March 24, 2014 - "I'm Available"

Good morning and welcome to a new week. I am grateful we are now officially into the spring season - PRAISE God. I look forward to having those evening of grilling and eating on the deck before the flies and mosquitos realize my BBQ season has begun. Hopefully the bitter cold sent a few of those guys to heaven early. (wink) Don't forget LIfe Group on April 6th. Hope you can come! Easter-related foods and Freedom Connection lesson #4. All are welcome. Let's continue to encourage each other to be healthy and walk in freedom regardless of the fight. Amen? Reading this morning in 1 Samuel 3 a very familiar story, but a new truth jumped out at me. You know the story of Eli's wicked sons who had no regard for the Lord. They were totally disobedient and God was no longer going to tolerate them. Chapter 3 begins with "the boy Samuel ministered before the Lord under Eli." This reminds us that we can be young in the Lord and be used mightily if we are open and available. Eli slept in the usual spot - common and predictable. However, Samuel slept in the temple where the Ark of the covenant was. This symbolized the presence of God. That really jumped out at me this morning. Samuel ministered during the day in the Temple and then chose to sleep in the Temple too. "I'm available day or night," says the young Samuel. Also, when God called to Samuel in the night, the boy assumed Eli needed him and he RAN to answer the call even though all were sleeping. Again, this jumped out at me that the young Samuel was running to the priest and didn't display an attitude and ask, "couldn't this wait until morning? I'm off the clock!" His willingness and attitude of obedience really spoke to me again today. Finally, when Eli connected Samuel to the Lord, the boy repeated EXACTLY what Eli instructed him to say. There is something about pure obedience that motivates God to speak to us and trust us with valuable information of things to come. In fact the Bible records that the Lord actually came and stood in Samuel's presence. WOW! And the Lord's response: "See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears of it tingle." After their conversation, Samuel laid down near the Ark again and waited until morning to open the doors and disclose the events that comprised his night. Can you imagine having God visit and share so tangibly in the night? Fabulous. Let's be honest, God does visit and share each day as we read His Word and speak with Him. Jesus' death tore the wall of separation and gave us access to our Father, God, as often as we choose. That's so cool to me! I pray you see something about instant obedience this morning in this story. I did. Let's chat again tomorrow? PK

March 21, 2014 - "The Song of the Bird"

I love waking up to the sunshine and cool temps. For a while, I was wondering if I lived in the NW with the cloudy skies? Remember, Life Group is April 6th at 6PM at my house. Let me know if you're planning to attend so I can plan accordingly. Yesterday as I left for work, I must confess I had a heavy heart. While unlocking the car my attention was diverted for a few seconds and I listened as the spring birds were singing so effortlessly. I tried to remember if I ever hear them sing during the winter, but I am not certain I do. However yesterday, the Lord specifically brought me to their song. I was reminded that intrinsically they are created to be totally dependent on the Lord for their provisions. Yes, they search for food and build nests, but they don't toil as we toil. Toiling is defined as working extremely hard or incessantly - exhausting physical labor. Now before we all jump up and declare, "none of us are supposed to toil," I get that. But let's be honest, we are human and at times we toil. Part of that toiling comes to us through Adam's disobedience, doesn't it? And yes, we have been redeemed from the curse of toiling, but sometimes we may find ourselves wandering into a place where we are functioning beyond our rest that God promises. Maybe that's just me? As I woke up to their songs again this morning, the Spirit of the Lord reminded me of a few verses that I'd like to share and a picture. Perhaps this will help some of you add some balance in a busy and overwhelming season of life. :) Matthew 6:25-27 Do Not Worry 25"For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26"Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? 27"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?… Luke 12:24 Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Psalm 104:27-28 All creatures look to you to give them their food at the proper time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. Look again at Luke. How much more valuable to the Lord are each of us? Life has its issues, but one of my pastors taught me to assign each issue a number and make them line up during the day. Check them off one by one. Sometimes we need to be reminded that those things we do each day do not define us and they are not allowed to drain our virtue. This morning I saw a picture of a one of those game boards where a head pops out and a mallet is used to smash it back into its hole. Let's do that to those things popping up that are trying to cause to toil or worry. The song of the birds reminded me that they toil for nothing. I choose to sing like a bird - how about you? Have a great one! PK

