Living the Word

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God is strong.  His hands formed and sketched the nature we ignore half the time.  His reach saved Peter from drowning and his voice calmed the storm.  And yet, as believers, with that strength at our request, we wait and we try to carry it all on our own.  There are hundreds of verses in the Bible we love to hear and they bring comfort or reassurance.  But recently, I’ve been living a verse that while it brings comfort, it is also a challenge for me to grow up spiritually.  Second Corinthians 12:9 “…my grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness.”  The context of this verse is when Paul asked the Lord three times to remove the thorn from his flesh.

 We all carry thorns of our sinful nature.  Some reading this post may carry a thorn of an emotional or physical struggle.  In God’s infinite wisdom, he knows better than to just poof heal us.  Let’s face it, we already live in a time of instant gratification (I won’t go there now), but how silly of us to think that we know better than God.

In living out this verse over the past few weeks, I have found myself learning to reach out to other believers and ask for help or prayer; I’ve learned to lean on my husband more and feel more of his unconditional love; I’ve reached for the scriptures more.  In my weakness, I have found God in a new light, one that has led to a deeper walk, and greater searching to know Him more.  He is my heavenly father, and I want to run to Him and feel his comfort and wisdom.  Not that I am a fake person, but I don’t wear my heart on my sleeve.  Those closest to me are those with whom I confide.  It is those believers who have shown me Jesus.

Yes, in our weakness or brokenness God is strong, but He is strong anyway.  Will we ever learn to not wait until we are completely down to look up?  Will we ever learn to lay our burdens at the cross sooner?

Be encouraged to take the hand of the Father and walk with Him.  Let me know where he takes you.

All the best,
KK

Hand-crafted with You in Mind

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Does summer seem to be flying by for you?  I can’t decide if summer is a faster or slower pace than the school year.  Maybe that is because it’s just different.  Breaking out of our routine can make for some refreshing sites and experiences.  Sometimes that’s when God catches our attention.  During the school year we drive the same route to school, work and home.  But in the summer our schedule changes and the kids are at camp or doing other activities and we find ourselves on a road we wouldn’t ordinarily be on at sun set.  We look up and God has hand painted a vision that makes us think of Him, the artist that hand-crafted every detail.  He knew you would be on that road at that moment and He was hoping you would look up.

When this happens to me, I am convicted and wonder how many times that day He tried to get my attention and I ignored him.  Where have you seen God lately?  Has He tried to get your attention?  Were you too busy to notice?  Look around, I think He’s waiting for you; maybe in the most unsuspecting place.

Keep me posted.

All the best,

KK

Social Media and Birthday Greetings

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Social media such as Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin changed the way I celebrated my birthday this year.  First of all, you need to know that I like having a birthday.  If it didn’t mean getting older, I’d do it more often.  But anyway, whether you like having a birthday or not, it is fun when others remember it (especially when you don’t remind them to remember it).  To me, a birthday is a day to remember that in God’s plan for my parents’ life he put that day and that time in place for me to be born.  The God of the universe knew my birthday before anyone else.  Pretty cool; and He knew yours too.  How much more special can you feel?  That’s why I like my birthday, because it reminds me of how important I am to my heavenly father.

Something else struck me this year though.  I was surprised and blessed by the number of Facebook and Linkedin greetings I received on my birthday.  People I don’t hear from on a regular basis or haven’t had the opportunity to speak to in years sent me birthday wishes.  How kind of them!  I was so touched that I responded to every one of them.  If they were going to be kind enough to take time out of their day to wish me well, I could take time to show them appreciation.

For all the cold, impersonal or weird status remarks we see in our various social mediums, on my birthday there were a lot of warm, kind wishes and thoughts sent.  Think about what this shows us, with the stroke of a few keys and two minutes out of our day we can encourage others.  Why wait for a birthday?  Choose a friend you haven’t heard from in a while and drop them a word to see how they are doing.

All the best,

KK

A Guy and his dog

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A couple of weeks ago I was driving on I-64E near the Gene Snyder.  When I describe to you what I saw remember I was traveling 65 miles an hour (or so) and was trying to not miss my exit.  As I made my approach to the exit there was a hitchhiker with a small dog.  The man had a beard and a full size pack as if he had everything he owned in the pack or was just prepared for a long journey.  Ok, so we’ve all seen hitchhikers or backpackers, but what struck me as unusual was the small dog he had on a leash with him.

