Author: Journeys of My Heart

I am a gal who wants to live my best life, and celebrate each "grace moment" that I'm given daily. I am married to a good guy who let's me indulge in the things that make me happy and encourages my growth. I enjoy being an encouragement to others, reading, photography, music, singing, playing instruments, being by the water, cozy times with my hubby, family time, drives with my camera in hand, and traveling to see different places. This blog is about walking the journey of life together. I usually post 1 to 2 times a month; at least that is my goal. Sign up with your email so you don't miss out on the next post! Thanks for stopping by!

Slow Beginnings

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

10472690_10204325035506406_3275917140237936182_n Do you ever get caught noticing something on your way to do something else?  Do you chide yourself for not getting where you were suppose to go to do what you intended to do?  Humm…I do that all the time with my camera!  I’m headed somewhere, or sitting somewhere, and I see something and say, “Just a sec…I have to do this.”  And my camera and I are taking a hiatus!  A detour.  I have come to love those detours!  I find the most amazing things happen on those trips to noticing!  Some years back, when Andy Andrew’s book, The Noticer, came out, I read the book and it was so life changing for me, that I shared it with others, and ended up leading a study on the book.  Now, there are DVD’s on a study of, The Noticer.  I find myself, years later, leading a study once again with some great ladies, on this book!  Reading that book affirmed what God had been telling me for some time,  “Slow down, look around you, and enjoy your life!  Look around.  I want to talk with you about that.”  I and my camera have been doing that now for many years.

So, this morning I was reminded of how wonderful it now feels in my life to make the time for the small things in life.  What are those small things, you ask?  Let me share a few that I experienced this morning.  I took a few moments for quiet time.  I enjoyed what was around me like, the radio playing softly in the background, my little table and chairs out on my deck that I sat at, my hot mocha, the ability to take the time for a quiet study on the porch at this little table, the flowers that are sitting on the table in front of me, and the quiet, softKey Moments Photography breeze blowing in the leaves of the trees in my yard.  It was so awesome!  Myself was VERY happy!  So why don’t we do that for ourselves more often?  I think we all want it, but we just don’t take the time.  Years ago, I found this secret of living a more simple life and noticing things around me.  It included my schedule and how I handle my day.  It has been life changing for me.

I have a busy life too, but I don’t use that excuse to God anymore.  I had my grandson this last weekend and loved every minute of it, and I make him part of my quiet time.  It is good for him to learn how to settle himself to quiet activity also.  He enjoys taking that time to talk and share, have some iced tea or chai tea in a special glass or cup.  Or to sit in a special place because you can enjoy the birds, or smell of the flowers, or notice something you haven’t noticed before.  Even though you aren’t alone, you can still quiet your spirit by taking them on the journey with you.  There will be some great rewards when you do.

As I came back into the house and headed to my office to write this post, I took my wonderful Coco Havana candle with me to enjoy as I write.  What a great fragrance fills the air right now.  I love when I am out somewhere and find something special like this candle, and it blesses me over and over again!  There is something about a candle burning that just relaxes me, and so, I have them in my house most of the time.  All of the “small” things can make us breathe deeper, enjoy the moment more, and bring a peace to our soul that we won’t find running around from activity to activity just to keep busy.  I was reading a book this morning that I finished where the author talked about the lines that we draw in prayer because we might be afraid to cross that line to really ask Him for what we want because of the answers we might get.  I can see this being a reason many keep so busy.  It keeps them from thinking about what is REALLY going on in their daily life, thought life, and the activities they involve themselves in.  I want to be free to ask Him for anything.  I want to be able to share anything.  I know He cares.  I know He wants some of my time to be with Him and to HEAR Him when He speaks.  This morning I heard.  I enjoyed.  I was thankful.  Tomorrow I will live it the same.

I am also thankful when God interrupts a quiet moment for me to hear Him speak.  I felt in the middle of study time, that I was to send a text to a friend this morning, and it led to me stop my study to pray for her and send that text to let her know.  I want to notice where God is working, and be a part of His answer.  That is really living to me.  I want to hear the desires or dreams of my husband and pray with him regarding those desires and dreams.  The same goes for the friends in my life.  I want to be there to encourage them when they need it or to just listen if that is what they need.  I want to hear when my grandson is asking questions, so that, I can stop to answer them.  I want to give him a good answer that let’s him know I heard, really heard, his question.  I want loved ones to know they are important enough to take the time to listen to them.

Key Moments PhotographySo, if you haven’t taken the time lately to sit out on your front porch, deck, table, or front step, to breathe in the fact that you are here today to enjoy the day you are given, then I encourage you to do so.  It will make your day so much more meaningful.  That, I can guarantee!  If you think, “Well, that is  fine for you JoAnn, you have no kids, or family needs at home to distract you.”  I would say, “Yes, I do.  I have many distractions the same as you.  They may be a bit different from yours, but I have them.  I am just choosing to put the times to quiet my spirit as a priority, so that, I am open to notice what is going on around me.  I’m blessed every time!

