Join Me On the Journey

A few months ago during my quiet time, I was reading in Deuteronomy:

There is no one like the God of Israel. He rides across the heavens to help you, across the skies in majestic splendor. Deut. 33:26 (NLT)

I have heard it said when you see “Israel” in the Bible, you can substitute your own name. So, I did. “There is no one like the God of Tamera. He rides across the heavens to help me, across the skies in majestic splendor.”

Now, I must admit, it was a little awkward for me to read the scripture in that way. I felt a little self-conscious…and that surprised me.

I had thought I was “further along” than that. (Doesn’t that sound smug? ) I thought I had received a revelation that God truly loved me; not because of anything I had done, but because He is love. I thought I knew that He would ride across the heavens in majestic splendor…just to help me. My discomfort in reading that scripture with those personalized words showed me that I wasn’t as convinced as I thought I was about God’s love for me.

Isn’t it interesting when we’re faced with the reality that we’re not as mature in our walk with God as we think we are?

So, as was my habit, I wrote down the scripture that caught my eye. That day however, I took it a step further. I began meditating on the scripture throughout my day.

According to Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, meditation is:

the practice of reflection or contemplation. The word meditation or its verb form, to meditate, is found mainly in the Old Testament. The Hebrew words behind this concept mean “to murmur, “a murmuring,” “sighing,” or “moaning.”

Meditation is something few of us utilize in our Christian walk. I suppose we don’t really understand it, but there is nothing mysterious or complicated about meditation. It’s really nothing more than reciting a scripture repeatedly; allowing that scripture to speak to you. It’s simply a matter of forming the habit of meditating.

I love this quote from the entry on meditation in Nelson’s Bible Dictionary, “Meditation is a lost art for many Christians, but the practice needs to be cultivated again.” (from , Nelson’s Illustrated Bible Dictionary, Copyright (c)1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)

There are several scriptures in the Bible that mention meditation. It is likely that many of these scriptures are familiar to you.

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Josh 1:8 (KJV)

I will meditate on all your works and consider all your mighty deeds. Psa 77:12 (NIV)

I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. Psa 119:99 (NIV)

There are other words used in the scripture to describe the concept of meditation: consider, think on (or think about), study.

My favorite passage about meditation and the benefits of meditation is found in Psalm chapter one. (I love it in the Amplified Bible because it’s so down to earth.)

BLESSED (HAPPY, fortunate, prosperous, and enviable) is the man who walks and lives not in the counsel of the ungodly [following their advice, their plans and purposes], nor stands [submissive and inactive] in the path where sinners walk, nor sits down [to relax and rest] where the scornful [and the mockers] gather. But his delight and desire are in the law of the Lord, and on His law (the precepts, the instructions, the teachings of God) he habitually meditates (ponders and studies) by day and by night. And he shall be like a tree firmly planted [and tended] by the streams of water, ready to bring forth its fruit in its season; its leaf also shall not fade or wither; and everything he does shall prosper [and come to maturity]. Psa 1:1-3 (Amplified)

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. Psa 1:1-3 (KJV) (Gotta love the King James!)

I must be honest in saying that my practice of meditation has been haphazard. One thing that I have come to understand is that God desires consistency and so, I believe, to see the benefit of meditation, I must be consistent with it. So, I am purposing to begin meditating on God’s word on a regular basis.

How do we practice meditation? Here are a couple of suggestions

• Ask God what He would like you to work on in your life. Look up scripture that speaks to that area of your life and write those verses down in longhand. (There’s something about writing scripture out in longhand that helps you to absorb it better.) Take moments throughout your day to slowly read each scripture and think about its meaning.
• If you read a passage of scripture in your quiet time, write down the verse or passage that catch your heart.  Think about this throughout the day. What was it that caught your attention?
• Choose a passage from the Bible to memorize.  As you memorize the passage, consider each phrase.  Why do you think God used that particular word or phrase?

Have any of you successfully integrated meditation into your spiritual life?  Do you have suggestions you could bless us with?

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This blog has been quite an experience for me.

