The Importance of Loving Well

Year ago, my church had an interim pastor.  He was a kind man, a pastor in his retirement years who was serving as the pastor while we searched for someone to replace a new one.

While I thought he was a wonderful person, I quickly grew tired of his sermons.  Everyone of them ended with the same message:  love one another.

That's a great message. But it didn't seem like the answer to everything back then.

Now I'm not so sure.  I think he was on to something.

The older I get, the more I realize the importance of loving others well.  I'm learning that inside every person is a little girl or boy who wants to be loved.  They want to know that someone sees them ... really sees them ... and loves them.

Yesterday, I read 1 Corinthians 13.  Normally I read the part the defines love.  But yesterday, I read the introductory passages, verses 1-3.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing."

So, I can be the best keeper of my home, but if I don't love my family well, it is just a show. 


I can be the most proficient editor, but if I don't love my editing team, it's an empty offering.  


I can be the most talented ministry leader, but if I don't love my volunteers, it's nothing.


I can talk a good game, but if I'm not loving others well, I'm just an annoying, clanging gong.  And I'm old enough to remember the Gong Show and that's not what I want to be.


This call to love others well is my second greatest calling - just under loving God well.  


It's not always easy, especially when it's not  returned in the way I think it should be.  But that's the interesting thing about God's commands - they are never dependent on what anyone else does.  


Yet the rewards are amazing when I don't worry about that.  When I'm sowing love, God reaps a harvest in the right season.


In His Love,
Glynnis

Lack of Discipline or Misplaced Productivity?

An online writer's group posted a thought-provoking question.  The panelist reminded us of the Staple's ads featuring an "Easy Button."  And then asked what makes writing easy.   "What makes the time fly and words fly and fingers fly for you?"

It's a great question.  This past month has been very busy.  She Speaks always adds more to my to-do list. My children were getting ready to go back to school.  And I've been playing catch-up after having those same blessings home all summer.  Writing has fallen to the bottom of my priorities.  It's not been easy at all.

What makes writing easy for me?   Being anywhere but home.  Starbucks.  Borders.  Barnes and Noble.  The library.  You name it.  I could write on a bus, the park, or the curb outside of QT.  Basically, anywhere my work computer isn't.

But I should be able to write at my desk!  I say with a pout. 

It's a beautiful desk, and all my writing resources are within arms reach.  My wonderful dog Kona sits at my feet.  My husband is just upstairs in his office if I need to bounce an idea off someone.  The microwave is ready to reheat my coffee and I can look at my rose bushes outside when I need a refreshment break.

But there are also e-mails sitting in my inbox.  And no, I can't fool myself by shutting down Outlook.  I know they are there - taunting me with needs to be met.  There are projects sitting in my desk-top file holder.  My phone rings.  The dogs need more water.  Life happens all around me and I can't turn it off.  I'm wired to respond. 

So I've castigated myself for my lack of discipline.  Other people can write at their home desks. And so should I.  Right?

But I'm tired of berating myself.  And I'm not even sure it's really a lack of discipline.  What if it's misplaced productivity?

If I'm most creatively productive in a certain environment, then I should play to my strengths. Many artists believe environment is crucial to creativity.  Think of Monet in the French countryside.  Thoreau by Walden's Pond.

Perhaps for me it is identifying that two distinct personalities reside within my person:  1) The administrative leader  2)  The creative writer.  Those two personalities require different fuel and nurture.  They also require different settings at times.

So instead of fighting myself, I'm investing in myself.

If you are my area this week, at a Border's Books, you might find me in the cafe, sipping a mocha and writing.  Come join me and we'll start a group of people who love to write, like Emerson and Thoreau in Boston, or Lewis and Tolkien at Oxford.   Well ... I know that's dreaming high ... but it's fun to think about.

In His Love,

Glynnis

The "Mom Jean" Syndrome Solution

When your teenage son asks you not to wear a certain pair of jeans out in public, you know you've got a problem. 

But they are comfortable, I said .

Mom?! ... he replied with that unique combination of question and warning mixed in one word.

But everyone wears jeans like this, I defended.

We're going shopping!  he said, with a smile.

We've yet to make that shopping trip because I'm still trying to lose that last 15 pounds before I invest in a new pair of jeans, but I will take Robbie with me when I go. 

Why?  Because this advice to re-evaluate my choice of jeans has come from two different directions now - both in love and both right.   I'm the perfect example of the "Mom Jean" syndrome, and that's perfectly fine.  Comfort is my fashion style.  But with five teenagers, I want to re-evaluate a few things.

