Praying for Peace

With the actions of Russia last week and continuing, our world faces war once again. It doesn't feel so good. There is anxiety and fear and prayers for peace. Yet it goes on with no consideration of our feelings. War is a scary thing even when we aren't involved directly. There is fear of another world war. We pray that never happens again.

We Americans have enjoyed peace for a little while; a long while on our own land. We are so fortunate. Peace is a wonderful thing. We don't appreciate it when we have it, only long for it when it isn't here.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid," (John 14:27 NIV).

When I was a teenager the Vietnam War was in progress and the draft was active. John's number came up and he had to take a bus, loaded with other drafted young men, to Des Moines where they were processed for eligibility. Only a few were excused. John came back home expecting a call to serve at any time. 

Fortunately for us the draft stopped before getting to his number. We were so thankful. We are still thankful for whatever peace our land can experience.

As this new war rages in the Ukraine, we pray for the people of that land and that the Russians will quit their invasion. May there be peace again in the Ukraine.

Please pray with me for peace. 

Public Speaking

 One of my fears is speaking in public. Lots of people have the same fear, I believe. There is something about standing in front of people and looking at all those judging faces, that just makes my knees wobble and my hands shake. I don't remember much about high school speech class except for the wobbling and shaking, but college speech was a different story.

Speech class is required for most college students and I think that is a good thing. I decided to get it over while in my two years at community college. I thought the audience would be smaller. That didn't make it easier. 

I remember practicing in empty classrooms for hours before speech class. Trying to know my subject well enough to have good eye contact with the audience. I still struggled to feel calm and not wobble or shake. I don't remember what I spoke about but I did get an "A" in the class. I think we had to give seven speeches during the semester. 

I wish I would have remembered the following scripture. I might have been able to lose the wobble and shaking if only I had remembered this passage.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me," (Galatians 2:20 NIV). 

Next time, if there is a next time, I'll try to remember it is Christ in me that gives me strength and courage for the speech. If He is in me, I can certainly lose the wobble and shake. Thank you, Jesus. 

Steps to a Long Life

Yesterday it was warm enough for a walk outside in Iowa in February. John and I like to walk around our neighborhood. There are good sidewalks and some walking paths that we take advantage of, mostly during the spring, summer, and fall. We aren't cold weather walkers. 

Yesterday I realized I watch my feet too much. I spend too much time watching for uneven concrete slabs that might make me stumble. Even though I hold on to John's arm most of the time, I guess I am afraid of falling or maybe overly cautious. By looking at my feet I miss all the other sights of the neighborhood.

Walking is great exercise and it is a way to enjoy good weather. Walking gets your heart rate up when you add a little speed. It also makes it possible to appreciate nature. You can observe the stages of the seasons and the beauty of the sky, especially during the times of sunrise and sunset. That's what I like most about walking.

God spoke to Solomon in a dream about walking. "And if you walk in my ways and obey my statutes and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life," (1 Kings 3:14 NIV).

The scripture verse is a good message for us, too. We should walk in God's ways and obey His commands as David did, and we will have a long life. 

If you are able to walk, I encourage you to use walking as exercise. It is easy and fun. But if you aren't able to walk, maybe you can just sit outside and soak in the elements of God's world when the weather is nice. We can all walk in God's ways, as David did, and it will give us a long life. Happy walking.

A House or a Home

John and I have lived in four houses during our marriage. That's probably an average amount. How many have you lived in? 

Our first home was a mobile home, brand new, fresh with the smell of new paneling. It was long and narrow with two bedrooms. It was a nice start. We lived in a mobile home court in Marshalltown for about seven months then moved it out to an acreage near my parents home where we lived for 15 years. We had a garden and planted many trees.

Next we moved to a nearly new house in State Center. It had a huge yard that was beautiful and we had a garden. We were neighbors to the nursing home and just across the street a ways was the high school. It was a nice house but I wasn't happy living in town, even though we were on the edge of town. We lived there five years and planted many trees.

Our next move was to a dream-come-true acreage between State Center and Marshalltown. We had 18 acres of land and a nearly new house with three bedrooms. The best part was the acreage. We had a little shed that was just right to start our sheep flock for the boys' 4-H projects. The yard was awful. There was no yard really, just a mess of weeds and broken concrete and as we soon found out the water ran down the hill into the basement. We has so much work to do there, still we were very happy there and planted many trees. We lived there 25 years adding three huge buildings for storage of hay and for the flock of 50 sheep.

