and on LAND.

Now this is where the story begins to unravel!   Do you recognize the sounds that come from an “empty tank?”   It’s like a sputter, oozing of air, and then nothing.   This was our next encounter.  We wondered what in the world happened.  After all, he had a full tank of gas and the route he took us on wouldn’t have used half that amount.  

After a few umms and awws, he announced the apparent condition of the gas tank.  It was empty!

Panic attacks have not been the history of any of my physical challenges, but one was about to emerge before my very eyes.  I remember my eyes enlarging like boulders and my heart beginning to race.    He assured us, all would be well.   I like this guy, but at that moment my faith in his ability went out the window, or more appropriately, it went “overboard.”

Let me give you an idea of our immediate location.  We were in over 600 feet of deep water and there wasn’t a single boat in our area.  You know how a voice travels loudly over water don’t you?   Well, even a scream wouldn’t have drawn attention at this point.

Now, it’s time to call on the Lord!   I grabbed the arm of his wife and we both prayed.  We informed the Lord of our location (as if He didn’t know), we got detailed in the length of time we had been delayed “in this water area,” the depth of the water, and the fact that we were alone in this spot with no one to help or call out to.   I could hardly get an amen out at this point.

I mentally reviewed the scripture that God will meet our every need, and WE WERE IN NEED.    There was nothing we could do but “be still…..and wait.”    I kept rehearsing the dialogue we had with our Lord to keep me focused.   I hadn’t forgot what we were asking of Him, and my little prayer review kept me focused. 

We never know when or how God is going to answer our prayers, but He always responds in the best way and for His glory.  Believe me there would be no taking personal credit for any positive result in this scenario.

About 25 minutes later, the grandest thing happened.  Another boat just appeared from out of nowhere it seemed.   I know it didn’t drop from the sky, but it appeared and our hearts began to pump again.    We yelled out for help and he responded by motoring our way.   He had a great idea to extend a rope to our boat and he would tow us into the harbor.  This didn’t take more than 20 minutes or so.   We just rejoiced!    His wife and I shared how we had talked to the Lord and asked for Him to send help.   And HE DID!

We exited the boat, went to the restaurant for a very late dinner.  But by the time we got back into the area where the boat was moored it was too late to obtain gas.   I can’t explain that, but the facts were that it was too late to purchase gas.  We would now need to spend the night “on this floating hotel.”

I am about to experience a real night on a boat.  This is all new to me.  I’m not even a fan of cruises, I haven’t been on one, and so you’ll know where I’m coming from.   Accommodations for sleeping were great.  We each went to our little bedroom facility and cuddled in for the night.   Then it began…….the lapping of the small waves alongside the boat.   It was like sleeping next to a Big Ben clock.  You know what I mean, you hear every tick of the chimes and the movements of the clock, and then anticipate the quarter hour, half hour and hourly chimes.  I couldn’t sleep as I kept anticipating the next current of waves against the boat.

Somewhere between four and five in the morning I fell asleep, only to be woken early so we could purchase some gas and fill up the tank.    I was so weary that I think they could have pulled me along on a tugboat and I would have slept right through the event, noise and all.

Now there are three morals in the story.   Number one, make sure your gas gauge works properly and accurately reflects the amount of gasoline it can hold, then triple check your tank to make sure it is, in fact full, and most importantly, always remember that if you belong to the Lord, He is the One to “Call on and look to” for help.

It’s time for a huge chuckle.  So set your funny bone in place and prepare for hysterical laughter from this true event.   It’s been a long time since this scenario took place, but I remember it as though it happened last week. 

My husband and I hadn’t been married but a few months.  He was born in Scotland and grew up in New Zealand.   Now those cultures are a bit different from the culture in the United States.  Many times people will use the phrase, “Next time you’re in our area, stop by.”   I’ve found that it is used rather frequently, but not always sincerely spoken. 

