A Time to Let the Land Rest

Six years thou shalt sow thy field, and six years thou shalt prune thy vineyard, and gather in the fruit thereof; But in the seventh year shall be a sabbath of rest unto the land, a sabbath for the Lord: thou shalt neither sow thy field, nor prune thy vineyard.     ~Leviticus 25: 3-4

In the book of Leviticus we learn that God told Moses what he needed to say to the people of Israel when they would go into the land He would give them. They were to keep a Sabbath to the Lord. This meant that for 6 years they could sow the land, prune it and gather its fruits. However, in the seventh year they were to let the land rest. That meant no planting and pruning.  Sometimes our lives need a season of  "letting the land rest".

It has been a year since my last blog post and I know that the Lord was telling me I needed a rest from it. Many times over the year I would have something on my heart that I wanted to share and I would consider hopping on and writing but the prodding from the Lord was, "No. Wait." I have loved this platform to be able to share my heart and what the Lord is doing with me and my family and how it has allowed me to connect with people I otherwise wouldn't know today. It's been a wonderful outlet, therapeutic even. But even good things need a time to lay dormant. 

Now that I am ready to come back and be active here again I have been reflecting on what God has shown me over the last year, how He has spoken to my heart and to Ben's heart and how He is directing our family. It's been so interesting to see all the pieces come together and finally have that "I get it!" moment with God. And I want to share a little with you about where God has planted us and how we learned to bloom there. 

There is a very popular saying today that tells us to "Bloom Where You are Planted". This is not a saying you will find anywhere in the Bible but the principle of the saying can be. I Corinthians 7:17 says, "Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches." Basically Paul is telling the people here to "bloom where you are planted". It is so easy to get caught up in what everyone around us is doing isn't it.? I know when I hear someone speak passionately about a cause that is important to them it is hard for me to not get caught up in that. I start questioning whether or not I should feel as passionately about that too. My nature is to want to help and to solve problems. If you have a problem and I can offer a solution I'm all over that. This is a good quality to have...until it's not. It's important for me to recognize that God is not asking me to do it all. He has a specific plan and purpose for me and I need to stop and rest long enough to hear what it is. Once I hear what it is I have to be willing to run with that and honestly....that can be hard sometimes.

In every corner of  my world whether it is society, the church, the school there are areas that people place on the pedestal of importance. Sometimes when what God has called you to does not meet the perceived expectation of "that's so amazing" it can be tempting to ignore it and wait for Him to give you something more exciting; or even more dangerously, create something more exciting to do that He isn't asking you to do. We can convince ourselves of anything if we are desperate enough to have something big and important going on in our lives. My experience (limited as it may be) has taught me that I am likely not alone in this temptation: to look at where God has put me as just a stepping stone to something greater. The principal in the verse above to "live the life that the LORD has assigned YOU" can be life changing if you let it be. And that is something that I learned in my season of rest. 

God has our family here in our small, humble community , in our small, humble home, in our small, humble church with kids who attend a small, humble school to do small, humble things. He is asking us to minister His love to the people around us in our neighborhood, our church, our community and our school in small, humble ways and it has been so freeing to recognize and accept this. Ben and I see clearly what God has called us to and what He is asking of us and we are humbly obeying his direction and reaping multiplied blessings in return. 

I plan to share more about the humble ministry God has given us and how He is asking us to live the life he's assigned us but for now I just wanted to encourage you, if you're reading and feeling similar to how I've felt to allow yourself a time of rest to just hear God. Too often in ministry, in churches, in society we are given unwise advice that is contrary to God's Word and what he says about rest and it is leading people to be unhappy where God has planted them. Instead of blooming they are like a parched plant in the heat of summer, begging for water that can't be found. There is no weakness in rest. In Matthew 11 Jesus says, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light" Sometimes rest is just stopping long enough to soak in His Word and allow it to refresh your soul. But sometimes rest comes in longer periods of time. Sometimes the thing God is calling you to is so humble it is often overlooked and if we aren't careful we will miss a tremendous opportunity to do God's humble work, being too busy striving to do the flashy stuff. Don't miss out on what God has for you. Stop. Rest. Listen. Obey.

