Welcome to Trace’s Space....As most of you know I work in early childhood, and once in a while I get these little nuggets from these babies that speak a whole lot to me. Most recently it came during our morning circle time and a conversation about words on a poster that we have displayed in our room. It’s a poster of the “Pledge of Allegiance”, so after we engage in saying the Pledge I then let them know that the words are written on the poster, after my little word lesson, my attention goes to the photo of our current president displayed directly above it, out of curiosity I asked them, “do you know who this man is?” To my surprise no one knew his name, but one little one raises their hand and says, “he’s the keeper of the flag!”
The keeper of the flag. My heart did a boom, and the wheels in my brain began spinning, what a interesting observation, what a profound explanation of who that man is, or what he represents. I responded as to who he was, and also added my spin on it that they were very much correct in explaining who he is and that his job is exactly that, the keeper of the flag.
See when it comes to Donald Trump, I am not a supporter, but I am not a hater either. See I am simply an American that has to trust in the hope that the process in due time works and that even though it seems off kilter at times, I absolutely must respect the leader of our country.
In my lifetime I have seen many leaders fail politically and personally while holding the highest office in our country, but never have I seen the amount of hate thrown at one person as much as it is at Mr.Trump! Love him or hate him, it’s not right!
What are we demonstrating to our children?
We live in very ugly times, hate abounds, men are lovers of themselves, there are no filters, being a hater is popular, what is wrong with us?
We are a fallen world in need of a savior; a savior that we have managed to remove from pretty much everything, and why? Because hate despises Love.
I had this thought, why does the world find my faith threatening, why is my love for Jesus offensive?
Then as quickly as I thought it, I remembered that Jesus said we would have times of trouble and we would be hated because of Him. That hate started out very subtle, you know that separation of church and state (which is totally misrepresented because it wasn’t about faith, it wasn’t about the removal of God), then you couldn’t pray out loud, you couldn’t display nativity scenes, then Christmas trees, the list goes on and on, and we like sheep have stood by and allowed it. It is how He says it will be.
We are hated because hate doesn’t win.
See as a Christian I honestly want you to develop a relationship with God, but as an American I also respect your choice to not, or to practice what ever religion you choose. But I also expect that sentiment in return.
I realize Mr. Trump has no filter, he speaks directly from his mind and sometimes it’s very ugly. But I pray for that man, you know that the Holy Spirit get a hold of him and change his heart.
See like it or not he is to serve and defend, and instead of putting forth all this hate toward him, if we as Americans would pray, I believe we would see a change.
If Mypeople who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
1I Chronicles 7:14
See it’s our responsibility to pray for our leaders and for our nation, the rest is up to God!
He is the keeper of the flag, but guess what, so are we!
See you next time!
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Deck Them Halls!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. Recently while scrolling trough my Facebook, I came across a post from a friend that featured photos of nostalgic Christmas decorations from the 1970’s... most of the items featured in this post actually were items that our family had, and well that my mother put out every Christmas until she passed away in 1991.
It was funny because most of the folks who commented, had most of the items as well, and we spoke briefly about bubble lights... then I had this thought, my mother’s Christmas tree was very unorganized, kind of cluttered, but each thing meant something to her, each ornament represented some memory, represented Christmas’ past.
My Christmas tree is the complete opposite of hers. While we have the same ornaments year after year, mine have to be strategically placed, a process that drives the folks in this house crazy!
So at my parents house the tree went up the day after Thanksgiving and stayed up until mid January. I know that’s a long time, but my mother celebrated Orthodox Christmas because when she and my father were first married their landlord was Greek, he always wanted my mother to go to church with him, so she was fond of that memory of this gentleman, so that memory started a lifelong family tradition for us!
So this crazy tree.. It had multi colored lights, plus additional lighting, yes, the bubble lights. She loved bubble lights. For the first few Christmases that I can remember there was a plastic angel with a glowing yellow halo, which by the mid 70’s was replaced with a glass tree topper that was a bulb with a point (it was modern and ugly!). For a couple of years we had a train with little buildings, and those buildings had lights... The ornaments, all kinds of things, silk bulbs, glass bulbs, stuff folks made... no rhyme nor reason , all just placed randomly on the tree...but you know what, that tree was beautiful!
I would lay for hours on the floor staring at it, into it, adjusting hollow bulbs so that light would some how illuminate them and make them shine. I loved that tree, I loved Christmas because she made it loveable.
Yes her tree of Christmas past.
My parents were the original Griswolds...not only did Christmas explode inside, it did outside as well... tons of lights, plywood cutouts and music provided via our 8-track player... We had two Christmas tapes, Frank Sinatra Family Christmas and some Perry Como thing...yes it played all day long., I think Mike needs to rig something up here that plays music twelve hours a day!
But what memories. I miss those days, I miss the fun and anticipation of it all, no matter how over the top or mismatched it was.
See Christmas isn’t about the perfect tree or the displays we put out, while we celebrate a Savior, we also celebrate each other. These next few holidays are times for us to come together and make memories, ones that someday will be fond for those who are part of us.
Take a few moments this holiday season to revisit your Christmas past...embrace your future...you will be blessed...
See you next time.
It was funny because most of the folks who commented, had most of the items as well, and we spoke briefly about bubble lights... then I had this thought, my mother’s Christmas tree was very unorganized, kind of cluttered, but each thing meant something to her, each ornament represented some memory, represented Christmas’ past.
My Christmas tree is the complete opposite of hers. While we have the same ornaments year after year, mine have to be strategically placed, a process that drives the folks in this house crazy!
So at my parents house the tree went up the day after Thanksgiving and stayed up until mid January. I know that’s a long time, but my mother celebrated Orthodox Christmas because when she and my father were first married their landlord was Greek, he always wanted my mother to go to church with him, so she was fond of that memory of this gentleman, so that memory started a lifelong family tradition for us!
So this crazy tree.. It had multi colored lights, plus additional lighting, yes, the bubble lights. She loved bubble lights. For the first few Christmases that I can remember there was a plastic angel with a glowing yellow halo, which by the mid 70’s was replaced with a glass tree topper that was a bulb with a point (it was modern and ugly!). For a couple of years we had a train with little buildings, and those buildings had lights... The ornaments, all kinds of things, silk bulbs, glass bulbs, stuff folks made... no rhyme nor reason , all just placed randomly on the tree...but you know what, that tree was beautiful!
I would lay for hours on the floor staring at it, into it, adjusting hollow bulbs so that light would some how illuminate them and make them shine. I loved that tree, I loved Christmas because she made it loveable.
Yes her tree of Christmas past.
My parents were the original Griswolds...not only did Christmas explode inside, it did outside as well... tons of lights, plywood cutouts and music provided via our 8-track player... We had two Christmas tapes, Frank Sinatra Family Christmas and some Perry Como thing...yes it played all day long., I think Mike needs to rig something up here that plays music twelve hours a day!
But what memories. I miss those days, I miss the fun and anticipation of it all, no matter how over the top or mismatched it was.
See Christmas isn’t about the perfect tree or the displays we put out, while we celebrate a Savior, we also celebrate each other. These next few holidays are times for us to come together and make memories, ones that someday will be fond for those who are part of us.
Take a few moments this holiday season to revisit your Christmas past...embrace your future...you will be blessed...
See you next time.
Sunday, September 16, 2018
Why Do We Cover Our Crown Of Glory?
Welcome to Trace’s Space. “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is found on the path of righteousness.”
Proverbs 16:31
Today when I was leaving church, I engaged in a conversation about hair. One of the ladies I was speaking with use to do hair and always compliments my hair, especially it’s color. Now I am fully aware that she knows how much process is involved in coloring my hair, and I am grateful for my girl Denise who does an awesome job. If it were not for her skill, I would be totally salt and pepper gray.
Honestly I am not trying to hide my age, but I am a little vain when it comes to my hair, and can not fully commit to the aging process that will eventually force me to face the hair color I am destined to have.
So in this conversation I start talking about my mother. She was blessed with the genetics of graying young. As was her brother Joe. I have no recollection of Joe with any hair color but gray, except for a Grecian formula mishap, that shade of red, not natural, really funny. Never the less my moms hair was salt and pepper gray most of her life. She would have product put on it to brighten in up, once got blonde highlights ( really strange) but she embraced her crown of glory!
As a child I would play in her hair, I can still remember what it felt like to run my fingers through it. The smell of Prell shampoo. She would put her hair in rollers, and on special occasions roll ours too.
My mother was not flashy, that roll belonged to my grandmother, her mom! Grandma Mary was very much into her appearance, when we would go visit she had the best stuff... Rouge, lipstick and glitter nail polish. Oh I loved going there, and she colored her hair, wore flashy clothes, she and my mother, polar opposites. There is a story there, but not for today, just let me say, I believe my flamboyant grandmother was the reason my mom was on the lowdown with her appearance.
Mom was beautiful. She embraced who she was, and no facade was needed because the natural was spectacular.
My, oh my, I’m crying. Not my plan, but deep down that may be why I color my hair.
Mike always says I should let nature take its course, that the gray is beautiful and it won’t change who I am. But for me it seems to be a place of surrender. A season that I’m not fully ready to enter into.
I am not ready to take on the gray hair crown! Lol!
There will be crowns in heaven, the crown of Righteousness, the crown of Life, the crown of Glory, the Incorruptible crown and finally my favorite, the crown of Rejoicing. You can look these up for yourself and there is scripture that explains what they stand for, but wow... The crown of Rejoicing represents the scripture in Revelation where God takes away our pain, our tears... there will be no more of that on that great day. What a promise! That’s my crown I hope!
But what is really cool is we will after we receive our crowns have the honor of laying them at the feet of Jesus. One of my favorite songs is, “ We Bow Down and Lay Our Crowns At The Feet Of Jesus”. We will probably not say much, just Holy!
Today I am missing my mother, all because of a conversation about hair. I have spent a lot of years figuring out my mother because she’s not here to enlighten me, not that she would have done that. Totally not her personality. But as I get older, I see so much of her in me, my thought processes I believe align with hers, and the things I thought she would have thought as a young adult are way off.
She wore her life crown well. I hope someday, my children will think that of me.
And with that I say, see you next time.
P.s. Hair appointment this week, yep, color will be happening!
Proverbs 16:31
Today when I was leaving church, I engaged in a conversation about hair. One of the ladies I was speaking with use to do hair and always compliments my hair, especially it’s color. Now I am fully aware that she knows how much process is involved in coloring my hair, and I am grateful for my girl Denise who does an awesome job. If it were not for her skill, I would be totally salt and pepper gray.
Honestly I am not trying to hide my age, but I am a little vain when it comes to my hair, and can not fully commit to the aging process that will eventually force me to face the hair color I am destined to have.
So in this conversation I start talking about my mother. She was blessed with the genetics of graying young. As was her brother Joe. I have no recollection of Joe with any hair color but gray, except for a Grecian formula mishap, that shade of red, not natural, really funny. Never the less my moms hair was salt and pepper gray most of her life. She would have product put on it to brighten in up, once got blonde highlights ( really strange) but she embraced her crown of glory!
As a child I would play in her hair, I can still remember what it felt like to run my fingers through it. The smell of Prell shampoo. She would put her hair in rollers, and on special occasions roll ours too.
My mother was not flashy, that roll belonged to my grandmother, her mom! Grandma Mary was very much into her appearance, when we would go visit she had the best stuff... Rouge, lipstick and glitter nail polish. Oh I loved going there, and she colored her hair, wore flashy clothes, she and my mother, polar opposites. There is a story there, but not for today, just let me say, I believe my flamboyant grandmother was the reason my mom was on the lowdown with her appearance.
Mom was beautiful. She embraced who she was, and no facade was needed because the natural was spectacular.
My, oh my, I’m crying. Not my plan, but deep down that may be why I color my hair.
Mike always says I should let nature take its course, that the gray is beautiful and it won’t change who I am. But for me it seems to be a place of surrender. A season that I’m not fully ready to enter into.
I am not ready to take on the gray hair crown! Lol!
There will be crowns in heaven, the crown of Righteousness, the crown of Life, the crown of Glory, the Incorruptible crown and finally my favorite, the crown of Rejoicing. You can look these up for yourself and there is scripture that explains what they stand for, but wow... The crown of Rejoicing represents the scripture in Revelation where God takes away our pain, our tears... there will be no more of that on that great day. What a promise! That’s my crown I hope!
But what is really cool is we will after we receive our crowns have the honor of laying them at the feet of Jesus. One of my favorite songs is, “ We Bow Down and Lay Our Crowns At The Feet Of Jesus”. We will probably not say much, just Holy!
Today I am missing my mother, all because of a conversation about hair. I have spent a lot of years figuring out my mother because she’s not here to enlighten me, not that she would have done that. Totally not her personality. But as I get older, I see so much of her in me, my thought processes I believe align with hers, and the things I thought she would have thought as a young adult are way off.
She wore her life crown well. I hope someday, my children will think that of me.
And with that I say, see you next time.
P.s. Hair appointment this week, yep, color will be happening!
Sunday, September 9, 2018
If That Door Slams In Your Face, There’s Your Sign!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. I was recently thinking about a girl I use to work with. This was a little over thirty years ago, and I really struggled with remembering her name until today. I was sitting in church and as our Pastor gave his message, the Lord was strongly encouraging me to write mine, and this particular story/message has to do with me having difficulty opening a door in a spiritually awkward moment. It would be years before I saw that moment for what it was, how interesting that God gave me opportunity and I blew it, but yet He never gave up pursuing me.
I worked at Denny’s. It was a wild time in my life, I loved to party, and I loved the folks I grew at that time to accept as friends. We were a truly wild bunch. Young and dumb were we, a whole lot of poor life decisions, yet a good time was had by all. In the midst of this crazy bunch of folks was a young college student named Robin. She was beautiful inside and out, she glowed with the love of Jesus and evangelized to we heathen as often as she could. I really was drawn to her, just really liked her. She never had a poor opinion of anyone, especially her coworkers.
So one morning as we were serving up our grand-slam specials she approached myself and two other girls who were working the breakfast shift. She explained that she had been attending revival services at a local hotel ballroom and felt like she was being lead to invite us to come. She went on to tell us the services were nightly at seven and she really wanted us to try and come. My one friend says quickly, “yes, we will be there tonight”... meanwhile I’m thinking, we made plans to go dancing, we are planning on drinking, I certainly don’t feel like going to a tent meeting, and well my other friend, she was merely red faced!
Don’t think poorly of us, we didn’t truly know any better, so we talked and decided, why not, we can go do this Jesus thing for a few and the bar is open till two, all will be well!
So we get all dolled up, and make our way to the Ramada. I’m sure dear sweet Robin was surprised that we actually showed up. We awkwardly found seats, very close to the door, and then, they started having church. I don’t recall there being any worship music, I’m sure there probably was. The Evangelists name was Charlotte, a very stern looking woman with very tight permed hair. When she spoke she was stern, and her delivery was very Pentecostal, her speech deliverance would remind you of Robin Williams doing his best Ernest Angley, she was scary, well to me anyway. I’m sure I was feeling conviction because I knew I was there only because my friends were my ride to the bar.
So Charlotte starts to talk about sin....of course.... sure...we all fall short....I could feel the uncomfortableness of my friends and finally I feel a tug and one of them says, let’s go.
So they went first, quietly they exited the room, one by one, I never heard the door, then I got up to go, and boom! bang, slam! The door won’t open! I’m trapped, I can’t get out! I could feel this woman glaring at me, finally she says, “just pull, it will open”!
That was it, that’s all she said. My friends on the other side were crying, they laughed for hours at me! I felt horrible.
God was then pursuing me, I just didn’t see it. Funny how thoughts of that evening would come back to me periodically for years. I wondered if I would have just stayed how different things would have been. Not that I regret a lot of things, there are some choices I have made outside of Gods will that caused me great heartache. See I believe He was trying to keep me there, but when that door slammed I was given the choice to keep trying to get out or just sit back down. I chose to go.
God won’t hold you hostage, this relationship that you develop with Him is totally up to you. Even though I went my merry way, He kept after me because He knew before I was formed in my mother’s womb that He had something special just for me.
I was actually changed by that moment, when I was ready the next door was easier to walk through, the difference being I wasn’t walking away, I was running in!
