Spirit of Gentleness

Year 6-Day 24:Today, I am grateful the corrective and restorative power of the "spirit of gentleness".

Most of us aren't perfect. Most of us live, work, worship and wander with people who aren't perfect. Relationships are complicated. 

Jesus tried to teach us the secret to relationship success, but we forget or get distracted. He told us... in my very paraphrased version... "Love God... like crazy. Love people like crazy. Do this and everything else falls into place." It changes the longings of our hearts. If I am granted another 30 years, I will still need correction and improvement. 

Why is it that transgression of another makes us feel a little superior. That is the raw, honest truth. We all have different struggles. What is easy for one, is another's daily cross to bear. Our uniqueness as individuals is a delight to our Father as much as our struggles break his heart. 

This verse uses the phrase "in a spirit of gentleness". That is how we are instructed to walk with brothers and sisters who are struggling. My tongue can be quick and sharp. My love of words that can be so helpful to articulate a thought, can also pierce and wound another's heart. Words can, also, be loving and gentle. They are the better choice.

"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." 
-Galatians 6:1-2 

Did you know that "The Spirit of Correctiveness" is not one of the Fruits of the Spirit? I know... kind of disappointing, right? It is easy to judge and correct those who are already struggling. Yet, don't we all struggle sometimes? 

We are to walk together and help carry each other's burdens. We can gently guide, suggest and correct without acting superior or being ugly. When I have a struggle, I am grateful for those who stick by my side until I can press through the trial... whatever it may be. 

Today, I am grateful the corrective and restorative power of the "spirit of gentleness".

Lessons In Tenacity

Year 6-Day 23:Today, I am grateful for lessons in tenacity. 

Some of my favorite sources of quotes are great inventors and scientists. I admire many of them for their tenacity. They didn't give up when something went wrong, they thought, worked and wiggled their way around the problem to eventually find a solution. Success came from trying one more time. They continued trying when everyone else gave up and laughed at their foolishness. That is tenacity. 

A long time ago, a friend taught me to look to the spider as an example. I know many are not fans of this 8 legged creation, but I have always been grateful that they catch flies and other bothersome bugs in their webs. 

The spider spins his web over and over again, because the wind, the rain and human hand so quickly and easily destroy his home. He doesn't give up and stop spinning. He simply spins again. 

Loving art, I find the intricacies of the spider's web are beautiful in design, although their purpose is deadly. The spider in this picture built and rebuilt just outside the sliding door to our yard. The web would feed her and do some pest at our door. She eventually moved. 

There are times we all grow weary. We get tired of trying. We lament no results. My friend reminded me to look to the spider as a reminder to not give up, no matter how many times it feels like the best laid plans and preparation are destroyed. 

I have a rose bush that we planted at our lamppost in remembrance of my sister. For many years, it was just a green bush with some thorns, and an occasional bloom that felt a little more like a tease than a victory. My Randy would probably have ripped it out, but he loves me and let it stay, knowing it was important to me. Then, it happened. Much to our surprise, it had some years it was loaded with blooms. Time and tenacity... a perhaps a few less neighborhood dogs peeing on it on their daily walks... made the difference. All I know is that my heart soars when it blooms. 

The same it true for doing the right thing. You can try and not feel there is any real pay of. Do the right thing anyway. Do it for the one who calls us to be salt and light... and to care for those who are hurting, broken down by life and in need. Press on with tenacity of the spider. 

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. -Galatians 6:9 

Today, I am grateful for lessons in tenacity. 

Winter Invites Quiet

Year 6-Day 22:Today, I am grateful winter invites a quiet life.

Why do I forget that an overscheduled life happens by my own hand at the calendar? Winter is the perfect time to slow down and savor a quiet life. In fact... we can schedule in home time, meal around the table time, board games with family time, clean out the closet time, creative time and cozy time. 

Intentional living... seeking a quiet life... is just that, intentional. 

 "...and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you," 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Now a quiet life doesn't mean we are isolated. Far from it. Delivering a plate of cookies or a bowl of soup to a widow, that includes a visit and a cup of coffee and conversation fits right into the idea of a quiet life. 

Quilts rise and fall in popularity, but they are always practical. The women of of our congregation have a long tradition of quilting together. It is a time of fellowship and working with their hands to create quilts that will be donated to the annual Illinois Mennonite Relief Sale in March. It is a task that involves busy hands paying close attention to their work. They create these quilts in community. The work of their hands will raise funds for the basic needs of the hurting in our local communities and abroad. Hunger will satisfied. Educational kits with needed supplies will be sent to Third World countries. Buckets of items to meet basic needs of people when disaster strikes are filled in part because these ladies gather to quilt. 

