Author: pamela

The Value of This Site

I’ve just recently begun an attempt “update” this site and in the process I’ve come across many broken links, etc.  But, I’ve also realized that this site may still be a valuable service or resource for women—for mothers, grandmothers, wives, homemakers, sisters in the Lord. That’s what’s prompting the writing of this post… I think this site still matters. 🙂 This may sound self-aggrandizing, but that was not/is not at all my intention. In the late 90’s, with the proliferation of instantly(!) available information, bulletin boards, email, lists, news and all sorts of websites, I began gathering/bookmarking what I considered to be helpful: information, encouragement, resources, and more. I was astounded at the instant answers to questions I had, history I wanted to read, health/family information I wanted to research and, obviously, so much more.

Initially for myself, but then for other mothers, I began or categorize the information into various files.  I began an online Bible study and newsletter.  Shortly afterward, the “AChristianHome” website was created.  It’s just occurred to me that I was so missing the “Gentle Spirit” magazine I used to receive during the late 80’s – early 90’s. If you ever read that magazine, you’ll understand the connection to other “like-minded” women. It’s interesting I’ve not noticed a correlation to the Gentle Spirit years until now as the desire to minister to women is resurfacing.

Building the ACH website was an exciting inspiration to me as I saw “come to life” my goal to encourage other women as I had appreciated what I’d received in my own life.  I’d had opportunities to contribute to magazines, share at retreats, and Bible studies so, naturally, creating an online resource seemed like a great idea.  But! As I’ve written about through the years here, it *unfortunately* became akin to an addiction, all consuming from time to time — so much so, that I’ve had to occasionally “step away” in order to realign my focus — especially regarding my life’s responsibilities and aim — the very things I was writing and linking! Various posts here & here… and more.

There’s much to do to eliminate broken links, defunct sites, but it’ll probably be slow-going as I’ve decided not to be preoccupied with it all even knowing that oodles of broken links might be, or will be!, exasperating to readers.

For today, I hope this site is helpful/encouraging to you.
And… I pray you’re pressing on toward the mark for the prize of the High Calling of God in Christ Jesus. The Lord surely is merciful. I pray He blesses you, your home, and the work of your hands… encouraging you to stand firm… in Him.

The Next Chapter

Next Chapters… there have been many next chapters in life. Generally speaking, I don’t think I’ve realized I was in a next chapter until I was pretty immersed in it. When we put our beloved Snohomish farmhouse on the market three and a half years ago, I don’t know that I was aware a next chapter had begun. And because we didn’t move away immediately after the sale, the awareness still hadn’t set in.

Unfamiliar with the neighbourhood, I had to pay strict attention to new landmarks, street signs, etc., for many weeks following the move away from the farmhouse. A landmark I hadn’t initially noticed sure did bring the tears each time I made the first of a few turns in our new neighbourhood. It was a willow tree. For awhile, I found it easier to turn on the next block so I wouldn’t have to see it.

Over time, after many months — a year, maybe more — I began to come to grips with the reality that I was in the next chapter. I would never live in the former again. Everything was changed — nothing would ever go the same old way again — even though I often lived as though I wasn’t staying here, but that I would one day be able to go back home.

So many things pointed to the reality of this next chapter. This next chapter was well underway and I hardly noticed it. O, sure, I was noticing change, I was noticing my lack of interest here, the emptying nest, the perplexing difference between a farmhouse surrounded by land (glorious land!) and the tightly spaced houses in this neighbourhood… dog walkers, delivery trucks, kids playing in the street, and a gazillion cars and trucks parked everywhere.

But the reality of the next chapter truly only sank in when I realized we were back to just us. For the first time in well over 40 years, we were/are just us. And so began this next chapter. And it’s sweet. In the busyness of bringing up children, be self-employed in a ‘seasonal’ business, and all the life events along the way, I’m not so sure we ever even had conversations along the lines of: When we grow old and the children move away… what are we going to do?  I’m not sure the thought even entered our minds.

But it has now. And so, here we stand at another crossroads in life and we are content watching the Lord lay out the road before us in this next chapter.

I felt compelled to share this message today bcz I got to thinking maybe someone’s standing in a similar place… not where you were, not where you thought you’d be, maybe not where you want to be, not sure where you’re going or what you’ll do when you get there.  I pray that you’ll see joy again.