Then just today I was the exit at I-64 and Hurstbourne lane.  A man was there with a red and black back pack and a dog on a leash.  It was not the same man or the same dog.  While waiting for the light to change I observed a woman in an SUV stop.  That’s right, she didn’t just hand him some odd change or a dollar, she pulled off the road, got out of her car and asked him if his dog had been fed.  She then proceeded to open the back of her car and pull out a opened bag of dog food and bowl.  She poured some food in.  While the dog was wagging its tail, it didn’t seem too hungry; even when she pulled out the milk bones.  She gave him some extra dog food for later.

Our light turned green and we had to leave the scene.  It just made me wonder about the man and his dog and even the woman.   Driving past them, I couldn’t help but remember the other man I’d seen.   Two men probably homeless each with a companion, a dog.  I wondered about the woman who stopped to help one of the dogs.

Tonight as we said our bedtime prayer, we prayed for these people who God created for a purpose and that He would take care of them.

What are your thoughts?

All the best,

KK

Are you wearing that?

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Apparently, people have forgotten how to dress appropriately.  We were raised that you dress for the occasion.  For example, going out to dinner a play, the orchestra or fine dining restaurant meant a dress or skirt, blouse or sweater and dress shoes.  Going to church meant dressing up, because in the words of my mother, “if you can’t dress up for God, who can you?”  Holidays at a relative’s house meant wearing our dress cloths as well.  After college when I began interviewing for jobs there were very specific rules for what to wear to a first interview, second interview.  As well, there were rules about what NOT to wear.

Dressing appropriately does not mean you have to be uncomfortable, it simply means you need to dress for the occasion in an appropriate way according to what you will be doing and the people with whom you will be.  Failure to teach our children this is as atrocious as not teaching them table manners or to respect authority.

What happened to taking pride in how we look?  What happened to taking time to plan our outfit for a special occasion or outing?

Recently, on a Saturday evening we went to the ballet at the Kentucky Center for the Arts.  My husband wore slacks, collared shirt and jacket.  I wore black dress slacks and a dressy sweater.   There was a group of girls sitting two rows in front of us all dressed in skirts and sweaters.  It was obvious that their ballet instructor had brought them and had “coached” them on behavior and what they should expect.  In contrast, I saw a woman with her two daughters wearing dingy sneakers, Capri pants and t-shirts.

Before you call me a snob for pointing out that the mother and daughters were not dressed appropriately, read on.  Do you think they were comfortable among others who were dressed up?  It does not take a lot of money to dress up a little more than Capri pants and sneakers — even to put them in Walmart brand dress cloths.

I’ve heard preachers explain from the pulpit while wearing cargo pants and sandals that “ties just weren’t them.”   That’s fine, but could you at least wear long pants and a collared shirt?  You want to present yourself as a credible source of information.  I’m not sure I can take someone in cut-offs seriously when he is trying to lead me to salvation.  Tell the congregation (especially those checking church out for the first time) that you are a believable.  Isn’t worship time our gift of ourselves to God?  Why wouldn’t we want to look our best?

Ok, while I’m on the subject let’s talk about the “baggy pant syndrome” that so many of our teens are lost in.  We were in the park watching some kids play ball while on the other basketball court older boys were playing a shirts and skins pick-up game.  The whole time he was playing this one guy was struggling to run, be ready for the ball, shoot and hold his pants up.  I was scared that I was going to learn more about this boy than I needed to know.  Besides how fun was that for him to not just be able to run and enjoy the game? 

Let me encourage you to take a look at yourself.  You are a precious child of God, a special person.  Take pride in looking your best and presenting yourself appropriately.  If you are a parent, teach your children what it means to dress and present themselves with pride and confidence.  How we wear our cloths says a lot about how we feel about ourselves.

What do you think?

All the best,

KK

P.S. — I also believe appropriate dress for a day off at home or running errands is sweats, no make-up and hair in a pony tail. 

Take Ten

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I don’t travel long or far without a book to read in my car, bag or purse.  It may be a novel I’m reading for fun, a how-to book on writing or editing techniques or a business trend book.  Many times I have a variety of all three going at once.  Having these books handy means that if stuck in traffic I can get a page read, or by chance I’m early for an appointment, a chapter could be consumed, or if I’m at ball practice watching Cole, I might get a little reading done.  These opportunities give me minutes that I use to take in a story or information.  Why then, didn’t I mention the Bible?

Before we state the obvious, think of the books of the Bible in terms of the stories they tell.  Family histories, trials, triumphs, love, drama and a happy ending – the same kinds of stories we pull off the shelves in the fiction section.  The Bible provides the “how to” and “self-help” for any situation or season of life.  And yet, it’s not in our quick read pile.

Why not pick up the inspired word of God for a verse, chapter or book?   The Bible comes in all shapes and sizes.  It can be taken anywhere.  Yet, we leave by the bed, on a shelf or in the car only to carry into church on Sunday morning.

