ARBORing Bitterness

At camp, I met a gentleman who, when not spending time with 10-year-old campers, is a professional arborist, a tree specialist.


I asked for some advice on planting trees in our front yard.  He discouraged me from one I had originally planned, saying that such foliage is prone to "boring."  Stupidly, I thought to myself, "they are beautiful; there is nothing boring about them.  Sensing my confusion, he explained that boring is when beetles dig into a tree and cause damage, often when a tree is under stress.


I asked how one might alleviate the chances of a beetle attack.  He said to keep the tree healthy - provide plenty of water, avoid physical damage including freezing, and discourage transplanting.  Also, owners should inspect the tree often for sawdust remnants and green frass (excrement) which are signs that beetles have made their way into the tree.


Such beetles can be undetected for a long time due to the fact that they are most active in the internal wood of a tree.


I could not help but see the parallel.  When are we most likely to sin?  When under stress, we leave ourselves "open" for Satan to attack our hearts and integrity.  Such unhealthy choices can go undetected by others, but it does not mean we are healthy.  There are signs of damage, but only God can do a restorative work in us.


When trees suffer from "boring", if the damage is too great, the three must be cut down in order to protect the other trees in a yard.  Fortunately for us, God's healing does not include a hatchet!


Are you hungry?  Angry? Lonely? Tired?  Are you under stress?  Are you giving Satan the opportunity to get the upper hand in your attitude?  Your circumstances?  Your life?


Don't be bored.  Literally. 


Grow in His grace and sink your roots deep in His love,


Amberly

Crown Molding

My family has been watching a television series on Netflix.  The series, albeit wrought with cheesy lines, computer-generated characters, and silliness, delights everyone in our house.  It is called "Merlin" and is loosely based on the characters of Camelot.


At this point in our viewing, Morgana, the ward of King Uther Pendragon, has plans to destroy Camelot.  The king is completely oblivious to this fact and we have had to endure her bad acting and TONS of episodes that pointed to her guilt, but the king seems not to notice.


It has been driving me crazy.  The king turns a blind eye to her evil, probably because she is his daughter (a plot twist we discover in season three).  He is inactive and weak because of his love for this woman and her charm.  It is not fair and frankly, painful.  DOES HE NOT SEE?


I feel this way sometimes in the world.  Political and church leaders who are lazy, corrupt, and deceiving others make me crazy.  Why?  Because they are permitted to continue to keep their position.  In some cases, they are promoted to higher positions despite their blatant disregard for integrity because they are charming.


The fact is, sometimes I question God.  Why?  Do You not see?   I mean, of course, I know You see.  But why are You so inactive?  Where are the lightening bolts reserved for such rotten people?


Unlike the bumbling king in our series, God is the Almighty King and He DOES see.  And He is NEVER inactive.  His heart does not blind Him, it allows Him to see things perfectly.

Psalm 33:11 "But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations."

The problem is me.  My lack of trust.  My lack of faith in His timing, His justice.


I need to remind myself every day that His grace abounds for me as well... I need to remain His humble servant or I am no better than any other.


Amberly

SURPRISE!

When my dad wanted to surprise us with something big, he would often have us close our eyes, take his hand, and follow him to the gift.  We blindly followed his voice and tug of his hand.


Once we reached the destination, he would ask us to open our eyes.  My dad was a great fan of giving gifts and he relished each response and squeal of delight.


In our house, we have had a rough couple of months.


We lost Scott's mom over the summer.  It was a great shock and blow and frankly, I am still in a bit of denial over how that vibrant, healthy, life-filled woman could be gone.


Then we received word that due to a drop in enrollment at my husband's school, his schedule has been reduced to part-time.  No benefits, no tuition breaks, no nothing.  He is crushed and I am actually hacked off.  I am trying to be the dutiful employee's wife, but I am disappointed BIG TIME.  Not in my husband, but in the situation.


And then it hit me.  God promises: "I know the plans I have for you - plans to give you a hope and a future, plans to prosper you and not to harm you...".  Notice He does not promise that WE will know the plans He has for us; it sounds like  to a giant surprise from Heaven to me. :)


Right now, I feel like we are in the dark a bit regarding our future, but this much I know: if we hold tightly to the hand of our Father, He will lead us where we need to go.


