I love clothes and fashion and everything about being a woman. I love shoes the absolute most and I like a good purse. I refuse to be a slave though. I wear what I want and what makes me feel good. I used to follow the no white after Labor Day rule but don’t anymore and haven’t for some time. I didn’t do it as some sort of rebellion but in California it’s still hot in September and white is cool and summery. I do have to say that as the summer days grow to fall and winter, my white generally goes away but I do have a suit with a white skirt that I wear in winter at least once.
Where did the rule come from anyway? So here’s a article of explanation. Enjoy it and remember, if it was good enough for Coco Chanel it’s good enough for us!
We went off for a two day break. We call these Leadership Advances because we get refreshed and renewed. We get away from the noise and the tyranny of the urgent and get to what’s important, listening to that still small voice and taking an assessment of where we’ve been and where we’re going. So as we drove through the mountains, our destination was on the horizon.
We arrived, and immediately did a drive-by of our favorite spot. We were happy to be free for a couple of days. Thank you God for a some rest. The next morning we got up bright and early, had a good breakfast and went to set up camp!
We settled in for the day. Neither of us really saying a word. We really needed to be quiet. Let the Advance begin!
We stayed until the sun began to set and it started to get a little cold. As leaders though we are never quite alone. There are always those who need ministry and today was no exception. They came to sit at our feet.
My husband, the pastor, never misses an opportunity to preach the word. So he gathered them around and began.
The looks on their faces were priceless!
We went home that evening happy and refreshed and ready to do it again the next day.
As Brooke Fraser ministered to me through my Ipod with her song, Indelible, the view was incredible, the sun was shining and God was whispering. I had been sensing a connection that was unlike one I had experienced before and I was glad that I was not disappointed. How magnificent You created the earth to look, Lord. Who could not have faith in You when they see Your wonders?
Our friends were back and we relaxed in the beauty of the wonders He has created.
We stayed until the sun began to go down once again. We are headed home now as you read this. Refreshed, renewed, anointed and invigorated. Praise God for His blessings!
I read. A lot. Right now I’m reading three books, blogs, twitter, facebook, emails, texts. I have a hunger to learn all that I can. I believe there is wisdom in books. I’m married to a reader and my four kids are readers. We read.
So why did it bother so much when a person in our church said, “You know us Hispanics, we don’t read.” It bothered me on levels I guess. One, is that there is still prejudice in our country. While we may have a half African American president, there are still times like last week when I went into a store whose sales clerks didn’t greet me but greeted the other woman who came in and asked her if she needed help finding anything. Funny how the same clerk looked shocked when I was checking out came and asked, “Was anyone helping you?”, and I replied, “No, everyone was too busy to even greet me, knowing that I was the only person in the store at the time.” It’s not lost on me that these things still happen. So when ignorant blanket statements about Hispanics are made by Hispanics themselves it makes me angry on a certain level.
Two, if in fact we are called to be followers of Christ but profess not to read, then our knowledge of him is limited and based on what we’ve heard rather than what we know. This is a dangerous place to be because you can be fooled into thinking anything. If you don’t know your rights in the kingdom then you can’t exercise them. It becomes a never-ending circle of ignorance.
Three, it excuses you to remain ignorant and on a level lower than you were intended to live. This is not kingdom living. This is merely existence on the planet. Reading is a gift that many were not given. There are people who would love to know how to read. You are throwing the gift of reading away as a casual thing. Reading can change your life.
So let’s stop bragging about how we hate to read and begin to access the gift of reading and get out of the self-imposed pit of ignorance.
Luke 6:12 One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.
Today was my first day off in over a month. Even when my husband called a day for a date a couple of weeks ago, we had to spend half the day in meetings and work, and then a couple of errands for church, so it really boiled down to a meal and we ended up skipping the movie because we were too tired.
I knew I was running on empty and we as followers of Christ know that Jesus went off to pray on a regular basis. I knew I was way overdue for some time to get away. I tend to begin to feel very caged in by circumstances and the things that happen in the course of ministry tend to get amplified when I am not rested. So I called a Sand Seminar (thanks Linda for the idea). I told my husband I was going and asked him to go with me if he could.
