There are some thoughts going through my head because of some things I've read and looked at recently. I don't know if it will make sense to you but I'm going to share anyway. Why? Because we need to take action. We need to do something about this -- if we all do something in our own lives, just change our perspective or just start thinking about it, maybe things can change. 

Okay, a few days ago I clicked on one of those links that make you keep clicking on "NEXT" to see more photos. It was a post about Hollywood couples that have been married for decades. First, I was surprised how many there were. That was a wonderful thing to see. Second, and this is what got me thinking, some of the people featured looked awful -- not because of their age but because they were trying so hard to appear young and sexy rather than their dignified age. 

The second thing I read was yesterday in Our Daily Bread. Some countries are putting out Friendship Benches. There is a grandma-type lady who sits on the bench and is there for anyone to come and talk to her. The "grandma" I believe has some training in listening skills and such, but the main thing is that people who are depressed or overwhelmed with life come and have a conversation with someone who will listen and really cares. And these benches are doing really good things. I love this idea!

Those two things I read about are now milling around in my mind and I am wondering if our culture that is so focused on youth and sex that we are forgetting some of our greatest treasures are our elders. I'm not saying we should all look awful. Go ahead and dress nice and take care of the bodies and faces God has given you, but we are really losing out on a great opportunity to just relax and be ourselves and enjoy the new wrinkles and graying hair knowing these bodies are temporary tents for our true selves. 

Younger people need us to be content in our aging and if we are aging wisdom ideally has been building up in us too. Think about the grandma Friendship bench. If a Grandma is trying to be young and sexy I just don't think a person is going to feel as comfortable talking to her as a Grandma who is comfortable and just shining for Jesus and just looks kind. 

(Remember I mentioned above that I didn't know if I could write this out coherently and I know this is borderline coherent)

I know our society doesn't respect and revere elders anymore overall, but we should. Other than the health issues and the aches and pains that come with age, getting older is a good thing. I love being 51 and life just keeps getting better. Our churches, our society, the world needs the wisdom God has taught us and is still teaching us. Let's focus on the inner person rather than the outer person. Sure, go ahead and look nice and dress how you want -- there's nothing wrong with that. But the beauty of the inner person is what really makes a person beautiful. One of my friends who is 80 (I think) is so pretty because she has the light of Jesus in her. And she has a calmness about her that the world just can't shake. When I first saw her I thought, she is beautiful. 

"The glory of young men is their strength, And the honor of old men is their gray hair." Proverbs 20:29

I read this this morning: "Undoubtedly this was a moment for which Paul had yearned for years: the chance to preach the gospel to his Jewish brothers within the walls of their beloved city of Jerusalem." Erica Wiggenhorn

This moment happens after the crowd tried to beat Paul to death. I thought two things: first, what moments am I yearning for; and second, they don't always come the way we envision them. I'm sure Paul didn't think he'd be nearly beaten to death prior to getting to preach to his fellow Jews in Jerusalem (and at the temple no less). But he was still given that moment. 

I wrote down six moments I am yearning for deep in my heart. I can't share them because each of them involves other people. Writing them down was a good thing though. Why? Because I really hadn't thought about what I was absolutely deep-down yearning for. And now that I know I can pray for these moments and the people involved in a more specific way.

What are you really yearning for? I mean deep down, way down at the root of your soul? Possibly, those yearnings involve loved ones. Maybe you yearn to see someone really set free from fear; or maybe you long for a deep conversation with someone you love; or maybe there are people you desperately want to connect with again. Think about it. Taking the time to figure it out will wisk away the dross of life that sometimes clutters up our brains. 

A few verses from Psalm 37 come to mind:

"Trust in the LORD, and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness.  Delight yourself in the LORD; And He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD, Trust also in Him, and He will do it." Psalm 37:3-5

 I read a paragraph this morning written by Erica Wiggenhorn out of her study The unexplainable church: reigniting the mission of the early believers. When I read it I thought, I've been there. I've done this. 

Honestly, we've all been there. The question is, are we still there?

Here's the paragraph:

"What a sad picture of the state of humanity apart from a Savior. People don't know why they are here or there or where they are going or why. They just blindly follow the crowd and listen to whoever is noisiest. Maybe they want to be part of the 'in crowd,' or they're curious or looking for excitement, then one day they suddenly wake up and wonder, 'What am I doing here?' Or they never wake up at all and spend their entire life chasing the latest rush of fools. They just keep shouting and running, hoping to be heard and to find the satisfaction they're desiring."

Mindless. 

If taken literally, the word is nonsense because if a person has life a person has a mind. But when taken in context it is a state of not thinking for ourselves; not using the brains God has given us to examine our lives and what we are doing on this earth. 

Even Believers can find themselves in mindless seasons of life. God is faithful to nudge us awake and help us get back on track if our hearts are tender toward Him.

This will probably sound stupid, but here it is. In a college sophomore literature class my eyes were opened to the fact that not everyone is telling the truth. We were focusing on story narrators, questioning whether or not they were reliable or if they had agendas. Before that class, everything I read or heard I believed. I never thought that anyone would deliberately tell a lie or say something to sway readers for personal gain (yes, I was that naive). 

If we don't use the intelligence God has given us we will find ourselves in places we really don't want to be. If we don't use the intelligence God has given us we will miss Him. We will just see the surface of things and totally lose what He wanted to tell us. He won't give up on us, but when we refuse to think for ourselves we always lose and life is diminished.

"the mind set on the flesh is death, but the miind set on the Spirit is life and peace." Romans 8:6

A new podcast has come to town and I sure hope you will check it out. It's called "Bible Talk with Jane and Shannon", and yes I'm the Jane mentioned. My husband Shannon is the Shannon! 

We have one published episode presently and the next one will be published Sunday at about 1 p.m. mountain time. That will be regular time they are published.

You can find us on podbean. And soon you will be able to download it on iTunes (it's been submitted and waiting for approval). I will do my best to get it to all sorts of podcast outlets. 

If you've never entered the world of podcasting, you need to. There are so many good ones out there. Practically any topic you can think of you will find a podcast on it. These days if I travel I have a bunch of downloaded podcasts for the road. 

Bible Talk with Jane and Shannon is me and Shannon discussing topics and scripture and how they relate to our lives. The first episode is about Rest and why we need it. It's a good one. The second episode will be about Idols -- then and now. We recorded it last night. I will tell you I am definitely still learning how to do it. I added music to the second episode but it is pretty much a big fail. If you bear with me and get past the mistakes each episode will enrich your life I am sure.

You can comment. We love comments. Hopefully I'll set up a place where you can email me to ask us questions. I'd like a question time at the end. Check us out. I think you'll like it. 

