In the Alphabet of Life, T is for TENDER, because of God is anything toward us, it is tender. Like a tender shepherd, He leads us, not only knowing us by name, but knowing each of our own particular weakness, strength, fear, excitement, and tenderly He leads us safely home.My God, He is like a tender shepherd, watching over those of us who are with child, or nursing.

He is tender, giving us the time we need to grieve at times.

He is tender, pushing us just enough, but never without love.

He is tender, knowing just how to convince us of what we need to let go, of what we need to embrace.

He is tender, granting us rest when necessary.

And He gives us His nature, that we might be tender toward those around us, toward those without hope, without strength, without purpose.

And He gives us His nature, that we might be tender toward those who are His and those who are not, toward those who are good, and those who are not, toward those who will appreciate, and those who will not.

In the Alphabet of Life, T is for tender. 

“And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways;
To give to His people the knowledge of salvation
By the forgiveness of their sins,
Because of the tender mercy of our God,
With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us,
To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,
To guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Luke 1: 76-79

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann

#640 An evening all by myself 

#641 Time to reorganize my kitchen cupboards

#642 The sound of a train in the distance

Sometimes, I link up with any or all of these wonderful writers: Hearts 4 Home, SDG,  Hearts Reflected, WLW, EOA, Things I can’t say, Growing Home, Play Dates with God, Monday Musings, Hear it on Sunday, Inspire Me Monday, Tell me a Story, The Better Mom, a Mama’s Story, Into the Word, In and Around Mondays,OYHT, Gratituesday, Titus2Tuesdays, Extraordinay, Lessons from Ivy, Denise in Bloom, Sweet Blessings, Faith Filled Friday, Finding Joy, WholeHearted Home, Mom’s the Word,

For my sweet friend Jennie, in delighted memory of her precious mom, Marg Decker, 1927-2013

I blew you a kiss on Mother’s Day, sweet girl, and then I went to heaven. Just like that.

I know that I probably was difficult these last few months.

It was as though heaven was calling me, yet my body wasn’t ready to let go of me, and I struggled some, not always knowing where I stood, torn between what I longed for and your lovely face smiling at me day and night. Your sweet voice singing to me the lullabies I used to rock you to sleep with. Your tender words soothing my being. Your loving hands dressing me patiently.

You have been such a delight to me. You brought me deep joy, sweet girl, and when life down here felt just too difficult, you always knew how to peace this tired heart of mine.

You have been good to me, my daughter. You have done well, sweet girl.

I heard my Savior calling on Sunday, and I finally knew that nothing on earth could hold me any longer.

His voice is irresistible, you know.

He said that it was time. He said that I could let go. He said that I could come home to Him and see His perfect face. He said that all was well.

And my body finally let me go.

I lost my words quite a while ago, you know, so I did the only thing I knew to do: I blew you a kiss.

And then, I went to heaven. Just like that.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#634 The beautiful moon last night 

#635 Finding an old picture that made me smile

#636 My daughter finding a dress she needed

Sometimes, I link up with any or all of these wonderful writers: Hearts 4Home, SDG,  Hearts Reflected, WLW, EOA, Things I can’t say, Growing Home, Play Dates with God, Monday Musings, Hear it on Sunday, Inspire Me Monday, Tell me a Story, The Better Mom, a Mama’s Story, Into the Word, In and Around Mondays,OYHT, Gratituesday, Titus2Tuesdays, Extraordinay, Lessons from Ivy, Denise in Bloom, Sweet Blessings, Faith Filled Friday, Finding Joy, WholeHearted Home, Mom’s the Word,

Confession time: there was this lady in my church who for many reasons had become my own personal nemesis. As long as we managed to stay away from each other, we were just fine. But God had another plan for us, and He asked me to reach out to her and love her. Love her? Of all the people You could have picked, God, really, her?

I went through a gut-wrenching, soul-searching time and I finally gave in.  That is when I learned about strength and courage. For it takes a lot of courage to do what God tells you to do sometimes. Even if you know God is with you.  Didn’t the Israelites know that God is the One who delivered them out of Egypt and was taking them through to the other side; yet God Himself reminded Joshua (chapter 1) quite a few times that he ought to be strong and courageous.

Courage is not easy–that’s why it’s called courage. When it comes down to it, courage/strength is nothing but an attitude of mind and heart that causes someone to be determined to push through not regardless but in spite of obstacles, and pain, and possible repercussions… Courage is that simple. And that powerful.

Strength is not something we’re born with; we’ve got to develop it, one situation at a time, one decision at a time, one action at a time.