A Time to Uplift

Photo Credit:Kristina Smith

The idea of being a vessel that God can use to build up other people is not a new idea; it's not even a new idea here on the blog. If you've been following this blog for any amount of time you know that I am passionate about encouraging and building up others! The Bible is clear that we are to walk along side one another, bearing each other's burdens and investing in the lives of those around us. We are a selfish people though so this doesn't come as easily or readily as we sometimes wish it would.

Have you ever been around someone who you would swear it costs them money to offer up a word of encouragement, to give a hug or even smile at you? I have and it can be so incredibly disheartening when you are in need of love, kindness, compassion, empathy, etc. and the person you find yourself with in the moment or the people you are surrounded by in life have clearly given themselves a limit on how many positive words and actions they can extend that day, month or year! Thankfully I serve a God who is available to all those who will call on Him, and he is the perfect comfort in times of need. BUT, just because He is always there and just because He is the one we should be turning to first does not mean that the rest of human kind is off the hook when it comes to this ministry of encouragement.

("Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." ~Gal. 6:2) 

Those of us who live in Maine were saddened today to hear about one of our meteorologists who was found to have committed suicide. It is incredibly sad anytime we hear of someone succumbing to the depths of their despair and taking their own life, whether they are a local "celebrity", a family member or the neighbor we hardly thought of...and it happens daily. This affects not just adults but youth as well. In one of my counseling classes we learned that every 24 hours an estimated 6 teens will commit suicide; about 1500 will make an attempt! People of all ages are broken and they are desperate for healing. People who are struggling begin to reach for anything that will anesthetize the pain and emptiness. And sometimes the only option they feel they have is to end their life. Many Christians will say and have said that, "if only they knew Christ this wouldn't have happened." While I agree a life in Christ, surrendered to the one who can make all things new is a great first step to healing, it is NOT a cure. Christ-followers are just as capable of deep depression and despair as someone who has no relationship with Christ because sin still exists in us. One of our dear senior saints, who was a Christian and who was a member of our church for many, many years took his own life a few years ago. So, please, don't be so insensitive and ignorant of the issue as to insist that if a person only had a relationship with Christ, these things wouldn't happen. It's not true and its an incredibly dangerous and discouraging mindset.

I believe every single person on any given day needs to be uplifted. And God uses us to be ministers of  His love and compassion so we do have a responsibility to make sure we are building up those around us. I want to make it clear that I know suicide is a desperate last move to put an end to the pain and suffering and it in no way compares to someone who is having a "bad day". Depression and a "bad day" are very different and we need wisdom from God to know the difference. That being said, we are surrounded with people who are suffering on so many different levels and they often suffer silently and alone because they are embarrassed, they don't want to be a burden or they feel many around them are too busy to be bothered to help them. To be uplifting, or to "build up" or "bear one another's burdens" is FREE! It costs you nothing except time to offer words of encouragement, a listening ear or to visit with someone who needs a friend and "time"...time belongs to God. Each minute we are allowed to continue living on this earth is ordered by God. He controls our beginning and our end so we have no right to behave selfishly with time that is given to us as a gift. We are all busy with so many things but we need to make sure that we are not so busy that we can't take time to minister to someone who is hurting or discouraged. Sometimes all it takes is a "word fitly spoken" (Prov. 25:11) to bring someone up out of a bad day.

So what is the practical application to all of this? I'm glad you asked! Educate yourself on the signs of depression, first of all. Depression is a real thing and it exists among Christians and non-Christians alike. Know the signs and be ready to offer help to someone who is showing signs of depression. This is an area I feel the church is neglecting, some are even ignoring but its prevalent, which means it is needful to understand and know how to help those who are suffering. Not everyone who is down is depressed though and this is where wisdom comes in. Make it a point to pray and ask God to show you who is in need of being uplifted and then listen to His leading. I promise you each one of you reading this will have contact with at LEAST one person today who would benefit from a compliment, a text asking  how they are doing, a card in the mail, a phone call, a hug or a smile or maybe even a visit. Not sure where to start? Start at home. Who do you live with and what do you think they could use from you? Family members are often the most overlooked when it comes to building up and yet they are the ones God gave to you...so don't neglect them. Then look to your neighbors, your church family, co-workers, the cashier at the grocery store or the lady at the post office. People are everywhere and they need to be uplifted. Start today being a vessel God can use to minister to those who are hurting.