So breathe deep of my candle of Coco Havana, (I wish you could smell it), and plan for a time of refreshment for your spirit, and see what God does!  He wants some of your time.  He has things He wants to share with you!  If you find this hard, remember that you may need to surrender your schedule to Him.  That means WILLINGLY give it over to Him.  Ouch…that can be hard but SO worth it!  Press in.  There are great rewards awaiting you!

If you do take time to quiet your spirit in your day, share a picture or two of your sweet spot where you breathe deep!  I would love to hear about it!  You can always share via my email also which is journeysofmyheart@gmail.com.  Blessings!

 

Walking the journey with you…

~JoAnn

Ok, Lessons from a Turtle?

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

IMG_6818I’m not sure why, but this last weekend when I was down at the ocean, I saw a little decor turtle and felt I was supposed to get it and bring it home with me.  I am a very visual person and so I have many things that I keep around me on my desk and in my office that are reminders to me of how I should live and think regarding my daily life.  Here are a few thoughts that came to mind as I wondered about the reasoning behind making that purchase.  You can google many ideas about lessons from a turtle, and some of them will be a part of why God may have laid that on my heart.

  • 1.  Turtles may be slow but they will get where they are going.

We all know the story of the tortoise and the hare.  We know that lesson!  We may know it by heart.  But, we sure forget it quickly when it is something we want.  All living things have a time of growth.  A tree doesn’t just become a tree.  It takes a long time to get tall and sturdy.  So it is with us. We are and should be constantly growing.  How fast is not as important as taking a steady pace, and we keep at it.

  • 2.  They are very determined.

When baby turtles are born, they go by instinct to the nearest water.  They face all kind of challenges to get there, but they are determined to go through the scary trials to make it.  Sand may be hard for them to get over because even the smallest hill of sand presents a challenge to them as tiny creatures.  They may be eagle food, but they instinctively have that determination and drive to get where they are going.  They don’t give up at the first sign of challenge; even at that young age.

  • 3.  They have been called a symbol of peace.

I would guess this reasoning has to do with the quiet, but sure way of living.  If you watch a turtle, they are very observant.  They watch you carefully and they are aware of what is around them  This reminds us to slow down our pace in life and look around.  Enjoy what we see as we go.  Hurry is not peaceful but slowing down is, or can be.

  • 4.  If there is something they are having difficulty with, they will focus on that issue until they can figure out what to do.

As a child, my cousin had a turtle and that turtle was older than me by several  years at that time, and they still had him long after I became an adult, married and had children.  Amazing!  One time I watched that turtle struggle with a stick that had been put in the wrong way, and now was in its way and messing with his environment.  Oh how he would struggle to right that stick so it would be in the correct place.  He didn’t give up until it was moved correctly to his liking.

  • 5.  They must stick their neck out if they want to get somewhere.

That’s right!  If we want to grow, we have to stick our neck out and try something new or different.  We have to put ourselves out there!  But many times, we may be like the turtle in fear, and pull our necks back in,  and in our case, tuck and curl in defeat.  However, if we want growth in our life, and a better relationship with those around us, we have to stick our neck out there!

  • 6.  If you were to pick a turtle up that is going on one direction, and you turned it around to the opposite direction, they will turn around in their shell so they can keep going in the same direction they were headed.

What does that tell us?  That turtle knows its direction; it has an inner sense of direction.  No matter which way it is turned, it knows the path it needs to take.  We need to have our compass to true north; that is, to the direction of God and His promises.  We want to “know” in our hearts and mind what direction that is.  And if we are truly in tune with God, just the like the turtle, we can always know which way is the right way to go.  U-turns are awesome, aren’t they?!?

So, I brought that little turtle home with me to have on my desk, so that I too, can remember the message of the turtle and the reasons why God may have put that on my heart.  I hope you will remember the lessons of a turtle and let it be a life lesson for you as it was for me!  God is good to teach us in big and small ways if we are tune, and listen to Him, and respond.

To life at a turtle pace…slow and sure…walking the journey with you…

~JoAnn

A Mom’s Journey

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

971052_10201856640758080_439517404_nThis Mother’s Day is 23 years away from the death of my Mom due to massive heart attack.  Boy did my life change that day!  It wasn’t expected and she had never been sick, but the heart is a secret organ that works pretty hard and we often don’t pay much attention to it.  I was in Seattle, at Seattle Central Community College in my American Sign Language class, when I got the call.  I left the class with the prayers of the instructor, and on the way back home, I got the call that she didn’t make it.  As I drove on through tears, all my memories of my Mom came flooding back…things we did as a family, things we did together, and all the things she did to help me out.  We had our “downs” in our relationship for a period of time, but we kept giving effort to work through it.  Didn’t talk about it.  Oh my no!  But, we DID come to a nonverbal understanding in our relationship and it became better again.