One of my children has had overactive imagination when it comes to worry. She worries about all sorts of things, things that will never come true; things that just don't matter. We talk a lot about it. I give her verses to read; strategies to try; we pray together.

This morning, though, a "new" idea came to my mind. I told her she should put her brain on a diet. And then I thought -- we all should do this!

It isn't about things you should and should not watch, read, see, dwell on. It is about what is healthy for your brain; what will encourage its health and strength and resilience to life's stresses. Just like our physical body, we can't expect our brains to be at their best and handle stress well if we feed them junk all the time. 

Philippian 4:8-9 is a great guide for choosing postive brain food. The Message says it like this:

"Summing it up, friends, I'm say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble reputable authentic, compelling, gracious -- the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies."

We are free to read what we want. We are free to watch what we want. We are free to talk about what we want. 

But, if the choices we make drag us down, do we really want to continue making those same choices? If the choices we make draw us closer to Christ and to our best selves, aren't those good things?

What you ingest mentally and emotionally should encourage you to love God and people. If some of what you ingest closes your heart to certain people or God, then that stuff probably isn't good stuff. 

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Let's have a great 2020! I just want to share a few things with you to get you thinking -- to get you possibly considering choosing to live a life of courage all year long! Courage takes guts. And we show the most courage when we choose to be bold even though inside we are shaking bad.

Jeremiah must have had this problem because in Jeremiah 12:5 God says to him, "So, Jeremiah, if you're worn out in this footrace with men, what makes you think you can race against horses? And if you can't keep your wits during times of calm what's going to happen when troubles break loose like the Jordan in flood?"

Eugene H. Peterson shares in The Message Devotional Bible: God "called you to live at your best. It's easier to relax in the embracing arms of mediocrity. Easier, but not better. Easier, but not more significant. Easier, but not more fulfilling." 

 Let's not accept mediocrity any longer. Jesus never did or does. For you history purists, we know Jesus very likely wasn't born in December, but it is when we have chosen to celebrate it. How about this year for His birthday you tell Him you will choose to live courageously in the new year. Let 2020 be a defining year for you. Whatever comes face it with courage and honesty and compassion. Whatever comes continue to praise God. Whatever comes ask God to help you see His presence in the midst of it.

This is what I'm going to do.

One more thing -- this kind of couraeous living is easier if you spend real time, like daily, in the Bible. And I wholly recommend The Message Devotional Bible. It is written in American English. This is why some people don't like it, but know it isn't a paraphrase. Peterson translated it from the original languages. It is just in our every day language -- how Jesus taught when He walked among us physically. 

Merry Christmas. Happy New Year!! If you want to do some good reading take time to check out the categories (which I have way too many of) on the right side of this page. You will find some good stuff that might encourage you.

​Have you noticed the obsession our society has with being famous? Sure, it could be fun for a short time (if you're famous for a good reason) but it could get really annoying. It has become the goal in life for many. And then there are those of us (and I am pretty sure we've all fallen into this category at some time in our lives) who wish for a different life or a different set of circumstances.

If we wish for something else than the life we have we are robbing ourselves. 

Jesus says in John 10:10, "The thief comes only to steal, and kill, and destroy; I came that they might have life and might have it abundantly."

Wishing for a different life is a tactic from the enemy and our flesh. That wishing takes away the life and the blessings in our lives that are already there. If we are looking at something we want we don't see what we do have. We can't enjoy the life we have if we want something else.

That doesn't mean you can't look forward to something or hope for something. But we can hope and look forward to and plan for while we are content in the life we presently have. And yes, we can even be content while we are dealing with awful circumstances. 

Throughout life we have to relearn contentment when we are in a new stage of life. That is okay. Contentment is a process. It is real spiritual strength that we can develop and practice. 

It took me years to learn how to be content as a full-time caregiver. Once I finally got there it was such a relief and such a joy. I know I've talked about this many times, but I think it bears repeating because the world we live in seeks to make us discontent so we will go after things we are told we "need." All that stuff does not give us life. It sucks the life out of us. 

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world." 1 John 2:16

That verse explains it all about what the world is trying to get us to go after. None of that adds any real benefit to our lives. Maybe those things add fleeting pleasures, but in the end they don't do anything for us but take life away. 

As a parent I get it. I totally get it. And if you're a parent I know you get it too. 

What are we talking about?

Our kids just getting along. I've told my adult children at times (and the ones still at home) to just get along. They don't have to agree with each other. They don't have to be each other's best friends. There's no reason they can't be kind to each other and keep some of their own opinions to themselves and spend the time they have together loving each other. 

This goes for all of us. 

Especially in the church. God wants His children to get along. Jesus says in John 15:12, "This is My commandment that you love one another, just as I have loved you."

He made a point to say that. It probably was an issue between His first disciples too. 

In The Unexplainable Church, Erica Wiggenhorn writes, "Could it be that the concessions we make in our churches actually are the very things God uses to make us more like Christ? Could it be that when the music displeases my flesh, but I choose to worship in spite of it, part of my flesh becomes crucified and my spirit strengthened?"

Prior to this statement she writes, "If we're honest, church division occurs more often over squabbles regarding practice than it does over essential doctrine."

What if this coming year we all gave God the gift of church unity across the board? What if we loved our fellow Christians wholly? If we gave them the benefit of the doubt? If we didn't focus on our differences, but focused on what brings us together? The gospel is simple as Paul writes in Romans 10:9: "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead you shall be saved;"

What if we all loved each other rather than complain about each other and what if we allowed the Holy Spirit to do the convicting rather than we trying to do His job? Yes, there is a time for loving confrontation and if God is leading you to do this then do it. But more often than not, if we find ourselves criticizing a believer from afar it is just our flesh and not being done out of love. 

What if the entire Christian church showed great love for each other? What if we in the West remembered our persecuted family in the rest of the world daily in our prayers? What if we in the west chose to not take part in the indulgent lifestyle so celebrated in our culture and instead used our resources to help those Christian brothers and sisters who need our help?

Think on it. How better can someone love you than really love your kids? When someone shows great kindness to my kids I am so grateful. Maybe Father God is the same way. 

Jesus does say in Matthew 25:40, "Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me."

Merry Christmas! And as we look to 2020, may it be characterized by the great love we show each other.

So I'm trying to be "spiritual" with my kids this Advent season. Each morning before school we read scripture about the time before Jesus was born and talk about what it all means for us now. Sure, it is Jesus' birthday (and I love singing Him Happy Birthday). Sure, it is about preparation for celebrating Christmas Day (and also preparation for His arrival), but something jumped out at me this morning when I read Luke 2:4. Here it is:

So Joseph went from the Galilean town of Nazareth up to Bethlehem in Juday, David's town, for the census. As a descendent of David, he had to go there." Luke 2:4

Sometimes when God is planning a big arrival in our lives; when He is going to move big in our lives to affect others or our own lives or show Himself to us in a new way, He has to move us. Maybe He actually causes us to move to a different location permanently. Or, He sends us somewhere at the most inconvenient time (remember, Mary is like 9 months pregnant -- not a good time for her to travel). Or, He rearranges people or events in our lives to make room for His arrival -- His new way of showing Himself to us. 

