Our Failures, Flesh & Faults

In keeping with my latest little passion, I've been going through my photos and pairing them with quotes & scriptures. I've bookmarked favorite verses and saved favorite quotes for years now. I've been an overly picky photographer for years too -- always trying to get the perfect angle or picture composition & balance. I wouldn't saying I've succeeded in becoming an accomplished photographer. But, I've certainly ended up with a multitude of photographs!!

Early this morning I read a quote I'd saved out of Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts. I had lovingly placed it on my Favorite Quotes List when it jumped off the page at me 3 years ago! I've returned to read it on many occasions in the past few years. Today it jumped at me again :)

"Your Father is bigger than your failures, your flesh and your faults!" ~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

Yes LORD... I am claiming those promises this morning!!! There's something about me that says I contribute to my failures & faults... but, what about my flesh when I'm doing the absolute best I can in this time? My flesh is weak from this most recent season. I've been "pitching in" a little more than usual lately. Our daughter has been working diligently on her senior show... while completing the last semester before she earns her Bachelor of Art's degree... while still working part-time at a day care center AND caring for her 14-month old. 

OOPS, A BREAK... I'm back again - after a full morning with our little Princess after her Mommy headed out to school. The kitchen is still a mess but, I've seen it worse. It's 11:30am & I just rocked our little sweet one to sleep for a nap. I should probably eat something...

The LOML brought me coffee early this morning when the only ones awake were the two of us. Does coffee with real cream count as food? Then I hit the floor running (after a novice runner!) when she awoke -- fixing breakfast for her, cleaning her up, picking out an adorable outfit from the wonderful clothes we've been given. (Have I mentioned that I love hand-me-downs.) I wolfed down a Reese peanut butter egg & a large glass of milk for breakfast. I followed that almost immediately with a cold piece of pizza & a glass of juice. Does that satisfy the food groups for breakfast & lunch? I don't normally eat like this. But, sometimes in the recent weeks, I've almost forgotten to eat or opted for rest over food :)

AND, YET AGAIN, ANOTHER BREAK... someone is teething & getting over a little stomach virus from this past weekend. The nap lasted less than an hour. And, then our little red-head didn't want to do anything apart from her DeeDee's arms - which happen to be perfectly formed. I lugged her around as I cleared a table of dishes which should have been put away months ago. I sang to her... rocked her... attempted to wash a few dishes with her attached to my hip...

I could go on but, I'll spare you all the details. When I look at the way life is going for me lately, I doesn't make any sense that I should stay healthy in this cold & flu season. I'm not eating well. I'm not sleeping well. I'm not getting as much exercise as I should. Everything points to a total physical collapse... 

     everything... 

            BUT GOD!

I have a peace in my spirit - feeling as though this season is just where He wants me. It's a season where I am reminded that He who carries us, carries us in all the times. He's our strength, whether we acknowledge it or not, when life is waltzing along perfectly. And, He's our strength in the times when it makes no sense that would would have any strength.

TODAY I'm thanking God for His faithful loving kindness & lavish provision... and His reminder through Ann's words...

"Your Father is bigger than your failures, your flesh and your faults!" ~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

In Celebration of The LOML

March 27th marks the day that we celebrate the birth of my best friend & spouse... aka The LOML (Love of My Life). Even though I was super tired when my alarm went off at 5:30am this morning, I was excited to go wake the girls & get the party started. The three of us sang to him and gave him cards & presents... and HUGS!!!

Last night (on the LOML's Birthday Eve) I grabbed a few photos to celebrate him...

in the beginning... I dated a surfer

friend for years before dating...

married my best friend

my favorite Words with Friends partner

the romantic - secretly :)

my favorite biking partner

my favorite hiking partner

a man with a very strong work ethic

a talented guitarist

a great vocalist

a fantastic actor

an accomplished cellist...
Maybe NOT

a great Dad & PapaBear

the supporter of the endeavors
of BOTH of our kids

a talented sportsman

my favorite traveling partner
& PIRATE :)

the one whom I stand behind
& stick up for :)

Trust me, I have 100's of pictures that I could share, but, I won't :) I'll close with this one...

loved him & liked him then...
love him & like him now!

