HOLY {Advent Day 10}

        What words can be used to adequately describe "HOLY"?

1. Belonging to, derived from, or associated with a divine power; sacred.

2. Regarded with or worthy of worship or veneration; revered

3. Living according to a strict or highly moral religious or spiritual system; saintly 

4. Specified or set apart for a religious purpose

5. Solemnly undertaken; sacrosanct.

6. Regarded as deserving special respect or reverence

With all due respect to Mr Webster, none of these definitions describes the holiness of the God I love and serve...the God who came in the form of a baby.

I have thought about it all day...and decided to acquiesce to Bishop Reginald Heber:

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, bless'd Trinity!

Holy, holy, holy! all the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which wert, and art, and evermore shalt be.

Holy, holy, holy! though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see;
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy Name, in earth, and sky, and sea;
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, bless'd Trinity!

We will talk again tomorrow...

BP

I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word. 
You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

DELIGHT [Advent Day 9]

Day 9...DELIGHT

The songs reflect that spirit. It's the most wonderful time of the year...Holly Jolly...from now on our troubles will be out of sight...

Maybe that is your experience today. Maybe it isn't.

We are moving toward the celebration of the Savior's birth. A joyous time for sure. A life-changing event for many of us.

I love Christmas. The lights, decorations, smiling faces,  excited kids in line to talk Santa, a increased willingness to help our neighbors in need. Gifts? Sure - who doesn't DELIGHT in gifts!!

It is important, however, to be mindful of those who feel little DELIGHT. The list of reasons is endless-grief, illness, estrangement of family, job loss, etc etc.

It isn't necessary to diminish our own DELIGHT or hide our light. It is incumbent on us to be respectful, compassionate, honoring in any way possible.
A smile and a few kind words can brighten an otherwise dark day.

But how do we know who is carrying such a burden?
HA! That's the kicker!! We don't...best to simply offer those gifts to everyone who crosses our paths.

In that spirit, I offer this face.
A face that DELIGHTS in snow. DELIGHTS in snuggling even when she has been left alone for hours. DELIGHTS in quietly sitting beside me all day, in simply being near me.

Enjoy.
Find DELIGHT in this day.
Share it with one who needs hope.

We will talk again soon...

BP

I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word. 
You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

WISDOM [Advent Day 8]

1. The ability to discern or judge what is true, right, or lasting; insight.

2. Common sense; good judgment: 

Proverbs 24:14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you: If you find it, there is a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

Isaiah 11:1-2 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him - the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,the Spirit of counsel and of might

Today's word is WISDOM. 

The NIV version of the Bible uses the word 219 times. Webster provides definitions.

But where do we get it, and how can we know what is wisdom and what isn't? How do we verify?

You can stop reading right here is you think I have an answer.

I wish I did - several areas of my life sure could use some right now. 

I chose a montage of the word because the accumulation of wisdom has, for me, come from many conduits. I am grateful for each of them...dear friends, hard lessons, severe trials. Everything can teach us something.

During this Advent season, I pray the One on whom the Spirit of wisdom has fallen will be very much alive for you.

I pray that Spirit of wisdom will help us - don't we all need that - and guide us.

Short and sweet today.

Study the definition and Bible verses, if you are of a mind. Meditate on them. Pry for wisdom. For you, For your family. For me.

We will talk again tomorrow...

BP 

I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word. 
You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

READY [Advent Day 7]

My friend Joni does a very cool thing each Christmas. She picks someone and makes the Twelve Days of Christmas a real occurrence...not with swans and geese and pipers.

Yesterday she surprised me with news that she is honoring me this year. Joni and I have been friends for 25 years. Not always close friends, but never off each other's radar. Each of us has grown a lot during that time. We will probably never be talk-every-day kind of friends, but there is comfort in the longevity.