These changes of circumstance might cause us to be anxious or fearful or irritated or even angry. But let's let God be God. Let's let Him do what He needs to do to "arrive" in the midst of our lives. When we naturally react to these inconvenient things that disrupt our schedules, our routines, let's pray for God to open our hearts, ears and minds and eyes to see where He intends to show up. 

Often, the interruptions in our lives (or the events you go to because you feel you ought to be there but you'd rather stay home and watch TV) are orchestrated by God to be used by Him in a totally unexpected, unimagined way. 

Let's let God be God in our lives. 

What if this year we spent time thinking about the time before Jesus' birth? The time the Church calls Advent?

The word "Advent" meaning "coming" meaning Jesus is on His way and will arrive at the perfect time. We can't speed His arrival. We can't do anything in ourselves to make things happen when we are on God's time. Advent is the perfect time to ponder the spiritual role of expectant waiting God has given to all of us. To learn to wait in anticipation and faith and joy and eagerness. To wait to see God come through. To wait and watch to see His hand in people and events.

You could say we live in seasons of Advent throughout our lives -- seasons when we wait for God's timing. 

The season of Advent is about so many things. Besides waiting it is also about resting. About honoring the Sabbath rest in our lives.

We had to cancel church today because we (and most of the people where we live) are snowed in. I kind of thought we might have to cancel yesterday morning but I wrote my Sunday School lesson anyway. Hopefully Shannon and I will do our first official episode for the podcast "Bible Talk with Jane and Shannon" today about the topic we were going to study in Sunday School -- rest. It goes right along with waiting.

Eugene H. Peterson writes, "We often labor under the illusion that everything depends on us or on those around us. But it doesn't. Everything depends on God. And this is the great lesson that rest has to teach us."

As this Advent time begins, society encourages lots of activity, things that we are told we all should do to celebrate Christmas in the "right way." God's approach is the opposite of this, impossible for humans, possible only for Him. Waiting and resting. The first mention of Jesus' birth was way back in Genesis 3 (woman's seed). And during the time of the divided kingdom of Judah and Israel, God gave this prophecy to King Ahaz through Isaiah:

"'Ask a sign for yourself from the LORD your God; make it deep as Sheol or high as heaven.' But Ahaz said, 'I will not ask, nor will I test the LORD!' Then he said, 'Listen now, O house of David! Is it too slight a thing for you to try the patience of men, that you will try the patience of God as well? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.'" Isaiah 7:10-14

A virgin bearing a son? Impossible. But not for God. There was nothing King Ahaz or later that anyone could do to bring about the Messiah's coming. They all just had to remember and wait for God to do what only God can do.

This is the life God calls us to. We will be in impossible situations not knowing what to do. We will be tempted to "fix" things or worry or stress till we make ourselves sick. But if we are Believers we ought to know when it is impossible God has a plan to come through. Why God chooses to act when He does is a mystery, but we know His timing is perfect. 

Let's take time to think on scripture and God's timing this Advent season -- the time of rest and waiting.

I don't think any Believer intends to lose faith in Christ. I believe when each of us accepts Him and choose to live for Him we plan on doing this for the rest of our lives. 

So, why do some of us fall away? 

There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who fall away, but I want to share something I read today that I think could help us all evaluate our own faith and strengthen it so we too don't.

From Unexplainable Jesus by Erica Wiggenhorn:

"If we think God owes us something because of our own goodness or obedience, Jesus warns we will most likely lose faith. If we feel we are somehow more deserving of His blessings than others, we will also lose faith when the blessings seemingly run dry." 

I think a lot of us go through periods of doubt when unexpected disaster or disease or whatnot hit our lives. Naturally we ask, "Why is this happening?" or "Why did God let this happen?"

That is the wrong question to ask. I believe we should instead ask, "What does God want to do through this situation?"

We all will deal with things that aren't fair (we all should know by now life isn't fair), or things that are just plain bad, or things that are obviously an awful tragedy. We don't wish for those kinds of things and we don't worry about them arriving. But they will arrive, and when they come there will be no answers to why questions that satisfy. So, let's ask the "what" question instead. 

This is how James 1:2 can actually occur. James writes, "Consider it all joy my brethren, when you encounter various trials,"

There is joy in trials when we realize it is through these very things that God will shine brightest through us -- brighter than He does when life is "good." 

Resolve right now to approach life this way. It is powerful. It is freeing. It is what God calls us to do. 

I read something in a study I am doing I plan on sharing with you. It is really good. It deals with us thinking or attempting to manipulate God. Maybe we don't see it that way. Maybe we've bought into some bad teaching that says, "If I do this, God will do this" or "If I do this and this and this I am guaranteed certain results from God."

Bad theology. 

Yes, sometimes God requires steps of obedience from us prior to acting in such a way in our lives (as when Jesus told the ten lepers to show themselves to the priest -- as they went their way they were healed), but this isn't manipulation on our point. This is just obedience. Please don't believe any program that tells you if you do these five steps God will do this for you. Replace steps and this with whatever you choose to. 

The study I am doing now is called Unexplainable Jesus by Erica Wiggenhorn. Here is the passage I wanted to share with you:

"So, which premise is true: Healing requires faith? Or faith is not required for healing to occur? I would suggest both are true because each instance of healing is personal. And, more importantly we cannot put God's plans and premises for healing into a box that we can examine and manipulate.

"The moment I can put God into a box of my own logic and reasoning, predicting everything He will and won't do and why, is the moment I have made Hiim too small. His purposes are often beyond our reasoning. We cannot say He healed because we had faith nor can we say that if we have faith, He must heal. Neither can we say He didn't heal because of lack of faith or that where faith is absent His healing power is limited.

"People cannot control God's actions either positively or negatively. He is sovereign in all His ways. God can, however, require steps of faith and/or obedience from us before He decides to work on our behalf." Erica Wiggenhorn

Okay, I am writing this on the afternoon of October 29th. It is just a few short days till November 1st -- what my 18 year old son (who thinks he looks good with facial hair) tells me is no-shave November. Well, I want to bring a new thing to November and I hope you try it. Please try it. Try it for your sake and for your loved ones. Let's make November "Read My Bible" month. Somewhere I've read it takes 30 days to make a new habit (or at least you can see if it changes your life in any way). How about starting Friday, November 1st you read your Bible every day till December? That is just 30 days. You can do it. You could read through a gospel -- like Luke. Or you could just open your Bible at random every day and read it. Or you can pick another book and read a chapter a day. If you want to do just one book I recommend Luke or John or Revelation or Genesis or Psalms! Also, you can read it everywhere. You can read it before you get out of bed. You can read it in the bathroom. You can read it while you eat breakfast. You can listen to it while you drive. You can read it on break. God doesn't care when you read it. Just read it. 