If you seek Him you will find Him, knock and He will answer, just know this, He is always pursuing His children, and no matter how far you have gone, He has the ultimate open door policy?
Today I pray for you, if you feel a door has been slammed in your face and that you are not welcomed as a true friend of God, I pray that you see that as a fib, I pray that you recognize that His door is easily opened, and that you just simply step on in!
See you next time!
I worked at Denny’s. It was a wild time in my life, I loved to party, and I loved the folks I grew at that time to accept as friends. We were a truly wild bunch. Young and dumb were we, a whole lot of poor life decisions, yet a good time was had by all. In the midst of this crazy bunch of folks was a young college student named Robin. She was beautiful inside and out, she glowed with the love of Jesus and evangelized to we heathen as often as she could. I really was drawn to her, just really liked her. She never had a poor opinion of anyone, especially her coworkers.
So one morning as we were serving up our grand-slam specials she approached myself and two other girls who were working the breakfast shift. She explained that she had been attending revival services at a local hotel ballroom and felt like she was being lead to invite us to come. She went on to tell us the services were nightly at seven and she really wanted us to try and come. My one friend says quickly, “yes, we will be there tonight”... meanwhile I’m thinking, we made plans to go dancing, we are planning on drinking, I certainly don’t feel like going to a tent meeting, and well my other friend, she was merely red faced!
Don’t think poorly of us, we didn’t truly know any better, so we talked and decided, why not, we can go do this Jesus thing for a few and the bar is open till two, all will be well!
So we get all dolled up, and make our way to the Ramada. I’m sure dear sweet Robin was surprised that we actually showed up. We awkwardly found seats, very close to the door, and then, they started having church. I don’t recall there being any worship music, I’m sure there probably was. The Evangelists name was Charlotte, a very stern looking woman with very tight permed hair. When she spoke she was stern, and her delivery was very Pentecostal, her speech deliverance would remind you of Robin Williams doing his best Ernest Angley, she was scary, well to me anyway. I’m sure I was feeling conviction because I knew I was there only because my friends were my ride to the bar.
So Charlotte starts to talk about sin....of course.... sure...we all fall short....I could feel the uncomfortableness of my friends and finally I feel a tug and one of them says, let’s go.
So they went first, quietly they exited the room, one by one, I never heard the door, then I got up to go, and boom! bang, slam! The door won’t open! I’m trapped, I can’t get out! I could feel this woman glaring at me, finally she says, “just pull, it will open”!
That was it, that’s all she said. My friends on the other side were crying, they laughed for hours at me! I felt horrible.
God was then pursuing me, I just didn’t see it. Funny how thoughts of that evening would come back to me periodically for years. I wondered if I would have just stayed how different things would have been. Not that I regret a lot of things, there are some choices I have made outside of Gods will that caused me great heartache. See I believe He was trying to keep me there, but when that door slammed I was given the choice to keep trying to get out or just sit back down. I chose to go.
God won’t hold you hostage, this relationship that you develop with Him is totally up to you. Even though I went my merry way, He kept after me because He knew before I was formed in my mother’s womb that He had something special just for me.
I was actually changed by that moment, when I was ready the next door was easier to walk through, the difference being I wasn’t walking away, I was running in!
If you seek Him you will find Him, knock and He will answer, just know this, He is always pursuing His children, and no matter how far you have gone, He has the ultimate open door policy?
Today I pray for you, if you feel a door has been slammed in your face and that you are not welcomed as a true friend of God, I pray that you see that as a fib, I pray that you recognize that His door is easily opened, and that you just simply step on in!
See you next time!
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Danger Danger Will Robinson!
Welcome to Trace's Space! Future tripping, that’s what’s on my mind today. We all do it, we thrust ourselves into the future and most time when we do, it is seldom associated with good thoughts of things to come. We find ourselves engaging in Debbie Downer day dreams of what tomorrow may bring.
I am very guilty of this. As you all know the trust issues tend to get the best of me, hence forth why I tend to be awake at three in the morning, the mind just never rests. I can find myself worrying about finances, or my kids, my job, you name it. Usually the mind adventure I take is not even close to the outcome but I still tend to do it! If we are honest, I betcha some of you do too.
Today Mike and I took a road trip, and as we were traveling we ended up behind a truck carrying a very hazardous material. I then say to Mike, “do you realize how easy it would be for a terroist to get control of that truck and slam it into a building?” Seriously...what brought that on?
See I have a theory about we Americans, after 9/11 we never delt with our fears, our grief, and I believe that as a nation we entered into a collective season of PTSD. I believe that the events of that day began the spiral of craziness that we are dealing with today, almost twenty years later.
We are always looking over our shoulders waiting for the next mass shooting or genocide to take place, every man seems to be for himself, people really do live with a real fear of tomorrow. While the terrorist of the day did not cause a fall, a surrender of America, theoretically, they succeeded in gaining control of our minds. We see a whole lot of acting out, a lot of self destruction, a true sign of PTSD.
Think about it. How often do you go to a restaurant, or to a movie, or a concert and not plan your escape?
I would like to believe that we live in a safe, worry free utopian society, but we do not. We have to get a hold of our need to exaggerate in our imaginations, most of us can do that, otherwise we would never go anywhere... prime example, once on a hike with our daughter Anna and my husband there was a rattle snake on the path! While they were quick to cautiously investigate, it ruined the hike and every hike there after for me. It is a fear that I force myself to face, if I don’t, I will miss out on waterfalls or awesome rock formations, however every time I hear a stick fall I know there is a snake ahead. Realistically, snakes live in the woods and we simply need to avoid them, for me, I would feel safer with a pistol and a shovel in hand, but that’s not even a option, or a smart option!
While that is a very real fear, think about the ones that are not. We tend to avoid our fears no matter how silly they may be. I have never been on an airplane, why? I’m afraid it will crash, also how will my body respond to the pressure, the whole idea of flying terrifies me. I will probably never fly because that is a fear that I don’t believe I can conquer. Silly, right?
But back to worrying, we shouldn’t, we have been instructed in the Bible to not worry about tomorrow, it will tend to itself. Also it says that God takes care of the sparrow, what makes us believe He won’t take care of us?
We need to take hold of the fact that Gods got us, and quit allowing our minds to get the better of us. Most of the stuff we future trip about we can actually do nothing about. We have no control of others, like we have no control of the weather! Does this mean live a life of denial? No, but we can grasp on to what’s real.
I think we need to face our giants head on and let them know they don’t own us! Whether it be our own or hey even America’s!
Back to 9/11, we are still fighting the battle on terror, we fight it everyday because as citizens we never reclaimed what that enemy stole from us. Safety, security, real national pride. We have allowed them to crash those planes in our minds thousands of times, that’s how terrorisim works, it’s not about the exact moment, it’s about the moments to come! America needs debriefed! We need healing.
So today I pray for those of us that worry. That some how we find the ability to simply rest easy! To not allow our fears to get the best of us. To not worry about tomorrow, because He’s got our Hands! Amen, Amen!
See you next time
I am very guilty of this. As you all know the trust issues tend to get the best of me, hence forth why I tend to be awake at three in the morning, the mind just never rests. I can find myself worrying about finances, or my kids, my job, you name it. Usually the mind adventure I take is not even close to the outcome but I still tend to do it! If we are honest, I betcha some of you do too.
Today Mike and I took a road trip, and as we were traveling we ended up behind a truck carrying a very hazardous material. I then say to Mike, “do you realize how easy it would be for a terroist to get control of that truck and slam it into a building?” Seriously...what brought that on?
See I have a theory about we Americans, after 9/11 we never delt with our fears, our grief, and I believe that as a nation we entered into a collective season of PTSD. I believe that the events of that day began the spiral of craziness that we are dealing with today, almost twenty years later.
We are always looking over our shoulders waiting for the next mass shooting or genocide to take place, every man seems to be for himself, people really do live with a real fear of tomorrow. While the terrorist of the day did not cause a fall, a surrender of America, theoretically, they succeeded in gaining control of our minds. We see a whole lot of acting out, a lot of self destruction, a true sign of PTSD.
Think about it. How often do you go to a restaurant, or to a movie, or a concert and not plan your escape?
I would like to believe that we live in a safe, worry free utopian society, but we do not. We have to get a hold of our need to exaggerate in our imaginations, most of us can do that, otherwise we would never go anywhere... prime example, once on a hike with our daughter Anna and my husband there was a rattle snake on the path! While they were quick to cautiously investigate, it ruined the hike and every hike there after for me. It is a fear that I force myself to face, if I don’t, I will miss out on waterfalls or awesome rock formations, however every time I hear a stick fall I know there is a snake ahead. Realistically, snakes live in the woods and we simply need to avoid them, for me, I would feel safer with a pistol and a shovel in hand, but that’s not even a option, or a smart option!
While that is a very real fear, think about the ones that are not. We tend to avoid our fears no matter how silly they may be. I have never been on an airplane, why? I’m afraid it will crash, also how will my body respond to the pressure, the whole idea of flying terrifies me. I will probably never fly because that is a fear that I don’t believe I can conquer. Silly, right?
But back to worrying, we shouldn’t, we have been instructed in the Bible to not worry about tomorrow, it will tend to itself. Also it says that God takes care of the sparrow, what makes us believe He won’t take care of us?
We need to take hold of the fact that Gods got us, and quit allowing our minds to get the better of us. Most of the stuff we future trip about we can actually do nothing about. We have no control of others, like we have no control of the weather! Does this mean live a life of denial? No, but we can grasp on to what’s real.
I think we need to face our giants head on and let them know they don’t own us! Whether it be our own or hey even America’s!
Back to 9/11, we are still fighting the battle on terror, we fight it everyday because as citizens we never reclaimed what that enemy stole from us. Safety, security, real national pride. We have allowed them to crash those planes in our minds thousands of times, that’s how terrorisim works, it’s not about the exact moment, it’s about the moments to come! America needs debriefed! We need healing.
So today I pray for those of us that worry. That some how we find the ability to simply rest easy! To not allow our fears to get the best of us. To not worry about tomorrow, because He’s got our Hands! Amen, Amen!
See you next time
Thursday, July 26, 2018
We Went To The Enemies Camp! Nothing Is Funny There!
Welcome to Trace’s Space! Football. In my home growing up football was serious business. My dad has to be the most intense Pittsburgh Steeler fan I have ever known. Growing up, during game time, it was a given that he would be jumping across the living room doing his officiating and calling calls , and also it was known by our family to not get between him and the television.
When I was growing up, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a great winning streak, and that Championship run came when South Western Pennsylvania was in a economic slump, factories were closing, unemployment was ramped, but those Steelers brought happiness to a couple of generations, the hard working war babies, and the next generation of kids who were learning about winning with class.
Good sportsmanship was a quality that I would hope most fans of any sport would have, and with that being said, I would hope that as a fan of any sport that you should be able to enter into the enemies camp and maintain sportsmanship and respect the game.
Poking fun at the opponent is okay, it’s actually hilarious, especially when families choose different sides. I would hope it doesn’t cause a legit family feud, seriously, I know of folks who have gotten pretty ugly during hockey season because one person loved the Ducks and the other the Penguins... how can you not love the Penguins?
As a girl in a football house, I learned the game, I also learned to officiate, learning from my fathers example, yes I am an intense football watcher...Sometimes I need to turn off the game because I can feel my heart racing and do not want to become a statistic. I love the game, I love the Steelers!
While on vacation we decided to take a small road trip and visit the enemies camp! Yes, Mike an I went to the home of the New England Patriots, a place called Patriot Place, this mall like atmosphere which surrounds Gillette Stadium was quite nice, lots of shops and restaurants and everything Tom Brady. Thousands of visitors all wearing their jerseys with pride, some of them there raising money for charity by entering a race that would happen on the field, most of these runners being children... it was very cool. No one knew where we were from, however we did.
It was weird, we felt funny because we knew we really didn’t belong, but it was super cool. I imagine that’s how most opponents feel when they visit different venues, but I would hope people would remain respectful... We totally got the message of how much our team was hated when we entered the pro shop and the game being played on the big screen was the Patriots versus the Steelers, and well, it wasn’t a going to end well rerun! But, it’s a game, it is what it is! To us that’s how it was.
Then the moment came. We decided it was time to go, so after taking a zillion pictures, and doing the touristy thing, we get on an elevator to leave. Another couple get on with us and I (ok I need to know things) ask a question about the fundraiser going on, I explain we are not from there, and the woman seemed shocked that we were not there for the race. I then say, “ funny thing, we are actually from Pittsburgh.” She looked at me and she says, “there is nothing funny about that!”
Mike said the life drained from my face. For once in my life I was speechless! I then had the epiphany that folks really hate us simply because of football. I said to him, she hates us!
It was all good as long as no one knew who we represented we were welcome there, we blended in, but as soon as the truth was revealed, it was apparent that we needed to vacate as quickly as possible!
We felt like the lepers in the Bible, unclean! unclean!
Where did the fun go? Rivalries are to be fun. Trust me, we as a family jab at each other because of our differences when it comes to supporting opposing teams, but we still love on each other! The gloating is over in a few months, about the time training camp begins, but sports don’t divide us or define us. We love the game, key word, the game! It’s a game!
Now onto the application, where am I going with this?
The enemies camp. While we chose to visit that camp, we often find ourselves by no fault of our own walking right into a camp that we do not belong in. The Bible says we will be hated because of Him. There is absolute truth in that. We are now living in a time when there are so many things contrary to what God desires for us, we are living in a time that our God view is not welcomed, and we are being attacked simply because we have chosen to believe, to follow Him. We are hated because we choose to defend what is right, what is Holy. While we walk in truth, we are made to feel like we don’t belong, and honestly the truth of the matter is, we really don’t.
Our place is with Him and daily in His presence, pushing forward, living this life running the race and gaining momentum toward the prize of enternity.
We have to be able to live and let live, and rely on the promises of God!
This life is hard. There is so much division, there is so much hatred, and what’s the point. Heaven or hell issues, life or death, but it’s biblical, Jesus said there would be days like these!
So today I simply pray, Jesus protect us. Show us how to maintain and clearly live as You would have us live, give us words of wisdom, help us to love even when we clearly know we are not! It’s all bout You! Amen? Amen!
See you next time!
When I was growing up, the Pittsburgh Steelers had a great winning streak, and that Championship run came when South Western Pennsylvania was in a economic slump, factories were closing, unemployment was ramped, but those Steelers brought happiness to a couple of generations, the hard working war babies, and the next generation of kids who were learning about winning with class.
Good sportsmanship was a quality that I would hope most fans of any sport would have, and with that being said, I would hope that as a fan of any sport that you should be able to enter into the enemies camp and maintain sportsmanship and respect the game.
Poking fun at the opponent is okay, it’s actually hilarious, especially when families choose different sides. I would hope it doesn’t cause a legit family feud, seriously, I know of folks who have gotten pretty ugly during hockey season because one person loved the Ducks and the other the Penguins... how can you not love the Penguins?
As a girl in a football house, I learned the game, I also learned to officiate, learning from my fathers example, yes I am an intense football watcher...Sometimes I need to turn off the game because I can feel my heart racing and do not want to become a statistic. I love the game, I love the Steelers!
While on vacation we decided to take a small road trip and visit the enemies camp! Yes, Mike an I went to the home of the New England Patriots, a place called Patriot Place, this mall like atmosphere which surrounds Gillette Stadium was quite nice, lots of shops and restaurants and everything Tom Brady. Thousands of visitors all wearing their jerseys with pride, some of them there raising money for charity by entering a race that would happen on the field, most of these runners being children... it was very cool. No one knew where we were from, however we did.
It was weird, we felt funny because we knew we really didn’t belong, but it was super cool. I imagine that’s how most opponents feel when they visit different venues, but I would hope people would remain respectful... We totally got the message of how much our team was hated when we entered the pro shop and the game being played on the big screen was the Patriots versus the Steelers, and well, it wasn’t a going to end well rerun! But, it’s a game, it is what it is! To us that’s how it was.