March 20, 2014 - "Removing the Leaves"

What a beautiful day is in store for us all. It's days like these where I wish the world would stop...momentarily. Do you ever feel like that? The warm sun, the expressive birds singing their spring songs, and the color of green reminds me that new life is abundantly pushing forward. After a long, cold winter I long to rake the yard in my shorts and flip flops. Just typing that means I've had a mental breakdown. (wink) I really don't rake the leaves I blow them, but that sounded great and I wanted to get an "amen" from the other leaf blowers. However, I am so ready to work in the yard, get out of the house, and listen to the waterfall as I drink my morning coffee in the swing. Bring it on! As I am planning and strategizing concerning the yard, I am reminded that leaves are everywhere - unless you have no trees - and burning so many is dangerous with all the trees in my yard. Honestly, we always have to form a plan and every year I dread the entire event. I know the leaves have to be removed so that the emerging flowers can get the warmth and space they need, so I do my part to give them a chance but it is a chore. I am reminded, though, that the dead leaves needing to be removed is in sync with those things in our lives that we purpose to conqueror and bring down that can really become clutter if we do not completely remove them. There's a difference in pushing something to the edge of the yard and removing it. PREACH! The Bible speaks of the little foxes that spoil the vine and I think of how one, small leaf is not an issue even if hidden in the yard. However, if I allow those leaves to accumulate they can soon become an issue, can't they? Once my yard is blown clean, bagged and removed, I immediately get the sticks up, re-soil and re-plant, mulch and seed the grass. I take ownership of where the dead leaf was and bring forth life. This is a biblical process that we see in the natural realm in which we live. In my on life, I am constantly evaluating issues in my heart to determine what needs to be pulled down and removed. Once removed, I MUST fill that space with the goodness of God and allow the fruits of the Spirit to grow in its place. I must be careful to not allow that dead issue, a winter leaf, to remain and grab others in its journey. It must come down, be removed, and be destroyed. Then, new life comes to those areas of my heart and life and I enjoy the victorious living that Jesus died to secure. I liken that to sitting in my swing, drinking my coffee, reading my Bible, and meditating on all the wonderful things God has done in my life. Gotta stay on those leaves. Do you have any in your "yard" that need to be removed and burned? Ask the Holy Spirit where the small things are in your life that need some attention. Then, smile as you address them knowing that God plans good things for His children. As we approach Easter, this is a great time to get some things from our yard to the cross. That's my plan. Have a great day! PK

March 19, 2014 - "God's Tower"

Good morning to all and happy Wednesday. Just a reminder that LIfe Group occurs April 6th. Please mark that on your calendar. We will share our Easter Meal ideas. YUM! Today's word will be short, as I have been reading longer than usual. I want us to read 2 Samuel 22:33 together this morning: David's Song of Deliverance …32"For who is God, besides the LORD? And who is a rock, besides our God?33"God is my strong fortress; And He sets the blameless in His way. 34"He makes my feet like hinds' feet, And sets me on my high places.… In this passage David is praising God who has delivered him, AGAIN, and has proven AGAIN that He, God, is faithful. I want to remind you that God's deliverance is not a one time event in the life of His children. Who you do that to your children? I doubt it. I think it's cool that David asks if there is anyone like the LORD - all caps to signify the reverence of God's name - and who is a rock - personification - besides our God. If you take the reverence the Jewish people placed on Yahweh and couple that with a strong rock, you can build a strong fortress upon which we can climb, see far, and stand, which is exactly what God does over and over and over. He builds the fortress and we come inside. YES! None of us can compare with the tower of strength our God offers. Read 33 again, "He sets the blameless in His way." That reminds me we are blameless because of God and even the path is His. God gives us stable back feet like the mountain climbing animals to maneuver to heights we could never imagine. It's a God thing - not a me thing. Today, let's offer a song of praise as we remind our circumstances that our God is strong, mighty, a fortress that we trust and He will give us the strength and agility to climb to places we could never reach in order to see clearly, be secure, and follow in God's ways. Praise Him! PK

March 18, 2014 - "Beating the Air"

