Yokemates

I remember when I only used a razor to shave my legs! Now, my “razr” is my phone. Yes, I finally broke down and joined the world of smart phones. Actually, I was a bit forced into the upgrade because of the plans that are available in our area. The best thing about my new phone is the swipe option. This little ‘language style’ works great for me because the keys tend to be sensitive to the left. If I hit anywhere else on the key, I got the wrong letter – and often the wrong message. Those wrong messages can cause the recipient great laughter or great confusion! No matter what technology an individual uses or what century they lived in, the reality is that communication can easily get misinterpreted. Add in the realities of social media or any form of communication where you can’t see the person, or even hear the tone in their voice and you’re just waiting for a misunderstanding to happen – even with smiley faces galore! The switch from dial phones to touch tone phones...

Passing by a neighborhood church, I quickly read their sign. This time the message caused me to pause and absorb its truth. It said “Waiting on God is Never Wasted Time!” Wow! I needed those wise words of counsel. I don’t usually have an issue waiting in a doctor’s office, waiting in the Wal-Mart checkout line or waiting on hold for endless minutes (“You are the next in queue.”). However, there have been moments in life when the challenge I was facing seemed endless, and the light at the end of the proverbial tunnel was very dim.   Why don’t I mind waiting on the phone or at the doctor’s office. Well, for one thing I come prepared with paperwork to do. When I make a phone call that I know will require more than five minutes on hold, I’ll prepare myself by finding something to do – folding laundry, doing dishes, or organizing piles of magazines, bills and papers. When I go to a doctor’s office, I bring note cards, office work or a book to...

When I shared the 12 Days of Christmas list at our Women’s Christmas party this year at church, the hope was that some of the ladies – if not all – would be challenged to stretch themselves and spread a bit of extra Christmas joy and hope during the days leading up to Christmas. What I didn’t expect was the ripple effect of that simple challenge. Without originally intending to ‘copycat’ and reuse the 12 Days of Christ list (see December 11th's post below), I found myself incorporating it into a Sunday School lesson for my middle schoolers the following week. It was a good exercise in faith for them and brought some interesting reactions. One gal wasn’t challenged at all with the ‘pay it forward’ option (paying for someone behind you in line) as she said “We always do that!” This same gal remarked on the suggestion of gifting your mail carrier or bank teller with a token of appreciation - with the same comment. In fact, she was confused as to why these actions were even on the l...

Have the past few weeks been a bit of chaos mixed with special moments with friends and family at your Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations? Hopefully, you’ve gotten in on some great deals during your holiday shopping and that you’ve had time to spend a few quality moments with those you love. In the midst of all these extra activities, the regular routines of life may get a bit overwhelming – washing clothes, cleaning house, paying bills and so on. One of the goals that wasn’t met in my life over the past two weeks was getting a blog post written. Often, I struggle with guilt over these types of self-imposed deadlines, but such is life. You do your best and then keep on going. And in the end, many things stressed over are not deal breakers in life. Learning to keep the most important things as the daily priority is a true challenge! In an effort to encourage you to enjoy the spirit of Christmas each day as you count down to Christmas, here are a few ideas we are sharing at our Wo...

Recently, a friend of mine asked if the Bible really said that we are to "forgive and forget." The principle sounds Biblical. However, if forgiveness is truly based on whether or not we remember any past hurts, I'm in big trouble. How about you? The actual phrase "forgive and forget" is not in the Bible. (Whew!) God does, however, give us insight to help us forgive ourselves and others. He also gives us ways in which we can choose to deal with our hurt and betrayal so that we can live peaceably with those who have offended us. With God’s help, we are able to forgive others and in a way "forget" those offenses. We may not literally forget the pain or the circumstances, but we choose to live beyond the pain and then begin to experience the freedom of peace given through God’s grace working in our lives. 1. The Bible teaches that we all sin, and that God is able and willing to forgive us of our sins. See Romans 3:23, Psalm 103:10-14, 1 John...

Years ago, when I was growing up, I remember the Calgon commercials on TV. The tag line was “Take me away” and it had a luxurious setting of a woman getting ready to relax in a bathtub filled with the aroma of Calgon bath products. That commercial dates me, but that’s okay. I was only a kid! If that doesn’t sound familiar, how about this classic slogan: “You deserve a break”? McDonalds and other retailers all promise moments of escape from the demands of life regardless of whether it is found in a Big Mac or an island paradise experience. What is common – and realistic – to all is the desire to experience the sense of escape and freedom when the burdens of life are lifted off of our shoulders. Creating moments of relaxation in our lives is usually not as simple as running through the drive-through or relaxing in a hot tub. Taking a day off – truly a day off – in ministry is hard. To take a day off at your house often just provides easy access to well-meaning individuals to stop by...

What is more important? Job, Church, Husband, Grandkids, Kids, Parents. The list is endless. When the lines between any of these areas get blurry, the choice gets harder. When am I a volunteer? When am I a pastor’s wife? When am I a mom or grandma? Why do I do the things I do? Why do you do the things you do?   When is the last time you took time out of your busy schedule to prioritize your life? Over the past two weeks, I have made a choice to put family first. In doing so, I didn’t neglect my job, but I did have to let go of the false guilt and tendency to be overly conscientious. My work ethic and commitment can somtimes hinder me from engaging in sweet and special moments with friends and family. Knowing which way to turn, how to balance all the demands of life and dividing up your much sought after time is not an easy balancing act - even on a good day!   By God's grace, I said ‘yes’ to a half-day field trip with one of my four-ye...