Fun Times with Friends

Tonight was a nice ending to a very busy week.  There are few joys as sweet as relaxing with friends. The C family moved here in February. This is their first military assignment. Brenner is a chaplain. Their kids love our kids.  We've been looking for a chance to visit their new home and tonight was the opportunity. 

I KNEW the "golden" (dead) hills of CA would be beautiful when they "greened up." 

Cole was excited to have the kids visit HIS home. He's been to our home a couple of times and played with our toys. He was the perfect little host - showing the kids all his favorite things and willingly sharing.

One thing Cole wanted us to do was go down to the Pond. Stacia, Elise and Clara rode down....

The rest of us walked....you can see their home to the right of picture

Watching Stephanie with the girls at dinner and Brenner playing with them after dinner brought back memories of the season when ours were all young. 

Elise enjoys flying....

Clara needed a turn.... 

Pure joy

We enjoyed the bonus of meeting Stephanie's mother as well. This was a great transition into the weekend.....

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Remember....Lot's Wife

Three simple words which I have meditated, studied and journaled for three days.

This is a command, "Remember Lot's wife." Remember - be mindful of, keep in mind, recall -  and so I did and I will.

Background is found in Gen 19. Lot and his family are fleeing judgement and destruction in Sodom. They are COMMANDED  not to look back. Mrs. Lot can't help herself and glances back. She becomes a pillar of salt. Both Josephus and Irenaeus, a Jewish historian and a theologian, from back in the day, write about SEEING this pillar of salt in the area during their lives. There IS something called "Sodom Salt" which is said to be harder than most salts, mined in bricks as if from a rock quarry. There is also "Mount Sodom" which is a mountain of salt outside of the city of ancient Sodom.

So Mrs. Lot was fleeing from her known life, her possessions, her neighbors, possibly her extended family, if Lot had married a woman from Sodom, and is commanded not to look back. She does look back, and becomes a tower of salt. BTW Jewish tradition gives Mrs. Lot the name of Adith or Irith.

Luke is retelling Jesus' teaching on the coming judgment in chapter 17. He is telling readers to be alert. To be ready to flee when judgment comes. There is the sense  we are to remain unattached from material possessions - don't take the time to get the scrapbooks - just get out.

Remember Lot's wife.

O.K.

Sodom Salt Cave @ Mt Sodom - via Google images

WHY did she look back? I pondered. I came up with some ideas. I read what others had pondered.  Leaving a life behind is hard. She may have been curious. She may have been sickened by the sounds or sights of judgment. She may have been longingly looking back at her past possessions, experiences and relationships.  She obeyed - but grudgingly.  She obeyed, but gave that lingering final glance, "MUST I say goodbye?" This is not a picture of wholehearted obedience - and it cost her very life - which mattered more than anything she was leaving behind.

WHY does Jesus want us to remember this? WHY does it matter? These stories are written for examples for me (2 Cor10:6-12). I am commanded not to shrink back to destruction in Hebrews 10:38 - 39 - and Mrs. Lot did shrink back.

WHAT is he trying to show me? He wants wholehearted obedience - not grudging acceptance of His plans. Verse 33 gives another key.  Jesus says, "Whoever seeks to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it."  If Mrs. Lot had surrendered her life - she may well have gotten it refined and returned. It's in the nature of our God to restore.

Is it wrong to remember the past? Is it wrong to look back? No....not if we cherish those memories while wholeheartedly following Jesus in THIS season. Am I looking for what He is doing NOW - or am I clinging to what He has done in the past?

I won't look back to the way things used to be or have always been done.

I won't look back at past betrayals and let them color future interactions.

I won't Look back at sins (mine and others), but will look forward with forgiveness.

I won't cling to past places, relationships and seasons.

I won't look back at past successes and try to recreate them in a new season.

I won't glance longingly at the "financial security" the world offers.

I won't drag my feet when He leads in a new direction....

I will look for Jesus and follow him here - in a new season and a new place.

I will surrender past hurts, successes and cherished memories to Jesus.

I will trust Jesus to refine and preserve that which is valuable.

I will set my will to obey joyfully and wholeheartedly.

I will trust the Shepherd's leading.

I will endure.

I follow.


What about you? What does the Holy Spirit speak to you when you obey the command to  remember Mrs. Lot?

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

ECO DRIVING!!!!

A friend noted today she wanted a chauffeur, a cook and a maid. I'm living the life! I was driven around today by a 16 yo with a driver's permit, we ate leftovers, and I had the younger ones do their chores! I love my life. ::snort:: 


Arielle has invented a new style of driving - a style I've not seen before - and, yes, she is our sixth to learn to drive. 

ECO-Driving!!!!

Arielle jumped out of bed and offered to drive us to PWOC today. This would be 30 min each way. She had a motive.