Maybe you are like me. I have been very busy getting ready, decorating, thinking about presents, on and on and on.
Maybe you are like me. Other life stuff has been at the front of my brain. Challenging stuff.
Maybe you are like me. I am fully aware it is December 7. And while this is my favorite holiday, I haven't embraced it yet.
This year has been difficult for many reasons, not the least of which is the loss of parts of two fingers and ongoing financial litigation.
Your challenges are probably different...but equally difficult.

I thought about all of the above as I was cleaning today...then I walked past the Nativity set in the picture.
Maybe your house is like mine. Baby Jesus is in a drawer until Christmas Eve.

I thought about Joni telling me that if I was not yet, in the spirit - not yet READY - the Twelve days would be just wanted I needed.

I looked at the empty spot where the Baby will be and thought: I'm READY.

READY to embrace this Baby yet again.
READY to have at least a bit of time to focus on why He came, what His birth means.
READY.

Maybe you are like me.

We will talk again tomorrow...
BP

I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word. 
You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

FLOOD [Advent Day 5]

Day 5

Once again, the word fits the day.

FLOOD

Uncontrollable, life-altering, deluge, overwhelming…words that come to mind when I hear FLOOD.

Appropriate for Advent.

A FLOOD of ads in the newspaper, toy commercials in television, red and green colored decorations everywhere…

A FLOOD of emotions, memories, wishes that may or may not come true,

hopes for things that can’t be wrapped in a package.

We are anticipating the day we celebrate the birth of the Savior. Most wonderful time of the year, right?

Even if your life is generally good, holiday stress can be difficult.

And if your road is presently dark, FLOOD hit the proverbial nail on the head.

Many of us in are a difficult place. Some show it…some fairly scream it right out loud…some don’t.

FLOOD of green and red.

FLOOD of imagining that everyone else gets to buy exactly what they want while you struggle.

FLOOD of cheery songs.

FLOOD of imagining everyone else attends fabulous holiday parties while you sit home alone.

FLOOD of cookies,fudge, tinsel, Ho-Ho-Ho's

FLOOD of sadness and tears…and maybe a bit too much self-pity.

What if we had a FLOOD of empathy? A FLOOD of compassion? A FLOOD of forgiveness? A FLOOD of willingness to reconcile and give each other a mulligan? A FLOOD of brotherhood?

What if that’s why the Savior – the One who calms the storms with a word - came in the first place? 

Hmmmm....

We will talk again tomorrow…

BP

I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word. 
You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

TIME [Advent Day 4]

My process for this daily exercise has been to look at the word early each morning, then let it roll around a bit in my head. Generally, two or three ideas come to mind, I start to write about one, and often realize another one was better!

Today’s word is TIME. Here is my first thought…

We have a lot of ways to keep track of TIME! And we do it well and diligently, don’t we? Most anything you want is available on a calendar. Word-a-day, trivia fact-a-day,recipe, vocabulary word, joke, and probably a lot of subject I don't want to consider!

There is a calendar in the kitchen, on the desk, on the computer, on myphone. And yet, I still miss an appointment occasionally!

How about you? Can you identify with sometimes being overwhelmed by your calendar(s)? Or by constantly having to know what time it is? We won’t talk about the number of times I look at my phone for the time, then immediately forget what the clock said as soon as the phone goes back in my pocket.

I know I am not alone in that.

The most important question for me is, “Do I manage time or does it manage me?”

My 8^th grade Geography teacher often said, “Some days you get the bear, some days the bear gets you!”

That is how I feel about the state of time management in my life.

And my second thought…

Isn’t it interesting how we are so focused on keeping track of our time – past, present and future – yet we often forget the value of time?

In the photo, you can see a long piece of paper across the top. That is a graph I made - the top line lists the years I have been alive. The columns, of course, are the months in each year. Lots of TIME.

I can point to some months, some periods, some years and recall feelings and events, joy or sorrow, fun or really hard work.

I can point to times that are historically important. November 1963, April and June 1968, October 1971 and 1978, August 1977, December 1980.

Generally, however, days turned to weeks turned to months turned to years. Lots of entries on paper calendars or computers or smartphones – none of which slow the circles.

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

And, as often happens, a relevant song that jumped into the front of my brain.