Our quilters are multigenerational. What a rich fellowship they share. I am sure the conversations are entertaining at time and rich in sharing and wisdom. 

Of course, any time people... men and women...  gather, one of the biggest challenges is to "mind our own affairs". In Paul's letter to the the Thessalonians he delivers a warning about that very issue... and slips it into his instructions about aspiring to a quiet life.  Don't we all need that little reminder at times. If a prayer request doesn't end in prayer time, is it just gossip? 

Celebrate the chance to slow down and make it happen. Schedule it if that makes it happen. Soon the scent of Spring will be in the air. The quiet life is never easily obtained, but if there were ever a season that calls us to slow down... it is winter. 

Attitude Update: Day twenty one of intentionally trying to NOT complain about winter. I've not been perfect... but doing pretty well. Holding my tongue, instead of jumping on the "complain about winter" train when the grumbling starts... it is still intentional. I hope that by the end of winter, it will come more naturally. It is a work in progress.

Step back and slow down whenever you can. Make it happen. It is good for the soul. 

Today, I am grateful winter invites a quiet life.

Singing With Stars & Whales

Year 6-Day 21:Today, I am grateful for a chance to sing with the stars and whales.

I am still smiling after worshiping with our children at church today. It simply had to be be my gratitude post for the day. Hours later, I am still smiling. 

For many years, my dear friend Julie and I led the children in worship service as the adult sermon was happening in the sanctuary each Sunday. Although it is no long a regular service spot for us, we were able to step back into that role this Sunday, for just a little while. 

The theme of the message upstairs was creation... so I was tickled to get the chance to teach out of Genesis and the Psalms. Pausing to take a look at the creative nature of God always leaves me a bit breathless. Today, it literally gave me the chills... the good kind. 

We began with Genesis 1. Verse 2 is one that leaves me in awe of the power of God. "And the Spirit of God was hovering ..." Hovering. Let's look at the definition:

Hovering: to remain in one place in the air, remain poised in one place or between two states

The children attempted to jump and hover... but they could not stay suspended by their own whim or will. That is a God-power we simply do not possess. His days are not our days. His ways are not our ways. 

He gave us day and night to help us keep a rhythm and an order. We flourish under these conditions. We rest, we work, we play and we rest again. There is a purpose and an expectation of what is expected. We keep moving forward. We cannot bring back yesterday or make tomorrow come any faster. We are bound by time and space, but our God can hover. 

We looked at the Psalms and lavished in the beauty of what was written. If you want people to remember something, set it to music or poetry.

"By the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathers the waters of the sea as a heap;

   he puts the deeps in storehouses. "-Psalm 33:6-7

My friends... we are Children of the Star-breather. I don't know about you, but I love how that sounds.

Psalm 148:3 says: "Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars!"

We learned the song of the stars today. Did you know that stars make sounds? Some pulse creating a drum like beat and others sound like orchestra strings. Remember that Jesus warned that if we failed to praise him, the rocks would cry out. (Luke 19:40) Apparently the stars do, too.

Psalm 148:3: Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps.

Most are aware that whale and dolphins have calls that sound like sing that they use to communicate. Imagine how beautiful it all sounds to our Heavenly Father, the Creator of the Universe. 

Take the time to watch this video. I promise you won't be disappointed. In fact, gather the children. It is a bit of a science lesson and a beautiful example of how some of the sweetest discoveries are unexpected. At the end, don't miss the opportunity to "Sing with the Stars and Whales" with your loved ones. Let me know if you experience "the chills"... the good ones. Our "God of Wonders"... He is simply awesome. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=helxFeG-0n0

Today, I am grateful for a chance to sing with the children, the stars and the whales.

Reunions

Year 6-Day 20:Today, I am grateful for the blessing of reunions.

These past two days we have gathered to remember my Uncle Mel and say “until we meet again”. As people came to offer their sympathies to my cousins, his grandchildren and the extended family... it was an evening and day of reunions.

At one point I paused and took a minute to take in the sight. So many people talking, hugging, reminiscing and catching up. All came for the purpose of sharing sympathies,
Stories and remembering someone special. When you are “country”, each loss is felt by the community. Yes, the roots run deep.

Some faces I had not seen in more than 30 years. Others were familiar and beloved for all of my childhood. Uncle Mel’s schoolmates,
fellow farmers, business associates and children he helped get to church, now adults.

We gathered to mourn a loss... but in the undercurrent was the joy of heavenly reunions. Faith, family and friends... and fellowship. So much gratitude for a life well lived.

