Kat's Pause
Friday, August 27, 2021
DIVINE APPOINTMENT
Monday, December 14, 2020
These familiar phrases wrap this particular Christmas in a strange aura.
This 2020 season is so different from any other I’ve known. Last year we hosted not one, but TWO open houses here by this time. We had not one, but TWO trees fully decorated and glowing.
This year there’s no Christmas church program to direct, no choir cantata, no shopping for gifts, not even a tree. Doug and I have a blank calendar without parties to attend. Sounds sad, doesn’t it? But I’m not sad. Many folks are missing the normal hustle and bustle of Christmas.
I am not.
I am quiet, still.
Yes, it is different, simpler but maybe I hear and see Him even better this year. He slipped into our world very simply, quietly too. Lowing cattle were His only cantata.
Doug built this nativity. The Japanese maple hovers, like a scarlet canopy. |
My sweet mentor, Nancy Sandgren, scolded me, “You CAN NOT not have a tree up! We’ll kick you out of Scotia!" A double negative from Nancy just means you better do it and pronto. So she loaned me a little table top tree of hers, already lit. Doug agreed to plug it in. Done! He can do 5 minute tree décor.
Thursday, November 12, 2020
Thursday, August 20, 2020
WHAT GOD IS TEACHING ME THROUGH COVID
The world is chaotic. Jesus is Peace.
Government is broken. One day government will be on His shoulders.
Lies and distortions abound. Jesus is Truth.
Fear is contagious. Faith in Jesus is also contagious.
World news is unsettling. God’s Good News is reassuring.
The times are changing. God is eternal.
Medical help may fail. Jesus heals souls eternally.
Focusing on events brings fear. Focusing on God brings faith.
Jobs and money may fail. Jehovah Jireh is my Provider.
Angry critics yammer. Praise invites God to inhabit us.
Complaining is easy. Counting blessings brings smiles.
Death and tears are common. God wipes all tears away.
Unrest disturbs our spirits. Music calms the soul.
Today is but one day. God plants eternity within us.
Nothing makes sense. We will understand it better by and by.
Sunday before last there was an earthquake here. Some felt it in the morning. I slept through it. That same evening a double rainbow appeared here. I didn't miss that! (See below prayer.) Both were solid reminders of the times in which we live and of God's promises and sovereignty.
Wednesday, May 20, 2020
NANA, MAY I ASK YOU A QUESTION?
Before I tell you what she asked, let me introduce you to our beautiful Elizabeth. Her passion runs deep and especially for Jesus.
She's a wise 18 year old, going on 33. Why 33? Because Jesus was 33 and she is very Christlike. Oh, she's also very witty, goofy, mouthy and sarcastic. A lot like. . .me. We both have so many words that they overflow into writing.
Me with Kimberly, E's mom. |
Three generations at Home Good, stimulating the economy, midst Covid19. |
Last Friday I flew to Florida for a long weekend with Kimberly, our first born, and family. It was time to break out of isolation and what better place than the Sunshine state? We laughed, cried, talked, played games, watched a Redbox movie (I Still Believe--recommend it), shopped, sunned by a pool and ate extremely well.
Before I get to THE QUESTION Elizabeth asked me, she posed a second question with a quicker answer. "Nana, I'm learning to drive. Want to take a ride with me through the neighborhood?" Those last three words made my answer a ready yes. After all, I'd survived a spin with Sean, another grand, through his neighborhood. I'm a much better sidekick with my grands learning to drive than I was as a mother of three teens when they learned!
During our ride, ranging in speed from 4-11 mph, she asked if she could ask me a question.
"Sure."
"Nana, why are you always so happy?"
At first I was stunned at her perception of me, thinking to myself, Well, I'm not ALWAYS happy. So my honest answer at first was, "I have feelings too," meaning other feelings.
Kimberly, her mom, quipped back teasing me in a cute pout, "Yeah. I have feelings too." We laughed at her poochie lip.
Then I gave her my serious answer, never really thinking about it before her question. "Elizabeth, I don't believe there's a difference between the word happiness and joy. Some do and relate it to circumstances. My source is the Lord, pure and simple."
She nodded her little philosophical head.
So I continued, "When I do have negative emotions, like fear or hurt, I just don't linger there. 'You can sit on the pity pot. Just don't stay there long enough to get ring-around-the-hiney.'
It's a choice and I choose joy. I want to be happy so I rely on the joy of the Lord. It's His joy just spilling into me, if I allow it to flow. He gave me an optimistic outlook in life, but it's still a choice. So I choose not to dwell on the negative, but instead look beyond that and see Him. Then His steadfast joy absorbs me."
She seemed satisfied. So the discussion ended.
* I'm thankful to be seen as a happy person.
* Thankfulness is also at the root of my joy.
* Kimberly as a young child expressed it, "I'm thankful we have a lot of laughness in our family."
* Humor is a huge contributor to our collective family happiness. Sometimes it's wacky and borderline inappropriate but often breaks through and demolishes the mulligrubs!
* Mostly I'm thankful for God's Sovereignty in my life, knowing the final chapter will end in eternal joy.
So why not pray, "Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" and begin that happiness here and now? Then just ride that joy tide right into eternal glory!
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
MOTHER'S DAY
One of my sweetest gifts came on Mother's Day from my firstborn. Kimberly reminded me of the title she bestowed on me when she made me a mother. Then a lifetime of blessings followed through Kent and Katy. Facebook was her stage and podium.
Impressively, she's also a passionate Jesus-follower, authentic before it was cool, secure in her identity, and warrior-conqueror through soul-crushing trials. She truly leans on Jesus. Her humility, love for Christ, energy and natural leadership are magnetic.
She set the bar high for motherhood, then grandmotherhood.
Thanks, Mom, for everything.
Tuesday, April 28, 2020
Our Scotia Village Retirement Community had a poetry contest recently. After a week at the beach Doug and I were quarantined to our villa for two weeks. So with time on our hands, he worked in the yard and I wrote this poem. It won FIRST PLACE. My prize was a golden roll of toilet paper, now proudly displayed in our curio cabinet. It could become one of the most valuable pieces in our collection!