We don’t always realize what a person contributes to our lives, often times, until they are not with us any more.  That was so true of me.  How many times, did I want to do something in my home, and mom and dad would come rescue and bring the paint to do that paint job.  Then, they would stay and help paint.  Or she would come and wall paper an area, sew something for me, or support my ideas of a project I was working on.  My mom never drove, so I was her transportation everywhere, once I got my license.  I went a lot of places, just so she could.  If I drove, she would often take me to lunch.  When the kids were little, they would get in on the deal.  There were Mother’s Teas, and Ladies Aid, church meetings, and grocery shopping.  I also got to share in her excitement over finding out something about her family history; the old-fashioned way… through snail mail.  When I had home parties, she was always there to be my first customer.  She was also part-time farmer’s wife and sometimes, that part-time took a lot of her time.  However, those where the things that helped to have a good meal to set before her family.  When I was younger, I would assist her when cows got out and we had to go chase them back in the field because a part of the fence came down.  Later on as a mom myself, she was also my periodic babysitter because we were both working parents.  I tried not to take too much advantage, but times were hard and I would have to ask more often than I would have liked to.  But, she was always gracious to help out, even when she might have wanted to say no.  I always tried to pay her something or get her something that she would want for her projects to show my appreciation.

IMG_5271When I look back to her times being a Mom, there was not a lot of support from friends or relatives as easily as it is now.  Unless you drove, it wasn’t easy to meet up with friends.  She would feel embarrassed to always have to ask for a ride.  Consequently, she was home all the time.  Those times must have been lonely.  In summer months, my dad was working long, hard hours and that left her at home alone even more.  But, she was always doing some project or another.  If it wasn’t rearranging our home, then it was knitting, broomstick crocheting, crocheting, or sewing on a quilt or clothes for us.   She was always up for another craft or project to work on, some of which never got finished.  She was great at starting them, but didn’t always get them finished.  However, maybe I take after her, because I don’t have a problem being at home a lot.  I can always find something enjoyable to do.  In my case though, I have the ability to chat a bit with a friend online during the day.  She was completely isolated from much contact with friends.  She was a simple cook, nothing fancy.  But she could make something out of nothing in her kitchen!  It was always tasty.  Another thing I always admired about my mom is that she honored her parents.  She took great care of them and was always available for what they needed.  I never heard a complaint from her about that responsibility.  She loved her folks and wanted to be there for them.

So… all this to say that I am proud of what my mom accomplished and how she lived her life.  We can, if we think about it, find things we didn’t like or wished was different in our Mom’s, but when all comes down to it, she was doing her best so that I could have her best.  I’m glad of that, and it rings a true bell in my life as well.  No one is perfect and I have made mistakes in my time of motherhood I know, but I love my kids and grandchild more than anything in the world.  So I will continue to do my best, as my Mom tried to do in her life.

I am glad to honor my Mom this Mother’s Day, and still after 23 years, I miss being able to do things together.  She would approve of what I have become, I think.  She would have loved how I have enjoyed decorating my home, that my life follows the Lord, and my many activities.  And…my pictures.

In closing, the question is often asked, “If those who have gone on before us can see what is going on in our life on a daily basis?”  There are days I would welcome it, but there are days I wouldn’t want to be seen, if I am honest.  But you know what?  If it was possible for her to see one day in my life, I would hope it would be today, where I honor all her efforts as a Mom.  I dropped a heart in my Gratitude Jar for her today!  Until the time I get to see her again in heaven, I will do my best to honor her  memory my daily living.

Love you Mom.

Walking the journey with you…

~JoAnn

The Ups and Downs of Life

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized
Jetty at Ocean Shores
Jetty at Ocean Shores

If you remember, my last post included a story about rock climbing to see the ocean waves coming in (check out the last post).   I reviewed that story, I felt I was supposed to share a bit more of that story with you.  The background to this story is that September 23rd of 2013, I had bilateral knee replacement; both knees at once.  I chose that way because I thought if I went in for one knee, I wouldn’t want to go back for the second knee.  I’m sure I would have been right!  So, keep that in mind as I share this little object lesson God gave to me.