If you’ve been with me since the beginning, you may have noticed nearly constant little changes along the right side (called the sidebar). On the other hand, they may very well have gone unnoticed by many of you, but behind the scenes, I’ve had flashes of sheer terror as I have been messing around with the code that tells the computer how this site is supposed to look and act.

I have spent the last few months (between cooking and cleaning and chores and children) taking an online crash course on coding. I’ve worked through online courses and read several books. I have learned many things that allow me to make those changes to my website, and I have made some changes. But, it has been scary sometimes!

That first moment that I realized something I had tinkered with had caused a problem, I got that feeling in the pit of my stomach. (You know the one?) I was afraid that I wouldn’t be able to fix it. I was afraid of what people would think when they visited the site. I was afraid because my hubby had already said, “You’re on your own with this one!” (He’s my computer guru, but he doesn’t know anything about programing.)

But, I’ve heard Joyce Meyer advise people, “Do some things afraid!”

Just think about that concept…Do some things afraid.

I must admit, that is something I have done quite a bit of my life. It could be part of my personality make-up. After all, I’m a fun-loving Sanguine whose natural tendency is to do things to stand out from the crowd. Or, perhaps it’s just a character attribute I developed early; a decision I made to try new things and learn as much as possible about them. Whatever the case, I just don’t mind that feeling in the pit of my stomach that tells me I’m treading new ground and I don’t know what’s coming over the next hill; in fact, I quite enjoy it.

I felt it the days I performed in piano competitions and when I decided that I would do a senior concert in high school.

I felt it when I left for college; and when I faltered and came home after my father left; and when I decided three years later to apply for medical school.

I felt it nearly every single day during medical school and internship and residency…and most days as a physician.

I feel it as a wife, a mommy and as a teacher to my children.

And I feel it now as a writer…and quasi web designer.

Now, I admit, there are times when I get tired of that feeling. There are times when I would just like to avoid it and live a peaceable life, but most of the time, I bask in doing things afraid!

You may not revel in that feeling as I do. But I would encourage you, doing things afraid can help you grow in areas of your life where you may be stagnant. You can learn so many lessons when the discomfort in your gut pushes you to find the answers you seek no matter what the cost.

Isaiah 43:5a says:

Fear not: for I am with thee: (KJV)

Now, this verse doesn’t tell you not to feel the fear. After all, that wouldn’t make sense. No one can go through this life never feeling fear. Instead, this verse tells you not to allow the fear to paralyze you; to be secure in the fact that God is with you always and so He will help you through that fear.

So…Be Afraid…Be Very Afraid! Ask God today what things He would have you do afraid.

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Did you know that there is only one thing in this life that you can control? Do you know what it is?

It’s that person you look at in the mirror every morning.

You cannot control world events. You cannot control the weather. You cannot control your hubby…or your kids…or your dear mother-in-law.

But…you can control your reactions to all those things. You can control what hours you are awake and how you use your time while you’re awake. You can control how you take care of yourself: whether you exercise, eat right, get enough sleep (unless, of course, you have a little one deciding this point for you). You can control the things you read, the things you see, the things you think about and focus upon.

So often in my life, I have found myself railing against those things I cannot change. This, as I’m sure you know, is incredibly exhausting and unproductive.

If you’re tired and bogged down, I encourage you to take a few moments to examine your life and assess whether you may be struggling to control things that you really cannot change.

“How do I do this?” you may ask. Well, it’s really not as hard as it may seem. All you need is a pen, a piece of paper (or your journal) and several minutes of uninterrupted time. If you work outside the home, take a few minutes during your lunch break. If you’re a full-time mommy, take blanket outside and sit on the ground while they’re playing near by.

Write at the top of the page: “What is REALLY bugging me about my life right now?”

Then, just begin to write. Don’t censer yourself; just write whatever comes to your mind. Give yourself a good amount of time; at least twenty to thirty minutes of continuous writing. The longer you allow yourself to write, the more effective you’ll find this exercise.