A Time to Sit

He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.

~Psalm 147:3

Yesterday was the Super Bowl and as a New England girl, my family and I woke up happy this morning! I am not a football fan by any means but I do enjoy the Super Bowl and I enjoy it more because my boys love football, so for them, I suffer through! Someone else who loved football and the Patriots was my grandfather. He and my grandmother would watch the games together and she tells me stories of how she would sit as close to him as possible so he could explain the game to her. As I was preparing food for the Super Bowl party we were having I got to thinking of my grandmother and how she'd likely be watching the game alone so I called her. During our conversation she told me a story and it touched me.

My grandparents always went to church together but since my grandfather's passing my grandmother has found it difficult to go to church alone. Yesterday was the first Sunday she went to church alone, and she sat alone, in the pew she and my grandfather always sat in. There is a lady, (she calls her a young girl, haha, but the lady is in her 60's), who has always sat behind them, alone also because her friend is hard of hearing and sits in a special room where she can hear better. My grandmother said she has always been fond of this girl and they talk at church on Sunday's when they see each other. This past Sunday, the lady had to sit in front of Memere because someone was sitting in her usual spot. At one point the lady turned and said hello to my grandmother. They began talking and Memere said that as she was leaving she turned to the lady and simply said, "Next week, you'll sit with me, ok?" The lady indicated that she would and Memere went home. 

I don't know who this lady is and I am sure she has no idea what that simple indication meant for my grandmother. For my grandmother it means that maybe next week sitting through the church service might not be so difficult, because she will have a friend sitting with her. Then it got me thinking of all the widows and widowers we have in our church. We have an aging congregation and we have lost many of our senior saints over the years, which means we have several who sit alone. Our children are social beings who just love people and they have become very close and attached to several in our church. Every Sunday they ask us if they can sit with a certain person and most of the time, I say yes. The reason is that for my boys, the ones they are asking to sit with are men who have lost their wives or their wife is too ill to attend most services so they are alone. At first I felt bad because I didn't want my children to be a burden. Then one service, one of the gentlemen came up to me and thanked me for allowing my son to sit with him and said it touched him so much that my child would want to sit with him so he wouldn't be alone....because when this gentlemen asked my son why he always chose to sit with him my son answered, "because you're alone and I don't want you to be lonely". 

I think sometimes we overlook the simple ministries our children can have in their church, in their neighborhood and in their community. Because we have allowed our children to sit with these different people, our children are so much more comfortable talking and holding conversations with people in our church and our community. They get to build relationships with people who are full of wisdom and who share their past with our kids. My boys love hearing stories about who these men were when they were younger and they are eager to share it with us on the car ride home. One of the gentlemen so enjoys helping one of my younger ones find the right page in the song book or the right place in their Bible. Not only are they not sitting alone but they get to feel as though they have a purpose and a ministry to our family. 

I could be more selfish with my family and insist that we all sit together in church so that people can see us all together but you know, I much prefer allowing my kids to minister to those who find themselves sitting alone at church and giving them the opportunity to build relationships with them. That blesses me as a parent, it blesses my kids and it blesses those around us. I am thankful for promises in God's Word like we find in Psalm where it says that "He heals the broken in heart..." because there is comfort in knowing that God cares about our pain and our sadness and our loneliness and He provides for those needs. God has provided for my grandmother's need of not sitting alone in church by give my grandmother the courage to ask this lady to sit with her and for giving the lady compassion enough to say she would! God is so good and he is always working on taking care of our needs, long before we even realize we will have that need. 

Sometimes we need to stop running long enough to see if God might be asking us to be the means by which He will heal the brokenhearted, those whose spirits are low or those who find themselves anxious or depressed. There are people all around us who have needs. Are we willing to leave the comfort of our little bubble in order to show God's love to other's by sitting with someone who is alone? It could be at church, at a kids concert at school, at a conference, at a restaurant...people are alone and lonely everywhere; we just need to care enough to see them.

A Time to be Disciplined

He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like 

a city that is broken down, and without walls.

