Join Me On the Journey

I don’t understand prayer.

It seems so strange to admit that. I have been a Christian since I was a little girl and you would think that prayer would be such a natural part of my life by now, but it isn’t. I have to work at it. And I really don’t understand it.

So, I’m embarking on a journey…a journey to understand prayer.

To understand something means to to perceive the meaning of; grasp the idea of; comprehend; to be thoroughly familiar with; apprehend clearly the subtleties of; to grasp the significance, implications, or importance of.

I can give a definition of prayer, but I don’t really perceive the meaning of it, or grasp the full significance of it. I can read about other people’s experience in prayer, but I cannot say that I have truly experienced prayer in my life.

I have been very sporadic in prayer over my years as a Christian. There have been times in my life, when I was walking my own way, when I would go days without even thinking about God, let alone praying. Now, I have a prayer notebook where I write down the prayer requests that I have, but it’s hard for me to sit down and really concentrate on those requests. I end up just listing them off, and I just don’t think that is what God has in mind.

I do, however, keep a running conversation with God. When I journal, I am talking to God. My journals are like a letter to Him. And I call on Him many times a day when I feel overwhelmed with life or impatient with the children.

So, I am going to focus on prayer for the remainder of the 21 Day Reformation.

I am going to be rereading the book Let Prayer Change Your Life by Becky Tirabassi. It is a book that I read many years ago and I followed the principles at the time and I had a lot of success in my prayer life, but I wasn’t committed and it slipped away.

I’m determined for it to “stick” this time! So, I’ll work toward that these 21 days…and beyond.

Does anyone want to journey with me? We could form an accountability group…wouldn’t that be fun????? Let me know in the comments or by e-mailing me if you are interested. I would really like some company.

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I am so excited about being nominated for the Thinking Blogger Award!

Having just begun my blog a few months ago, I cannot believe how far God has brought me. I didn’t even realize how much I wanted to write until it was uncovered by Cindy Rushton. She had a virtual writers seminar (which I almost didn’t attend) and she showed me that writing was the answer to a desire of my heart that I was not even aware of.

You see, I live in a VERY rural area and I have four very small children. I would love to be able to be in a women’s ministry at my church, but it’s just not possible. This blog allows me an outlet for my creativity and also a way to minister to women.

It is hard for me to believe all the wonderful women I have met online in just a few months! And yesterday, I “met” another wonderful woman named Cheryl who hosts a group of women who have begun a 21 day journey. I LOVE the theme word for the group, reformation. To reform means to improve or amend what is wrong; to change to a better state; to cause a person to abandon wrong; to put an end to.

I have chosen to focus on prayer during this 21 day journey. I will be sharing more about that a little later, but right now, I’m going out to look at clouds with my little girls (Josiah is on the tractor with Daddy this afternoon).

For those who have been tagged, the Participation Rules are simple:

1. If, and only if, you are tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the member
3. Optional: Proudly display the ‘Thinking Blogger Award’ with a link to the post that you wrote

Here are my 5 nominees (in no particular order). I am fairly new to the blogosphere, so here are the blogs that I have been visiting. I invite you to take the time to visit them as well.

• Phyllis Sather
• Becky Cortino
• Janice Campbell
• Jennifer Lopez
• Maridel Willer

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How often has this happened to you? A friend offends you by saying something insensitive. You don’t say anything at the time because first of all, you can’t believe she said it, and second of all, confrontation isn’t your style. But, you go home and stew about it.

You think about it often over the next few days and it grows and grows. “How could she say something like that? Doesn’t she know how much that hurt my feelings?” So, you begin to rehearse what you’re going to say to her. It has just become so important that you HAVE to confront her about it. You rehearse and rehearse; refining exactly what you’ll say; thinking about how she’ll react, how she’ll apologize and you will hug and the two of you will have a good laugh about it later.

You screw up your courage.

The big day comes.

You deliver your speech eloquently (after all, you have practiced it a hundred times), and your friend looks at you and says, “Gee, I didn’t realize that would offend you.” Or, “Gosh, that’s not really what I said.” Or perhaps, “Oh, I didn’t mean for it to come out that way.”

