He Knows

Psalm 139:4-6

For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.

Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid thine hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain unto it.

This year has been full of twists, turns, surprises.

Some events have been pleasant.

Some events have been unwelcome.

There are years that string together in difficulty.

There are other years of great ease and enjoyment.

Our service in Oregon began as an unknown.

How long?

How would it end?

What would be required?

That chapter is coming to a close.

The Author of that chapter knew how long.

He knew the end.

He knew what would be required.

He knew what I needed to learn in the past 3 years.

He knew of skills I needed to practice.

He knew relationships that could be healed.

He knew of people I could help.
He knew the people that would change me.

He knew my reactions, both good and bad.

The move to Oregon came with excitement and questions,

but it was all known to our loving God.

And now we face another "Adventure."

Our primary "mission" was completed in August.

In every move in the past, our destination was dictated ...

by job to Washington,

by pursuit of education to North Carolina,

by family duty to Oregon.

But now ...

a wide-open country.
Where is the next place of service

There is now the innate desire to fret, to worry, to doubt

when God wants me to trust, to have faith, to walk by faith.

He knows.

He knows the timing.

He knows the desires of my heart.

He knows the needs of my life.

Perhaps there are pressures and unknowns around you today.

Remember that He knows.

He is before you.

He knows your concerns.

Leave the cares with Him today!

Almost A Year?

 Dear Reader,

Has it really been almost a year?

I'm afraid it has.

It has been a busy year - 

busy with new activities, new responsibilities,

new cares, new demands,

new experiences and learning.

Perhaps the biggest thoughts of the year have been on the temporal nature of life.

You know that hubby's mom was diagnosed with cancer.

A woman my age has been battling cancer in our church.

Our former pastor's wife, just slightly younger than I, was called home to heaven after a battle with cancer.

Just this week, I heard of a pastor, again my age, who died in his sleep.

There are just no guarantees in this life.

Hubby's mom finished her battle in August.

While her doctor's appointments ended in January of this year,

there were more responsibilities in visiting and doing excess chores and errands.

In July, we assumed full care as she became home-bound.

There was a lot more running, two visits a day, shopping, and in-home nursing visits.

There was a learning of new nursing skills and jargon.

God was gracious to her and to us. 

Her time with a lack of independence was relatively short - 

really only 1 1/2 months.

We prayed that God would allow us to be with her when she passed.

We almost didn't go that night.

I was tired and just worn out.

I had been over 2 times already that day.

But, we went ...

And she was in the middle of her final pain attack.

We were able to administer medication and pray and sing until the medication kicked in.

She never really resumed alertness but seemed to respond slightly in her last hours to our words and stories.

She passed the next evening.

Again, God's grace - only a short time where she was not truly conscious or alert.

And God gave me a new awareness of the burden of caregiving that many people shoulder for many, many years.

As hubby's last parent was fighting cancer,

as a wife, I couldn't help but think of his health, of our health.

In human terms, both of his parents died young.

Of course, life and death are in God's hands.

The "healthiest" person can die young.

The most "unhealthy" person can exceed 100 years.

But I do feel a responsibility for our health.

Was I doing all that I could for our health and well-being?

After much reading,

we began pursuing a more plant-based diet.

Many bleak diagnoses have been reversed with a change in diet.

This was not an easy task.

It is not just eating vegetables.

You have to find the protein.

You have to find the right balance.

You have to find enough calories.

You have to pay attention to vitamins.

Research and new recipes again ...

Couldn't I just leave well enough alone when it came to diets?

It has been a new challenge, but one that has yielded some good changes in our health.

No, we have not kicked meat to the curb entirely.

I still embrace balance😉

But it plays a little less of a part in the meal planning,

it is a much smaller portion on the plate,

and it forces me to focus on vegetables and whole grains and beans and seeds.

This week - 

Sunday - Rustic Winter Vegetable Soup with polenta

Monday - Teriyaki Salmon, Roasted Brocolli, Brown rice 

Tuesday - Garlic White Bean Soup and Biscuits

Wednesday - Breakfast for supper (usually eggs, avocado, and smoothie)

Thursday - Twice Baked Veggie Stuffed Potato and Grilled Chicken 

Friday - Fast Food Fix (This is the night we satisfy our french fry cravings with an easy meal that includes baked french fries) - did I mention I still embrace balance?

The Absence of Pride in the Christmas Story

 I mentioned that I have enjoyed meditating on the Christmas story a verse or two at a time.

I have noted through the past 3 weeks the incredible humility throughout the story.

Bethlehem ... A small town often looked down upon

Mary ... Acknowledging her own lack of worthiness

God in flesh as an infant

The shame placed on Joseph and Mary which they faced their whole life

Joseph's humble submission to God's plan

The humility of the wise man before the child, Jesus

The humble stable

The lowly shepherds as first guests

God chose humble characters.

He honors humility.