Proverbs 25:28

It's that time of year again when we start to set goals, or make "resolutions" for the coming year. I have a love-hate relationship with this time because while I love the idea of starting fresh and setting goals for the new year, I hate that I will likely fail. I will start off excited and on fire to begin my newfound "plan" only to see the fire within die down after a few short months. And it is very discouraging. Thankfully God's Word comes jam-packed with encouragement for the disheartened! I can remind myself of verses like Matt.19:26: BUT with GOD all things are possible! (emphasis added) 

The past few weeks my mind has been consumed with thoughts of my grandfather, naturally. He is gone and I miss him and so I think about him and all the great memories I have of time spent with him. As I was thinking about my goals for the new year I realized how each goal I had required one thing...self-discipline. Which then reminded me of how disciplined my grandfather was and it seemed fitting that my goal for this year could somehow be a tribute to my grandfather. 

I went to the Bible and searched for a verse that would be my verse for the year, a verse that would challenge me and encourage me to pursue the goals that I wanted to set for myself; I was led to the one above. One thing I have learned is that if I want to meet a goal I have set, I have to have a plan and that plan must first begin with the understanding that it is only through God and His working in me that I will be successful in accomplishing that goal. I don't care how strong in the Lord you are (or think you are), there is nothing we do that we do on our own. God must get all the glory and all the credit for anything we have ever accomplished. Any accomplishment is His accomplishment; Anytime we overcome a trial, obstacle or sin in our lives it is because of Him! 

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

John 15:4-5

The next step for me, is to write down my goals and write down a plan on how I will work toward accomplishing that goal. This is not a fool-proof plan because remember...I fail...a lot! But writing everything down does mean I have more of a chance at succeeding so I do it. I have a journal that I am keeping and the first page has the goals and plan of action written down. It goes something like this:

1. Daily Bible Reading: 52 Week Bible reading program; journal key thoughts after reading

(52-Week Bible Reading Plan)

*I've done this one in the past and I like it because it mixes things up; I like variety. Print off the chart and keep it in your Bible.

2. Exercise at least 3 X a week: DVD workouts at home 

*Because I still have little people at home and going out to exercise is not really an option, I find I am more successful with this goal if I find something that I can do at home. I really like Jillian Micheals  30-Day Shred DVD and it is effective if you stick with it....that is the key...stick.with.it!

3. Better eating habits: Journal Food

* Everyone is different but in the past I have found that I make better food choices if I am writing down what I eat. 

These are my goals and I am praying I am able to stay the course throughout the whole year. Two tools that I am implementing to help me stay focused are an accountability partner and reading a book that goes along with my goal of being more disciplined. When I was serving as a counselor at a Christian camp this summer we had staff devotions each morning. The devotions that we heard were taken from a book called: The Disciplines of Life by V.Raymond Edman. I have started the book but it is a challenging read and there is much to chew on so I think giving myself the year to read it is reasonable! I highly recommend this book if you are looking for something good to read! 

Have any of you reading set similar goals for yourself this year or in the past? Were you successful or not? I would love to hear your stories so I can glean from your victories and learn from your failures! Maybe you don't have any goals other than to survive another year...that's okay too! I've definitely been there. I am just in a season in my life where I have the time to consider making some significant changes to my daily routine and I am trusting God to help me!

I can do all things through Christ which strentheneth me. 

Philippians 4:13

A Time for a Eulogy

And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts 

and minds through Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:7

Last week my family had to say goodbye to my grandfather, unexpectedly. He was crossing the street in the town I grew up in and was hit by a car. It is a terrible accident that of course, we wish had not happened...but it did so we accept the reality and we grieve our loss. This is not my first time experiencing this kind of unexpected loss; my other grandfather was also hit by a car crossing the street...the same street...in the same town. I was about 11 then. He died from the injuries he sustained in that accident. If we go back even further, when I was about 8, my mom was also hit by a car, on Halloween night, on the same street...in the same town. She suffered major injuries, but, thankfully, survived. Crazy, right?!

I had the honor of giving my grandfather's eulogy at the funeral this past Thursday and I want to share it with those of you who could not attend the funeral, or who didn't know him. He was an amazing man and I already miss him so much. He was a very big part of my life, one of my biggest fans, always letting me know how proud of me he was. I adored him and I was thankful for the chance to share with other's the kind of man he was.

