Introducing My Friends (notice it's plural)

wow, it's been a VERY LONG TIME since I posted anything here.  two months.  that's downright unacceptable. as i contemplate the reason(s) for this lack of diligence on my part, a miriad of things have crowded in and crowded out my blogging.  maybe just good 'ole procrastination, or lack of time or lack of meaningful things to say...not this girl, not really, not ever.  i'm a talker from way back and can ALWAYS find something interesting and meaningful (if only in my mind) to flap my jaws about.  maybe it's the incessant  barking of a certain dog, who shall remain nameless, that has interrupted my concentration, like just now!!

where was i, oh, WHY i haven't been keeping this up.  well since april 12th, we've experienced two birthdays, a college graduation, the death of a significant family member, two different trips to florida, a move for the firstborn daughter and this weekend a move for the the baby daughter.  whew, i'm tired just thinking about it.

as i re-read the post from april about friendship, my thoughts went to the events of today.  i had lunch with one long-time friend, an unexpected visit from another long-time friend and then dinner with a rather new friend whom i hope will end up becoming a fast friend.  

the two "long time" friends share the not only the same name but also married men with the same name (how weird).  These two Debbies (blonde haired D and dark haired D) are my sister/friends and our lives have been intertwined in varying degrees for the last 25 years.  we've watched our children grow up, go off and get married and have babies (well Deb S is still waiting, but soon), enjoyed beach trips (just moms and kids), moved houses, built houses, lost husbands, married again, talked and laughed

and shared and cried and just done life together.

 although there have been periods of time when we have only

been in contact with one another sporatically, we still remain friends.

there is a loyalty and understanding even when communication is not constant or consistent that we are "there".  we don't have to talk or e-mail every.single.day and no one feels slighted if we don't.  when we get "back together" as one D put it, we take up right where we left off and

 it's better than ever.

my love for these ladies has lasted and grown over the past years.  i am very thankful and blessed to have these women in my life.  they've been to me what i desired as a young women and thought 

i didn't have.  in all actuality, i was unknowingly

cultivating two friendships that would last not only through

the ups and downs of my life here on this earth, but throughout eternity.

i not only have one best friend, i have two women

with the same first name who have shared

a treasured spot in my heart for over one-half of my adult life!

they are gifts of God's grace to me!

women of integrity, courage and a desire to live

life in a way that demonstrates the power of 

God's grace in their lives on a daily basis. 

here's to another 25 years!  at that time we can join the

red hat society and get together for tea parties or 

whatever those ladies do when they don those red hats.

p.s. i want a red hat with a feather ; )

A Confident Heart

I have several blogs I read on a regular basis and A Planting of the Lord gets regular views from this blog lover! Although I do not personally know Miss Kimberly, I feel as if we are fast friends because of the honesty with which she conveys her heart in all of her posts. The post from her blog that I linked above highlights Chapter 6 of  Renee Swope's book A Confident Heart.  Two lovely ladies who I am priviledged to call "friends" and I have almost finished this helpful book.  It has been a wonderful tool in not only identifying what causes doubt in our hearts but how to go foward in replacing those doubts with confidence!!   

  If you've been reading here long, you might remember the very first post I ever wrote which explains WHY I needed this book in particular.  We all have doubts, no matter what type of individual God created you to be, every single fallen person hears doubt whisper things like

 "You can't do that, you don't have what it takes"

"What's wrong with me?"

"You'll never be able to (fill in the blank)"?

and, of course, the ever popular

"Why can't I be like so-and-so?". 

comparison is so very dangerous

 This book not only clearly speaks to every area of our doubting heart's thoughts BUT gives tools to alleviate each one with the Truth from a God who formed us to be a glorious representation of himself (pre-fall that is)! 

I am so very sad that my study of this book is almost over!  It's one I would truly do again and again.  My heart needs to be reminded so very often of what God says about me as his daughter. Clicking on the link above will give you a sneak peak into just what is available in this powerhouse publication!!  AND if you're interested in participating in a small group study, leave me a comment. I'd love to join you in the journey of discovering the secret to A Confident Heart!

Grace Treasures

I've decided every once in a while I'm going to share some of the graces God gives to this poor frazzled pilgrim daughter.  WHY he does this I have no idea, I'm just glad He cares for me and understands who and what I am.

We have care groups at our church where we do just that, "care" for each other in times of need.  Take food to a new little momma and papa or help families pack up their belongings when a move is necessary.  Recently I was called upon to participate by taking a meal to a family who had lost a loved one unexpectedly.  They had traveled out-of-town for the funeral and I was to have a meal at their home upon their return, approximately 5:00 pm.

In my customary style I was "running late"..not my usual 10 minutes late but really late, like going to be 45 minutes late!!  To say I was rushing wouldn't cover it...I was flying through my kitchen like a wild thing grabbing, measuring, pouring, trying to get my brownie dessert into the oven so I would be ONLY 45 minutes late.