The one, five or ten minutes in traffic or waiting on others when we pull out our other reading materials, we could use to connect with God’s word and the people He used to teach us.  I certainly am not saying to exclude a good fiction or informational book from your reading.  I’m encouraging you to keep the Bible in your regular reading pile.  Treat it like the life handbook and great literature that it is.

Let me know how it goes.

All the best,
KK

Step outside your own perspective –

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From inside my house looking out I can see snow, lots and lots of snow.  Looking to our front yard I can’t see the landscaping wall.  It’s all blended in with nearly seven inches of snow.  The street and sidewalks are covered.  Looking out our window, it’s obvious that there is too much snow to go anywhere.  But I did.

I drove two blocks down to the main entrance of our neighborhood and the site was much different.  The road at the end of our street was clear.  It has a few wet spots, but for the most part is it was dry and easily passable.

Sometimes our perspective on things keeps us stuck where we are.  If I judged whether or not to go out based on what my yard and what the neighborhood looked like, I would be at home for the next month.  But a trusted source told me it was ok to venture out, in fact, once at the end of my street, things were better than they were in front of my house.  I would never had known or experienced the difference had I not left my driveway.

Have you limited your options because of your perspective?  Have you not trusted someone to help you pull out of your comfort zone to something better?

We have all done it – in our jobs, in our relationships (or fear of relationships), in our life experiences.  We have stayed inside our safe, warm homes thinking there was snow and ice everywhere, and not trusted those who have gone before us.

Sometimes at work if I’m trying to work out a problem or detail on a project I will sit on the other side of my desk in the visitor’s chair.  Changing my point of view, changing my perspective many times brings new ideas or fresh answers.

Be encouraged today to step out and explore a little, change your scenery and you might change your mind and heart about some things.  Let me know how it goes.

All the best,

KK

Welcome to the Creation

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On a cloudy rainy day, you might have a headache.  During the winter months when our days are shorter, you might feel blah.  On a night when the moon is full and its rays light the darkness, you might feel more restless.  On sunny afternoon you may struggle to stay inside.  You are drawn out of doors for a walk or to relax in the sun.  When you see the first blooms of spring, does something inside you feel hopeful?

These are pretty rudimentary examples, but I encourage you to think about your connection to God’s creation.  We don’t live outside of the creation, we are part of it.

I’ve been thinking recently about the connection humans have with the creation.  Too many times we don’t consider that we are part of it, the earth and world.  Man was created just like the earth, sky, light and darkness.  God reached down and formed Adam from the dust of the ground – from the earth, He created Adam.  Think about it.  Ponder for a moment that our Creator took His creation a step further.

After the seas and the sky, animals and even the garden, God created a man and breathed into Him from the same breath that put air in our atmosphere.  Why don’t we consider more often our connection to the creation?

All the best,
KK

It’s not too late to set the goal

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Those close to me know that my thing isn’t New Year’s resolutions, its setting goals.  Your goals don’t have to be decided on January first; too much hype.  On New Year’s Day we are all excited about the new year and we think about ALL the things we think we can accomplish or change in the next 364 days.  We are off work and we aren’t thinking right about how many hours in the day there are.  However, goals should be written by the end of the first week of January.  This will allow for the hype and excitement of the new year to settle down a little bit and you can think of your goals in the reality of going back to work and school.

So, here we are at the end of the first week.  What do you want to change or accomplish in 2010? You may not want to change anything, simply grow in an area of your life.  I am a true believer of being a life-long learner.  Among other things, I always add a goal that will provide for me an opportunity to learn.  Maybe you would like to learn to sew or ballroom dance.  Whatever it is, even if you are not sure how you will accomplish it, write it down.

After you have made your list of potential goals, review your list and choose the top four things that you believe to be specific, measurable and possible.  Writing your goals down makes them real.  Picture the accomplishment as you write.

Generally, after I’ve written my goals, I use January to develop my plan.  I never rush in to get started.  Pace yourself so you don’t fizzle out.  Eighty percent of New Year’s resolutions (goals) have been forgotten by February first.  You’ve got your written goals, take time in January to find out how to accomplish them.  How will you fit into your normal routine this goal or the activities that will lead to its accomplishment?  Will you need to take a class?  Do you need to find a book on a subject?  If your goal is to exercise more, find the activity or activities that you enjoy that will help you accomplish that goal.  What exercise can you do when it’s cold and you are stuck inside?  What exercise can you do outside when the weather is warmer?  Take a week or so and really figure out how you will accomplish the goal.

