Present – To keep my mind in the moment and not let it race forward as if life were a chess game.  I’m always thinking, planning and strategizing and I often fail to stop and be present.  I have found that worship isn’t in the future. I can’t worship while thinking because I’m somewhere else and God is in my present.  So I stopped my thinking this morning and went for a walk. I looked and followed beauty all around my neighborhood.

Which leads to my other word – wandering.

To wander is to walk in a leisurely and aimless way.  If you know me I count the seconds of a day to try and max them out so wandering is not in my nature.  Yet I have discovered that God Has asked me to wander around the world for two years and His methods for me have had great purpose.  So I decided to be present and wander without regard or panic this morning, in a new place without pressure. My only purpose was to  connect with beauty and worship.

Here are a few things I came across.

Red birds danced in mid flight before me.

A meadow of green that hid a flock of birds that all took flight at once.

Manicured lawns that looked like they had been loved  and hand crafted for decades.

My eyes feasted on homes with character and warmth while I listened to the delightful sounds of chubby happy birds.

A sun that has remembered to shine once again.

Today I worshiped by staying present and wandered towards beauty.

Have you ever felt that your life was going 60 miles an hour one way and then you hit a wall?

I’m not taking about the painful surprises that life sends our way but more the work or investment we choose to make on this earth.  Shock, pain, disillusionment and confusion leave their mark for a moment.

Those of us with type A personalities have an internal pressure to make goals and meet them.  I honestly believe God appreciates a disciplined mind and an honest goal but sometimes they get in His way.  After a few disruptive face plants into that wall I realized that I had been dismissive with the directional prompts of God.  A little scrutiny revealed where the fingerprints of God were very noticeable like a toddler’s peanut butter handprints all over the back door.  We wiped them down without a thought because they were messy and disruptive and not part of the plan.   After we wipe down enough fingerprints, a wall seems to make it’s way into our path.

The wall is NEVER to get you off track.

It’s to stop you from traveling down the less fulfilling less productive path.  God really does know how each path of your life is going to turn out.  Greatest Kingdom impact is His goal with each surrender yet stubborn disciple of Christ.

If you have currently met a wall, stop and take the time to ask good questions.

1. Trust God to redirect your steps.

2. Ask yourself why you dismissed the gentle promptings.

3. Address every answer you may find.

Then and only then,

Get up, put your heavy duty, super duper, fingerprint scouter- outer on and find those divine fingerprints again.

Follow them – you won’t be sorry.

Transitions – They happen to all of us don’t they?  Some people do them exceptionally well and others don’t.  I’m in a major life transition and I can honestly say that I have learned these lessons the hard way (not my preferred method of learning).

Here are some of the transitions in my life currently.

1. Empty nest – Huge one!
2. New Church – which really means that I’m expanding my definition and practice of faith.
3. New ministry focus.
4. Moving to a new home.

Since I currently serve a group of constantly transitioning young missionaries I thought I would throw this out in hopes that it would serve you well.

Here are some healthy actions you can take when you are in the dreaded (in between stage).  This counts even if your transition is not a physical location but an emotional one such as waiting for a spouse, financial support, etc.

First look back –

Are their any relationships that need mending?

Is there any pride in your life that needs to be purged?

Are their any apologies that need to be made?

If so – DO IT IMMEDIATELY.  Every relationship is a sort of entanglement.  Don’t go forward with old roots tied to your soul.  They will slow you down & potentially stop your progress.

Check your heart for bitterness.

Have the courage to really be honest with yourself.  Own your mistakes well or you are bound to repeat them.  We have heard it said before but you cannot change what you don’t acknowledge.

After all that is done then take an honest evaluation of your present circumstances.

Be realistic but never cease fueling your faith.

What is in your power to do?  What is not in your power to do and are you spending too much time thinking about it?

Make sure your working your to do list well and praying up what only God and others can do.

I’m a huge believer in the discipline of a good attitude.

Our attitude is ALWAYS within our power.

Good attitude = pure heart, an undefiled heart.

Bad attitude = your mind rehearsing bitterness and untruths about God, others or yourself.

Your life is lived in chapters.  Never expect one to last forever.  Embrace the new ones quickly. Release the last one with grace.  Don’t assume that any chapter past or present is good or bad.  Only time will teach you the true value of each.

Last but not least, enjoy every second of it.  Don’t live in the past or the future.  The present is all you have power over and where your present joy resides.  Life really does pass  much too quickly.