Now, some of you are so conditioned not to complain, this may be a hard exercise for you. If you have a hard time starting, begin by just simply writing, “I don’t know what to write…This is a stupid exercise…There’s nothing wrong with my life…Everything is wrong with my life, where do I start…I never did like that Tamera…” Whatever comes to your mind, just write. Don’t worry about your handwriting or punctuation. This is called stream of consciousness writing. There’s no mystery about it. It is simply writing down every word that comes to your mind as you’re thinking about a specific topic…like “What’s REALLY bugging me about my life right now?”

This is a powerful exercise and if you take the time to do it, you will discover powerful truths concerning how you’re truly feeling about some of the different aspects of your life.

So, I challenge you to “just do it.” It is so easy to read something like this and think, “I bet that would be interesting,” and then go on about your busy life. Put it on your “To Do” list. Purpose to fit it into your schedule some time in the next few days. Don’t put if off.

(This is a reposting from a couple of months ago, but it’s been on my mind again. I encourage you to perform this exercise intermittently. It really helps me to refocus.)

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Did you ever stop to think that most of us treat prayer like a spare tire? After all, what is a spare tire? It’s our back-up plan. It keeps us on the road if we have a flat. So, how does that relate to prayer?

Most of us are driving down the highway, speeding toward our own plans and dreams and wants. As long as things are going well, we don’t really take time to pray. We are, often unconsciously, saying, “God, I don’t need You right now. I’ve got everything under control. But, thanks for being there just in case I need You.”

But then, we hear that familiar noise and feel the slight pull on the steering wheel. Our plans fall apart; our dreams fade; and our wants dance tantalizingly out of our reach. What do we do then? “God, I need You!” “God could You work this out for me?” “God, go get it for me…pleeeeeeeeease!” “God, show me what to do.”

I am so grateful that God is there for me when I call. I’m so glad that I never pull Him out from the back of the car to find that He is flat.

My desire is to make Him the steering wheel instead of the spare tire. Won’t you join me?

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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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A few days ago, I encouraged you to spend some time listing the things that are truly bothering you about your life.

Did you do it?

If not, I would encourage you to read Control and perform this exercise.

Once you have your pages written, go back through and re-read them.

(Ideally, a little time should pass between performing this exercise and evaluating the content. It also works best if you do it without a preconceived notion of what you’re going to be doing with the material, so I would encourage you to perform the exercise before you finish reading this.)

Do you see some common threads? Did you make some discoveries that surprised you?

On another piece of paper (or in another page of your journal) make a list of the items you discovered. Look at each item and determine whether you control that thing or not.

If you’re unsure about whether you have control over that item on your list, just ask yourself, “Is there another person involved?” If so, you do not have total control over that item.

There are likely things over which you have no control. Again, you cannot control world events, or natural laws (such as the weather), or another person’s behavior. One way to make these problems less stressful is to change your attitude. You must work to come to a place where you accept what you cannot change. (remember the Serenity Prayer?)

There are likely several items over which you have only partial control. For example, if there is a relationship in your life that is troubled, you do have partial control over that situation. You can control how you feel about that person. You can control how you react to their behavior. You can become proactive in your response to their behavior.

Lastly, it is probable that you have items on your list over which you have total control. If much of your list contains things you can totally control, you are truly blessed.

When you have divided your list into things over which you have no control, things you partially control, and things you totally control; pick a place to start.

Start with the thing that’s really bugging you the most. Or, perhaps you discover a common theme to your list. You may discover your problems separate themselves naturally into different categories than I have suggested here. Remember, this is your list; your life. I am suggesting one way to tackle this list but you may intuitively follow a different trail. That is between you and God.

This is your journey and it begins with one step. Small, deliberate changes can have a big effect in your life.

One year from now, God willing (and He is), you will be a year older. You can determine today (and tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow) if you will be a year older with the same problems plaguing your life; or if you will be a year older with some of those problems taken care of.

I want very much to walk with you on this journey. The first edition of my e-zine will be coming out tomorrow and I will be talking about habits. Habits are the smallest units of change. Taking one of the items on your list, breaking it down into something small that you can change, and weaving that new habit into your life is a way that you can become proactive and make profound changes for the better.

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I have spent a great deal of time thinking about when and why true change occurs in a person. When I read, it’s what I notice. Even when I read a novel, I notice how the characters are growing and changing and what factors produce that change. I have read extensively about personality types, relationships, psychology, and parenting; and in everything I read, I am always thinking about what the author says about how and why people change.