If I could save TIME in a bottle, the first thing that I’d like to do

Is to save every day till eternity passes away, just to spend them with you…

But there never seems to be enough time to do the things we wanna do once we find them,

I’ve looked around enough to know, you’re the one I wanna go through time with…

Ironic words from Jim Croce, who died at 30, just as he was gaining fame as a singer and songwriter.

I think about how quickly time goes by. I do. I am fully aware and often convicted by that knowledge.

Then life gets busy. And stressful.

Days go by and we lose track of what is important.

And we vow not to do it again. But we do.

Maybe we can learn to be more aware, more intentional about where the minutes go.

Maybe we can be more committed to being than doing.  

Maybe this Advent season can start a new habit of appreciating TIME.

We will talk again tomorrow…

BP

I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word.  
You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

PEACE [Advent Day 3]

PEACE.

I crave it. Not want or simply need…crave, must have.

It hasn’t always been so.

Years ago, a dear friend – in an effort to be helpful – told me most days I was like a thundercloud. Ready to rain and storm at any moment. People who know me today might not believe that is true.

Thank God those days are past. Truly. He is the One who facilitated that change.

Life has been challenging lately. Financial challenges, a serious accident, a couple deaths in my family…life stuff.

Your life is challenging too, isn’t it?

Many days – like today – I feel like my feet are running non-stop on very shaky ground. And my heart is right with them.

You feel like that sometimes, don’t you?

My To-Do list is endless. Tasks get pushed from one day to the next. I am working on a book that is not coming along as quickly as I envisioned.

That’s life. It happens.

But on days when my heart is not at PEACE, I allow the voice that says I have failed. I allow myself to be guided completely by emotion – mine and other people’s – rather than remembering what I know to be true.

PEACE.

Sometimes we confuse the process of becoming a person of PEACE. We think it is something we should look for outside ourselves, bring into our lives.

In truth, PEACE is something we find inside when we banish negative emotions, egotism, Me-Me-Me attitudes...when we walk with the One who could bring PEACE to the wind and waves by holding up His Hand.

PEACE – the kind Jesus shares – is the only way for me to be stable, to be joyful, to make good decisions.

PEACE in my heart is what moves my feet forward, allows me to laugh, helps me focus on all I want and need to accomplish.

PEACE is necessary if I want to share the Light.

PEACE is what I crave.

I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word.  

You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

BOUND [Advent Day 2]

What is the first thought in your head when you hear the word BOUND?

My good friend Melanie Gillchrist ( www.bluemarblegod.com) enlightened her readers today about contranyms - words that have contradictory meanings. There are very few such words in the English language
BOUND is one of them.

I remember my grandmother using the word this way: You had to know that was BOUND to happen or If you do (such and such), you better know (blah blah) is BOUND to happen.

Maybe someone in your life uses BOUND the same way?

Almost always, the phrase had a negative context.

That is the context in which I heard the word in my head this morning...restricted, limited, held down.

Immediately came thoughts of what binds me. In today's picture, the result of a lawn tractor accident are quite visible. Does that disfigurement bind me, emotionally and/or physically?

What else has binding chains? Finances, unhealthy eating habits, lack of trust in God's plan, complacency about spiritual disciplines...should my confession continue?

Maybe you thought I was talking about you...

Today is the second day of Advent, the preparation time leading up to Christmas. 
One of the most comforting, and confronting, aspects of Jesus' personality is that he was never BOUND by negative stuff. Worry, jealousy, anger, bitterness, short-temper...not a part of His world.

But Jesus was BOUND.
By peace.
By contentment.
By love.
By discipline.
By commitment to the Father's will...
And I like to think that the most visible way He was BOUND was by joy. In all circumstance, BOUND by a joy that gives strength.

That is the kind of BOUND I want to be! By joy that is pressed down, shaken down, running together, poured in my lap in overflowing fashion.

Maybe you do too?


I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word.  

You can find out more and join here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

GO [Advent Day 1]

GO.