Marj Atelevich Fremouw ... thank you for coming. What a special reunion. Uncle Mel would be grinning that big grin.

Quick post from the road.

Today, I am grateful for the blessing of reunions... hear and in heaven. ❤️

Pop of Color

Year 6-Day 19: Today, I am grateful for a pop of color on a winter landscape.


This image is of an old covered bridge in Vermont. I imagine that someone has written a book on covered bridges, but I have never looked for it. I know that Brown County Indiana has a festival every year celebrating the old fashioned covered bridge. Today, I am celebrating the pop of color on a winter landscape. 

This is day 19 of intentionally not complaining about the cold and the winter. I've not been perfect, but the slip ups have only been a few... and it has been pretty cold. 

This picture (from Pinterest) reminded me of the that winter's landscape is the perfect showcase for a "pop of color". A pop of color is good for the soul in the midst of the cold January days. 

Each season has its own unique qualities. Winter's canvas means that we can easily spot the red cardinal or a blue jay in the yard. In fact, I saw a blue jay this week. His blues were spectacular framed in white and grays. Don't forget the evergreens! when all the other trees are bare, they provide winter greens and blues that are spectacular when frosted with snow or ice crystals.

For those who live where the seasons change, many of us will say that is why we stay. It isn't just about the falls or the springs... it is all of these things and more. It is the carousel of colors unique to each season... and winter is not without it's joys.

"While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” -Genesis 8:22

That was a God promise after the Great Flood. The seasons continue to change and this winter, we can choose to delight in the creation that inspires the Crayola Big Box of crayons (my favorite). Color impacts our mood... and it can calm our emotions. There is a calming coolness to a winter landscape... but joy come from a pop of color. 

Today, I am choosing to be grateful for a pop of color on a winter landscape.

Precious Pictures

Year 6-Day 18: Today, I am grateful for precious pictures. 

This photo was taken at the holidays just a few month before my Dad died. It has been at my desk at work since April of 2013. It have been a "prayer trigger" reminding me to pray for my Uncle Mel, Dad's only brother. 

Sunday evening... they had a heavenly reunion. So many he loved and missed were already there. His heart longed for heaven, but leaving loved ones behind here made that last step a big one. 

When I see this image, I see relationship. They were quite a pair. I am reminded of the countless cups of coffee, the endless debates, meals at the kitchen table, the "Dickie" brand work clothes, the brown work boots with the scent of fine black dirt. What a pair! 

I remember the children in the community this pair and Grandpa Lindgren would taxi to the little Clifton  church they grew up in so they could hear the Good News of Christ. They would divide and conquer to get everyone there and home again. They could be quite a team when they had a common goal... and they could drive each other nuts. 

I love that if Uncle Mel knew we were in town he would always stop by. I left home after college and married Randy... more than 30 years ago. As long as he was able to drive, he was present in our world. Even after Dad died. I remember one Prime Rib meal he really enjoyed around my brother Matt and Jennifer's table where we have gathered in recent years. He was tickled to be there but didn't want to impose. Oh Uncle Mel... you were never, ever unwelcome at the table. 

This picture reminds me that they had voices you could not tell apart on the phone. I recall a mission trip to Haiti that cost him a tough battle with shingles, and the days he lay in Mom and Dad's bed trying to press through the pain. It was an example of "presenting his body (and his heart) as a living sacrifice". April and I learned some comfort nursing with Mama Ina Mae's direction. 

I remember the times their stubborness led to division, but in time, they always returned to starting and ending their days together... even into their 70's. Dad would find Uncle Mel in the morning and Uncle Mel would stop by Mom & Dad's in the late afternoon. 

No one teaches love better than a sibling. For those blessed with a full life, siblings are our first "until death do us part" relationship and shared living quarters. No one teaches forgiveness better than a sibling. These two were sons of thunder, for sure. 

Death brings grief to those left behind. My heart aches for my cousins, as the loss of a father is unique loss. The loss of a grandfather is, too. He taught them to work hard, to seek the scriptures for wisdom, to be present, to press on, to laugh, to tell stories and to smile... even when the days were hard. How I love his big grin in this picture. 

Soon, we will gather to honor and remember the life and the legacy. We will offer remembrances and swap stories. I wonder if heaven has an ugly formica table (vintage 1960's) for them to sit around with harvest gold chairs that spin? If it does, Grandpa Harry, Uncle Mel and Dad are around it and April is serving up the coffee from an old silver percolator pot. 

Uncle Mel will be missed, but he finished his race and has found his reward. 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. -Hebrews 12:1-3

Press on... and treasure that which is precious.  

Today, I am grateful for precious pictures