I went to bed that night with anticipation of going away for a day without work. I thanked God for making a way today. I also repented for the part that I play in all of this. I woke up singing and happy, which is totally unusual for me because I am a grumpy person in the morning. I believe my song was specific:
You are unfailing God, Your love’s unending
And Your word is eternal, Firm in the heavens it stands
My husband cancelled an appointment and we went to Monterey Bay for the day. On the way we stopped at Costco to get some fruit and a new book to take with us to our usual spot on the beach. I couldn’t get this song out of my head. I just was in a mode of worship!
There is this chocolate that I love. It’s called Amber Lyn and it’s not sold anywhere, I normally get mine online. It’s a great quality chocolate that is sugar free and gluten free. I have one square of chocolate each night before I go to bed. I do this because Amber Lyn chocolates cause me have sweet dreams! I have been out of chocolate for a month now and each night before I went to bed, I’d say, “I’ve got to order some chocolates in”. I was normally just too exhausted to do so and when I woke up each morning I wouldn’t even think about it. So guess who was at Costco with a special display? YES! YES they were! Amber Lyn’s display was right there! Not only did I get a my usual chocolate bars, I tried some new flavors and they gave me a few for free for being a loyal customer! They were $7.00 off the case price and I saved shipping as well! What are the chances? I mean really, I believe this was a divine ordered God day!
Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.
He really does love you! He really does want you to have a great day. He really does want to have this relationship with you where he just flat out comes first in your life, because you flat out come first in HIS! I hope you really do believe it! Trust God, pray to him, believe that he has your best interest at heart and then watch as you have an Amber Lyn day like I did!
Unfailing God
by Desperation Band
Unfailing God
Though my eyes may fail me, I will follow after You
Though Your promise seems forsaken
I’ll remember the world’s in Your hands
And You’ll find me singing
You are unfailing God, Your love’s unending
And Your word is eternal, Firm in the heavens it stands (repeat)
Though sorrow’s my condition
And pain holds back no blow
Though this be my darkest hour
Your lamp is leading me home
And You’ll find me singing
Eyes can’t see but I feel You near
I know you’re working through my tears
I trust You Lord, I trust You for You never walk away
Unfailing God, Unfailing God, Your love is unending,Lord
During the rebuilding of our church’s building after the fire, we are leasing a store front. Each day there are three boys who play in the parking lot, in the dumpsters, running down the sidewalks, annoying the other offices in our shopping center. They run into our office each time they pass by, “We came for candy and Coke”, they say. Each day that they come by, we give them candy but we don’t drink Coke often so all we have is water which is disappointing to them and they decline.
They generally wreak havoc in the office and then go on to the next office. Today though was different. I was working in what is now the sanctuary. They had found a shopping cart and they were taking turns getting in the cart and running as fast as they could go, before letting the cart go as it ran into cars, windows etc… They got in trouble so they had to let that activity go and they were running around looking for something to get into.
I leave the sanctuary to get a stapler from the office and as I was walking out of the office, I hear the drums and they boys screaming in the sanctuary. I lock up the office and run next door. The scene went like this:
“RUN SHE’S COMING!”
“HANG ON! DON’T RUN! SIT DOWN RIGHT NOW!” This is my best mom voice!
All three of the boys stop dead in their tracks and sit down.
“Now, I’m calling the police because you guys are trespassing.”
“NO! PLEASE DON’T!”
Three boys begin to look really scared.
“Too bad! You guys need to learn a lesson. You can’t just run into places and do whatever you want! There are a lot of expensive things in here and you can’t just go banging on stuff without permission. You have to learn to respect stuff and you have to learn manners.”
“NO! PLEASE DON’T! LET US WORK IT OFF! WE’RE SORRY! WE WON’T DO IT AGAIN.”
A couple of the boys begin to get teary.
“So, here’s the deal I’m willing to make. You have to promise never to do this again. You all can come and play drums and stuff but you have to ask first and you have to be supervised. If you do this again, I really will call the police. Got it?”
“Yes! Thanks! So we can play the drums if we ask permission first?”
“Yes. You can play with permission and with supervision.”
“Okay, and we’ll walk Lulu if you want.”
“No, that’s fine. I want you guys to have stuff to do but we have to have some ground rules. So let me show you how to play the instruments and what you can mess with and what you can’t touch.”
“Do you think we can be in the band?”
“When you’re in 7th grade you can.”
“They’ll let us? Are you really sure?”
