Dusty Bibles - Dirty Lives

  I recently read the book 'More Than A Carpenter' by Josh McDowell and, though the whole book was amazing, the introduction written by Jim Hermanson was what impacted me the most.

  Hermanson tells a short story of his daughter and son-in-law, who were killed in a tragic runaway-truck accident in 1995.  The young couple, Steve and Anne Duke, left behind a legacy that was worthy enough to belong in the first few pages of this best-selling book.  However, if you try to Google search their names, or Jim Hermanson, you won't find them.  Why?  Because they were just ordinary people like you and me.

  Hermanson writes of the day when he and his wife had to dismantle their deceased daughter's home.  He tells of how simply and clean they lived and that their home and belongings reflected their lives.  They found Bible verses taped on the bathroom mirror, various journals and bible studies that were underlined, written in and well worn, and even found 7 copies of Josh McDowell's book.  Everything in this young couple's lives pointed to a complete dedication to serving their Lord.

  A highway-patrolman who had been at the scene of the accident that killed Steve and Anne duke commented that, though the whole car had been burned, Anne's journal and Steve's Bible were tossed to the side of the road and found intact.  The patrolman flipped through the journal and was touched by short passages of a happy life, of love for family and friends, and of treasured and memorized scriptures.

  Reading this story and pondering on it for a few days got me thinking:  'What if my husband and I were to die today and our families had to come into our home and dismantle it?  What would they find?  How would they be affected by things they might find or read?  What if friends or even total strangers came in contact with my belongings?'

  I have to admit, I was embarrassed just imagining it.  We found that, though we have dedicated ourselves to serving Christ, we haven't given Him reign in all areas.  We had secret hiding places and dusty corners, both physical and non, where things were kept that we never thought would be seen.  But Jesus already knew they were there...and if something tragic happened that someone else would dig into our lives, it would be found out.  We had some cleaning to do.  

  Now, if we died today and someone came to clean tomorrow, they might find scraps of quilting fabric, cat toys and an occasional dust bunny in the corners and under the bed (maybe a spider or two...).  I can only hope that, even in death, my life would impact and touch someone in a positive manner that might lead them to better themselves or seek Christ for a new life.

  What if you died today and I came over to your house tomorrow to help clean it out?  What if I read your journal or notes written on your kitchen tablet?  What kind of books and movies might I find in your library? Would I be surprised if I dug through your drawers and papers? Would your home and belongings reflect a life of squander and selfishness?  Would it reveal how poor and simple you lived so as to save your money and serve others?  What might I say at your memorial service?    Will I have anything good to say about you? 

  So many things to think about.  Whether you like it or not, people will judge you by how you lived, and they are far more severe after you are gone.  People will also be affected by how you live (whether they want to or not), in the present and after your death.  Take just a few moments today to think about these ideas I've handed to you.  Maybe you even want to take a look around your house with this in mind.  You might be a little surprised to find a few dusty bibles laying around.

You are precious in HIS sight… even if you aren’t in mine…

  I 'happened-across' an article this morning that pierced my heart and my thoughts with an accuracy beyond coincidence.
I escaped a crazy dream at 3am by waking to the sound of the wind howling around my small house. I tried desperately to go back to sleep, but my mind was slightly disturbed and the wind was just so loud. (God speaks in mysterious ways doesn't He?) So I lay there thinking of my next blog article and decided I would vent about 'All the stupid things that people do and why it bugs me...'. Seriously. That was my plan. I had an extensive list formed in my head before I even turned the coffee pot on.

So I sit to do my morning devotions with the Lord and almost can't wait to turn my computer on and write in my blog. Isn't that horrible that I just couldn't contain my excitement over the lashing that I was going to deal to humankind? But, God, being as wise and all-knowing (and oh-so-sneaky) as He is, made sure I re-read some literature that was handed out in my church bulletin last week. I had no reason to do it, other than I thought I would see if there might be some interesting articles in the hand-out before I tossed it.

The top of the article said THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE. I thought it would be about Pro-life campaigns (which I'm ALL-FOR, by the way). After reading and pondering upon it for a short time, I tossed the paper aside and picked up another hand-out from a previous week. Just as I began to toss it aside, as it didn't appear to interest me, those words jumped out at me again. THE SANCTITY OF HUMAN LIFE. You cannot tell me that these little things in life are just pure coincidence. (Well, I suppose you can tell me, but I'll stick my fingers in my ears and sing 'Lalalalah'…)  
So this Sunday, January 23^rd, will be SOHLS. 

