Yes, you read that correctly. Supper, not Super… implying the great competition of eating. A friend made typo on her Facebook post about the Super Bowl and I couldn’t help but think of a comment my husband often makes – that he views eating as hobby and sport. We love God’s sense of humor in bringing the two of us together (most of the time). Dietitian meets … well there aren’t really words, but Scott loves to refer to himself as my failed science project and seems to take great pride in it.

Anyway, hobby and sport summarizes much of the eating that will occur today. Super Bowl food like wings, chips, dips, cheesy stuff, greasy stuff, and much more. So today, as athletes compete, we eat. As they burn thousands of calories, we’ll consume them.

The whole feeding frenzy associated with sporting events baffles me. Maybe because I’m a girl. Don’t get me wrong, I love some tailgate food. But it’s the celebration of stuffing ourselves beyond comfort that I don’t understand. It’s the trophy of unbuttoned pants (or at least the second place ribbon of a loosened belt) that I struggle to comprehend.

But, it seems to be tradition, and who am I to argue? Go enjoy your food and fun with friends. But perhaps it’s ok this year to skip the prize winning and exercise some moderation and self control. Just a thought…

I love situational irony.  Something about the incongruence and unexpected makes me laugh.  Some recent (and not so recent) examples in my life:

• Kids in Sunday school were blurting out verses about self control, uncontrollably.

• A friend suggested that I go to new ice cream shop to work on writing my book proposal. (It’s a weight loss book.)

• Going to a steakhouse for dinner and they were out of steak.

• Going through career counseling in college and marking off any profession that required public speaking… then ending up as a writer and speaker.

Perhaps I enjoy irony because it demonstrates another dimension of God.  He’s often unpredictable and surprising (although always within His character).  That in itself is ironic. 

I hope that you’ll look for the unexpected and ironic today and savor it, have fun with it.  Because after all, laughter is good medicine.

 A cheerful heart is good medicine. Proverbs 17:22

How many of us like to think that we created the problems we’re having?  I don’t.  But, if I’m truly honest with myself, I’d have to admit that I’m currently living with the consequences of some bad choices.  Yep, I created the very thing that’s causing me stress right now.  And yes, I call on God to rescue me from it.  But, I think He may just let me sit in my mess for a while.  Because it’s there that I’ll determine that I don’t want to be here again.  Maybe I’ll change my thinking and actions as a result.  I hope so anyway.

See, I’m a procrastinator.  I have been all my life.  I’m not sure why.  Is it laziness?  Is it fear?  Is it my easily distractible personality?  I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what causes it – thus procrastinating from doing anything real about it.  The bottom line: I need to change my behavior and stop procrastinating.  I need to stop putting off what I don’t what to do and just do it.  Otherwise, it clutters my mind, clutters my to-do list, clutters my desktop, and clutters my life without ever getting accomplished.  Something that would take 30 minutes consumes more of my time in the long run than if I had just done it on day one.  Ugh! 

So, here I sit, overwhelmed with things that I don’t want to do, while my family is off to the gym to have some fun (well, sort of). Consequences. I really want to go see a new movie that was released, but I don’t have time. Consequences.  I want to plan a lunch date with a friend, but can’t commit the time for the next six weeks. Consequences. 

I choose right now to stop procrastinating, and so I must close this post (because in writing it I was actually procrastinating from a different piece that I need to complete). May you too, find the courage to change what’s needed and be blessed by your choices and actions.

“We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.” Albert Einstein

I love God’s timing.  After posting Part 1 of Which Words?, our pastor preached on the importance of choosing our words.  And, as I subbed for my daughter’s Sunday school class that same morning, I heard another review about the power of words.  I’m surrounded by messages about words. God clearly wants me to get this. And so, I will use my best words to challenge and encourage us to examine this area of our lives.

As I shared in my last post, I’ve been hurt by words in big and small ways. Most times, the hurt was unintentional , yet damage was still done.  So, I started thinking about my own words.  Do I wound others with my words?  Or, do I encourage and uplift?

Have you thought about your words lately? If not, I encourage you to take note of what rolls off the tongue, especially during trying times.

For now, let’s look at what God says about our words.

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.  (Ephesians 5:19)  When was the last time you did this? It may sound strange, but are our words music to the ears of those around us?

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18) Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24) Are we offering healing and love to our families with our words or tearing them down to gratify our own moods and desires?

A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. (Proverbs 17:27) Are we exercising restraint and grace in challenging situations, or do we give a tongue lashing to those around us?

God knows that controlling our tongues is difficult for us.  Yet, it is possible with the help of the Holy Spirit. I pray that we’ll consider our words in light of God’s word and invite Him to do any necessary extractions from our mouths.