We went to the ocean to spend some time away.  One of the places I had never gone before was the jetty out at the point in Ocean Shores.  I lived in Aberdeen for a bit over 4 years, went out to the ocean many, many times, but never to the jetty.  My husband and I went out to see what we could see.  From what I understand, there are two currents that meet and it makes for some gigantic waves to come crashing in to shore.  There is a wall made up of rocks that lines the shore line IMG_5342to break the water that comes into the beach.  Well, as you know by reading my posts, I am an ocean dweller!  I love the ocean!  Where there are waves, I’m gonna go!  Now the key here is, that my knees get me around pretty good for seven months out of surgery, but they are nowhere near maximum range of motion.  However, I see those crashing waves and I am thinking, “I have to get up there and see!”  I climb up on top of the rocks with my camera to get as close as I can to see the waves.   Huge waves are building and building, and headed for shore!  So exciting!  I stood protecting my camera as much as possible, and got as many shots as I could.  I took out my iPhone and did the same.  It was absolutely awesome!!!  It began chilling down quite rapidly, with some rain beginning to fall.  I decided I had gotten some good shots and had a blast watching the waves, so I turned to go back down the rocks.  I’m looking at those big boulders and thinking, “They look at lot bigger going the other way!  How in the world am I going to get down?”  You see, you bear weight differently going up then you do going down.  Down is where you have to depend on those muscles, that are weak from a surgery, and they take a lot of time to build strength for stepping down.  Even ordinary steps take a bit of time.  Well… here I am with boulders!  I had my camera around my neck and it was dangling as I tried to bend over to help myself down.  Can’t have camera damage so I unzipped my coat and tucked it in and zipped it back up.  Ok, next…I moved my body around thinking if I went backwards, maybe that would help me get down.  Uh…not really.  How about sideways?  Humm…this is kind of scary.  By now, I’m thinking, “I don’t think I can get down!”  I was ready for the bottom slide when I looked up and Terry is coming toward me from a ways down the beach.  He motions for me to wait and he will help me.  When he gets to me, he tells me there is an easier place to get up and down.   He takes my hand and helps me take those steps that were kind of scary to take on my own.

Now here is the kicker!!!  God very gently told me that, it is like that in our lives.   We think we can do anything!  We can climb rock walls with new knees, we can get that house if we want, we can buy a new car, we can do it on our own!  We are like theIMG_5441 little child that is trying to be independent and says, “I can do it myself!”   You know what?  I didn’t think at the moment to ask God to help me get down.  I could have.  I didn’t.  How many times do we live out our lives and just don’t think to ask or, we are too proud to ask?  Maybe, its that we don’t want to be vulnerable to what God might have for us, versus what we want.  I know it should have been a natural response to ask.   That is an area I ask God to change in me.  I’m usually pretty good to ask first, but we all have times we miss it.

Just like my husband Terry, God comes along and says, “It’s much easier if you go this way and let Me help you.  My timing is perfect and my ways are best for you.”  If we are willing to put aside our pride and trust Him, He will take our hand and help us off the rocks and down to safe ground.  I hope my little adventure helps you to see that God wants you to trust Him in everything.  Don’t go along thinking you can do everything by yourself.  It’s not worth it.  I could have stayed up there fretting, got dirty sliding down hard, pointed rocks, risked hurting my knees, and what I was carrying… and… all for the sake of doing it myself.  Crazy!  Not worth it!  Extend your hand.  He is waiting!

Walking the journey with you…

The Still Small Voice in the Roaring Waves

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

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Is there a place you like to go that makes you happy?  I was blessed to be able to go to that place this last weekend.   You know those times…when so many things get put on your plate, and you need that “away” time to gather your thoughts again?  My husband and I planned on getting away to celebrate his recent retirement.  We were blessed with an opportunity to enjoy a wonderful home on the ocean!  My favorite place to be!  But even more than that, we were also blessed with favor!  Come along on another journey… this time… to the ocean!

My heart swells at one of the lessons that came to me this last weekend.  As I watched the force of the currents coming together in HUGE waves out at the Jetty, I witnessed the power the waves gained as one wave pushed into another wave, and then another wave.  The waves would build and build, until it came crashing into the shore or rocks.  We can have things like that happen in our lives that is a lot like that also.  We can have “Murphy’s Law hit us, where anything that CAN go wrong DOES.  We can have loss of our home, finances, family falling apart, marriage hardships, or the loss of a loved one.  There are a number of situations that can build up like waves that overwhelm us.  As those waves build on each other, we can find ourselves headed with great momentum, and crashing against the rocks of our lives with such force that we are feel like we are coming apart.

My strength in these times comes from my relationship with Jesus.  I gain strength from steadfast faith and a persevering spirit.  I don’t give up!  My foundation is not built on the sand, but on the Rock!  I can be a OverComer.  He will even make good come from the hard times!  If we allow that, we can rise above those stormy seas of life!   Under tows in the waves are a dangerous thing.  They roll us right under and pull us down.  I don’t want to get sucked down by the powerful under tow, or the weight of life situations.  God gives the strength for us to continue in faith; it comes from within and is placed there by God.  He is the Source.

