The Last Mile

1. If I walk in the pathway of duty,
   If I work till the close of the day,
   I shall see the great King in His beauty,
   When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.
   • Refrain:
     When I’ve gone the last mile of the way,
     I will rest at the close of the day;
     And I know there are joys that await me,
     When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.
2. If for Christ I proclaim the glad story,
   If I seek for His sheep gone astray,
   I am sure He will show me His glory,
   When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.
3. Here the dearest of ties we must sever,
   Tears of sorrow are seen every day;
   But no sickness, no sighing forever,
   When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.
4. And if here I have earnestly striven,
   And have tried all His will to obey,
   ’Twill enhance all the rapture of heaven,
   When I’ve gone the last mile of the way.
5. 
   Johnson Oatman, Jr and William E. Marks (1908) Public domain.

Under Construction

Walls are crooked and need repair. Paint colors are being chosen. I am unsure, insecure, about change. Finding focus in the blur of activity drains energy. Creative ideas spin around my head.  Fears and doubts about even writing a blog are as loud as a jack hammer. Like my life, my blog is under construction.

Discipline and change for the purpose of godliness make the difference in success or failure. In the middle of the confusion and doubt, pick up the instruction manual, your Bible, and begin. Take a step toward change.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." -Proverbs 3:5, 6

Take God at His word and begin. Guidance comes while you're walking by faith.  A still small voice will speak to you gently in your heart. "This is the right direction" or "This is a wrong step!".  Follow through with your God-directed decision. Trust Him to keep His word.  He will work harder to finish your faith, than you will! Psalm 32 promises that He will "counsel you with His eye on you".

His word is a light for our path. Step by step He leads us through any darkness, any wilderness, any confusion, any grief, any exhaustion, any fear. He knows the way. Follow Him. Take a step. Ignite hope. Live courage.

Martin Luther King, Jr. knew about building a dream. He said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." He knew about walking faith down a dark road.  He trusted God to keep His Word so he took a step. He lived courage and ignited the hope of an entire nation.

Wake me up, Father

For years I have chosen one thing in my life I want to change each year. The whole "make a list of resolutions and fail by February thing" just didn't work for me. 

I choose one positive challenge. Discipline for the purpose of  godliness has brought about amazing changes. I work alongside God to be available for His purposes and He changes me from the inside out while I'm focused on Him instead of me.

Photo by Elyce Feliz (flicker.com)

Awake. My inspirational word choice for 2013. My goal? Live fully awake to His presence.

On the second day in January 2013, truth settled at home in my heart. Bible-on-lap, heart-opened-wide, tears streaming down. I ached with disappointment. The day had been filled with accomplishments, products of my discipline and determination, wonderful accomplishments. 

The problem was I had gotten sidetracked from my goal. I slept through the day. I was not awake to God's presence like I want to be, like I resolved to be. It's a thin line, isn't it? The line between awake and asleep. One can accomplish the very same things either way. I had worked hard all day. I had made big strides toward accomplishing important tasks, good tasks. 

But, what had I missed? I missed one-of-a-kind, precious moments lived fully awake to the presence of God. I missed it. Like the family of Jesus watching Him run and play, laugh and pray. The Face of God, Emmanuel, the with-them-God living under the same roof. And they missed it.

~Father, I'm sorry when I get sidetracked from being fully awake to Your presence all around me! You keep Your side of our covenant. You did a mighty work inside of me while I remained blind to Your presence. How faithful You are, even when I am faithless! Create in me a heart that is fully awake. Wake. Me. Up. To the beautiful, amazing reality of Your presence in me, before me, beside me and behind me. Wake. Me. UP!

[For more on choosing ONE THING for your year, see One Road for Katie]

The God of Light

Father, my heart grows restless when I lose my focus. I get tired, sick, sidetracked.

My Spirit is upon you. Keep hiding My words in your heart. Come to Me when you are weary and I will give You rest. My yoke is easy and My burden is light.

I know, Father, but it doesn't always seem easy and light. Noise and fray so easily sway my focus.

The enemy is like a lion, seeking whom he can devour. 

Exactly. And I want to live my life wide awake to Your presence in every moment. Oh, won't You walk before me and beside me and behind me. Live in me and through me.

Deny yourself. Take up your cross daily. Follow Me. A holy passion. 

I want a pure and holy passion. I won't turn back. Be strong in my weakness, Lord.

I am the God-Who-Sees, the God-Who-Knows. I am the Lion of Judah, the Holy One of Israel. I AM, the God-Who-Is-Able.  It is I who answers and looks after you. 

I welcome a Sabbath heart, Father. Create in me a heart after Your own heart. Bless the work of my hands. Fill my heart, my life, with Your presence, Your glory.

My love for you lasts from everlasting to everlasting. I will satisfy you. I will feed You and nurture you.  I am Author and Finisher of Your faith. Walk in My ways. 

I love you freely, for My anger has turned away from you.  In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength. 

A Sabbath heart, a praying heart, all that I am I give to You. I will be still and know there is no God like Jehovah. When my way grows dark, I will listen.

Awake.  Arise and shine.  The Light of the World is Jesus. The light has come and the glory of the Lord has risen. Come, let us away. I will feed you with the finest wheat and with honey from the rock. I will answer you and tell you of things that you do not know.