What is National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday?

In 1983, President Reagan issued a proclamation establishing a National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday (SOHLS). Since 1983, the SOHLS proclamation has also been issued by Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush.

When is SOHLS?

The National Sanctity of Human Life Sunday is held on the Sunday in January that falls closest to the day on which the Roe v. Wade and Doe v. Bolton decisions were handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court on January 22, 1973. 

 Take some of your busy time and see if a local church or Pregnancy Center has an event or needs help. Or just find a few minutes to get down on your knees, ask our God for a better heart towards humanity and then see what He will do.

Here is the article. Read it and see if it touches your heart and encourages you to examine your deepest feelings concerning your own kind. I know mine were not thinking along the lines of 'Sanctity'…..

"The Bible says that each of us carries the image of the Creator. We are not merely flesh and blood. Since we are image-bearers of the Living God, our lives are sacred, based on something beyond our unique characteristics and abilities. This image or likeness of God is not tangible: You can't see, touch or smell it. It's part of the mystery of life. 

Being made in the image of God provides us as humans with direction and guidance regarding how we treat one another. Men, women and children should be respected, regardless of their mental capacity, physical ability, faith (or absence of faith) or social position. These people may or may not exhibit attributes of God, but that doesn't determine their worth. Their value is established on the basis of the nature of God, who is the perfect example of dignity and holiness. 

Sadly, we often fail to comprehend the value of every human life because we cease to look at each other in awe. Our view of one another should be as breathtaking creatures,embodying a touch of the Creator himself. 

Churches must lead the way by teaching the truth about the value of life from a biblical worldview. 

You can help restore the Sanctity of Human Life ethic by incorporating it into your daily life. Routinely examine your heart for any attitude that violates the spirit of that ethic. It can take on many forms including disdain for someone we don't know based on his or her appearance, a negative comment made under our breath or impatience with a slow driver.

We need to teach the next generation a respect for all human life. Parents should teach their children through word and deed. Together we can restore the beauty and reverence our Creator intended by restoring dignity to humankind."

~Carrie Gordon Earll

"Hello! This is Jen's Blog speaking - can I help you?"

  ENOUGH ABOUT ME!
  Don't you think so?
  I was born a servant.  A people pleaser.  The two go hand-in-hand, but can be self-destructing if not kept in check.
  I want to help people and see them find joy.  Serving others in this fashion gives me joy in return.  Greater joy than many other things in this world can give.
  So -I pose my original question to you again:  "How can I help you?"
  What kind of fascinating subjects can I write to you about that will impact your life for the better and enable you to find joy in living?


  (This question is being posed to my 2 followers at the time of this writing - I hope to gain more soon. Please follow and comment on my blog.  I promise you wont be spammed and you wont be sorry.)


  "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,"   ~Colossians 3:23 ♥

I Thank Thee For My Thorn

A Scottish Theologian from the 1800's by the name of George Matheson wrote a popular hymn called 'O Love That Will Not Let Me Go'. This hymn was written during a time in his life when intense sadness and heartbreak threatened to overwhelm him. Matheson himself wrote of the composition:


"I am quite sure that the whole work was completed in five minutes and equally sure that it never received at my hands any retouching or correction. I have no natural gift of rhythm. All the other verses I have ever written are manufactured articles; this came like a dayspring on high."

More interesting than this hymn that he wrote, which is a beautiful piece of poetry, is a prayer that he wrote in conjunction. He writes:


"My God, I have never thanked Thee for my thorn.

I have thanked Thee a thousand times for my roses. But never once for my thorn.

Teach me the glory of my cross, Teach me the value of my thorn. Show me that I have climbed to Thee by the path of my pain.

Show me that my tears have made rainbows. Amen."

If you can't find this prayer beautiful, then maybe you have never had a 'thorn'? Curious to know where the term 'thorn' and it's usage came from? Read in the Bible 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Paul, one of the most influential Christians in the world, writes of his own 'thorn'. He doesn't specify what it is exactly (some think it was a physical ailment or spiritual problem), but he says the same thing as George Matheson; Thanks, God.



So many events in this past week in my life have culminated and brought me to this revelation of the 'value of a thorn'.