After all, my Heavenly Father is also a great fan of giving gifts....


Amberly

Holding Pattern

It is time for yet another lesson from the gym.


I know that some of you think that the best lesson from the gym is to avoid it altogether, but this last week, I learned something new.


The new trainer with whom I am working has started a new pattern in my routine.  He has incorporated a "holding pattern" in my weight training.  My workout partners and I have to "hold" in a neutral position the same amount of time we are lifting the weights.


It does not seem like this would be hard, but the holding is often more difficult than the weight lifting itself.  I am much more sore the next day after such a workout.  I am certain that I am stronger as well because of it.


This is true in my spiritual life as well.  I think "holding patterns" are MUCH harder than times of action.  I think that is why there are so many instances of the word "wait" in the Bible (129).


One such example is Psalm 27:14.   "Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."


I think it is brilliant that sandwiched between the call to wait is the call to be strong.  Why?  Because the Psalmist knew it would take strength to be in a holding pattern.


Are you in a holding pattern with God?  Is He calling you to wait on Him in the situation you are currently facing? 


The process will make you stronger (and possibly a bit sore).


Amberly

Tick Tock

I love 24.


I admit it.


I know it is fraught with violence, stress, spicy language, and a high body count, but it is just so much fun.


It is fun to leave housework and the demands of the day for 42 minutes (we watch it without commercials) and whisk away to (in this season), to England to watch Jack Bauer save the day.


Genesis 6:9 "This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God."


Jack Bauer makes the most of the time he has.  Noah clearly made the most of the time he had as well; so much so that the people that lived at the same time were struck by his righteousness.


Although I will never save the day, I hope that God uses me to display His glory through a righteousness life and a life marked by a faithful walk.


Tick Tock...


Amberly

Ick on a plate

Yesterday, I found an article in the Huffington Post that talked about the 10 disgusting things we eat of which we may or may not be aware.  Secretions from the anus of beavers is one of them - seems it is used in vanilla flavored items.  I am not excited about consuming beaver ANYTHING much less  stuff from its back end.


Ugh.  I have resolved to never eat anything that might closely resemble vanilla flavored from now on.


Does this ever happen to you?  You are made aware of something and it strengthens your resolve to avoid something for a time, although often we "return to our folly" or in this case, our vanilla flavoring.


I want to be stronger than that.  I want my resolutions to be resolute.  I want all the vanilla items in my life to be legitimate.


I am glad that God never goes back on His promises.  He never resolves to do something only to fail when tempted. 


He is good.  Even when I am weak. :)

Psalm 89:2 "I will declare that your love stands firm forever, that you have established your faithfulness in heaven itself."

Blessings!  Amberly


Just in case you are interested, the article can be found at:  Gross foods
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/gross-food-ingredients/

LENTrance

Years ago, early in my teaching assignment at a Lutheran School, I had an interesting epiphany.

On one particular day, a teaching peer was walking down the hall.  This beautiful woman was also one of my daughter's first grade teachers and I respect her like crazy.  It was my admiration for her that behooved me to let her know when something was awry.

She had a large smudge on her forehead.  It looked like pencil or dark chalk.  Right in the middle of her forehead.  Before she walked into class, I managed to get her attention and tell her about the smudge by rubbing my forehead.  She politely smiled and said, "It is Ash Wednesday".  Ugh.  How embarrassing.

After correcting me, she entered the classroom.  She said that as soon as she walked in, a beautiful blond 6 year-old (my daughter) looked up and whispered, "Mrs. Fortnum" and rubbed her forehead.

She admitted that although we are terrible Lutherans, she discovered that we are good friends that day.

Friends are willing to point out smudges and missteps.  They let you know about the broccoli in your teeth and love you enough to tell you the truth.

I am blessed to have some of those friends in my life.  Truth tellers.

The conversations we share are not always painless, but they make me stronger.

Business guru, Ken Blanchard once said, "Feedback is the breakfast of champions".

I pray that you have friends who give you feedback and make you a better person.

By the way, happy Ash Wednesday.

Amberly