Beware the Ides of March!

March is an interesting month, isn't it? St. Louis has two St. Patrick's Day Parades, one on the weekend and the real one in Dogtown (yes, Dogtown, a small suburb of St. Louis). Chicago even turns its river green for the occassion.

Daylight Savings time, the first day of spring, spring breaks, and of course, the Ides of March also occur this month. In high school Latin class (in the old days, they taught Latin in school), we made much of going around saying, "Beware the Ides of March are upon you!" or "Et tu, Brute?"

Today, as I shared the Julius Ceasar story with my 9-yr. old, she was amazed how Julius Ceasar ignored all the warning signs and opportunities to save himself (according to the Shakespeare version, of course).

Yet, this morning, I wonder about my own warnings God has given me. He has clearly asked me to seek Him first, yet as I start my new part-time job, I admit, I have not been in His Word as often or even FIRST thing in the morning as usual. I do not want to slip back into old patterns of making God second in my life, or giving him less of my time. He has been so patient with me this past year. He is so good. He is so loving. I do not want to fail Him in this area.

Join me today, on the Ides of March, won't you, in reflecting on our own walk with Jesus and what warnings He has put in place for us to follow, for our own good, and not for evil.

For His glory,
Gretchen

"But I Look Weird!"

It is 70 degrees outside as I type this.
We have not been outside to enjoy the spring day.
Instead, we are inside the house dealing with the aftermath of my daughter having 5 teeth pulled this morning at the oral surgeon's.

The laughing gas has had the opposite effect on our little girl. Instead of giggling as I witnessed other patients doing who were gingerly guided out the recovery room, my daughter is crying. She is crying about anything and everything. We have been doing this for seven hours.

In addition, she can only eat cold things. My daughter does not like cold things. She does not like ice cream, pudding, jello, applesauce, or yogurt. Those items I have never been able to get her excited about eating. She cries if I offer any of those items. She cries because she is hungry. She cries because the television is boring. She cries because the sun is shining. She cries because I am not rocking her. She cries if I am rocking her.

Whew!

Just when I thought I could stop the cold compresses and thought she was coming around, she started crying again.
"Why are you upset, Honey?" (Yes, I actually was able to say, "HONEY," sweetly after a long day of tears.)
"I llllllooook weird!!!!!"

I have to admit, when she smiles, I see two large front teeth and a mouth now missing all the baby teeth surrounding the two front ones. It does appear a bit weird to see her smile change so drastically so quickly.

Of course, to me, she is beautiful! I tell her this is just for a short while until her other teeth grow in. Her mouth was just too small for all her teeth, and she needed room according to the othodontist. I tell her this is temporary. Some day she will have straight, beautiful teeth, and not even remember this day with all its pain and tears.

Then I hear the whisper, "Just like you, Gretchen, just like you and me."

Yes, I get it. Sometimes I look in the mirror and think, "Another weird criss-cross of wrinkles has appeared on my face overnight. I look so weird!"

Like mothers see their children, God sees us as beautiful, so beautiful as we work to reflect Jesus' love and light, as we work to seek Him daily.

All these wrinkles, pains, and tears are temporary, aren't they? Some day it will be perfect, just like my daughter's beautiful smile.

For His glory,
Gretchen

Deer in Headlights!

Have you ever had that moment? That "Deer-Caught-in-Headlights" moment?

Unprepared
Panicky
Anxious
Scared


It happened to me today.

Today, my Bible study friends and I were celebrating the end of a 7-month journey through learning how to Break Free of strongholds in our lives. Isaiah 61:1-4 was our song. All dressed up (yes, I showered even) and ready for a last luncheon, I got comfortable in my chair, ready for Beth Moore's parting words to all the ladies gathered.

Then the call came. My phone vibrated (yes, I remembered to turn it off during the video of Beth). Picking it up, I heard news I had prayed would be delayed. My new temporary job was to start within an hour.

Within an hour?
It was not supposed to start until March 28th!