I recommend doing it first thing -- then you won't forget it later. 

Try it for 30 days. Just try it. The Word is alive. If you read it in the morning and think about what you read later in the day the Word will do great things in you. And that will affect others in a positive way. And who knows what God will do.

His Word always accomplishes what God wants it to accomplish. Letting God use that Word in your life by reading it is a great thing!

So, try it. 

If you take this challenge, let me know. Challenge others to do it with you. The time won't be wasted. You'll be very glad you did this. Really!

I read something today that I think could change all of our lives -- everyone who reads it and does what it says. I think we'd see something big happen in ourselves and in our communities. I'll share it in a bit. Because I've come to realize this blog is starting to become a place where I share with you things I've read that have touched me. Don't think that I'm super spiritual becauuse I write about the Bible and living for Jesus. I do the best I can (probably just like you do). I pray daily but usually my prayers are scattered throughout the day for the list in my head and they aren't particularly huge prayers. I wish I could say I am an incredible prayer warrior. I've read about saints from the past who spent hours and hours in prayer daily. And Jesus -- He spent all night in prayer often. You can read about Him leaving everyone and going out to a lonely place to pray. What was He doing? He was just talking and listening and spending time with His Father and Spirit. Spirit gets left out of the conversation often! But Spirit was there too conversing with Jesus and Father. We are to be like Jesus but I doubt I'll ever be spending all night in prayer. I'd fall asleep. I kind of think I'll probably just keep praying the way I do. I talk to God all day in what I do. I just know He's there. I ask His thoughts about things. I share my concerns. I share my questions. I share my praises, but I am not the saint who travails in prayer. I'm just me. 

Oh boy, I got off on a tangent but I'll keep going. All God wants is us. Just us. Not us and some great performance or some great holy life. I think when we focus on being holy we get weird. When we focus on how we appear in public or to others we lose our authentic selves. There's nothing wrong with reading about holiness or whatever trait you want to emulate, but I think if we just focus on Jesus and loving Him and others they will all come out. It's God's will you and I produce spiritual fruit. If we just keep loving God and others with that Agape Love of God's, that fruit will be produced (okay, just to remind you -- the spiritual fruit is explained in Galatians 5:22-23 -- love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Oh man, I can't stop there. The Message shares the spiritual fruit in a really cool way. Let me quote it here: "But what happens when we live God's way? He brings gifts into our lives much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard -- things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in commitments, not needing to force our way in life able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.")

Back to why I started this: here is the passage from Eugene H. Peterson's Message Devotional Bible I want to share with you. It is in reference to Paul's conversion and how God choosing him right in the middle of Paul's persecution of Believers:

"Look around you -- look at the person you think is least likely to be your ally as you seek to serve God. Look at that person from whom you, with good reason, expect the worst. Now listen to what God may be saying about that person: 'I have picked him (or her) as my personal representative.' How does this change your view of that person? Your words to him or to her? Your actions toward him or toward her?"

What do you think? What if we all contemplated on this thought and on those questions and let God work through us in word, action, thought and prayer toward the "least likely?" 

​If we all did that, we  might see some amazing stuff happen! Try it. I will.

Until we look at the world the way it really is we will continue to be tripped up. Somewhere in our minds we seem to think if we do all the right things things will turn out for us. That's a wrong perspective, one that will cause us to fall into holes of despair over and over again. And then there is also the strange thinking we get that if we become Believers that God will keep all the bad things from happening -- that if we just act like good little Christians He will make sure the world behaves. 

This is wrong too. Both of these perspectives are really the same. They both revolve around the mistaken notion that the world revolves around us and what we do. No, no, no. We gotta get out of this mindset. 

Put your fairy tale mindset on and you will be able to see (yes, you read that right). All of us, good and bad, believers, athiests, agnostics, people of other religions, are in the same world. It is the world of a dark and scary filled with lots of unknown, magical stuff enchanted forest. Yes, an enchanted forest. It is filled with malevolent forces. It is filled with things that can make it look glittery and will hypnotize us to eat the magic mushrooms and fall asleep in it or lull us into thinking it is something it isn't. Bad things and good things happen to everyone in this forest. The difference for the Believer is that we know when the bad things happen that Father God will help us with them. When the evil forces throw things at us, Father God will be able to turn those situations around so His light will shine. Without Him the darkness and the evil deeds can consume a person. 

But we gotta give the Father time to act. If we try to fix it ourselves in a panic, we will mess it up. We have to take a breath and plug into God and His wisdom and He will guide us through the bad parts so when we get past them we won't be depleted of strength but will be renewed. That is miraculous! 

Often we Believers don't allow God to do this. We stumble through the bad parts. We might even resent God cause we wonder why He let this bad thing happen. We do this because we have that wrong perspective about being the center of our worlds. In a dark, enchanted forest bad things happen to everybody. And this is our world. 

Of course the world we inhabit doesn't look like an enchanted forest (remember, it is enchanted). It looks ordinary. Don't let it fool you. The real dark forest is the unseen realm. This is what we are walking through without realizing it. 

Be happy and joyful and enjoy life. At the same time know that bad things will happen. This is life. But God will get you through to an even better place afterwards if you let Him. These are the situations He really shines in because the dark forces are caught off guard (Ahhh! We are foiled again). 

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You know when it happens because you can feel it. And maybe I'm the only one who wants this and it sounds so childish. It sounds like I should be above it, but then I read Psalm 68:4 today. In The Message it says, "Sing hymns to God; all heaven, sing out; clear the way for the coming of the Cloud-Rider. Enjoy GOD, cheer when you see him!"

I love that "Cloud-Rider" name. That is God! Who else can ride clouds! But the last part is what I want to talk about, the "Enjoy GOD, cheer when you see him!" part. 

Wait! Back the truck up. What am I talking about? What can you feel when it happens? Okay, here it is: when I am with people I want them to enjoy being with me. I want to enjoy being with them. That's an indication of some good fellowship. Just enjoying each other. I thought about that when Psalm 68 commands us to simply, "Enjoy GOD, cheer when you see him!"

That's really what praise is about -- enjoying God. You know, I think we all want to be enjoyed. We don't want people to feel obligated to be around us. We don't want people to feel like they HAVE to spend time with us. I don't want that anyway. I don't want to hang out with anyone who doesn't want to hang out with me. Maybe God is the same way (but not in a self-centered way; in a perfect kind of way)? 