This morning (while I was sweating away, red-faced on the treadmill ) I was listening to a podcast of Joyce Meyer who was interviewing John C. Maxwell and Les Parrott, PH.D. John Maxwell said something that filled in a piece of the puzzle for me and I wanted to share it with you.

There are three things that precipitate change in a person.

1. When you hurt enough, you have to change.
2. When you learn enough, you want to change.
3. When you receive enough, you are able to change.

Let’s think about these for a moment.

First of all, “When you hurt enough, you have to change.” This is the reason that I have focused on the most. I had in my head that the only time that people truly change is when they hit bottom and there’s no way out but up. I’ve been there…a couple of times. I understand what it’s like to feel my life was so bad that I needed to make a major change in order to go on. In fact, if you’ve read my blogs, you may have read comments like, “True change occurs when the pain of staying the same is greater than the pain of change.”

However, I realize now that the recent changes in my life have not been because of this first reason. My life is awesome right now. Nothing big, bad, and ugly precipitated the changes that began in November of 2006 and have culminated in my writing to you today. I realize that the recent changes in my life have occurred because of reasons two and three. I had learned and received enough that I was willing and able to change.

A few days ago, I wrote about my obsession with reading. (From Learner to Teacher) I take nuggets from nearly every book or article I read, or talk I listen to. I add those tidbits of information to the knowledge I had already acquired, reformulated them and as a result, I have come to this place in my life where I would love to have the opportunity to share all of it with you. That desire is burning in my heart.

A big part of what is spurring me on to write here is the possibility that I could help you change because I helped you learn enough to make you want to change; or because I provided you with enough information that you were able to change.

Can you think of a time when you’ve made significant change in your life? Tell us about it. Click the “comments” button below.

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I read a lot! I have always been a reader.

When I was a little girl, I read pages and pages of fiction. As I grew older, I began reading about different subjects: psychology, self-help books, personality types, success. A great deal of what I read in these areas was written by Christian authors.

I also read widely about subjects that are important to me. I read books about prayer and Bible study and quiet times. I started reading about homeschooling before Olivia was even born. I read about marriage building. I read about how to be a good mother and how to keep house.

It has also been my habit that each time I got interested in a new hobby, I bought books about that hobby. Consequently, I have a library in my home with large sections on photography, gardening, quilting, and numerous other subjects.

Like you, there is usually one or two points in a book or article that I read that really stick with me. However, when you add that all up, it gets to be a head stuffed full of tidbits about a diversity of topics. All those little tidbits are arranged in a manner peculiar to me. In the history of time, there is only one person who has read all the words that I have read and had all the experiences I have had.

That puts me in a very unique position; a position of sharing what I know with you from a very singular perspective.

On the other hand, I’m very much like most of you. I’m a Christian. I’m a woman. I’m a wife, a stay-at-home mom. I used to work outside the home in a fairly high-pressure job. And so, the wisdom that I have gained in my 41 years on this earth will translate easily into your life.

And that is why I have begun writing here. I have so much inside my head, it’s just bursting to get out! I feel like if I don’t begin sharing, my heart will explode. Writing here has been like a spillway letting pressure off the dam inside my head, LOL.

Writing here is also causing me to shift my paradigm from that of learner to that of teacher.

Now, some of you may not be familiar with the word paradigm. It’s an awesome word that simply means the set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that dictate the way you view your world. In other words, you are a product of your beliefs and decisions. The Bible puts it this way:

For as [a man] thinketh in his heart, so is he: Prov 23:7a (KJV)

A paradigm shift is that “aha” moment that you experience when you connect the dots in your mind. It’s that moment you finally learn that lesson that God has been trying to teach you. It’s the moment you read a scripture and it speaks something totally different to you than the last time you read it. It’s that moment that you realize that your husband really does mean it when he says he’s thinking about nothing. (see my entry In the Box With No Words)

I realized this morning that this forum is a paradigm shift for me. I am going from the mindset of a learner, or a gatherer of information; to the mindset of a teacher, or a sharer of information.