I had my daughter, grand daughters and grand puppy over for dinner tonight and as most of you know, I love creating new recipes and playing with food. Today, Teree asked if I would make fish and as I am currently really cutting down on my fat levels, I made some Tilapia in a skillet and it was SOOOO yummy. I'd love to share a non-fat, fish recipe that my grand daughters really loved and there was none left at the end of dinner. It's easy and really tasty. I sprayed a skillet with Pam and put it on 6 (medium), laid my Tilapia fillets down and seasoned with Old Bay seasoning and DILL WEED. (Yes, that was the hit. It was a risk, but it worked) Then I continued to "grill" the fillets until the seasonings made a some-what crust. This means I kept the heat on medium and turned every couple of minutes. Tilapia doesn't take long to cook and there is a balance between "crusting" and drying the fillet. So, be careful. I was honestly hoping the girls wouldn't like it as I was really hungry, but isn't it great when the kids will eat fish that's not fried? :) Let me know if you try it. I would love some feedback. So, as we have coffee this morning let's break down 1 Corinthians 9: 24-27. The Need for Self-Discipline 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. As I began reading this verse, I could really tap into the Apostle Paul's encouragement - "don't simply get your shoes on and take to the track - if you're gonna do the stuff, run the race to win." (paraphrased of course) I LOVE this! I grew up in a sports family and hours weekly were dedicated to perfecting the sport but not simply as something to pass the time, but to compete to win. I know there's a balance but we were taught to play hard to win - leave nothing on the table - but at the end of the game, regardless, shake hands and know you did your best. I am still wired this way whether choosing foods for my daily health race or making plans to deepen my relational race, I still run each day to win. However, the main focus of the passage is about running the eternal race and securing the prize that lasts forever. There is a plan and a course (a track if you will) that God established and each of us is on the track. Paul is reminding us to make the race count while we're here because the prize for winning is something that lasts for eternity. Winning the eternal race has everything to do with acceptance and obedience. Will we follow God's instructions as he coaches us through our race and obey His commands with integrity? Will we surrender our own plan to His plans daily, deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him? I, like the Apostle Paul, don't want to live my life and run the race aimlessly. Can you imagine the frustration of a boxer simply beating the air? I would hate that! Let me read God's Word and allow the Coach of Heaven to shape and reshape my life; let me discipline myself to stay the course when "life" has another plan; and let me remain focused - eyes forward - to the prize set before me, which is the Hope of Heaven. Run well today friends and let's have coffee again tomorrow. PK

March 17, 2014 - Bath Time

Good morning and happy St Patrick's Day. I don't think I have much Irish in my blood, but I always love another opportunity for a celebration. :) It's the start of another new week and I don't know about you, but I am still trying to work through the time change. i cannot seem to get to bed before 11:30 (as 10:30 was my previous bedtime) BUT I cannot seem to get up easily as 6am is really 5am. Oh well, by next week I should be able to get this together. I am declaring this is a great week because God is a great God and has plans to do good by me and not harm me. (Isaiah 29:11) How about you? Let's make our lives come in alignment with what God declares about each of us. I know that is critical in our journey. God is able and God is for us! Amen? This morning I want to speak to something that the Lord brought so clearly back to my mind the other day. As I have been running wide open, I found that I was only able to grab a quick shower daily. However, Friday morning I had a window of free time and I was able to really do the routine again: soak with epsom salt, use my oatmeal soap and enjoy the scrubbing. You know, back to the basics. As I was drying, I felt as though a burden was lifted from me. There was a "freeness" in my attitude. As crazy as that seems, I remember my mother always saying, "if the baby is fussy, a nice warm bath will always make them smile." This has been a crazy period for me recently and a nice, long bath really did make me smile. Here's what I felt the Lord showed me: we acquire dirt from our activities daily that require a bath and scrubbing. Getting that yucky stuff off our skin and away from our toes really gives a lift to our spirit. The Lord reminded me that daily we gather "dirt" in the form of life-issues as well (spiritually) and if these are not cleaned up, they can weigh us down just as the natural dirt does. Think about working outside and getting sweaty and extremely dirty. After a shower and a loofa pad, EVERYBODY feels better! Just that one thing adds a lift. After a day of working through life, we need a time of spiritual scrubbing as well - a time each night to "get that dirt where it belongs." (I am a night bath person) Anyway, if you are feeling a bit sluggish spiritually this morning, spend a few minutes in worship and prayer. Spend some time reading God's Word and declaring His truth over your day. Spend some time asking God to wash you "white as snow." (Isaiah 1:18) I promise that long, warm bath was an infusion to my day on Friday (especially the chamomile epsom salt) and I KNOW that "clean-up" time with the Lord is more life-giving that any natural bath. Looking forward to a great week knowing that I can go to the Father hour by hour if needed for another time of cleansing and refreshing. PRAISE GOD! Let's have coffee again tomorrow, PK