I started with the prayer that George Matheson wrote; I found it so beautiful and touching – I prayed the same thing exactly a week ago. I used the same words as Matheson penned, however I ended it with 'Thank you for my thorn.'. Even as I spoke it, I knew in my heart I didn't mean it. But I wanted to mean it! I wanted to be truly thankful for my thorn! Somehow, there was no feeling behind it, so I retracted my statement and reiterated the 'teach me' part. I guess I don't learn that quickly.

I believe a 'thorn' can be anything really. For Paul, it was something that kept him humble and reminded him where his great strength came from. For Matheson, it was blindness and heartache that drove him into an amazingly intense and intimate relationship with his Lord. If you examine your life, past and present, you may see that you have been provided with a thorn of your own. I know I have at least one (there's probably a whole garden of thorny rosebushes in my life) and it has plagued me in every aspect of my life for as long as I can remember. As I have matured (a little) into adulthood, I see how it affects me so much more than physically. It has taken hold of my mental and spiritual being and threatens all my hopes for growing in those areas.

Also, like Paul, I have pleaded with the Lord to take it away. Some have told me it's only a matter of faith. That I suffer needlessly. That I can be healed in the spirit if I'm believe enough. I wish to quote the Bible again please: it says that 'even faith as small as a mustard seed can move a whole mountain'! If the Apostle Paul, who was worthy enough to be taken to the 'third heaven and told inexpressible things', things that he wasn't even allowed to repeat, who wrote at least 13 books in the bible, who was tortured and eventually beheaded for his faith, did not have faith at least the size of a mustard seed (which is only 2 mm by the way – I bet you don't even have a ruler with mm on it….), then I don't know who does.

So, I now pray, instead, that I can appreciate the 'glory of my cross', and know the 'value of my thorn'. There is an ultimate purpose for my suffering and it does me no good to suffer if I don't know the reason. Through the scriptures and through my personal and intimate conversations with Jesus, (yes, we talk a lot) I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that He has the power to easily lift this burden from my life, but it is not His will.

Later on in the week, I generated a disturbing attitude toward a rough and awkward situation I found myself in. I was immediately ashamed of myself but, despite my desperate prayers, could not rid my mind of these horrible thoughts and feelings that I had. I was tempted to give up and let the memory of the situation, along with all my angry feelings, fade out and try to ignore them. I knew this would ruin many weeks to come and, ultimately, would never resolve itself. It would always be a 'thing undone'. So I struggled forward, fighting the guilt and resentment that had manifested so strongly in my soul. I have made progress, but even as I write this, I feel the pangs of gloom threatening to overtake me again.

Good thoughts in… bad thoughts out! Good thoughts in… bad thoughts out!

None of this has been in vain, nor would I ask God for a 'redo'. I have been taught, the hard way (usually the only way I learn…), the value of a 'thorn'.

You cannot win a race unless you run –and run hard! You cannot overcome without a conflict to begin with. You cannot have a victory without a battle.

Let's try this again: God, I thank you for my thorn. For 'when I am weak – then I am strong. Amen.





(I encourage you to read up on George Matheson, of his story and the hymn. Wikipedia and CyberHymnal both have great articles. Paul has some great stories in the Bible of overcoming hardships and triumphing in his battles as well)

“Giving Thanks BEFORE Thanksgiving”

At my home church, our pastor challenged us to write down one thing we are thankful for every day for the whole month of November.

It is said that our actions naturally gravitate toward our self-talk: how we process information shapes how we will respond to situations. So, in theory, if we visualize and verbalize our thankfulness of things, then we should naturally live thankfully. So this was more of an experiment I suppose. Well, through the wonders of Facebook – I, and a few others, have been faithful to the challenge and I've been recording every response I see every day.

I am surprised that the results, actually. I expected something other than what this experiment reveals. Take a look at the list I have compiled of all the "Thankful" posts:

Thankful For:	Stats
Family	18
Friends	15
Spouse	13
A Home	10
A Good Job	9
Children	8
Animals	8
God's Blessings	8
Health	7
Weather	7
Church	7
God's Promises	7
Good People	7

There were many many more, but all the rest fell at 5 times or less. Here are some of the more memorable ones:

The Bible, Hands & Feet, Salvation, Pastor, Peace, Friday, Chocolate, Pain Meds, Coffee, Tacos, Military, Mac N Cheese, Being At Home, The Challenge, Bark Collars, "Do-Overs", Miracles, Xanex, a Bed, Patience to deal with neurotic people, God's Timing, Nature, Sleep, Peanut Butter Pies, Music and Facebook.

