Hi, my name is Lynne and I’m frustrated….

Hello Simple Stanleys,

The past few weeks have been a downer for me.  Unfortunately, I’ve been combing over some facts and figures that are less than, umm, inspiring.

I’m a church treasurer.  It’s a usually thankless job and budget time is doubly so.  This year is especially challenging for me for so many reasons, but mainly because our ministries want to grow (ie. need resources) and we’re anticipating the welcoming of a new pastor, but the church family ain’t feeling it based on their level of giving lately.

And when I say resources, my dear stanleys, I do not just mean money.  I mean time and talent too (which are free, by the way).  And it’s disappointing. Very disappointing.  It’s disappointing to keep saying that the Lord provides.  Every month.  Every week.  Every day.  Now, do not get me wrong, HE ABSOLUTELY PROVIDES, but I’m not sure that it is right to ask Him to do so and sit there taking without giving what we are CAPABLE of giving.

I’m thankful He more than provides for me, my family, my friends and my church family, but I would rather be writing that we are so faithful, so on fire, so sure of His promises that we are overflowing in giving to Him in every way – discipleship and evangelism resulting in baptisms, new members, mission trips, not enough seats, not enough services,  too many volunteers, back ups for all major ministry positions due to so many with great talents, no more mortgages and so many resources we never have to say no to even the most basic needs.

So overflowing that we are planting churches, not worrying about who will be mowing the grass at ours.

That’s what I’ve been praying for on my weekly prayer walks.  Mother Theresa once said, “…prayer changes us and we change things.”

I’m changing.  I know I do not give enough. I could sacrifice to give more.   It all begins with my relationship with Him.  And I want to be so faithful, so on fire, so sure of His promises that my life is overflowing for Him.

So, I will be subjecting you to my musings on being more giving to Him over the next several weeks.  I’ll start with time.  Talk about talents.  And eventually get to my pocket book.

Wish me the best, my friends.

Some may be inspired.  More will be offended.  Most will not even bother reading.

He’s changed(changing) me.  Here’s hoping I change things.

To Him be the glory.

 

 

For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

James 2:26 (ESV)

Pinterest : Yes : 5 songs for your morning

I saw this post a long time ago on Pinterest.  What are your five songs for the morning and why?

1) “Redeemed” by Big Daddy Weave – This is a new one for me, but I’ve heard it the last few mornings on the way to work, and it’s definitely speaking to me now.  I might as well had written it.

My favorite lyrics are:

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, “Child lift up your head”
I remember, oh God, You’re not done with me yet

2) “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves – This is most definitely my feel good song.  I smile every time I hear it.

My favorite lyrics are :

I feel the love,I feel the love, I feel the love that’s really real
I feel the love, I feel the love, I feel the love that’s really real   (You know you’re singing it right now!)

3) “10,000 Reasons” by Matt Redman – This is based on Psalm 103.  I find myself reading this psalm frequently.  It reminds me that, no matter what, He is with me.

My favorite lyrics are :

You’re rich in love, and You’re slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

4) “Get your shine on” by FloridaGeorgia line – I’m diggin’ this band right now.  I love to belt out this song while in traffic.  It has the potential to be another “Walking on Sunshine”!

My favorite lyrics are :

I sparkle when she smiles

5) “Hope has Hands” by Russell Maudlin, et al – This is my favorite Christmas song this year.  I’ve been listening to it a lot as it is our church’s Christmas cantata this year.

My favorite lyrics are :

Compassion has a tear

Hope has laughter

Here everafter, Peace has a smile

Redemption’s blood has veins to flow in, a temple to grow in

Light as a child…

The holy and lowly will finally embrace for

Love has a hearbeat

and, Grace has a face

What are your 5 songs for the morning right now?

 

New Theme : Pinterest : Yes or No

I had a good time writing regularly in November.  I can’t say that daily is the best, but more frequently, definitely.

So, I’ve decided on a new theme – Pinterest : Yes or No.

I plan to work through my many food pins and test them out.  I will then share my knowledge to all of my dear simple stanleys.

Not sure which I will pick first, it’s so hard to decide.  I hope it turns out well.

Stay tuned!

Gratitude : Days 29 and 30 : Perspective

Today, I am thankful for perspective.  Particularly, the perspective that my more like 27 days of gratitude have provided to me.

I am going to be honest, there were some days that were pretty bad this month and it took a lot of thought to come up with something for which I was thankful.  But, I did.  (The days I missed or combined were more scheduling conflicts than anything.) Even when I thought there was nothing to be thankful for, I found something. 

Even if it was a chicken thigh.

And that was the point of writing these posts all along.  To change my perspective.  To change my attitude.

In actuality, the days that were the hardest during the month actually, in my opinion, resulted in the deepest posts.  Not about popcorn or peanut butter, but about big things like appreciating waiting in life, my church family, my family family, etc.

