I don't know about you, but the ability to wait graciously and patiently is not really my forte. Having to stand in the checkout line for longer than two minutes wears on me, so it's no surprise that some of the bigger waits in my life have been, at times, a real struggle.
That's why I'm so thankful for verses in Scripture like these that offer encouragement and hope to those who wait:
Wait patiently for the Lord.
Be brave and courageous.
Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. (Psalm 27:14)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)
but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;they shall mount up with wings like eagles;they shall run and not be weary;they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4)
"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (Jeremiah 29:11)
I have clung to these verses and many others time and time again throughout my life. I've also been frequently drawn to books, blogs, sermons and articles focusing on the often prickly and painful subject of waiting. Last fall I happened across the blog, Heirs with Christ. It turns out that the author, Rachel, used to live right here in Montgomery (she and her family recently moved to the Mobile area) and I wouldn't be at all surprised if it turns out that we have friends in common.
When I discovered her blog she was in the middle of a month-long series on waiting. I found the series to be incredibly encouraging and thought-provoking, so much so that this past month I started re-reading the series each morning. She tackles the subject of waiting in such a powerful, Spirit-led way that is simultaneously humbling and uplifting. If, like me, you find yourself struggling with waiting, I highly encourage you to check out her series.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Saturday, May 04, 2013
Plan B Saturday
A couple of friends and I had planned to make a little road trip today to a winery about an hour north of here for lunch, tour and wine tasting. This morning, however, it was cold and raining pretty hard--not ideal driving or winery touring weather. We ultimately decided to go to Plan B and meet up for lunch at one of my favorite pizza joints.
Although we were bummed that our winery plans had fallen through (and of course it stopped raining and the sun came out during lunch), it was also nice to have an unexpectedly unplanned day ahead. After lunch (I had the ever-delicious margherita pizza, with enough left over to enjoy for dinner tonight), I decided to run a few errands that I'd originally planned to run tomorrow after church. Now I'll be able to get to my Sunday afternoon nap that much sooner.
I browsed for quite a while at World Market (surely I am not the only who could probably spend an entire afternoon there, right?) and ended up buying this dainty little necklace.
I'd actually been on the lookout for a small, delicate necklace with a short chain for quite a while so I was thrilled to come across this one. It was $9.99, with 25% off, and then I had a coupon for an additional 25% off. Hooray!
Another find today was a new ironing board cover. After nearly 20 years (!) my old cover was finally ripping and it was definitely time for a new one. Surprisingly, Target--which 99% of the time has adorably chic housewares--did NOT, in my opinion, have any chic ironing board covers. But I found one at Ross, where I snagged it for $8.99. Here's hoping it lasts a good 20 years plus.
After knocking out my grocery shopping I made my way to Starbucks just in time for their happy hour so that I could get a half-priced Frappuccino.
A grande light mocha Frappuccino, if you must know.
Not sure what the rest of the day has in store for me, but I suspect I'll be curled up on my couch soon with a good book or having a mini-marathon courtesy of Netflix.
Happy Saturday!
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Book Review: Bread & Wine
You know how, when you get near the end of a really good book, you start to pace yourself and read just a couple of pages a day because you don't want the book to end? (Surely I'm not the only one who does that.) That's what I found myself doing when approaching the end of my latest book for review, Bread & Wine by Shauna Niequist.
Niequist is a new author to me, but after reading this book I'm eager to read her previous works. (Someone who quotes both G.K. Chesterton and Fifty Cent in the same book is my kind of well-rounded author.) A self-proclaimed foodie, she shares stories of life--the good, the bad and the ugly--lived out around the table. She shares essays on family, friends and faith, all centered around meals shared, some elaborate, some simple, but all meaningful.
She also includes recipes throughout the book, which I, a fellow food lover, was particularly excited to discover. Of course, I'm the type who likes to sit down with a good cookbook and read it like it's a novel, so I enjoyed living vicariously through the meals she described. I do plan to try out at least some of the recipes included.
At the back of the book, Niequist offers some very helpful tips for entertaining, as well as a list of items that she keeps on hand in her pantry, fridge and freezer to make weeknight cooking easier. Also included is a four-part Bible study based on the book, with suggested menus for each session. If anyone in the area decides to do the study (and especially to include the meals with it), feel free to invite me. It's hard to turn down a Bible study when there's food involved.