Now anyone who has prepared any type of a lesson knows that when you look at information with a mind toward teaching the material to someone else, you look at the material differently. You actually learn information more thoroughly when you know that you are going to be teaching it to someone else–whether formally or informally.

For that very reason, I look forward to great changes in my life from this website. As I share with you, I expect to become more focused and accountable. I look forward to feedback and critique. I know that sharing with you will make me a better person, and I pray it will benefit you as it does me.

Have a great day!

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Have you ever noticed how quickly something can become “old hat?” Perhaps it’s just a personal quirk of mine. (I do tend to live so much in the present that I forget what I had for breakfast, LOL.) But, I am frequently amazed that I cannot easily remember what my life was like before major changes occurred.

I will be married only eight years on the 13th, but, I have already forgotten what it felt like to be single. I have four incredible children and already, I have forgotten what it felt like before I was a mommy. I worked for nearly ten years as a physician, and I have to stop and remind myself what it felt like to work outside the home.

There have also been people who have come into my life and influenced me–not directly, but via their teaching. Andrew Wommack is a big one. I have literally listened to hundreds of hours of his teaching and it has changed my life. Recently, I have been receiving from the ministry of Cindy Rushton and many of the people she is affiliated with.

And, I have been writing here for just a few weeks, and already, sharing my thoughts here seems old hat…like I’ve been doing it all my life…something that fits me and feels so comfy. Now, perhaps that’s not exactly what you think of when you hear the phrase “old hat.” Perhaps you think of something that’s out-dated and out of fashion. But, that’s what I think of, and I have found myself using that phrase over and over again in my life.

What is it about people (or, maybe just me, LOL) that makes us fall so naturally into a new situation? Is it part of how God created us? All animals were created to adapt to their environment. Is it a defense? If we didn’t have that tendency, would we always be looking back?

I think that part of it is my personality. I am a sanguine poster child. I would never have been like Lot’s wife; looking back and grieving over my lost life. (Of course, I may very well have looked back because I was dying of curiosity! )

But, part if it is just human nature. Life often sneaks up on us. We live day after day and before we realize it, we’re in a different place. Often, not a place we purposed to go.

That’s why it’s so incredibly important to live life and not let life live you. Stop and think! Think about your dreams. Write them down. Purpose to walk toward them.

There have been times in my life when I’ve just curled up in a ball and not moved forward at all. There have been times when all I could accomplish was to put one foot in front of the other without regard to where I was going. But, now that I am strong; and now that I have a husband who loves me with all his heart and children that think I’m the cat’s meow (you remember though, they’re only little yet, LOL ); now, I am ready to move forward. I’m ready to walk toward the dream that I have of reaching out and touching others with the experiences I’ve had and the wisdom that God has given me in my 40 years on this planet. (I can say that because I won’t be 41 until next Tuesday, LOL.)

I hope that your life will be changed through something I write here. Perhaps someday, you’ll say, “I can’t remember what my life was like before I ‘met’ Tamera on the internet.”

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Recently, I have realized something that has just set me free. There is a difference between schedules and routines. Either will work, depending on your situation and temperament.

You see, I had struggled for YEARS to try and “get myself on a schedule.” I tried to knuckle myself under. I tried to “be a good soldier.” I had the best of intentions, but it would only last for a few days. Having a schedule is just difficult for me. I am Sanguine and for those of you who know me or who know what that means when I say I’m Sanguine, I just don’t do well with a strict schedule. Gradually, I have realized, that I just function better with routines.

A routine is different from a schedule. A schedule says, “From 6:00 to 6:30, I have my quiet time. From 6:30 to 7:00, I walk on the treadmill,” and so on. A routine says, “When I get up in the morning, I have my quiet time, exercise and have my shower before the kids get up.” A schedule untilizes the clock, a routine utilizes blocks of time.

As the weeks have passed, I have combined both methods into my life and it’s working well. There are a few parts of my days that are scheduled but most of my day is made up of routines…certain things that happen during certain blocks of time. It has taken some experimentation and a willingness to try a different way of doing things, but I’m glad that I did. Life is quite a bit smoother now.

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