Tag: family

My Life In Review

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized
A Young Me & My Dog Pal
A Young Me & Our Dog Pal

We hear so much any more about movie reviews, book reviews, reviews when you buy something on Amazon and we sometimes take part.  I was contemplating my life the other day and suddenly, it was like a movie playing on a screen; from my earliest recollections to the present time.  It really made me take notice of the changes that have happened in my life up to now.  I have found them to be great changes that God has orchestrated for my good.  It’s a longer post than most, but maybe you can relate and be encouraged by some of them.

  • Relationships:  At a very young age, I had a great appreciation for the people who God placed in my life, whether it be family or friends.  Even as a young girl I knew they were important.  God gave me Godly parents.  They took me to church every Sunday.  They sacrificed in their life so I would HAVE.  I was very involved at school, church, choir and youth group and also with friends.  I was surrounded with family who always got together and shared life together.  Family reunions and sharing food around the table with great conversations.  Sometimes speaking norwegian so us kids wouldn’t understand the conversation.  Although, we got to be pretty good at understanding it and surprised them often with our language prowess. They sacrificed other things they may have needed to get a travel trailer so we could go camping as a family; and camping we DID!!  Shared weekends camping at the ocean or lake, digging clams, catching smelt and frying them up for dinner that night, swimming in the lakes, and the early morning smells in our little trailer.  From my hammock above the couch in the trailer, I could watch as dad made his coffee in the morning and mom was cooking breakfast.  I think on these things and realize that God showed me that family is important to the longevity of life.  It gives us a sense of belonging.  They have been instrumental in my life changes.  To this day, the water is where I go to dream with God.
  • Photography:  God has changed me through my photography.  It’s like He has given me a macro look into my life.  He is showing me the beauty in my life around me, but also the areas that I need to improve my focus.  I have learned to look at my life in a totally different way.  I see things differently; I notice His beauty.  I LOOK for the beauty that I didn’t see before.  When He gives me that macro shot of where I need to change, I   change that in my daily life.  I think about my adult cousin, who loved photography, always shared his pictures and cameras with me as a young child.  We spent time in his make shift photo lab watching him develop pictures.  I didn’t think much about it then, but have come to understand now, that God placed that person in my life to plant the seed for what was to come with own camera experience.  I always think of him when I raise my camera to take a shot.
  • How I live:  As those whom I loved so dearly left my world through various circumstances, I learned how to go on after they were gone, but always honor their memory and what they meant to me in my life.  I have thought about their contribution to who I am today, even how I think, and what is important to me.  It wasn’t always that way.  As a young mother, I had to work a lot when my family was younger for reasons that are personal to me.  But I always desired to be at home with my children.  I loved being a mom and working was good, but it also brought a lot of stress into my home.  I tried to keep all the plates spinning in my life and sometimes my kids suffered from that activity.  God began working in me many years ago to take each day and live it out as my best.  I might not have a tomorrow.  As I lost my mother in 1991 and then my dad in 2002, I began to know that more deeply.  After my dad’s death in 2002, I moved back home and made some changes.  I have learned to live with less in order to stay at home.  I know some families don’t feel that’s possible, but I have come to know that when we truly desire to do something that God places on our heart, He is faithful to provide ways to make that happen.  Our faith in Him can project us forward to make it a reality.  He has done just that.  There were relationships to rebuild, a heart (mine) to mend, and a repositioning of my life and relationship with God that I needed to work on.
  • My view of flowers:  I don’t have a green thumb and never had a great place to enjoy a flower garden nor a desire to work in one.  But in the last several years, I have come to enjoy them very much and want to have them inside and outside my home.  God has really shown me that He made them for a purpose; not just to plant but to truly enjoy!  I do that now and use my camera to remember.
  • My relationship with the Lord:  I always felt Bible study should be a part of my life and have really been faithful to do that.  But God changed my heart to REALLY desire to walk deep with Him.  I felt like I was to be a college student in my approach.  So, I looked and researched ways I could do that without a lot of expense.  God provided those ways.  I trusted Him to show me and He did.  I have never been the same since.  He has taken me places I would never have gone if it wasn’t for quieting my life so that I could hear His whisper.
  • My approach to reading:  I have always enjoyed reading but He has changed my thinking from reading books, to learning from books.  He challenged me to read so many books a year.  I have gained a great education from the reading I have done and I’m a better person for it.  My goal?  Read a book a week.  I have gotten pretty close but not there yet.  What a difference it has made in me personally.  I am very thankful for everything He has chosen to share with me through the pages of books, and thankful to the authors that write them!  Where would we be without them?
  • How I handle money:  I made some bad judgement calls at times and over the last 20 years or so, He has slowly and consistently brought those areas into alignment.  I save for what I want and pay cash.  I don’t want to live with credit debt period.  I trust God with my money and He has always come through beyond what I could imagine.  And…He has blessed my obedience to live that way.  I still have improvement to make with delayed gratification at times, but I am committed.  I feel good about the control it gives to my life.  It’s never worth it to live beyond our means, because it only brings bondage.
  • Regarding boundaries:  Setting boundaries in your life can free up a lot of heart space!  What a liberating experience for me!  I no longer have to be responsible for someone else’s reaction or choice.  I can decide what I will allow in my life and let my yes be yes, and my no be no.
  • What I am thankful for:  God has taught me to be thankful for what I have; to be in gratitude for what He HAS given me.  I might not have everything I want, but He has given me everything I need.  I needed to get my eyes off of things, and unto gratefulness; for my house, my bed to sleep, warmth, food, shoes on my feet, clothes to wear, and a car to drive even IF it wasn’t exactly what I wanted.  I learned to look at my life each day as a gift.  I could have been born in a land where living for Jesus means I could die tomorrow.  But, I don’t.  That WHISPER tells me, “You have life and freedom, live it for Me.  I will take care of your needs and maybe even some of your wants.”  He has.