March 13, 2014 - Throw Back Thursday (TBT)

Wow, what a chilly moving and for my folks in the NE, hopefully you are all tucked away warmly and with power. Spring is coming soon! Today, I want to share from one of my morning devotionals a few excerpts on integrity. I know each of us have certain qualities that we really admire in people and for me at the top of the list is integrity. I am a huge "trust people" freak and knowing that people are who they are in front of me is critical. I can deal with people's bad issues if they are consistently that way. This allows me to deal with my heart and respond appropriately. It is challenging, however, if I am not certain if someone's character displays the real them. You know that question mark you get in your stomach? And then there are those things in us we wish no one would ever see. Maybe? I thought this was a good analogy this morning: "People with integrity walk safely, but those who follow crooked paths will slip and fall." Proverbs 10:9, NLT Integrity is a high standard of living based on a personal code of morality that doesn't succumb to the whim of the moment or the dictates of the majority. Integrity is to personal character what health is to the body or 20/20 vision is to the eyes. People with integrity have nothing to hide and nothing to fear. Their lives are open books. They say to a watching world, "Go ahead and look. My behavior will match my beliefs. My walk will match my talk. My character will match my confession. Integrity is not reputation--what others think of us. It is not success--what we have accomplished. Integrity embodies the sum total of our being and our actions. It originates in who we are as believers in Jesus Christ--accepted, valued, capable, and forgiven--but it expresses itself in the way we live and behave, no matter whether we are in church on Sunday or at work on Monday or in a lonely hotel room on Tuesday or suffering in a hospital bed on Thursday. I love this! We absolutely know how critical health is to the duration of our body and I feel this same intensity about integrity. I realize I have issues, as you may, and sometimes we may get caught up in the crowd or overreact and some may judge our character in that moment. And for that we repent. For that we are quick to confess and ask forgiveness. But who we are in the dark should be the same 24/7. This morning, let's purpose to check the various opportunities during the day for our character to be observed and be honest with ourselves before the Lord. Do our families see us the same as our co-workers? Do the people at the gym see how we are at home? Are our lives really an open book? Hiding and pretending takes work and never leads to fruitfulness and Godly character. If there are weak areas in our lives, let's use the "Throw Back Thursday" approach. Let's throw them at the feet of the cross, ask God to cleanse us from any attachment to them, and be the real us everywhere we go. First day of spring is next Friday, bring it on! Have a great one, PK

March 12, 2014 - "The Gift Giver"

Perhaps you have read the book, The Five Love Languages. If you have not, I suggest you do. Reading this book was a major turning point in my life as it allowed me to understand how I give and receive love. Until then, I got so frustrated with people who seemed to need some "type of attention" that I evidently didn't comprehend. After digesting this material and reading it several times, I had an "ah-ha" moment. Now, it is one of the first books I suggest to people struggling in their relationships. Today, let's consider one of the languages - gifts. (which happens to be one of mine) James 1:17 says, "Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. The Father doesn't change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon." Now for those of us who are "gifts" people (you need to take the test to determine your love language), this is really GREAT news. However, if you're not a gift person - this is great news for you as well! God's heart is constantly for us even though at times we struggle or find ourselves with questions. God is the perfect Father and He gives perfect gifts. I wonder what a "perfect" gift would be to you? Isn't it cool to even pause and consider what that would be? And yet, we are told in this passage that good and perfect gifts come from God who doesn't change in the manner in which He loves each of us. Psalm 139 reminds me that God knows every thought in my mind and every word before it proceeds from my mouth and yet, God still loves me and gives good and perfect gifts to this imperfect vessel. WOW! One of the gifts I so appreciate about my heavenly Father is that He allows me to bring my issues and problems to Him for help and guidance. Look at this: Proverbs 16:3 in the Amplified Bible says this... Roll your works upon the Lord [commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will,] and so shall your plans be established and succeed. (AMP) The NIV Bible says that God will establish your plans when you commit all that you do to the Lord. I don't know about you, but "He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will" is such a gift to me. I want my plans to succeed, as do we all, but if my plans are not agreeable with God's plans, then I could be wasting a lot of time. That's not good. Today, let's spend quiet time with God (which was a gift given the moment Jesus died as the separation between mankind and God was opened again) and take our agenda and roll them - comment them - surrender them to God and allow the GIFT of God's help to be received and embraced with a smile. I love perfect gifts - and that is perfect. Have a great one - PK

March 11, 2014 - "Change It!"