It is a word she loves...one to which she responds immediately by standing at the back door, looking at me, then the leash on the door, then me again.

GO.

She is not afraid. Why would she be? She trusts me...has no reason to do differently.

GO. 

She never asks, "Where?" while I put the harness on. The destination doesn't matter - only the experience.

GO.

If I asked her five times today, she would jump every time. If I don't ask for five days, she still jumps.

GO.

It's all she wants - to be with me...walk, run, ride - she is always up for the adventure.

GO.

Today is the first day of Advent 2013. I am reminded of people who lived the Christmas story. 

Mary. A teenager...pregnant...wondering if her bethrothed will believe and keep his vow to marry her.
Joseph. Feeling betrayed. Confused. Not sure if he should heed words from a dream and  follow through with the marriage.

God said GO. Do what was planned. Trust me. Be excited to hear my voice.

Great lessons for me.
Maybe for you?

I am participating in an Advent photo-a-day exercise. ReThinkChurch.org is facilitating the practice by providing a one word prompt each day. Participants are encouraged to share how we perceive each word.  

You can find out more and join here.

A much needed kick in the butt {Preface}

In an interview on Good Morning America, this week, Ryan Ferguson told Robin Roberts he didn’t have time to look back, only to focus on getting back on track.

You say you don’t know Ryan Ferguson?

He is a Missouri man who was released from prison this week after spending 10 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.

Ten years. His entire 20’s. Gone.

It was significant to hear him say his family went through more hell than he did. They fought unwaveringly for his release…dealt with all the legal details…kept hope alive.

Prison, he explained, is just getting through one day at a time. He worked out, kept his head up, and waited.

3650 days…one at a time.

And now Mr. Ferguson is ready to put his life back together the same way.

I am challenged by “one day at a time.” I allow myself to become overwhelmed by everything I see in the big picture.

How about you? Do you ever find yourself under the weight of “everything” all at once?

Ryan Ferguson and a few other people helped kick me back in line. We will talk more about that in the upcoming days.

For now, I am back…recommitted…ready to reach the stars and help others do the same.

One day at a time.

We will talk again tomorrow.

BP J

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

Joanne-ee, Sycamore Road, and unwanted surprises...{Day 30}

I am thinking tonight about a house on Sycamore Road.

It started as little more than a shanty – a couple rooms, a bathroom. After 61 years of being lived in by what became a family of 9, it was a much bigger house…and a home.

It is on my mind tonight because 6 years ago at this time, I was in a hospital emergency room, not believing that the woman who made that house a home was gone.

If these old walls, if these old walls could speak

Of things that they remembered well

Stories and faces dearly held

A couple in love livin' week to week

Rooms full of laughter

If these walls could speak*

When you are the only child of a single parent, extended family becomes especially important. Aunt Joanne, my mom’s older sister, always treated me like one of her own. She has a daughter 21 months older than me, a son one month younger, another son 4 years younger…great pals for a kid with no siblings.

The house has a yard big enough for football or baseball, and a hoop in the driveway, and a creek, AND they belonged to a club with a pool. Paradise.

If these old halls, if hallowed halls could talk

These would have a tale to tell

Of sun goin' down and dinner bell

And children playing at hide and seek from floor to rafter

If these halls could speak*

Two specific memories that make me smile…

Driving to the pool, with Three Dog Night’s “Joy to the World” playing loudly, Amy hanging her head out singing even more loudly…and all of that being just fine. No scolding. No “get your head in here” warnings.

And meteor showers in August. We would get sleeping bags and stare at the sky, so excited to count shooting stars. Aunt Joanne was right there with us.

I had no idea what being an adult, a wife, a mom to seven kids meant. Cooking, cleaning, laundry, making ends meet, holding a part time job.

I had no idea what it meant for her to spend hours with us at the pool or looking at the stars.

I had no idea I would remember that forever.

Joanne Andreassi was one of the classiest, most attractive women I know. She always looked nice. Always.

She wasn’t perfect. Sometimes things she said would have been better as just thoughts. She could be stubborn.