I decided to call and make sure the poor starving family was home and let them know I would not make the 5:00pm deadline. Upon speaking with the Momma of this sweet family, I was informed that they had spent some extra time visiting with their out-of-town relatives and their GPS was giving them an ETA of 7:30, allowing me an extra two hour span in which to get my dessert completely cooked, cooled, cut and packed up with the other food goodies and delivered well before they returned home.   To say I was thrilled to hear this news is a definite understatement!

Wow, even when I didn't have it all together, my Father did.  He knew just what I needed and he supplied a precious grace treasure of a little more time to get everything fully prepared and delivered.  He knows me so well, and he cares that I struggle with time management.  He loves me just as I am and gives me what I need and helps me grow by giving me desires and ideas so I can learn how to be a better planner.

That little block of time was just the encouragement I needed!  It was His way of showing me love!
What kind of Grace Treasures have you experienced this week?  Leave a comment, I'd love you to share!

by grace alone,
Lisa

Love, Love & More Love

So this week, as you know, was Valentine's Day.  When my girls were growing up, we loved any excuse for making home-made cards, baking cute cookies and giving gifts so Valentine's Day was right up there with Christmas and Birthday celebrations!  Now that my daughters are grown with lives of their own, things haven't really changed that much. We still give little gifties and send cards to demonstrate our love to one another (even if at times, it doesn't get delivered exactly ON V-day).

This little jar of yummies was delivered to my office on Monday by one of our regular customers. What a way to start out a Valentiney week!

And I received this flower early on Tuesday morning from the older's fam and Little E!!  It made it's home on the corner of my desk all week! Flowers are just cheery all the way around!  Love, love posies!

Even though MY Valentine is far, far away in Florida, I still had a lovely dinner date with my favorite little darling!

And while Aunt B was home she made some of these tasty treats for some of her friends:

As you can see I sampled a little bite!

And, of course, no Valentine's Day is complete without making some really cool Valentines to send to, well, to whoever is on your list of recipients!

All in all I felt very "loved" this week with all our family traditions and little gifties exchanged! 

We love Him BECAUSE He first loved us!!

What is the difference?  Why do some families make intentional plans to show the people they love how they feel about them?  Why the need to express to others that they hold a special place in your heart, that you think about them, and care about what goes on in their lives?  That you want to"know" them?

We love Him because he first LOVED us!!

There are many people out there, in the world around us, who have no one to express to them that they are thought about and loved.  During this week of cards and kisses there are those who go without one Valentine, one person to express to them that they are thought of or cared about.

We love Him because he first loved US!!

 This week I happened upon (I don't really believe in such a thing) some words that were written from the heart of one friend to another, a consoling, encouragement for that one who doesn't have a hubby to share Valentine's day and express to her how special she is.  This is what I read:

Tonight of all nights, don't you dare forget how loved you are.

Don't you dare scroll through the mini-feed, looking at patched-together pictures from couples struggling to keep on giving in a world that rolls downhill to taking, and feel like you are the only lonely one.

Don't you forget that people rarely post their emptiness. They rarely post their fears and their doubts. They rarely post their fatigue. Sometimes they post trying to prove love to themselves as much as to the world.

So when you see that stuff, don't let it fool you.

Don't you dare forget that you are beautiful.

Don't you dare forget that you are funny, and tender, and smart, and how you bring life into the dark places of the world.

Don't you dare forget how you make me laugh, and how my life would be less without you in it.

I need you. I love you. I'm not the only one who does.

Tonight a lie will slither and bite, whispering that being single makes you somehow less desirable. When that happens, step on its head and crush it. Nothing could be further from the truth.

You are blindingly appealing. You are a vessel of light and love. How I love you for it.

Don't you forget that you are seen, and known, and wanted. And don't you forget that all of those hurts that you keep pushing down inside, that resound today like some sort of cruel clock striking, are held tenderly in the heart of the One who made you.

He will never stop chasing you. He has been writing a singular romance with your name on the envelope since time began. May you fall asleep tonight hearing that love whispered softly over your pillow.

Thanks to my sweet friend Gina for allowing me to steal from her Facebook!  Oh, to be a woman who could give such a wonderful gift of encouragement--to strengthen, and build up a friend who might be failing to see the real TRUTH.  This life is oh.so.hard and we have an enemy who whispers lies in the darkness of our loneliness with intentions to kill and destroy!!

There is ONE who thinks of us, even though we may not think of Him. And He speaks to us through His Word:

How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! 

how great is the sum of them!

If I should count them, they are more in number 

than the sand

 Psalm 139

By grace alone,

Lisa

Insta-Friday Pilot Episode

My daughters who blog here and here do all kinds of fun things on their blogs

and I'm NOT going to be out done in this arena...so here goes nothing!!