That's my CELEBRATION POST for today. I love you BearBear -- even though you never read my blog posts!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

On another day, I'll write a post about how he drives me nuts - in the NOT GOOD sort of way -- but NOT TODAY!!

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

Trust the Engineer

"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark,
you don't throw away the ticket and jump off.
You sit still and trust the engineer."
~ Corrie ten Boom

I've learned over the years that if I am listening to a lecture, speech, or sermon that I retain more information if I take notes as I am listening. I have a friend who's an author, illustrator, artist, cartoonist & just a generally great guy :) He takes notes of the sermons in cartoon form. They're awesome. You can see some of his work on his Facebook page and on his website. You might have also seen some of his work in magazines, on church bulletins, in Sunday School curriculum, and other places!

Well, Sunday at church, I was holding a 14-month old and unable to jot down notes. I listened as intently as possible but, was afraid I'd forget some of what was shared. I knew I'd be able to access that sermon online in the coming days and could hardly wait. (Click HERE to access the sermon.)

As soon as I got home from church, I was happy to receive an email from a friend with his sermon notes! I've read through those notes & decided to pair one of quotes used by our guest speaker with one of my pictures. By seeing that quote on the picture, I will be reminded that God goes through the hard & dark times with us AND that we need to trust upon Him - especially when we can't see ahead.

Are you tempted to throw away your ticket & jump off the train when life sends you troubles? Sometimes I am :/ I am thankful for reminders like this great quote from Corrie ten Boom!

"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

A Chapter Closed - A Lake-side Cottage

Cabin Number 8 -
beside a yellow lake :)

A lakeside cottage... that does sound so much nicer than a cabin by a lake. But, truth be told, it was a cabin and not a cottage. It was anything but glamorous. Yet, it was enchantingly wonderful! That little cabin (about the size of a lawn mower shed - as I'd described it to friends) was filled with memories woven into the fabric of my very being... memories from when I was a young girl playing in the sand on the shore... memories woven into my mother from childhood into the age of being a grandparent... and her mother... to aunts, uncles, and more! That cabin was a huge part of many lives over the almost 100 years since it had been built along that little yellow lake.

And, a huge, important chapter of my life closed the day I handed that humble cabin over to my cousin, her husband and their 2 daughters. The chapter was full... 

• I'd driven there with my husband (the LOML) and our firstborn when she was barely 4 months old. 
• I'd rowed our boat along the shore of the lake with both of the children (relunctantly strapped tightly into life jackets because their mom loved them so much). 
• I'd attended the Campmeetings sponsored by the church ministry which owned the land and saved crafts made by the children in their day classes while I was attending Bible studies & lectures. 
• We'd taken pictures of the children at "the climbing tree" from the time they were infants until they were into their teens.



the climbing tree

• I'd taken the kids there in the summer for a few days in the week to have "Daddy" drive up & join us on Friday nights after work for the weekend.
• I'd begun friendships there... that will be with me in heaven. 

The memories from that place spill out of me... more than I can write and certainly more than you would want to read. Those memories are so very special. They make me happy & somewhat sad at the same time.

A chapter of my life closed when that place was no longer mine.

the LOML & I
in our little living room

My cousin's family loves that place, as I do. Her mom & my mom are sisters who shared many memories there, including a childhood memory of living there for a summer & fall while they & their missionary parents were back in the states from Egypt on furlough. We had played there together when we were little children. She loves keeping up on family heritage information. She will love & take care of that place. Her girls will make memories there of times in their little cabin by the lake.  

soccer practice as
the children got older

It was a tough chapter to close. We were no longer using the cabin as the children got older. Some of you will understand that... there's a season in all parents' lives when the schedules of the kids rival the schedule of the family. No matter how much you value family time, there comes a day when you know that a season has ended for your family. The time before giving the cabin to my cousin was such a time.

sunrise from the kitchen

There will always be an aching in my soul when I think of no longer owning that place - where I walked along the lakeside as the sun was rising, where I tucked the kids into beds nestled along the slanted roof of the attic loft, where I fell asleep listening to soft music I played for the children as they slept, where I entertained friends for lake days with their children...

fun with friends

There will always be an aching in my soul. Yet, there will always been a deep sense of gratitude & joy that God allowed me to be the caretaker of that family "cottage" for so many years. My life is richer and the lives of my children are richer for having owned & used that cabin. I believe that the lives of my friends & family who joined us there for fun little get-always will be richer for the experience.