Then the moment came. We decided it was time to go, so after taking a zillion pictures, and doing the touristy thing, we get on an elevator to leave. Another couple get on with us and I (ok I need to know things) ask a question about the fundraiser going on, I explain we are not from there, and the woman seemed shocked that we were not there for the race. I then say, “ funny thing, we are actually from Pittsburgh.” She looked at me and she says, “there is nothing funny about that!”
Mike said the life drained from my face. For once in my life I was speechless! I then had the epiphany that folks really hate us simply because of football. I said to him, she hates us!
It was all good as long as no one knew who we represented we were welcome there, we blended in, but as soon as the truth was revealed, it was apparent that we needed to vacate as quickly as possible!
We felt like the lepers in the Bible, unclean! unclean!
Where did the fun go? Rivalries are to be fun. Trust me, we as a family jab at each other because of our differences when it comes to supporting opposing teams, but we still love on each other! The gloating is over in a few months, about the time training camp begins, but sports don’t divide us or define us. We love the game, key word, the game! It’s a game!
Now onto the application, where am I going with this?
The enemies camp. While we chose to visit that camp, we often find ourselves by no fault of our own walking right into a camp that we do not belong in. The Bible says we will be hated because of Him. There is absolute truth in that. We are now living in a time when there are so many things contrary to what God desires for us, we are living in a time that our God view is not welcomed, and we are being attacked simply because we have chosen to believe, to follow Him. We are hated because we choose to defend what is right, what is Holy. While we walk in truth, we are made to feel like we don’t belong, and honestly the truth of the matter is, we really don’t.
Our place is with Him and daily in His presence, pushing forward, living this life running the race and gaining momentum toward the prize of enternity.
We have to be able to live and let live, and rely on the promises of God!
This life is hard. There is so much division, there is so much hatred, and what’s the point. Heaven or hell issues, life or death, but it’s biblical, Jesus said there would be days like these!
So today I simply pray, Jesus protect us. Show us how to maintain and clearly live as You would have us live, give us words of wisdom, help us to love even when we clearly know we are not! It’s all bout You! Amen? Amen!
See you next time!
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
Cheese Please! How Can You Be Out Of Cheese? It’s a Deli!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. Cheese! No, I’m not asking you to pose for a photo, but my latest life lesson has to do with cheese. We seem to go through cheese here at our house like the fish eat bread at the spillway at Pymatuning .
I should explain for those who do not know of this spillway, here in Pennsylvania there is a lake (it actually spans and shares itself with part of Ohio) Pymatuning, it is quite large and actually very beautiful. There is a spillway on this lake that is famous for a gathering of Carp. These fish are huge, I wouldn’t be surprised if a human fell in that these fish wouldn’t suck the skin right off them. So on any given day, you can actually stop there, purchase bread and feed them. There are thousands of them, and they fight their way to the top of the water in order to devour their fair share of bread. Little kids enjoy watching them fight, actually, most folks enjoy watching them and listening to them, they squeel like pigs! Yes, back to the cheese eating, that’s how quick it’s gone!
I should also clarify, I am not calling my family fish or pigs, they just enjoy cheese!
Now this is where we get to the meat of this story. I seldom purchase groceries at a certain “super” store in our town, but the last two times that I have needed other items that are considerably cheaper than at my favorite grocery store, I have to decided to just pick up what I need as far as food there. The deli experience there is always awful, but for me the issue is always cheese. See, I am picky when it comes to the quality of the cheese, it’s too expensive to not be. The first trip I waited a very long time at the deli to get what I needed, they never have enough help, and they have to cut everything fresh, wrap it up then put it away. Second trip, I ask for my cheese, the girl says, “we have no cheese”.... Response, “ how can a deli not have cheese?” I was in total disbelief, my face was definitely in eye roll mode, and then boom! Right in front of me, there is a unopened sleeve of American cheese! The girl never saw it. She had been told by another deli person, no cheese! Honestly I had this vision of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld saying, “ no cheese for you!” She was going by this persons word not actually looking for herself.
How often do we do that? Someone offers up information and we choose to not investigate for ourselves. We either except value in that which is shared, form an opinion based on someone else’s facts, without even checking it out. Most times folks are reliable, they are factual, but what about those times when your gut is saying, hey, this doesn’t sound right, or it is what it is and I really don’t have time to research. I believe deli girl didn’t have time to research, she had to get about her business and cheese wasn’t her priority. She was so consumed with getting the job done she didn’t have time to look right in front of her.
I am a fact finder. I love facts and truth. I do not have time to second guess or to have to back track because someone else didn’t feel it necessary to find out what it’s really about. I have been gifted with an ability to see beyond superficial factoids, and a mere stroke of information, the need to really know will actually motivate me right to google. I want to be well informed and also I want to be clear when I relay that information and I certainly do not want to be caught up in a fib. Liars make me tired, gossipers, well...being misinformed isn’t wrong especially when it’s not intentional, but we do have a responsibility to own what we say, and know what we are talking about, we also have the obligation to admit we were wrong or misinformed when we find out the facts.
I read a lot of information on a lot of subjects, especially when my gut says, there is more to the story. I have to say nine times out of ten, when I get the gut reaction, someone in the line of communication has left out or misinterpreted a piece on information. What brings on my gut reaction? Well it’s not eye rolling, it’s when those eyes either look down or away, or a person literally turns themselves away when presenting what they claim to know. It’s not that need to be right, I just want facts, I want truth. I hunger for truth! So if you find you are making up the truth as you go along, you better be taking notes, you will forget what you said, your facts will go kerplunk and the truth will set everyone free but you! Again it’s your responsibility to fact check your source, and again, to own what you say.
Deli girl was worried that I was upset with her. I was not, I actually laughed and said, girl you are so busy, I get it. She had integrity and I believe from our encounter that she values truth. I bet she apologized five times. At the end of this the responsibility did not lie with anyone actually doing their job there, it went clear back to management, the folks who schedule, the folks who order. But, she still was willing to own it and not place the blame on anyone but herself.
Truth is a Who God is... His word is full of information, and I believe that is why we hunger for it and why He has told us to come and dine. To drink from the fountain...
Cheese while in demand is basically easy to come by, but not easy to keep. Truth the same!
See you next time
I should explain for those who do not know of this spillway, here in Pennsylvania there is a lake (it actually spans and shares itself with part of Ohio) Pymatuning, it is quite large and actually very beautiful. There is a spillway on this lake that is famous for a gathering of Carp. These fish are huge, I wouldn’t be surprised if a human fell in that these fish wouldn’t suck the skin right off them. So on any given day, you can actually stop there, purchase bread and feed them. There are thousands of them, and they fight their way to the top of the water in order to devour their fair share of bread. Little kids enjoy watching them fight, actually, most folks enjoy watching them and listening to them, they squeel like pigs! Yes, back to the cheese eating, that’s how quick it’s gone!
I should also clarify, I am not calling my family fish or pigs, they just enjoy cheese!
Now this is where we get to the meat of this story. I seldom purchase groceries at a certain “super” store in our town, but the last two times that I have needed other items that are considerably cheaper than at my favorite grocery store, I have to decided to just pick up what I need as far as food there. The deli experience there is always awful, but for me the issue is always cheese. See, I am picky when it comes to the quality of the cheese, it’s too expensive to not be. The first trip I waited a very long time at the deli to get what I needed, they never have enough help, and they have to cut everything fresh, wrap it up then put it away. Second trip, I ask for my cheese, the girl says, “we have no cheese”.... Response, “ how can a deli not have cheese?” I was in total disbelief, my face was definitely in eye roll mode, and then boom! Right in front of me, there is a unopened sleeve of American cheese! The girl never saw it. She had been told by another deli person, no cheese! Honestly I had this vision of the Soup Nazi from Seinfeld saying, “ no cheese for you!” She was going by this persons word not actually looking for herself.
How often do we do that? Someone offers up information and we choose to not investigate for ourselves. We either except value in that which is shared, form an opinion based on someone else’s facts, without even checking it out. Most times folks are reliable, they are factual, but what about those times when your gut is saying, hey, this doesn’t sound right, or it is what it is and I really don’t have time to research. I believe deli girl didn’t have time to research, she had to get about her business and cheese wasn’t her priority. She was so consumed with getting the job done she didn’t have time to look right in front of her.
I am a fact finder. I love facts and truth. I do not have time to second guess or to have to back track because someone else didn’t feel it necessary to find out what it’s really about. I have been gifted with an ability to see beyond superficial factoids, and a mere stroke of information, the need to really know will actually motivate me right to google. I want to be well informed and also I want to be clear when I relay that information and I certainly do not want to be caught up in a fib. Liars make me tired, gossipers, well...being misinformed isn’t wrong especially when it’s not intentional, but we do have a responsibility to own what we say, and know what we are talking about, we also have the obligation to admit we were wrong or misinformed when we find out the facts.
I read a lot of information on a lot of subjects, especially when my gut says, there is more to the story. I have to say nine times out of ten, when I get the gut reaction, someone in the line of communication has left out or misinterpreted a piece on information. What brings on my gut reaction? Well it’s not eye rolling, it’s when those eyes either look down or away, or a person literally turns themselves away when presenting what they claim to know. It’s not that need to be right, I just want facts, I want truth. I hunger for truth! So if you find you are making up the truth as you go along, you better be taking notes, you will forget what you said, your facts will go kerplunk and the truth will set everyone free but you! Again it’s your responsibility to fact check your source, and again, to own what you say.
Deli girl was worried that I was upset with her. I was not, I actually laughed and said, girl you are so busy, I get it. She had integrity and I believe from our encounter that she values truth. I bet she apologized five times. At the end of this the responsibility did not lie with anyone actually doing their job there, it went clear back to management, the folks who schedule, the folks who order. But, she still was willing to own it and not place the blame on anyone but herself.
Truth is a Who God is... His word is full of information, and I believe that is why we hunger for it and why He has told us to come and dine. To drink from the fountain...
Cheese while in demand is basically easy to come by, but not easy to keep. Truth the same!
See you next time
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
It Had Wings to Fly, So I Launched it!
Welome to Trace’s Space. I love quiet mornings in the summer when I have the opportunity to sit on our front porch and simply enjoy the breeze. Today is a beautiful day, no clouds, no humidity, no noise, just peace.
So today, between loads of laundry and cups of coffee, I found that the porch was my refuge and nothing was going to come between me and my quiet time, well so I thought. I had gone inside to fold clothes and as I was coming back out the front door I looked up. And before my very eyes I saw this bug, one of the ugliest moths I had ever seen in my life! I am sure it had merely came to my porch to get a bite of some of my flowers, but I wasn’t having it! Some naturalist/nature lover is surely cringing right now because I didn’t just leave it alone, but my thought process justified my actions, this thing has wings, it can fly, so I took my broom and launched it. It made no effort to fly on its own and it landed somewhere in my neighbors yard.
What bothered me was, it made no effort to fly! I know I didn’t kill it, or at least I don’t think I did. I thought maybe it was nocturnal and only would fly at night... Maybe it just was enjoying not having to flap it’s own wings, maybe I had stunned it, nothing made sense, and why do I even care, it was a bug!
Then I had this thought. No creature on this earth asks to be created, asks to be physically born. Think about that, we do not ask for physical life, we do not choose that life for ourselves, someone or something makes that choice for us.
I for one do not believe that there is a product line in heaven and that God is standing there saying, this will be human, this will be a camel, a dog, a bug. That folks was handled at creation. Now do I believe there are new species? Yes. That is proven science, but I believe that in the name of evolution that in time, natural change takes place and that was Gods plan to allow it. See it has to happen because there is always life and death. It also has to happen because conditions on this earth are constantly changing, whether it be brought on by natural selection or man made interference.
That moth did not have a plan that involved a broom and a crazy woman...Its plan was to simply come and dine!
Now as for living. That is different.
We all know that folks make choices every day that concern life and death, I believe other creatures on this earth do too. Whether it is a conscious choice or not, I do not know, but a choice to visit a water hole in the jungle can be deadly (that’s what I mean). Life is a gift, freely given, now honoring it is hard. Living is hard, but God is Good!
There is much theology concerning death and life and rebirth, aka salvation, but the message is very clear, that is the One clear choice is left up to us. While it’s not a physical death, dying to ones self is clearly a choice. Choosing life with Christ is clearly our choice. It’s a matter of life or death. This rebirth is our decision. We are the only species on this earth that has that offer, rebirth.
What about other creatures? My theory is this, if the waves and winds know His name, so do the birds and the bees, and even moths! Hmmmmm.... do animals go to heaven? They are part of creation! My personal thoughts are, yes!
So as I sit here and continue to enjoy the breeze of summer, one thing I am sure of is, I am thankful. Thankful for the life my parents gave me, and the new Life God has given me! I am also thankful that no superior being is smacking me with a broom hoping I will fly!
See you next time!
So today, between loads of laundry and cups of coffee, I found that the porch was my refuge and nothing was going to come between me and my quiet time, well so I thought. I had gone inside to fold clothes and as I was coming back out the front door I looked up. And before my very eyes I saw this bug, one of the ugliest moths I had ever seen in my life! I am sure it had merely came to my porch to get a bite of some of my flowers, but I wasn’t having it! Some naturalist/nature lover is surely cringing right now because I didn’t just leave it alone, but my thought process justified my actions, this thing has wings, it can fly, so I took my broom and launched it. It made no effort to fly on its own and it landed somewhere in my neighbors yard.
What bothered me was, it made no effort to fly! I know I didn’t kill it, or at least I don’t think I did. I thought maybe it was nocturnal and only would fly at night... Maybe it just was enjoying not having to flap it’s own wings, maybe I had stunned it, nothing made sense, and why do I even care, it was a bug!
Then I had this thought. No creature on this earth asks to be created, asks to be physically born. Think about that, we do not ask for physical life, we do not choose that life for ourselves, someone or something makes that choice for us.
I for one do not believe that there is a product line in heaven and that God is standing there saying, this will be human, this will be a camel, a dog, a bug. That folks was handled at creation. Now do I believe there are new species? Yes. That is proven science, but I believe that in the name of evolution that in time, natural change takes place and that was Gods plan to allow it. See it has to happen because there is always life and death. It also has to happen because conditions on this earth are constantly changing, whether it be brought on by natural selection or man made interference.
That moth did not have a plan that involved a broom and a crazy woman...Its plan was to simply come and dine!
Now as for living. That is different.
We all know that folks make choices every day that concern life and death, I believe other creatures on this earth do too. Whether it is a conscious choice or not, I do not know, but a choice to visit a water hole in the jungle can be deadly (that’s what I mean). Life is a gift, freely given, now honoring it is hard. Living is hard, but God is Good!
There is much theology concerning death and life and rebirth, aka salvation, but the message is very clear, that is the One clear choice is left up to us. While it’s not a physical death, dying to ones self is clearly a choice. Choosing life with Christ is clearly our choice. It’s a matter of life or death. This rebirth is our decision. We are the only species on this earth that has that offer, rebirth.
What about other creatures? My theory is this, if the waves and winds know His name, so do the birds and the bees, and even moths! Hmmmmm.... do animals go to heaven? They are part of creation! My personal thoughts are, yes!
So as I sit here and continue to enjoy the breeze of summer, one thing I am sure of is, I am thankful. Thankful for the life my parents gave me, and the new Life God has given me! I am also thankful that no superior being is smacking me with a broom hoping I will fly!
See you next time!
Thursday, June 28, 2018
I’m Zoning, Right Out Of Comfort!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. When I was little, Silly Putty was all the rage. For those of you who do not know about Silly Putty ( I know, who would not know of Silly Putty, but some of you are under 45), it was a pink rubbery substance that came in a plastic egg. You could stretch it, you could mold it, you could throw it, you could bounce it, you could put it on a comic and stretch the image, that stuff was magical, it was non toxic (and no, I never ate it!).
I would play with that stuff for hours, then one day the magic was gone. The substance broke down, and the rubbery awesomeness became nothing more than a hard rock. See if you didn’t care for it properly and place it back into its protective plastic egg, it would simply dry up.
I remember throwing that stuff against a wall and it slowly rolling down the wall. I believe that may have been my favorite thing to do with it. No matter how hard you threw it, or how far up the wall you threw it, it would travel at the same speed, very slowly, rolling down the wall. Splat, roll, over and over again. I found comfort it that...