As I walked my yard and picked up a few sticks late yesterday afternoon before an event, I was torn between the ugliness of winter coupled with the "never have to water standard" and the beauty of my summer yard and the extra hours of work to prepare and maintain such beauty. The more sticks I gathered, the more the memory of a painful back and hips following the "Yard Project 2013" emerged. In fact, every yard project has a back issue that haunts me. Then I smiled and remembered how I love to sit in the swing beside the waterfall and drink coffee. I remembered how I love walking the yard and examining the brilliance of the flowers and the fragrance of the roses. Somehow the pain seemed to lessen its hold on my memories. Isn't that the way of life? We often remember the pain before we celebrate the beauty. Is being healthy or successful worth the long hours and the sacrifice? Is learning a new trade or moving to a new city worth the cost? Absolutely. For example, being healthy takes consistent focus for me but the alternative places me back within the darkest winter season of my life. The saying goes, "we make time to do the things we want to." This statement is not always correct. For years I wanted to be healthy, get a new job, explore a new life. I wanted to. I believe "want to" has to be coupled with action for change to occur. I am certain there are life-changing things that we consider and ponder, but painful, past experiences can effect our hope of something new or something better. Sometimes, we find ourselves trapped by the "age" card. "I'm really too old to............" Let's remember change can be good regardless of the difficulty or our age, especially if God is directing the shift! If God is asking us to change, He will be consistently present. And guess what...if making a change is on us, He will still be there! That's a win-win situation. Let's not be afraid to try. I feel strongly to encourage you this morning - do something new! Try something different and make those changes you've been "wanting to." Embracing something new often brings a lift to our spirit and overcoming a challenge adds wind to our sail. Change doesn't have to be scary, expensive or difficult. Tip for the day - a gallon of paint is cheap and your entire living room could be different by this evening. Have an amazing Tuesday! PK

March 10, 2014 - "Wake Up, Kathy"

I LOVE that the sunshine is wide awake this morning, but I am a little dragging as the time change got me. I preached yesterday at church and was so afraid I would oversleep, I actually was awake most of Saturday night into Sunday. UGH. I love the sun in the late evening, but losing an hour of sleep is craziness. Anyway... I have been singing a song from the Hillsong United Young and Free album called "Awake." It is especially meaningful as we approach spring and the flowers are also awakening. (but, the yellow stuff is also close to wake up time) I awoke this morning with the phrase "wake-up" on my heart and my prayer this day is actually an encouragement for my soul to simply wake up. How many know that during the winter seasons of our lives (those really tough times) we often have to give ourselves a word of encouragement. We have to remember the goodness of God and praise him in spite of the winter. Today, I am including Psalm 57 (which was written by David as he was hiding from Saul to protect his life). It has my phrase "wake up" wrapped within my declaration that God is ALWAYS worthy of praise. I must be honest though, the spring brings a certain "wake up" like none other. Yesterday I had shorts and flip flops on, a glass of tea and the song from the Young and Free album playing full blast. Smiles abounded. If you need a smile today, sit in the sun for a moment, read the following Psalm and play that tune. I double-dog dare you. (wink) Much love, PK 57 1-3 Be good to me, God—and now! I’ve run to you for dear life. I’m hiding out under your wings until the hurricane blows over. I call out to High God, the God who holds me together. He sends orders from heaven and saves me, he humiliates those who kick me around. God delivers generous love, he makes good on his word. 4 I find myself in a pride of lions who are wild for a taste of human flesh; Their teeth are lances and arrows, their tongues are sharp daggers. 5 Soar high in the skies, O God! Cover the whole earth with your glory! 6 They booby-trapped my path; I thought I was dead and done for. They dug a mantrap to catch me, and fell in headlong themselves. 7-8 I’m ready, God, so ready, ready from head to toe, Ready to sing, ready to raise a tune: “Wake up, soul! Wake up, harp! wake up, lute! Wake up, you sleepyhead sun!” 9-10 I’m thanking you, God, out loud in the streets, singing your praises in town and country. The deeper your love, the higher it goes; every cloud is a flag to your faithfulness. 11 Soar high in the skies, O God! Cover the whole earth with your glory!