The teacher I am going to substitute for until the end of the year needed to go on bed rest NOW. She was experiencing labor pains.

I was not ready. I needed a little more time to be comfortable with the hardware, the software, the schedule, the names of the students, the system.... In addition my husband went out of town today. I have no help for the errands for my daughter. I have doctors' appointments scheduled, a kitchen being gutted in my home...car appointments...all of this was going to be taken care of by March 28! How in the world can I do this on short notice?

Then it hit me. That whisper of a voice in my mind, firm, but loving.

"Gretchen, I have been preparing you for these moments for over a year. You like to control your life so much. You plan and plan. Haven't you learned anything? That teacher's baby is coming on MY time, not yours. You are ready, as ready as ever, because you are finally learning to trust in Me. Let me do this with you today. Let go of this stronghold. Trust me."

So I left the last luncheon celebration, not even able to say good-bye to the many new friends I had made over 7 months. I rushed to the school.

And you know what?

God did it! I was still standing at 3:15.
I can do this one day at a time.
It wasn't easy. It might never be easy.

-But God is walking me through it!

How about you? What are your deer-in-headlights times? Are you ready to trust Him?

I hope so. Also, please, pray for me and for the teacher and her baby as well as for the young people as I help them end their school year successfully.

Blessings,
Gretchen

Virus Attack!

Wow! It is so great to be back!
I can not tell you how much I realize I depend upon my computer until it is gone!
Here I was researching lesson ideas from a teacher website last Saturday night, and my computer shut down with a virus attack.
For the price of another computer and a 5-day wait, I am now able to have my "stuff" restored.
Ironically, guess what I was studying at the time in God's Word?
"Peace is his whose mind is stayed on Thee."
I was reading all about how important it is NOT to worry and to be anxious. I was feeling pretty sure of myself in this area. I had truly bathed in the Scriptures daily for the past several months. I talked to God. I sang to God. I felt like I had this "worry thing" under control.
BAM! "Your computer is being attacked. Someone is tring to find your identity. Shut it down now."

Do you think those words put fear in my heart? When I could not even turn it on without the virus popping up, I really had to pray, pray, pray. I prayed for God's protection, for safety for my family, for even healing of the computer (I mean He can do anything, right? Right!).

I then realized how prone to fear and worry I still was, no, AM. There was this stronghold, as Beth Moore would say, staring right at me. It was so ugly, too!

I prayed all night, every time my computer came to my mind. I read the Bible.

The next day, my study was all about the importance of giving THANKS in ALL things. Augh.
So I thanked God for taking away my ability to blog, see how others are doing on facebook, check e-mails, research more ideas, connect via technology.

On top of it all, my allergies started. For those of you without allergies, say thanks right now. It is like having strep throat for 8 long weeks. Every cold snap just prolongs the pollen reaction, too.

I felt like I was being hit by a virus in body as well. My allergy medications no longer seemed to work, and a visit to the doctor was required.

Again, each morning, I searched for ways to tell God thanks for the allergies. I thought, what if this is the way I am all the time, the rest of my life? Constant runny nose, chapped lips, raw throat, stuffy head, pounding temples, dry eyes....then I told God, OK. If that is the case, then I know He will help me through it and do my best for Him, somehow, some way.

So, here I am....sniff...sniff...cough...cough. Virus free though.
Praise God for revealing to me yet another area of life to give to Him as He prepares me for my continual walk with Him.

Praise God for spring with all its pollen because it is a reminder of hope of new life and beauty, even after the pollen has settled.

Praise God for you, Dear Reader. You are shining His light as you patiently read this little devotional.

May His peace be yours today as you fix your mind on Him,
Gretchen

Whine Into Water (yes, typo intended)

Most of us know about the first miracle Jesus performed in His ministry. In John 2: 1-11, Jesus's mother, Mary, asks her son to help the hosts of the wedding solve a major faux paus for their culture. There is not enough wine for the guests. I love it that Mary goes to her son to ask for help. I do not doubt for a moment that Mary forgot who this amazing person was, yet she was still His mother and did not hesitate to ask for His help.