My husband travelled extensively in the country of New Zealand and met many lovely people over the years.   He was now married only a few months, but word spread that he and his wife were now living in Canada.  The English and Scottish cultures were accustomed to being very hospitable.   My husband would share with me that he would often be bringing home kids from school at various hours and his Mom always had biscuits or a dinner in-the-making ready to share with anyone.   I would refer to these visitors as “drop ins.”    There were no rules or understanding about calling first and seeing if it was convenient

Knowing him, he would have shared with most all the people he visited that if they were ever in our area, “please come and stay.” 

Well I think this is sufficient information for you prior to reading the following occurences.

We hadn’t been married more than three months when our “drop ins” (I mean visitors) began arriving.    The phone would ring, and it didn’t take an interpreter to ascertain the accents on the other end of the telephone.   It would be a New Zealand accent, for sure.  My general response upon answering the phone was, “Are you at the airport, or bus depot?  Sometimes their response would be “No, but we are leaving for the airport tomorrow and wondered if you would be home for the next week or so?”

This new adventure-call came in the late afternoon.   My husband answered the phone and voila, visitors from New Zealand.    I can’t count the number of couples we had enjoyed having prior to this call, so I was beginning to adjust to on-the-call visitors.    I could surmise by the conversation, that they had already “arrived” and were hoping for transportation from the airport to the local hotel (our home). 

All was going according to plan in response to the recent call-in agenda, and we got into the car and headed for the airport.   There wasn’t much conversation between my husband and I, and I wondered if there was more to this pick-up routine than expected.  Was there ever!!!!!

“There’s something I need to tell you, were my husband’s warning words.”   “What’s wrong, or what do I need to know?” I inquired.   Then the penny dropped, so-to-speak.    My husband proceeded to tell me about our arriving house guests and how I should “properly address” the couple who would be arriving.    The man should be addressed as Sir Peter Tait and his wife would be respond to Lady Tait.   In the last few minutes of our excursion to the airport my husband told me that he had been knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.   This couples’ soon-to-be accommodation was our very small home, three tiny bedrooms and the only red carpet would be a tiny red throw rug. 

Has your chin dropped to the floor yet?   I mean, how would you be feeling with this up-to-the-minute news flash?   At this point, I couldn’t even answer.   And even if I tried to, at this point we were pulling into the airport.  He said they were very nice people and he thought they would be easy to have for a few days.

As I’m recalling this new adventure, I’m smiling from ear to ear as I know how the events took a joyful turn.  As I think about it now, at the time, I thought about having a nervous breakdown on receiving my husband’s instructions, but in that we were on our way to our local airport, there just wasn’t time.   (Laughter!)

We pulled up at the arrivals and it took no time to see a pair of hands waving enthusiastically toward our direction.   They were waiting patiently at curbside for their concierge service.   They were very friendly, and most appreciative that we would be delighted to have them for part of their vacation in Canada, specifically, our home for a week.

Attentive to my on-the-way-to-the-airport instructions about how to greet them…..yes, Sir Peter and Lady Tait.  Got it!     After our hello hugs to greet them, I began addressing them in the proper manner.   Sir Peter and Lady Tait.   It took less than two seconds to  be told to call them Pete and Lil from then on.  That was the etiquette they wanted.

Everything was going well and I was able to throw together an evening dinner and they had an early-to-bed evening.    The following morning, Lady Tait, or Lillian as I began calling her, arose and came out for breakfast.   Her hair wasn’t exactly in perfect location all over her head.   She had a wonderful sense of humor and we laughed at the mountain peaks her hair was in.  As we both laughed, I made the comment that I always enjoyed coiffuring, shall we say, other peoples’ hair.  In other words, I enjoy putting friends’ hair in rollers, parking them under a dryer, and styling their hair.   I felt safe enough to ask her if she wanted me to work with her mountain hair peaks.   She couldn’t blurt out the affirmative fast enough.

So, after breakfast, Lady Tait and her new hairdresser went to work.  We laughed and carried on like two little school girls, and when it was all over (but the shouting), she looked gorgeous and felt grateful.   I was so thrilled that she allowed me this privilege of getting up close and personal to this member of royalty.