Funny the places we find comfort. It’s interesting that we all kind of differ in the things that we find to be our happy places. We all have destinations or experiences that we all claim to be our happy places, but what happens when you find yourself being stretched and being drawn away from these places?
Being stretched was a form of punishment in the Middle Ages. This physical form of punishment was probably the worst because it was slow, and as much as it was painful, a persons mental stability was destroyed way before the body, because the torture of knowing your demise was at hand. With every click the mechanism made, a person knew it was going to be painful and eventually they would die.
Now that is a extreme example of being stretched, but sometimes isn’t that kind of how it is? You are in your happy place, life is going along just fine, then boom! Something happens that you have to think outside your happy little box, or you physically have to get up and move out of your comfort zone.
See it’s easy to settle in and just be comfortable. Honestly I would love to just be comfortable, but we would miss out on a whole lot of experiences that are of great value if we don’t allow some stretching to take place.
The whole process of moving out of ones comfort zone may not seem exciting to most of us, but sometimes that’s the only way we will move on, the only way we will ever truly find our real “happy place”. Again it’s way too easy to stay put.
I always say that I desire to be fat dumb and happy! While that’s ideal for me, I am a person who is heavily motivated by unintentional change. I hate change, I do not handle it well at the beginning, but I adapt, and go with the flow. My response is usually pretty ugly when a new policy or technique is introduced, but the value of it over takes my need to just leave it how it was, and then most times, I really get into the process and well, go with it.
Like that Silly Putty, if we are not willing to be stretched, pulled or even thrown, we are missing something. In order to be used we have to come out of our shell or plastic egg, be uncomfortable and go!
God wants us to feel safe and secure, but He also equipped us with the ability to become uncomfortable so that we do not become stagnant where we are. Complacency takes place in the comfort zones we create, and it being simply what it is, isn’t.
So today if you are feeling stretched, embrace it! Allow yourself to enjoy the uncomfortable things that may be coming your way, embrace change! Change is good! Change is necessary! The struggle is very real, but the end result, amazing! Quit zoning and come out!
See you next time!
I would play with that stuff for hours, then one day the magic was gone. The substance broke down, and the rubbery awesomeness became nothing more than a hard rock. See if you didn’t care for it properly and place it back into its protective plastic egg, it would simply dry up.
I remember throwing that stuff against a wall and it slowly rolling down the wall. I believe that may have been my favorite thing to do with it. No matter how hard you threw it, or how far up the wall you threw it, it would travel at the same speed, very slowly, rolling down the wall. Splat, roll, over and over again. I found comfort it that...
Funny the places we find comfort. It’s interesting that we all kind of differ in the things that we find to be our happy places. We all have destinations or experiences that we all claim to be our happy places, but what happens when you find yourself being stretched and being drawn away from these places?
Being stretched was a form of punishment in the Middle Ages. This physical form of punishment was probably the worst because it was slow, and as much as it was painful, a persons mental stability was destroyed way before the body, because the torture of knowing your demise was at hand. With every click the mechanism made, a person knew it was going to be painful and eventually they would die.
Now that is a extreme example of being stretched, but sometimes isn’t that kind of how it is? You are in your happy place, life is going along just fine, then boom! Something happens that you have to think outside your happy little box, or you physically have to get up and move out of your comfort zone.
See it’s easy to settle in and just be comfortable. Honestly I would love to just be comfortable, but we would miss out on a whole lot of experiences that are of great value if we don’t allow some stretching to take place.
The whole process of moving out of ones comfort zone may not seem exciting to most of us, but sometimes that’s the only way we will move on, the only way we will ever truly find our real “happy place”. Again it’s way too easy to stay put.
I always say that I desire to be fat dumb and happy! While that’s ideal for me, I am a person who is heavily motivated by unintentional change. I hate change, I do not handle it well at the beginning, but I adapt, and go with the flow. My response is usually pretty ugly when a new policy or technique is introduced, but the value of it over takes my need to just leave it how it was, and then most times, I really get into the process and well, go with it.
Like that Silly Putty, if we are not willing to be stretched, pulled or even thrown, we are missing something. In order to be used we have to come out of our shell or plastic egg, be uncomfortable and go!
God wants us to feel safe and secure, but He also equipped us with the ability to become uncomfortable so that we do not become stagnant where we are. Complacency takes place in the comfort zones we create, and it being simply what it is, isn’t.
So today if you are feeling stretched, embrace it! Allow yourself to enjoy the uncomfortable things that may be coming your way, embrace change! Change is good! Change is necessary! The struggle is very real, but the end result, amazing! Quit zoning and come out!
See you next time!
Tuesday, June 26, 2018
If the Shoe Fits, You May Not Be Able To Walk In Them!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. I love buying shoes. The problem is I find that most shoes while very attractive in appearance, they tend to be very tough on the foot. The older I get the more I realize heels, while I love how they look, cause me great agony, and well, I just can’t walk in them, even with the correct fit.
Today as I was reading our local news online, I went to the comments section and started reading what folks had to say about a certain incident that had occurred over the weekend. I was bothered. Usually I just kind of read the comments, consider the source, then move on... but today, it stirred something in me. The question kept creeping into my mind, “who do we think we are?” Unless we have worn the same shoes and walked the same path, we are clueless.
We all have our definitions of what is right and what is not, what is holy what is evil. We all have our own level of moral infuriority that some how places us in a self created place of betterness. I like to believe that I am no better than anyone else no matter where I am in my journey, but sometimes we travel to that not nice place, you know where it’s okay to feel that way, to feel because you take the higher road you are a better person, but honestly it’s not! No matter our lot in life, we are no better than anyone else.
From dust we have come, to dust we will return. No one is getting out of here alive!
People were being quite cruel. Saying openly what they believed was the cause of said incident. Attacking every person involved, attacking the break down of society. No Solutions, a couple of we need to pray, some so sorry. Only one person defended the person by saying what they believed to be true ( I tend to go with her version of truth), but then folks went after her!
See she had worn the same shoes. Her life experience spoke volumes...yet the sneaker wearers were more than willing to kick this girl off her Stiletto’s like a punter kicking a football. Life experience spoke nothing to them, and to me that was sad. No matter what angle she took, sharing her personal journey, no one seemed to have a moment of mercy to spare. Her journey was relevant to the situation and full of truth.
It got to me.
Every part of my being wanted to engage in the commenting, but my heart said no! Wisdom, wisdom, wisdom. I am learning to guard my tongue and hold my thoughts captive. Speaking your mind is not always wise, it’s not always profitable. I think all it would have done by engaging in the conversation, was burn the rubber off my flip flops.
We live in a society that feels that we always need to just say what we think or feel, but that’s not truth! We have two ears and one mouth for a reason. We need to filter and process our words wisely.
Combat boots are not meant to be worn daily unless you are planing on engaging in battle. As a Christian I have a full set of armor for that! While we need to be ready for spiritual battle, the shoes we choose or have chosen will contribute to the success of our own journey, not anyone else’s.
So can you walk in your own shoes, or do you need to maybe shop for a different pair? It’s up to you!
See you next time.
Today as I was reading our local news online, I went to the comments section and started reading what folks had to say about a certain incident that had occurred over the weekend. I was bothered. Usually I just kind of read the comments, consider the source, then move on... but today, it stirred something in me. The question kept creeping into my mind, “who do we think we are?” Unless we have worn the same shoes and walked the same path, we are clueless.
We all have our definitions of what is right and what is not, what is holy what is evil. We all have our own level of moral infuriority that some how places us in a self created place of betterness. I like to believe that I am no better than anyone else no matter where I am in my journey, but sometimes we travel to that not nice place, you know where it’s okay to feel that way, to feel because you take the higher road you are a better person, but honestly it’s not! No matter our lot in life, we are no better than anyone else.
From dust we have come, to dust we will return. No one is getting out of here alive!
People were being quite cruel. Saying openly what they believed was the cause of said incident. Attacking every person involved, attacking the break down of society. No Solutions, a couple of we need to pray, some so sorry. Only one person defended the person by saying what they believed to be true ( I tend to go with her version of truth), but then folks went after her!
See she had worn the same shoes. Her life experience spoke volumes...yet the sneaker wearers were more than willing to kick this girl off her Stiletto’s like a punter kicking a football. Life experience spoke nothing to them, and to me that was sad. No matter what angle she took, sharing her personal journey, no one seemed to have a moment of mercy to spare. Her journey was relevant to the situation and full of truth.
It got to me.
Every part of my being wanted to engage in the commenting, but my heart said no! Wisdom, wisdom, wisdom. I am learning to guard my tongue and hold my thoughts captive. Speaking your mind is not always wise, it’s not always profitable. I think all it would have done by engaging in the conversation, was burn the rubber off my flip flops.
We live in a society that feels that we always need to just say what we think or feel, but that’s not truth! We have two ears and one mouth for a reason. We need to filter and process our words wisely.
Combat boots are not meant to be worn daily unless you are planing on engaging in battle. As a Christian I have a full set of armor for that! While we need to be ready for spiritual battle, the shoes we choose or have chosen will contribute to the success of our own journey, not anyone else’s.
So can you walk in your own shoes, or do you need to maybe shop for a different pair? It’s up to you!
See you next time.
Sunday, June 3, 2018
Seasons come, Seasons go!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. Weather, is it really that predictable or do the Forecasters just get lucky? The weather this season (Spring) has been all over the place. We have had summer like days, and snow, ice and hail. Sometimes all In the same day. If one was inclined to believe that there really is a Mother Nature, they would very much want to label her bipolar.
To some degree of accuracy, the local weather guys have done a good job getting a handle on their forcasts, a shout out to them, but can you imagine their surprise when morning after morning well into March, they were still predicting snow, several inches at that. It was blustery, it was cold, then boom it happened, spring finally made an appearance.
Like a long lost friend the sunshine finally returned and the trees decided to bud. Flowers started blooming and the lilac bushes have avoided frost. Children are gleefully playing out until dark, and the grills are releasing the aroma of wonderful dinners being prepared. Yes, Spring has sprung!
See the seasons here in Western Pennsylvania are so unpredictable. You never know what you are going to get. Even though by date they are defined, they come and go, and are never exactly the same.
As is with life. I am quite sure that most of us would desire that any season we walk through be well defined. I am sure we would be content with our ducks being simply in line, the row not mattering much. We find unpredictability uncomfortable, we do not marvel at the constant changes and while most folks tend to find a way to just roll with it, for some the struggle is way beyond real. Life is constantly throwing stuff our way, and whether we encounter a bright sun shiney day or a hail storm, finding balance is the key to finding contentment.
Some of us have preferred seasons. I myself favor autumn, I love the temperature, you know the chilly sunny days, and the vibrant colors, the deep reds and oranges, purples and browns. While I recognize that the appearance of the colors indicate the follage of summer is dying off, there is hope that when Spring returns that rebirth will take place.
See we have to have to experience a season of death (in the spiritual sense) in order for rebirth in our lives to take place. Sometimes the things we hold onto are just as beautiful as the colors of fall, but there comes a time that we have to let it go. Letting go is hard. Holding on is easy.
I went skiing once. I would love to tell you it was wonderful, it it was not! I had no clue, see you have to have some knowledge of skiing before you attempt the mountain, that I did not have, I couldn’t stand on roller skates let alone skis. The folks I was having this adventure with had skill, they had been before. So they told me that I would be skipping the basic skill training and going right up the mountain, their reasoning was, just like learning to ride a bike, all you need is a little push. A true indicator this was going to be a fail could have been when I lost my ski and they had to stop the lift to retrieve it.
So up the mountain we went. Did I mention the temperature was -15 F and the wind was blowing and so was the snow, not the snow on the mountain, that was fully packed, and felt it like cement when I fell, immediately after leaving the lift. So my friends instructed me on how to ski, and off they went. Yes they passed me three times as I attempted to roll down the mountain. I would ski about ten feet and fall, my skis would cross and fall off. But I was determined to make it down the mountain.
Did I make it down the mountain? Yep, via the emergency medical/rescue team. About half way down they came for me. The medic said, hey we’ve been watching you for a while and we just can’t watch it any longer. So they loaded me in the rescue basket and down the mountain I went, backwards and very quickly.
My friends when they finally met up with me in the bar of the ski lodge, found this hysterically funny. Me, not so much. It’s very funny now, but then I was tired, cold and bruised. My pride was damaged because I had to be rescued, and also my feelings were hurt because they just left me on the side of a mountain. In their defense I don’t think they thought I would struggle, they had hope in my skill, and ability to catch on. They had never been skiing with anyone like me before! Lol
I wanted to keep on going, I was going to make it on my own, but that was not wise. I had to trust the experts when they said, enough!
God does that you know, He will let you know when it’s enough, and when He is Enough. He will let your heart know when it’s time to give up and give Him opportunity, when it is time to let that thing you’ve been holding onto die.
For some it’s physical, really, I’ve lived with this ailment for so long it’s okay. For some it’s mental, you know when you convince yourself it’s just me. It’s a multitude of things that we don’t have to suffer with because God truly wants to rid us of it. He wants us to fully trust Him and let it go!
It is then that we are in that season of dying to ourselves and opening our hearts to rebirth.
What ever your struggle, God is with you.
So now that Spring has arrived, and Summer is quickly approaching, enjoy the newness and freshness of this season, and know that something may have had to die in order to fill this season with new life!
Sit back and breathe, and simply thank God, for His voice and His wisdom surrounds us.
See you next time!
To some degree of accuracy, the local weather guys have done a good job getting a handle on their forcasts, a shout out to them, but can you imagine their surprise when morning after morning well into March, they were still predicting snow, several inches at that. It was blustery, it was cold, then boom it happened, spring finally made an appearance.
Like a long lost friend the sunshine finally returned and the trees decided to bud. Flowers started blooming and the lilac bushes have avoided frost. Children are gleefully playing out until dark, and the grills are releasing the aroma of wonderful dinners being prepared. Yes, Spring has sprung!
See the seasons here in Western Pennsylvania are so unpredictable. You never know what you are going to get. Even though by date they are defined, they come and go, and are never exactly the same.
As is with life. I am quite sure that most of us would desire that any season we walk through be well defined. I am sure we would be content with our ducks being simply in line, the row not mattering much. We find unpredictability uncomfortable, we do not marvel at the constant changes and while most folks tend to find a way to just roll with it, for some the struggle is way beyond real. Life is constantly throwing stuff our way, and whether we encounter a bright sun shiney day or a hail storm, finding balance is the key to finding contentment.
Some of us have preferred seasons. I myself favor autumn, I love the temperature, you know the chilly sunny days, and the vibrant colors, the deep reds and oranges, purples and browns. While I recognize that the appearance of the colors indicate the follage of summer is dying off, there is hope that when Spring returns that rebirth will take place.
See we have to have to experience a season of death (in the spiritual sense) in order for rebirth in our lives to take place. Sometimes the things we hold onto are just as beautiful as the colors of fall, but there comes a time that we have to let it go. Letting go is hard. Holding on is easy.
I went skiing once. I would love to tell you it was wonderful, it it was not! I had no clue, see you have to have some knowledge of skiing before you attempt the mountain, that I did not have, I couldn’t stand on roller skates let alone skis. The folks I was having this adventure with had skill, they had been before. So they told me that I would be skipping the basic skill training and going right up the mountain, their reasoning was, just like learning to ride a bike, all you need is a little push. A true indicator this was going to be a fail could have been when I lost my ski and they had to stop the lift to retrieve it.
So up the mountain we went. Did I mention the temperature was -15 F and the wind was blowing and so was the snow, not the snow on the mountain, that was fully packed, and felt it like cement when I fell, immediately after leaving the lift. So my friends instructed me on how to ski, and off they went. Yes they passed me three times as I attempted to roll down the mountain. I would ski about ten feet and fall, my skis would cross and fall off. But I was determined to make it down the mountain.
Did I make it down the mountain? Yep, via the emergency medical/rescue team. About half way down they came for me. The medic said, hey we’ve been watching you for a while and we just can’t watch it any longer. So they loaded me in the rescue basket and down the mountain I went, backwards and very quickly.
