Listen for the Whistle

As a young girl growing up in New Jersey, I have fond memories of playing outside with friends in my neighborhood.  There was no shortage of games to play, and we didn't need a Wii to have fun..We used something called "imagination".... It's not made by Nintendo...  It's made by God....

Of course, my sister and I did have boundries as to how far we were allowed to wander from home....  We didn't have cellphones or even a watch to keep track of the time..... so how did we know when it was time for dinner ?  Daddy's whistle....

Daddy's whistle was loud and strong....  No matter where we were in our neighborhood, there was no mistaking it...

When the whistle sounded, we'd drop what we were doing and head home... or at least, that's what we were supposed to do.... 

The first whistle was a warning...it would signal dinner was ready, or perhaps we needed to visit family or go to the store...  He certainly gave us ample time to get home before the second whistle would sound...

The second whistle sounded with a bit more urgency....dinner is getting cold, hurry home or we'll be late, etc.....

The third whistle?  Well,  there really wasn't a third whistle as I recall...rather at that point, my mom would hit the phones calling around the neighborhood to track us down....  That didn't happen often... thankfully....

So what made me think about the way our daddy used to whistle for us?

I was reading the book of Zechariah, and this is what it says....

"I will whistle for them and gather them, for I will redeem them; And they shall increase as they once increased." Zechariah 10:8  

I love that my Bible states that Zechariah's purpose was to comfort and encourage God's people to reamain faithful in times of distress and perplexity.  Zechariah focused the attention of the people on the Lord's promises for the future...

Grab hold of His promises...and don't let go....

Just like my daddy's whistle on those warm summer evenings calling out to his daughters...

Be encouraged today, that our Heavenly Father whistles for us, gathers us, and redeems us...His sons and His daughters...

When you hear the sound of His whistle...The first whistle...answer the call and draw near to Him....

The "What If's" & "If Only's"....continued

Today, I was reading over some earlier blogposts....
   
The one written on 7/7/12 really resonated with me....
   As I read some of the things listed under my "What If's"
        ... I realized something amazing...something I should have 
                been totally aware of.....and yet...I hadn't clearly seen it..
                  The Lord has been at work in my life fulfilling
                        those things I had written about!  Very cool!

      (If you missed the original post, you can refer back to it to see
                    what started me on this in the first place!)

First ~ I had mentioned quitting piano some years ago..
     I hate the word "quit" don't you?? 
       Well....turns out one of our customers is a piano teacher!
          So guess who is back taking up piano once again?  Me!          

Next ~ I mentioned neglecting my writing for a period of time....
   Well...turns out I am six or so chapters into my first Christian fiction
        (oxymoron, I know!) novel, found time to write some short stories....
           and entered a few writing contests too.... I don't yet know what will come of all
              of that....but He does... I can do ALL things through Christ....                              

Then ~ I said something about regretting not persuing a career in education...
   Well...turns out, after a long hiatus, I'm back in the classroom being blessed by about
          15-18 2nd & 3rd graders on Sunday mornings....That has truly satisfied my soul :)

Oh, and as a bonus....I love speaking and encouraging women...I was recently blessed
     to share my testimony/HisStory at a Women's Ministry event at our church!  So blessed!

I had totally forgotten about writing this original blogpost back in July...

   Perhaps the Lord wants to remind us that it's never too late
        to receive the desires of our hearts when we delight in Him (Psalm 37:4)....
             His word promises it to His children and He is faithful....
                  Let that encourage you today!  Thank you Heavenly Father....

He shall bring it to pass (Psalm 37:5)...maybe not in quite the same way we think it should happen, but in His way and in His great timing....

After all......

              His ways are not our ways... Isaiah 55:8-9

What are some of the "What if's" & "if only's" in your life?  Is God still calling you to re-visit any of them?  Has He rekindled a passion in you? I would love for you to share it in the comments...

The What If's and If Only's...

A great writer-friend, Tiffany Locke, pointed me to some wonderfully inspiring writings by Alene Snodgrass through her website http://www.positivelyalene.com

Alene recently posted about dealing with the "what if's" that we are faced with when the call arises to step out and do something that might be a tad bit uncomfortable for us.... Check out this great post at http://www.positivelyalene.com/2012/07/05/debra-george-says-go-but-the-what-ifs-are-killing-me/

It really got me thinking about how the "what if's" can become the dreaded "if only's"....  

Some of my "what if's" in the past have been things like....

What if I fail? (nothing specific in mind...just generally speaking...)


What if I miss God's plan for my life, because I'm way out in left field...not even realizing that the ball is heading straight down the first-base line? 

Here's a bonus...some of my "what if's" with "if only's" included...free of charge....

What if I hadn't quit piano after just a few years worth of lessons?
   If only I had stuck with it....I might be using music to reach the lost in some way....

What if I hadn't walked away from writing for such a long period of time?
  If only I had stuck with it....I might have finished ten novels by now...

What if I had pursued a career in education?
  If only I had started years ago, I might have been teaching for decades already...