“Yes, they’ll let you be in the youth band. I’m really sure. Just use your manners in the house of God.”
“Okay.”
In about 15 minutes they were trying to coordinate a song and trying to drum to a beat. The song? We Will Rock You by Queen.
I know the story of two of these boys. Their moms are stay at home moms and on drugs. The third boy lives with his grandparents but I’m unsure about where his parents are. They basically fend for themselves and no one ever comes to check on them. Ever. They eat whatever we have around the offices. They are generally unclean and unkempt and they have gutter mouths, but you know what? They are little boys. These aren’t big kids. The oldest one is a third grader. Hopefully today we struck a deal. I needed to get their attention and I needed to give them a place to go. You know something? After we made rules, they were sweet. Boys nevertheless, meaning they ran around, they yelled and they played. I wish their parents could see that with some boundaries, care, love and concern they’d have some really great future men to lead our country.
Shhhhh! Don’t tell anyone but I have a secret thing I do each Sunday night that no one can know about. It would ruin my pristine image. I don’t know what the fascination is, well, actually I do know. Do you want to know what it is? I don’t think it does anything for my “cool factor” but I am going to confess, since it’s good for the soul. Every Sunday night at 9:00 when no one is looking I watch Gene Simmons Family Jewels. My daughter Casey, gasps and says she can’t believe I watch it and says that makes me a nerd but I like it!
I wasn’t raised as a follower of Christ so my very first concert in sixth grade was a KISS concert, Cheap Trick was the warm-up band and it was at the LA Coliseum. My dad took me and I was thrilled to go I wanted to join the KISS army and rock and roll all night and party everyday, even though at that age I wasn’t quite sure what that meant and I knew my parents probably wouldn’t let me anyway. They were my favorite band I just knew that underneath all that makeup Paul Stanley was the cutest one (uh, not so sure now). So to say that I don’t know the KISS songs or to pretend that I am so transformed would be untrue. It’s nostalgia. And to counter the nerd factor of my confession, I haven’t yet to this day heard a KISS song transformed to elevator music. So there!
The show is funny because Gene Simmons lives anything but the rocker lifestyle I imagined at all. He is a workaholic who lives in a beautiful house (the parquet floors are to die for) with a normal family (okay, in today’s society normal not Christian normal) and he talks to his dog and loves his mother. He is savvy business man who is always making deals and yet he has a soft spot in his heart for his family. I cried when he visited the Vet Hospital and talked to the soldiers who were there being treated, and laughed out loud when he tried to do Marine training. I watched through my hands at his plastic surgery and smirked at his recovery. Last Sunday was the season finale. In that episode his 16 year-old daughter had a sleepover, got an emergency call from a friend and stole the family car to go get her. Gene finds out and sets out to find her. It struck me funny as just the night before I had asked my husband, “Where are the fathers? We need dads to stand up for their daughters.” I found one. They may call him demon but he shows a lot more godly principles than a lot of us Christians out there. He doesn’t drink or smoke nor does he promote it. Plus, he loves his dog Skippy who looks a lot like Lu!
In a world full of scandalous behavior and bad examples, I have to say this family is doing well. We see a Hollywood family who looks very normal. So today, I am confessing that I am a Gene Simmons Family Jewel fan. I am not, however, like his number one fan AT ALL. I saw that episode. Now that guy was a total nerd.
I love the Dove pro age campaign. I was one who had a problem with the term anti-aging, the alternative being grim. While I don’t want to look or feel old I am not ready to die either. Do you ever just take a long look in the mirror and see how your body is changing? For me ,over the last year or so, I’ve seen some major changes. In the past, weight being so easy to maintain is becoming a struggle. My gynecologist says <em>at my age</em> I have to double my workout routine. I have to be honest and say I don’t feel old enough to be a woman who “at my age” comments need to be made.
I see little lines beginning to form on my face and my skin beginning to feel like my moms. I had to laugh when a man came to me after church service. He said that he had to give me credit because when I raised my arms my skin doesn’t flop around like other women my age. (There’s that at your age comment again)! Uh, I didn’t know what to say to that. Thanks? Do you ever wish people had a filter?