This couple visited us on a regular basis throughout the years, and  I remember they stayed in almost every home we lived in for the next number of years.  They even brought other couples with them.  It was a joy and delight to learn the lesson again and again to JUST BE YOURSELF, and to LOVE THOSE GOD BRINGS INTO YOUR HOME.

They are both at home with Jesus now.  But I shall look forward to seeing them in heaven and reuniting with such fun and down-to-earth people.

I think too that we should treat everyone who enters our homes like ROYALTY….because everyone needs to know they “are special”………….. because God Himself designed them.

Now……….when are YOU coming to our home?????

This story will introduce two secret fears I’ve experienced over and over in my life. Prepare yourself for a chuckle on this one even before we get started.   My fear was my sewing machine.   Now I realize that sewing machines are tools.  They don’t speak, they don’t sing and they don’t throw tantrums.  They’re not designed to rip us off.  They are designed to pull fabric together in a beautiful, tight-stitch way that when appropriately sewn, would provide something lovely to wear, adorn a window, or beautify a place in your home.

But in order for a sewing machine to be effective and efficient in operation, it first requires a human agent to lift it out of its case, plug it into the electrical outlet, turn on the switch, and then proceed with material at hand.  

Now, my challenge is not in lifting the machine out of the case, plugging it into the outlet, or turning it on.  My “fear challenge” is not only working with the material in such a way that it proceeds through the needle pathway in a straight direction, but that when I’m finished with interpreting the details indicated on the sheet of directions, that it all comes together in such a way that the finished product can either be worn, or displayed in some fashion.    My experience lacks both accomplishments.

In high school I took a leap of faith and signed up for a “sewing class.”   If it hadn’t been for the teacher working with me step-by-step and moment-by-moment, I never would have never finished the dress.    And for those interested, I never wore that dress in public….ever!   It was navy blue trimmed with a white color, and the only place it adorned later in its life was the trash can.

At this point I need to express my other fear.  It’s the fear of “directions.”    This fear has progressed into other areas of my thinking.   Whenever someone says to me, “just read the directions,” I simply and silently freeze up in my mind.

Before you begin your laughter and finger-pointing, let me ask you….”when was the last time you read instructions on putting together a bicycle, or figuring out computer directions.”   Need I say anything further?   

Let’s be honest, I’d love to meet some of the people who write these, so-called, user-friendly directions.   After reading certain instructions, my first question is “why don’t they just speak plain English?”

Before continuing with my saga…..I must share a dear friend’s attitude about learning skills on the computer.    She feels the same about computer instructions as I do, and to quote her, “She doesn’t have what you’d call a friendship with her computer, but they are at least on speaking terms.”  

I wasn’t even on speaking terms with my sewing machine.    Her husband purchased a nice new sewing machine for her.   As her husband was bringing the machine into the house, their ten year old son noticed the new arrival and blurted out, “Oh Dad, don’t take that in the house, she’ll kill herself with it.”

In that you now are on the same page of understanding with me regarding one of my fears, let me share the other sewing fear that corresponds to this sewing machine story.  This second fear is how to place the material under the needle and move it along in such a way that the finished stitches are in a straight line.    I’ve had many unsuccessful attempts at this; thus, my sewing machine went into retirement (the closet) for a long, long time.

Many years ago I was in the home of three dear friends.  The common “thread” (funny that I should use the word) in each of their homes was the fact that their window coverings were all “handmade” shall we say.   All of them were a gorgeous display around the window casings.

One morning, as I was doing one of my favorite things (sipping tea from a fine china cup), I asked the friend I was with about her drapes (or window coverings as I call them).    She proceeded to share how one would go about making them yourself.   I was keen to take in every instructional detail.   At the end of this “instructional dissertation,” my mind went to tilt.   In other words, everything she shared seemed to evaporate from my head.  