By now I think you can see where I'm going with this...we don't have to live our lives filled with regret as to what life "could have been" or "would have been"... or "if only"....

Life is happening right now...embrace it and cry out to the Lord...Only He can free us from holding onto past regrets...
We don't have to forget, but we don't have to beat ourselves up about it either...The Lord will use these things to help us to encourage others; sharing things He has taught us along the way...

God makes all things new...(Rev. 21:5). When we rise each morning ( early morning... late morning....early afternoon for some..hey, it's summer right?) we have a new opportunity to get it right according to the path God has established especially for each of us...We've got to seek it out...spend time with Him...ask for wisdom and direction....dig deep into His word....pray....I know, it's challenging to find that quiet time (understatement of the year?)...We can't afford to make our relationship with God one of our "what if's-if only's" ...We need to make it happen...our very life depends on it....

My path may not look anything like yours....but I know they have one thing in common...they're straight....No crooked paths with God...

Back to my list of "what if's-if only's"... Truth be told...I could probably still do quite a number of things on the list as long as I'm still breathing!  Amen?  But are these things really meaningful when I put them into perspective...when I consider the "big picture"...the "greater plan"?  Some things maybe, other things, not so much.

So what is that "big picture/greater plan"?  Well, I don't claim to be a theologian, but according to the Word, no matter what path we are on...it all points to the same purpose....Serving God and serving others...loving God and loving our neighbors as our selves...sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a lost and dying world.  All of it pointing straight to Jesus who said "I am the way, the truth, and the life...No one comes to the Father except through me."  John 14:6.


Maybe what I have looked at as a  missed opportunity, wasn't really something I was meant to do or be in the first place...and if I may quote another verse Proverbs 3:5...If I'm trusting in the Lord with all my heart and in all my ways acknowledging Him...He will direct my path...so no need to worry about missing something big... Perhaps what I thought was supposed to happen at one time, is really supposed to happen years later....God's timing is perfect...

What about when the "what if's-if only's"  include relationships that have gone by the wayside?  This can be a bit more complicated....definitely want to check in with God for wisdom in dealing with this one...There are times that He may take people out of our lives for a reason.... Whether they are in or out of our lives, God commands forgiveness....not to hurt us, but to free us....

****SEE UPDATE TO THIS POST****  November 21, 2012
                  


What are some of the "if only's" in your life?  Is God still calling you to re-visit any of them?  Has He rekindled a passion in you? 

Dancing Down The Path Of Life...

Everyone has a dream... at first thought you might say that you don't... or you might say that dreams are for children and better left in fairy tales... or maybe you've just lost sight of it...gave up on it...waved the white flag of surrender and closed the book?

When I was a young girl (many moons ago), I dreamed of being a ballerina.  I loved Saturday mornings when my mom would drive me to ballet class in Dover, NJ.  The "something" School of Ballet was in an old brick building with hardwood floors that creaked.  I can still see the over-sized classroom with mirrored walls and ballet bars, and old radiators you couldn't dance too close to.

I was enamored with the whole feel of it; the black leotards and ballet-pink tights...the french terms like "pirouette, plie, jete..." Oh, and I bet you thought that "fondu" was just to dip your bread cube into, and "frappe" was your new favorite drink at McDonald's.

Ballet is a beautiful art, but behind the beauty and graceful moves of the dance, is hard work and long hours... For me, it was not to be.  In fifth grade I had to give up my beloved dancing lessons; alas, enter Osgood–Schlatter.  Some of you may know what that is, but for those of you who don't, it's a condition due to stress on the patellar tendon. Pain in the knees was the first sign, and it was all downhill after that...no P.E. for an entire school year, and worst of all, no ballet....

I eventually grew out of the condition, and tried to go back to dancing, but it was never the same.  I had to face reality; and besides, I was way too short anyway, and certainly not built like any ballerina I've ever seen.

Even though I wasn't dancing with a ballet company, I could still dance if I wanted to, just for the joy of it.  I could still go to the ballet, and especially love The Nutcracker at Christmastime....And yes, I am guilty of forcing lessons upon my daughter, trying to live my dream through her...but that didn't work....She didn't like ballet...So you can't really live your dream through someone else...time to change direction...

We all experience change, and dreams can change too.  God has a path for each of us...already paved and cleared...

"You will show me the path of life; In your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore"  Psalm 16:11.

If a dream doesn't line up with His plan for your life, "the path of life"...move on...Let it go...As we mature, God puts new desires within us...new plans, new dreams..

For me the dream of writing and speaking is now my "ballet", minus the toe shoes and pirouettes...So I write...the difference is that my dream is not just for me anymore... I am writing for Him and that changes everything...

I'd love to hear about some of your dreams... Have you had a change of direction regarding a dream?  

A Neat Little Box Called Sunday

I had never heard the salvation message while attending church during my younger years. I went through all of the motions, but there was never a personal relationship or connection to Jesus as my Lord and Savior.