I don’t know if I’ll ever have plastic surgery. I am not against it, I’m just scared to have surgery but will vanity outweigh fear at some point? I can’t say for sure. Age has taught me to never say never. (Okay, now I’m doing the “at my age” stuff). For now, I am perplexed and sometimes a little freaked out over the changes I see. I have gray hair coming in. Not a lot so far, I have seen about a dozen strands but they are there nevertheless, my stylist calls them “the nine”. So I have to keep my hair appointments going so they don’t show. Thank you Jesus that dye was created!
I am learning not to take my body for granted anymore. I am trying to eat better, exercise more and take life a little easier. In my mind I don’t feel old though. I guess I am beginning to understand why my mom randomly says, “How is it that I have a daughter who is 44?” Age just creeps up on you.
When I look at the lines that are beginning to appear I have to say I have earned them. Life hasn’t been easy but it’s been an adventure. So many people come to Christ expecting that it’s like finding a genie in a bottle. Problem with that is that the bible doesn’t say life will be a piece of cake, it says to gain your life you have to lose your life. Sounds complicated but it really isn’t. You just begin to live for things outside of yourself. You begin to focus on the bigger picture. Suddenly it’s not all about you.
In this picture I look comfortable with myself even though I have no makeup on. I struggled whether to post it or not because it’s not my best look but whatever. To me, I look like I’ve figured out who I am. I have learned to be at peace with myself. I look at my eyes in this picture and it looks to me like I have a secret of well-being and a sense of humor. Here’s the secret: Life is meant to be lived, not to be observed, so make the very best of each situation. Trials and heartache are going to come but God was right when he said this too shall pass. I’ll leave you with this question. One year ago today what were you worried about? Most of the time, we don’t even remember what it was but at the time it was super important. So just enjoy your life. How’s that for a woman my age?
My life ain’t that bad. I’m in Texas as I write, so I thought I’d use their vernacular. I am here on unpleasant business. My brother-in-law, my husband’s only sibling has passed away at the age of 39. We are here to attend the services and to attend to my in-laws.
It is in moments like these when you realize how fragile life is. You are handed a measure of days long before you ever existed. The key is to make the most of those days. Rodney Young was a man that when we thought about it, we couldn’t think of a single person who disliked him. Everyone thought he was a good guy. He left behind my nephew Nathaniel who is 12. Nathaniel looks exactly like his father. Rodney was separated from his wife, Tawana, for a couple of years now, yet interestingly enough, they had been talking recently and he died in her mother’s home on a visit to see Tawana and Nathaniel. Life has a way doesn’t it, of teaching us about wasted time?
Rodney had called my husband, the day before he died. Doug had missed the call as we had taken the kids to Six Flags Great America and we didn’t hear it ring. The message was simple, “Hey bro, just calling to check on you and tell you I love you.” Doug called him back later that evening but Rodney didn’t answer. The last message Doug left was, “Tag you’re it. This is my second call to you. Love you.” He never got the chance to answer.
My in-laws are devastated. I have never lost a child but it’s so unnatural to do so, that it is must be a shock to the heart. We all think our child will bury us so it seems out of order. When it happens out of the blue, the reaction is even worse I presume, as there is no time for the brain to prepare.
My brother-in-law was a super nice guy. My husband and he were really close. Doug being the older brother by six years, always looked after his brother. Rodney would call Doug for advice and when they lived in the same town as we did, Rodney would be over our home often.
Today, I am grateful for my life for I don’t know when it will be my final day. I presume to think that I will be an old woman one day, but that may not be the will of God. So we need to live each day to fullest. We need to touch the lives of others. We need to talk to them about Jesus and we need to recognize that when the bible says our lives are but a vapor, it really means just that.
Today I am grateful for my family. I have a good man who calls me his wife and who would swim through shark infested waters to bring me a lemonade. I have my kids , two of whom live on their own, aren’t on the streets and love the Lord. I have a great job that I enjoy and good friends and family. What are you grateful for? Take a good assessment of that. You’ll be glad you did.
As the TLC summer series comes to a close it’s time once again to set the vision for the new year and to remind the women who are a part of TLC about what our goals were from the start.
Transforming Life Center was started with the premise that once we were born again, we had to learn to live a new life in Christ. This meant we had to leave a lot of the things we knew before behind so that we could learn new things that would take us to the purpose and plan of who we are.