My friends when they finally met up with me in the bar of the ski lodge, found this hysterically funny. Me, not so much. It’s very funny now, but then I was tired, cold and bruised. My pride was damaged because I had to be rescued, and also my feelings were hurt because they just left me on the side of a mountain. In their defense I don’t think they thought I would struggle, they had hope in my skill, and ability to catch on. They had never been skiing with anyone like me before! Lol
I wanted to keep on going, I was going to make it on my own, but that was not wise. I had to trust the experts when they said, enough!
God does that you know, He will let you know when it’s enough, and when He is Enough. He will let your heart know when it’s time to give up and give Him opportunity, when it is time to let that thing you’ve been holding onto die.
For some it’s physical, really, I’ve lived with this ailment for so long it’s okay. For some it’s mental, you know when you convince yourself it’s just me. It’s a multitude of things that we don’t have to suffer with because God truly wants to rid us of it. He wants us to fully trust Him and let it go!
It is then that we are in that season of dying to ourselves and opening our hearts to rebirth.
What ever your struggle, God is with you.
So now that Spring has arrived, and Summer is quickly approaching, enjoy the newness and freshness of this season, and know that something may have had to die in order to fill this season with new life!
Sit back and breathe, and simply thank God, for His voice and His wisdom surrounds us.
See you next time!
Sunday, May 13, 2018
mommy! Mommy! MOMMY!
Welcome to Trace's Space! Happy Mother’s Day! Each and every holiday my mind gets consumed with memories of my mother. Mother’s Day for the past twenty six years has always been difficult, but as I get older I seem to miss my mother more so than ever.
I have had some very uncomfortable moments lately in coping with a loss that is not fresh but feels fresh every single day. That is how grief works, well for me anyway, no matter how long it has been it still feels like it just happened, and peeps, that’s okay!
Not only do I miss her, I miss the things that she has missed, birthdays, weddings, graduations, great grandchildren ( she would have loved all the babies). She has missed our failures and our triumps. She has missed our joy and our sorrows. But of all that saddens me, the thing that I find gut wrenching is the fact that my two youngest children remember very little of her.
I remember when she first passed that I struggled because I forgot the sound of her voice. Thankfully my sister in law video taped a couple family gatherings. But today we were talking and one of the kids said that they really don’t remember her...it made me so sad.
So I started sharing funny stuff about mom. I would describe her humor as awkward. She wasn’t really intentional in making people laugh, but she did. Hearing her bust a gut over something was truly special once she let go and let it happen. Sometimes I believe she saved laughter/joking for her closest friends or relatives. Honestly dad was the funny one, I guess you could say it was balanced.
Mom had the mother rage face that made you laugh...she wasn’t mean, she didn’t have to be, we were pretty good kids...we weren’t perfect, we got into trouble, but I don’t remember it ever being scary. Home was a safe place.
She loved movies. Everything from Cheech and Chong ( too funny, she tried not to laugh, Mike found her more funny than Up in Smoke) to Burt Renoylds, her favorite actor was Charles Bronson.
She was musically gifted, played piano by ear, and her musical tastes were all over the place (yeah, just like mine).
She took us to see “The Jerk”. I’ll leave it at that.
She was complicated, consumed by her love for her family, consumed by memories of her past, the most forgiving person I ever knew.
I believe her love for writing came from her love for history and geography. She was very intelligent, she had wanted to become a nurse. She did the crossword puzzle in the newspaper every day. She loved words, she had taken Latin in High School so she whizzed through those puzzles.
Any one was welcome in our home.
I guess when you think someone will be around forever you seem to not recognize the greatness of who they are until they are gone.
How I long to hear her mess up a perfectly good song by singing a rough harmony to it. How I long for a really well done hamburger. How I long for the smell of really strong coffee and ham. How I long for the break peddle being pushed by the passenger as I drove (yes and she’d grab your arm too). How I long to hear her laughing as she talked long distance to her cousin Barbara. How I long to see her taking care of someone who had lost everything, making sure their kids had. By golly I just want good macaroni salad, my sister in law has mastered the pie crust!
I miss her so much.
I would like to think that God let’s her have a little peek of what we have all become.
Yes this Mothers Day, I pay tribute to one of the greatest, mine. I find some comfort in knowing she will never suffer, and that she is with Jesus, and that we will see each other again someday! She would not dig this sadness I feel, but it’s okay, that’s what she would say, it’s okay... cherish your mother if you still have her, life is too short to not!
See you next time.
I have had some very uncomfortable moments lately in coping with a loss that is not fresh but feels fresh every single day. That is how grief works, well for me anyway, no matter how long it has been it still feels like it just happened, and peeps, that’s okay!
Not only do I miss her, I miss the things that she has missed, birthdays, weddings, graduations, great grandchildren ( she would have loved all the babies). She has missed our failures and our triumps. She has missed our joy and our sorrows. But of all that saddens me, the thing that I find gut wrenching is the fact that my two youngest children remember very little of her.
I remember when she first passed that I struggled because I forgot the sound of her voice. Thankfully my sister in law video taped a couple family gatherings. But today we were talking and one of the kids said that they really don’t remember her...it made me so sad.
So I started sharing funny stuff about mom. I would describe her humor as awkward. She wasn’t really intentional in making people laugh, but she did. Hearing her bust a gut over something was truly special once she let go and let it happen. Sometimes I believe she saved laughter/joking for her closest friends or relatives. Honestly dad was the funny one, I guess you could say it was balanced.
Mom had the mother rage face that made you laugh...she wasn’t mean, she didn’t have to be, we were pretty good kids...we weren’t perfect, we got into trouble, but I don’t remember it ever being scary. Home was a safe place.
She loved movies. Everything from Cheech and Chong ( too funny, she tried not to laugh, Mike found her more funny than Up in Smoke) to Burt Renoylds, her favorite actor was Charles Bronson.
She was musically gifted, played piano by ear, and her musical tastes were all over the place (yeah, just like mine).
She took us to see “The Jerk”. I’ll leave it at that.
She was complicated, consumed by her love for her family, consumed by memories of her past, the most forgiving person I ever knew.
I believe her love for writing came from her love for history and geography. She was very intelligent, she had wanted to become a nurse. She did the crossword puzzle in the newspaper every day. She loved words, she had taken Latin in High School so she whizzed through those puzzles.
Any one was welcome in our home.
I guess when you think someone will be around forever you seem to not recognize the greatness of who they are until they are gone.
How I long to hear her mess up a perfectly good song by singing a rough harmony to it. How I long for a really well done hamburger. How I long for the smell of really strong coffee and ham. How I long for the break peddle being pushed by the passenger as I drove (yes and she’d grab your arm too). How I long to hear her laughing as she talked long distance to her cousin Barbara. How I long to see her taking care of someone who had lost everything, making sure their kids had. By golly I just want good macaroni salad, my sister in law has mastered the pie crust!
I miss her so much.
I would like to think that God let’s her have a little peek of what we have all become.
Yes this Mothers Day, I pay tribute to one of the greatest, mine. I find some comfort in knowing she will never suffer, and that she is with Jesus, and that we will see each other again someday! She would not dig this sadness I feel, but it’s okay, that’s what she would say, it’s okay... cherish your mother if you still have her, life is too short to not!
See you next time.
Sunday, April 29, 2018
So, It’s A Mystery Box!
Welcome to Trace’s Space! In my job I spend a lot of time taking notice of children what they know, what they do. What is the process, how do they get from point A to point B. What level of expertise or difficulty do they have in obtaining a goal. Children are enlightening, we can and should take notice, we can learn a lot about who we are from watching them.
So our Grandson Jase enjoys Lego’s. He loves to build, he loves to create. So I knew he was coming over today so I decided I would treat him to a very small LEGO set. This was not a typical set, it was a “Mystery” set. At first he was intrigued, the whole idea of it being a mystery was very appealing.
So he quickly rips open the box, pulls out the bag of various shaped and sized legos, and the instruction book. He’s immediately says, “Mawmaw, what is this suppose to be?” I answer, “ I don’t know, it’s a mystery.”
His demeanor changes. Not that he is overwhelmed, this immediately becomes serious business. The instructions for these sets show you exactly what pieces you need for each section, so even though he didn’t know exactly what was being built, he had the plan, a visual aide to help him along. So about thirty minutes later he was finished not only with the five items in the set, but with also creating something from the leftover pieces.
He never gave up, he just followed the plan. He is five.
How often do we give up when something we are struggling with deviates from what we know or what we need to see? Even if there is a plan, how often do we throw up our hands and say forget it because we have no clue in how it’s going to turn out.
See life is a mystery, and in a sense the things and the ways of God are too. A lot of Who He is, is revealed in His word, but so much more as we simply live. We really never know what’s coming unless we plan, or have been given a plan. So much of our life journey is trial and error, and so much of our journey needs to be trust driven.
We often find ourselves future tripping trying to figure it all out with out a set of instructions, that is life. Our mind game or visually created trip is always much worse than the actual journey, see that’s how it is when we try to figure it out on our own. But sometimes it is what it is.
Jase wanted to go off plan when he was finishing up because there were left over blocks. The problem was the pieces were random, using his mind and having vision, he created exactly what his imagination saw, it made little sense to no one but him, and that was fine, but for the rest of us, is being so random ok? Perhaps! See again it’s trust!
Sometimes we need to just go with it. That is very hard for most folks. I am a ducks in a row girl, so going a little rogue is hard for me. I need rules, I need order, although when I was a kid that wasn’t reality! I was the poster child for ADHD, lol! But as I grew older I found my ability to function was controlled by order, it’s what I need. I have to be given a plan.
So I pray a lot for direction and clarity of His plans for me, because even though I have walked a lot of my journey with Him, I’m still a little lost! My life is still has a lot of mystery left to it.
I guess what I’m trying to say is our mysterious life should be looks upon as an adventure. We may be often surprised by outcomes but in the end it’s all good because our God is Faithful. We have to learn to lean on Him for understanding and simply trust Him.
Lord today I pray for understanding and clarity. I pray that I am walking the path and following the plan you have for my life! Lord I also pray to you on behalf of those who are reading this, that they too embrace You for who You are, Amen.
See you next time.
So our Grandson Jase enjoys Lego’s. He loves to build, he loves to create. So I knew he was coming over today so I decided I would treat him to a very small LEGO set. This was not a typical set, it was a “Mystery” set. At first he was intrigued, the whole idea of it being a mystery was very appealing.
So he quickly rips open the box, pulls out the bag of various shaped and sized legos, and the instruction book. He’s immediately says, “Mawmaw, what is this suppose to be?” I answer, “ I don’t know, it’s a mystery.”
His demeanor changes. Not that he is overwhelmed, this immediately becomes serious business. The instructions for these sets show you exactly what pieces you need for each section, so even though he didn’t know exactly what was being built, he had the plan, a visual aide to help him along. So about thirty minutes later he was finished not only with the five items in the set, but with also creating something from the leftover pieces.
He never gave up, he just followed the plan. He is five.
How often do we give up when something we are struggling with deviates from what we know or what we need to see? Even if there is a plan, how often do we throw up our hands and say forget it because we have no clue in how it’s going to turn out.
See life is a mystery, and in a sense the things and the ways of God are too. A lot of Who He is, is revealed in His word, but so much more as we simply live. We really never know what’s coming unless we plan, or have been given a plan. So much of our life journey is trial and error, and so much of our journey needs to be trust driven.
We often find ourselves future tripping trying to figure it all out with out a set of instructions, that is life. Our mind game or visually created trip is always much worse than the actual journey, see that’s how it is when we try to figure it out on our own. But sometimes it is what it is.
Jase wanted to go off plan when he was finishing up because there were left over blocks. The problem was the pieces were random, using his mind and having vision, he created exactly what his imagination saw, it made little sense to no one but him, and that was fine, but for the rest of us, is being so random ok? Perhaps! See again it’s trust!
Sometimes we need to just go with it. That is very hard for most folks. I am a ducks in a row girl, so going a little rogue is hard for me. I need rules, I need order, although when I was a kid that wasn’t reality! I was the poster child for ADHD, lol! But as I grew older I found my ability to function was controlled by order, it’s what I need. I have to be given a plan.
So I pray a lot for direction and clarity of His plans for me, because even though I have walked a lot of my journey with Him, I’m still a little lost! My life is still has a lot of mystery left to it.
I guess what I’m trying to say is our mysterious life should be looks upon as an adventure. We may be often surprised by outcomes but in the end it’s all good because our God is Faithful. We have to learn to lean on Him for understanding and simply trust Him.
Lord today I pray for understanding and clarity. I pray that I am walking the path and following the plan you have for my life! Lord I also pray to you on behalf of those who are reading this, that they too embrace You for who You are, Amen.
See you next time.
Saturday, April 28, 2018
Take Me To Your Leader
Welcome to Trace’s Space. Being a leader is not easy. In one way or another, we all have opportunities to lead others in some way or another. Whether we are technically a supervisor, or in charge of a group of folks in an informal way, life tends to pull us in that direction at some point.
This week a phrase from a the Bethel song, “ It is Well” has been on my mind. “ The wind and Waves still know His Name”.
I have been thinking about the disciples, and how interesting, even though the disciples chose to follow Jesus, they spent the majority of their time with Him learning to be led by Him. They felt drawn, they witnessed the miracles, they heard the words, yet, they still had to be taught to be led.
The qualities of leadership vary depending on the task, but when I think about effective leadership, I think about folks who are kind, expect your best, take notice of it, and never shame you, even when you may have it coming. I know sometimes a leader has to deal with uncomfortable situations, but, response and delivery doesn’t need to be cruel, ruling with a whip gets you no where. A leader never sends a bolder rolling at you from the top of the mountain, they jump in the way, and protect who they are leading, they take the bolder with you, even if it means being shoved into a valley!
Years ago when our son played football, my husband decided coaching was his deal. I would love to say that Mike excelled at the logistics of football and teaching the kids valuable playing skills, but I don’t believe that was his thing, he’s a musician! But, he cared about these boys. See in our community there are a lot of kids that wouldn’t have a way to practice or games, for some money to play was a miracle in itself. He even moved these kids into a different league so that a guy with a troubled past could help coach, the reason being this guy deserved a second chance.
These boys did not win one game. It didn’t matter. What happened even though they looked humiliated, they were proud, and they tried, and they respected coach Mike.
I remember being beyond angry with my husband. These kids had no way to get where they needed to be so he loaded them up in the back of our pick up truck! My God, what was he thinking? He was like “Trace, what am I suppose to do?”
Because of his leadership, these boys who are almost thirty, when they see him out somewhere get excited yell out to him, and most times, greet with a handshake that leads to a hug. He cared for them and they knew it. He was a good leader!
He looked beyond their circumstances, he provided their need, and he legitimately cared for them! It was REAL!
When Jesus and the disciples where out on the sea in the storm, those men were panicking, Jesus slept, and when they finally went to Him and He spoke to the wind and to the waves, and the storm stopped, their response was, even the wind and sea knows His name. In other words, they knew (wind and waves) Who was speaking to them, and it was almost like the twelve were in shock that Jesus could calm the storm.
Time after time each event was a learning experience, a trust building exercise, even though they knew, they didn’t, if that makes sense. They constantly were learning. They often questioned Him, but He knew their hearts, He knew His plan, He knew He was leading the right group! He never gave up on them, He never gives up on you.
People gravitate towards positive influences, they produce well when they feel valued. Being a leader isn’t easy, it is also a position to not take lightly. A good leader puts on your shoes even when they don’t fit, they walk your path with you, sometimes without you... they care...when some one asks you to take them to your leader, you aren’t afraid to.
Just like God, where He leads I will follow, and when I need Him I go, I am not afraid to take folks with me, because He is Who He says He is! He is my Leader! Amen? Yes!
Lord today I pray for folks in leadership positions, whether it in ministry, or in the world at any level. I pray that You guide their thoughts, give them wisdom, and guard their hearts. I also pray for those who follow, that you give them the grace to follow, and an open heart and mind to accept their leadership and the wisdom to learn. This I pray in Your Name, Amen.
See you next time.
This week a phrase from a the Bethel song, “ It is Well” has been on my mind. “ The wind and Waves still know His Name”.
I have been thinking about the disciples, and how interesting, even though the disciples chose to follow Jesus, they spent the majority of their time with Him learning to be led by Him. They felt drawn, they witnessed the miracles, they heard the words, yet, they still had to be taught to be led.