Vegetable Soup 101

Dare to cook. Dare to eat healthy. A bread machine and a crock pot can make your home smell warm and cozy after a long day. Turn on some music and light a candle, even if it's just for you.  After all, you're the only you we've got! C'mon. Dare to cook.  And, if you get confused, send me an email or, better yet, introduce yourself to that good cook in your church or workplace. Chances are, you'll make a new friend as well as figuring out the "whole cooking thing".

1/4 c chopped onion

1/4 c chopped celery

1/4 c chopped peppers (red, green, yellow, orange or combination)

1 carton or 1-2 cans of vegetable broth  

2-3 cups of mixed vegetables* 

1 can diced tomatoes (add a small can of tomato sauce for a richer tomato flavor)

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 t spices*, or to taste 

Fresh herbs*, or to taste

Optional: Lentils, Pasta, Barley

In a large saucepan, saute onions, celery, sweet peppers in olive oil until tender.  Add the broth, tomatoes, vegetables and seasonings*. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, uncovered, for 20 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Yields about 4 servings.

Notes to Beginners: 

*Mixed Vegetables: frozen or fresh, any of the following: carrots, peas, potatoes, corn, green beans, spinach, collard greens, cabbage, broccoli,  mushrooms, sweet potatoes, canned beans....any combination you like! 

*spices: Thyme, Tarragon, Marjoram...This is a good place to try out new spices one at a time.  Most beginners are disappointed in their soup because of using too many different spices at once. Thyme is  a good choice to start with or to use if adding beef or chicken.  I always add tumeric to my soups because it's a detoxifying spice ~

*herbs: It will take more fresh herbs than dried herbs. I toss in about a 1/4 cup of herbs. I choose from chives, oregano, basil and rosemary. Stems will not get very tender, so use mostly leaves. I always add parsley because of it's detoxifying power~

Beef or Chicken: When not making vegetarian soup, I use homemade stock and add chopped beef or chicken. A carton of purchased stock would work just as well, but will have more sodium.

Child-size Resolutions

"Sparkle"

A new year resolution is an excellent forum for teaching a child obedience, discernment and promise keeping.

Even a preschooler gets excited about making life better. Do not look down on small beginnings. Your child is never too little to learn that a focus on God's purposes makes life easier. Make it fun to learn discipline for the purpose of godliness.

Establish hope. Discuss living life with excellence and honor.Set aside a specific time to talk with your child about the importance of goals and planning. Share one thing you want to change in your own life. Brainstorm about goals he might like to make. Ask your child to choose one thing he will resolve to do this year.  

Pray with your child. We all have a lot to learn, but family accountability makes it easier to change. With God all things are possible! Find a Bible verse or passage with your child that speaks directly to the change. Keep it before him as a verse to memorize and study. He needs his very own collection of Bible verses.

Effect change. Use positive words. "Speak encouraging words" is more positive than "Stop arguing with my sister". Have the child choose one word to be their 2013 inspiration word for the year. "Encourage" would work well with this example. 

Frame a drawing of the word, paint it on a rock, color it on the wall, or write it in lipstick across the mirror. Go out for ice cream to celebrate. Children love doing something that creates an event from a decision.

Encourage action. Teach your child to focus on discipline for the purpose of godliness. Learning to work on a change that benefits others will allow God room to change the child from the inside out.  Right actions produce right feelings.

In our example, you might choose encouraging others at the grocery store, visiting a nursing home, writing encouraging notes to practice speaking encouragement. Collect God's encouraging words. Talk about people in the Bible and in your world that are good encouragers.

As you teach your child to live intentionally, he will learn that life is joyful and exciting when we work alongside God to change our world. And in the process, we change ourselves.

Abby decided that she would stop sneaking candy and chips from the pantry. "Eat healthy food" became her goal.  Her word was "Honesty". At bedtime, exhausted from working in the food pantry with her dad, Abby prayed, "Dear God, Thank you that it's so much fun to take care of hungry people."  

Awake, My Soul, and Sing!

Photo by Kate Ter Haar (flickr.com)

Clean white snow falls gently, silently, smoothly. Winter wind increases and tosses the flakes about recklessly, brutally.

Each snowflake is unique, each necessary to the earth. A single snow flake lands on my glove, trembles for a moment, is joined by several others. Like a vapor they each melt away at their own time.

In the stillness, surrounded by falling snowflakes, I look upward.  More snowflakes than I can count fall around me. And I smile, awestruck with wonder. There is a God who sees and guides each individual snowflake from beginning to end.

"Be still and know that I am God." ~Psalm 46:10

A Sabbath heart, a heart that is still, learns to know God. Every day we enter the quiet Sabbath place. We listen for the still small voice of the God who is there and is not silent, the God who is able to do even more than we ask or imagine. And then every day we seek out the lost, the broken, the lonely in our world.

Life tosses us about, reckless, brutal to a being as fragile and unique as a single snowflake. We are here for a moment before we tremble and melt away.

Awake, my soul, and sing! Prepare the mind for action! Through many a conflict and many a doubt, awake my soul, and sing!