Dear Diary, DEAR GOD!!!!

I’m up to my eyeballs and Judy Blume revelations in diaries here! Help! Save me!!! Working on my latest book has meant delving into my past: the wacky, the kooky, the embarrassing. Ah memories! Light the corners of my mind…

Anyway, I’ve gotten glaring revelation of how much I’ve changed- and how much I haven’t. We’d all like to think that we mature into sophisticated people. But honestly, the reality, a lot of the time is that we’re awkward kids, fumbling and screwing up in an epic way. I’ve heard it said that really, once we get past eighth grade, we just kind of recycle that whole mentality over again. Dooms day? We’re all perpetually fourteen years old? Yikes!

In those moments, however of adolescence, whether it be chronological or emotional, let’s remember, God knows.

“For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”

Psalms 103:14

And we need to know- and remember, in spite of our awkward natures…

“I have chosen you and have not cast you away.”

Isaiah 41:9

“Since you were precious in my sight… I have loved you…”

Isaiah 43:4

It bears repeating to our terminally fourteen year old selves, right? Relax! Whether it’s your pasty, your present or your future, God’s aware of it. Each day you’re alive has meaning in it, whether or not you feel it’s “noteworthy” as I diary entry. Be patient; you’ll get there. You ARE getting there!

Now back to my own awkwardness- and the diaries that invade my eyeballs. Send a search party if you don’t hear from me soon.

Elizabeth Taylor: Beauty Forever

The legend, the movie star, the beauty, Elizabeth Taylor passed away today.

But her beauty, inside and out? Well, that never dies.

Beauty never dies. Beauty is. Why? Because God only creates the wonderful, the beautiful, the magnificent. That's Liz; that's you and I as well.

When we think of, look at or remember Elizabeth Taylor, let's remember that her beauty never changes our beauty.

Don't judge; don't envy.

Appreciate the beauty, not just the face and form features, but the inner, imperfect being, housed in this temple we call a human body. Beauty is heart, soul, conviction, tenacity, humor, kindness, imperfection, spirit and unique in every single one of us.

Beauty belongs not just to the movie star, but to each of us.

We may not have Liz Taylor's famous "violet eyes," but we all can see- and see our own beauty.

 Let's honor both Liz's memory and the God Who made us all, recognizing it today and each day.

Rest in Peace, dear Elizabeth...

Esther: Least Likely…

Feel the least likely? Feel like your dreams are never going to happen? Get in line; Esther understands.

She had no concrete evidence to believe for her victory- EXCEPT a real God who was working the whole time.

Check out the book of Esther for yourself. God’s not intimidated when all the odds seem against you. He’s created and called for you to win!

Ah, Rest! God’s A God of Rest!

“Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope.”

Psalms 16:9

Ah, yes! Rest!

This painting, entitled by “Rest At Harvest,” William Adolph Bougeareau captures the spa “ahhhhh” of it all, doesn’t it? Ah, yes! THIS is the life, the epitome of relaxation.

Wouldn’t you love to be in this frame of mind? Me, too! Yet it seems that we are bombarded with noise, distraction, stress and screaming voices (often coming from ourselves). There is, therefore, no spa, no rest, at harvest, or any other time, for that matter!

A lot of us out there aren’t so hot about the issue of rest, if we’re honest about it. We’re driven, under pressure, fast paced, ambitious, whatever you want to call it. Rest isn’t encouraged or deemed as a great, successful character trait in a typical day to day setting. Add stress, complicated life issues, disordered eating and addiction patterns to the mix and frankly, forget about embracing any kind of nurturing spa situation! It ain’t happening.

But rest is Godly, even going back as far as Creation:

“And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made.”

Genesis 2:2

 One thing I’ve noticed in doing a study on rest scriptures, is that the word, “restore” is not far from it as well.

“He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”

Psalm 23:3

God is in both the “resting business” and the “restoration business.” So, if we’re stressed out – about anything- then maybe we need to ask ourselves the question,

“Are we doing  rest or restoration business with God?”

“And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.”

Job 11:18-19

God is not overwhelmed by us, by our lives. He’s a God of Creation, yes. But He is also a God of compassion and rest. He is NOT a slave driver!

So why should any of us be as well?

Can you rest, right now, here? If the answer is no, are you the cause of the turmoil?

 God has your life; He has you. He’s handling it. What if, right now, even in spite of everything, God wants you to rest?

Let’s all quit trying to control everything by acting like God. We do a lousy job of it, anyhow. God is God, at least, last time I checked.

God has told us not to fear…

“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

John 14:1

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

John 14:27

I’m not saying that it’ll be easy to let everything go and lounge like this woman in the painting here. But God has a God-sized Victory, control and power over it, whatever it may be: problem, issue, recovery, life, stress, you name it!

So, let’s try, just try to take a spa rest (hay and field setting, optional).

Turtle Progress?

Turtle

Progress can be turtle slow, huh? It doesn’t matter if it’s recovery or life itself. Progress seems to move at the speed of a turtle on even the best of days sometimes.

But no effort is lost from God’s concern. He knows where we are.

Where are you? Hiding in your shell, barely peaking out at life?

Flat on your turtle back, with life, seemingly, going nowhere?

Stuck in one spot?

Or are you crawling, one foot in front of the other?

Whenever you are, dear turtle, God has you in His Hand:

“I have engraved you on the palms of my hands. Your walls are always in my presence.”

Isaiah 49:16

He knows EXACTLY where AND HOW you are- right now!!!! He’s helping you, regardless of how slow progress may seem!

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go: I will guide you with My eye.”

Psalm 32:8

Like this turtle here, remember that God has you firmly in His Hand!

You are on your way, even it means going slowly. You are getting there certainly!