I was not prepared for the fact that all little gnats and spiders must be helped out of the van or killed before she will touch the wheel!

We started down the road and she was doing GREAT. Until....well..... You wouldn't want to hit a BIRD.

A BIRD? No amount of cajoling on my part would convince her  the bird will fly out of the way!

One would also not want to hit squirrels, rabbits or deer.... It was HILARIOUS.

She  made the gate guards day cheery! It SAYS to go 10 mph; I'm sure most don't. As we pulled up, I thanked them for being gracious and informed them it was her first time to drive through the obstacles....evidently they'd guessed! ::snort::

Arielle drove us around for errands and then asked me to drive into the gas station. She took us out and home.....

Why didn't *I* ever figure out this is the way to reach the top of the windshield if you are under 6'4"?

There was ONE moment (which she has told me I can share) on a really bad road...without a shoulder...where she got distracted by cows, birds and a curve and went off road....I was terrified and yet....pleasantly surprised to see she did NOT over-correct and got us going right back down the road. We were both laughing....

BTW - in case you are wondering - an ECO DRIVER brakes for TURKEYS! ::snort::


 Arielle drove us BACK to base tonight for Bible Study.  She's a great sport and the other kids were fairly cooperative. Stacia HAS taken to calling out speed limits and shoulder warnings for Arielle. ::grin::

Below is ONE of my most humorous memories of the day....wouldn't every girl want her first days of driving to be celebrated by a staff of chaplains?
 Evidently, Ch. S, saw I was about worn out being the driver in charge......He explained to Arielle the difference between turning and cutting a wheel when backing up. LOL

She actually did a great job parking - it took a bit of time -  and a village!

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

How Do I Listen?

So take care how you listen; for whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him.....(Jesus) answered and said unto them, 'My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.' Luke 8:18,21

This chapter illustrates HOW we listen to the gospel - the good news - the words of Jesus.  There are many points which stand out in the passage, but for me, I am reminded to be careful how I listen. I must always listen with an ear to obedience. 

Several types of listening are illustrated in this chapter.  We see those who: 

• hear without belief (8:12)
• hear with joy - but no root system is developed (8:13)
• hear with worries (8:14)
• hear with an honest, good heart, hold fast to the words, bear fruit with endurance (8:15)
• invisible light is pointless - so is hearing without fruit (8:16)
•  laugh when Jesus speaks (8:52)

This listening matters. We are to "take care" how we listen. I want to be on who listens and holds fast; who bears fruit and endures. Don't you? Then we must listen with honesty. We must authentically hear AND then act.  Jesus says those who are His family are those who "hear the word of God and do it." Interestingly, it's this listening with an honest, good heart - listening to act - which begins to build the root system we so badly need to mature and endure in our walk with Jesus. 

It's not enough to intellectually believe. 

It's not enough to hear in a moment of time....and do nothing more. 

I must continue to hear. I must continue to obey and act on that which Jesus reveals to my soul and spirit. 

So the question really is: Are you listening? HOW are you listening? 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

She's DRIVING and I'm Progressive!

I didn't blog Sunday or Monday due to our Internet outage - here is what stands out in my mind. 

Zander is over his fever as of yesterday and seems to be feeling fine. Thankful this flu hits hard but it short-lived.

Arielle is really and truly driving and she's doing great. She drove to Yuba City - over the 5th street bridge, she drove in the boonies and she drove us to and from the optometrist yesterday! 

Optometrist? Yes...Arielle has new contacts. *I* have a prescription for glasses.  

I tried to pick some out - I just couldn't. These are to be progressives and be on my face - always. I like zany readers. I love colors and fun. As I went to buy a pair I realized......I have to wear these always....um.....


And so I am searching and asking questions: 

Some are telling me bigger frames, plastic, bolder....sounds like the 80's to me.... Ugh....not so sure about this...

WHAT do you look for in glasses? 

• WHAT do you do if your fun glasses are a color that clashes with your outfit of the day? Say purple with green? 
• WHAT is in style? 

As an aside....I was walking through Walmart....I had my readers on so I could read a price...and realized I would soon not have to dig them out of my bag each time I needed to read something.....It seemed natural to me to slide them to the end of my nose and practice the "progressive look thing"...you know up for far away, down for close....and I was so busy practicing I slammed right into an innocent gentleman. I apologized and told him I was practicing seeing. ::snort:: 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Offended? Offended at God?

Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.  Luke 7:23

John prepared the way for the Messiah by preaching repentance and forgiveness. (Luke 3)

John was among the first to recognize and reveal Jesus as Messiah.

Jesus is performing miracles, prophecies are being fulfilled...and John sits in a jail cell.