All in all, I found Bread & Wine to be an enjoyable read with some great spiritual insights along with some practical tips. It's prompted me to get back into a regular habit of entertaining, a habit I've neglected the last couple of years. She reminded me that the food itself really isn't as important as the sentiment expressed in inviting people into my home and welcoming them to my table. This book is definitely a keeper for me.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Handlebar book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Sabbath Rest
Proving that God's sense of timing is always perfect, it was no coincidence that the final focus in Jen Hatmaker's 7 Bible study, stress, fell during a particularly stressful week for me. Back when we started the study I honestly thought it would be one of the least challenging areas for me. I don't consider myself a super-stressed out person; I'm typically pretty laid back, go with the flow.
But of course God knows exactly what I need when I need it, so I really shouldn't be surprised that this chapter on stress came in the midst of a very busy time for me at work. I've had several moments over the past couple of weeks where I've let my stress manifest itself in unhealthy ways, usually being short and impatient with my co-workers and doing more than my fair of grumbling and complaining. It's especially challenging when you feel like there are some others who aren't pulling their weight, to the extent that their lack of following through on projects makes more work for you to do.
On top of work stress, there is of course a never-ending to-do list of projects at home, errands to run, and just overall busyness. Most nights when I come home from work I just want to veg out on the couch til bedtime, so most of my chores and home projects get put off to the weekend. Which makes it difficult to follow the ancient practice of Sabbath, as we discussed this week in the 7 study.
But I love the point that Jen makes in her study about the Sabbath:
"There is never an end to the work, only an end to the week. A Sabbath rest doesn't mean everything is finished. It doesn't signal completed tasks or every mission accomplished. It may find us squarely in the center of a project, neck-deep in unfinished work. It comes every seven days in the middle of life."
I needed to hear this. So many times I'll tell myself that I can rest when I finish the laundry/mow the grass/empty the dishwasher/change the sheets on the bed/fill in the blank. And I feel guilty if I do sit down when there's plenty of other things I think I should be doing. That's not to say that the work shouldn't be done, but it's okay for me to take a break to rest without crossing everything off my to-do list.
And so I'm going to try to practice the Sabbath more regularly. To me (and everyone's Sabbath will look different), that means getting my weekend chores out of the way on Saturday (thankfully I had company over for dinner last night so I had great motivation to get the house cleaned). It means running any necessary errands ahead of time instead of doing my usual post-church Target/grocery store/Costco/etc. run. It means planning ahead so that I've got something already to eat and don't have to do a lot of cooking when I come home from church. (Again, I last night's dinner party to thank--leftovers!) It means settling my busy body down for a nice little nap. It means enjoying the rest that God has given me and not get mentally worked up thinking about all that needs to be done in the coming week.
I probably won't be able to practice Sabbath every single week, and some weeks it may be a Saturday or other day of rest instead of Sunday, but I'm going to try to be more purposeful in taking time to rest.
Do you practice any sort of Sabbath rest? Do you find it easy to rest or, like me, do you feel yourself constantly pulled in the direction of your to-do list?
But of course God knows exactly what I need when I need it, so I really shouldn't be surprised that this chapter on stress came in the midst of a very busy time for me at work. I've had several moments over the past couple of weeks where I've let my stress manifest itself in unhealthy ways, usually being short and impatient with my co-workers and doing more than my fair of grumbling and complaining. It's especially challenging when you feel like there are some others who aren't pulling their weight, to the extent that their lack of following through on projects makes more work for you to do.
On top of work stress, there is of course a never-ending to-do list of projects at home, errands to run, and just overall busyness. Most nights when I come home from work I just want to veg out on the couch til bedtime, so most of my chores and home projects get put off to the weekend. Which makes it difficult to follow the ancient practice of Sabbath, as we discussed this week in the 7 study.
But I love the point that Jen makes in her study about the Sabbath:
"There is never an end to the work, only an end to the week. A Sabbath rest doesn't mean everything is finished. It doesn't signal completed tasks or every mission accomplished. It may find us squarely in the center of a project, neck-deep in unfinished work. It comes every seven days in the middle of life."
I needed to hear this. So many times I'll tell myself that I can rest when I finish the laundry/mow the grass/empty the dishwasher/change the sheets on the bed/fill in the blank. And I feel guilty if I do sit down when there's plenty of other things I think I should be doing. That's not to say that the work shouldn't be done, but it's okay for me to take a break to rest without crossing everything off my to-do list.