A line from a Booth Brothers song comes to mind pretty much every day:
Take another step, and another step, and another step, trust God and take another step, and another step, and another step…

 

Floundering

Have you stopped to consider that even when you’re floundering, or feel as though you are, God is still present, still at work on your behalf, still working all things together for good according to His mercy (His great-great mercy!)? That is, for our/your good and His glory (His great, great glory).  Throughout these last few years I’ve surely seen day to day proof of this. His mercy. His great, great mercy. His great mercy *even* in my floundering. God’s not thwarted by our floundering and He’s not thwarted in our striving. He’s not thwarted or diminished in our thriving. Imagine that! Nothing, absolutely nothing we do thwarts the work — the incredible, indescribable, unfathomable work — of God.

We may think (I have thought) that God’s not deeply moved by the inconsequential things that really get to us — things that, in light of eternity, truly are inconsequential. But they feel big.  They feel so big! To us. They feel insurmountable to us. They may even feel like “the end” to us. But to God? No. Nothing’s impossible for Him. Nothing’s insurmountable to Him. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

I know this. I’ve seen this. I’ve lived this. I’m living it still. Nothing. Absolutely nothing is tooooo hard for the Lord. He is at once our Creator, our Sustainer, our Provider, our Deliverer, our Redeemer, our Guide, and He is our Lord. At once. All at once. And yet. And yet I dare to say: I flounder, Lord, I’m floundering!

And He sees it. He knows it. He allows it. And… He is bringing me through it. Through it all, all this floundering. Through this long time of floundering.  And He carries me. Still. That’s how loving and merciful the Lord is. To me, to you, to us all.

He says: “Be still and know that I am God…” And I trust Him. I trust him to see me through this floundering, this season of floundering. And I trust Him for the fruit of it all.

John 12.24 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit…”

As I write this, I pray that whoever reads this will be encouraged to press on… to carry on in faith that the Lord is allowing a season of floundering for your good and His glory. For your good and for the good of another who might be floundering. Maybe you’re a woman standing at a crossroads.  Maybe you’re longing for peace, for redemption, for wholeness, for Truth, and for life. God’s not willing that ANY should perish but that ALL would come to repentance and follow Him as Lord. It’s that simple. It’s the truth. Jesus is standing at the door.  He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life… no one comes to the Father but by Him.

The Race Before Us

Longing to run, but afraid to fail, that’s the story of my life.  I’ve let this blog sit idle for so many months, it’s hard to imagine that for years I regularly wrote blog entries. But I love to write. I write nearly every day—just not here. Mu husband’s asked me to write… just write. Every day, just write. In this step of faith season, I was reading in the Word the other day… I read Hebrews 12.1, which says, “Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is before us.”

I considered that we’re all compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses… who are they? They’re family, friends, pastors, teachers, creators of music, hymns, spiritual songs, writers, speakers, so many sources… so many witnesses! And then, there are weights — trials, or sins, or regrets, or failings, or shame, or limitations, or whatever: weights—weights that so easily beset us, weights that trip us or prevent us from running the race that is set before us.  Later, in this same chapter, I received further encouragement to run the race that’s set before me. And I thought on some of the many, many truths I know.

God’s created us for His good pleasure; He’s also created us to good works. We read in Ephesians 2.10, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”  So, once again, I’m inspired to press on.

Hebrews 12.11-13 goes on to say, “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed.”
Now, I’m no “name it and claim it” girl, but I trust God’s Word and I believe that He seeks for me —for us— to be healed in such a manner that we will trust Him for the race that is set before us.

All my doubts and failures, all my fears and anxieties that prevent me from stepping out in faith, God wants to heal and forgive. In putting a foot in front of the other to walk by faith and not by sight, to take another step of faith after each previous step… God seeks to encourage. Hope for the next step, God wants to give.  God’s ordained that I should walk in faith. And all the good works that’s He’s planned for me? I should walk in them. I pray you see this with me for yourself. That we will run the race…

The good works? I must walk in them. I must run in them. They’re what He’s created me to do.  They’re what He’s created you to do.

Run the race. Let’s run the race!

The Hand of The Lord

Many times I have stated or thought in times of trial: The arm or the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save – nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. I say this in the face of difficult situations, disappointments, poor health, wayward children, losses, financial reverses or adversity, and, among many other things, despair. I resolve to watch for the Hand of the Lord.