Not necessarily a catchy title now is it?

Roger and I were watching an episode of Star Trek (yes we are trekkies) and laughing at the silly remarks made by a young man on the show who thought he was in love after two short meetings with a pretty girl.

That wasn’t love silly man, that was infatuation.

To be infatuated means to be inspired with an intense but short-lived passion or admiration.

An intense flare of passion does not love make.

Let me tell you about old love.

Love that qualifies as old can make that claim because it grows stronger through the decades.

Old love is seen in the lines around my husband’s handsome face. Lines that were etched by the sun as he worked 60-80 hour work weeks so that I could raise our children in the early years of our marriage.

Old love is in his gloriously silver hair. Hair that turned more silver with every problem we overcame every argument we surrendered to the cross and every child we raised through prayer and hard work.

Old love is seen through the lines etched deep around our smiles because of the hours we have chosen laughter.

Old love is proven through the loyalty we each have given the other as a sacred gift.

Old love is in the silver lines all along my belly where my children first made their home.

Old love is still how my heart beats when I hear the car go up the driveway because my best friend, my lover, my confidant, my man has come home.

Old love is earned. It doesn’t allow itself to be manipulated by how it feels at the moment. Old love chooses honor, it chooses peace, it chooses loyalty, it chooses to focus on the good, it chooses intimacy, it chooses hard conversations and it chooses joy.

Old love chooses to sow hard work and to reap the harvest of delight.

So don’t be deluded by today’s silly TV reality shows or what this world or culture has to say about love. Infatuation is just an illusion and it is worth nothing. Old love is what you should be after.

I know it doesn’t make for a great reality show because it isn’t full of stupid drama but the hard work of a life well lived and a love well-earned.

Praying old love for all those I love today

Love as distinct from “being in love” is not merely a feeling. It is a deep unity, maintained by the will – C.S. Lewis

 Jordan Craig McCormick our second born child.

My beautiful boy that at times feels forgotten in a family of overachievers.  But this man is unforgettable for those who are fortunate enough to know him.

A heart as deep and wide as an ocean.  A gentle nobility that has me convinced that we must come from royalty somewhere in our family line.  A memory that can put an elephant to shame.

Jordan is a gentle spirit with a shepherds heart a patient demeanor, Puerto Rican appetite and an Irish disposition.  Roger and I can argue over whose mind he has since it’s brilliant but I have to give Silver the credit. Jordan and Roger will never forget a detail. They both fascinate me.  When he was a boy he was so “good” that when he ever had a slip up we could barely bring ourselves to discipline him.  His daddy and I have looked at each other dozens of times and thought, “we just don’t deserve this kid, he is so good.  We can’t possibly deserve him but we’re thrilled he is ours.”  I’ve never seen a child born with so little fear. His siblings always made him go first into the dark, kill the bug or check out a random noise.  He never hesitated.

My favorite memories of our little man was trailing over the tops of mountains in WA and knowing that by the end of the trail he would have a muddy foot.  He always slipped one foot into a mud hole. LOL He never failed to crack us all up.  During his elementary years he would often return home earlier than his siblings, just in time for us to make a fresh batch of brownies, his favorite.

Jordan is the best big brother I’ve ever seen in action. Being only 10 months older than his baby sister, she never had a need he didn’t try to beat me to.  From picking up her pacifier, to walking her into Sunday school hand in hand.  All the way through college when she would have car trouble (which was often huh J?).

I can ramble about my rule oriented, huge hearted beautiful boy forever suffice to say – Daddy and I are so proud of you.

Jordan Craig McCormick – Daddy and I can see you and we have always marveled at the masterpiece the Lord has lent us.  The light in you was created to push back the darkness.  You will fight for justice, protect the innocent and carry the name of the Lord where ever you go in word and in deed.

We simply adore you and we are proud of you all the way down to our toes. So today when you cross that stage having achieved one more milestone in life, know that we will be flipped out excited cheering you on.

Shine today baby boy.

We celebrate you everyday but especially today.

A drought happens when water is missing.  Simple and yet very deadly.

A drought causes great stress to the land, vegetation, animals and eventually people.

Drought leads to dormancy and dormancy leads to death.

We can see the danger signs in nature. We read about the horrific affects droughts have in countries but do we pay attention to our own spiritual condition?