He lived humility before us in the person of Christ (Philippians 2)

The "perfect," family Christmas pictures are pouring in on Christmas cards.

The internet is filled with beautiful homes decorated for the holidays.

There are tables decked with glorious, festive meals.

It can be easy to feel a need to compete,

Or a need to promote ones self,

Or feelings of unworthiness.

When you feel like you are lacking,

When you feel the desire to find something to boast about,

Just remember that you have unique gifts and abilities.

Use them to God's glory and humbly do your best in the other areas.

God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble.

In Case You Are Free

One thing we have enjoyed doing this season
is planning a Christmas Eve service at our church.
I learned a little bit of PowerPoint to prepare the carols.
We are decorating tonight with fresh greenery and LED candles galore.
Hopefully, there will even be some crockpot potpourri with a pleasant Christmas smell.

It will be a simple service,
no fancy choirs,
no orchestras,
but there will be Scripture readings,
lots of familiar carols,
and a Bible message.

While most of my readers are in the Eastern time zone,
if you are still up at 7 Pacific (10 Eastern),
you could join us for our service.
It would be a pleasant background for your last minute wrapping or cooking.
It would be a way to prepare your heart for Christmas morning if you have not already had a service
and you are not in great need of sleep.
One of my favorite preachers will be bringing the message
and some of my Sunday School students will sing and play duets.

And here's the link. 

Timing is Everything

 This post has been in my mind since Thanksgiving,
but I can finally sit, breathe, and actually write it ...
and give it a Christmas twist.

Timing is everything,
especially if it is God's timing.

But when the fulness of the time was come,
God sent forth his Son,
made of a woman,
made under the law,
Galatians 4:4

The birth of Jesus seems anything but perfect.
Poverty, stables, shepherds, death plots.
But God knew what He was doing.
He sent His Son at the perfect time.

A year and a half ago,

we uprooted and crossed the country 
knowing that it was what God would have us to do.
But just because we knew it was God's plan did not mean that it was without struggle.

It came with human struggle.
We missed friends in NC.
We were far from our family in the east.
We were "useful" for 6 months of the year
and seemed to wander for the other 6 months.
We were in a liberal state during riots and protests.

The struggle was human.
Because God had told us to go
we should have let His peace reign.
He provided a home,
in a pleasant neighborhood close to town,
with a job not 10 minutes from home,
with "flexible" hours,
and He had made it all happen.

But He, in His grace, chose to show us His perfect timing this fall.
He moved us at the perfect time.
In October, we found out that this was the time we were needed.
Our family in Oregon was now in need of care,
not just a little care, but possibly end of life care.
Cancer and heart disease had struck and hit hard.

God moved us before Covid.
He got us settled before we were thrust into a new world of medical appointments.
There were no months of warning,
there was no time to prepare for a move,
there was no time to quarantine when we were immediately needed.
God knew that.
God set it up.
He could see what we could not.

And now you know where I have been,
and you will excuse any long absence.
For a little while at least, the medical appointments have slowed down.
We are enjoying a simplified Christmas season - 
one that had to cut a lot of the pleasant, but "fluff," elements of the celebration
in favor of our most focused Christmas ever (I think.)
I have enjoyed writing 3 verses of the Christmas story or Christmas prophecy each morning and really dwelling on small pieces instead of the whole story.
I have been more thankful for God (and His timing)
and am, at least for now, remembering to trust His way as best.

Choose Your Hard

 On Tuesdays, Thursdays, and some Saturdays,
I "enjoy" an interval run.
It is far from enjoyment.
It is an exercise in discipline.

I warm up for 5 minutes, run for 3, walk for 2, run for 3, walk for 2, ...
I continue for 35 minutes or 6 cycles.

As I ran last week on a particularly drippy day,
I thought of how much motivation it took to get myself outside.
I do not enjoy this activity ...
... at least until I reach the end,
... until I sleep so well at night,
... until I see the resting heart rate and blood pressure lowering,
... until I feel the accomplishment of beating my 20-year-old self.

There are a lot of hard choices.

I saw a quote that said something like ...

Work is hard, being broke is hard,
Choose your hard.
Exercise is hard, being unfit is hard,
Choose your hard.
Communicating is hard, not communicating is hard,
Choose your hard.
Marriage is hard, divorce is hard,
Choose your hard.

You get the idea.
I run because I want to stay mobile and healthy.
I want to enjoy the life I have.
I want to avoid the doctor when I can.
I value mobility more than I despise the intervals.

So you may face an issue that requires discipline.
It may be a hard choice.
But the alternative may not be easy either.
Make the effort to be disciplined today.

Choose to spend time with the Lord.
Choose to memorize His Word.
Choose to eat right.
Choose to take care of your body.
Choose to speak with grace.
Choose not to react in anger.

Choose the best hard.

Filled to Overflowing

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Colossians 3:16

 What is filling you?

In so asking, I also ask ... what is flowing out of you?

This week, we have heard much about politics.

It has been an unusual week.