The qualities of leadership vary depending on the task, but when I think about effective leadership, I think about folks who are kind, expect your best, take notice of it, and never shame you, even when you may have it coming. I know sometimes a leader has to deal with uncomfortable situations, but, response and delivery doesn’t need to be cruel, ruling with a whip gets you no where. A leader never sends a bolder rolling at you from the top of the mountain, they jump in the way, and protect who they are leading, they take the bolder with you, even if it means being shoved into a valley!
Years ago when our son played football, my husband decided coaching was his deal. I would love to say that Mike excelled at the logistics of football and teaching the kids valuable playing skills, but I don’t believe that was his thing, he’s a musician! But, he cared about these boys. See in our community there are a lot of kids that wouldn’t have a way to practice or games, for some money to play was a miracle in itself. He even moved these kids into a different league so that a guy with a troubled past could help coach, the reason being this guy deserved a second chance.
These boys did not win one game. It didn’t matter. What happened even though they looked humiliated, they were proud, and they tried, and they respected coach Mike.
I remember being beyond angry with my husband. These kids had no way to get where they needed to be so he loaded them up in the back of our pick up truck! My God, what was he thinking? He was like “Trace, what am I suppose to do?”
Because of his leadership, these boys who are almost thirty, when they see him out somewhere get excited yell out to him, and most times, greet with a handshake that leads to a hug. He cared for them and they knew it. He was a good leader!
He looked beyond their circumstances, he provided their need, and he legitimately cared for them! It was REAL!
When Jesus and the disciples where out on the sea in the storm, those men were panicking, Jesus slept, and when they finally went to Him and He spoke to the wind and to the waves, and the storm stopped, their response was, even the wind and sea knows His name. In other words, they knew (wind and waves) Who was speaking to them, and it was almost like the twelve were in shock that Jesus could calm the storm.
Time after time each event was a learning experience, a trust building exercise, even though they knew, they didn’t, if that makes sense. They constantly were learning. They often questioned Him, but He knew their hearts, He knew His plan, He knew He was leading the right group! He never gave up on them, He never gives up on you.
People gravitate towards positive influences, they produce well when they feel valued. Being a leader isn’t easy, it is also a position to not take lightly. A good leader puts on your shoes even when they don’t fit, they walk your path with you, sometimes without you... they care...when some one asks you to take them to your leader, you aren’t afraid to.
Just like God, where He leads I will follow, and when I need Him I go, I am not afraid to take folks with me, because He is Who He says He is! He is my Leader! Amen? Yes!
Lord today I pray for folks in leadership positions, whether it in ministry, or in the world at any level. I pray that You guide their thoughts, give them wisdom, and guard their hearts. I also pray for those who follow, that you give them the grace to follow, and an open heart and mind to accept their leadership and the wisdom to learn. This I pray in Your Name, Amen.
See you next time.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
They Couldn’t Buy A Clue, So He Paid!
Welcome To Trace’s Space. Hosanna! Glory to the Highest ! Words that came from the mouths of the clueless as Jesus entered Jerusalem. I know that sounds harsh, but it was the reality of the moment, these same folks who were praising the King they had long awaited for, would be the same folks six days later selling him off to die so that a murderer could be free.
They did not know. As Jesus was being crucified, He asked the Father to forgive them, for they knew not what they were doing. For three years He had been walking amongst them being about the Fathers business, healing, preaching, raising folks from the dead, but somehow the witnesses to the Man, their Messiah, had been swayed by public opinion and fear of the government, and they managed to go into complete denial of who He was/is.
Even the twelve, His friends were quick to deny Him. One even sold His whereabouts for a few coins. Tough times in the Holy Land.
Tough times in our land, America. The simulairites to that time and ours is so amazing. Our country is in turmoil, everybody looking for an answer, everybody blaming everyone else, everybody selling off one another in order to gain something, the only difference is, we aren’t selling off our Messiah, or are we?
We have lost a concept or two, or three, or many. Someone asked today, what if none of us are right? The question really had little to do with faith, but depending on where you stand, it could have everything to do with faith. See we all have our opinions on what is wrong or right with the world today. We have this influx of information and that information can lead us in many directions, the problem is, how much if it is truth? How much is biased, how much is based on actual facts, how much of it is what we think we hear, or what we want to hear? How confusing is it all? We all process information differently, then we form our opinion.
From gun control to gender, from politics to religion, we all have a thought or two. Who is right? We can’t even respect anyone’s opinion, or at the very least, let them complete a sentence. It seems like the right for public opinion has been outlawed unless it’s popular. But who decides that? WHO IS RIGHT?
We are clueless.
See history repeats itself, we are human and we tend to forget, tend to not care unless it directly effects us. See there is a pattern here. A repeat. The crowd was somehow convinced that they wanted Barrabas. Even though Jesus too was standing there, they forgot or never really knew their Messiah, their salvation, that was about to be sent to die by those He came to save.
They were clueless. Swayed by public opinion, or fear.
The good news is though, even though we don’t get it, there is hope! Even though we can’t buy a clue, someone has already paid full price for our inability to catch on to that which is right. Our human nature will some day leave this world and our spirit will dwell where earthly matters won’t be so important.
We need to put the petty aside, live for Jesus.
Who’s right? I don’t know. But what I do know is, I have decided to follow His lead, and pray for forgiveness, because I need to daily. I need to pray for those who I disagree with and pray that God help me understand and vice versa. What are the answers? God only knows!
Amen? Absolutely!
See you next time.
They did not know. As Jesus was being crucified, He asked the Father to forgive them, for they knew not what they were doing. For three years He had been walking amongst them being about the Fathers business, healing, preaching, raising folks from the dead, but somehow the witnesses to the Man, their Messiah, had been swayed by public opinion and fear of the government, and they managed to go into complete denial of who He was/is.
Even the twelve, His friends were quick to deny Him. One even sold His whereabouts for a few coins. Tough times in the Holy Land.
Tough times in our land, America. The simulairites to that time and ours is so amazing. Our country is in turmoil, everybody looking for an answer, everybody blaming everyone else, everybody selling off one another in order to gain something, the only difference is, we aren’t selling off our Messiah, or are we?
We have lost a concept or two, or three, or many. Someone asked today, what if none of us are right? The question really had little to do with faith, but depending on where you stand, it could have everything to do with faith. See we all have our opinions on what is wrong or right with the world today. We have this influx of information and that information can lead us in many directions, the problem is, how much if it is truth? How much is biased, how much is based on actual facts, how much of it is what we think we hear, or what we want to hear? How confusing is it all? We all process information differently, then we form our opinion.
From gun control to gender, from politics to religion, we all have a thought or two. Who is right? We can’t even respect anyone’s opinion, or at the very least, let them complete a sentence. It seems like the right for public opinion has been outlawed unless it’s popular. But who decides that? WHO IS RIGHT?
We are clueless.
See history repeats itself, we are human and we tend to forget, tend to not care unless it directly effects us. See there is a pattern here. A repeat. The crowd was somehow convinced that they wanted Barrabas. Even though Jesus too was standing there, they forgot or never really knew their Messiah, their salvation, that was about to be sent to die by those He came to save.
They were clueless. Swayed by public opinion, or fear.
The good news is though, even though we don’t get it, there is hope! Even though we can’t buy a clue, someone has already paid full price for our inability to catch on to that which is right. Our human nature will some day leave this world and our spirit will dwell where earthly matters won’t be so important.
We need to put the petty aside, live for Jesus.
Who’s right? I don’t know. But what I do know is, I have decided to follow His lead, and pray for forgiveness, because I need to daily. I need to pray for those who I disagree with and pray that God help me understand and vice versa. What are the answers? God only knows!
Amen? Absolutely!
See you next time.
Sunday, March 18, 2018
This Is My Story, This Is My Song!
Welcome to Trace’s Space. My grandson and I were hanging out yesterday, and he said something and I immediately broke out into song. He says, “ Mamaw why you singing.” And I said, “ Jase I could probably come up with a song about anything!” I believe at first he was amazed by my skill, then he became annoyed and asked me to stop.
But it is true, no matter the subject matter, I can come up with something, because music for me has always been my happy place. As a child I remember the neighbor guy yelling for me to shut up because I was hanging upside down on the swingset singing opera. I would sing songs I knew, that I made up. I absorbed songs and they became part of me, if that makes sense. For every life event there is some song attached to it...Music is the clearest attribute connected to my soul.
There are times when I am troubled, the safest place I can be, is sitting on my bed, iPad in hand earphones in place, and music blaring. There are also times that in that escape I find myself dancing like no one is watching, or drowning in tears. There is freedom there for me. I can leave my space, and just drift away completely into what I am listening to.
No Segway! Here we go!
So, I wanted to be a star! This is actually pretty funny. I was about thirteen years old and Jamboree USA was having a star search. I wanted to to this thing, you know, to compete to sing so badly, that I could taste it. Since it was country music I decided that I would learn a little ditty called. “ Heavens Just A Sin Away,” by the Kendall’s. This was my song selection and ticket to stardom. Remember I was thirteen. So I get dressed up in my light blue pantsuit, with light blue ruffled blouse, adorned with really big bow, and along with my parents and little brother, off to Wheeling we went. We sat in on the show that evening, then proceeded to take my walk up the stairway to stardom. Lots of famous folks had climbed those stairs, every step had someones star studded name on it. It was dark and smokie, and scary. So we get to the top of the stairs, I turn to my dad and say, “I can’t do it!” I believe Dad breathed a sigh of relief, and gave a smile, and home we went.
I always chuckle about my road to fame, well, my pothole filled road to fame. Did that experience make my dream go away, no, but it changed how I viewed how I was going to do what I loved just because I love it. Or how God was going to bless me, with serving Him, by giving me the desire of my heart.
I love to praise and worship. I know it’s the call I have on my life, and I feel honored every time I stand in the Presence of God and His folks, and help them to engage in Worship. It is the most freeing place I know. To me it is the ultimate chain breaker, healing, safest place I know. When I speak on Worship music time, it’s like I am talking about one of my children. It is more than a song, it’s a way of life. Well for me anyway...
This is my story, this is my song, is a line from the Hymn, “Blessed Assurance”. We sang that today during worship, and as we sang it was so clear to me, the message of the of the chorus, this is MY story, this is MY song. That moment in time, that lyric inspired by someone else’s journey, defined mine. We all have a hymn, a spiritual song, not always attached to musical notes, but totally adorned with melody. Whether it be major keys full of fun and simplicities, or minor keys full of depth or desperation, our lives, our journey flows like a song.
I totally thanked God for my journey today, for my song. Because no matter how tough the piece, my song has been beautiful, and will continue to be so.
So today I pray that you too find your hymn, your song, that you find peace in your journey, you find a place of comfort, and when you are at your lowest, just sing! Help us to remember that our journey is so, so long, with out you Lord!Amen.
“This my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long, this is my story this is my song, Praising my savior, All the day long!”
-Blessed Assurance
Phoebe Palmer Knapp
See you next time!
But it is true, no matter the subject matter, I can come up with something, because music for me has always been my happy place. As a child I remember the neighbor guy yelling for me to shut up because I was hanging upside down on the swingset singing opera. I would sing songs I knew, that I made up. I absorbed songs and they became part of me, if that makes sense. For every life event there is some song attached to it...Music is the clearest attribute connected to my soul.
There are times when I am troubled, the safest place I can be, is sitting on my bed, iPad in hand earphones in place, and music blaring. There are also times that in that escape I find myself dancing like no one is watching, or drowning in tears. There is freedom there for me. I can leave my space, and just drift away completely into what I am listening to.
No Segway! Here we go!
So, I wanted to be a star! This is actually pretty funny. I was about thirteen years old and Jamboree USA was having a star search. I wanted to to this thing, you know, to compete to sing so badly, that I could taste it. Since it was country music I decided that I would learn a little ditty called. “ Heavens Just A Sin Away,” by the Kendall’s. This was my song selection and ticket to stardom. Remember I was thirteen. So I get dressed up in my light blue pantsuit, with light blue ruffled blouse, adorned with really big bow, and along with my parents and little brother, off to Wheeling we went. We sat in on the show that evening, then proceeded to take my walk up the stairway to stardom. Lots of famous folks had climbed those stairs, every step had someones star studded name on it. It was dark and smokie, and scary. So we get to the top of the stairs, I turn to my dad and say, “I can’t do it!” I believe Dad breathed a sigh of relief, and gave a smile, and home we went.
I always chuckle about my road to fame, well, my pothole filled road to fame. Did that experience make my dream go away, no, but it changed how I viewed how I was going to do what I loved just because I love it. Or how God was going to bless me, with serving Him, by giving me the desire of my heart.
I love to praise and worship. I know it’s the call I have on my life, and I feel honored every time I stand in the Presence of God and His folks, and help them to engage in Worship. It is the most freeing place I know. To me it is the ultimate chain breaker, healing, safest place I know. When I speak on Worship music time, it’s like I am talking about one of my children. It is more than a song, it’s a way of life. Well for me anyway...
This is my story, this is my song, is a line from the Hymn, “Blessed Assurance”. We sang that today during worship, and as we sang it was so clear to me, the message of the of the chorus, this is MY story, this is MY song. That moment in time, that lyric inspired by someone else’s journey, defined mine. We all have a hymn, a spiritual song, not always attached to musical notes, but totally adorned with melody. Whether it be major keys full of fun and simplicities, or minor keys full of depth or desperation, our lives, our journey flows like a song.
I totally thanked God for my journey today, for my song. Because no matter how tough the piece, my song has been beautiful, and will continue to be so.
So today I pray that you too find your hymn, your song, that you find peace in your journey, you find a place of comfort, and when you are at your lowest, just sing! Help us to remember that our journey is so, so long, with out you Lord!Amen.
“This my story, this is my song, Praising my Savior all the day long, this is my story this is my song, Praising my savior, All the day long!”
-Blessed Assurance
Phoebe Palmer Knapp
See you next time!
Saturday, March 17, 2018
Warped Theology
Welcome to Trace’s Space. What do you believe? What do you define as truth? When we look at religion, or journies of faith, or simply our relationships with God, how sure are we that what we know is truth or warped theology?
I have been thinking about my own faith journey a lot lately, where I have been, and where I am, and whether or not you realize it or not, each one of us have a path and it’s all different. We all have different relationships and styles of communicating with God, if we even communicate or acknowledge Him as our Savior at all.
When do we pray, how do we pray, do you wither or thou, or do you just say hey God? What version of the Bible is most accurate, do we invest in a commentary so we can gain understanding, do we google bible facts, or do we just dive into the Bible and pray for understanding?
I find myself struggling sometimes because I am part of a generation that has been encouraged to seek knowledge in order to find or have truth revealed to me, then I find I am up against the newest generation of non-thinkers and data driven folks that think things are simply as they are based on literal information and surface facts. They do not dig deep into anything, and they certainly don’t ask for information, or if they do, they act like they hear you, but at the end of the conversation they will do what they are going to do anyway! The struggle is real!
I feel like the village idiot! Experience speaks nothing to these folks. They need instant facts in order to obtain instant gratification. I am a firm believer in the “on time God”. What do I mean by that, I believe that His timing is perfect, we may want Him to respond instantly, or to simply just get it instantly, but it’s not always the case.
There is not a whole lot that is logical in the worldly perspective about God. As a deep thinker, don’t laugh too hard there, but as a deep thinker logic messes with faith in big ways. But as I have grown and gotten more familiar with the TRUE character of God, logic basically changes it’s appearance and manifests itself into a Faith full of Hope.
I have never seen a instant miracle of healing, the blind to see or deaf to hear, or lame to walk, but I know with every ounce of my being that God does heal folks. I know that God has used doctors and given them wisdom in order to assist in healing. I have a very good friend who is an example of God putting the right Doctor in her path, she would not be here today if not for this Doctor and his wisdom. To add to this, the Doctor, a man of great faith!