As we live that way, we can see the favor of God in our lives.  Let me share some of God’s favor that happened to us this weekend.

  • 1.  A couple blessed us with their home for the weekend!  LOVED it.
  • 2. Due to an error made by the person who changed our oil last, we found we had lost ALL the oil in our car.  Not one drop showing on the stick!  Aberdeen Ford Dealership, you rock!!  They took it in 20 minutes before closing, fixed the problem, cleaned it up, filled it with oil and ready for this????  FREE!  It was cool too because that is where we originally bought the car from!
  • 3.  We had dinner at Billy’s in Aberdeen on Easter evening, and Terry and I wanted to split a piece of cheese cake.  The waitress gave it to us on the house!
  • 4.  Our weather for the most part, was wonderful!  So, that meant that I could get out and walk the beach with my sweetheart and enjoy getting some shots with my camera.
  • 5. We had some time to hit a few thrift stores, got some good finds, one of which was a grab bag Terry found and it had some great stuff in it!

I think it makes God happy to give to us, so it is important for us to recognize where it comes from!  My husband and I have certainly have experienced God’s love through the way He provides for us, and we are thankful.

Notice things and look for God’s hand in our everyday =  He shows Himself faithful to bless us!

  • I love living life that way.
  • It’s living life in a different light.
  • It gives perspective in how I live.

We had fun talking and sharing what retirement meant to both of us.  We asked ourselves questions such as, “What did we see God doing in our life?  What is His future for us?  What dreams did we have that we can support each other in?”  So…we sat sipping a mocha and coffee, watching the change of weather in the sky, and took the time to share those things with each other.

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Just like the waves that are beautiful to watch, I need to remember that they are powerful too!  I can easily get pulled in, and then under.  But, I have a God Who has an arm that is never too short to save me.  Never to busy to bless me.  I am thankful for that!  There is one more special things that has happened to me.  At least four different times in the last few weeks, I have had an eagle soar over my head in a circle or two, and then fly away.  I don’t know what that means, but I noticed it! I felt God telling me I am free, and I thanked Him for it.  I don’t think those things are random.  They are a message to be noticed.  As we sat and enjoyed the view out the big windows, He gave this beautiful example of His light shining through the darkness, and it was yet another grace moment.

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Great lessons at the beach last weekend.  That is my space to hear God speak.    But, He can speak to us anywhere if we take the time to quiet our spirit, lean in, and listen.

One more lesson I learned this past weekend:  It might not be so wise to climb up on the rocks for picture-taking when you can’t step the same length of steps going down!  I climbed up… not a problem.  Going down was a total different story!  It required a great guy to come to my rescue to help me down!  Sometimes, we need to accept the help.  We don’t need to do it on our own.

So… as you enjoy the photos, I hope they speak to you and cause you to take pause and ask, “Where do I feel like life is power rolling over me, pressing me down, and/or sucking me under?”  Ask the hard questions.  You might be surprised at what you discover!  I am always amazed at His object lessons!

Walking the journey with you…     ~JoAnn

 

Taking the Back Roads

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

 

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Yesterday, I found a page called Traveler on the Backroads, and it struck a deep tone on the tuning fork of my soul.  I immediately thought about it in terms of my life.  So I thought I would share some thoughts with you, and you can see if you identify with any of them.

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I thought about what it might mean to take the back roads in life?  Why would I want to take a road trip on the back roads?  Well, I would take the back roads because I wanted to see more.  I want to slow down on my drive so that I can experience more of what I see.  I would want to stop when I want to and further enjoy what I find.  I want to see how life was, and how it is today.  I want the slow pace of the leisurely drive.  I want to photograph the moment.  So, that means for me, I want to experience life more fully.  We can’t see much driving down the highway at 60-70 miles per hour!  I have tried that a few times with my husband driving.  Oh…in this area, we can see some beautiful mountains, and if we are quick, we can maybe snap a picture or two with all the wires hanging down.  But its pretty hard to do that when we have traffic all around us!  People around me aren’t really too excited about my timely slowing down to catch something of interest to me.  They even get upset if your pull off the road and they might have to go around.

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In my life, I guess I have discovered that I want to live my life on the back roads.  I want to have time for a friend that needs to unload, a coffee meet up, a reconnection, a family gathering, time to encourage someone, finding out where I came from in a list of genealogy, and then, the understanding that comes from that research.  I want to put my nose in the air to smell the fresh air, even when it’s fresh because of the rain.  Maybe, especially, when it is refreshed by the rain!  I want the back roads of life as compared to running at full speed to get here and there, and then hurry to the next thing and the next.  I have lived long enough to recognize when my spirit needs a reminder that the back road trip is how I want to live.  Give me the quiet.  I need that instead of the noise of life or traffic to distract from my purpose, which is to lean into seeing what is around me.  I want to be forever changed by what I see, what I notice and the insights that I am given.