Words have hurt me many times over the years – careless words that have stuck with me.  No matter how hard I’ve tried to extract them from my mind, they seem to escape from the dark, dusty corners during times of doubt.

As a young child, I was picked on for my red hair, abundance of freckles and fair skin… oh, and the unfortunate last name of Payne.  Kids would have a field day with jokes at my expense.  Carrot top, freckle face, pain in neck…  They weren’t terribly creative or vicious in tone, but it hurt nonetheless.

Later, the childish name calling stopped, but there were bigger hurts.   At age 13, when I made the decision to stop playing soccer on a travel team, a coach asked if I planned to settle for being mediocre the rest of my life.  Ouch!  Am I a quitter?  Am I mediocre?  This one haunts me to this day – some 25+ years later.  Again, words are powerful.

Fast forward to recent times when a respected leader and colleague disagreed with a decision I’d made.  He arrived at my house and told me that there’s no way I could have been prompted by the Holy Spirit in the decision and that God will likely punish me and my ministry. Powerful, yet reckless, words.

When doubt creeps in and the words of my past emerge, I have to fight them with truth.  God’s truth – which is life giving and freeing – is that I am His beloved child.  Not defective and ugly for the way He created me.  Not mediocre because someone else thinks I am.  And not wrong and misguided because someone else disagrees. 

I pray that you, too, know the truth of God’s love for you.  No matter what others have said to you or about you, God loves you immeasurably. His Word tells us so. Let God’s healing power and grace envelop you.  Believe His Word and know that His opinion trumps all!   

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! 1 John 3:1

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:17-19

Do you ever find yourself wishing that life were easier?  I do.  Quite often, actually.  I even shared my dismay and unrest with my husband a few months ago.  Unfortunately, I crossed the line into the land of complaining.  Of course, my husband in an empathic, nurturing way (ahem) blurted out, “Do you think life’s supposed to be one big vacation?” 

Pop! 

Bubble burst… the “poor me” air contained within the flimsy walls of that beautiful bubble quickly dissipated.  Simultaneously, I laughed. But I wanted to cry. I knew he was right – life’s not about my comfort and my desires. 

The truth is, I want life to be easy.  But it’s not.  It’s busy.  Very, very busy – raising children;  homeschooling; writing;  speaking; working at marriage; keeping up with friends; volunteering; cleaning the house; making time for God; playing cook, chauffeur, personal assistant, and social coordinator.  I’m exhausted as I write. 

So many responsibilities…big ones; some noble ones even.  And all I really want is for someone to take care of me.  I want rest.

In steps my knight in shining armor.  The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

But I resist.  I have laundry to do and thank you notes to write, planning for tomorrow, emails to send, a Bible study to finish, a chapter to write, and the kids aren’t in bed yet.

He beckons again: He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters…

But… More excuses fill my thoughts.  Well, maybe if I multitask, even delegate, I can get everything done and then rest.

He restores my soul.

Really?  Is it possible, even for me? Even in the midst of the craziness of life?

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

Oh how I wish I would stick to priorities. Then I wouldn’t feel so overwhelmed.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 

But, I can’t see You… I can’t even feel Your presence at this moment.

Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

Please rescue me from the pressures of life. Let me find peace and joy.

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Help me to see what you see. May these words become my life. In the midst of busyness; in spite of seemingly endless tasks. Let me experience your peace and rest in this very moment.  Let me carry it with me, never forgetting your presence and promises.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. 

I stop fighting His invitation. I breathe it into my being – hope, love, and His strength. Thank you Father. Amen!

We seemed to encounter an unusual amount of broken stuff around Christmastime this year.  The vacuum broke at precisely the same time we adopted a dog. Then, the new vacuum had a broken piece on it.  A car charger broke.  A toy broke.  A snow globe broke. A watch broke.

Of course I started thinking about brokenness and began to consider the different levels and impact of the broken. 

One of the items had a broken piece that was inconsequential.  We’re not even sure of the purpose of the broken piece yet, we super glued it back in place.  One item still functioned but didn’t look as pretty – the snowman snow globe with a missing arm.  Yet another item was still functional, but the resulting swinging action was inconvenient and quite annoying.  And still another was broken to point that it no longer performed its purpose.

So, what about us?  In what ways are we broken and how does it impact our lives?

If we’re honest with ourselves, we’d likely all have to admit that we’ve been broken in one way or another in our life.  Sometimes, we’re able to cover it up and no one knows.  Sometimes it’s a little more noticeable, but we’re able to continue with life. Yet, there can be times when our brokenness is debilitating, rendering us seemingly useless.