March 7, 2014 - "Dancing In The Rain"

Yea - we made it through the week and hopefully you have smiled a lot and found reason to celebrate. I believe there are opportunities for joy daily if we will find them and step over our circumstances. Even yesterday I walked between the buildings at church and as the rain was falling I could have made a face about a cold rain and no umbrella. Instead, I could smell the "earth" within the shower and smiled as I was reminded this was a spring rain regardless of the temp. Sometimes we need to allow the seeds of joy that are planted deep within to find the smallest things to celebrate and choose to make them big. One of my favorite sayings is "Those who only think happiness occurs in the sunshine have never danced in the RAIN." Preach that! Can you use that today? I offer this as another seed of joy to bring a smile into your weekend plans: Isaiah 61:10-11 (NIV) 1 "I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of his righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations." If we find few things to smile about, can we rejoice that God has clothed us with salvation and is preparing an eternal home for each of us? Can you read that statement and not smile? I can't. I love building houses and decorating, but I would imagine the mansion God is preparing for His kids is incomparable. That thought waters those seeds of joy to produce praise in our lives. We are here on earth but for a season. I chose this day to refocus my thoughts and laser them on my eternal future. My issues today will be made to take a number and line up behind the joy that looking forward to eternity brings. How about you? I did find a fun fact (listed below as your party favor) about apple seeds that I never realized. I am not an apple seed eater, chewer, or swallower, but I do love learning something new daily and I never knew that apples, cherries, peaches, and almonds are members of the rose family. Praying your weekend is filled with "dancing in the rain" moments. PK Question: Do Apple Seeds Contain Poison? Apples, along with cherries, peaches and almonds, are members of the rose family. The seeds of apples and these other fruits contain natural chemicals that are toxic to some animals. Are they poisonous to humans? Here's a look at the toxicity of apple seeds. Answer: Apple seeds do contain a small amount of cyanide, which is a lethal poison, but you are protected from the toxin by the hard seed coating. If you eat whole apple seeds, they pass through your digestive system relatively untouched. If you chew the seeds thoroughly, you will be exposed to the chemicals inside the seeds, but the dose of toxins in an apple is small enough that your body can easily detoxify it. Reference: Juniper BE, Mabberley DJ (2006). The Story of the Apple. Timber Press. p. 20. ISBN 0881927848.

March 6, 2014 - "The Doughnut Door"

Hello and good morning, Don't forget we go to Daylight Savings Time THIS weekend. Spring those clocks forward and forget that extra hour of sleep. That means head to bed early on Saturday night. :) I know as spring is fast approaching and the clothes we wear are getting less and less, sometimes we have a reality confrontation with our self-image that perhaps isn't kind. Throwing something at the mirror or replacing your scale doesn't work - I tried that. Some of us may even want to quit caring all together about what we eat, as I did so many times. Remember this: positive thoughts are empowering and a negative attitude can set processes in motion that make living a healthy life-style difficult, if not impossible. Slamming yourself every time you eat the wrong foods, constantly focusing on what you cannot eat and approaching your exercise plan with dread are all ways that negative thought patterns can sabotage your best efforts to gain and maintain health. When you hold a negative image of yourself, you rob yourself of much-needed energy. (I LIVED right there!) When feeling powerless, depressed or unmotivated, it's easy to cheat on your daily routine by eating a bag of potato chips to feel better. (I always chose pizza or brownies) However, tuning into how you feel, acknowledging those feelings and transforming those thoughts into something more positive can actually help you to achieve your weight loss goals faster. Instead of eating the candy bar or the chips (depending on if you are a sweet or salty person) take the time to REALLY determine the "why" of negativity. What is hurting you so deeply that 1 - you cover your pain with food and 2 - you think so poorly of yourself? I found that often failure, comparison, and fear were my biggest springtime issues. No sweater could hide that. Then the issue of shame would appear and try to cloak even the smallest forward progress. We are ALL going to have a bad day here or there, but accepting failure and allowing food to win only cheats our families of our quality time with them. I am not necessarily taking about in death. When I was heavy, depressed and shaming myself, while in the same breath comforting myself with candy, I was not kind to my family. I never wanted to attend outside activities because I had nothing to wear, which was a lie. There were clothes that fit me, but they exposed my weakness and made me feel like an overweight, undisciplined person. It was horrible! PLEASE don't be trapped by that...see yourself as beautiful no matter what you weigh. But continue to fight for your health and goal weight. The spring season represents new life and an overcoming of dormancy. I say let's choose health and close all doors to the winter seasons of our unhealthiness. Feeling regret over eating the doughnut is not a bad thing if you can turn that around to make it positive. Talk to your accountability partner, go for a walk, or drink more water the following day. Feeling shame when you eat the doughnut and turning to embrace failure - NOT good. That path leads to negative self images and a continued pattern of failure that's hard to break. Perhaps you close and bolt the doughnut door forever and never look back. That's my vote! Plan your healthy day and tell yourself you are fabulous, loved, highly favored, and blessed to the ends of the earth! Eat your apple and smile, "hum, this tastes just like a doughnut." (wink) Your internal organs will thank you. We got this! PK