Have you ever sought to understand or answer: How long is the arm of the Lord or how great is the hand of the Lord? And if we cannot begin to answer the question: how long is the arm or hand of the Lord, then how can we possibly fathom that the arm or the hand of the Lord is not shortened that it cannot save.

“Behold, the LORD’S hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:”
Isaiah 59.1

How great is the Hand of the Lord? The Lord who created all things, The Lord who holds back the sea, The Lord who shakes the trees of the wilderness, The Lord who calms the sea that the wind and the waves obey Him, The Lord who who redeems…
—Isaiah 52.2 “Is my hand shortened at all, that it cannot redeem?” Do you see: at. all. “Is my hand shortened at all…”

There is nothing too hard for the Lord. I may face a mountain of troubles, I may grieve or struggle with health trials or disappointment or loss or financial adversity – but this I know –I know– there is nothing too hard for the Lord. Nothing. The hand of the Lord is not shortened at all. There is no life, no situation, no trial, no hardship too far or too hard for the Lord. The hand of the Lord is not shortened at all. The enemy of God, the enemy of our souls would have us to believe otherwise. The enemy, the devil, would have us to believe that we are without hope, that we have failed too many times – or worse, that we’re beyond hope – beyond hope of ever doing better, ever getting things right. The enemy may even persuade us to believe that it would be better if we were dead – that our life is of little use or worth – that we’re the only ones with this or that type of troubles or sins or perpetual destructive habits.

The enemy is constantly prowling around, warring against our members seeking whom he may devour. He is at once our tempter, deceiver and accuser. Consider that when temptation comes, it is seemingly harmless, easy and without consequence: Here… have this food, tell this lie, destroy this evidence, no one will see, no one will know, tell that secret… or whatever. But then if we yield to temptation – whatever it is, instantly(!) our tempter becomes our accuser: Ha, how could you have been so dumb, how could you have done that, you always do that, you’ll never get past this, you’ll never be thin, healthy, strong, trustworthy, competent… or whatever.

But God. We turn to God, we turn to the Truth: And we hear: “Is my hand shortened at all…?”

I think of the verse: “This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of all his troubles.” —Psalm 34.6 You see, the Lord hears and the Lord heals and the Lord lifts. He is at once indeed: Jehovah-jireh (The Lord our provider) and Jehovah-rapha (The Lord our healer) and Jehovah-shammah (The Lord is present) and Jehovah-Shalom (The Lord our peace).

HE will save you. HE will lift you up. His arm is not shortened that it cannot save you… He is able to save to the uttermost. (Hebrews 7.25)
That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD,
that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.    —Joshua 4.24

Regretful Years: IBLP/ATI

  Drinking from my saucer bcz my cup’s overflowed.  But that doesn’t mean regretful things don’t resurface and flood my mind from time to time. And my mind surely is flooded these days.

 

From March 2014

Jump in, the water’s fine…

Or so we said whenever someone visited and was hesitant to jump in…

I’ve never figured out the exact purpose of this blog, the direction I wanted to steer it or the specific content I’d write or curate. But, one thing I know, for a couple of decades now, I’ve been drawn to write, drawn to share, drawn to connect near and far with sisters in the Lord who find themselves in the midst of the garden of life: growing and thriving, in the day-after-day busy, in the hustle and bustle of family, or in the looking back wondering where the time went, or in the spending quiet, all alone, days….

I am or have been in each… reminiscing, looking back, looking ahead… striving, stopping, regretting, laughing, hoping, forgetting, crying,  remembering… and through it all, tripping or stepping heavenward.

It’s all part of the journey… I’m seeing, on the path to later motherhood.  Through it all, I’d still say: jump in, the water’s fine. I said it in my carefree childhood to a friend too nervous to jump in the pool, and later to a young mom afraid to start a family, and still later to an older mom fearful to have more children or, over the years, to let go and watch her children leave the nest for their own life’s journeys.

Things haven’t turned out the way I thought they would.  In many ways, they haven’t turned out as I planned, or hoped, or wished, or imagined. But. And this is more important: they’re turning out the way God’s allowed them to. From all I’ve seen and read and heard, I can trust Him. I can trust Him for whatever comes… from my failures, my perceived successes, my missed opportunities, and my fairly okay attempts to do what I was called to do.  In the end, the children (and their children) are for Him to guide; the earth is His, the world is His… all the children belong to Him and from all I’ve seen and read and heard, He’s all we need.