You spent all that time stewing over something that was incidental to your friend; something that she has forgotten all about; something she may not even remember saying or even denies saying.
(read the rest of the article…)

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Did you know that there’s no such word as “unforgiveness?” I have been thinking and writing about unforgiveness for several days now. (I bet you can’t imagine what’s going to be showing up in my blog. ) While I was writing, I noticed that no matter how I spelled unforgiveness, the word was highlighted in my spell-checker. After puzzling over this for a moment, I looked it up at dictionary.com.

“No results found for unforgiveness?” What do you mean no results found?

Finally, my lightnin’-fast mind figured out…unforgiveness is not a real word.
(read the rest of the article…)

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Today, I would like to continue my series on the book 25 Ways to Win With People. This book was written by John Maxwell and Les Parrott and it is a down-to-earth little book on how to get along with people and improve your people skills.

To review, the first chapter makes the point that in order to get along with other people, you need to start with yourself. The next chapter introduces the concept of the 30 second rule. At the end of this post, you’ll find links to these other posts. Just click on them and you can read the other blog entries, or click on “Winning With People” in the “Categories” section to the right and the posts will automatically come up on a separate page for you to read.

Point number three is let people know that you need them.
(read the rest of the article…)

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So, you have taken the personality test and you’re wondering what to do with the information. Well, I’d like to address that today.

If you don’t know your temperament, please email me with the words “personality test” in the subject line and I will give you the instructions on how to take an online personality test. In the post Temperament, Character, and Persona I define temperament for you. Also my last issue of Intentional Living! was all about temperament. Click here for a copy.

When you take the test, you’ll automatically receive an email with a list of strengths and weaknesses. Here is what I would suggest you do with that list.
(read the rest of the article…)

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I love watching birds. I suppose I like nature in general, but I love birds especially. I find that I learn so much from God’s creation.

As in all of God’s creation, there is a great deal of diversity in behavior among the different species of birds, but there is a particular behavior that some species exhibit that I find interesting. Did you know that some bird species, when it’s time for their little ones to leave the nest, start to pull out all the soft fibers and feathers and fur? This leaves only the pokey sticks and it makes the nest uncomfortable for the baby bird which serves to motivate them to leave the nest.

Are you feeling uncomfortable in your nest?

Do you ever have those times when you’re going along in life and things are feeling pretty good; your nest feels comfy. Your family is healthy, everyone is getting along; your marriage is stable; your homeschooling is sailing along; your house is clean; your career is on track…and then, one day, you wake up and it just seems like things are uncomfortable. You readjust a little; perhaps you need to go on a date with your hubby, or one of the children needs a little extra attention; perhaps there’s something you’ve been putting off; a bill you haven’t paid; that closet you need to clean. So, you take care of it. But, the nest is still uncomfortable.

What then?

Might I suggest that this could be a sign that you need to fledge? According to Wikipedia, Fledge is the stage in a young bird’s life when the feathers and wing muscles are sufficiently developed for flight. Could it be that your discomfort is from your Father who is trying to get you to leave the nest by making it just a little bit uncomfortable?

God Bless You!

If you’re feeling uncomfortable, take some time to journal about it in your quiet time. Pray about it and ask God to reveal the underlying cause. He is so faithful to do that for us.

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My friend, Phyllis Sather has written a wonderful post that I would love for you to read called A Gift Of Encouragement.

It is a beautiful example of a point from a book I am reading, 25 Ways to Win With People. Drs Maxwell and Parrott talk about a principle called “The 30 Second Rule” which says that within 30 seconds of beginning a conversation with someone, say something encouraging to that person.

Now, this isn’t natural for most people. Actually, when you talk about temperaments, it’s easy for a Sanguine, but much harder for any other personality type. That is why this really speaks to me. It’s something that comes naturally to me.

But, you can learn to do something that doesn’t necessarily feel natural to you, so read Phyllis’ post and pray about it. It will feel awkward and perhaps “fakey” at first, but stick with it. Begin to incorporate this behavior into your life and see how it builds up those in your life and also increases your influence with people in general.

Also, today is the release of the second issue of my e-zine, Intentional Living! all about temperaments. Click HERE for a copy.

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Today is my little boy’s birthday! He turns three. I no longer have two two year olds, LOL.

What can I say about my little Josiah except that he is the spitting image of his father…in nearly every way. He looks like his father, he acts like his father.