A few weeks later, another friend invited me to her home for tea.  She invited me to her kitchen table as she prepared her luscious and fragrant tea.   There in front of me were some lovely scalloped curtains.   I couldn’t help but notice how straight they hung, and I even got a glimpse of the stitches.   They were lined up like little stringed soldiers….in perfect alignment. 

By now you’ll surmise the conversation that was about to take place.   My friend served the tea and I began complimenting her on her lovely fabric and the design of the window covering before me.    Her immediate response was that she had made them.  

Now I’m thinking, I’ve got some clever friends in my life, and here was another one who was talented in that arena.

I shared my “fear challenge” about directions and she was prompt to tell me that she didn’t use a pattern.    What?  No pattern?  No instructions?   I was now more than interested in what she had to say.   When she finished sharing “her instructions,” I thought to myself, “Hey, I might be willing to try.”

After the tea party in her kitchen I went home, and the first thing I did was pray.   Yes, I spoke with the Lord (who is interested in every detail of our lives) and asked that He would send someone along to help me not only interpret a pattern’s instruction sheet, but help me learn how to sew a straight stitch.

You’re going to love to see how this adventure ends!!!!!!!!!

Within a few weeks, I was in another friend’s home and guess what?    Her window coverings jumped right out at me and told me to take notice and ask questions.   I was prompt to obey my inner admonition.   My friend was fabulous in sharing how she had made the ones I was admiring and told me how I could make them.

Truth time!   I shared my fears with her and she encouraged me that I could learn how to sew, and that if I was willing, she would work with me in the process.    At that point I don’t think she was fully aware of what that process would involve.   It would require a great amount of patience and a sense of humor to get me through.

She was just the “one” God sent my way in answer to my prayer requesting help in walking me through the steps of sewing a beautiful window covering.

This friend was so encouraging and more than on-board with wanting to help me.   We made arrangements to spend an “entire day” buying the fabric, measuring the patio window (that was currently bald of fabric), introducing me to my sewing machine and completing the project of a lovely hunter green window covering.

She realized my fear, so her suggestion was to purchase a flat twin sheet (hunter green in color to go with the color scheme in our home) and make a curtain out of that fabric instead of spending money on an expensive fabric.   Smart choice I thought.  After all, if I ruined it, it would only be a few dollars down the tube.

After a lengthy, but fairly simplistic explanation of what we were going to attempt, I felt enthusiastic about trying.

The trick about sewing a straight stitch was incredible.   I would imagine that most of you reading this story are fully aware of the idea.   But we used a piece of masking tape and placed it in the area to the right of the needle in the location that measured out the width the stitch should be sewn at.   Then all I had to do was place the edge of the material along the tape, and voila…..a straight stitch.

This friend was a “gift” to me from the Lord.   She had four children she had to make arrangements and provide for so she could spend that 8 hours with me.   Yes, we finished the valence.   I called them “poofs” at the time.  They were gorgeous, and I was grateful.

That has been over 20 years ago and since that time, and my sewing has gone from a simple valence, to long and fabric-lined drapes.  I’ve even shown others how to make some elegant window coverings without using a pattern.   For some, reading and interpreting instructions seem easy, for others, it is not.   And I’m in the “not category.”

The lessons I learned from that friend about sewing and creativity with fabric, really isn’t as important as the principles and people behind it all.   Firstly, God!   He is the One who helped me want to deal with my two practical fears; and then, He orchestrated my steps to a dear person who wanted to make herself available to Him to use in another person’s life.

There are two words that bring have shown me about their value.  They are “ordinary” and “availability.”   God loves both and uses both in our lives.  If we are willing to get in line with God’s activity in our life journey, He can bring others along our life’s path and bless “them” through us.

Sewing is an ordinary activity!   But availability on the part of my friend was crucial.   She was sensitive to God and to the fact that one of His kids wanted to learn to sew.   Another quality that expressed itself through her, was not only availability, but that she sacrificed her precious family time for me.