And there are many things that can undermine courage: time passing, physical and/or emotional pain, death, atmospheres, people’s reactions to one’s resolve. And there are many things that can certainly feed courage: en-couraging comments, smiles, kindnesses, obvious progress, physical strength…

Much of this, we can’t really do much about. It is what it is. But when I was involved with choosing to learn how to love that seemingly unlovable woman from my church, I found out that there are many things that have everything to do with me personally that can fuel my courage or strip me of srength. Like:

~complaint: 

The more I found reasons to complain about that person, the less I even desired to work with my feelings toward her. And yes, there was a lot to complain about, but that is almost irrelevant. What my heart and mind were saying about her was not. It made me weak in my resolve to reach out to her.

~calling evil what God calls good

Adam and Even questioned God’s motives in the garden. Why would God withhold the knowledge of good and evil from them? What kind of a God is that, anyway? And what is wrong with that tree? Why can’t we eat from it? Surely, God doesn’t know what He is talking about… and thus begun our descend into deciding for ourselves what is right or not, and the mess we find ourselves in today.  My “friend” to be was careful with her words, and I called her cold and distant. God called her careful with her words.  And it caused my courage to whittle to nothing every time I knew I was supposed to go to her and speak with her. “Well, she won’t answer anyway. She is so slow to speak.” And I judged her for it. And it made me even more resentful that I was supposed to love her, even less willing to develop courage.

~remembering all the wrong things

I remembered her faults and I magnified them. You’d think she was a murderer, adulteress and evil mother all at once. She really just was human, and tired at time. I remembered her bad habits, tired looks, faulty finances, burned brownies. I forgot to remember her incessant giving to the brethern, her staying up at night to nurture her sick child, her qualities as a hard working person, her ability to use wisdom in organization… I remembered all the reasons I did not want to like her, and I lost every bit of strength I had in the process.

~make accusations against God

He just did not know what He was asking me, because if He knew me and what makes me tick, He surely would not have pointed me in the direction of this sister. He put me in the wrong church at the wrong time. He just messed up, and I was the one suffering for it. Did He not care? Why would I be courageous for a God like that?

David did not act and think the way I did. When faced with his nemesis, he did not complain but dealt with the enemy head on. He took the Word of God and called things as they are according to the Word, not according to his physical eyes. He remembered who God was and His power, and he concluded that this challenge was not because God was harsh, but because God wanted to give him the victory. So he ran toward his enemy and defeated him.

I eventually ran toward the woman in my church and loved her unto joy. And it was wonderful.

S is for STRONG

Then David ran and stood over the Philistine and took his sword and drew it out of its sheath and killed him, and cut off his head with it. 1 Samuel 17:51

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann Voskamp

#631 The song of a bird in the early morning

#632 The excitement in my belly when I read God’s Word

#633 The privilege of prayer

Sometimes, I link up with any or all of these wonderful writers: Hearts 4 Home, SDG,  Hearts Reflected, WLW, EOA, Things I can’t say, Growing Home, Play Dates with God, Monday Musings, Hear it on Sunday, Inspire Me Monday, Tell me a Story, The Better Mom, a Mama’s Story, Into the Word, In and Around Mondays,OYHT, Gratituesday, Titus2Tuesdays, Extraordinay, Lessons from Ivy, Denise in Bloom, Sweet Blessings, Faith Filled Friday, Finding Joy, WholeHearted Home, Mom’s the Word,

If it wasn’t for the scars on my heart, I would not be able to love you with the gentle forgiveness that you need. 

Thank You Lord for each scar that paved the way for love.

If it wasn’t for the hardness of my heart that He chiseled away bit by bit over the years of training me as His son, I would not understand the hard lines on your face, I would refuse to give you a second chance, and a millionth one like He did for me.

Thank You Lord  for your chisel that paved the way for tenderness.

If it wasn’t for the fire that burned all that I owned and built in me such thankfulness for little things, I would not see the beauty right in front of my eyes.

Thank You Lord for fires that paved the way for joy.

If it wasn’t for depression that plagued my soul so deep and took my breath away more often than I care to remember, I would judge you so quickly, I would stop reaching out, I would simply move on.

Thank You Lord for my pain that paved a way for understanding.

If it wasn’t for my Father, the Master Potter who, with patience and such care, is shaping me today, I would surely lose hope when I look in the mirror.

Thank You Lord for Your work that paves the way for victory.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann

#624 Scallops for dinner

#625 The giggles of my Power Girls

#626 Seeds and flowers and trees and sunshine in the spring

In the Alphabet of Life, R is for Rest. Because REST is one of the most precious gift He came to give us.

Rest from our own works, rest from worries, rest from fretting, rest from trying hard, rest from seeking to deserve or earn His goodness, rest from all the pressure that comes from living down here in this sin-infested place.

God purchased salvation through Jesus that we might come to rest in Him and enjoy His faithfulness. This Jesus, He invites us to enjoy His presence. This Jesus, He invites us to enjoy a life free from striving.

Because this Jesus, He is God coming down from heaven to give us rest.

