Too good not to share!
Yesterday, I walked into church and remembered that it was the one-year anniversary of my father‘s passing.
At my church, we sing very nontraditional worship songs. The first song ended, and then I heard an old familiar tune, “How Great Thou Art”, my dad’s favorite hymn.
I burst out in a combination of crying and laughing.
It felt like it was my dad, smiling down from heaven saying, “I’m here. Heaven is real!”
I couldn’t get any better of a Whisper Within, than that.
The Whisper Within is not always nice.
“Ya, whatever! I gotta go.”
Yesterday, I abruptly ended a call with a love one. The bitter taste in my mouth stung like Tabasco sauce.
As I drove to pickleball, that conversation played like a broken record in my mind, justifying my position.
While playing pickleball, as the ball flew in my direction, my thoughts darted all over the place. I was right. I deserve to be angry.
But did I? Nope!
These thoughts may have been my own, but maybe it was the devil’s evil scheme to cause a wedge between me and my love one, or maybe it was The Whisper Within, the Holy Spirit, convicting me of my sin.
The game was over. I felt convicted.
I quickly texted my love one. I hate it when we disagree and fight.
This morning, I read my devotion:
“Where do I need to rest from walking in the heat of the day? I imagine my face kissed by the light of the Lord. Where do I need to turn my eyes to Jesus again?”
I realize my shortcomings. I never said I’m sorry. I just said, “I hate when we disagree and fight.”
I was convicted once again.
Sometimes, the Whisper Within, the Holy Spirit, has the job of not being nice.
I want all my interactions to be kissed by the light of the Lord. When I fall short, I want to be quick to ask for forgiveness. How about you?
I know I can’t do it on my own because sometimes I may fall short. That’s why I am grateful for the Whisper Within who not only guides me, but sometimes convict me.
“If you are angry, don’t sin by nursing your grudge. Don’t let the sun go down with you still angry—get over it quickly.”Ephesians 4:26
This blog is many weeks old. I got busy with life instead of doing God’s purpose.
Today, I heard the Whisper Within, “Write the blog!”
Here it is.
I grabbed my pen. I grabbed my journal, and the scribbling began.
I woke up today thinking, I know I have friends here, but for some reason, after visiting Chicago and seeing friends that I’ve had for thirty or forty years, the transition back to Santa Barbara is always a little harder.
Do you see me, God?
Are you with me?
A ding alerts me that I have a text. It reads.
“Be strong in the Lord, and in his mighty power, put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the devil’s schemes.” Ephesians 6:10-11
I quickly texted my friend Lisa back, “This is the same verse I was reading this morning and was going to send to you.”
Lisa texted, “No way!!! God HAS to be hearing us and listening to us. Why else would we both use the same verse on the same day? Amazing!”
I smile softly and whisper,” Thank you, God! You are with me!”
This may be a strange coincidence but I think NOT. God orchestrated this.
Two people in Christ are always stronger.
“Three strands are not easily broken.” Ephesians 3:12
I smile thinking of Lisa. Thirty-eight years ago, in the fall of 1986, we became friends and sorority sisters at WIU.
The following summer, even though we lived several hundred miles apart, we kept in touch. We scribbled letters to each other every week, and our mailboxes were always full.
Today, we text most mornings an encouraging scripture.
Here’s the encouragement for you.
Lisa may be my sorority sister, but now she’s something better. She is my sister-in-Christ.
Get yourself a prayer partner, someone who loves you like a sister.
I do believe, “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you.” James 4:8
And I do believe, by drawing close to God, you will see Him in all the strange coincidences and hear the Whisper Within.
This weekend I went on a date. My friend Stephen once told me when you go on a date, make the effort. Wear the dress. I did.
The date was not a match.
I could’ve been disappointed and asked God, “Why have you kept me single for twenty years?”
But as I walked the beach on Sunday, I felt pure joy and contentment.
I am not Renée Zellweger’s character,Dorothy, in the movie Jerry Maguire, who says to Tom Cruise, “You complete me.”
I am already complete.
I have almost everything I’ve ever wanted.
Children I love.
Friends I love.
A career I love.
Clients I love.
A dog I love.
A life I love.
No life is perfect and I have had my fair share of heartaches but if God could give me all of this, who knows what’s in store.
I plan to be surprised and YES… IF and WHEN the guy comes along, I know many of you will celebrate with me ( do the happy dance) and say, “She waited all this time, and God was faithful as she waited.”
What are you waiting for?
Feel free to comment I would love to hear.
Trust God.Wait on God. He is faithful.
“For since the world began, no ear has heard and no eye has seen a God like you, who works for those who wait for him!” Isaiah 64:4
If I’m honest, this has been a tougher season after my father’s passing, but the other day, hope showed up in my backyard!
GOD is GOOD !
“Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.”
Proverbs 13: 12
If you need a Friday giggle.
This morning. I saw I had a missed call from my 97-year-old client
I called her back and she answered clear as day.
We talked about her investments, and then she asked me,”Are you married yet?”
I said no and she responded, “I’ve been praying for you for over twenty some years. I told God I don’t understand why you haven’t brought Lisa husband by now. What are you OVERWORKED?”
I giggled.
Then she added, “I’m still gonna keep praying. It’s never too late.”
Helen is amazing at 97!
I love that she has been persistent in prayers for 20 years. Who can you pray for? Can you be persistent like Helen ?
NEED HOPE? Tired of being patient? THEN read on!
A client, hope, house, and a happily ever after!
Today, I received a call from Judy, a client. From the sound of her voice, she was bursting with joy.
She wanted to let me know that soon she would be updating her address because she was moving right next door to another client of mine, her best friend.
Then, she shared the story with me.
“When I was sixty-five and retired, Karen and I always thought it would be fun if we had townhouses right next door. There was only one problem. A cute 90-year-old lady named Ann lived there. “
I encouraged her to continue telling the story.
“Well, Ann turned 90 and 95, then 101, and finally at 103, her family decided that she needed more care and moved her into assisted living.”
“Wow! “ that’s a story, I exclaimed.
Judy said,” Wait, Lisa. That’s not the end of the story. In the last year, Ann, the 104-year-old who grew up on a farm, said,’ It’s time to go back to the farm.’ She died shortly after, and now I have bought her home and now have my dream!”
I exclaimed, “ Now that’s a story!”
“ Yes, patience paid off, and it’s been worth the wait! Even at 80!”
So I ask you today, what are you waiting for?
Are you putting all your hopes, dreams, and thoughts on what you’re hoping for OR on God who can answer prayers?
Be patient in the wait!
God knows what he is doing!
HAVE HOPE! Let hope spring eternal!
“But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:25
Feeling discouraged?
Need hope?
Wishing you could just call God and get direction, comfort, or blessing?
Well, look up!
Kipper and I ran across this phone booth on our walk downtown this morning.
I entered the booth and found this.
FREE Calls.
I pressed *10 to get God’s Blessing.
Talking to God can be this easy!
Here’s how I talk to God. “ Hey, God. It’s me, Lisa. Here’s what is going on.”
He wants us to talk to him like a best friend.
Hope may be a call away.
NO CHANGE REQUIRED!😁
Psalm 145:18 “The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
God always has a BETTER plan!
My marriage failed.
God taughted me to be happy alone.
My ex became a paraplegic and I worried about my kids affording college.
They both graduated debt-free.
I could not get a job after being a stay at home mom.
I now run my own successful wealth management firm for the last 20 years.
I wanted to remarry back when I lived in Illinois. Instead, God gave me the freedom to move to California.
Trust and surrender that he has your plan and is happy to do a “ do-over” if right now your life is a mess.
GOD CAN REWRITE YOUR STORY!
“God is able to do far more than we could ever ask for or imagine. “
Ephesians 3:20-21 NIRV
Eight years ago a huge truck was packed. A cab backed out of my driveway, and my daughter Tarah turned and took one final photo of our Chicago house.
I never thought as a single mom, I could do it!
Actually my son, Jake, said, “Seriously LISA! I didn’t think you would have the balls to do it !”
I can’t believe I really jumped to California 🥰
“ For I know the plans I have for you are for good and not for evil but to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11
Today was a huge day ! I had my annual checkup and received a clean bill of health!
Blood pressure normal, check.
Weight normal, check.
In fact, my doctor after reviewing my labs, said, “I would pay good money to have your cholesterol results.”
He scrolled down the computer screen and reviewed my medication’s and asked, “ No medications?”
With a smirk I quipped, “Nope!”
“How did you do this Lisa?”
I smiled and gave him the quick history lesson.
Eight years ago this was me.
I was sick with Lyme disease. I lost weight. At five feet six inches I only weighed 105 pounds.
My body burned like a match and vibrated like I was plugged into an electric socket.
Most mornings, I woke up feeling like the flu.
There was no “ sassy pants Lisa” as my Chicago friends like to call me.
For years, I tried every medication, IV concoction, and supplement to try and get better.
So today I think it is time to pull the Sassy pants out of the closet. I am happy ! I am healthy ! I am healed! GOD has healed me!
“Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise.” ~ Jeremiah 17:14
Today is another rainy day in…opps, I almost wrote Chicago. Santa Barbara. I feel like I am back living in the Windy City instead of sunny California.
Work finished so I made a pot of chicken soup to feel right at home.
As the soup simmered, I listened to a podcast, “How do I know if I’m hearing God?” by one of my favorite pastors, Charles Stanley.