How do you sum up Pepere’s life in 5 minutes? I don’t think you can, because in his 88 years on this earth, this giant of a man, one of my heroes, brought more love, laughter, courage and fun into our lives than a mere 5 minutes can convey. What I would like to do is give you a glimpse into the life of this man we loved so, so much.

So who was Reginald Boucher? He was first a son and brother, born to O’Neil and Eva Boucher in 1928. One story I remember him telling me from when he was a child was about the worst Christmas he ever had. He had wanted a pair of ice skates very badly. Some presents were under the tree and I am unsure if it was Christmas Eve or the days leading up to Christmas but, he was so eager to find out if he got skates that when his parents were not around, he opened the box with his name on it. Sure enough, his wish had come true, he was going to get a new pair of skates. He attempted to get the box back to how it was so his parents wouldn’t know he had opened the package, but they knew. On Christmas morning when he opened his gift he was surprised to find that in the box, where once his ice skates had been, a large brick. He claims he never got those ice skates so I can’t tell you if they later gave him the skates…or if this story is actually true, since Pepere loved to tease us so much. It’s very possible Pepere was telling me this story to keep me honest and show me what opening my own presents too soon could lead to!

 

He was then a soldier in the United States Army, and fought in the Korean War. He shared with me that while he was in the military he was a boxer. My grandfather was a great athlete and always in very good shape, exercising till the last day! I haven’t known anyone more disciplined than Pepere. He also learned to cut hair in the military and even cut my husbands hair once, before we were married! My husband cuts our own boys hair so a few years back Pepere gave him his old hair cutting kit he used in the army. If you saw this kit you would understand why there’s no way Ben cuts our kid’s hair with it but it made Pepere happy to think that there was a chance it might still get used. He loved giving my husband his old tools, as much as Memere hated it because she felt Pepere was forcing us to take his junk. I assure you to my husband, it is not junk but very valuable treasures. So often Ben will be working on something and he will need a nut or bolt or some obscure tool and he will look through the hundreds of items Pepere gave him and sure enough he ends up finding what he needs.

 

Pepere was a loving and devoted husband to my Memere. They were married in April of 1950 and they were so happy. Pepere loved Memere so much and it was evident in everything he did. She loved him equally. Their love was an example to me and something I kept in mind as I chose my own husband. Pepere was hard working, at times working two jobs so he could provide the best for Memere and his girls. Memere & Pepere were wonderful hosts and they loved to dance and sing. I remember so many family dinners that usually ended in us singing French drinking songs like “prend un vers de bier mon mineu” and “C’est etait un jeudi soir” around the dinner table. My younger sister, Chrissy, and I loved it when Memere let us set the table for a meal because it meant that we could give Pepere all the unusual dishes at his place setting. It might have been a big serving fork for his dinner fork or a small tea cup plate for his dinner plate. He would pretend to be so upset about this and we would laugh. He was such a good sport. There was no person and no thing that Pepere loved more than Memere. What I will remember most about Pepere as a husband was how he took such good care of Memere. He made the coffee every single day. To some that may seem like a small thing but I assure you to my Memere this is a huge thing and it must have been a pretty big gesture for me to observe it and understand it to be an act of love and devotion.

 

He was then a father to three girls, who he adored and would do anything for. He was just so proud of the family he had built with Memere. My mom told me a story about how each Christmas Pepere would pretend to be Santa Claus and go up on the roof of their house and stomp on the roof above their bedrooms so they would think Santa had arrived. I don’t know too many other father’s who would do that! He was not only a wonderful father to his 3 daughters but he stepped up and played the role of father to his son-in-law, Dave. He loved Dave like his own son and they had such a fun relationship, the teasing never stopped between those two! Not too many people can say they were friends with their father-in-law, but Dave can, and it was a special friendship.