But her heart was golden. And her faith was steadfast and strong.

I had no idea it was making such an impact on me.

She was funny. And she had a wonderful laugh.

She loved her kids. She loved her husband…and, oh my, did he love her! They truly enjoyed each other’s company – still do, I’m sure.

She was supportive of my uncle while he built a gas and oil company, worked a second job in the evening, answered customer calls at all hours – once on Christmas Day. They made a great team and were blessed to enjoy the fruit of those labors and sacrifices when they were retired.

If these old fashioned window panes were eyes

I guess they would have seen it all

Each little tear and sigh and footfall

And every dream that we came to seek or followed after

If these walls could speak*

I had no idea on Oct 30, 2007, my sleep would be delayed by a phone call at 11 PM saying I needed to get my mom and go to the hospital.

Aunt Joanne’s oldest daughter and I are also very close. Her voice was tight, very deliberate. Just as I about to hang up, she said words I didn’t want to here: “She’s already gone.”

If I close my eyes right now, I can see her in the kitchen,  or at the end of the dinner table in her spot…I can hear her talking about soap operas or fussing about ladybugs invading her house or cheering for her kids and grandkids at a football or basketball game…I remember her laughing with Mom and their other sister and brother…

I had just seen her at a football game a couple weeks before.

I had no idea it would be the last time I would see her on this side.

I had no idea I would miss the chance to ever tell her these things.

Six years later, Joanne-ee, and you are still loved and missed like it was yesterday.

Rest well. See you again.

They would tell you that I owe you

More than I could ever pay

Here's someone who really loves you

Don't ever go away

That's what these walls would say*

Do you need to share thoughtful words with someone before you can't?
Think about it.

We will talk again tomorrow.

BP

*words and music by Jimmy Webb
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNzwQI9eSAU

I’m participating with The Nester in 31 Days of Examining My Heart.

This is Day 30.

You can find all 31 Dayers here. There are so many wonderful topics.

If you miss any days in the series, you can find the introduction and each day's post here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!

Car dancing, Amy Grant and words that stick {Day 29}

How is this to brighten your day…the iPod is on “shuffle” playing through the car stereo and flips to a song you love but haven’t heard for years!

Big smile, right?

That happened yesterday when “Good For Me” came on. Heart in Motion. 1991. I adjusted the settings so I could hear the whole CD.

Amy Grant is 363 days younger than me.  Her music been running in the background most of my adult life. She seems to be someone with whom I could enjoy a round of golf, or an evening playing with harmonies while she sang…just a nice, normal person.

I think she would probably like to talk to me as well! And I could tell her how her songs sometimes made me dance, sometimes carried me through dark days.

Some people love a good beat – I do too - but lyrics are more my thing. A catchy phrase or good hook will stick in my mind forever. The right lyrics can make me smile or invoke so many tears I can’t even sing along.

My heart shows itself in my song choices.

Yours might, as well.

So, because I am writing this for yesterday’s submission, here are lyrics from two of my favorite songs on the “Heart in Motion” CD.

When I start to sing the blues, you pull out my dancing shoes

I think you could be so good for me

You get brave when I get shy, just another reason why

I think you could be do good for me… (Good for Me)

You are dancing a bit, aren’t you? You KNOW you are!

If not, go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5PddJStucKQ

And this, from “Hope Set High”

And I can do my best and pray to the Father
But the one thing I ought to know by now

When it all comes down, when it all comes down
If there's anything good that happens in life
It's from Jesus.

True words right there.

If you don’t know the song, listen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhK-J6K9S6I

We will talk again tomorrow… or later tonight J

BP

I’m participating with The Nester in 31 Days of Examining My Heart.

This is Day 29.

You can find all 31 Dayers here. There are so many wonderful topics.

If you miss any days in the series, you can find the introduction and each day's post here.

Beth Painter is a writer and motivational speaker. You can follow her on Facebook on the “Think Big focus small” page.

Beth is available to speak to your group about how to make your dreams and desires come to life!