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So think about it…why do YOU take the back roads on a trip?  Or are you one that just wants to get there, and so you miss what you could see on the way?  Don’t miss it.  You may not have a second chance for another ride.  Put the virtual top down, let the wind blow through your hair, and in your face, and come back home saying, “What a ride!”  Me?  My bag is ready to go!

Walking the journey with you…

Open Hands and Pens

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

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Have you ever had the feeling that things were going so well in your life that you felt like the captain of your soul?  If you even thought about that statement for a moment without saying no, then you are in trouble because we are NEVER the captain of our soul.   Our lives aren’t something that we have a map for.  There is no map.  We may even feel that sometimes there is no compass.  There is no set route for the journey, that much we know.  The only way we can recognize a route in our life, is what is left behind us when we look back.

I just finished a study with a group of ladies who did the One Thousand Gifts study.  It was so interesting to see how God used each one to affirm the other.  Thoughts and ideas different from my own, yet similar in content.  Our hearts became one as we explored what God wanted to teach us individually.  God showed a side of Himself that many had not seen before, and… lives were changed.  Some even had a hard time explaining HOW it changed them, but they felt a shift inside themselves.  It might have been a different way to start each day, or depending on God for the right place to live, or transition after loss, and another who said, she has been in many studies, but none that have changed her like this one.  I’m sure there were many other thoughts too!  Wow!!  THAT is what we want to have happen when we devote ourselves to learning.  We discussed what servanthood looks like and how we can be the blessing.  So we asked ourselves, “Am I a blessing?  Do I bless?”  Our answer was agreement with Ann Voskamp, the writer of the study, we ARE blessed.  We CAN bless.  You see, we need to pass blessing along.  If we receive the blessing and it stops with us, then we have lost the flow of the blessings to others.  That trickle down effect is lost.  We need to pass it along in the flow of life, and let the goodness of God flow on and on and on.  It’s like Andy Andrews talks about in his book, The Butterfly Effect.  We may never know the outcome of something we did or said, nor how it will affect the future.

Another thing we shared with each other is the power of the pen.  Whether you are a journal writer or not, there is power there.  Maybe you just list your gifts or blessings.  Which ever it maybe, “satan hates pens because he doesn’t want you to count
IMG_5020the blessings you have been given.” (Ann Voskamp) Do you get the picture?  THAT should make us want to go find everybody we know and make sure they have a pen handy.  That is our weapon against feeling defeated about our life.  Invite God in and put that pen to paper.  I am a pen freak.  I love pens and I like GOOD pens.  So, I’m always looking for a pen that is a good brand, looks good AND writes well.  Now, I have another reason for a good pen…it’s my weapon and the power to stay in gratitude!  I’m going to wield that weapon!!

This thought was so important in our weekly discussion:  we want to be empty, to be filled.

  • I want my hands to remain open for God to fill them for His purpose.
  • I want Him to find me about His work and doing well.
  • I want to be maintaining an attitude of expectancy.
  • I want to be found continually looking to the future with hope.
  • I will live a full life because I am intentional in how I live each day.

In all the changes we talked about in this group, the best part was being reminded that a changed life is a life full of joy!  We found that to be true in the last five weeks.  He wants our personal character to be guided by the Holy Spirit and not our own flesh.  He wants to find us being diligent, eager, and zealous in our relationship with Him.  We have found that aspect of our relationship with God to be renewed during out time together.  We experienced a lot of laughter, but there were tears also.  We shared hugs of encouragement, pats on the back to say, keep going.  Please share.  We are listening.  THAT my friend means something BIG is about to happen.  When we lean in and listen, God is going to do something BIG when we let Him change us.  I encouraged each person there to write today’s date down in their Bibles or journals, because we all felt we were on the cusp of something great that is about to happen.

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And lastly, I think we made the decision to be like the Sea of Galilee, that flows forth fresh water.  We do not want to be like the Dead Sea that has no movement and is stagnant, as she talks about at the end of the last chapter.  And the kicker?  Those two seas are fed by the same river!!!  Which one do we want to be?  These ladies wanted to flow out fresh water!  His gifts come from above and we want them to flow through us to others.  I think we all agreed, that we want the kind of attitudes and character that mark the life of a person who loves to serve, give and to share what we have with others.  And…let’s give our best.

I am thankful to each heart that shared in this journey of gifts, and I pray that you will be blessed also by this glimpse into what God did in a small group of women who were faithful to the idea of open hands.

Walking the journey with you…

~JoAnn

What If?

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized
Guardian Angel from Childhood
Guardian Angel from Childhood

Talk about another wake up call!  As I listen to the news regarding the mudslide that has taken place about an hour and a half southeast of where I live, I am again reminded of how our lives can change in seconds!  One minute you may be doing your normal daily regime, and the next minute, disaster hits.