But, here’s the good news: God can use our brokenness when we bear it all to Him.  He puts the pieces back together.  He’s the almighty superglue. He may shape us into something new, but we’re never too far gone.

I pray that as you look toward the New Year, that you’ll look expectantly to what God has purposed for your life.    Allow Him to use the brokenness for His good and glory and experience the amazing grace and redemption that He breathes into your life.

Happy New Year!

Look, I am making everything new! Revelation 21:5

I am humbled today as I think about the birth of Jesus.  He arrived in a stable surrounded by the sounds and smells of animals.  In a city that was bustling with crowds and activity, no one made room for Him elsewhere. 

Yet, He came anyway. 

The same is true today.  He’s here in the midst of the hustle and bustle of life.  Are we making room?

When we make room for Him, we’ll experience peace in the busyness, satisfaction when all else is disappointing, and love and comfort that can’t compare.  I pray that you choose to open the gift from God this Christmas… and accept all that Jesus came to be.

Merry Christmas my friends!

Resurrected from the crevices of the garage, my husband breathed life back into my bike with a hefty dusting and an air pump.  Suffering from a knee injury, I needed another method to continue my training for an upcoming event.  And so, my old, decrepit bike seemed like the best candidate for a non-weight bearing exercise. 

As I took off on my first ride, I heard uncomfortable sounds eeking from my brakes.  Worse yet, nothingness emerged from my gear shifters.  The bike was stuck in one gear.  But, with limited options I would have to make the best of it.  At least I was moving.  It proved to be an interesting ride with periods of extreme pedaling followed by coasting as I traversed up and down hills… still in the same gear.

Two days later, much to my surprise and delight, my husband brought home a new-to-me bike he’d found on Craig’s List – in a completely functioning state.  Gears shifted smoothly.  Brakes gripped without ear piercing screams.  A soft cushy seat supported my frame.  Shocks absorbed.  Tires spun.  I shifted to higher gears to ease the climb of the hills while down shifting to maximize my effort and speed going downhill.  It was a coordinated effort much different than my previous rides. 

I felt power and victory.  OK, maybe I’m being a little dramatic. But, it really was a much improved workout and ride.  And, as I rode early that morning, I made mental notes of the differences and couldn’t help but see the connections to life.

I survived my rides on the old bike with broken gears.  But I felt broken, and as if I was wasting unnecessary energy.  I literally felt like I was spinning my wheels sometimes – or in my case, just the pedals because I couldn’t switch to a lower a gear.  I certainly wasn’t being efficient.  The climbs were harder and I lost traction on the downhill portion.  That’s how I feel when I try to do life alone… without God’s help.  I pedal, pedal, pedal yet exhaust myself going through the motions.  I make things harder for myself.  I struggle with the climb and fail to experience His best when I’m cruising downhill.

However, when I invite God’s direction and wisdom in my life, the Holy Spirit steps in and acts as the gears.  He propels me forward.  He increases my efficiency and productivity.  He enhances and multiplies the outcome of my work and eases the difficult times.  It can still be a strenuous workout at times, but there’s sweet satisfaction.

When we live life in single gear – with ourselves in control – we miss out on God’s power.  The ride is so much more enjoyable when He’s energizing our journey.  Don’t settle for one gear.  Tap into Him and you may just find the ride of a lifetime.  As you do, I hope you enjoy the wind in your hair and the view along the way!

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being.  Ephesians 3:16

My daughter broke the silence in the car as she commented, “That must be a grandparent car in front of us.”

“Why?” I inquired.

“Because it looks like they’ve had it a very long time and it’s moving really slow,” she replied.

Although she was using age appropriate reasoning and logic, I explained that there were some other possibilities to consider.  Perhaps it was a student, who could only afford an older-model car, and they were going so slow because we were in a school zone.  We really couldn’t know for sure.

As I later reflected on the conversation, I was happy that my daughter was exercising her reasoning skills.  But, I also realized how often we make assumptions about things and people.  Based on our observations, our past experiences, and our own belief systems, we draw conclusions.  And almost always, we only have part of the picture.  We view things through the lens of our own life and (sometimes distorted) perception. 

Assumptions can be dangerous, yet they are part of everyday life.  We are constantly processing information about our surroundings.  It’s how we reason and make decisions.  But, do we assume the worst or best in most circumstances?  Now that’s something to ponder.

If we’re going to make assumptions, let’s assume the best about others.  If someone treats us poorly, let’s extend grace and assume that they’re having a bad day, not that they’re a bad person. If someone cuts us off in traffic, let’s assume that it was an accident and they didn’t see us instead of thinking that they’re out to get us.  We’ll all lead happier lives when we choose to give someone else the benefit of the doubt.  Wouldn’t you want the same?

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8 NLT