Just because these things were not thanked for more than five times certainly does not mean that the one or fifth person to be thankful for it wasn't truly and deeply sincere in their thanks (I know for a fact the people who voted for Coffee and Chocolate would not be alive without it today!)

Not only are these stats interesting, as they give insight into the types of friends I have….(Animals before Good People….before Health…hehe…), but it shows us how people have not taken for granted the little and easily unnoticed things in their lives. Family especially – I believe there are many, many people who have members in their family, close or not, whom they don't realize how much they need them or how much they love them or appreciate them. Sadly, it's most often realized after that person is gone. But look what the stats say! Family was given thanks a whopping 18 times! I did not have 18 friends doing this! So it was thanked multiple times on multiple days!

Now, as for my friends, I have ALL types, ages, genres, locals, genders, religious views, attitudes, professions and living standards. It wasn't just people from my church that did this.

It's so encouraging to see what people are thankful for; like I said, not what I expected. And you want to know the most interesting thing about all this? NOT ONE PERSON said, "I am thankful for money." Yes, it was referenced in the things we see on the list, but it was always phrased as 'blessings'. Even when people were thankful for a job – it wasn't about the money. The words they used in describing their thanks were ones such as 'enjoyable' and 'rewarding'.

I hope this month has been full of things for you to be thankful for, and if you've forgotten to slow down and tell someone 'thank you', be it God, a friend, family, or just some random person, it may not be too late. Be thankful for what you've been blessed with, before It's gone, after it's gone and before you even get it. Be Thankful – Live Thankful!

There’s always tomorrow…. (part 2)

That became my life motto – and I had no idea until someone put it into words for me.

When left my job (back in April 2007, remember?), I had visions of becoming a world-renown author, with a side-business of internet-renown sewing. However, those visions are certainly taking a LONG TIME to come to pass!

The first week began slowly and life became instantly sluggish. I told myself I was recharging after holding such a physically strenuous job for 1 ½ years. Well, my 'recharging' continued…for the better part of a month.

Between treatments for my shoulder, reactions to new medications, moving, and constant suffering from migraines and Fibromyalgia, I was chock full of excuses for why I wasn't accomplishing…well….anything. I constantly renewed my vow to better myself, physically, spiritually, mentally and financially – but it rarely lasted more than a week or two. I had no motivation to keep myself going.

My old boss, from the equestrian center, called me about 6 months ago to invite me to a barbecue with 'all the guys'. I couldn't go (for some reason that I can't remember now), but chatted with her for a while, telling her what I was up to lately. It seems I blabbed for a good 5 minutes and by then end of my blabbing, I had said nothing. That's when I realized it and just got a little quiet. My boss, being a wise and experienced woman of the 'way-the-world-works', says to me, "There's always tomorrow, right?"

That hit me so hard, I don't even remember the end of our conversation. I sat quiet for the longest time pondering this after I hung up the phone (I hope I said goodbye). She summed up my previous unproductive days in one little sentence. I realized I had been using that excuse from day one! Why do it today? Why do it now? I'm not working, I don't have any pressing plans - and tomorrow is the same.


There's always tomorrow…..

Once I realized that I got more done in my life when I had a work schedule, I tried to find another job. HAH! Not only are there so few available, but none of them even seemed to follow through. God was up to something; I am convinced He had something to do with the non-response.

I have accepted my lot in life as a 'homemaker' (which is still weird to write down in the slot that says 'Occupation?') and am moving forward. I have a schedule now –very strict schedule where I reward my productiveness with a few hours of 'fun-time'. When I am unproductive, or get off my schedule, I punish myself with cleaning the baseboards or ironing (YUCK!). So everything eventually gets done.

I still have some days (or weeks…) where I don't do ANYTHING AT ALL….until Scott has no clothes left to wear and there is not a clean cup in the house. I have good excuses for those days too! But I am a work in progress – and God has plans for my life (just wish He would inform me).