 It was as if God was in this neat little box called "Sunday"...On Sunday, we did all the right things(well, maybe not all the right things), prayed all the right prayers, went to church (where I don't think I even knew anybody sitting around me. How sad is that?)

Don't get me wrong, I loved God, Jesus, The Holy Spirit, but I didn't really "get it."

 At age 17  I found myself pregnant. My family was very supportive, but it was a very tough time for me. I didn't feel I was ready to be a mother, but at one point I had a scare with some pain and cramping.  Faced with the possibility of miscarrying, it was then that I knew I wanted that baby more than anything.

At age 18 I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. I hadn't picked out a name because I was positive I was going to have a girl...Imagine my surprise when I heard "It's A Boy!"...and so I named him Michael.

It was hard feeling like I didn't fit in anywhere. My friends weren't having to deal with dirty diapers and breastfeeding! They thought he was cute and wanted to hold him, but they didn't have a clue what it was like to care for him 24-7...They had parties to plan, and school functions to attend. My parents were awesome, and they helped me emotionally and financially. The truth is, I still wouldn't have traded my son for anything else in the world.

In 1981 I went to work for a bank, and there I met the love of my life...Brian...We married in 1984, and he adopted Michael soon after that.

It was in 1985 when I heard the salvation message for the first time. It was in a little church that was on fire for Jesus. I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior 27 years ago, and have been serving him ever since. I then truly knew the gift of God's Grace. I had received Grace, me, this girl who had put God in a neat little box called "Sunday."

The Lord changed my life in ways I could never imagine. He took away the shame I felt for so many years, for being an unwed mother who got pregnant just 6 months shy of graduation. Nowadays, it's hardly a stigma, totally accepted in today's society. I would never have considered going to school pregnant, but girls do it all the time now. I didn't even want to leave the house, or go to the mall, or go out anywhere for that matter, because I was so embarrassed and ashamed...as if I was the only one...What a lie that was, huh?

Jesus took my shame and sin to the cross and I no longer had to feel ashamed. I was forgiven of the lifestyle I once lived, that didn't include God Monday-Saturday. His Grace is sufficient and He is all I need. I have been beyond blessed and am extremely grateful for all He has done and continues to do in my life.

I feel that the experience I went through enables me to minister to girls who are going through unplanned pregnancies. I have been through some of the things they're experiencing and feeling. They need to hear that they can be forgiven and that God's Grace is for them too...no matter what they've done, where they've been, or what's been done to them.


 In Jesus' name, no trials have been in vain and I do count them all a Joy as Paul's God-Breathed words remind us, because it has drawn me closer to the lifeline, the One and Only, my Lord of Lords and King of Kings...My Jesus, my Savior...


Have you ever felt ashamed or that you didn't fit in?

..Egg on My Face...Summer of 7

So gals, here I am into the food week of the Summer of 7 challenge....yes, I'm behind....

My laugh has become more of a cluck....well, might be just all of that chicken I'm consuming...

I do love chicken, so it's not been so bad eating LOTS of it...

Now eggs are a little different story...This morning I was running a bit behind, so I decided to make some hard-boiled eggs instead of the usual scrambled  like I like 'em....

I placed four eggs in the pan of water so I could have one for breakfast, then maybe one on my salad for lunch etc..I thought this would be a great time-saver...

All was going according to plan, until I began peeling my breakfast...

Since there was no time for the eggs to cool, I kept running the egg under cold water as I peeled it.... must avoid any third-degree burns...no time for hospitals today...I had to laugh (cluck) at the thought of any of you seeing me at the sink this morning...thankfully, you couldn't see me...but I was compelled to tell you about it anyway....

In my haste to peel the burning hot eggshell, the entire top of the white came off with the shell!  I could actually see the yolk...this cannot be...I cannot afford to lose 1/3 of my breakfast!  I frantically tried to separate the white from the shell, but to no avail...I ate what was left of the poor thing, and by an hour later, the growling in my stomach reminded me that this is truly a challenge...

I could say that I'm starving...that I feel deprived...but is that really true when according to the book, I'm in the top 1% of wealth in the world?  It sure didn't feel like it today....One thing's for sure, this girl needs to count her blessings and it isn't such a bad thing to feel a little hunger pang every once in awhile...

Truth be told, I took a bite of steak last night... a very small bite...but a bite is a bite...just like a sin is a sin...

Don't we sometimes try to justify our sin?  "Oh, it wasn't that bad..." or "Oh c'mon, it's no big deal..."

Epic failure, that bite of steak...but sure feels good to confess it....I know you girls will forgive me...

Thankfully, our Heavenly Father forgives through the precious blood of Jesus Christ....

This Summer of 7 may be a challenge but one thing is for sure...I'm in very good company...



God Bless,

Doris

To view the Summer of 7 Challenge I'm participating in....go to www.positivelyalene.com

A Heritage From The Lord...

"Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord,
The fruit of the womb is a reward.

Like arrows in the hand of a warrior,
So are the children of one's youth.

Happy is the man who has his quiver full of
them......Psalm 127:3-5a