Jesus does say he would rather have us cold or hot -- not lukewarm. What's lukewarm except that we think we HAVE to be there. We aren't excited. We aren't passionate. We aren't really desiring to be with Him, but we feel we must be with Him. 

My son Hawk is great at this kind of discernment. He knows when someone is uncomfortable around him or sees him in pity or sees him like he is somehow not all there. Even though he doesn't talk or communicates in ways most people can understand, he understands what they are communicating to him. It doesn't get past him. If someone doesn't have time for him he doesn't have time for them. But when someone takes the time to genuinely talk to him he will respond. 

Do you want to be with Jesus, Father and Spirit? They know if you do. I think deep down everyone wants to be with God. He created us to be in relationship with Him, but worldly desires, cravings and lusts get in the way of what's really important and if we focus on the stuff the world says is important we can't enjoy God. Life is so much better when we come to the place where we enjoy Him; where we enjoy being with Him. Are you there yet? 

To enjoy hanging out with someone means you kind of get in sync with them. You kind of are on the same rhythm, the same understanding, maybe? 

We have a German student staying with us for ten days. This was not my idea. Not that I don't want visitors, but when someone stays with you for a while life is interrupted and routines change; things are done differently. This isn't all bad. Some of it can be quite good (which I have found out). But when told we were going to do this I sighed big-time. See, our life has a very solid routine. As I see it played out with a visitor around I think this is because of Hawken and my care for him. It works for us, but I was so afraid someone else coming in for 10 days would be bored out of his mind. I can let "Entertainer Jane" out for a few hours, even for a few days (which I often do if someone is just here for two days or if I go visit family), but E.J. is exhausting to Everyday Jane. I knew I couldn't let E.J. reign for ten whole days. 

Well, the time is going okay (even though we had two snow days this week -- wow -- snow days in early October). I think our guest is a bit shy but he's coming out of his shell and I think he is getting comfortable with us. I've seen him smile a lot and laugh. I don't know if our life is anything like what he thought an American household was like (maybe I'll ask him that today). 

Oswald Chambers writes, God "has different ways of doing things, and we have to be trained and disciplined in His ways . . . Spiritual truth is learrned through the atmosphere that surrounds us, not through intellectual reasoning." 

We're told in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 to "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

How can we do that? we might wonder. "Always" and "without ceasing" is every second, every nanosecond of the day and night.

I think it gets down to this notion of Enjoying God. If we stay aware of His presence we can enjoy Him as we go about our lives. For then He is part of it all and that is what He wants. Not for Himself, but for us! When we let Him be part of all we do everything takes on real meaning, real purpose; the load of life is lifted from our shoulders and given to Christ. Everything is better when God is involved. Everything. Joy is more profound. Grief is easier to bear. Challenges are no longer impossible because God always makes a way through them or over them or under them. Everything is better. We can enjoy others more when God is there because He loves them so very much. He can give us understanding and love for absolutely anyone and everyone. And He will if we let Him. 

For the last few months my posting on this blog has lessened. For years I've been posting several times a week, but this year it has become once a week and now it has become less than once a week. This last time it has been three weeks since I've posted. It isn't that I don't want to post. I love writing. I write daily in my journal. I read many, many books (which good writers do). I long to write. And I have a dream of writing in such a way to reach a huge audience for Jesus. I have ideas for books. I've started and stopped. But lately I just think it doesn't matter anymore. If I never write another book life will continue and life is still very, very good. Great really. I have a beautiful grandson. Being a grandma is such a lovely gift from God. For years I was not content in my role as a caregiver because I was looking at it wrong. Thinking I needed to contribute in a "bigger" way to make my life count. That is thought influenced by the world's values. Our lives count just because God created us to be loved by Him and to love Him and others. That's it. We count because we are God's. Because He chose to create us from nothing. Just from His words and love. 

Thank you for reading my blog. I will continue to post but it might continue to be just once every couple weeks. I invite you to click on some of the several (way too many) categories that are listed on the side. There are some very good blog posts that might speak to you. Enjoy the people in your life. And let them enjoy you. And most importantly, enjoy Jesus. Enjoy Father. Enjoy Spirit! 

It's been 15 days since I posted on this blog. I have no excuse. God's been working. He works all the time in our lives. He never quits. And I've been learning.

I've learned what it's like to be a grandma. I became one for the first time September 11th. 

I always learn in Adult Sunday School. Some might find this funny. I'm the teacher (the one who leads the discussion anyway), but in our discussions comes revelation often. There are so many reasons we are called to walk in faith in a church family. We sharpen each other spiritually and emotionally (in a good way). If your church doesn't feel like a family, either get involved and find that family connection or find a church body where it feels like a family to you. And it might not be the church where the rest of your biological/adopted family go. It might be a totally different church. You need to grow spiritually. The right church family will help in this. 

I'm having one of those funny-feeling afternoons. I haven't had one of these for a long time. I didn't miss it. It's kind of like a feeling of dread or anxiety or yucky awkwardness. It causes me to want to hide, not to leave the house, to escape the feeling somehow. I can't though. It will go when it goes.

I've been thinking about growing in Jesus. John 15:5 says, "I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you're joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant."

"Intimate and organic."

Doesn't that make you think? An organic growth is one that grows out naturally and with flexibility and creativity. It's not forced. It can't be made to happen.I want this kind of growth for me and my husband and every single one of my children (and my son-in-law and grandson and my future-daughter-in-law and whoever else joins our family). But, I can't force anyone to grow (even myself). As our children grow into adulthood we parents need to set boundaries and rules and gradually give them more and more freedom. But once they are adults our hands have to come off. We might not like their choices, but that is between them and God. God says our job as parents is over in the sense of structure and rules and guidance (unless they ask for it). We've gotta let Him work without trying to interfere (parents love to interfere). We have to let them make mistakes and let God help them sort it out. God tells us to trust Him with our adult children. We can pray. Those prayers will be answered. 

Euguene H. Peterseon writes in his Message Bible Devotional, "Every movement we make in response to God has a ripple effect, touching family, neighbors, friends, community. Belief in God alters our language. Love of God affects our daily relationships. Hope in God enters into our work. Also their opposites -- unbelief, indifference, and despair. None of these movements and responses, beliefs and prayers, gestures and searches, can be confined to the soul. They spill out and make history." 

Have you though that you are making history in how you respond or don't respond to God and His work in your life? You are. I am. Things are happening. Good things. Even when it looks like nothing is going on, God is at work.

We humans fear. I think we are told "Do Not Fear" in the Bible like 600 times (or it might be a whole lot more, but 600 comes to mind). The feeling of fear rushing into us in an unknown situation is natural. There's nothing wrong with that. The problem comes when we choose to hold onto that fear. 