I'm going to make a confession that some of you might disagree with.  I accept that.  But here goes.
Years ago I decided I wanted my kids to never be embarrassed by the way I look.  To that end, I make an effort to look somewhat current in the way I dress, wear makeup and style my hair.   I'm not trendy, but I didn't want to be a dowdy mom. 

When my jeans got a D grade, I knew it was time to upgrade.  So I turned to my friend Shari Braendel for help, and found it in her new book, "Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad."  She has an entire chapter on jeans, and in a few short minutes of reading that chapter, I know how big the pockets should be, what style looks best for my body type and some suggestions for brands and stores in which to find them.  I've also been challenged to have several styles of jeans, so I can dress them up or down. 

I can't say enough good about Shari.  She is such a beautiful sister in Christ and shares fashion tips without EVER losing sight of the where our true beauty needs to be - and that's on the inside.

Shari is running an incredible contest in conjunction with Zondervan, the publisher of her book.  They are offering a shopping spree and fashion makeover with Shari.   To enter, all you need to do is visit:
http://www.fashionmeetsfaith.com and click on the button for the contest. 

Here's the grand prize:

One winner will receive a $500 Visa gift card, a web camera, a one-hour fashion consultation with Shari Braendel via Skype, a set of color swatches, and an autographed copy of "Good Girls Don’t Have to Dress Bad."

But I've got even more good news.  I'VE GOT A COPY OF HER BOOK TO GIVEAWAY!

The publisher sent me a copy, and I'm going to give one away as well.  Here's how to win:

1. Visit Shari's site and enter her contest.
2. Then post a comment on my blog about your anything related to fashion:  something you read on Shari's site, your biggest fashion challenge, or offer a fashion tip.  This could be about anything, style, brand names, stores,  - not just jeans. 
3. Make sure you leave a way for me to contact you.

 Then on Tuesday, I'll randomly pick a winner and announce it on my blog.

 If you want to join me in a little style re-evaluation, then please take a few minutes to visit Shari's site and then comment on mine. 

In His Love,

Glynnis

Prayer Prompts for Children

Thank you to all those who posted a comments on my blog yesterday, or sent me a private email.  It was a day of highs and lows as I read through your comments about your children.  Some of the ladies who emailed me are in a difficult place, and I am praying the Lord is your peace, confidence and hope. 

I hope I emailed everyone who asked for the copy of the assembled prayer prompts.  Just in case I missed someone, I'm going to TRY to post the list here today.  I've also set up an account at docstoc.com so you can download a PDF from here on out.  

This is all new to me, so we'll learn it together.  I believe if you click on the "menu" button you can "download" the PDF. 


Praying for Children -

Or click here to download the PDF.

If you have any problems, just email me the old-fashioned way (editor@proverbs31.org) and I'll send it directly.

Thank you again for your heart of prayer. 

In His Love,

Glynnis

Praying for our Children

Across the world, children and parents are packing lunches, double-checking backpacks and taking those "First Day of School" photos that record this important milestone. 

For some parents this day is difficult.  You may be reading this through a haze of tears as you've sent your first off to kindergarten.  I pray the Lord brings you peace today.

For some parents this is exciting as you embark on a new year of learning at home.  May the Lord be your inspiration today.

And yet for others, you are fighting the guilt at the relief this day brings.  I pray the Lord steps in and eases you of that guilt, and directs it into a refreshment of the calling He has placed on your life at this time.

For all of us parents with school-aged children, this season of the year is an invitation to revisit, renew and expand our prayer life for our children.   As I mentioned in my devotion today (you can read it at Proverbs 31), I find my prayers tend to narrow to the common denominator of protection.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, and I will pray for my children's safety my entire life. 

But I know the Lord is calling me to pray for more.  So today, I'm going to start the discussion, but then I hope you'll join in with how you pray for your children. 

Here are some areas I believe the Lord wants me to pray about:

• My child's friends and their family situations
• My child's teachers
• The volunteers that work with my children at church, school and other organizations like Girl Scouts
• Athletic coaches

For all areas of my child's emotional and spiritual life

• Honesty
• Increased faith
• Boldness to speak the truth
• Integrity to do what she/he says she will do
• Peace
• Confidence in Christ
• Wisdom and discernment

For my child's social life

• Patience with other children
• Conversation skills
• Bravery in the face of bullying

Because I know my tendency to focus on concerns, I'm going to type up a list of all of the prayer prompts that get mentioned in this blog and print it out and put it with my daily to-do list.  If you'd like me to send you a copy of my master prayer list, please either leave your email in a post, or send me an email directly at editor@proverbs31.org.