And they opened up new opportunities to share with others.  To minister to others and for others to minister to me. 

So, it is true, even in your darkest of circumstances, God will bless you. 

I cannot promise that I will not still be angry about certain circumstances from time to time or shout “ugh” and shake my fists to Heaven. 

I do hope that it happens less frequently, that through renewed faith (and perspective) I will be an instrument of peace.  (I have a long way to go.)

Keep the faith, my dear simple stanleys, when life is messy and hard.  I’ll try, if you will.

Colossians 3:15 (ESV)

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.

 

 

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Gratitude : Day 28 : My Church Family

Perhaps the most touching sight for me today was the amount of hugs given at church to a mother going through some pretty tough stuff.  It reminded me that not long ago, I was the one getting those hugs.

It’s my opinion that God gives us many types of families.  There is our genetic family, our friend family, our church family, etc etc etc

Our genetic family gives us an idea of where we came from.  If you have siblings, they are the only people that know exactly what your baggage is because they have it too.  Sometimes, it can be infuriating and frustrating, but in the end, they are there for you because they have to be.  It’s in their DNA.

Then there is your friend family.  The one you build through your many experiences of life.  These are the people that know you as the person you wish to be and are there for you because they want to be.

And then there’s your church family.  A blend, if you will, of your genetic and friend families.  They are there because God made it that way.

I am thankful for my church family.

When we learned of the possibility that Molly may have Down Syndrome, they were there every day.  With a hug, with an encouraging story of someone who had heard the same news and it turned out a different way, with excitement to love another Kingdom kid.

When we learned that Molly did have Down Syndrome, they were the ones that cried for me so I did not have to, hugged me every Sunday, asked me how “their baby” was when they saw me at Wal-Mart, kept a can of coke in the church refrigerator and candy in their purse in case I ever had a blood sugar low, prayed for me and over me and Molly, travelled through six inches of snow and ice to come to my baby shower or loaded my husband’s truck down with gifts the next Sunday if they could not make it, sat down in the choir loft when I had to so it did not look like something was wrong, and called me every hour on the hour to check on me when Winn was at church plowing the parking lot of 12 inches of snow when I was 8.5 months pregnant.

When Molly was born, they were the ones who came to visit at the hospital when they heard that Molly was in the NICU, brought us food, welcomed Molly into the children’s ministry, taught their kids about Molly and DS and showed them how to love her like any other friend at church, prayed for Molly whenever she had a big doctor’s appointment, thanked God for Molly’s good health, cheered her on when she was learning to sit, crawl, stand and walk, and continue to pray for Molly and her development and health every day.  Those that stop to say hello and get a Molly hug every Sunday morning.

Oh sure, we do not always agree, but when those times come along, I work hard to remember these great things.  Because that’s what family is really about.

Come to think of it, I’m blessed by all of my families and for that I am thankful.  And I am thankful for those that show their love to me.  May I get as good as them at doing the same to them everyday.

Romans 12:10 (ESV)

Love one another with brotherly affection.  Outdo one another in showing honor.

Gratitude : Day 27 : Good Doctors (and their staff)

So, Molly is sick.  Not some serious illness, but she continues to have an ear infection, has developed a nasty cough and there are hints of a wheeze.

Luckily, she has a good daddy that thought enough to take her to the pediatrician.  (and thought of this blog post.)

It’s nice to have good doctors nearby.

For those that do not know, our Molly happens to have Down Syndrome.  She is super healthy and a joy, with or without the extra chromosome, but sometimes, it can cause complications.

We are blessed to have a great pediatrician, an awesome ENT, a head of the department cardiologist, a fellow DS dad as an ophthamologist, etc etc etc

And they all have great staff, including the nurse that set a mother waiting for her kids to get shots so Molly could go first.  That’s what I’m talking about.

While it’s not optimal that my kid is now on a steroid, an antibiotic and an inhaler, I am thankful that God placed us in the right place for her.

So, when your kid is coughing and wheezing, what are you most thankful for?  If you’re like me, it’s the doctors.

 

Gratitude : Days 25 and 26 : Little Blessings

I can tell you that yesterday was not the best of days.  We risked driving home on a tire that happened to have a nail in it.  To make it worse, it appears the dealership lost the key to our aluminum wheels and it will take two weeks to get a new one.

Ugh.

My nature is to say “ugh”, in a very loud voice, with probably a growl associated with it.  Often geared at the Big Guy in the Sky.  (I am an ungrateful child most days.)

(I did a lot of growling yesterday.)

But, I am thankful for little blessings.

1) We made it home safely with no change in tire pressure (per the dealer today).

2) Molly and I had lovely naps in the backseat while Daddy drove us home.

3) The dealership had our tire in stock and we are back in business.  It was covered under the lease.

4) Everything I thought I lost today (keys, cell phone, badge) turned up near me or on me (as in the badge – yes, I was wearing it when I asked for a spare.  lol)

5) My husband starting putting up our Christmas decorations today and it was nice to see our tree lit up as I turned our corner.