And so I'm going to try to practice the Sabbath more regularly. To me (and everyone's Sabbath will look different), that means getting my weekend chores out of the way on Saturday (thankfully I had company over for dinner last night so I had great motivation to get the house cleaned). It means running any necessary errands ahead of time instead of doing my usual post-church Target/grocery store/Costco/etc. run. It means planning ahead so that I've got something already to eat and don't have to do a lot of cooking when I come home from church. (Again, I last night's dinner party to thank--leftovers!) It means settling my busy body down for a nice little nap. It means enjoying the rest that God has given me and not get mentally worked up thinking about all that needs to be done in the coming week.
I probably won't be able to practice Sabbath every single week, and some weeks it may be a Saturday or other day of rest instead of Sunday, but I'm going to try to be more purposeful in taking time to rest.
Do you practice any sort of Sabbath rest? Do you find it easy to rest or, like me, do you feel yourself constantly pulled in the direction of your to-do list?
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
A Thankful Body
I almost didn't run today.
On non-boot camp days (typically Tuesdays and Thursdays), I go for a run instead. That's my intent, anyway. Most days lately I've managed to get up and go but there are certain days when I need to be at work early or have errands to run on the way to work or (most likely) just want to sleep in a little later so I skip my run.
Today was one of those mornings where I was so tempted to change my alarm and get some more shut-eye. My alarm had awakened me from a dream so I was pretty groggy and just wanted to roll over and go back to dreamland. But then I remembered the news from yesterday. The horrors of the explosions in Boston.
I thought of the runners who didn't get to finish the race. I thought of those nearby who were injured, some who may never run or even walk again. I thought of those who died. And I got up and ran because I could.
Perhaps that sounds more noble than I intend for it to; I don't think that my running really makes a difference to anyone but me, and that's okay. But sometimes I need to be reminded that I still have a whole, healthy body and so many others do not, and I need to appreciate it and celebrate it and not waste it. May I gently suggest that you too take a moment to breathe a prayer of thanksgiving for the life that God has given you and ask His wisdom in helping you not waste any of it?
On non-boot camp days (typically Tuesdays and Thursdays), I go for a run instead. That's my intent, anyway. Most days lately I've managed to get up and go but there are certain days when I need to be at work early or have errands to run on the way to work or (most likely) just want to sleep in a little later so I skip my run.
Today was one of those mornings where I was so tempted to change my alarm and get some more shut-eye. My alarm had awakened me from a dream so I was pretty groggy and just wanted to roll over and go back to dreamland. But then I remembered the news from yesterday. The horrors of the explosions in Boston.
I thought of the runners who didn't get to finish the race. I thought of those nearby who were injured, some who may never run or even walk again. I thought of those who died. And I got up and ran because I could.
Perhaps that sounds more noble than I intend for it to; I don't think that my running really makes a difference to anyone but me, and that's okay. But sometimes I need to be reminded that I still have a whole, healthy body and so many others do not, and I need to appreciate it and celebrate it and not waste it. May I gently suggest that you too take a moment to breathe a prayer of thanksgiving for the life that God has given you and ask His wisdom in helping you not waste any of it?
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Something New
You may recall that at the beginning of the year I shared some challenges (not resolutions) for myself for 2013, one of which was to try at least one new thing a month. Last Saturday was a big new thing for me--my first 10K.
So far this year I've run at least one 5K race a month. This is quite a step up from last year, when I ran a grand total of one. I've found that the best time for me to sign up for another race is immediately after finishing one, when I'm in a state of post-race euphoria and the endorphins scramble my brain. That's pretty much my only explanation for why I impulsively signed up for this 10K instead of sticking to my safe, comfortable (although still challenging) 5K.
Before signing up I'd mentioned to various friends, co-workers and fellow boot campers that I was contemplating making the leap to a 10K, and they all offered encouragement and expressed confidence that I could do it, which definitely boosted MY confidence and made me more open to actually following through with registering for it.
It didn't take long before doubt started to creep in. Although I'd gone on walks longer than a 10K (6.2 miles for you non-metric folks) before, I'd never been timed on one. Since my last couple of 5K race times had been around 34 minutes, I set a goal of finishing the 10K somewhere between 70 and 75 minutes--what if I finished far after that? What if I finished dead last?
Race day finally arrived this past Saturday, a gorgeous cloudless day that started off a bit chilly but would quickly warm up. There were only about 65 people racing the 10K portion (the 5K race started a half hour after ours) and I hung out near the back to avoid getting run over by the racing veterans. We took off and I did my best to pace myself and not go too fast too soon. The majority of the race was in a large neighborhood and included running down and back up what felt like THE. LONGEST. STREET. EVER. I was so glad when we got to finally turn off that particular street, even though there was another long one ahead.