March 5 - "Which Seed?"

I have been thinking a lot about seeds this morning. In fact I woke up with that word on my heart and lips. Perhaps it's because it is time to start our Yard Project 2014 (if you have followed my blogs, you know what this is) and I have been evaluating what needs to be uprooted and what needs to be planted. Seeds are critical to the cycle of life aren't they? My husband will carefully gather seeds and seed packets and then allow them to germinate in a secure and controlled environment to assure that life is given the best opportunity for survival. He nurtures and watches over the seedlings and then once placed in the ground, he is confident in the seeds planted. Now imagine what would happen if the squash seeds produced apples? We would all be disappointed and totally confused. Squash seeds carry the LIFE of the squash within and they should produce squash - not apples. Yes? Isn't that the expectation? The seed itself is closed and nothing visual is offered to assure us that squash will emerge (except on the package), but experience tells us that the seed from the package with a squash on the cover, will produce squash. And I think that is a reasonable expectation. This same principle applies to our lives by the Spirit of God. Sometimes people reason that because someone attends church or calls themselves a believer, a particular life and response to life will be evident. This is not always the case. Is it? But, it should be. Those who are born of the Spirit of God (through salvation) should bear fruit that indicates what was contained in the seed of the Spirit. 1 Peter 1:23 (AMP) says, "You have been regenerated (born again), not from a mortal origin (seed, sperm), but from one that is immortal by the ever living and lasting Word of God." Our first birth (natural) came through the perishable seed of a mortal, but our salvation birth (Spirit) came through accepting the seed of Jesus into our heart (immortal) and those should produce the evidence (fruit) of life in the Spirit. They should. This Spirit birth is available to all who will call upon Jesus as their Lord and Savior - easy. (Romans 10:9) But once the seed of that truth is implanted, we then must live our lives in such a manner as to demonstrate that the "squash seed planted will produce squash." If we confess that we are believers and our lives display something totally different than God declares in His Word, then others may question if we are bearing the fruit of Jesus. Does my life declare Jesus? I pray that it does, but I am quite confident that there are moments where it doesn't. Here's a simple test: 1 John 3:9-10 (MSG) "People conceived and brought into life by God don’t make a practice of sin. How could they? God’s seed is deep within them, making them who they are. It’s not in the nature of the God-begotten to practice and parade sin. Here’s how you tell the difference between God’s children and the Devil’s children: The one who won’t practice righteous ways isn’t from God, nor is the one who won’t love brother or sister. A simple test." Hoping your Wednesday is a great day filled with multiple opportunities to display the SEED within you. Me too. Talk tomorrow - PK

March 4, 2014 - "My Task List"