For everything there is a season,

A time for every activity under heaven.

A time to be born and a time to die.

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

A time to kill and a time to heal.

A time to tear down and a time to build up.

A time to cry and a time to laugh.

A time to grieve and a time to dance.

A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.

A time to embrace and a time to turn away.

A time to search and a time to quit searching.

A time to keep and a time to throw away.

A time to tear and a time to mend.

A time to be quiet and a time to speak.

A time to love and a time to hate.

A time for war and a time for peace.

Yes... I believe that for everything there is a season. But, my heart cries that the change of seasons can be pretty rough on one's soul. Yet, God remains faithful!

... the last time we were there.

The first of the A-Chapter-Closed posts:
A Chapter Closed Today...

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

What a Coincidence...

How often do you say or hear:  

"Wow, what a coincidence!"

Do you hear or say things like this?

"It was so ironic that things worked out that way!"

Seems like I'm always hearing the words coincidence & ironic used...

• It's such a coincidence that the day my car broke down the neighbor offered to let me use their car while they were on vacation.
• How ironic that the child who drove us crazy with questions grew up to be a trial attorney!
• What a coincidence that the day our furnace broke, we got a refund on our taxes which had been figured out & submitted incorrectly.
• It's pretty ironic that I went to a state school known for partying and ended up connecting with some life-long non-partying Christian friends.

Peace is the deliberate adjustment
of my life to the will of God.

Here's something that happened to me. Would you find it ironic or a coincidence that I created this photo-quote pairing in the morning and then heard a loved one say words I'd been praying to hear for 5 years?

The past five years have been, by far, the worst years of my life. I've had to work hard to FIND PEACE in these years. I've had to trust in something that I could not see -- something that often looked as if it would be unattainable. I've had to give up on some of my dreams & trust in the plans and provisions of a loving God.

The only way I found peace was in surrender -- surrender to trusting in the will of God, even when I didn't know what that was. I deliberately had to ADJUST my life to accept that God was working even when it was totally obscured from me. It was a process. Even though I had scriptures (promises) memorized and even though I had audibly claimed so many of those promises, it was a process to walk in those promises. It required a conscious adjustment.

I'm not a big fan of the words "coincidence" and "ironic" when it comes to how life plays out. I'm more of a believer that God is working 24/7 on what the final outcome will be -- even when we aren't walking in step with him. He is eternally working things out for our good! 

How ironic... what a coincidence... not so much. 

God you are awesome... that works better for me!

Any times in your life that you saw the hand of God in such a way? Share with me!

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

Remembrances - Friends Gone By

The other morning, as we were driving to church, I heard a song on the radio that reminded me of a dear friend who'd given me a CD in the final weeks of my father's struggle with cancer. And, I thought, "I'd give her the biggest hug if she was here." 

Then I thought of another friend who used to be like a sister to me -- walking beside me through that same journey of my dad's illness & death. But, in the past few years it's seemed as if she's dropped off the radar to me. I know she's still around. I see her posts on other people's Facebook pages. And I thought about that friend, "I'd give her the biggest hug if she was here." 

A third friend crossed my mind -- a friend who went through a bit of a public scandal due to some of her choices. Regardless of her seeing the error of her ways, she still faced looks of judgement from ones, whom I felt, shouldn't be judging... rather, loving & forgiving. And, I wanted so badly to hug her neck right then & assure her that I loved her regardless of her choices. 

A few more friends came to mind. One I'd traveled along a journey of pain in her life and tried to bring comfort & support. She's no longer in touch and, I miss her. Another was a dear friend from many years ago. She'd been living a secret... living a life-style which was contradictory to her core values. I often wonder if, since I'd known of her little secret, she'd chosen to distance herself from me & others who knew of that time in her life?

I've asked myself many questions. Why are these friends gone from my life? Is it because of something I said or didn't say? Were they only friends for the support they desired at a certain time of their lives? Was I not a good enough friend? Did I do something that caused a rift in the friendship? I've asked myself these questions over & over. But, a little voice inside me said that day on the drive to church: 

"Celebrate every friendship whether they last through the years or last for only a season."