I am dedicating as much time as I can to others. People that I don't want to spend time with, going to church more often because I know they need the help, and not procrastinating the things I hate to do (dishes!!!!) I still have my dreams to be a published writer and I still sell a few hand-made things here and there in my online shop. So mark another 'First Day' in the book - I am learning how to live all over again.. And it's taking forever. But…there's always tomorrow….

"Honor her for all that her hands have done,
   and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

The Proverbs 31 Woman

♥ my role-model ♥

There’s always tomorrow….. (part 1)

We talked about 'First Days' last month; well, this was another one of those – but I had no idea it was a 'First Day' until about 2 years later.

In April of 2007, I had the best job in the world; I scooped poop for a living! My position was technically called "Wrangler", but the days of 'wrangler-ing' at Bear Valley Equestrian Center were over – mainly due to insurance and legal ramifications. The dusty old wranglers now had the job of either, clearing the trails, or scooping the poop. Most took to clearing and monitoring the gorgeous rambling trails of the area. A few of us, some may think we were the un-lucky ones, moved into the 'equine waste removal' business.

But, like I already said, it was my dream job. On a daily basis, I took care of up to 75 horses and 50 cattle. We watered, fed, groomed, cleaned, exercised, medicated and basically monitored all these amazing animals every day. There is nothing I enjoy better than the smell of sweet horses in warm barn (Is there a candle for that scent? Or a perfume? Eau De PooLeather HayDust? Probably not – but I would buy it if there was).

We had all types boarding at the facilities, ranging from sleepy old cow mares to high strung, 2-year old warmbloods. The latter were my downfall.

Poor things; these babies trapped in a 12'x24' stall. Their owners would buy them for more than I could ever hope to amass in a lifetime, stick them in a stall and 'plan' to get to them eventually. "Oh it will be so fun!" they would say, or, "This horse is going to train so easily and beautifully!" Maybe both statements could have been true –if the owners would come out and work them every day. But sadly, it rarely happened. These high-headed, intelligent, stunning young creatures paced their stalls from day to day, gazing longingly at the other horses being walked and worked.

Their only trainers were us 'pooper-scoopers'. We trained them to respect our space while we cleaned their stalls, to not be scared of our buckets (only our rakes!), and not to scream or kick the walls during feeding. Soon – we had to ask that their owners pay for them to at least be put on the turnout schedule so they could get some form of exercise other than pacing. Here began the youngster's first form of handling – yes I'm serious.

After the first few episodes turning into disasters that ended with these million-dollar-ponies racing loose down the valley by themselves, we invested in some nice Clinton Anderson Rope Halters, the ones with the knots on the nose band and 12ft long lead lines with a little quirt at the end. At $80 per set, it was well worth it!

The real training began – respect my space, respect the tension of the leadline, please do not jump into my arms when you are spooked by a leaf blowing behind you, DO NOT tear yourself out of the halter once in the pasture (even though your owners think it's perfectly ok to do that), etc, etc (say those last words with an accent like Yul Brynner in "The King and I").

Long story :short (yes, this has been a short story, so stop complaining!), one of these youngsters gave me an unexpected tug and me, being heroic and fearing for my job over losing a 75k horse, held on. My shoulder, strained and/or torn (it's still undecided), still hurts today, despite injections and treatments and uncaring doctors.

I quit my job that month (When? You mean you've been reading this for so long you've already forgotten? 2^nd paragraph…); because one cannot scoop poop or lead bad horses with a bad shoulder. I was terribly sad to leave my dream job, but I felt an inner peace over the situation. I had no idea why either. What did God have in store for me that He would ask me to leave my job and stay home?

So…..where was I going with all this?!?! Ah yes, the title of this blog – 'There's always tomorrow….' (I suppose I need to rename it now that I've gone so far off my original subject – but that's what happens when I get to talking about horses.) (There – I added part 1).

Now that I've re-read that date up there, I suddenly realize how long it's been that I have been a 'stay-at-home-mom'. Wow. I have learned so much about living, but not nearly as fast I should have. The good Lord knew I'd need plenty of time for learning and preparation. For what – I still have NO IDEA. But HE does. So I don't have to worry about it. Right? Right!

Thank you for listening to me elaborate upon my favorite subject (horses – not pain). Until 'Part 2'….. there IS always tomorrow.

"…for HIS compassions never fail.
 They are new every morning;
   great is Your faithfulness.
 I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
   therefore I will wait for Him."

~Lamentations 3:22b-24