But the question is: Are you filled and overflowing with Scripture?
I was challenged to look at a thanksgiving passage each day this month.
The first verse on the list included this verse.

And I thought, what is filling me?
A life saturated with the Word will spill over into the lives of others.
What is spilling?
Is it profitable?
Nothing is more profitable than God's Word!

As I thought about this, I prepared for church with a specific verse on my tongue.

Habakkuk 2:20
But the LORD is in his holy temple:
let all the earth keep silence before him.  

I want my words to be God's Words and to overflow with life for others.

Are you ready for church tomorrow or for work this week?
Are you saturated with the news?
a book?
a movie?
or with the life-giving Word?

The choice I want is obvious,
but it will take discipline and focus.
But oh, it is worth it!

A Challenge for November

Our church family has been challenged for the month of November.
The challenge is to pray for another family in the church each day of the month - 30 days.
The challenge includes sending them encouragement,
letting them know why they are appreciated.
The challenge can even include gifts of gratitude.

I guess it is kind of a "Secret Santa" or "Secret Sister" type idea.

But doesn't God work in your heart as you focus on others?
Don't you sympathize more and criticize less while you are focusing on the needs of another? 
Isn't there a blessing in looking for the good in others and holding others up?

While our challenge was done so that no family would be left out,
is there someone in your sphere that you would commit to encourage this month?

Just Turn it Over

 Philippians 4:6

Be careful for nothing;
but in every thing by prayer and supplication
with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known unto God.

It seems like there are
cares,
worries,
concerns,
stressors
all around us. 

God already knows my burdens and cares,
but He wants to hear from me ...
every burden,
every care,
every worry.
I can thank Him as I turn every care over to His loving care
knowing that He will deal with the burdens in His will and way.

Lord, forgive me when I have an apathetic approach to prayer.
You want to hear from me.
You want to show yourself strong on my behalf.

Another Month Gone

 I can't believe that another month has gone by.

Hubby is back to teaching for a week or two, 

so I have a couple of extra hours a few evenings of each week to return to the blogosphere.

It has been a month of more changes and of making adaptations.

I determined to be more discipline in my housework.

I did get though the whole house in the month of September.

I am headed back through this month and getting some of the grime left behind by the smoke of the fires.

I determined to get back to running regularly.

Running (or wogging) is a relative term.

Hubby was wogging with me on Saturdays, but

I am now interval walk/jogging 2 other days each week by myself.

It seems to be the best way to get my heart rate in the peak zone to boost my stamina.

It also lowers my resting heart rate.

We have additional family responsibilities again.

It is nice to do what we came here to do,

but it does require additional time - 

especially on the weekends.

I am now teaching weekly.

I continue to have my little friends over to the house

for one hour each week to prepare specials for church.

And I am teaching a Sunday School class each Sunday.

Of course, this prep work has taken time as well.

And then, we always seem continue to adapt our diet 

as we determine what really fuels our bodies and keeps us feeling good.

We have been learning to use many more plant-based meals throughout the week.

I never really imagined that, but here we are.

This too has taken more research and time to find quality meals that provide all the nutrients we need without using meat and dairy all of the time.

And this leads me to the delicious meal that we had tonight.

A delicious Lentil and Quinoa Stew

The recipe called for beef, but also said that it could be left out.

The quinoa and the lentils provided plenty of protein.

And the quinoa has lowered hubby's blood pressure amazingly.

During his time in the military, he was actually hypertensive,

but now he is on the low side of normal!

Ingredients

2 tbsp extra light olive oil

½ cup quinoa (washed and rinsed)

1½ cups dried lentils (washed and rinsed)

½ cup carrots (peeled, chopped)

1 medium onion (chopped)

1 cup butternut squash (diced) 

2 bay leaves

1 tsp ground cumin

1½ tsp Himalayan salt

½ tsp Dried Oregano

½ tsp dried basil

¼ tsp dried rosemary

¼ tsp celery seeds

1 pinch rubbed sage

1 tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp fennel seeds 

6 cups beef bone broth 

1 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions

• Heat oil in a deep pot over medium heat.  Add the quinoa and toss to coat. Once coated, add the lentils, onions, carrots, butternut squash and all herbs and spices along with the beef bone broth.
• Bring to a boil before reducing the heat to a low simmer. Cover and allow to simmer for 20-30 minutes until the quinoa and lentils are cooked, adding water (and/or stock) as needed. Gently turn the ingredients occasionally to ensure that they don't stick or burn, and to ensure that there is enough liquid in the pot.
• Once the quinoa and lentils are fully cooked, discard the bay leaves and juniper berries and stir in the coconut oil.
• Turn off the heat and cover the pot for at least 15 minutes to allow the ingredients' flavors to meld together.

It was just so yummy on a cool fall night with some fresh bread.

The fennel seeds really give it a warm, pleasant flavor.

The recipe said it would feed 4,  but the portions were quite large.