This is the view from my desk at work.  This cool van was parked across the street

and the special thing about this vehicle in particular is that my brother

used to work for Simplex Grinnell...so in memory of his very short stint of employment

there I took this picture.  He was just a baby then!

I LOVE target and was thrilled to find this little gem in my mail box.

A gift from my hubby in celebration of our 27 year anniversary...that was Wednesday!

I made two of these this week, and gave one each to my daughters to help

with their Valentine decorating.  I found the idea on pinterest, and I'd love to share

the link where I first got the idea, BUT I can't find it anywhere.

What can I say...

This cup represents one of my FAVORITE things---tuxedo mocha from a little 

book store/coffee shop down the street from my office.  Normally I don't buy coffee

because I have connections to Starbucks but, Thursday I decided to splurge!

I sat, on a church pew no less, with my coffee and enjoyed some

lively phone conversation with my daughters.   

The atmosphere is wonderful there with a large fish tank filled with interesting 

and colorful fish.  I wanted to snap a picture but

didn't want to interrupt the boy at the table right in front of the fish tank 

who was obviously studying or reading or something

equally important that probably shouldn't be interrupted

by some crazed middle aged women who wanted to take a picture of the cool clown fish!

So there we have it...my week at a glance.

Grace Treasures

One thing you should know about me; I like old things.  I live in a house that is old, it has lots of character.  I like antiques, things that hold memories of a bygone days or have a special meaning.  For this reason I didn't have pictures on the walls in my house for a looong time.  Whatever was going to hang there staring at me, had to mean something, even if no one else got it, I had to.

So it goes with most of my purchases.  When I am searching for just the right thing and I find it, it's like finding a treasure.  I've looked and looked at all different kinds of ________ (fill in the blank) and I find the absolute perfect fit, the "just right" for my need.

I've been looking for a ring for quite some time.  I knew I wanted a silver ring with a stone, preferably blueish in color and an emerald cut (square).  I had looked at several regular stores (i.e. Kohl's and Goody's) over the past few months, trying to find "my perfect ring".  Each time I would leave wondering if I would ever find the one, you know, the "just right" perfect fit.  The one that gives you the feeling when you find it that it was there all along, awaiting you, like a forever friend.

And then, unexpectedly, it happened!!

I walk into one of my favorite little shops around the corner from my office, really just to browse

and there among the other rings was my "just right".

Not quite the color I was dreaming of

but lovely in its own way

So happy with the way it looks

just perfect!! :o)

And the best part about this purchase was it COST ME NOTHING.  If I had found my "just right"
at another store, I would have had to pay for it.  You see, I had consigned a few
little bobbles at this shop and so actually this treasure was

FREE
 ~makes my heart happy every time!!

This ring is a wonderful example of how the lover of my soul orchestrates

the every day dealings of my life to demonstrate his care and love

in the little things, things that might not mean anything

to you, but speak volumes to my heart!!

Today, it's a jewelry trinket he graces me with!

Tomorrow it might be a scripture treasure I can tuck deep into my heart~

one that whispers truth that will strengthen and encourage

one that will speak to me of his Love and Faithfulness!!

I hope this post will encourage you to look at the every day little

grace treasures you experience and know they come from the

hand of one who Loves you with an everlasting love!!

Blessings,
Lisa

Speak the Truth

I just read the verse at the top of this blog and thought, "How do you do it"?...speak the truth to one another. That sounds rather odd. Why wouldn't we desire to speak the truth? But think about it a little. Do the people you relate to on a daily, weekly basis REALLY want to hear the "truth"? No one wants to be lied to, do they? or do they?!



TRUTH is a funny thing. People "like" it only when it goes along with what they're doing. They desire to hear it IF it doesn't rebuke them or stifle their actions or call them to face something they don't want to face. I know this because I see it in myself at times. I have this issue with the truth...I LOVE it and I have some disdain for it because it reveals things inside my heart that need attended to, worked on, weeded out, etc.



AND, face it, the TRUTH, the real TRUTH is hard. Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life..." So Jesus embodied truth, was truth. How does that affect us? How should it affect us?

Do we love people enough to tell them the truth?

"...speaking the truth in love.." that is Paul's admonition in his letter to the church people in Ephesus. So the manner in which we speak is key to how we speak the truth.  So, as in every case, motive is everything.  Why do we desire to "speak the truth"?  Is it from a heart of love for that person?  Is it to expose something that will hurt them or is it to expose the truth that will "set them free"?  Sometimes those two things are synonymous!!  The truth that will set you free is painful.

Do we love them enough to risk hurting them in an effort

to help them find freedom?

The title of this little blog reflects the heart of the blogger...to tell the truth

the truth about THE TRUTH (Jesus)

the truth about myself 

and the truth about and to others.