I know many of you have asked me, how do I hear God or as I say, hear the Whisper Within?
Well, if you want to know, then listen to the podcast. The link is below.
I love that Charles Stanley says ( not to discourage attending church),“ Why go to church and spend an hour and walk away with nothing? That’s a bad investment. But what about spending an hour and having God pour truth into your life.”
Church can be like a party where you don’t know anyone there so you may end up feeling more lost, more alone.
Or it can be like attending a concert to a musician that you don’t know the music.
The best way to get to know a new musician is to listen quietly or dance silly in your own home, before experiencing the big concert.
You would not attend a concert to Death Cab for Cutie, if you knew none of the music, so why would you go to church if you don’t already have a relationship with God?
How do you get a relationship with God? Well like listening to new music, you play around with it.
So how do you start listening to this NEW ARTIST and dabble in His music? I’m gonna make it easy; start with Proverbs or with the Psalms. I started reading the Psalms when I was sad and the Proverbs when I needed direction.
Then once you experience God on your own, there’s nothing better than being in a big community of other “concert goers” who love Death Cab for Cutie, or God, just the way you do.
Make yourself some chicken soup, relax and put your feet up, grab a Bible, and ask God to speak to your heart.
And Listen to the Whisper Within.
My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “LORD, I am coming.” Psalm 27:8
Today I called my ninety-five year old widowed client. I reviewed her investments and cash flow needs and then the conversation turned personal.
“How are you Rosemarie?”
“Honestly Lisa, lonely. If anyone tells you that these are the golden years, punch them in the face for me.”
I giggled. We talked some more and then I responded, “Call me if you need anything even if it just to talk.”
Later in the day, I walked up town to pick up my work mail, and bought some stamps. And not just any stamps but Valentine’s Day stamps.
For those of you who don’t know me, I am a sucker for love and not the puny Dum Dum suckers but more like the HUGE Charlie and The Chocolate Factory rainbow sucker type of love, and Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday.
I left the post office and mentally made a list of who I would send cards to. Rosemarie for sure. My widow clients.
A smirk covered my face WAIT! What if I made this a challenge?
So here it is. I am challenging all my Facebook Friends to send 14 cards in the next 14 days…AND SHARE THIS to their page.
If my 500 friends send 14 cards, that is over 7,000 cards sent. If they share the ‘What If’ challenge, the results could be endless.
So can you do your part? Send 14 cards & share this post?
Think of ninety-five year old Rosemarie, wouldn’t it be sweet to share love to someone who may be lonely.
Who knows? By giving love you may feel love.
Who’s in? LET’S DO IT !
“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12
Today I received a text from my best friend.
I saw this on my walk, and it reminded me of you.
Why me?
Because you are exuberant and full of life.
My friend continue to text me.
I’m still sad about my brother’s passing. I miss friends. I’m trying everything to get back my joy, burning candles, taking walks, blasting music, etc., but I’m just sad.
I responded Tell God you are sad.
So I’m telling you because I’ve been there. Something I learned is to talk to God like a best friend. I’m sad I’m lonely. I need your help. I’m exhausted.
If you don’t know God and don’t have a relationship with him, my suggestion is to start reading the Psalms.
I started reading the Psalms, when I went through a divorce and really relied on them, God’s word, when my ex became a paraplegic.
During this time, I was desperate and learned that I had a personal friend who heard my desperate cries, and wanted to restore my silly joy.
He did then! And He restores my joy now! He will for you too! Just ask!
“Restore unto me the joy…” Psalm 51:12
Last weekend was New Year’s Eve. I had a fantastic time celebrating with my friend, Marji, yes in our PJs.
We toasted, giggled, and planned for the year ahead; trips we would possibly take, men we would maybe date, and adventures we would perhaps partake in.
So tonight as I sit in my pjs, yes once again, I am scrolling through Facebook and as expected, my feed is filled with New Year resolutions.
Here are some examples :
-This is the year I’m going to meet my husband.
-This year I’m gonna start my own business.
-I’m going to lose weight.
-I’m going to exercise more.
-I’m gonna get my health back on track.
I…I…I So many I’s!!!
Why do New Year’s resolution fail most of the time?
Because of the I’s!
I have to admit, several years ago, when I was a single mom and my ex became a paraplegic, I believed that willpower, guts, and sheer strength would get me through any trials. I used the Bible verse, “ I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.” like armour going into battle.
The problem was the emphasis was on I, not on Christ who gives me strength.
Why did I decide or why do we decide to take the knife in our own hands and attempt to carve out life on our own?
Through time, I learned to say or more realistically, look up and yell at God ,“ I need your help! I’m lost! I’m sad!”
Once I learned to ask for His help,my life may not have gotten easier, but I didn’t feel alone. God was with me.