Yesterday we spoke of our bucket list and I hope you had a minute to think through some things remaining in your journey that you purpose to accomplish before you "kick the bucket." I do want to encourage you though, don't use your busyness as an excuse to start living and enjoying life. I told my pastor recently that I didn't want to be 80 and have regrets - "I want to try some things while I am still running full throttle." It's okay to dream - but it's REALLY okay to START the dream. If going to Austria is on your bucket list, do you have a savings account? Have you started researching tours? Let's move beyond fantasizing and put some unction into that dream. I had to laugh yesterday, as I thought of chocolate covered crickets on someone's bucket list. For me, there would never be ANY unction to that. Today, let's talk about our task list. You know that list that we either create on paper or in our mind of things we need to complete before the day ends. That list that keeps us focused when all the day's activities scream for our attention. Or at my age, that list that reminds me of things and people who need my attention. (senior joke - wink) You know that list, right? I create mine on my IPhone, some use a notebook and some on a calendar hanging on the back of the closet door. That list. So let's think about what a task really is: Task Task may refer to: Task (project management), an activity that needs to be accomplished within a defined period of time or by a deadline Task (computing), a program execution context TASK party, a series of improvisational participatory art-related events organized by artist Oliver Herring Task (language instruction) refers to a certain type of activity used in language instruction The TASK family of potassium ion channels I grabbed these from the dictionary, but am reminded that tasks come in varieties of shapes and forms. However, the common thread that runs through all tasks is usually that they be accomplished and completed within a certain pocket of time. I tell you, when my task list is completed and scratched off (deleted from my phone) I am one happy person. To me, there is a sense of pride that I completed my assignments. I know some people are determined to never live within a task list - but I prefer it. Just me. :) While my daily task list is important, the greatest task of my life that I diligently seek to accomplish is found in the Bible in the book of Acts: Acts 20:24 New International Version (NIV) 24 However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace. Today, as we work through our task list, let's remember that we have been given an eternal task list by our Lord and Savior and it should be the task that consumes the majority of our focus. As I re-read this again today I was reminded that my life should be centered on telling others the GOOD NEWS. As stated above - I LOVE completing the task list. So the task assigned to me by Jesus should be my top priority. Is it? Does that task find its way to my daily list? How about you? Today as we move through the things on our list, let's add Acts 20:24 to the top and share the Good News everywhere we go. Tonight, we'll check the list with a sense of accomplishment knowing we completed both our earthly and heavenly assignments. Have a great one! PK

March 3, 2014 - "My Bucket List"

Good afternoon to all and happy beginning of a new month. Life group was so yummy last night! Our next one is the 1st Sunday of April and we will be doing foods to help us prepare for Easter and be awesomely healthy. Hope you can join us and bring a friend. :) Sorry this was late - busy morning! Today let's talk about something we all have, a Bucket List. Perhaps you don't call it by that term, but all of us have things we would like to see accomplished or places we dream of visiting before we "kick the bucket." Yes? I know I do. I have always dreamed of spending several days in a cottage in the mountains with 2 feet of snow outside, a roaring fireplace, a hot cup of coffee, a great book and a blanket. Can somebody say, "amen?" I have always wanted to take a cruise ship to Alaska and then Greece. I have always wanted to see the Great Barrier Reef as well as tour the complex where the Sound of Music was filmed in Austria. I guess that's a lot more than learning to roller skate or eating 12 hotdogs at one time. I would pick things that were very expensive. Do you have an expensive list as well? :) As much as we have a list of "must dos" before we leave this earth, the greatest DAILY "DO" on my list flows from Psalm 19:14: "May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." (NIV) I love the way this translation reads "these words," not just random words or past words - but THESE WORDS right now - coming from MY MOUTH. How many of you know that sometimes we can excuse our thoughts as long as we don't speak them? But David links words from our mouth and thoughts that we meditate on...no escaping right? Psalm 139 reminds us that God knows every thought before it proceeds from our mouth; so again, there's no hiding. But realization that NO WORD OR DEED is hidden from God helps to keep my life in check. The difficult thing about words and thoughts is often they are connected with actions. Sometimes our words are so destructive that they hurt others and our thoughts more destructive and horribly ugly to our own soul and peace. Not good! Thank God for the help of the Holy Spirit. Right? I don't know about you, but I am grateful to hear Kind David, a man after God's own heart, pray such a prayer. This is the cry of my heart. So as I consider the journey before me and my "bucket list," the top of the list remains my daily attitude toward God, others, and myself. Talk tomorrow, PK