THEN by the last week of January or early February start working toward that goal.  By waiting and getting the information you need you will incorporate the goal into your regular weekly schedule.  Having a new activity or a revitalized old activity or goal will give newness to February (a typically dreary month).

Around July fourth, pull out your written goals and review them.  Are these still goals you want to accomplish?  Has one risen above the rest and is taking more time?  Use July as a reboot to your desire to accomplish something in the year.  My birthday is in May, that’s when I review things.

I have written my goals for years.  I have several categories:  physical, spiritual, financial and personal.  Some years I accomplish one thing in one category.  That’s more than I might have had I not written anything down.  There have been years when I simply transferred goals from one year to the next after reviewing and renewing my interest in them.  Other years, I’ve accomplished more than 90% of what I had written.  Whether the goal is accomplished or moved into the next year, by writing them down, the awareness of the goal becomes real.

I could go on and explain to you how to look at your goal and break it down into smaller pieces and set benchmarks, but you can ask Steve Covey about all that.  Today, I encourage you to write it down, figure out how to get it done, and go after it!

Achieving goals isn’t rocket science, it’s about dedication and a little discipline and sometimes being uncomfortable for your own betterment.

Last year it wasn’t my own accomplishment that I was in awe, it was that of my older sister.  She gave up smoking.  She had smoked the better part of her adult life and admitted that it was an addictive behavior.    I don’t exactly know what made her decide that it was time, but she made the decision and committed herself to the effort.  It wasn’t easy.  She struggled.  We celebrated milestones with her of 30, 60 and 90 days.  Then it was 100 days.  After that in our minds, she was a non-smoker.  Along the way she shared with me some of the challenges both emotional and physical in giving up the habit.  She struggled when she walked past someone smoking.  She missed the activity of smoking.  But she stayed the course.  Yes, she gained some weight, so she started walking in the evenings and cycling.

Her goal of giving up one bad habit led her to choose a healthier activity.  Gail, I am so very proud of you.

One of my goals last year was to have something published.  I didn’t.  But during the course of the year and working to improve my writing, I found the NANOWRIMO (www.nanowrimo.org)  world wide challenge to write 50,000 words (or a novel) in one month.  I took the challenge with the support of my husband and son.  In 28 days, I wrote 50,798 words!  And I finished a rough draft of my first novel.  I wrote on average 1,700 words a day.  Yes, I gave up some TV time and spent a few lunch hours writing.  But I did something that others only talk about and something I’ve wanted to do all my life.  It was a big deal to me.  But it wasn’t what I started out to do.  If I hadn’t been focused on the goal of bettering my writing, I would not have come across the NANOWRIMO challenge. 

You may journey toward one goal only to find yourself accomplishing something else.  That’s great too.  Do you get my point here?  Be encouraged to not just float through life saying “someday I will…” and never get around to it.  We can blame work or busyness on not accomplishing goals.  Take charge of your time; carve out time to do something that will better you or your life.

Let me know how it goes.

All the best,
KK

…and the soul felt its worth

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One of my favorite Christmas songs is Oh Holy Night.  And my favorite phrase is “…and the soul felt its worth.”  The soul felt its worth.  It doesn’t say, your soul or my soul, it’s the soul; a universal statement that tells us that as a collection of souls — believers then, now and in the future experienced the purpose of Jesus.  The purpose of Jesus was at His birth and through his life to give us worth.

What is our worth?  What is your worth?  What is my worth? Can we really measure our worth?  What I do know is that if you were the only one on earth that needed saving, Jesus would still have come, ministered, and died.  That is your worth and mine. Do you know this in your mind?

Let’s talk about your heart and soul.  How do we move the knowledge of Jesus to the truth in our heart?  Consider how Jesus came to us.  He wasn’t born into an earthly family of affluence.  He understood what it was to see his parents struggle to make “ends meet.”  He watched his father work endless hours to provide and when he was old enough, he joined his earthly father in his earthly work.  He wasn’t born into a royal family, because he left his throne in heaven.  It was never His purpose to reign on earth by our means.   I remind you of this because Jesus truly understood and experienced our total human experience.  He didn’t just observe and learn; He felt it.  He lived it.  He knew hunger and physical need.  He knew rejection from those he loved.  He knew temptation straight from the devil himself.  He had no home and lived simply on the day to day provision of His heavenly father.

Jesus knew His worth and purpose and on that silent night with little fanfare and only the animals in a barn, God showed believers then, today and forever their worth.

Does your soul felt its worth? Be encouraged at his moment to not click another button before you take some time, close your eyes picture the birth and life of Christ and know He did it for you.  You have that much worth in the eyes of the God of all creation.

Merry Christmas,
KK