 

So… I am thankful for all the things I have learned.  I have figured out that God wants me to use what I know.  I have come to understand why He placed the deep desire to keep learning over my life.  Through it, I have learned importance of my family and carry that legacy into my own.  I can TELL the people who are in my life what they mean to me.  I can share pictures to encourage others to take a moment to see the beauty around them.  I can use encouragement to share what I have learned so that others can be encouraged.  I want to be a good listener.  My hope is that I am a light on the path of shaded areas, and the encouragement to keep you walking out your journey in little steps.   Are there some choices I made in my life that I wish I had either listened to the advice of others, or listened to the Holy Spirit telling go a different way?  OF COURSE!  But I don’t choose to live there in that place.  I would rather have some review of my life here and there, and then say, “I’m not that person anymore and that’s not where I live.”

My life hasn’t been perfect.  So you can’t say, “Oh boy!  JoAnn lives such a Pollyanna lifestyle!”  I have had some real hard knocks, and those who are close to me know some of them.  But God…  He has been my constant and He knows my heart.  He forgives me when I have been angry.  He loves me when I have failed.  He never turns His back on me…ever.   Ask God to show you the areas where you might need to focus and change so that you can enjoy stepping forward into freedom with Him.  May your life be changed by what you have experienced and learned.

I have learned.  I have changed.  I have been faithful to live my best life every day.  And you know what?  I don’t have a lot of regrets now.  I like my life.  God has taken me through and changed me.  He has used them as a spring-board to launch me into a life I enjoy and I feel blessed to be a part of.  I am excited every day to see what He has for me.  I am listening to His whisper in my ear.  I want to hear it.  I am thankful for His love.