This last Sunday, our pastor asked us two questions:

  1. What would you do if you were to receive one billion dollars next week?
  2. What would you do if you lost everything you own next week?
  • 3.  Based on the above, how would your life change?

It really made me think.

So, let’s talk about the first question.  What would you do if you were to receive one billion dollars next week?    If we came into money, we could think of all kinds of things to do with it.  We would have all kinds of plans that would come to mind, and most of it may be for ourselves or immediate wants.  But, with that kind of windfall, we may, and I hope that is true, decide to be gracious and help with the needs around us.  But for the most part, we would probably be making all these plans with our comforts foremost in our minds.  How would your life change?

Second question.  What if we lost everything we own next week?  How would we react to that?  I think of all those in the Oso, Washington area that have lost everything!  There have many lost lives and many with questions about loved ones who haven’t been found.  Their homes… and everything in them…gone.  Then, there are those who have survived that are thankful to be alive.  Some “just happened” to be away from the house with other activities.  In seconds, their lives are changed forever!  Lost…everything you own.  How would your life change?

So how then, shall we live?  That question seems very key for us today.  How will I live out my life?  Am I ready for a storm of whatever comes my way?  Am I ready to meet the Lord if I am over taken by that storm?  Am I living in such a way daily, that I have happiness, joy and peace in my life?  Do I share my love freely with my family so they know how important they are to me?  Yes…  It makes me think.  I hope it makes you think also.  It is true that we can’t predict these kinds of disasters. They happen.  Scripture tells us that we will have troubles.  But, we can live each day as if it is our last; never closing our eyes without giving thanks, without saying I love you to those who need to hear it, without feeling gratitude for what God has given us, and without forgiveness; either asking, given, and asked for from God.  It would change our lives if we lived like that, wouldn’t it?

Don’t get me wrong.  I am not trying to make any of you anxious about the future.  “The mind that is anxious about the future is miserable.” (Pastor Herb Geeslin)  If we always worry about what might happen, it would make us miserable and it also means that we aren’t trusting the Lord.  However, we have hope because we have a Savior that never leaves us.  EVER.  I think it should cause us want to have abundant joy and zest for life.

What drives your happiness now?  Don’t let it be things and possessions that are your main focus.  They can be taken from you in seconds as we have seen in Oso.  I would encourage you to talk it over with God and see what your score is.

Let’s keep the families of Oso, Washington in our prayers as they try to pick up the pieces of their lives.  It could be yours, or mine.

A changed life relishes the future of today. (From the same sermon mentioned above).  If you need to, make some changes in how you think about your life.  Let’s live our lives with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Walking the journey with you…

 

~JoAnn

Grace Moments

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

_DSC0103_1I joined a group a couple of weeks ago that started the study 1000 Gifts.  It has really got me thinking.  That can be dangerous at times, but I think this is a good thing!  What is it about the little things we have around us, that given we would quiet ourselves, we love to enjoy?  For me, I have many colorful glass or crystal pieces in my home that I love to watch the light reflect off of, or through.  I have red crystals that hang from my kitchen window curtain, and it gives me great delight to watch them reflect shimmering lights around my kitchen as the sun hits them.  I look around my home and I have so many memorable items that bring memories of my grandparents, parents, kids and grandchild.  It makes me happy to have them.  I consider each of them my gifts.  I also enjoy being outside to smell the fresh air, or taking a walk again, watching our flowers and trees budding up, or an extra cloudy sky that reminds me that no matter what chaos I may be going through, I have someone who cares, and never leaves me.  You see, I think all of those things are gifts…every day.

IMG_6020As we were reading, all of our moments shape us one way or another.  However, we do have moments that may stand out, and other feelings that we experience.  It might be looking at something that strikes a chord deep in your heart, or even something that was not a very enjoyable experience.  How do I handle a day of disappointments?   When chaos comes, how can I turn it around?   We all have minutes, and they are experienced and lived in different ways.  So I asked myself once again on Friday afternoon, “How do you spend your minutes?”  To be honest, I found that there were certainly areas that I could handle my minutes much better than I do.  There are times I need to stop, and just sit and enjoy what I see or what I hear.  Or maybe, I need to listen to something that is uplifting.  I might need to encourage someone who God puts on my heart.  Maybe, it’s that you have a day planned one way, and something else comes up to side track you.   Maybe God is taking you on a completely different path for the day.  How do you handle those times?

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Whatever it may be for you, taking advantage of all these minutes that God gives us, is what it is all about.  I think her study is a prime example of how to learn to see life through a totally different lens; the lens of grace, thanksgiving, and gratitude.  As you may have read in previous posts, I have kept a gratitude jar, and I find that concentrating on the things that are right in my life, or that are good, or that make me happy, is the way to put my focus on the right track.  It might be as simple as a reflection of light as I stated above, or it may be something as sweet as a lunch with a friend.  Maybe the sun shining through your window as you have breakfast.  But it has purpose in your life and God wants to use those gifts to cheer you on, bring you joy, and lift your spirit.