In an earlier blog I talked about getting understanding and never knowing why, again I believe there are some mysteries that will never be answered in this life. I do not know why children are abused or starve, why some live, some don’t, but what I do know is God offers hope. That’s a hard pill to swallow if you are ill, or have lost someone close to you, but in those desperate seasons, sometimes God is all you have to hang onto, and there is great comfort in that. Sometimes He is the only one you can cry out to, scream at, be angry with ( I know you shouldn’t but if we are honest, He knows we are angry, so don’t be hiding behind a bush like Adam, He knows our heart), talk to Him.
Guard your heart and be careful who you listen to. There are many voices out there, some even with good intentions. Job had good friends, they listened then gave him crappy advice. He knew God, and even though he had lost everything, he knew God would come through. He lost his children his wife, his wealth, yet he still sought and trusted God. But on the flip side of that God allowed this mess with Job because He knew him. Their relationship was real. He knew Job would not lose sight of who his God is and would continue to have faith no matter how horrible it got.
Warped theology. We all have our ideas on what is truth and what is not. We know how we would like it to be, but God’s word is specific on how it is to be. I encourage you, dive in. There are lots of opportunities to find a bible study out there or even find one online. God wants you to get to know Him, His desire is to love on you and extend, love mercy, grace and hope!
See you next time!
I have been thinking about my own faith journey a lot lately, where I have been, and where I am, and whether or not you realize it or not, each one of us have a path and it’s all different. We all have different relationships and styles of communicating with God, if we even communicate or acknowledge Him as our Savior at all.
When do we pray, how do we pray, do you wither or thou, or do you just say hey God? What version of the Bible is most accurate, do we invest in a commentary so we can gain understanding, do we google bible facts, or do we just dive into the Bible and pray for understanding?
I find myself struggling sometimes because I am part of a generation that has been encouraged to seek knowledge in order to find or have truth revealed to me, then I find I am up against the newest generation of non-thinkers and data driven folks that think things are simply as they are based on literal information and surface facts. They do not dig deep into anything, and they certainly don’t ask for information, or if they do, they act like they hear you, but at the end of the conversation they will do what they are going to do anyway! The struggle is real!
I feel like the village idiot! Experience speaks nothing to these folks. They need instant facts in order to obtain instant gratification. I am a firm believer in the “on time God”. What do I mean by that, I believe that His timing is perfect, we may want Him to respond instantly, or to simply just get it instantly, but it’s not always the case.
There is not a whole lot that is logical in the worldly perspective about God. As a deep thinker, don’t laugh too hard there, but as a deep thinker logic messes with faith in big ways. But as I have grown and gotten more familiar with the TRUE character of God, logic basically changes it’s appearance and manifests itself into a Faith full of Hope.
I have never seen a instant miracle of healing, the blind to see or deaf to hear, or lame to walk, but I know with every ounce of my being that God does heal folks. I know that God has used doctors and given them wisdom in order to assist in healing. I have a very good friend who is an example of God putting the right Doctor in her path, she would not be here today if not for this Doctor and his wisdom. To add to this, the Doctor, a man of great faith!
In an earlier blog I talked about getting understanding and never knowing why, again I believe there are some mysteries that will never be answered in this life. I do not know why children are abused or starve, why some live, some don’t, but what I do know is God offers hope. That’s a hard pill to swallow if you are ill, or have lost someone close to you, but in those desperate seasons, sometimes God is all you have to hang onto, and there is great comfort in that. Sometimes He is the only one you can cry out to, scream at, be angry with ( I know you shouldn’t but if we are honest, He knows we are angry, so don’t be hiding behind a bush like Adam, He knows our heart), talk to Him.
Guard your heart and be careful who you listen to. There are many voices out there, some even with good intentions. Job had good friends, they listened then gave him crappy advice. He knew God, and even though he had lost everything, he knew God would come through. He lost his children his wife, his wealth, yet he still sought and trusted God. But on the flip side of that God allowed this mess with Job because He knew him. Their relationship was real. He knew Job would not lose sight of who his God is and would continue to have faith no matter how horrible it got.
Warped theology. We all have our ideas on what is truth and what is not. We know how we would like it to be, but God’s word is specific on how it is to be. I encourage you, dive in. There are lots of opportunities to find a bible study out there or even find one online. God wants you to get to know Him, His desire is to love on you and extend, love mercy, grace and hope!
See you next time!
Saturday, March 10, 2018
Clouded Chaos
Welcome to Trace’s Space. Was thinking about this today. When you come from a home that is nothing but chaos, it is only natural for you to engage in what you know. If you have never had boundaries, or been taught basic life skills it is difficult to comply. If we are real here folks, children who live this struggle, can’t learn until a behavior is actually addressed. Sure they are street smart, and in that alone is why they strive to be in control, natural leaders, but not good ones.
See you next time!
We can be kind and nurture, but it’s not enough.
We are missing something.
I think often about my first year at my job and how the classroom I was in was the last room to be filled. I think out of 20 kids we had four who could handle the day. People would walk past our room and look in the window to see what craziness was happening in there. We had parents ask to have their children moved to other rooms. It was my first taste of early childhood reality. It was bitter.
I often wonder what made me stay.
Actually I know. I prayed myself into this job. I kind of knew after a random hug from a three year old that it was my fate. This little one had it tough, so did we. It was a tough time in the Horne household, but that is a story for another time. See we have been right where some of the folks that myself and my co-workers work with, and, hey! we might actually still be there.
For every ounce of crazy I encountered that first year, there were prayers that went up. I remember holding an escapee and praying that God would make him rest! Please God! He was mean, he was big, and he could toss a table... but in all that, I loved that baby. He was three.
We had it all, from kids who didn’t want to go home, to one who would grow up to be a chemist. Yes, a legit chemist. It was so hard. Every heartache went Home with me, every broken family went home with me... my mind was consumed with the brokenness. My five year old son said to me, mom I don’t want to hear about them anymore. But they were part of me, and still are. That part of what happens in my daily life has not changed, I bring it home, if you don’t, you are not human.
Since the beginning of time families have been living in chaos. The very first family in the Bible was full of deceit, and violence, brought on by manipulation. When it started out I believe there was no intent to change the destiny of the human race, but their flesh got in the way and they got caught up in wanting more. After partaking in the one thing God told them they could not have, they were ashamed not just because they were naked physically, but their sin was very much transparent to God. He told them not to eat of the fruit, they did. That fruit wasn’t what we think it was, they tasted and saw for the very first time, sin and shame. It quickly spread into their family and the first murder took place because of jealousy, not just jealousy because of family favoritism but because one brother who chose to follow God was being blessed! Cain didn’t have to tell God He killed Abel, He already knew, God already knew Adam and Eve were naked, until they ate the fruit, they didn’t know, naked was well, just naked! This family had become a hot mess! It doesn’t say God turned His back on them, sin and all, they were still His.
The Bible is full of folks just like us, good, bad and ugly, yet God still loves us, hot messes and all!
Children become what they see and hear. If your home is full of chaos day in and day out, it is very difficult to learn to live outside of it. Imagine being three or four and constantly being exposed to drug and alcohol abuse, or physical or sexual violence. Being talked to like you are an animal, then being placed somewhere that you are expected to comply. To follow rules, adapt to routines, to learn. No matter how safe, how calm, for that child it’s unnatural. It’s about survival, and if that means trying to draw folks into their chaos, that’s exactly what they try to do. Now here is where I add the not all kids act out, or some kids have medical issues that cause behaviors, or for every five you have that act out you have three kids who have been blessed with what we would consider normal chaos! Does that make sense?
I guess the whole point here is, we all have chaos in our lives and sometimes we are so consumed in our own we cease to notice how hard life is for others.
I wish I could fix it. I wish children didn’t have to suffer because of the poor life choices of their parents. I wish I could calm the chaos.
Lord today I pray for all children, that You Lord extend a hand of calmness and soothe their little souls. That they somehow find their way through the chaos and confusion that this wor,d deals them every day! Let them run and play, and dance in fields of Grace! This I pray, Amen!See you next time!
Saturday, March 3, 2018
Polar Opposite
Welcome to Trace’s Space. At work we have magnetic wands, you know those things old ladies use at bingo to pick up their bingo chips. Because magnets have a positive and negative end, when you try to put them together using the same positive energy (or negative), no matter how hard you try you can’t force them together.
Science is a cool thing!
Lately I have been feeling so disconnected. No matter where I go or what I do, I sense this energy that makes me feel not wanted. I play these scenarios in my head, is it my age, my weight, my looks, my smile or lack their of? Are people tired of me, is my knowledge out dated not relatable for this time? Do the things that connected me to others not matter any longer? I can be in a room full of folks and feel alone, am I depressed? What is wrong with me?
Are you there? Stick with me here!
If we are honest more of us are there than care to admit.
First of all I have been not feeling well, so I get that, I’m super sensitive, but ugh, what a lonely place this is. It’s in this season of darkness a person such as I needs TLC, and because we have not been a supplier of that for others, I guess folks just figure we are hard and don’t need it.
I’m not good at that touchy feely reaching out and hugging stuff. While you can read my face, I hide a lot in my heart. While I don’t physically embrace folks, I am a easy conversationalist.
I see your face when you see me coming! Am I getting what’s coming to me? I assume folks prefer me to be silent. I am that person people see at Walmart and hide from.
I’m tired! Worn.
But what I sense is that this season of feeling sorry for myself is brought on by my illness, and I am pretty sure anyone who is wearing the shoes I have been handed, feels this pain.
So why am I sharing all of this?
Because transparency is abosolutely necessary in this crazy world. People need to know the state of mind of others in order to reach out. I’m not begging for attention, I am begging for awareness. To caution others of how we are capable of hurting others just by a look on the face, or not even giving a look. Trust me this is all stuff I have done! I spent time with God repenting for how I have treated and felt about others because I am sure I am feeling this because I have been hateful and jealous and not willing to connect. Not willing to give of myself to spend time with someone who is hurting.
For looking at folks as not being relevant, not valuing thoughts of others no matter how great they are or are not. We are mean to one another. We all need to change!
With all the news focus these days being about bullies, you know from the very top to the bottom, there is this easy pattern we can get into, and we are all prone to inferiority complexes. We have talents, gifting, knowledge, whatever, but we need to remember to whom we belong and where those things come from. Point blank, we need to REMEMBER where we come from.
Jesus knew exactly how folks felt about Him. Before his feet touched the earth He knew there would be very few that would get who He is. He had to identify Himself as I Am. It was simple, so those around Him could understand the deity was not complicated. He shook off the haters and got about the Fathers business.
I don’t imagine that was easy, but He is perfect, and guess what, we are not!
This season of polar opposite will pass for me, I am sure, but please if you get nothing else from this, reach out. Be conscious of how you respond to others. Reach out and love on others!
If you are suffering find a friend, seek help.
Lord today, I pray for the broken and hurting, that when folks see them they reach out and love on them, Lord help me to be better at that too. This world is darker every day, help us to be light, and show folks more of You! You are Love, and through You we are able! Amen
See you next time
Science is a cool thing!
Lately I have been feeling so disconnected. No matter where I go or what I do, I sense this energy that makes me feel not wanted. I play these scenarios in my head, is it my age, my weight, my looks, my smile or lack their of? Are people tired of me, is my knowledge out dated not relatable for this time? Do the things that connected me to others not matter any longer? I can be in a room full of folks and feel alone, am I depressed? What is wrong with me?
Are you there? Stick with me here!
If we are honest more of us are there than care to admit.
First of all I have been not feeling well, so I get that, I’m super sensitive, but ugh, what a lonely place this is. It’s in this season of darkness a person such as I needs TLC, and because we have not been a supplier of that for others, I guess folks just figure we are hard and don’t need it.
I’m not good at that touchy feely reaching out and hugging stuff. While you can read my face, I hide a lot in my heart. While I don’t physically embrace folks, I am a easy conversationalist.
I see your face when you see me coming! Am I getting what’s coming to me? I assume folks prefer me to be silent. I am that person people see at Walmart and hide from.
I’m tired! Worn.
But what I sense is that this season of feeling sorry for myself is brought on by my illness, and I am pretty sure anyone who is wearing the shoes I have been handed, feels this pain.
So why am I sharing all of this?
Because transparency is abosolutely necessary in this crazy world. People need to know the state of mind of others in order to reach out. I’m not begging for attention, I am begging for awareness. To caution others of how we are capable of hurting others just by a look on the face, or not even giving a look. Trust me this is all stuff I have done! I spent time with God repenting for how I have treated and felt about others because I am sure I am feeling this because I have been hateful and jealous and not willing to connect. Not willing to give of myself to spend time with someone who is hurting.
For looking at folks as not being relevant, not valuing thoughts of others no matter how great they are or are not. We are mean to one another. We all need to change!
With all the news focus these days being about bullies, you know from the very top to the bottom, there is this easy pattern we can get into, and we are all prone to inferiority complexes. We have talents, gifting, knowledge, whatever, but we need to remember to whom we belong and where those things come from. Point blank, we need to REMEMBER where we come from.
Jesus knew exactly how folks felt about Him. Before his feet touched the earth He knew there would be very few that would get who He is. He had to identify Himself as I Am. It was simple, so those around Him could understand the deity was not complicated. He shook off the haters and got about the Fathers business.
I don’t imagine that was easy, but He is perfect, and guess what, we are not!
This season of polar opposite will pass for me, I am sure, but please if you get nothing else from this, reach out. Be conscious of how you respond to others. Reach out and love on others!
If you are suffering find a friend, seek help.
Lord today, I pray for the broken and hurting, that when folks see them they reach out and love on them, Lord help me to be better at that too. This world is darker every day, help us to be light, and show folks more of You! You are Love, and through You we are able! Amen
See you next time
Sunday, February 25, 2018
Hansel and Gretel, She Can’t Devour You, But She'll Try.
Welcome to Trace’s Space. The world is scary, and our enemies are on the warpath ready to steal, kill and destroy, we seem to be spinning out of control, consumed by violence and non-willingness to stand for what is right... whether it is spiritual or not, we need to get over our daily offenses and stand strong and be courageous.
So Hansel and Gretel. You all know the story, they were disobedient, and decided to go where they were warned not to go. They went into the woods, left their crumbs for guidance and ended up captive at the home of someone who offered them sweets! You know the stuff that not only looks appealing but tastes good too. This place was soooooooo inviting. Captivated by the beauty of gumdrops and lollipops and the aroma of freshly baked bread. They were so hungry.
As quickly as the entered into what they believed to be pure joy, it was even quicker that they realized they were in really big trouble. This beautiful place was dangerous. The host was evil. Evil had found what they needed, food, and that was the only invitation they needed.
When I was a kid, I don’t remember being warned too much about where not to go. We went out early and played until well after dark. My mother had two rules, don’t play in the creek, and when I yell you better get your backside home. She knew where we were most of the time, we tended to feel guilty if we played in the creek because she told us not to... consequences of playing in the creek, my older brother got a whooping, my younger brother ended up with leeches, I don’t know which was worse.
I remember the neighborhood kids were allowed in the water so we would sneak and swim. On one occasion I went alone, oh how stupid was I? Well I encountered a very large snake, needless to say I believe my creek adventures ended there... but think about the danger, the water and the current was not my fear, the snake! I could have drowned and no one would have known. I could have been abducted, raped, murdered, but those were different times, we had no fear. Not that those things didn’t happen, we just didn’t hear about it.
When raising my kids I was a nut job! I worried about where they were what they were doing, who they were with, don’t hide in the clothes rack, heart attack at 30!!!! I was always afraid that someone would take my kids. Dear Lord, that maternal instinct was in overload. I had to be told by my loving husband to just breathe for crying outloud!
But our job as parents is to protect our kids, to keep them safe. The world today is a really hard place to do that.
After 9/11, the idea of our children leaving home and not returning seemed to intensify for me. With every act of violence in neutral places seemed to somehow add an extra awareness that no matter where we go, we are vulnerable to violence. Churches and schools should be the safest places ever, but they are a constant target. Any place where folks gather is a target, yes we live in a scary world, and while we aren’t throwing crumbs to mark our path, we are sure looking at the beauty of the outside and falling for the smell of fresh bread. We are aware of the danger but ignore it because it hasn’t directly effected us.
The evil in this world is constantly looking for the most vulnerable and attacking.