Walking the journey with you…

Journey Back Home

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized
Memories Lasst
JoAnn’s Memories

As I was filling up my “good glass” with ice tea the other day, I was reminded of my “life motto” that I made several years back to drink out the good glass every day.  At the time that I decided that was important in my life, I had already lost my mom and then several years later, my dad.  I was thinking back over my times with them and my grandparents, and realized that sure, it is all stuff; stuff that they couldn’t take with them, but, that I now have.  That means that these items are now mine to enjoy, as they obviously did because it was a part of their household.  Why would that idea come to mind to use an item as a way to remember the blessings of my life?

Here is my little journey of thought on that question.  Background:  When I was a young girl, I spent a lot of time with my grandma.  My mom never learned to drive so when we

Where does your journey lead?
Where does your journey lead?

would travel to my grandma’s house, we would either ride down early with my dad and he would drop us off before work, or we would pay ten cents per person, and ride the shuttle car into to town.  Now this shuttle car was a green station wagon owned by a man who lived in Cedarhome, just outside of Stanwood in Washington state.  He would get up every day and drive from Stanwood up to Brandstrom’s corner(up close to I-5), which was about a five mile trip, to meet the Greyhound bus.  He would take people from the bus stop by the highway into the town of Stanwood.  So anyone along the way, could stand out by the road and catch a ride with him.  We would watch for his car and flag him down.  THAT was our way back and forth from town; once in the morning, and once in the afternoon.  Special arrangements would have to be made with him for other times.  He knew us well.  So it was a big thing to go to Grandma’s house on our own while dad was at work.

My Grandma had everyday dishes, and then she had her good dishes that were used for special holidays.  But somewhere along the way, she had this plate and was “different”.  It was creamy white and rose colored, with these beautiful roses on it.  I was attracted to the plate as a little girl and it became “my plate” to eat off of.  Grandma knew I loved that plate so she would try to make sure that it was at my place setting for me.  I have never forgotten that.  And that is still kind of my style to this day.  I love old and pretty things that have meaning to me.  My house is full of them.  So it is quite natural for me to come to the conclusion that my “one glass that I have of hers” is used most every day.  Or, that I would purchase that special cup to drink my mocha from, or, to share a mocha across the table with a friend.

Further, when my kids were little, I had a special red plate that they got to use on birthdays or special occasions that we could write a message on.  They loved getting that plate set at their place setting when they were young.  Ethan, my grandson, knows the story of drinking from the good cups and glasses, and he will ask for them at my house.  He knows the meaning of many of my things in my home and I feel it is a way to pass on the legacy.  Items may be just stuff, but it all has a story.  I’m sad that I couldn’t have my grandma long enough to be OLD ENOUGH, to share how much those things meant to me as a child.  So I don’t want that to be the case with me.  I want to share the stories.  I was given a set of silverware a while back by a very good friend; the set was her mother’s.  When I opened the case, I found the set was the very one that was my grandma’s and then my mom’s.  SO fun to use at my table now.  But also in that case was a very beautiful vintage fork.  It now has become my daily fork.  It reminds of some great people in my life!  Like a reminder every day of my blessings!

So, you might ask, what does this have to do with me?  A lot.  We all have things in our life that we need to share with someone.  Your story. Your life.  But many may not know.  It is something that only you can tell.  And, it IS worth telling.  I often wish I could sit with my grandparents and parents and ask the questions that I didn’t quite feel comfortable asking them as a young person.  Not sure where the idea came from that I wouldn’t be able to ask, but I sure do wish I would have.  However, I can make the memories all come alive again through the stories and experiences that I have!  What a blessing a legacy is!