My feeble attempt to make my way back into these pages is just this: I’ll be sharing what He’s doing, what I’m doing and learning and how it’s all turning out.

My trust and hope in the Lord hasn’t wavered… He is still my All in all, the Hope of Glory.

And the Jump in, the water’s fine title? That was for me… nervously blogging for the first time in a year or so.

with love and blessings….

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

The first verse of the beautiful hymn, Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus: “O, soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see?” is a line that resonates with many of us in various seasons or from time to time, I’m sure. Maybe you’re in such a season or are facing such a time right now. Maybe you’re coming out of such a season or space of time and on the other side you’re seeing the answer to the weary, the trouble, the darkness: “There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free!”

I’ve spent the better part of a year seeking that more abundant life: listening to hymns and gospel music most all day, every day. Quiet mornings in the Word and in prayer, journaling slices of life — followed by music to fill my mind all day. Life changes, disappointments, sorrows, loss, health challenges, and waiting… lots of waiting on the Lord for things to be completed or brought to pass.  Through it all, I trace the Hand of the Lord; through it all, I see His mercy and experience His grace.

Through it all, I know that I know that I know:
(verse 3)
His Word shall not fail you—He promised;
Believe Him and all will be well:
Then go to a world that is dying,
His perfect salvation to tell!

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of heart will grow strangely dim
In the light of His glory and grace.

Though I’ve desired to write/blog for some time. Some days I sit here at the table, looking at this computer and think: I’ll write when the storms pass. I’ll write when I can share words of some value. I’ll write when I get it together. Today I’m writing and it seems those criteria aren’t really met or present. But today I simply write in the light of His mercy, in the midst of a storm, weary and a little troubled. But, really, being weary or troubled in the midst of a storm doesn’t prevent me from seeing the loving face of my Saviour—being weary or troubled doesn’t cause me do doubt Him for a minute.

Nothing escapes His gaze: His eye is on the sparrow in the midst of a storm.  Before me He stretches out His hand and bids me—again—to follow Him—to look to Him—to trust in Him.

I look up and see His glory and grace.
I open my hands and catch the rain of His mercy.
I wait on Him to guide my steps.

I trust Him — for all I’ve seen, all I’ve heard, all I’ve experienced: (verse 2) “Through death into Life everlasting, He passed and we follow Him there; over us sin hath no more dominion—for more than conquerers we are!”

Sisters, believe this. It’s true. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14.6)
This is the Good News. HE will carry you. He will save you, guide you, provide for you wherever you are. The truth is in Him. The Truth is in His Word.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
(written by Helen H. Lemmel in 1918)

The Welcome Home

For a few months we had been inching toward the sale of our home. One year ago today was the first of three days of showings. We’d been blindly taking steps forward, guided by the unseen Hand. 

Now over twenty five years ago we were looking for a home that would be just right for our growing family. “Looking” is far too weak. We were searching, yearning, praying for such a home. We searched and searched—drove around day after day looking for that forever home.  It had been suggested that I make a list of things I hoped the home would have. I made that list. I still have it, somewhere tucked in the pages of an old journal.

A series of events led us to drive through our town and notice a small sign on a post: For Sale By Owner. It’s a sweet, memorable story… the home had most every single thing on the list: a porch, a Willow Tree, enough bedrooms, a clawfoot tub, a large kitchen, land, space, a shop… We bought the forever home—the just right home for our growing family. And it was; it was just right. And one year ago today, after the For Sale sign went into the ground, dozens and dozens of showings began. I look back on that day now with melancholy reflection and no small measure of regret. But that Unseen Hand? That Unseen Hand was guiding us. And though I still do not have gladness in my heart about the decision, I do have a small measure of peace. Peace that it was God’s plan and peace that further along we’ll know more about it…

At the end of the lane where that original For Sale sign was posted, and then 25 years later, our own, is a ‘Dead End’ sign. It was always going to be a dead end, but I’m sure never ever saw it that way. I saw it with eyes of joy and a heart full of gratitude. It was The Welcome Home… our forever home.