So you may be thinking, “Well great! Good for you! But I don’t have a faith in God, in fact I don’t even know how to begin? How to let God in?”
Stay tuned for a follow-up blog …can’t wait to share HOW!
But for now, I DO know, going it alone never works because eventually we all get tired, lonely, sad, exhausted, and we need help.
And I have learned this secret, “With God all things are possible!” Matthew 19:26
Happy New Year!
I love the backstory of this picture.
While waiting for our order, Tarah gushes and snaps my picture, “Aww, momma. You look so happy.”
I replied, “I am happy.”
Jake added, “If I had to take a drink every time mom said ‘I’m happy’, I would be drunk and under the table by now.”
I am happy. I am content. I may not have a husband, but I have something better. This! God fills me with JOY and my heart is FULL!
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37:4
Not my usual post, but too good not to share!
Today when I called my client to review her investment accounts,I asked her if it was a good time to talk.
Her response was priceless.
“Sure! I’m just riding a Ferris wheel at Myrtle Beach!”
I giggled and a huge smile covered my face. BEST ANSWER EVER!
In the spirit of Christmas, it reminded me of the clip below of the movie Elf and why I love doing what I do. I feel blessed and joyful that my client is enjoying her retirement.
“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” Colossians 3:23
Happy Thanksgiving!
Today as I sit on my front porch, the gentle breeze blows, the sun caresses and warms my face, I am filled with simple joy and contentment.
I am not going to write a long blog post about how I feel blessed but let the pictures tell the story.
I had three wonderful days with my daughter, my ex’s sister, ( Julie will always be my sister) and my niece Hannah.
I take a sip of coffee and look at my view of the still ocean, and a soft smile covers my face. Thank you God for this.
“ Praise the Lord for he is good…” Psalm 106:1
Last night I watched a Charles Stanley sermon before bed. Here is the link http://www.intouch.org/watch.
His sermon spoke of being stuck in the burden of trying to make a living, TRYING to find happiness, peace, and JOY… and TRYING to accumulate prestige and prominence… and he said to LET ALL THAT GO and LEARN to sing at the TOP of your voice with JOY no matter of your circumstances.
His sermon gave me so much peace that I drifted off to sleep like a swaddled baby.
And for some silly reason, I sprung out of bed this morning with childish unexplainable joy, and my children’s kindergarten song, “Jesus’ love is bubbling over,” ran through my brain, but I couldn’t remember the tune.
I quickly texted my daughter Tarah and asked her to sing the song.
Here is the song. Click on arrow!
So, I know you are probably thinking, “Well, that’s good for you, Lisa. You are silly. You are ridiculous. You have no idea the problems I have. Life is rough for me. I am in a season of ugly.”
Well, I can tell you this, twenty years ago, one of the most brutal times of my life, when I went through a divorce, my ex became a paraplegic, and I was a broke single mom; I remember a guy whom I started dating told me you are one of the happiest people I know. Even though you have all this crap, how are you still happy?
It wasn’t my inner strength. It wasn’t me trying to have a pleasant disposition. It was ALL GOD! I knew my troubles were more than I could handle on my own. I asked God to fill me with unexplainable JOY! And He did! And he does now! But sometimes, I am a spoiled brat, like a kindergartener who wants her toy back, and I scream at God, “GIVE ME JOY!”
So, as I skip the streets of Santa Barbara this afternoon, heading to yoga, I am sending you all love and asking you to ask the one who sees you, loves you, and wants to help you; to ask Him to fill you with the JOY of JESUS.
Salt gives food flavor. You can BE JOY! Share JOY! You are the salt of the earth! Can you be salty?
“You are the salt of the Earth.” Matthew 5:13
“… I have learned the secret of being content in every situation… I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Philippians4: 12-13
How to hear God?
Many have asked me, “How do you hear God?”
Well, here is a short story that happened today.
If you don’t know this fact about me, I’m a concert junkie. So last week at the Death Cab for Cutie concert, I was like a teenager at Lollapalooza, standing by the stage, belting out the lyrics to the complete setlist. While I got lost in the moment, I paid dearly for it the next day. I lost my voice. As a friend joked, I am literally The Whisper Within. Haha!
Yes, it has been almost a whole week of having laryngitis. Not fun, for sure, but brutal for an extrovert. Work has been complicated, to say the least. Thank God for email and a really good assistant.
I have drunk enough tea and honey to fill a swimming pool; today, my frustration got the best of me.
Today, I took a work break, walked Kipper, and asked God, “What should I do? I can’t get in for a doctor’s appointment for a month. Urgent care is usually swamped without an appointment. I know I can try to get a same-day urgent care appointment; if it is, your will let it work out. Let it be the easy button.”
I walked home and logged into the online urgent care scheduling system. The system had a pop-up window that stated, send code to text. I responded and waited. No text. Tried again. No text. Third time. No text. I thought, “Ok, God, is this your answer?”