So this is the deal:  Life is an exciting journey and I want to live mine out to the fullest extent that I am given.  I am excited about life over all; hardships and all.  But you know what excites me even more?  That I have a Heavenly Father that is saving not only the special table for me to sit down at, but He is saving a room just for me in His mansion in Glory.  Now that is something to celebrate!!  Maybe mine will be decorated with old furniture and vintage decor.  I don’t know.  Smile…but He does know my heart.  To think I am invited to His banqueting table to enjoy meals with the saints, well…that just does my heart a whole lotta good!  So I am going to practice here on earth with special dishes, glasses and cups so that I am ready for that heavenly banquet.  If my earthly family benefits from my practice, so much the better!  Don’t lose out by forgetting to remember.  God has given us what we have, and we should appreciate it and share it with others.  So, grab that special glass that you are afraid to use in case something happens to it!  Use it.  Enjoy the memories that come with it!  And smile all the while knowing that with Jesus in your heart, you will be enjoying the ultimate feast with the most beautiful table you have ever seen… sometime in your future.

Lift your glass or cup to some comforting and cozy times!  Walking the journey with you…

Where Do You Go?

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Legacy, Life Foundations

If you could choose a place where you can go when you need to be refreshed, where would it be? Where can you go, that when you get there, you can dial down, hear God’s voice, and actually feel your spiritual tank getting filled back up? In Romans 15:32, it says “… so that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and together with you be refreshed.”

My place?  Anywhere near the water. That’s a beach, ocean, river, stream; it doesn’t matter. I love to sit and look out on the water. When I am there, I can feel my body calming down, I can breathe deep of the fresh air and feel the relaxation that the water brings to my soul. The ocean is one of my most favorites but I will take what I can get where I am, which is usually the bay, a lake or river. I can think and create there, and it is there that often times God places special things in my heart. If we know our place of replenishment, then why don’t we go there more often? We know what it can do for us, we know it gets our creative juices flowing again, and that our spirit is renewed. So, what is the problem?

I think it has to do with what we tell ourselves. What do you tell yourself that keeps you from being in that spot where you can be lifted up? Is it the time? You might have to do somethings differently to make it happen, but you can. Is it children? It may mean taking kids along with you. Make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and milk with you. GO! Even if it is cold, you can go with the kids and have a car picnic and enjoy the view and talk about all things fun with your kids while you look out, see the beauty, and let God speak into your heart. Even a ride through the country can change a mood pretty quickly when you see the beauty all around you. Maybe it isn’t the water at all but a country farm, or a hike. Whatever it may be, find it. Search it out. If it is just you and your sweetheart, then pack a love basket, bundle up and go for a walk on the beach, and look for shells, or just go for a drive. If you are a camera bug like me, make some memories with your camera. BUT DO SOMETHING!

What if you can’t get to a beach or to your special place outside the home? Ladies, our home is our sanctuary. Find that place in your home that can give you that same kind of lift! It may be a corner of a room with a chair and light next to it. Make it your corner. Add your favorite reading materials, your bible and maybe get a candle to place there when you are sitting there. The man’s spot may be in front of the fireplace, out fishing, or in his work shop. For me? I have my office. I love it there and it is the first place I set when we  have moved. Why? Because I know I need that in my life. It’s my creative space. In my office, I have a little fountain that I run that also helps me feel close to the water. I love the sound. I have candles to light up my life. I have music that makes my heart sing. Key word: do SOMETHING!

God wants some time with you, when you aren’t distracted. When you can hear His voice, and it is quiet enough in your spirit to be refreshed. Let’s go to that place! Know where it is! Let’s get refreshed! Let’s ask God to help us arrange it. Let’s ask Him to speak specifically in that place of renewal. I’m ready! My car is packed. My camera is in the back seat! I want to hear what He will give me next! How about you? Let’s go!

God bless you as you find the “sweet spot” where you can be refreshed with Him. Walking the journey with you….

We Never Really Know, Do We?

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

How well do we really know someone? You think you do. You spend time with them,  sometimes you might even be very close friends with them, may live next door to them, or work with them. But what really goes on in the mind of someone who in this case, takes the life of his wife and two little boys? Yesterday, May 5, 2011 marks two years since a husband and dad took the lives of his family, and he was found guilty on all three counts. What goes through the mind of someone who could do that kind of thing? What happens to the God he knows is there, the love he once had for his family, and the sense of right and wrong? The rest of us are left to wonder…how could this happen? For myself, I knew him from working at the same place. Try as we might, it’s hard to get our minds and hearts around it.