Our final move was to our current house in Ankeny where we planned to be near the grandchildren in Grimes and retire. The brand new house met all my requirements and John was satisfied with it. The house is comfortable and has a small yard and we have good neighbors. The grandchildren part only worked for a year or two when a job offer changed the location of our son and his family. They moved to North Carolina then to Virginia where they are settled now. It's a long drive for a visit now so we usually fly.

"In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you," (John 14:2 NIV).

We don't have to worry about where we will live in the future. I'm thankful that Jesus has that all planned. May we enjoy our earthly dwellings and rejoice in the home that is guaranteed for us one day.

Happy Valentine's Day

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails," (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 NIV).  

This scripture is popular at Christian weddings and a wonderful reminder of what love is all about and what it isn't about. Love is honest and true. Love is pure of heart and true of mind. Love is always comfortable and warm. Love brings happiness to the soul.

All the years I was working John sent me flowers on Valentine's Day. People would come by my desk just to see what he sent that year. They were always beautiful and extravagant and a reminder of my one true love.

John and I started dating in September of 1972. John was persistent. I wasn't so sure but he quickly won me over with his confident ways. He drove a sharp gold Mustang that made a lot of noise. I could hear him drive a mile away. We got engaged at Christmas time and were married the next October.

John is patient and kind. He is not rude or easily angered. He celebrates the truth and always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. His love never fails. I'm so blessed.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Be a Perfect You

I enjoy watching the Olympics. I have so much compassion for the participants who spend so much of their lives preparing to compete. Yet, they often have just minutes to succeed or fail at their chosen sport.

I especially love the stories shared about the participants and the hardships they have endured. One skier recently lost her father, the one who always took pictures of her racing. Another skier spent months recovering from surgery on a knee. One of the snowboard competitors was in a horrific car accident and spent months recovering from serious injuries. He found new freedom and joy in snowboarding after his recovery.

Some of the Olympians spend time away from their families so they can practice their sport. Many travel to where the snow is best year round so they can continue to practice. Years of strength training and practicing their sport dedicates their lives to one thing, all for a few minutes in competition that can end in failure or success. Then they wait four years for their next chance to compete, working on their sport continually.

"We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check," (James 3:2 NIV).

We know that being perfect is next to impossible, yet in the Olympics some of the athletes show us perfection in their sport. It is amazing. It makes me wish I could be perfect at anything yet, I must resolve to be a perfect 'me'. That's all God asks of us.

Winter Memories

I grew up in a huge farmhouse that was heated by a coal and wood burning furnace in the basement. There were radiators in every room filled with water that heated up when the furnace produced heat. There was a coal room where we stored a load of coal and chopped wood. It was a great feeling when the coal room was full. We were ready for winter.

The radiators were wonderful when they were warm. On the first floor the radiators were knee high and perfect for sitting on. They often got too hot to sit on so blankets were often used as a cushion. Upstairs the radiators were elbow high, just right to dry clothes on or warm school clothes before wearing. My mother lived all her years without a clothes dryer. She hung things outside in the summer and hung them inside to dry in the winter.

Unfortunately you had to build a fire for there to be heat in the house and often the fire went out before morning. That meant getting up to cold rooms and cold radiators. Dad would start a fire when he got up and eventually it warmed up the radiators and then the house.

Daddy tended to overcompensate when company was coming. He would heat up the house too much and the family gathering would be toasty before long. Many times we had to prop open a door or open windows to make it bearable. Daddy was never bothered by too much heat. He was comfortable. 

God promised Noah, "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease," (Genesis 8:22 NIV). 

God promised there will be a change of seasons so we can expect winter to come to an end and spring to arrive, according to His plan. God gave us hope.

Listen to God

Today's news is full of reasons to be anxious and fearful. There is the COVID variant that is running rampant through many areas of the country. There is the Soviet Union's threat over the Ukraine creating unrest among all the countries that care. Then there is the volatile stock market that has investors troubled. And the groundhog saw his shadow so there will be six more weeks of winter.

That is enough to cause anyone to be fearful. But remember Who is in charge. God. We can depend on Him through everything we face in this life. He is there for us. Scripture tells us that all we need to do is listen to Him.

"But whoever listens to me will live in safety and be at ease, without fear of harm." (Proverbs 1:33 NIV). 

If we listen to God we will live in safety and without harm. Scripture also tells us we can shed our burden upon the Lord and if we humble ourselves before Him, He will save us just in time.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:6-7 NIV)

May your day be anxiety free and filled with safety! Trust in our Savior and relax in His open arms of love.