When we moved into that home, I wrote on the front door: Welcome Home.  Thus, it was named. It became the theme of that home… for in that home we welcomed three more babies, raised our eleven children, ran a swimming pool business, we took in several who needed a place to live, we fed strangers and friends, hosted Bible studies and a house-church, had huge gatherings, weddings and memorials, ate fruit from the trees and vegetables from the garden, grew flowers, made wedding cakes, birthday cakes, a gazillion cookies, thousands and thousands of meals and so much more.  So much more.

But it is the memories of mornings sitting on the porch beside the enormous Willow tree, in what we adoringly called the Garden of Eden, that make me teary today. We’d become nearly “empty-nesters” the last year there and that porch was kind of an oasis, a sanctuary of sorts, for us.

I purposely did not blog this whole event nor much of anything else for nearly a year now.  I was journaling accounts of each day — for which I’m very grateful now. As I’ve looked back, I’ve read the many grievous, heart-rending accounts of all that happened after we accepted the first and then the second offer and the months between the sale and the move away from that dear home.

I haven’t been back to our home—the once beautiful ‘slice of heaven’ with its majestic trees has been forever changed, destroyed, really, but it’s a new year, it’s time to move on. What’s done is done. The beauty and majesty of The Welcome Home is but a precious memory now.  I must note that our buyer loves the home, has big plans and dreams for The Lost Willow Farm. I’m glad.

 

 

Hope

In the late 70,s/early 80’s my husband and I were involved in a couple of multi level marketing companies/programs. What we experienced in those days is still being used of the Lord to guide us today.  We had no idea at the time that our thoughts and ideals were being shaped by some teachings that were anything but Biblical. But it all sure seemed to be at the time. And then it didn’t. We were never positive enough,

The Power of Positive Thinking, PMA or Positive Mental Attitude, were a couple of buzz phrases of the day, and positively, we were thinking positively. We, along with our friends from church, became well versed in the ‘think and grow rich’ or ‘what you believe, you can achieve’ ideologies. It all felt so great — the enthusiasm, the patriotism, and the high moral standards and behaviour we saw exhibited. The “Soap Company” was squeaky clean and we were all in. Until we weren’t.

I share all that, in part, to say that there’s nothing new under the sun. What was buzzing in those days continued and is buzzing today. The words may not be the same, but the motivation and the intent are the same. You Got This, You are enough. I am more than enough. You are deserving. I am deserving… you get the idea. More of the positive mental attitude that puts self in control, or self as the priority—seemingly regardless one’s circumstances.

I wrote the above portion of this entry one year ago. One year ago at the dawn of the New Year 2021. A new year that was filled with unknowns. I’m not sure why I didn’t complete this blog entry — perhaps I had a subconscious knowing that I had absolutely no idea where to take the “positive mental attitude” concept in a time I had anything but a positive mental attitude.  In many ways, less so, now.

I just finished a book by Kate Bowler, No Cure For Being Human (and other truths I need to hear). Early in the book as she’s describing one of her many stays in hospital, she shares an exchange regarding books in the hospital gift shop. Prominently displayed was Joel Osteen’s book Your Best Life Now. Kate had just had one of a number of major surgeries related to invasive cancer.  She commented to the shop’s manager that that book (and a whole stack of other Christian bestsellers she’d piled on the floor) was not suitable to be sold in a hospital.

I’m almost embarrassed to say that I laughed out loud reading that — given her devastating condition. Yet, it was that very condition that gave her the perspective—and the authority—to make such a bold declaration.  Throughout the book I found various observations of life’s absurdities to be so instructive.

I’ve been reflecting on the adage, You don’t know what you don’t know.  It takes a whole lot of living to really get the deep meaning of old adages — though we so often readily agree with them. In theory. Over the the past year as I’ve wallowed in grief, depression, regret, disappointment and more emotions than I could possibly have been able to understand, I’ve been assured that things will get better, or to look on the bright side, or a host of other well meant assurances. Maybe I just needed to browse the Christian Bookstore’s best seller section and read the glowing titles.  Or not.

What I do know is that each morning as I’ve opened the Word, I’ve been met right where I’m at. I’ve been met by hard truths and gentle persuasion, affirmations of God’s loving kindness, tender mercy and His Providential care.  As I embark on this new year, I do so with hope.  Not necessarily hope for my best life now, but hope in the Living God who does all things well. And loves me.

And you.  And in this year ahead, may we positively rejoice in Hope.