Satan is such a deceiver. He can make us think what is wrong is right, what is black is white, and what was once evil is alright. Just one time, no one will know. Then, there is another and another. We might feel a bit of guilt, but satan blinds us so we are more focused on what WE want. We begin to ignore the presence of God in our lives or the voice of the Holy Spirit Who tells us it is wrong. We start thinking, we deserve to be happy, right? This marriage isn’t working out and it certainly isn’t what I thought it would be. I was talking with a friend today about sin and she shared what she learned from a study: “Sin will take us further then we ever dreamed possible.” When we reach that point,  we become a puppet in satan’s plan, and jump to his promptings. Suddenly, the eyes of the heart do not see God in the equation anymore, and we are going down that slippery slope faster and faster, justifying ourselves as we go.

We may ask ourselves, “Should we be happy that he got his due?” There are some who say, “Yes, he got what he deserved!”  And yet, those of us who know our God, know that he is lost in a world of deception. My sensibility says, he should receive the discipline of the verdict that came down and rightfully so. But I can’t help also feeling so sad that he let satan talk him into the lie, and he actually participated in satan’s plan. He took the life of those who loved him and had so much potential for the Lord’s work. Thankfully, we know that God graciously received them into His arms. No more tears, anger, sadness and rejection; just a joyous reunion with their Heavenly Father.

Let us remember that we, too, can so easily allow satan a foot hold in our lives through many different circumstances. We don’t have to take someone’s life to be in a pit of sin where we are accelerating toward disaster. Be wise as serpents and ask God to give you wisdom daily to discern His voice from the evil one. His schemes can come in slowly and sneak in the door of  your life. Don’t get lazy in your thoughts and actions. Be intentional in keeping your life in line with God’s will everyday. God is a just God. The husband and father will stand before God, his Ultimate Judge someday, and I wouldn’t want to be him standing before God in this matter. But I will also face Him one day for my sins also. I have the power to change the outcome with God’s help.

Rest in the loving arms of your Heavenly Father, Sheri, Gavin and Garett. God, give us strength to face each day in thankfulness for the promise that YOU never let go. If we have lost our way, it is because WE have let go of Your hand. As for me, hold my hand tight Lord, hold my hand tight!

Slowing Down…

by Journeys of My Heart, posted in Uncategorized

I had the pleasure and fun of having my grandson over night this weekend and what a great time we had. He is five years old and a very busy little boy! His energy is non-stop and as he tells me, he NEVER runs out of energy. After following him around for a couple of days, I am inclined to agree with him. But the other side of him asks me, “Grandma, why do you go so fast?”  When I look down at him, I wonder the same thing. What IS my hurry? He likes to stop and look at things; admire them, ask questions about them, ask what it means or why it is that way. I enjoy his curiosity and have come to adopt that in my life more and more as I am around him.

Just think of what that could mean in our relationship with God. What if we “slowed down” to enjoy time, or more time, with Him? What if we would stop and become a “noticer” of things and people around us? What would happen if we stopped to enjoy the flowers, or the hear the birds more, children’s laughter, our husband/wife, our family? What would happen if we started looking at things more simply or asked God what something means or why it is that way? The exciting part of that is, just like when Ethan asks me those questions and I want to answer him the best I can, so much more so, God wants to talk with us and help us understand and see things more clearly. Now THAT is something to get excited about!

So over the next few days, I hope this encourages you to slow down a bit, pause a while, smell a flower, see the mountains, smell the rain, and breathe deeply of a loving Father that wants to share in your life and loves you very much. When I hear Ethan repeat back to me weeks later what we have talked about, there is no greater joy to me. I know God feels the same way about you and me. He loves it when we come to Him and pause a while, and remember His goodness and enjoy His beautiful creation around us. Enjoy this week and God bless you as you journey on!