I consider myself to be like an old hound-dog... a faithful friend. Once someone gets in my heart, they seem to hold a place there :) Today, I am remembering friends gone by... and wondering why... but, thanking God for those friends in my life!

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

A Chapter Closed Today...

Today after reviewing the close to 100 drafts that I have waiting to finish & publish on this blog, I decided to have a collection about chapters closing. Some chapters close in our lives with a party of celebration... and then there are others...

"Peace is the deliberate adjustment
of my life to the will of God."

This picture was taken on New Smyrna Beach (east coast of Florida) in August of 2009. I was there for a family vacation before our daughter began her freshman year in college and before our son began his junior year in high school. That beautiful morning I was walking on a broken foot - which I learned about 10 days later when I couldn't stand the pain any longer. I'll probably use this pic for that specific blog post about "chapters closing". It's in progress today :)

Join me & jot down some thoughts about times in your life when a chapter has closed and a new one has begun. That's one thing about life... when a chapter closes, a new one begins. Share them with me too :)

Blessings from the home of the stuckinindiana lady :)

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

Wounds Into Wisdom

Yesterday was a GLORY DAY for me & a dear loved one. And this morning I've been bathed in so many incredible thoughts & emotions... joy, thanksgiving, wonder & awe of God's timing & faithfulness. Oh, the mysteries of embracing God's timing to find peace!

I could say that I stumbled across a great quote this morning. But, I choose to say, "God lovingly placed this quote in front of me in His perfect timing with His loving faithfulness." When I saw the quote, I heard the following thought in my heart:

We can't do anything to change the past. The value of mistakes, hardships, poor choices, loss, pain, suffering and so much more is... to learn... to share... and to grow from them!

Today I'm reminded to allow God to work in & through everything that I face in life. He alone can...

Our Father God...

• is at working in ALL things. 
• gives us beauty for ashes.
• makes all things new.
• keeps His promises.
• completes what He's started.
• is the ultimate healer.
• and so much more!

Thank you God for your plan which wants our wounds to turn into wisdom! 

How has God turned your wounds into wisdom? Feel free to comment here or message me privately.

the stuckinindiana crazy footnote: I seem to be on a HUGE kick lately... being a bit over-the-edge at matching photos I've taken with quotes and/or scriptures. I can't get enough of it. I keep asking God... why am I so compelled to do this?? For someone who was certain she was going to die before she was of 35 and has declared over & over that she's just not quite right, I always seem to wonder... "Am I doing this because I'm going to die soon & God needs me to get it done before going home to be with Him??"

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

God's TWO FOR ONE Sale - Happening Now...

God's TWO FOR ONE SALE - Happening Now!

God's TWO FOR ONE Sale is happening now 

... in a town near you

... actually IN your town

... actually IN your home

... actually IN YOUR LIFE!

As I've mentioned in other posts, I get a few devotionals in my email inbox daily which I read & meditate upon. One that I subscribed to recently isn't really a devotional as much as just a scripture from God's Word. Each morning I wake up to see a Bible verse from K-Love Radio waiting for me. They have it formatted so that it's easily shared via Twitter & Facebook and so that you can actually view it in context in the Bible. It's amazing how many times the scripture chosen hits me right square between the eyes. 

The one shared this morning summarized how I am feeling today after my GLORY DAY yesterday (CHECK BACK FOR THAT POST - IT'S A WORK IN PROGRESS TODAY). I just had to match the scripture they shared with a picture of the sky that I took on a lovely August evening last summer. That seems to be my thing lately :) Here's what greeted me in my Inbox today from K-Love:

"Come back to the place of safety, all you prisoners who still have hope! I promise this very day that I will repay two blessings for each of your troubles." Zechariah 9:12 NLT

I'm one of those strange women who does NOT enjoy shopping - you know, sometimes I hear voices! But, seriously... who can resist two good items for the price of one!?!?! 

Thank you LORD... for one of the best ever two for one promises!! 

What a blessing to see it today!!

My #JoyDare No. 2411. God's TWO FOR ONE Sale :)

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

Enduring Love - What's That Mean?