Romans 12:2-And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:2 is the verse that carries our ministry forward. Our goal in everything we do is to move forward and forget those things that are behind us. In dealing with our pasts once and for all, we then put it behind us as it no longer defines us. Then, applying those things we have learned, we move forward, becoming more aware of who God is and what he is doing in our lives. We aren’t about becoming the Church Ladies, there are enough of those already, we are about becoming disciples of Christ.
So what does TLC have in store for this next year of study?
We have four bible studies coming up. We are continual learners and we have a desire to know God more intimately day by day.
We have a conference to plan that is just around the corner. This is a lot of work for us but the end result is that the word goes forth and women’s lives are transformed by the messages that the speakers have for us!
We have a scholarship that we are going to give to a deserving senior this next year. We have got to begin to put our words into action. If in fact, we are students for life then we place a high value on education and we will put our efforts where our mouth is.
We are mentoring the youth and college-aged women who are coming up behind us. We have a class set up for them that is being put together as we speak. We are taking the charge in Titus of the older women teaching the younger and applying it where it is most needed our youth girls.
We are going to work closely with Moms Against Hunger to help feed the world.
We have a “detergent ministry” where we go to the laundromats around town and distribute detergent.
Finally, this year, we are adopting a child from Compassion Ministries whom we will support with gifts and letters.
Our mandate is big this year but our hearts are strengthened by the word that has already gone forth and been implanted into our ministry. We are pregnant with vision, power, prophesy and courage as we move forward in the new endeavors of this year!
I am proud of these women and look forward to a destiny and purpose that we may think we know but watch God blow our minds!
I am so not a morning person. I am not a person who looks at a sunrise in wonder, unless I’ve been up all night and wonder how it happened :), and I wake up and plead with my family not to speak. Please be quiet, please. My husband wakes up and smiles and asks how I am. My normal response usually is, “I don’t know”, while the filter that keeps me from speaking the rest of the statement, “how do you think I am? I’m tired, I’m cranky, leave me alone” kicks in and I leave the room.
So this morning when I woke up for the second day in a row to kids fighting and yelling, I was not a happy camper. I had a full day ahead of me with work and the TLC meeting and I did not need this. I got up, got dressed, took a moment to make my to do list and out the door I went. Once a week I hit Starbucks. I used to go everyday but at 3 bucks a pop, it becomes an expensive habit so I treat myself once a week, with the agreement, in my mind of course, that if someone buys me a Starbucks during the week, I don’t refuse it, but I don’t go back to buy one. Today I decided was the day for this week. I needed a coffee fix.
I wait in a forever drive-thru line, listening to cheery Christian music, but not feeling it. It is so slow that I could have brewed the coffee myself. I get up to the window and a guy with a tongue ring that is annoyingly clicking on his teeth, asks me what I ordered. He explains that he “literally” just got there and is totally confused. I tell him I ordered a black coffee and a scone. I think to myself, a fellow non-morning person! He looks around confused, grabs a cup and my scone and says, “You know what? Forget it! I seriously don’t know what is what yet, so I am not going to ring you up. It’s on us this morning, have a great day!”
Suddenly, I am awake and happy! I give the guy a tip and drive off. I don’t believe in accidents, I don’t believe in coincidence or by chance moments. I believe my day is ordered and designed by God when I allow it to be. Even though I had only had a brief conversation with God that morning, seriously brief and terribly lacking I must confess it was pretty normal and typical for our relationship. In fact, my first words to God was when I was in my car and I noticed my rose bushes were blooming beautifully. I said, “Thanks God for a beautiful home and a beautiful life. Help me today.” THAT WAS IT! It was a typical Susan speaks to God first thing in the morning conversation. He knows I don’t really speak until after 10 am and it wasn’t even 9 yet. Today He decided that I needed to see the beauty in the world first thing in the morning, and honestly for me to notice anything in the morning is truly THE MIRACLE today.
So he gave me a little blessing here and there. Beautiful blooming roses, red, white and pink and free hot black Starbucks coffee and a scone, which by the way, I rebuked the calories, not sure if that works or not but I do it all the same.
I was smart enough to see his hand in it and I am praying that you see the little blessings he brings your way daily and are wise enough to acknowledge them. Don’t miss the beauty of the Lord. I went straight to the office and turned on the old Desperation Band CD I’ve been listening to and forwarded to Amazed whose lyrics I post here as I sat down and drank my free coffee and scone and quietly woke up to a beautiful day and those little blessings.
Pastor Susan 