Things have not turned out the way John may have imagined they would have. Life with the Messiah does not meet John's expectations.  He sends his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are you the expected One or do we look for someone else?" Luke 7:20.

Jesus encourages them to go recount what they have witnessed to John. Then he ends with this comment, "Blessed is he who does not take offense at Me."

Blessed - not happy. This person knows he possesses God's favor. He is fully surrendered and satisfied with God's dealings with him.  This type of satisfaction has little to do with my circumstances. This one is blessed because he is not offended, he doesn't stumble, as He observes God at work in his life.

It sounds sacrilegious to say we are offended at God. Yet, we often are offended at God, while thinking we are offended at another. I have been offended at God and I have also walked in surrendered trust.

Via Google Images

God doesn't act as I think He should. I obey and expect He will make things easy - they're hard! I pray for healing and it doesn't come as I expect it to come. I pray for life and experience death. I pray for freedom and I don't see it as quickly as I'd like. I've been the "good girl" - why am I living with this pain?

It's in those times - when God fails to meet my expectations -  that I have a choice.

I choose offense and become confused, bitter, and stunted in my spiritual growth.

OR

I choose to authentically bare my soul and heart to God and then....I choose to turn my back on the offense. I choose to forgive - to release it. I forgive God for not meeting "my" expectations. I trust.  I surrender. I recognize I am STILL blessed because God is still God - even when He acts differently than I expect.

I reject the offense and I embrace the blessing of walking surrendered to Jesus...even in the dark, hard, scary places.

I follow. He leads.

Pssst....I wanted to say "let it go" but I knew I'd lose 96% of the readers who would start singing THAT song. AND we've been without Internet since Sunday and wow - is it nice to be able to WRITE. 

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

The Art of Neighboring - It's a Start

Why did I spend days sorting Skittles this week? Was it an elementary math assignment gone awry? No, I was making St. Patrick's gifts for the staff.... I started thinking I'd use quart jars...and well that was going to take MONTHS and cost zillions....I ended up with twenty-two of these half pint jars filled...with the rainbow and the little note.....and they are ok cute - not over the top cute - but o.k.

BUT - tying all that twine wasn't working for me...so I did this instead.::snort:: 

Click here for link

I was "in the zone" and decided it was time to begin taking monthly treats to the neighbors. Our friendly waves and hellos haven't seemed to break much ice. We were excited to move into a neighborhood - as opposed to the home with the chickens in the boonies - because of the close proximity to neighbors. I'd read, "The Art of Neighboring," as we left Misawa.  This is an easy read. It is about building genuine relationships with your neighbors. Changing your city by simply building authentic relationships. And - you know - my life verse is Mark 12:30-31; Love God - Love Neighbors. Somehow we've spiritualized neighbors to mean anyone but our REAL neighbors. While we certainly ARE to be neighborly to all - I doubt Jesus meant us to neglect our REAL NEIGHBORS. We knew living in an off-base neighborhood may provide challenges you don't find on a military base - people are more guarded. We had great hopes...but it's been hard to get our neighbors to warm up. The front of the book displays a neighborhood map. The idea is to know the names in all the houses around  yours. Then, to learn a few things you would know from observation or a casual conversation, and then at least one thing you'd only know if you really talked with them. Tonight we set out to create our map. Michael made a google map....

I made nine more little St. Patrick's gifts.  We got the printer working and wrapped more little bars.  I really LIKE the jars...so we bought more jars. We filled them with "lucky chocolate pennies" and the small bars. I printed a label that said, "We're lucky to live in your neighborhood," added our name and house number and then attached. No photo with tags for security reasons.

They turned out fairly cute.

The only thing left was to go deliver them...and none of us really wanted to. It's a bit scary to continue to reach out without reciprocation. No one really WANTS to look like a dork in their neighborhood.

Our family vision this year is to love courageously....so off we went. Of the nine homes we visited....we had two real conversations, several quasi conversations, and left two gifts on the doorstep when no one came to the door. It would have been creepy to take a map with us - right? When we got home we wrote names on the roofs of the houses on our map and our little facts for each family. We'll put the map on the fridge which will help us remember names, and we'll pray for the families in family circle. We met one family who moved here three weeks ago. I think they were happy to meet some neighbors. I can't believe we missed a big moving truck on the street.

It was a fun evening.  We really enjoyed getting to meet our neighbors. It's a start....and we're brainstorming for April...Easter themed....NO sorting of candies, or melting of candies either for that matter. ::snort:: A bit stymied as I refuse to do bunnies and eggs on EASTER...and yet I don't want to "talk Jesus" with folks who don't know me - I want to "live Jesus"....I'll keep thinking and praying.

Stacia has suggested we make a lemonade stand this summer with "Free lemonade."  She is sure people will stop to talk. She may have a point.

Choosing Joy!
©2014 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...