How do you pray for your children?  Please share so we can all learn to pray with more expectation, and link arms to raise up a generation of children who will impact our world for God.  

In His Love,

Glynnis

What I've Learned in 27 Years of Marriage

Today is my husband and my 27th wedding anniversary.   So in celebration,  I thought I would share some of the most important lessons I've learned.  Maybe these aren't the most brilliant insights in the world, but today they are what come to mind:

1)  It's better to pick up my husband's socks from in front of the TV, than nag him to do so.  (learned in year one of our marriage and still good advice)

2)  When my husband walks in the door, it's important to stop what I'm doing and hug him with both arms, provided there aren't chicken parts hanging off my fingers. 

3)  Getting presents isn't everything.   I'll take a devoted husband over a birthday gift any day.

4)  Remember that my husband's "love languages" are touch and words of affirmation.  These two needs are easy to meet, don't cost anything, and reap a huge reward for everyone in the family. 

5) As I place myself under my husband's spiritual authority, I've learned to trust that God will bring good to me when my husband makes (what I consider to be) the wrong decision.    

6)  It's okay that my husband doesn't like chick-flicks.  He can still love me and never go with me to see a movie with Jennifer Anniston or Hugh Grant.

7) There are worse things than debt, unemployment or an occasional day spent sleeping and watching TV.   I keep everything in perspective. 

8)  My husband and I share a common enemy.  My husband is not my enemy.  (Nor are our kids, though sometimes it feels like it - grin)

9) It's important to allow my husband to follow his dreams, and to support him in doing so.  Which is why you'll find me on the sidelines of marathons, triathlons, and traveling across the country to visit every National Park, National Historic Site, National Monument, etc. in America!  (We've got to fill up our National Park Passport, don't you know?)

10)  And the most important lesson I've learned in making a marriage last 27 years is never say "divorce."  Take it out of your vocabulary.  Gone.  Never to be spoken again in the context of your relationship. 

It's been an incredible 27 years, and I can't even imagine my life without Tod, my best friend.

Hope you go love on your man today. 

Happily married,

Glynnis

More on Hearing God's Voice & a Winner

Thank you so much for sharing your heart with me the past few days as a result of my devotion on hearing God's voice.  

It seems many of us long to have specific direction from God about our plans.  I wonder if this isn't increasingly due to the number of choices we have these days.  I can stand in front of the deodorant display for 15 minutes!   I am often on information overload, and an tired of making decisions.

I think there's also a common fear that we will make a mistake and follow our own sinful inclinations.  That's possible.   A sweet friend (thanks Sharon S.) gave me a devotion book that I've started reading.  It's called "Experiencing God Day by Day" and it's by Henry and Richard Blackaby. 

Yesterday the devotion spoke directly to my heart about this.  Specifically about a difficult relationship in my life; one I can't walk away from.  Nor do I want to.  It's my daughter Ruth, who was born in Africa and sadly deals with many challenging issues that often overwhelm me, to the point of despair.  So I find myself frequently and desperately seeking God's direction on how to respond and what to do next to help her grow into a godly woman.  Sadly, my responses are not always a good role model for her.

The devotion yesterday was based on Psalm 24:3-4a:  "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord?  Or who may stand in His holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart."

I was convicted right down to my toes.  God challenged me to examine the deepest reaches of my heart and confess sin regarding my thoughts, words and actions.  I was undone.  Even though God spoke to me gently, it was still tough.  Here's the takeaway for me:

If I want to walk in intimacy with the Lord and hear His voice, I need to be sure that I'm not harboring any unconfessed sin. 

Even though the promise of walking closer with God is amazing, it's still hard to dig in deep and pull out those thoughts I'd rather pretend weren't there. 

So that's what God spoke to me this morning.  It's not easy. It's uncomfortable.  It's embarrassing at times.  But it's a journey.  And I'm choosing to focus my eyes ahead and keep on walking.

__________________________________________________________________

Now, on to the winner of Lysa's book. 

There were so many deserving comments that I decided to generate a random number (http://www.random.org/), and it was 60.  So the 60th post is the winner, which is Robyn. 

Min: 1
Max: 151
Result:  60
Powered by RANDOM.ORG

However, as I double checked the comments to make sure I counted right, I realized that somehow Robyn's comments posted twice.  I'm sure that was a bloggy glitch.  But, I decided to give a book to the 60th person as well as the 60th post.  And that winner is Joyce Ashley.  

If both winners will contact me personally (editor@proverbs31.org), I'll get your addresses and get your books mailed out.

Thanks so much for for joining me on this journey. It's an honor to be your sister and friend.

In His Love,

Glynnis