I tried email to get the code and received it. Soon my fingers were typing like I was playing the piano in a concert, fast and furious as I attempted to secure an appointment. I was at the final question, “The reason for your visit.” I scrolled down all the illnesses listed, COVID, Flu, high fever, etc., and checked the box to OTHER. A Pop-up window appeared, DENIED. You must call to schedule an appointment.
Call? Are you kidding me? I slapped my hands on my face like Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone and shut my laptop in defeat. But then, I looked at the ceiling and thought, “I wanted the answer, God, and I said if it wasn’t easy, it wasn’t meant to be. You answered!”
So how do you hear God? I am not special. Ask Him specific questions, and if you believe he will answer you, HE WILL!
Oh, and I will admit, I don’t always ask God to guide me. I am guilty, too, of not listening to Him. One brief example is that I was looking to go on a trip to start a relationship with someone potentially. Everything that could go wrong that week did. Our dog bit someone, the snowblower didn’t work after a massive snowstorm, and the water pipes burst and flooded our house in the middle of winter. I was not supposed to go on the trip. I didn’t listen, and the weekend was a disaster. God warned me. He knew best.
So yes, God may answer you through hardship.
In this minor inconvenience, God humbles me, teaches me patience, and leads me to be silent and listen for The Whisper Within. Now back to drinking more tea.
“If you want to know what God wants you to do, ask Him and He will gladly tell you.” James 1:5
This past weekend, I attended my church retreat in the Santa Monica Mountains.
It was beautiful, fun, and restful. As I made new friends and visited with familiar ones, I felt like a kid at camp, sitting on a log, roasting marshmallows on a stick.
Even though I was filled with bliss over the weekend, I admit that yesterday, as I washed my dinner plate, I thought, Ugh! Why do I feel the funk creeping back in? Ugh! You are alone.
I dried my dish and thought of the demographics of the retreat attendees. Married! So many married couples!
I looked out the window and up at the sky and said, “You know what is going on? Let me keep focused on all the good you bring me. Drown negative thoughts and restore my silly, child-like joy.”
Today, as the light filtered through my sheer curtains, a smile covered my face. Morning! I love that God does not allow my hiking boots to get stuck in the mud but gives me clean fresh boots every morning. And like a kid excited to go hiking at camp, I strapped on my backpack, hopeful, for the new day.
I worked and then looked at the clock and thought, 10 o’clock. Time for Kipper’s walk. But before I did, I heard the whisper, call the box office. So, I did!
“Hello! I’m looking for tickets for a Death Cab for Cutie?”
“We have one ticket left in general admission, and we take no phone orders.”
I looked at my officemate and said, “Kipper, let’s go! Time for a walk.”
Kipper must’ve anticipated my excitement because I was not prepared for a run, but Kipper was on a full pace and had me not skipping but jogging down the street in no time.
Eight blocks later, I walked up to the ticket booth and said, “Is that one ticket still available?” It was meant to be. A credit card was handed, I snapped a picture and then sent a text to my favorite concert junkie saying, “Guess who is going to Death Cab for Cutie?”
Tarah, my daughter, responded, “cute.”
As I walked home, I tipped my hat and threw a smirk up at the sky, you do hear me!
1 John 5:15 “And since we know that he hears us when we make our requests, we also know that he will give us what we ask for.”
This year I collected stickers from all the places I travelled and decorated my water bottle like a second grader decorates their notebook, hopeful for a new school year.
On Saturday, I wandered the quaint Michigan costal village of Saugatuck in hopes of purchasing my sticker souvenir, until one shop caught my eye.
I walked in, browsed, and reached for a sticker at the same time as a young girl handed her sticker to her dad to purchase. As we both waited in line, the banter began.
“Where are you from?”
The gentleman replied, “Toledo. What about you?”
“I used to live in a northwest suburb of Chicago but now I live in Santa Barbara California. Saugatuck is great, isn’t it?”
“Yes it it.”
“What brings you here?”
His eyes lit up like the moon lights a dark sky, “I’m getting married today.”
“Aww! Congrats! So sweet. My nephew is getting married today too.”
Anyone who knows me, knows I am sucker for love and not the ordinary Dum-Dum sucker kind of love; but the HUGE, over-the top Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, rainbow lollipop type of love, so that said, I encouraged the friendly stranger to tell me his story.
He gushed like Buckingham Fountain with pride as he told me about the journey that brought him to co-mingling families and having a beach wedding on Saturday.
He capped off the story with, “… it comes down to faith, hope, and love… She makes me a better person.”
I reciprocated and shared a bit of my journey and the soon-to-be groom replied, “You have to be open to love.”
I felt the nudge like God was tapping me on the shoulder saying, Pay attention, Lisa.