It’s so funny to live in the area where Dana grew up, because any time we see someone, they will say, “I cannot believe how much he looks like Dana did at that age!” (It happens all the time!) I tell people that I was just the incubator, he’s really a clone.

In 2003-2004, while I was pregnant with Josiah, I was still working and I was having a lot of medical problems. I had been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and I was on weekly injections of a medication that was keeping me functioning well enough to work, but that was about it. They didn’t understand why the RA was flaring during pregnancy. (It tends to get better with pregnancy.) Nonetheless, it was not good.

I didn’t realize it, but I was suffering from sleep apnea. (Doctors really are the worst patients! I didn’t share with anyone the extent of the problems I was having; neither did I put two and two together and consciously realize that I was suffering from sleep apnea. DUH!) In the office, I would literally fall asleep standing up while I was dictating an office note after seeing a patient. I know that is so hard to believe, but it’s true.

I was driving back and forth from Jamestown to Kintyre, ND a couple times a week (about 80 miles). I cannot describe how hard it is to drive when you are literally falling asleep at the wheel several times during a trip driving 75 miles per hour down the interstate. I try not to think about the fact that my children were in danger every time I got behind the wheel with them. There were times when I would stop about every 15 or 20 miles and get out and walk around, trying to wake up enough to drive. (Just thinking about it makes me shudder!)

I was working and trying to keep two houses. The girls were in daycare–which I hated. (Good grief! This is depressing!)

Anyway, suffice it to say, things were not going well. I was letting my partners and my patients down because I was struggling so much with medical problems. I was letting my family down because I was spread so thin. And, I didn’t have anything resembling a relationship with God. I don’t know how I ever got through that time except by His Grace.

I had planned to quit in 2005 when Olivia turned five, but I began to realize that there was a very real chance I wouldn’t make it that long…physically, emotionally, or spiritually. Dana and I made the decision that I would quit right before Josiah was born. It was one of the best decisions that we ever made.

Shortly after Josiah was born, I was finally diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. I was placed on CPAP and I have also lost weight which helps as well. I still have a lot of muscle fatigue and joint pain, but I think that the diagnosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis was incorrect. (It is difficult to diagnose RA because there really is not a definitive test for it.) I’m on no medication for the RA and my symptoms are manageable.

I look back to that time in my life and I cannot believe how things have changed. I am a much better wife and mother. I have the time and energy for my family. Dana and I are growing closer. Olivia, Sophia, and I are well down the path of our homeschool journey. I have two beautiful, incredible, active, squealing, squabbling toddlers. And most importantly, my relationship with God is so much better…and getting better every day.

Life is good! I am so happy now. I thank my precious Father for bringing me through that time. I know that He must have carried me. There is no other way I could have survived it.

God Bless You today! I hope that you have a great day. I know that we will. Josiah will be Prince For A Day!

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Most of us remember the story of David and Jonathan. Jonathan was Saul’s son and he and David formed a close friendship and made a covenant with each other. Jonathan saved David’s life in response to that covenant.

Later, when Jonathan was dead and David was king, he sought to find a way to honor his covenant with Jonathan. He questioned:

Is there yet any that is left of the house of Saul, that I may shew him kindness for Jonathan’s sake? 2 Sam 9:1 (KJV)

David found Mephibosheth. You can read the story in 2 Samuel 9. The story of Mephibosheth has many applications, but today, I want to shift our focus from David and Mephibosheth to God and you.

You see, that question could be worded as follows:

Is there anybody in the church that I may show kindness for Jesus’ sake?

You and I have a blood covenant with God which is sealed by the blood of Jesus and what He did for us on the cross. I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time wrapping my brain around that concept.

First of all, as modern day people, we don’t really understand the concept of covenant. The closest example we have is of a contract and we all know that contracts are easily broken. Even marriage, which is supposed to be a covenant, is treated by most of us as a simple contract.

But, a covenant is much more than a contract or simple agreement, according to Nelson’s Bible Dictionary (Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers). “A contract always has an end date [or an out], while a covenant is a permanent arrangement. Another difference is that a contract generally involves only one part of a person, such as a skill, while a covenant covers a person’s total being.”

God has a covenant with you and me. In the Old Testament, the making of a covenant was accompanied with the shedding of blood and so when God made a covenant with us, He shed the most Holy Blood of all…his Son, Jesus’ blood.

God is looking for a way to show you kindness today. Will you allow him?

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