What I forgot to tell you was, Hansel and Gretel were starving. Their father had went out to look for food. Their intentions were good, I figure they believed if they could find a good meal their father would forgive them for not listening. The father knew the danger that awaited them and tried to protect them, but they made a choice.
Have we become so desensitized to danger and violence that we have decided to accept it?
We aren’t suppose to.
First and foremost we need to get on our knees and pray! Lord forgive me for whatever I have done to contribute to the state of this world today. Lord lead me in Your ways, equip me with wisdom, give me vision and strategically place me so that I can help in a positive way! It has to begin personally. We have to first get right with God in order to effectively pray that others do the same.
We need to lose that because I am a child of God attitude of entitlement. I am no better than anyone else, my sin is sin in the eyes of the Father. Jesus walked amongst the sinners of His day. Just because you minister to this messed up world doesn’t mean you aren’t messed up too.
So Hansel and Gretel. You all know the story, they were disobedient, and decided to go where they were warned not to go. They went into the woods, left their crumbs for guidance and ended up captive at the home of someone who offered them sweets! You know the stuff that not only looks appealing but tastes good too. This place was soooooooo inviting. Captivated by the beauty of gumdrops and lollipops and the aroma of freshly baked bread. They were so hungry.
As quickly as the entered into what they believed to be pure joy, it was even quicker that they realized they were in really big trouble. This beautiful place was dangerous. The host was evil. Evil had found what they needed, food, and that was the only invitation they needed.
When I was a kid, I don’t remember being warned too much about where not to go. We went out early and played until well after dark. My mother had two rules, don’t play in the creek, and when I yell you better get your backside home. She knew where we were most of the time, we tended to feel guilty if we played in the creek because she told us not to... consequences of playing in the creek, my older brother got a whooping, my younger brother ended up with leeches, I don’t know which was worse.
I remember the neighborhood kids were allowed in the water so we would sneak and swim. On one occasion I went alone, oh how stupid was I? Well I encountered a very large snake, needless to say I believe my creek adventures ended there... but think about the danger, the water and the current was not my fear, the snake! I could have drowned and no one would have known. I could have been abducted, raped, murdered, but those were different times, we had no fear. Not that those things didn’t happen, we just didn’t hear about it.
When raising my kids I was a nut job! I worried about where they were what they were doing, who they were with, don’t hide in the clothes rack, heart attack at 30!!!! I was always afraid that someone would take my kids. Dear Lord, that maternal instinct was in overload. I had to be told by my loving husband to just breathe for crying outloud!
But our job as parents is to protect our kids, to keep them safe. The world today is a really hard place to do that.
After 9/11, the idea of our children leaving home and not returning seemed to intensify for me. With every act of violence in neutral places seemed to somehow add an extra awareness that no matter where we go, we are vulnerable to violence. Churches and schools should be the safest places ever, but they are a constant target. Any place where folks gather is a target, yes we live in a scary world, and while we aren’t throwing crumbs to mark our path, we are sure looking at the beauty of the outside and falling for the smell of fresh bread. We are aware of the danger but ignore it because it hasn’t directly effected us.
The evil in this world is constantly looking for the most vulnerable and attacking.
What I forgot to tell you was, Hansel and Gretel were starving. Their father had went out to look for food. Their intentions were good, I figure they believed if they could find a good meal their father would forgive them for not listening. The father knew the danger that awaited them and tried to protect them, but they made a choice.
Have we become so desensitized to danger and violence that we have decided to accept it?
We aren’t suppose to.
First and foremost we need to get on our knees and pray! Lord forgive me for whatever I have done to contribute to the state of this world today. Lord lead me in Your ways, equip me with wisdom, give me vision and strategically place me so that I can help in a positive way! It has to begin personally. We have to first get right with God in order to effectively pray that others do the same.
We need to lose that because I am a child of God attitude of entitlement. I am no better than anyone else, my sin is sin in the eyes of the Father. Jesus walked amongst the sinners of His day. Just because you minister to this messed up world doesn’t mean you aren’t messed up too.
We are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
When Hansel and Gretel’s father returned home and found them missing I don’t think he panicked, he knew exactly where they were. He went looking and found them after a couple of days! Those kids had enough wisdom once caged to not get fat! They also had the faith in their father, they knew he’d come looking for them. They knew he could over take evil because of Who He Is!
We are like them you know! Kind of my point!
Our Rescuer is always present looking for us. Even when we disobey. He is willing to take on evil on our behalf. His only desire is that we seek, find Him then follow! To proclaim He is Lord of all. To repent, turn and sin no more.
Yes our world is a scary place, but we have a God that is way bigger than any of it!
God So Loved the World that He Gave His Son so that we shall have EVERLASTING life!
See you next time!
When Hansel and Gretel’s father returned home and found them missing I don’t think he panicked, he knew exactly where they were. He went looking and found them after a couple of days! Those kids had enough wisdom once caged to not get fat! They also had the faith in their father, they knew he’d come looking for them. They knew he could over take evil because of Who He Is!
We are like them you know! Kind of my point!
Our Rescuer is always present looking for us. Even when we disobey. He is willing to take on evil on our behalf. His only desire is that we seek, find Him then follow! To proclaim He is Lord of all. To repent, turn and sin no more.
Yes our world is a scary place, but we have a God that is way bigger than any of it!
God So Loved the World that He Gave His Son so that we shall have EVERLASTING life!
See you next time!
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Ruth! Where did Orpah go?
Welcome to Trace’s Space. This morning I was thinking about being prepared for life and expectations, how unprepared we really are for the things life hands us and God got me thinking about Orpah.
Orpah was Ruth’s sister who was married to her husbands brother, Naomi’s son, both of which who died along with Naomi’s husband. She is a brief part of the story in the book of Ruth and Ruths journey from becoming a widow to becoming part of the liniage of Jesus.
For those unfamiliar, after the death of their husbands Naomi decides to return to Israel to Bethlehem to her folks because her husband and sons have died. She was technically alone. She urges her daughters in law to return to their people, Orpah goes but Ruth refuses because she loves this woman who is now her family.
That’s where the story seems to ends for Orpah... what happened to her? You won’t believe it! According to the Bible she went home... Historians indicate this woman from the moment she received the kiss goodbye from Ruth, then entered into a life of utter chaos. She was rejected by her people, so inturn she ended up amongst the Philistines. She gave birth to six sons, six different fathers, six Giants... one being Goliath!
Years later there would be a encounter with Ruth’s great grandson David and this giant! According to the Talmud (a collection of Jewish writings) not only did Goliath die at the hands of David but so did Orpah her death brought on by defending her surviving son who constantly went after Israel, so she was killed by a General in David’s army... this woman spun out of control....
Sad thing is she was a bargaining tool, sold off to a King as a political pawn, then used by men for what ever! Her life, awful!
One sister Ruth, represents good... the other sister Orpah, represents evil.
I imagine Orpah wanted revenge, even though she chose to return home. Her idea of redemption was killing off what I imagine she thought should have been her inheritance.
I don’t imagine that Ruth ever thought that her sister would come at her family in such evil ways! I figure as we see the example of her ability to love, she thought her sister loved her as much as she loved Orpah. How incredibly sad!
The day those girls married brothers, they were happy and could have never imagined where life would lead them...two starting on the same basic path, but life handing them a crappy deal. I don’t think that Ruth thought her sisters life would be a living hell, and it probably was because she was in relationships with men who did not value her, the worst part, Orpah was fully aware of Ruth’s blessings. Ruth’s family was royalty, full of honor... Oprah’s family was royalty as well, but they were bullies!
What tragedy!
Families... the good, the bad, the ugly. So back to what initially brought me to Ruth and Orpah. I was thinking about a local news story, a teenager that went into a school and stabbed a bunch of people, and a interview that was done with this kids parents. It was incredibly sad, at first they were mortified, they thought perhaps he was a victim, little did they know he was the perpetrator. They talked about a neighbor who called them and told them they needed to check their kitchen for missing knives, their son was the one trying to kill his school mates. Never in their lives did they expect this.
Stories like this happen every day.
We never expect life to hand us a crap storm. But sometimes it does, and our choice to follow good or evil is completely up to us.
We need to pray daily that God guides us and protects us. He keeps us in check and bitterness far away. It is so easy to get caught up in bitterness, it’s like cancer, it grows until it kills you! That is precisely what happened to Orpah!
Lord,
I pray today for families. No matter what situations come our way we rely on you to get us through! Kept our Hart’s from getting hard and cold! Protect us from the cruelness of this world. Amen.
Orpah was Ruth’s sister who was married to her husbands brother, Naomi’s son, both of which who died along with Naomi’s husband. She is a brief part of the story in the book of Ruth and Ruths journey from becoming a widow to becoming part of the liniage of Jesus.
For those unfamiliar, after the death of their husbands Naomi decides to return to Israel to Bethlehem to her folks because her husband and sons have died. She was technically alone. She urges her daughters in law to return to their people, Orpah goes but Ruth refuses because she loves this woman who is now her family.
That’s where the story seems to ends for Orpah... what happened to her? You won’t believe it! According to the Bible she went home... Historians indicate this woman from the moment she received the kiss goodbye from Ruth, then entered into a life of utter chaos. She was rejected by her people, so inturn she ended up amongst the Philistines. She gave birth to six sons, six different fathers, six Giants... one being Goliath!
Years later there would be a encounter with Ruth’s great grandson David and this giant! According to the Talmud (a collection of Jewish writings) not only did Goliath die at the hands of David but so did Orpah her death brought on by defending her surviving son who constantly went after Israel, so she was killed by a General in David’s army... this woman spun out of control....
Sad thing is she was a bargaining tool, sold off to a King as a political pawn, then used by men for what ever! Her life, awful!
One sister Ruth, represents good... the other sister Orpah, represents evil.
I imagine Orpah wanted revenge, even though she chose to return home. Her idea of redemption was killing off what I imagine she thought should have been her inheritance.
I don’t imagine that Ruth ever thought that her sister would come at her family in such evil ways! I figure as we see the example of her ability to love, she thought her sister loved her as much as she loved Orpah. How incredibly sad!
The day those girls married brothers, they were happy and could have never imagined where life would lead them...two starting on the same basic path, but life handing them a crappy deal. I don’t think that Ruth thought her sisters life would be a living hell, and it probably was because she was in relationships with men who did not value her, the worst part, Orpah was fully aware of Ruth’s blessings. Ruth’s family was royalty, full of honor... Oprah’s family was royalty as well, but they were bullies!
What tragedy!
Families... the good, the bad, the ugly. So back to what initially brought me to Ruth and Orpah. I was thinking about a local news story, a teenager that went into a school and stabbed a bunch of people, and a interview that was done with this kids parents. It was incredibly sad, at first they were mortified, they thought perhaps he was a victim, little did they know he was the perpetrator. They talked about a neighbor who called them and told them they needed to check their kitchen for missing knives, their son was the one trying to kill his school mates. Never in their lives did they expect this.
Stories like this happen every day.
We never expect life to hand us a crap storm. But sometimes it does, and our choice to follow good or evil is completely up to us.
We need to pray daily that God guides us and protects us. He keeps us in check and bitterness far away. It is so easy to get caught up in bitterness, it’s like cancer, it grows until it kills you! That is precisely what happened to Orpah!
Lord,
I pray today for families. No matter what situations come our way we rely on you to get us through! Kept our Hart’s from getting hard and cold! Protect us from the cruelness of this world. Amen.
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Will We Know By and By?
Welcome to Trace’s Space... Often I have heard folks say,”when I get to Heaven I am going to ask God, why, where or how.” To clarify before I go further, I really do not think that when we enter Heaven we are going to care much about our questions, the awesomeness of God will take those earthly questions away. We will be so engaged in worship, on our face before Him, it won’t matter why there was never world peace or how many licks it took to get to the center of a tootsie pop.
But seriously, I have been thinking a lot lately about where God stands on our need to know, what answers He supplies, and the context of those answers... How much understanding does He really want us to have, especially in the areas that are really tough.
We have all had those events in our life that were really difficult, times when we have questioned the faithfulness of God, and even questioned if there is a God, where is the love, where is the healing, why did He allow my mother to die or my child to struggle... why is my husband sick? All of those things the world looks at as issues that lack the intervention of a deity that I as a Christian have chosen to trust fully in. But on the flip side of that, how do people survive the awful of this world without God?
Just yesterday I had a conversation with our daughter Rachael, we were discussing a terrible thing that had recently happened to someone we know... we were talking about the pain and suffering, and as the conversation went on, I shared with her what I believe God wants us to get about reasoning, understanding...Why He allows bad things to happen to good people. This is my kind of God driven explanation... knowing His nature and His desire to protect His children... I believe we will never know His reason for allowing tragedies to strike, because if He allowed us to know, we would never be able to bare it. In is omnipotent wisdom, He protects us from “us” and our need to get it. We do not need to know.. in the earthly view, it’s not fair, but in the God view we have to trust in knowing His ways aren’t ours. This whole life journey is about Trust!
Oh how hard is that?
When my mother died I tried to figure out Gods justification in taking her! She was good, kind, a woman of God! I had words with God a lot over it, ocassionally still do... why could God take her and leave not nice folks... I think I have shared the screaming match I had with God one morning on my way to work! But I’m going to share it again... I was angry with someone, and so I was actively discussing my total dislike for this person with God... I was letting Him know how mean this person was, you know because someone needed to tell Him. So I was so mad I was bawling, I said, “ God, how could you take my mother who was kind, who was good and leave me———?” As quick as I said it, He replied... “ She was ready”... nothing more... now to some you would think that was the by and by moment, but no... The picture was not completed, what We considered a great sadness could result in joy... Our flesh can’t handle that. We are selfish by nature...we can’t look beyond our grief and God knows it...
Job lost it all... Yet, he overcame because He knew and trusted God!
Israel had to wonder in the Wilderness...
Jesus went to the cross...
All for the bigger picture..
So today I pray.., Lord even though it hurts, I know Your ways aren’t mine! Lord help us to accept Your silence, but most of all Your wisdom...amen
See you next time
But seriously, I have been thinking a lot lately about where God stands on our need to know, what answers He supplies, and the context of those answers... How much understanding does He really want us to have, especially in the areas that are really tough.
We have all had those events in our life that were really difficult, times when we have questioned the faithfulness of God, and even questioned if there is a God, where is the love, where is the healing, why did He allow my mother to die or my child to struggle... why is my husband sick? All of those things the world looks at as issues that lack the intervention of a deity that I as a Christian have chosen to trust fully in. But on the flip side of that, how do people survive the awful of this world without God?
Just yesterday I had a conversation with our daughter Rachael, we were discussing a terrible thing that had recently happened to someone we know... we were talking about the pain and suffering, and as the conversation went on, I shared with her what I believe God wants us to get about reasoning, understanding...Why He allows bad things to happen to good people. This is my kind of God driven explanation... knowing His nature and His desire to protect His children... I believe we will never know His reason for allowing tragedies to strike, because if He allowed us to know, we would never be able to bare it. In is omnipotent wisdom, He protects us from “us” and our need to get it. We do not need to know.. in the earthly view, it’s not fair, but in the God view we have to trust in knowing His ways aren’t ours. This whole life journey is about Trust!
Oh how hard is that?
When my mother died I tried to figure out Gods justification in taking her! She was good, kind, a woman of God! I had words with God a lot over it, ocassionally still do... why could God take her and leave not nice folks... I think I have shared the screaming match I had with God one morning on my way to work! But I’m going to share it again... I was angry with someone, and so I was actively discussing my total dislike for this person with God... I was letting Him know how mean this person was, you know because someone needed to tell Him. So I was so mad I was bawling, I said, “ God, how could you take my mother who was kind, who was good and leave me———?” As quick as I said it, He replied... “ She was ready”... nothing more... now to some you would think that was the by and by moment, but no... The picture was not completed, what We considered a great sadness could result in joy... Our flesh can’t handle that. We are selfish by nature...we can’t look beyond our grief and God knows it...
Job lost it all... Yet, he overcame because He knew and trusted God!
Israel had to wonder in the Wilderness...
Jesus went to the cross...
All for the bigger picture..
So today I pray.., Lord even though it hurts, I know Your ways aren’t mine! Lord help us to accept Your silence, but most of all Your wisdom...amen
See you next time
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