I finished paying for my sticker, walked out of the store with a little bounce in my step, hopeful like a bride on her wedding day.
Later in the day, I ran into the adorable soon-to-be bride and groom and asked to take their picture.
The beautiful beaming bride dished out wisdom like candy on Halloween. She said, “You have to be patient. You have to wait on God. I used to be strong and independent but you need to make space and let someone in.”
My mouth twitched as I thought, Strong? Independent? Let someone in? … GUILTY! GUILTY! GUILTY!
I wished them well, and thought, Wait on God but let someone in.
Later that evening, I celebrated my handsome nephew and his beautiful bride,
and posed for a picture with my kids.
As I am writing this, I am glancing at the photo of my children like a momma looks at her newborn baby. I am filled with so much joy and proud that they are living their best life, in New York and in Chicago. As for me, I am content and maybe this is a season of just that, contentment; but as two couples showed me this weekend, life is better with love.
I just felt the whisper It is coming! Wait for it!
“To everything there is a season… a time for love.” Ecclesiastes:1,8
I am headed to Michigan this weekend to celebrate the wedding of one of my favorite nephews, Jacob.
This afternoon, after I finished packing my carry-on ,I zipped it up and thought, should I park my car at the airport or should I text a friend to drive me?… the airport is only 10 minutes away, I could ask my friend Heidi or I could just pay the 20/day fee?
I scratched my head and thought Ok God, you know I don’t want want to be a burden to anyone, what should I do…
Before I could finish my thought I received a text, Hey Lis, when are you going? Do you need a ride to and from the airport?
A smirk crossed my face as I looked up at my ceiling and thought YOU DO SEE ME!
I texted Heidi, YOU and God REALLY love me!
I called Heidi and gave her the details on my trip to Michigan.
After I hung up the phone, I dug through a box of old photographs and found this picture.
I glanced at the photo and thought, my babies.
I studied the photo and recalled that months before this beach snapshot, my ex had become a paraplegic. With no child support, a quick weekend away to Southaven Michigan was all I could afford. Every year the trips to Michigan became symbolic, as if the sun setting over the pier was God saying to me, I got you Lisa.
And he did then… and twenty years later,he still does. He knows my thoughts and answers my requests. Even the silly ones.
“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” James 4:3
Yesterday, I was in planting my fall mums when my cell phone rang and with one syllable I felt transported from my backyard, to my house in Westmont, the house of my youth.
“Lisa.”
“Well hello Amy. How is my girlfriend today?”
Within moments, it was as if no time had passed; as if we were sharing stories, freshman year in the cafeteria line or on the bleachers of a Hornet football game.
“Who did you go to prom with?”
“Who was your big crush?”
“Do you remember that toga party at Knez’s?”
It was like I was fourteen years old again and could still feel my braces getting caught on my gums as I giggled.
We shared memories from our youth but also some of the lows of today; aging parents, work, jobs, life, etc.
I hung up the phone, looked over at my mums and instead of resuming planting, I put down my shovel and went inside.
I thought more about Amy. That girl always could make me laugh.
I dug through my old photo album and found a picture of us. I can still hear “Surprise!!!” echoing the hallway of my childhood home.
I thumbed through the photo album labeled SWEET SIXTEEN PARTY and saw friends of my youth.
As I recalled names of the faces who gathered in my streamer-filled basement, a quiet smile covered my face as I remember how happy I was that night but then another thought entered my mind.
Wait! That was also the same day of my high school conference gymnastics meet.
That meet still ranks as my most embarrassing moment EVER! Let’s just say, “my monthly friend” decided to pay me a visit in the middle of my floor routine. SURPRISE! And this SURPRISE visit was not something that was easily disguised. I remember Amy sitting outside the shower as I cried with utter distress.
I thumbed through some more pictures and thought how could I be SO FREAKED OUT and SO HAPPY all in the same day. And then I heard the whisper, ” With me anything is possible.”
So you may ask, why do I share such raw and personal stories? For likes? For Comments? Self-promotion?
No. None of above.
The reason is simple; to show that no matter what you are going through, or how your day, your week, your month, or yes- even your painstaking year is going- that we have a real and personal Jesus who sees us, loves us, and listens to us.
He wants to help us, if only we will ask.
So if you are stuck in a season of slow bleeding… ( Sorry, I am giggling! God wrote that! I didn’t.)
Don’t be stuck! You have a friend who wants to be with you; whether you are crying in the shower or celebrating a birthday. God is good and will meet you right where you are!
“Many are asking,’ Who can show us any good? Lift up the light of your face upon us Lord.” Psalm 4:6
Yesterday, my daughter who is now twenty-five (How is that possible?) asked me to find a picture of her on the first day of Freshman year of high school. With all the back-to-school posts on Facebook, is it possible she is getting sentimental?