When you hear the words "enduring love" what comes to your mind? According to my "smart phone app", Dictionary.com, endure means:
 * to go through something
 * to support adverse force or influence of any kind
 * to suffer without yielding; to suffer patiently
 * to continue to exist; to last
 * to have or gain continued, lasting acknowledgment or recognition, as of worth, merit or greatness
 * to hold out against; to sustain without impairment or yielding

For me, in most cases, enduring would most accurately mean putting up with something not very pleasant. So, what about me? Do I love anyone with an enduring love? If so... who? 

I love my husband. He's a man. I'm a woman. And gender difference alone seems to put us at odds often enough. Thankfully those differences don't hinder our relationship. With regards to our convictions & beliefs, he's a believer, like me. But, I'm very vocal about my beliefs & convictions where he's on the quiet side of that equation. I would guess he'd rather I be less demonstrative. As for me, I'm almost always wishing he'd be more demonstrative. That doesn't stop me from loving him though! So, I love my husband (aka the LOML) with an enduring love.

I love both of my children. From the terrible two's (which was actually the terrible three's for both) to the teen years & into young adulthood, we've had our share of up's & down's. They've made choices contrary to what we thought we were teaching them. They haven't been perfect kids. And, we certainly haven't been perfect parents! Sounds like there is some enduring love on both sides there :)

Since the word endure reminds me of suffering or battling through something, when I read about a "love that endures forever", I stop to ponder its meaning. The following scripture is found throughout the Bible -- used in 5 separate Psalms, as well as several other books of the Bible. It's probably a pretty familiar verse to most believers:

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:34 NLT 

The fact that God's love is faithful and it endures forever, brings such comfort to me. It reminds me that there's GRACE from God for mistakes that happen or poor choices I make. It reminds me that God's love doesn't lessen when I pull away from Him. 

He loves us where we are... how we are... why we are... WITH A FAITHFUL & ENDURING LOVE!

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

The Grand Illusion of WORRY

My tendency, from childhood to the present day, is to WORRY* about things -- believing, in some way, that my extensive thoughts about a subject may in some way influence or control the outcome. I can't even count the minutes I've lost in my life by worrying. I dare say the number of minutes lost would match the pieces of broken sea shells in the picture I chose to "inscribe" today.

The Lord has helped me be stronger in the battle against worrying in the past 5-10 years. But, I have to be very careful to not fall back into familiar habits -- habits that solidified & became the norm in my life by constantly repeating them! I have to challenge myself to be vigilant against worry!

This morning, I saw a post by Ann Voskamp that reminded me once again that worry (*or whatever name we choose to call it... fretting, contemplating, planning, understanding something, preparing ourselves for what might happen, etc. and sometimes even PRAYING FERVENTLY??) does not add ONE GOOD THING to my life. It's hard for me to choose just one quote from what Ann writes. It's nearly impossible, to be quite honest. Today I chose the one above in the picture and paired it with a scripture that I have memorized & repeated to myself so many, many times!

 "Worry is merely the illusion of taking action -- when prayer really is." ~ Ann Voskamp  

"Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7 NLT

Some other great quotes from that post:

• When you let the weight of worries at the center of your life be displaced by Christ, your life takes wing. 
• Worry is what leaves your wheels spinning. It's prayer that puts your life into drive.
• Christ at the center of your life displaces gravity -- Worries lose all weight.

What are YOUR names for WORRY? Feel free to make a comment or contact me privately. 

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

What Lies Hidden in Darkness

There have been a lot of times in my life where I've walked in darkness. I've been responsible for some of those times due to my choices. I've walked in the darkness other times due to another's choices. 

In the times when I could see nothing... God saw it all. When I didn't acknowledge His presence or power... He still saw it all. When I was walking with Him, yet experiencing seasons of darkness, I may have been at a loss for understanding but was comforted in the knowledge that He was there... working for my good. 

I will...

“Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power. He reveals deep and mysterious things and knows what lies hidden in darkness, though he is surrounded by light. Daniel 2:20,22 NLT

When I trust in Him, He revels deep and mysterious things to me... in His perfect timing. 

Linking with Ann Voskamp - A Holy Experience today... 

(Note to my three followers - okay a few more than three: If you get a post in your inbox that's not quite formatted I probably wrote it in the wee hours of the night on my phone. Thanks for bearing with me friends!)