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What is one gift you can think of right now?  Leave it in the comments.  Because I am in this study, there is a monthly calendar on her website that helps you look for those gifts around YOU.  So, for the month of March, or while I’m in this study, I have posted a picture on my Facebook page of three gifts each day of the month of March.  God says, “I AM.”  That means He is present always.  Ask Him to show you.  Try writing the gifts down.  Try the jar.  But DO give it a try.  Living in thankfulness, grace, and joy is like a muscle that needs to be exercised.  Once you do it, it will become a stronger and stronger influence in your life.  It WILL change your life.

Walking the journey with you…

 

~JoAnn

Between Cupcakes

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

IMG_5966I LOVE cupcakes!!  Especially if they are devils food chocolate with fluffy white frosting!  Oh my!!  They are the best!!  So why do I share this tidbit of information?  Because this week was one of those times where I NEEDED cupcakes; a lot of them!  There is nothing better than those delicate, fluffy cupcakes topped with fluffy not so sweet frosting!  I had such a hard day, that I ate six of them right in a row and smacked my lips with everyone!  As I was eating them, I thought maybe there was something to the name of them.  The devil was sure doing a number on me today and I was eating my way through it with cupcakes!  And…I was careful not to leave any crumbs behind!

Now, it is a couple of days since that time and I got to thinking, “Why is it that we do that to ourselves?”  Do we think that something like that is going to helps us feel better?  Or, that eating them will somehow dissolve the problems that we are facing?  I have to admit, though, they really hit the spot!!  But my problem was still right in front of me.  Sometimes, we do this kind of thing and then deal with the guilt afterwards.  I can’t say I felt the guilt where chocolate cupcakes with fluffy white frosting are concerned, but along the lines of, “Shoot!  I did it again!”

I guess what I have thought about in retrospect is, that in all fairness to great cupcakes, they don’t help much of anything, except taste good at the moment!  When I look back on eating my six cupcakes in a row on Monday, I didn’t care about the reasoning.   But now what I am wondering is, why didn’t I go to the Source of all problem solving and ask for His intervention?  What is it about pride that keeps us from going directly to Him for the calm and peace we need?  Or maybe the insight we need to identify what is really going on, and the boldness to share it?  Maybe, because we would have to be responsible for our reactions, as well as, our actions.  I kind of think so.  It would mean I would have to go to prayer and ask for help instead of allowing my feelings to control me, so I can feel justified.  So…(pause) what?  I am just going to eat those cupcakes because…I CAN?  I deserve them?  I can even tell myself that if I have a bad day, and don’t do it again tomorrow, then I can justify eating them.  Amazing what our brain and heart can figure out between them, when we don’t listen to the Holy Spirit.  We can get SO creative!!

We are always going to have those “things” that tempt us, make us angry, hurt our feelings, or cause us to go for the one thing we love.  Satan loves to put those temptations right in front of our eye gates.  He will even go through the trouble to set up the scenario for you!  He loves to use his expertise to make that happen!  What we are doing may taste good to our emotions at the time, but there are always consequences to not taking it to the Lord first.  Always.

I share this because I know we all deal with this in some way, shape or form.  I want to be able to go the God with anything first, and ask Him to help me figure it out.  I want to deal with it in His way and His timing.  I want to surrender my pride and listen to the still small voice, and take my next steps accordingly.  I can send myself on all kinds of guilt trips, OR, I can go to God and ask for His direction.  His strength will give me the power to say no to what I FEEL like doing.  If I ask Him, He will let me know what I need to do.  We have a free will and can decide to pray about it, or, eat six cupcakes and have nothing change.

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I want to change and be more like He wants me to be.  In the time it took me to eat those cupcakes, I might have been able to totally solve the problem if I had been willing to face the problem, pray about it, and do what I know God would have wanted me to do.  Humm…do I detect a bit of rebellion in there somewhere?  Possibly.   That isn’t the way I want to live my life, and it will not help me live in peace and harmony.

Now, does mean that you can’t eat cupcakes?  Of course not.  But maybe not six of them, and certainly not for reasons and emotions that you alone are responsible for.   I had my time with the Lord to talk this over with Him.  But I kind of get the feeling that I should have done that in the first place.  Duh!  He gently reminds me that He is here with me.  I can always come to Him with anything.   Now that I listened to the Holy Spirit, I have taken action regarding my reaction.  I learned.  I live another day to learn some more.  In learning something valuable, I got to drop another heart in my Gratitude Jar.

Walking the journey with you…