As I dug through boxes, I found this little girl.
I examined my 2nd grade “picture day” photo and remembered how I worried about being ugly; recalling being teased and given the nickname “The Bucktooth Beaver.” (Kids can be so mean!) As I looked closer at the photo I also remembered what my Second Grade teacher, Mrs. Succop called me too, Jesus Little Lamb. I grabbed my phone and texted her the picture and wrote.
My beautiful teacher~ I look at this little girl and remember being so worried about the mean girls making fun of me … I worried I never would fit in. But because of your love, showering me with the love of Jesus, I stopped worrying and started wondering, wondering about our Savior, and start wondering more about Him than myself.
The next day she responded telling me it was a privilege to love me and a gift to see really young ones who the world did not know or value.
Her response got me thinking, when did we replace wonder with worry?
What do you worry about?
Will I get the right job? Will my kids get the right job?
Will my kids go to college?
Will my family stay healthy?
What do you wonder about?
Think back to your childhood…
What did you want to want to be?
What did you wonder?
Was it, would I get picked for the recess kickball game?
I admit I was boy crazy since first grade. I wondered if I would get to sit on the bus next to Eric Berg for the field trip.
Close your eyes and think back to maybe the summer of 1981? or 1985? What songs were playing on the radio? What color was your bike that you rode around the neighborhood with your best friends until dark? Did you wonder what high school would be like? Or who you would go to Prom with?
With a new school year starting and none of my children in school, I do think time is passing so quickly.
I am older and my dad is eighty-nine, so I do think about or wonder when he will die. I don’t worry since I know he will go to heaven and enjoy a new life of wonder.
As I am writing this, I am looking at my 2nd grade picture, buckteeth and all, and remembering and thanking God for my sweet teacher, who made a difference in my life, and helped me wonder. ( Yes, you teachers DO make a difference!)
God does not want us to worry but to wonder. I would love to hear what you remember about your childhood. What did you wonder?
“Show the wonder of His great love.” Psalm 17:7
So I gotta admit this week the pain crept into my “happy space” and it was unexpected and unwelcomed like the flu in the middle of August. I cried, and it was not a pretty cry with tears flowing softly down my cheeks, wiped away with one little Kleenex. No, it was the downright, face contorting, ugly cry.
My soul was in need of reinforcement so I pressed the button on my cell phone in hopes of reaching my college roommate, Kristin. When she answered my call, I was hyperventilating, choking out my words, or should I say inaudible sounds and syllables sounding like a first-time mom giving birth.
“Lis… Are you alright?”
I finally gathered some composure and said, “No, I hurt. It’s been twenty years this week that I have been divorced.”
She listened but she knows me, I am stubborn and even though I love parties, I am not a willing participant in any sort of PITY PARTY. I deflated any balloons that would be used for that kind of party and dished back a big slice of “GOD’S GOT ME” cake.
She responded, “Yes, I know, Lisa. You know God has you but it is ok to tell God you are sad, that you thought by now you would be married.”
So I did! That night, I made some tea and went to my sacred space and told God, “I’m sad. I hurt. Fill me with JOY!”
The very next day, for reasons I can’t explain, I was back skipping the streets of Santa Barbara. I was like sixteen year old me, before a Turnabout high school dance. I may have been dateless but it didn’t matter because I knew I had lots of friends who allow me to be silly Lisa and dance without a date in sight.
So today, I have to admit I woke up and took a selfie before I went to church.
No filter was needed. I am joyful. I am happy.
Praying for a husband isn’t REALLY my focus anymore. I pray more to be filled with joy and if my SOON-to-be husband wants to join me in this wonderful journey called life; that would be wonderful TOO… but if not, I know, I am LISA, a BEAUTIFUL CHILD Of GOD!
And just like the ending of the movie Sixteen Candles, when Jake Ryan waited outside the church for Samantha; I believe my happy ending will be unexpected and welcomed and as easy as my mom inviting the “new church family from Omaha” over for dinner. When “Farmer Ted” walked in the door, I was “ALL- in.”
So today, I know God will continue to surprise me, fill me with joy, all because I am willing to give him, my ugly cry.
“And the reason you don’t have what you want is that you don’t ask God for it.” James 4:3
Today. As the light filtered in through my sheers curtains I stretched out my body like a rubber band and thought, Yes! A full nights sleep!
I reached over, grabbed my phone and quickly texted and thanked my friend Jen for her prayers. She responded, Lucky! I slept well until 1:30, then was up the rest of the night.
I responded, UGH! That’s my prayer for YOU tonight! LET’s do this God!… Oh I just heard God say- you are prayer penpals!
She texted back, How do you hear him?
I responded a long winded text of something to the effect of I’m always asking, questioning, and listening for Him, basically spending time with him, talking to Him like a best friend.