Water is so intrinsically unique.  Nothing man made can quench the earth other than water.

Makes me wide eyed to realize the depths of significance that Jesus refers to Himself as the “living water.”

The source of sustenance and refreshment for the WHOLE EARTH.

The only solution to our weary  & dry souls.

Yesterday I went to see my grand-baby in her swimming lesson and I heard her instructor say to her, “let’s water the Storie plant.” Here is our nugget getting watered.

She makes us smile all the way down to our toes.

It also rained buckets last night here in Georgia where the temperatures are creeping up past 100 degrees.  I could just about feel the joy of the land when I woke up this morning and felt the break of the unbearable heat that the rain graciously brought us.  I think the land was smiling all the way down to its toes too.

Enjoy the few snapshots of refreshment I captured this morning and then I pray you go drink up some living water today.

To find a new purpose for something that would normally be thrown out.   Here is an example of a old window someone had thrown away and was created into a lovely and meaningful present for me.

I was looking at my watering can today and appreciating the mind that created it.  Broken pieces placed together for a different but good purpose.

The truth is that sometime life breaks us, sometimes we lend life a hand.

Normally when something is old or broken our first thoughts are, “oh well that is done with.”

But what if we picked up the broken pieces that still hold beauty and repurposed it.

That is after all what God does with us.  He doesn’t look down and say “Oh pity,  it would have been nice.  Gotta trash that life now.  What a waste.”  Our God looks down and thinks, “hmm let’s redesign this for even greater beauty.

So our mistakes,

Our shattered innocence,

Our hearts,

Our broken pieces,

Are repurposed.

He is after all the master craftsman.

Today I’m sending broken pieces His way and watching with eager eyes to see what incredible treasured delights He will make of them.

I was thinking about these two simple words today.  Maturity and immaturity words that are diametrically opposed.  In our lives we have to fight off immaturity or it not only ruins the beauty of life for us but also contaminates our community.  We have to choose to strive for maturity.  I have this incredibly huge blueberry bush in our backyard and every year it lends me its bounty.  Blueberries go through stages of development not unlike ourselves.  From white to pink to red to  blue.

Here is where blueberries and people are much alike.

If you pick the blueberries before their ripe they are just bitter.

It takes sun and water and time and plain old perseverance to hang on through the stages of development before they are ready.

Isn’t it interesting that the definition for immature is unripe.

Immature – Not fully formed or developed, unripe

Today my prayers are aimed at the beauty of maturity and what a blessing we can be to others if we will just allow the work of Christ to be finished in us.

Lord I pray that you help us hang on through the storms, through the scorching of the sun, past the wind and every hardship until we are ready to be picked for your glory.

“Maturity begins to grow when you can sense your concern for others outweighing your concern for yourself.”

God where am I? What are we doing again? Are you sure?

Then I got out my camera and went for search for God in my garden.

I set out to remember who this God is that I serve. You know the one who set the cosmos in order and the one I worry might have forgotten what the plan is for my life.  Yeah I’m a butt I know it.  I should be too old to ask those questions but somehow I’m not.

Though I know the answer sometimes I just have to stop and look and remember.

This is what I found.  God is a wonderful show off. He places splashes of color just because he wants to and I love that about Him. Even if the world is too busy to see it He still delights in design.

God paints the inside of tiny flowers and I’m worried He may have forgotten the plans He has for me?  Yeah I laughed at my own silliness.

Well I feel better now, I hope you do too.

Joy,

Rz

How do you define it?

Here is what the dictionary had to say.

fear

an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat 

Fear is also something that can take hold of your imagination (if you have one) and run wild.

It doesn’t tell us the truth about a situation and I find it to be quite an exaggerator.

It is the pessimistic naysayer over all your options.

Fear makes threats it has no power to keep unless we agree with them.

It is the voice that desires for us to color in the lines, stay behind the barricade and not think outside the box.

It is the border bully to the inheritance God has planned for us.

It has a job and it is to keep us from knowing God and experiencing a life that bears the fruit of intimacy & trust.

Fear is just paper chains bragging that they are steal.

I have found that it is a lot easier to see ‘fear’ in other people.

It is much harder to find fear hidden in my excuses.

I am dedicating this year to exposing every little or large amount of fear woven through the decisions in my life.

I will then be exposing that fear to perfect love and sending it back to hell where it belongs.

Hope you do the same.

Joy.

rz