I had to stop and walk at a few points along the way, mainly because my calves were tightening up, but I'm pleased to say that I ran the majority of the race. I finally crossed the finish line at 70:47, within my goal time range and without collapsing in a sweaty heap afterward. And although I was at the back of the pack I wasn't dead last, so my ego is still largely intact.
So far this year I've run at least one 5K race a month. This is quite a step up from last year, when I ran a grand total of one. I've found that the best time for me to sign up for another race is immediately after finishing one, when I'm in a state of post-race euphoria and the endorphins scramble my brain. That's pretty much my only explanation for why I impulsively signed up for this 10K instead of sticking to my safe, comfortable (although still challenging) 5K.
Before signing up I'd mentioned to various friends, co-workers and fellow boot campers that I was contemplating making the leap to a 10K, and they all offered encouragement and expressed confidence that I could do it, which definitely boosted MY confidence and made me more open to actually following through with registering for it.
It didn't take long before doubt started to creep in. Although I'd gone on walks longer than a 10K (6.2 miles for you non-metric folks) before, I'd never been timed on one. Since my last couple of 5K race times had been around 34 minutes, I set a goal of finishing the 10K somewhere between 70 and 75 minutes--what if I finished far after that? What if I finished dead last?
Race day finally arrived this past Saturday, a gorgeous cloudless day that started off a bit chilly but would quickly warm up. There were only about 65 people racing the 10K portion (the 5K race started a half hour after ours) and I hung out near the back to avoid getting run over by the racing veterans. We took off and I did my best to pace myself and not go too fast too soon. The majority of the race was in a large neighborhood and included running down and back up what felt like THE. LONGEST. STREET. EVER. I was so glad when we got to finally turn off that particular street, even though there was another long one ahead.
I had to stop and walk at a few points along the way, mainly because my calves were tightening up, but I'm pleased to say that I ran the majority of the race. I finally crossed the finish line at 70:47, within my goal time range and without collapsing in a sweaty heap afterward. And although I was at the back of the pack I wasn't dead last, so my ego is still largely intact.
Crossing the finish line AT LAST--my first 10K in the books!
The 10K was long and tiring and challenging but I'm so proud of myself for accomplishing it. And I'm proud of myself for doing far more races this year and getting out my comfort zone.
That same afternoon I went to support one of my co-workers who was also trying something new--her first (and last, according to her) beauty pageant. She just turned 60 a couple of months ago and was asked to be in a pageant for women ages 60 and up. After much coercion encouragement from her co-workers, she signed up and before we knew it, we were cheering her on at the pageant.
I'm sad to report that she did not win, but she had a great time and made some new friends. She's always a good sport and I'm inspired by her willingness to try new adventures all the time. I hope that I'm as open to trying new things when I'm her age.
So have you tried anything new lately? A new recipe, new brand of toothpaste, new challenge? What are you waiting for?!?
I'm sad to report that she did not win, but she had a great time and made some new friends. She's always a good sport and I'm inspired by her willingness to try new adventures all the time. I hope that I'm as open to trying new things when I'm her age.
So have you tried anything new lately? A new recipe, new brand of toothpaste, new challenge? What are you waiting for?!?
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Book Review: Freefall to Fly
I'm naturally drawn to authors, bloggers, speakers, and people in general who aren't afraid to tell it like it is, empty out their skeleton-filled closets and let it all hang out. (Enough metaphors for you there?) Perhaps their willingness to open up and be vulnerable gives me the courage to do the same in some ways. It's that openness and vulnerability that made me appreciate the latest book I read for review, Freefall to Fly by Rebekah Lyons.
The book begins with Lyons and her family preparing to leave their friends and familiar life in Georgia to move to New York City to work with a ministry there. Although excited about the prospect of starting a new life in a new city, the excitement soon wears off and Lyons finds herself battling anxiety and depression. She is particularly open with the reader in sharing these struggles and their impact on her marriage, her family and her relationship with God.
Lyons isn't afraid to share her wrestling with trying to find her meaning in life in the midst of heartache and depression. I'm not sure how many Christian books are on the market that address depression, anxiety and other like issues, but I'd be willing to bet they're a small minority. I think Lyons' honesty is refreshing and would be an encouragement to any woman who's had similar struggles or who just struggle with trying to figure out God's purpose for their lives.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Handlebar book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
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