After that initial feeling, we can say and choose, "I will not fear. I choose to believe God will get us through this." Or, just say, "I choose to believe in God!" Or, "I will not fear! I will believe."

And then, you have to hold onto that belief as hard as you sometimes hold onto worry. Come on. We all are great worriers by nature. We can worry for hours and days on end on something that will probably never happen. Why not use that energy, that will to hold onto belief rather than worry? It's in the choice where we choose to obey or sin. Choosing fear is sin. Choosing to believe is obedience. Jesus says in John 14:1, "Let not your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me." 

I want to share a quote from Eugene H. Peterson from his devotional bible. It is about choosing to live by faith. Here goes:

"Faith has to do with marrying the invisible and the visible. When we engage in an act of faith as Caleb did (see Numbers 14), we give up insisting that head knowledge is our primary means of understanding. Faith isn't a conclusion we come to simply on the basis of what we see. It's a conclusion we come to on the basis of who God is. And that, fusing of the visible with the invisible gives us a different way of looking at the world around us. It's often said that living by faith is a risky way to live. What isn't so often said is that living by sight has risks too. Even greater risks."

Tomorrow our son Hawken turns 20 years old. If you know me you know him. And if you've read my stuff for a long time you know about him. Real quick for those who don't: Hawken was born typically. Beautiful 8 pound 15 ounce baby with big eyes and a load of dark hair. I was in love (again). At 3 1/2 months he started having seizures. Fast forward to today, he's been my constant companion since. We tried kindergarten it just didn't work out well (he can't talk or walk or hold things or communicate in a way most people can understand). When he was a tiny tot we put him on a special diet in hopes of controlling his seizures. When his birthday came around I made him a special cheesecake because this went with his diet. My first attempt. The entire family realized we love cheesecake.

It's been a very, very long time since he's been on that diet (but he has a new medication that has dramatically taken down his seizures recently and now he laughs and smiles and smirks and howls with joy), but we kept having cheesecake and so I have perfected my own very easy cheesecake recipe.

I am going to share this recipe with you and I hope you will try it (if you like cheesecake). It's easy. Very easy. And very, very delicious (and it is traditional cheesecake -- not the whipped cream kind..though that kind is good too). I make a 9 x 13 pan of it because a typical pie pan just isn't big enough (so the recipe is for a  9 x 13 cake pan).

Jane's Traditional Cheesecake

2 1/2 sleeves of honey graham crackers (this is almost the entire box)
1 1/2 sticks of melted butter
4 packages of cream cheese very softened
3 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar 
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla 

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Grease the pan.
3. Put melted butter in bowl.
4. Fine crumb the graham crackers. Add to butter. Mix thoroughly.
5. Add 1/4 cup sugar to the mix (but even do a little less than 1/4 -- maybe like a 1/6th of a cup). Mix it in.
6. Press this mixture into the greased pan going up on the sides, making it even.
7. Bake for about 10 or so minutes. Take out and let totally cool.
8. Turn off the oven (cause you won't be using it for a while. I often do the crust in the morning and then do the cake part in the afternoon).

Now for the cake body (after you know the crust is totally cooled -- don't shortcut this):
1. Put all the cream cheese into clean bowl. Mix thoroughly until very smooth.
2. Add eggs. Mix until totally mixed and smooth.
3. Add 3/4 cup sugar and the vanilla. Mix thoroughly. 
4. Add to crust and smooth out.
5. Turn oven on to 300 degrees F.
6. Put in cake.
7. Now, here is the part you have to watch -- it takes a couple of hours to cook (or something like that). Just watch it periodically. Everyone's oven is different. When it becomes tan around the edges of the cake body it is done. You should also be able to touch top easily. You can stick a toothpick in it. It should come out clean.
8. Now for the patient part -- you have to let it refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Yes, 6 hours! You should make this the day before you need it. My husband tried it once when it had only been in the refrigerator for 3 hours and it just wasn't as good. So seriously, wait -- do it the day before.

And that is it! As I said it isn't hard, it just takes some time. Serve with canned cherry pie filling if you like (we do). 

And for those who didn't see my Facebook post, I want to say this again. People see me and my husband caring for Hawken and think we are something special. We aren't any more special than anyone else (I was going to say we aren't special, but God has created each of us beautifully -- everything God makes is special and wonderful and lovely and so on). And some may think it has been a huge sacrifice for me to care for my son Hawken daily his whole life. I've changed diapers daily since August of 1995 when my oldest son was born (except for during the trips I made to Bulgaria and Russia). One thing I can say is that I am an expert diaper changer.

There have been periods in my life I've been discontent, but that wasn't my son's fault. That was me looking in wrong directions and trying to figure out things that God had under His control (and didn't need my help). Or, I'd condemn myself thinking if I was more industrious I could be making an income at home (and sometimes that has happened, but more often not). And there have been days I've needed a break (like all caregivers do -- if there is a caregiver in your family, maybe you can give that caregiver a break -- just a few hours would be nice). But all in all, it is a privilege to care for my son. He is a delight. And really (and I know most of you won't believe this) he has taken care of me all these years (along with my husband). I have a mental illness (which is controlled most of the time with lifestyle choices and medication) and there have been times life has been very dark and depressive. I've had depressions that have lasted for several months. And all the while Hawk and his constant, quiet presence has sat with me and reminded me I need to stay on this earth until God says it is time for me to go. When will that be? I have no idea. None of us do. 

We humans (Americans especially I think) sometimes judge people on how they benefit society in a tangible, monetary or service way. Thinking our worth is in what we do. Thinking we only benefit our world by producing stuff or money or whatever. There's nothing wrong with any of that, but that isn't where our worth lies. Our worth lies in the fact that we were created by God to be in relationship with Him. He created us because He loves us and wants to hang out with us. He wants to be part of our lives. God shines through Hawken in a way He can't shine through anyone else. Hawk benefits our family and our church and everyone who sees him just because he is alive. Each one of us affects the people in our worlds. We are all so interconnected. Funny -- we at the same time think we need to "benefit" our society but then we also want to be fiercely independent thinking only in that is someone wholly human. I recently read a book where the author wrote that unless someone is sexually active that person isn't a whole person. Obviously, that isn't true. As Horton the elephant (one of my favorite characters) says, "A person's a person no matter how small." 

We can't say a person has to be able to do "_________" in order to live a full human life. Think of a child who lives just a few hours. There's purpose for that child. That child was loved (and still is). Love is a purpose. To be loved is a purpose. We are all to be loved. Loving someone else changes us. I know loving Hawken has changed me. Loving each of my children has changed me. Loving my husband has changed me. Loving Jesus has changed me most of all (but in loving others we love Jesus too -- what we do to others we do to Jesus). 