  

He was also a grandfather. And he was the absolute best grandfather three girls could ever ask for. He loved us so much and spoiled us like crazy! As a child I was fortunate to be able to spend a lot of time with my grandparents. When my mom was hit by a car and in the hospital for a very long time my younger sister and I went to live with Memere & Pepere for quite awhile. It was just after Halloween when we went to stay with them and I remember Pepere teasing us that he would eat our Halloween candy while we were at school. I would hide my orange plastic pumpkin filled with candy so he couldn’t find it. He would find it and hide it from me and just loved getting a reaction out of me. He never actually ate any of my candy but he sure had fun letting me believe he did! Pepere and I had a close relationship and we had a special countdown that started as early as I can remember. Pepere would say to me, “Millie, when you turn 14, I can retire”. And each time I would go visit, I would sit on his lap (it was, after all, the best seat in the house!) and he would say that to me every time. Eventually the time came that I turned 14 and he did retire and he was so happy for that day! He would also always sing to me the song, “You are my sunshine”. That song has held a special place in my heart all these years and it always reminds me of the love he had for me and my sisters. Being the tease that he was, he loved pretending to be upset with us girls for eating all his food, especially his cheerios! Pepere taught me how to dive off of the party barge at the lake. One of our favorite things to do in summers was to have Pepere take out the party barge with all of us on it and go out to Peppermint beach where it was deep enough to jump and dive off the float. As I got older and had a home of my own he enjoyed sharing his love of gardening with me, giving me tips on how I could make my own flower beds nicer. He was always so proud to take me to his flower gardens and show me all the work he had been doing. The flower that will always remind me of Pepere is the orange tiger lily, which used to surround the camp when I was little.

 

Lastly, he was a great-grandfather to 8. And he loved those kids so much! I remember when the first great-grandchild, Andrew was born, how much both he and Memere adored him. I have one particular memory of when Andrew was little. It was a holiday I believe and Andrew was only about one or two. After dinner we were all sitting in the living room and Andrew was on the floor doing what one or two year old’s do…making noises, crawling around and maybe he even had a trick or two. Whatever it was that he was doing he had Memere and Pepere captivated. They loved every single thing he did and there was no child smarter in their eyes! Then my own seven children came along and they adored them just as much. They always took time to know my children. They asked them questions about their interests, school and friends. Pepere’s recent thing was to give my kids special coins when they came to visit. A couple of my kid’s special memories are playing the table top golf game he taught them and of course, drinking soda…because the only place they have ever been allowed to finish off a bottle of soda in one sitting is at Memere & Pepere’s! 

 

There is so much that can be said about this man who was a loving son, devoted husband, proud father and adoring grandfather, the brother & uncle, the athlete, the mill worker, the painter, the swimmer, the man who loved to shop and who loved his flower gardens…that time just won’t allow. For today though, hopefully you are left with a glimpse of the kind of man he was to all of us who loved him so much. He leaves a big hole in our hearts and we are so incredibly sad that we had to say goodbye to him in this tragic way. One thing we can be thankful for is that God allowed us to have this man on this earth for 88 years. Memere was allowed to be married to the love of her life for 66 years. Sharon, Joyce and Nancy were given over 60 years with their dad. Jenny, Chrissy and I were allowed to have Pepere for over 30 years and our children got to know their great-grandfather. While right now this seems of little consolation, it is so much more than many get in life. He lived a long, happy and healthy life and was able to enjoy so much of what this world had to offer.

 

There is a verse in the Bible that I have chosen to meditate on since finding out of Pepere’s passing. It is found in Romans 8:

 

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.

 

During difficult times like this it can be hard to believe that “all things work together for good”, and that God’s hand is in this because we are left with so many questions. Through my grief and through my pain I have to remind myself that the God who is the author and finisher of life never makes mistakes. He never moves without purpose or plan and because I love God and because I trust Him I am choosing to accept this plan God had for Pepere and I am trusting Him to comfort us and help us as we mourn the loss of this great man that we have loved so much.

The funeral may be over and we may be returning to our homes and going on with our lives, because you have to. Life goes on. But for my grandmother, life as she knew it, will never be the same. The person she spent over half her life with is now gone and she must remain and learn to live without him. Her grief has just begun and I would ask any of you reading this, who pray, to please pray for Memere. She has been incredibly strong but this is so very hard for her and it will continue to be for possibly the remainder of her life. Grief is a funny thing and you cannot put a time limit on it. We all

have our own ways of dealing with our grief and it is not anyone's place to say that a person is grieving too little or too much, or that how they are grieving is wrong. I am praying that those in my grandmother's life, my mom and my aunt's lives and in me and my sister's lives, to have compassion and sensitivity as we grieve, in our own way and on our own timetable. 