Jesus even cautions His mother, "Dear woman, why do you involve me? My time has not yet come."

Mary doesn't miss a beat though. She turns to the servants and says, "Do whatever He tells you." She submits to Her son's approach and has faith that whatever method He uses will be right.

She was right, too. The wine Jesus created was not just any wine. The master of the banquet questioned the bridegroom because he did not know from where the new wine came. He said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink, but you have save the best till now." Jesus' wine was the best.

Jesus provided for the needs of the groom and bride. He provided the best for them.

Today, I was challenged to look at my desert times of life. In context of Exodus as the Israelites left Eygpt, they took with them gold, silver, jewelry, clothing, and oil given from the Eygptians. They had spent over 400 years in slavery with very little of their own possessions.

When God's timing came ("He remembered his children"), the Israelites left with plunder beyond their imaginations. Later in Exodus, God asks for that plunder to become an offering for His glory.

Like the Israelites, after battling the areas of slavery in my life, after my desert times, what is the plunder God has given me? One author encouraged me to write the plunder or riches of God I gained as a result of those times.

I was amazed by the list. Included in my list were my daughter, adopted from China late in my life, and having time to know and believe God more deeply.

Amazing!

Yet, like the Israelites I admit I often whined in the desert. (Yes, whined. You are seeing the connection and play on words now aren't you? I knew you would.)

Praise God for performing yet another miracle. He plans are the best for me. His plans are for good, not evil. He took my WHINING and turned it into water, water for a planting of oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor (Isaiah 61).

What about you? What riches have resulted from your desert times of life? How has God transformed your own whine into praise? Join with me today in thanking Him for continuing to transform.

For His glory,
Gretchen

In the Shadow of Your wings...

Dear Reader, be patient with me tonight. Someone needs this Scripture and picture. I don't know which one of you or why, but here it is.

This morning during my Bible study time this Scripture from Psalm 63: 7-8 really stuck out in my mind. As I reviewed other Scriptures I kept hearing the phrase over and over like music, "sing in the shadow of His wings." I thought what a picture of this earthly life.

We are asked to give thanks in all things even though we can not see the reasons why or the hows or the face of God. Often though, we see the shadow of His love through nature, through friends and neighbors, through family, through His Word.

So for someone who is needing encouragement tonight, or perhaps God is preparing me for such a time, remember, "O Lord, because You are my help, I sing in the shadow of Your wings. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me" (Psalm 63:7-8).

Sing, sweet Sister in Christ. If only just to make Satan unhappy and to please God, sing. You are not alone. You are in the shadow of His wings.

For His Glory,
Gretchen

THE AWAKENING!

I just came from listening to yet another wonderful lesson from Kelly Matthews, a speaker for JOY Bible study in the St. Louis area. She always challenges women of all ages and walks of life as we pray to discover God's will for us.

Today she shared the image of a work of art unveiled not too long ago in Chesterfield, Missouri,called "The Awakening." Kelly was present when the unveiling occurred and talked about the mixed reactions of people gathered around the statue.

"What in the world? Why did we spend good taxpayer money on this?"
"Is he being pushed into the ground or being lifted out?"
"Is this a spiritual comment?"

I personally enjoy the work because I see it in context of truly awakening this year spiritually. God is doing so much in my walk with Him. I am so very grateful.

Much like the picture though, my own awakening isn't pretty. My face may have shown anger at times, grief, sadness, confusion, and even surprise. My hands, unlike the picture, were often clenched and my heart closed.

-But thank God for His patience as He pulls me out of the strongholds of life to new life with Him, to a new perspective.

Thanks, Kelly, for sharing God's Word with so many women this morning.
Thank you, God, for desiring me so much that you patiently tug and tug at my heart for An Awakening.

What about you? Is your spirit awake today or are you going through the motions? Have some quiet time with Him no matter how busy your schedule, won't you? He waits to awaken your soul and commune with you today.

For His glory,
Gretchen