Oh boy -- I just meant to give you the recipe. If you are still reading I guess you wanted to keep reading. If you make the cheesecake don't eat the whole thing yourself. You'll get a stomachache (and always eat it cold). 

Am I a prophet? I don't think so. But I know that God has givenyou three things to do today. Yes, you. I don't know your name and I don't know where you live, but I know God's will for you on this day, this very important day He has given you to live. Each one of us who reads this will live God's will out differently because we each are in different places and times. I am writing this Thursday, August 29, 2019. You might read this today. Or you might this two years from now. But God will use these words that tell His will for us every time you read them. Here is His will for you today:

"for right now, until that completeness (when we see ourselves and God clearly in heaven), we have three things to do to lead us toward that consummation: Trust steadily in God, hope unswervingly, love extravagently. And the best of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

Did you get it? Trust God steadily. Hope in Him and His goodness unswervingly. Love Him and people extravagently. 

That is our focus. That is what our lives are to be like. 

We need to do this for ourselves. Only living like this can we tap into who God created us to be.

People need us to trust and hope and love wholly because there are too many people who don't trust God or anyone; who don't have any hope; who have never experienced real love.

The world needs us (no matter what we hear). The world (meaning the world system, not creation) sends out messages of fear and distrust and discontent. Trust and hope and love are so much more powerful than fear and distrust and discontent. 

Later in the same chapter I quoted it says, "Love never fails." 

That is the divine love we all can be part of if we allow God to love through us. This is true success. This is true life. 

1 Corinthians 14:1 goes on to say, "Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it -- because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth." 

You have abilities and gifts God has given you to spread His love and truth. Those gifts are needed. The world needs to see them in action. God's people need to see them in action. Don't compare your gifts to anyone else's. Don't desire someone else's gifts. Yours were uniquely created for you to work with who you were created to be and work through you to proclaim God's truth and love to all. 

Don't take this lightly. This is vital to you and to everyone around you. To me! I challenge you to use your gifts. 

(Okay, so you say, you have no idea what your gift(s) are. Answer these questions:
1. When you were a young child what did you love to do?
2. What do you seem to understand or get quicker than others do?
3. What does another person do that makes you feel very much loved? 
4. What kinds of activities do you lose track of time doing -- not the zoned out kind of losing track of time but the fully alive kind of losing track of time?
5. What needs do you see in your church? In the world you inhabit?

If you've answered those questions and you still can't figure out what your gift is or not sure, email me here. I'll help you figure it out. 

Whether you've read his Canterbury Tales or not, you've probably heard of Geoffrey Chaucer. I thought of him and his tales today -- not that I'm a huge fan. He's got a sharp wit and imagination and quite a lot of humor, but one year I thought I'd read through The Canterbury Tales (which I must admit are pretty amazing since they date back to the Middle Ages and are quite sophisticated and imaginative) and had to quit because they are just too bawdy for me. But they are brilliant. Twenty-nine pilgrims are walking along together on a pilgrimage to Canterbury. There are men and women pilgrims, laypeople and clergy, a knight and merchants. As they walk along together most of them tell their personal tales to each other. 

The reason I brought this up (and now that I've written this maybe I'll try and finish the book. You can click here to read the tales if you) is because some of what I read today in the Bible reminded me of The Canterbury Tales. In Eugene H. Peterson's Bible Translation The Message, two verses in Ephesians stuck out to me. Ephesians 4:1 says, "I want you to get out there and walk -- better yet, run! -- on the road God called you to travel."

The second one is Ephesians 4:4. It says, "You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly."

I wonder if unity would happen more often if we took the time to tell each other our tales and listen to others tell theirs? Instead, I think we often go to church and are quick to leave to get to the things we have planned for that day. There's nothing wrong with plans, but I wonder if maybe we should be investing in our brothers and sisters more of our time?

One thing about Chaucer's tales -- the people are quite honest and forthright about personal stuff. They don't hold anything back. We in today's society often hide behind nice masks afraid to really share what we need to share. 

Jesus wants us in His church to experience unity (that doesn't mean we agree on everything. That just means we love each other and not allow anything to take that love for each other away). In John 17:20-21 Jesus says, "I do not ask in behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as Thou, Father, art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be in Us; that the world may believe that Thou didst send Me." 

Unity between Believers will cause the world to believe that the Father sent Jesus! That is powerful!!

You know you should read the Bible, but you don't usually. Maybe never. Maybe it is because it is a big book full of a whole bunch of words and you don't know where to start. Maybe you've tried in the past and it confused you and so you are afraid to try again. Maybe it's just cause you have tried when you're tired and really just wanting to relax. Maybe. Maybe. Maybe.

I don't know why you don't read the Bible, but I want to encourage you to try again (or for the first time). The Bible is different from every other book ever (or will ever) be written. It is living. Seriously! You don't need to feed or water it. It is self-sufficient. But, it will change you (for the better) if you give it time. It truly is filled with words straight from God's mouth! Words from the Creator of the Entire Universe! You won't regret any time you spend in it. I guarantee this. And God will give you the time back you spend trying to get to know Him better. 

So! Here we are! What now? Get your Bible and ask God to open your heart to hear from Him. 

Now, below I've listed the 15 shortest books in the Bible in descending order. I believe I got them right, but even if I didn't the ones I list are very short!

What if you took this list and told yourself I am going to read these 15 books by the end of the year. That sounds like a lot until you realize how short they are. The shortest one is just a few paragraphs long. The longest one on this list is just four pages long! If you can read you can read this list. Here is the list:

1. 3 John
2. 2 John
3. Philemon
4. Jude
5. Obadiah
6. Titus
7. 2 Thessalonians
8. Haggai
9. Nahum
10. Jonah
11. 2 Peter
13. Joel
14. 1 John
15. James

Now, there is no shame in using the Table off Contents! I do and I've been reading the Bible daily since 1988 (If you happen to be part of the church I attend I plan on giving everyone a copy of this list this coming Sunday). 

Reading other people's thoughts on scripture is good. Listening to people speak about scripture and God and His principles is good, but none of this can take the place of you personally getting into the Word. God wants to speak to you directly.

Romans 15:4 says, "Even if it was written in Scripture long ago, you can be sure it's written for us."

Replace the word "us" with your name. It was written for you.  

And here you go -- my guarantee. If you read the Bible and regret it, email me here. I'll do something for you. And if you don't have a Bible let someone know who can get you a copy. Or, email me about that too. I'll help you figure it out. But if you are on the internet you can access the Bible in tons of different version at Biblegateway.com. 

It is a relief to know it isn't about us. When you know life doesn't revolve around you, around your successes and failures, you can relax. You can just take part in life and not be concerned about other people's opinions or reactions. If you are conscious of whose story it is then you just need His approval for the part you are playing in it. 