Thank you to each one of you who has extended sympathy, love and compassion during this time. It truly has been overwhelming and we are incredibly grateful. I am wishing you and yours a happy, healthy and safe Christmas! 

A Time to Keep them Innocent

A couple weeks ago one of my sons walked through the door and asked me if I had heard about the "evil clowns" who were lurking in the woods waiting to kill children.  Not exactly the topic of conversation I was hoping to have with him after school but there it was. I had heard rumblings of clowns but honestly had not taken a lot of time to find out what it was all about. Was this true? Was it a rumor? Naturally now that it was in my home, staring me in the facing waiting for an answer, I needed to do some research! 

 I don't know how you are when it comes to informing your children about current events but I am one of those parents who feels strongly that my kids don't need to know about everything going on. I don't think young children should be burdened by current events. We don't allow them to watch the news and even do not watch videos of news clips in their presence. We skim the surface with regard to the police shootings and racial tensions. We shelter them from news stories involving violence. We make them aware that terrorists exist and why they want to cause harm but again, we leave out the gory details. And even in this volatile election season, we keep the information to a minimum; they know who is running and we talk about the election process but that's about the extent of it. I intentionally do this because I remember how I was as a child. I scared very easily and to this day I have a very active imagination. I don't need any help being afraid of evil. My mind conjures up scenarios perfectly fine on it's own! I guard myself against the news and truly don't spend a lot of time reading it. I ask my husband to tell me what I need to know because I absolutely WILL lose sleep if I have too much information. As a child the worst time of year for me was Halloween. Everything about Halloween creeps me out. I just don't like it, I never have. It was also my mom's favorite holiday so our house was always decked out with scary faces and a fake cemetery and to her credit, she did an amazing job decorating...which is why I was so successfully frightened. I remember not wanting to get up in the night to use the bathroom because some of the decorations scared me so much! 
Getting back to my kids. Clearly stories that children hear become exaggerated. In my research I never came across any credible report that supported the idea that clowns were murdering children, which is what a student on the bus told my son. I made sure to tell my son with much confidence, these were made up stories. Before I did that though I took the opportunity to talk to him about fear and what God's Word tells us. Since I struggle with fear, I have verses that I turn to and that help me put my fears to rest. I shared with my son my own struggle with fear and reminded him that God is with him no matter where he is. I pray every day when my children walk out of the house that God would put a hedge of protection around them and keep evil away. Every night when I go to bed I pray that God would put a hedge of protection around us and keep evil away. I have learned to have confidence in God to answer that prayer. This is not to say that God will never allow anything bad to happen because of my prayers. I just know that IF something bad does happen it is all in God's control and part of His perfect plan and I don't have to fear what man can do to me. Which leads me to the verse that I shared with my son and which helps me:

When I cry unto thee, then shall mine enemies turn back: this I know; for God is for me.In God will I praise his word: in the Lord will I praise his word. In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.                    ~Psalm 56:9-11

Unfortunately we live in a society where children have access to just about any news story they want. They own tablets and phones that allow them to search the internet and learn about every horrible thing that is going on. The sad part is that so much of what we read on the internet is either not true or grossly misleading and our young children do not have the discernment necessary to identify the truth from the fiction. I also feel we live in a society where adults want children to grow up much faster than they should. I understand that there will be some reading this that disagree with me, and I do respect that. For our family though, we have decided that it is in their best interest to shelter them from many of the issues facing our world, at least until they have the maturity to handle the information and we have had the time to lay a foundation, based on God's word, so that they can wisely handle the information. Sometimes, because they go to school and they hear what other kids are talking about, they are made aware of things I wish they wouldn't and that is something we need to leave in God's hands. As parents, we have to be ready to answer our children's questions and so when they come home asking about clowns, we do our due diligence but always bring it back to God's word...what does God's word say to help us understand how to handle this information or help put our fears to rest. Always, always it comes back to God and His Word. Parents, don't forget what we are told in Romans 16:19:

For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

We have a responsibility to keep our children innocent to evil. There will come a time when they need to know certain things and it is our responsibility to determine when that time is. Let's just be careful to not rush their childhood. Children today are under an incredible amount of stress; we see it all the time and it's sad. I have a hard time not being afraid of things I hear about and I am an adult who has some wisdom and some discernment to be able to process the information and bring it back to God and His Word. Imagine how a child feels when they hear some of these scary things but have a limited ability to process that information; many children also have limited resources at home to help them process the information! 