And as we taste of that rest and enjoy it fully, God is glorified.

In the Alphabet of Life, R is for Rest. 

Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann:

#621 A child warming up to me in the church nursery

#622 Nailing a very hard workout

#623 My new earbuds for my ipod

Sometimes, I link up with any or all of these wonderful writers: Hearts 4 Home, SDG,  Hearts Reflected, WLW, EOA, Things I can’t say, Growing Home, Play Dates with God, Monday Musings, Hear it on Sunday, Inspire Me Monday, Tell me a Story, The Better Mom, a Mama’s Story, Into the Word, In and Around Mondays,OYHT, Gratituesday, Titus2Tuesdays, Extraordinay, Lessons from Ivy, Denise in Bloom, Sweet Blessings, Faith Filled Friday, Finding Joy, WholeHearted Home, Mom’s the Word,

Many, many of us women spend most of their waking hours thinking about dieting. Or losing weight. Thinking about trimming fat off of their bodies so they can be more pleased with the reflection in the mirror.

Many, many men spend most of their waking hours thinking about sex and how good their bodies might look to prospective girlfriends/wife. Thinking about what to do to tone up, bulk up, firm up so they can be more macho.

So we work out and we pay attention to what we eat and don’t eat. And most of us don’t get permanent results if that’s all we do. Because it’s all backwards.

Life happens from the inside out.

But we want to do things backwards, looking for the outs before we get the ins. Investing into changing our inside first by nourishing our minds, cherishing our souls seems a bit seems lame. Too labor intensive. Stupid.

Yet come to think of it, controlling and growing our inside life in the right direction is truly the first pillar of change. Because we won’t ever live above our thoughts, no matter what. And this one pillar, it is the one that will cause all other pillars to line up just right. And only when this one pillar is well established can we actually change the shape and health of our bodies.

Because everything in life starts and happens from the inside out.  

In my career as a personal trainer, I once had a lovely client who saw herself as an “ugly fat cow.” Every time she saw herself in my wall-to-wall mirror, she pointed her chin to the mirror and say, “you ugly fat cow!” At least three times a session. Sometimes more.

You ugly fat cow.

You ugly fat cow.

You ugly fat cow.

She said it. She believed it. She was it in her own mind.

And as long as that is where her mind was, her body never changed. No matter how hard she worked. No matter how little she ate. Nothing changed.

You ugly fat cow.

As I gained her confidence, I began to talk to her about her thoughts and her speech. We eventually got to the place where she was forbidden to say “you ugly fat cow.”

And then she began to believe me.

She changed her mind about herself. She changed her thoughts.

And her body changed.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann

#618 A job to go to this morning

#619 The smell of lavender 

#620 His Word in my heart

Sometimes, I link up with any or all of these wonderful writers: Hearts 4 Home, SDG,  Hearts Reflected, WLW, EOA, Things I can’t say, Growing Home, Play Dates with God, Monday Musings, Hear it on Sunday, Inspire Me Monday, Tell me a Story, The Better Mom, a Mama’s Story, Into the Word, In and Around Mondays,OYHT, Gratituesday, Titus2Tuesdays, Extraordinay, Lessons from Ivy, Denise in Bloom, Sweet Blessings, Faith Filled Friday, Finding Joy, WholeHearted Home, Mom’s the Word,

In the Alphabet of Life, Q is for questions. Because our God, the Creator and ruler of all things, He is never afraid of our questions. We might be, but He is not.

Questions in themselves are neither good nor evil. But not all questions are necessary, neither are all good for us. Somehow, so many of them have an accusatory spirit behind them.

“Why did this happen to me?” can be a sneaky way of pointing the finger at God and telling Him that He was not on the job, or it can be an honest heart cry for understanding. We don’t even always know the motives behind our questions; God does.

Let’s check our hearts honestly, and then ask away. God is not only never afraid of our questions, but He also has all the answers. Every single one of them. Whether we like them or not. And when we ask away, we must be ready to accept His perfect answer. Whether that is the answer we wanted, or not.

Because questions or no questions, God is God and we are not.

Cultivating Thankfulness with Ann

#6118 Writing a snail mail letter to someone who will appreciate it

#612 Finding a wedding picture from my parents

#613 Making meatballs for church potluck

Sometimes, I link up with any or all of these wonderful writers: Hearts 4 Home, SDG,  Hearts Reflected, WLW, EOA, Things I can’t say, Growing Home, Play Dates with God, Monday Musings, Hear it on Sunday, Inspire Me Monday, Tell me a Story, The Better Mom, a Mama’s Story, Into the Word, In and Around Mondays,OYHT, Gratituesday, Titus2Tuesdays, Extraordinay, Lessons from Ivy, Denise in Bloom, Sweet Blessings, Faith Filled Friday, Finding Joy, WholeHearted Home, Mom’s the Word,