Daniel 2:44 says, "But throughout the history of these kingdoms, the God of heaven will be building a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will this kingdom ever fail under the domination of another. In the end it will crush the other kingdoms and finish them off and come through it all standing strong and eternal."

Eugene H. Peterson writes, "All human kingdoms are indeed in decline, including your kingdom and mine. Only what is done for God's kingdom will last. And the sooner we shift the center of trust from what we're doing to what God is doing, the better off we'll be, both here on earth and hereafter in eternity."

God has placed you exactly where you are in life. What you are part of is important to His kingdom and purposes even if no one else sees what you're doing. I've been a full-time caregiver for years, but it took me a very long time to be truly content in being a caregiver. It isn't that I didn't love my son. It isn't that I didn't want to care for him. It is that while caring for him I felt alone and insignificant. Thankfully God kept at me on the topic of contentment. Being a full-time caregiver isn't for everyone but I am content in this life, in this role of caring for another person 24 hours a day. No one but God sees what I do all day. And that's okay. I'm doing it for Him.

What about you? Are you content in the life you have been given? Have you found purpose in it? 

You can, you know.

Being content where you are doesn't mean you can't pursue other things or stay where you are forever. God is the God of dreams too. Maybe where you are is a temporary situation. You can be content in that while looking forward.

Being content is a spiritual work. And when we are content we can be conscious we are part of God's plan. 

I'm learning something this summer that makes me feel quite silly or stupid or ...well, it is pretty much a humbling experience. See, for like 20 years I've gardened every summer (I skipped one summer in there due to moving). Sometimes my gardens do okay. Sometimes parts of them do really well while other parts don't yield much of anything. And I committed myself to continue gardening even though my results are just so-so because I enjoy it and we do get some  good produce (last year the tomatoes we grew were so tasty).

This year at the insistence of an older gardening friend my husband started putting this special fertilizer on our garden once a week. We started this really because our older friend was persistent with his gardening enthusiasm. We thought, what could it hurt? 

It hasn't hurt at all. In fact our garden is exploding with color and produce and beauty!

​I took these two photos a few minutes ago before 7 a.m. We planted a few too many zucchini plants (but my husband is loving zoodles) and it can be difficult to find the zucchini. But that makes it like a treasure hunt! If my bees had survived they would been buzzing around the garden these days (though I saw a couple of honey bees buzzing around me earlier this week. I put some more lemongrass oil in my beebox in hopes of attracting a swarm....you never know). 

Why do I share this silly revelation with you today? 

Because it is a good reminder to me (and maybe to you too) that God gave us brains to use in all we do. Having a "green thumb" for gardening isn't a magical thing or a gift God infuses some with (though it probably comes a bit easier for us just like all things). Engaging our brains and learning into things we do can only help and may give us greater understanding in God's creation and creativity. 

I think we humans sometimes try new things that have interested us only to quit too early or give up because we don't feel we have the "knack." 

God doesn't call us to be quitters. He wants us to enjoy life and revel in it. 

Ecclesiastes 9:7 and 9 says, "Seize life! Eat bread with gusto, Drink wine with a robust heart. Oh yes -- God takes pleasure in your pleasure!
"Each day is God's gift. It's all you get in exchange for the hard work of staying alive. Make the most of each one! Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily!"

God loves to see us enjoying the simple pleasures life gives us. 

Invest in life and people. Enjoy them all. I want to end with a quote I read this morning in a Bible study I am doing called Walk Like Jesus (I recommend it wholly). Author Dann Spader quotes an author named Robert Coleman from Coleman's book The Master Plan of Evangelism. This is what I will share with you. See below:

"The multitudes of discordant and bewildered souls were potentially ready to follow Him, but Jesus individually could not possibly give them the personal care they needed. His only hope was to get men imbued with His life who would do it for Him. Hence, He concentrated Himself upon those who were to be the beginning of this leadership. Though He did what He could to help the multitudes, He had to devote Himself primarily to a few men, rather than the masses, in order that the masses could at last be saved. This was the genius of His strategy."

Maybe you're wondering how this relates to the gardening lesson I shared (I am wondering too). Maybe it gets back to enjoying -- enjoying life and enjoying people. People know if you enjoy being with them. There are tons of people out there who want to be enjoyed, who want to be appreciated; who want to know they are loved. That's what we can do when we invest our time in them. Be their friend.

Jesus has called us His friends if we do what He commands (taken from John 15). We can be friends to others and to His creation (ah! There you go. That is kind of relating to the gardening thing).  

I've been involved in groups of nice people. And I know the feeling when you just don't want to go to the next meeting. You'd rather just stay home. The couch is comfortable. You're tired. You just want to rest. 

But church is different than just another group of nice people -- or at least it's supposed to be different. 

If you see church as just another group of people having a meeting that sometimes can be irrelevent and sometimes can be boring and sometimes is inconvenient, than think on this: church is Jesus's body. Church is meant to be a family.

If you don't feel a connection to the church you sometimes go to, ask yourself why. Is it because it isn't the right fit? Or is it because you haven't invested yourself into it? You have a role. You are needed. The family of God needs you and loves you. 

Jesus says in John 15:17, "But rememer the root commandment: Love one another." 

You need the church family and the church family needs you. Believers are filled with the Holy Spirit and that Holy Spirit will encourage others through you (and if you aren't a Believer you can become one right now. Click here for some help with that). Don't go to a church service expecting to be entertained. That isn't the point. The world is great at entertainment. At church service we are there to worship God and to fellowship with each other. Go to give and you will receive for sure. 

Find a Body of Believers you can commit to; a body of Believers you can love like family; a body of Believers you will engage in, become part of and strengthen. That is when you experience church as it is meant to be. You have gifts to share with the Body to further the kingdom of God, to encourage and to equip others. If you aren't using them in the Body, then there is a hole there. 

I don't know what you can do for the Body of Christ. There is a way though you can become engaged and actually find it to be a whole lot of fun! Really!! 

You don't know how your sharing will affect others. It will profoundly. I guarantee it. 

If you've had bad experiences with church, I understand. Church is just made up of fallible and sinful humans. We mess up. But don't throw out all of church because of a handful of people. Try a different church. Find the one you can become part of. If you go to a mega church you need to be part of a core group of Believers. Otherwise, that will just be entertainment. 

Give church another try. Find one and stick to it. When the pastor gives a mediocre sermon pray for him (pray for him/ her daily -- pastors need it. I know. I'm married to one) rather than criticizing him. He or she is only human. Maybe they had a tough week. When the music isn't to your taste, try to appreciate it for what it is and learn to worship in a new style. Worship doesn't have to be your flavor to be meaningful to you. 

The world is getting crazier and more violent and evil is prevailing in some places. The world needs the church. The world needs the church's light. The world needs the love and moral compass and strength the church can give. And the church needs you.