My friend, and you know who you are, thank you for being “my teacher and mentor” in this practical area.   Every time I look at a beautiful drapery fabric, or a twin flat sheet, I think and give thanks to the Lord for using you in my life in such a dear and practical way.   Even to this day, as my eye may catch a glimpse at a pretty window treatment, I give thanks to the Lord and think of you.

Her famous words to me regarding creativity with fabric are:

                   LET ‘ER RIP …and don’t be afraid to create.

My prayer is that God would “help me see” the ordinary opportunities He presents to me, and that I would be available to be used….even when maybe it’s not convenient.  I think that’s called sacrificial.

                       ORDINARY  –  AVAILABLE  –  SACRIFICIAL

Lord, may these qualities be woven by You into my character that my life may be a blessing to others.   Amen

We enjoy having people over for dinner!   It may take place in the backyard, kitchen or dining room, but wherever we’re seated, we can be sure of laughter being part of the experience.

This event turned out so surprisingly that I just had to share what transpired.  I seldom remember what we serve people to eat, but on this occasion I tried a new way to serve vegetables.  Rather than place the various vegetables in separate dishes, I made a platter of them.   I placed the cauliflower, dripping with cheese sauce in the center, and I placed some other veggies around it.  It’s an amazing trick I learned from one of my friends.   It not only looks attractive, it also gives the appearance of an abundance of food.   And on this evening, that was important.   Just for the record, the main entrée was roast pork.

We had invited a couple over for dinner that were visiting in the southern California area.   My husband had done some consulting work for this individual who was the president of a Christian University in Canada, but I had never met he or his wife, so this was our first time socially, and we were anxious to see them and enjoy the evening together.  This evening I had set a lovely table in the dining room.   I was just adding a few touches to the table, when my husband noticed their arrival in front of our home.  All was ready just to pull out of the oven, so I was in good shape.

“There’s more coming, he exclaimed.”  What?  We had invited two, how could there be more than that.   “They brought their three teenage children!”   From the moment those words proceeded out of my husband’s vocal chords, I flew through the kitchen for three more plates and utensils.   I can’t remember the speed in which I rearranged the place settings on the table and shoved three more dishes and cuttlery in place.   

As I’m feverishly moving items in place, my husband is giving me an up-to-the-second arrival schedule.   When the doorbell rang, I was out of breath.   In walked this couple with their three teenage children.   They’re a lovely family and we were pleased to have them all, but how could I have made such a numerical blunder.

Everyone was greeted and made their way to the dining table.  I’m still processing more oxygen to get the roast and veggies out of the oven.   I can honestly say that the new idea of the veggies on the platter was a hit for the unexpected additional arrivals.

The conversation around the table was full of laughter with the update about their lives and ours.   When dessert was served I brought out a pecan pie.   My husband was pouring the tea and I began the slicing event of 7 pieces of pie, one for each guest.   And you’ll never believe it, but there was one piece left.  

I can’t remember how the topic came up, but we finally let the cat out of the bag about not realizing their children would be coming with them to our home.   You could hear the gasps from all of them, but we soon assured them of their welcome.   By this time we were all laughing “uncontrollably” about the situation.   Then I glanced over at the lonely piece of pie remaining.  I lost all sense of appropriateness and grabbed the pie dish, and began passing it to the person on my left indicating that we were all going to get involved in eating this last piece of pie.   We were still laughing about the situation.  

Even today, when I serve a pork roast to guests, my mind goes back to the evening when more came to dinner than were ever expected.   It brings a chuckle to my heart even as I write about it today.

So, I guess the moral of the story is that when you invite guests, it never hurts to have an abundance of veggies and bread and butter just in case more show up as an unexpected, but delightful surprise.

This couple became dear friends through the years and we would often look back with laughter at the wonderful surprise God had in store for my husband and I that evening.   This dinner event taught me to welcome “whoever” walks through the door of our home, and that you can serve crackers and cheese, or a full dinner to them.   It doesn’t matter the cuisine, but the love with which it’s served.    Laughter accompanied our dessert that evening and secured a loving and lasting relationship with them all.