The reality is that there is a lot to be concerned about and even fear in this world but I don't believe our children need to carry the weight of that burden. That's our job as parents, that and to protect our kids as much as we can from harmful information that is just too readily accessible to them. I am thankful I have a God that is faithful and trustworthy to lean on in times of trouble, fear and uncertainty. I am thankful for the many reminders in His Word to not fear but to have faith and confidence in God that He is FOR us and is in control... that's the story we need to be sharing with our children!

 

A Time for a Few of My Favorite Things...

My husband told me once, "you have such big emotions for things". Coming from a guy whose emotions are basically a flat line, I, of course, seem extremely feelings driven. And I think to an extent that is true; though, as I mature and grow in Christ I am trying to be more Spirit-led and less feelings-led. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I don't and that's life! 

Photo Credit: Nutritious Skin

What is true is that I tend to either LOVE something or HATE something and I believe that is what he was mostly referring to. With so many new readers as of late I thought it would be fun to introduce myself by sharing with you some of my favorite things...because there are things that I. JUST. LOVE.  To make this fun though I have decided that as a thank you to my new and old readers for sticking by me even when I lack the time to write and interact with you as much as I would like I decided to have a giveaway! My sister-in-law recently began making soaps as as hobby and that hobby has turned into quite the business for her. She has taken her education as a Dietitian and has used that knowledge to create all natural, healthy for the body soaps that not only nourish the skin but are so pretty you hate to use them and so delicious looking you wish you could eat them! She and I are partnering up for this giveaway and we need your help! All you have to do to be entered to win one of these beautiful soaps is first, go to Facebook and like her page Nutritious Skin (click on the link) then head on over to my Facebook page, To Everything There is A Season (click on the link), and hit the "like" button . Then choose a post from EACH page to like or share and we will put your name in the drawing! For extra chances to win do one or all of the following:

-Become a follower of To Everything There is A Season blog

- Comment on a post at our Facebook pages

-Share one of your favorite things in the comment section of this blog

-Share with Nutritious Skin your favorite soap scent on their FB page

Now for the fun! Here are a few of my favorite things...

GOD      The Bible    Family   Friends   

Fall     Lobster    Games          Snow Storms             The Albert Camp

MADAWASAKA     Cowboy Boots     Skittles         Strong Coffee     JENA     Sunflowers

The Color Orange       Dresses           BEN      Planning & Organizing             Babies

Hosting & Attending Parties         Campfire's        Blogging           Meeting New People

NOAH

Encouraging Others         See's Chocolate           Sports Movies     Music  
 WILL  

Pig Roasts        Fresh Peas                  OWEN

Yankee Candles         Purses/Bags         Storage Bins/Baskets         The Mountains        

POUTINE      Riding Motorcycle     TESS     Camping          Christmas              Kettlecorn       Thanksgiving Dinner    Manicures           Flip Flops         Traveling        Laughing      

Shopping      Painting         Raspberry Almond Cake from The Beach Pea    AMAZON         

Coffee Crisp        The Story of Ruth        Sweaters         Most Things Rustic    EMMA   TAKING A WALK                                       Lavender         GABE

Jewelry        All-Dressed Chips         Taking Pictures              Catan       Albert Shuffle

Flower Gardens      Lilac            My Memere's Chicken          Hot Tubs         

Mr. Sketch Markers          Spending Time with Ben   Dancing   Chinese Food   

Front Porches  Lakes  Christmas Lights

Whether you are new here or have been around for awhile, I want to hear from you! What are a few

Photo Credit: Nutritious Skin

of your favorite things? Let me know in the comment section and then head on over to Facebook and start liking some pages so you can be entered to win a homemade soap! The more you participate the interact with us, the more chances you have to win! 

*Contest begins today and will end in 7 days. We will announce the winner of the soap on our Facebook pages.*