6) The bigness sickness worry we have with Molly is the croup (possibly again).

7) My husband loves me even when I scream “ugh”.  Well, that’s a big blessing.

In the dirt of the day today, what little blessing came your way?

Deuteronomy 28:2

And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Gratitude : Days 23 and 24 : Quiet

I enjoy hearing small children squeal with delight, especially when my Molly is in the mix, but I admit, I love the quiet.

Molly slept in my lap for an hour yesterday and two hours today.  Overstimulation has set in and I think she is thankful for the quiet as well.

Here are some other types of quiet that I am thankful for (in no particular order):

1) Knitting – Counting and keep up with a pattern.  It can bring zen like peace to your crazy world.

2) Walks – I do not take many of these lately, but I love putting on some shoes, turning on my i-pod and pounding the pavement.  I am not a group walker.  I prefer a singular walk.  Maybe Molly, Winn and Wendy can go along.  Wendy can always go along as she’s more of a pace maker versus a conversationalist.

3) Quiet Time – I typically read the Bible at lunch.  It provides a respite in the middle of the day.

4) Long drives – Kind of a duplicate, but when I am riding alone, I do a lot of thinking and a lot of talking with God.  It’s free therapy, really.

5) Reading a book – I enjoy non-fiction and the classics.  It transports me to another time and place.  A little escapism for me.

So there are some types of quiet I enjoy.  What is your favorite form of “quiet”?

 

Gratitude : Day 22 : Family (The Bobbie and Bill edition)

This morning, I am thankful for two members of my family – Aunt Bobbie and Uncle Bill.  They first belonged to my husband, but now they belong to me.

Bobbie and Bill typically come to Thanksgiving in Glasgow, but they could not make it this year.  While I am only on my sixth Thanksgiving in Glasgow, I can say that I miss them.  For the others, it appears there is a hole where their Thanksgiving heart used to be.

Bobbie cooks the meal and Bill watches football or reads.  I count Uncle Bill as one of my personal heroes.  He is the only human I know that can read a book in the maelstrom that can be, at times, a loud and motley crew of 14 children and 10 or 11 adults.

I am taking on Bobbie’s turkey duties today and I can tell you, I am feeling the pressure.  I am taking on the gravy.  Lord, give me strength.  (My SIL told me of Aunt Bobbie’s legendary Parker House rolls.  Sorry Davises.  No rolls from me today.)

But, Thanksgiving is not the reason I love Bobbie and Bill.  No, it’s much more than that.

Bobbie and Bill both have an uncanny ability of making anyone feel like a part of their family.  They are the ultimate in hospitable, opening their lakeside home to anyone who wishes to visit (although, now, they have instituted the very smart policy of only a few at a time.  I am 50 years younger than Bill, but I can tell you, the crowd that comes on the fourth is almost too much for me!)

Bobbie also has shared stories with me about Winn’s childhood that only his Momma would have known.  She’s helped me get a glimpse of Punch through her stories and just her being.  I imagine they were quite a formidable duo in the Thanksgiving kitchen.

And lastly, Bobbie and Bill are great examples for parents today.  If you ever get to meet their three daughters, you’ll understand.  They obviously took the tactic of embracing their children as they were as they are all very different, but all spectacular.  So, I guess I am thankful for them because of the girls (Terri, Cindy and Christy) and the girls (Carrie, Jessica, Casey, Ruby and Abby) and the boys (Tracy, Rob, Jimmy, Lee, Martin and Grady).

So today, say thanks for your family.  Especially the ones who cannot be with you today (love you May May).  We may just need to skype with a few today.

Who will you skype today??

Gratitude : Day 21 : Kroger

I am thankful for Kroger.  It sounds silly, but it’s true.

I learned today how used I am to having every item I could ever want in one location.  It’s something I take for granted and I forget about it until I need to go shopping at a smaller grocery.

Now, I’m no zealot.  To be honest, Jungle Jim’s is a little too much for me.  I can only go there only once or twice a year.

What I look for in a good weekly grocery:

1) A wide array of produce : it must include kale and leeks.  And separate carrots, because I never need a whole bag of carrots.

2) A good bakery and bread aisle : I like more artisan breads than a run of the mill grocery will stock.  Especially for Thanksgiving leftover sandwiches.  Turkey of such grandeur as a TG day turkey deserves the best.

3) A wide variety of fresh chicken.  You know my opinion of chicken thighs and if I cannot find the boneless and skinless types, I can get testy.

4) A good yogurt selection.  I need to be able to get my daughter’s strawberry while still get greek yogurt for recipes or my snacks.

5) Anonymity.  There’s nothing I dislike more than every employee asking if they can help me.  I’ll find you if I need you.

So, there you go – all of my neuroses (sp?) wrapped up in a grocery store post.

What did you run to the grocery store for today?