Moments later, I started “the scroll”, yes the five minute Facebook scroll of who is doing what. Today’s feed was filled with cute back-to-school pictures.
I LIKED a few and then decided one friend needed a personal touch. I texted, Good morning! Saw your beautiful girls are off to school. How are you?
Within seconds my cell rang and I answered, “Well, what a happy surprise, Kyla”
We spent the next hour REALLY connecting, REALLY sharing the REAL. It was not Facebook pretty. We did not wait to scroll through our photo app to get the right picture, instead we showed the ugly, the just out of bed, no-make-up and hair mangled look.
Even though, we live hundreds of miles apart, I felt like she was on my front porch sharing a cup of coffee. After an hour we hung up and got on with our day but my mind was still drawn back to that conversation. As I poured another cup of coffee I thought, We all want to connect hence the allure of social media and Facebook but are we really connecting or servicing up LIKES and comments like an appetizers, a quick fix, when we long for the main course?
I am guilty of this. How many likes? Who commented? What did they say?
As I walked into my office, I thought of what Jen asked me, “How do I hear God?”
Even though I enjoy Facebook, or the quick text from a friend, those are just stars stickers on the top of a homework assignment, where as my deep friendships are those who sit with me in the boring History lectures without a sticker in sight.
The same is true with God. He wants not the quick prayer, the quick request. He wants us to talk to Him like a best friend. He wants OUR TIME. Our Truth. I’m Happy. I’m Sad. I hurt. He doesn’t want our Facebook pretty.
So the question I have for you, who do you do life with? Hundreds of friends or those who you share deep personal connections with? Do you give your friends or God the time they deserve or are you just serving up a LIKE or a prayer, not lingering and enjoying a slow cup of tea or fine wine at the end of a day?
About a week ago I received a sweet card that stated :
May you receive abundant blessings in return for the special way you expressed His love.
It was from my dear friend Kris, thanking me for time she and her beautiful daughter Jenna spent at my house over spring break. She enclosed a picture collage of our few days together.
I reread the personalized message she wrote and then notice this Bible verse.
I was welled with tears of joy. I recalled what one of my Santa Barbara friends said to me when I questioned, “Why here? Why Santa Barbara?”
Her response was, “Because everyone who comes to your house, you will bless and tell them about how God has blessed you. I am renaming your house THE BLESSINGS HOUSE.”
As I pondered this further, I sat on the ground with legs crossed, looked up at the sky and asked, “Is this it God? You bless me so I can bless others?”
Waiting for God to answer, I remembered sitting unknowingly next to a pastor on a plane ride and he stated, “You know Santa Barbara is one of the most unchurched places in America… I think that’s why you are here.”
I whispered Is it God ? You bless me so I can bless others?
So, this blog is not about God blessing me with a cottage by the beach, even though I am grateful for that, it is about a much bigger blessing and purpose.
The purpose is share the love and joy of Jesus…And there is not a better time than now, with Easter around the corner.
Who can you bless? Who can you invite to Easter service? Who needs to know the why your heart is filled with joy, stuffed like a plastic Easter egg with chocolate?
It is not too late. Share the blessing.
“ I will bless you… and you will be a blessing.” Genesis 12:2
Tonight I sat on my front porch, talking with my Chicago friend, Chris.We talked about being “empty-nesters.” Her last son left for college this week and my kids have been out of the nest for awhile. She questioned , “We raised the kids. They gave us purpose but what is next?”
We bantered for awhile,laughing about filling our days with work, pickleball, yoga, swimming, bible study groups, etc. She then said,“ Lis, I’ve read a book about when people had near death experiences, the stories are similar about Jesus telling them to love his people.” She continued, “so maybe our purpose is everyday to get up and ask God to show us how to do that.”
I quickly agreed saying, “Yes, during Covid, before I got out of bed, I would say, “ Show me what you want me to do God and I’ll do it .”
Chris and I made a pact, to ask God every morning that question and then tell each other how God uses us during the week.
So I’m taking this further ….
What if more people did this? What if YOU, asked God,“Tell me how you want to use me today ? Show me how you want to use me God?”
-Maybe it’s just smiling at someone at the grocery store.
-Being kinder to the difficult co-worker.
-Listening to a friend
I do believe, if we ask God to show us, to open our heart, open our ears to REALLY listen, to open our eyes to REALLY see others; He WILL use us to REALLY LOVE others!
I would like to challenge YOU, YES YOU, to be the “WHAT IF” in your community.
I would love to,next week, hear how God used YOU!
Open your heart. Open your eyes. Open your ears and listen to what God whispers to you. The Whisper Within.
Psalm 119:13 “Just tell me what to do and I will do it, Lord.” TLB
The Whisper Within 