Work is a Gift

"Behold what I have seen to be good and fitting is to eat and drink and find enjoyment in all the toil with which one toils under the sun the few days of his life that God has given him, for this is his lot. Everyone also to whom God has given wealth and possessions and power to enjoy them and to accept his lot and rejoice in his toil - this is the gift of God." Ecclesiastes 5:18-19

How fitting that I was in Ecclesiastes through the Labor Day weekend. Though I've studied the book before, I read it this weekend with a different attitude and gained much insight by reading it straight through. There is so much wisdom from Solomon about so many things relevant in my life: about striving, about priorities, about trusting His timing, about wealth, about things I cannot control...

I pouted a bit because I was not able to "fellowship" and camp-out with my church family. This was truly a family LABOR Day weekend filled with Labor and I wish I could say that I rejoiced in it. God is still working on me. :) I did enjoy having Cristin around for the first time in four years. *sigh* :

Cristin worked with Dad to clear brush and set tree stands for hunting season.

Craig was irritated because he couldn't find the keys to the right vehicle. The engineer in me: Encounter a problem, find a solution and fix the problem!

I labeled the key holders AND each set of keys! (My OBC Friends - remember this VBS craft?)

We moved Great Grandma O'Briens piano from Grandpa O'Briens garage where it has rested for the past 10 years -  summers, winters, falls, and springs. It's amazingly in great shape and still quite tuned. INCREDIBLE!

Grandpa's antler collection laid out for pics to post on Craig's list/amazon/ebay. (I have Craig's set to take care of as well!)

I washed the old van inside and out. 

She looks pretty darn good for 13 years and 197K miles!

The shrubbery got a "haircut".

We did take time out to play in the evenings...

I organized my knitting projects and started on my goal of finishing projects... 

Lord, 

Thank you for ALL the work you've given me - at home, at GM, in my marriage. Help me work as if working for you!

No Pain - No Gain

Growing up, I was my dad's buddy. He taught me how to ride a bike, windmill a softball pitch, shoot a basketball, and swing a hammer like the guys. He was my trainer in the off-season, and during every training season I would often grumble and complain. Of course, I was just echoing what my muscles were screaming at me. There were times, I just thought the pain and discomfort was too much to bear. I wanted to quit; I didn't think the pain was worth going through. Dad's cheer would always be..."No pain, no gain!" and I would grit my teeth, set my jaw and push on. "You're building character!' He would say.

Dad never made me do more than I could handle; amazingly, I never broke; I survived. Through the pain of training, I grew stronger. I never realized that Dad was really giving me an object lesson from Scripture...

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." Romans 5:3-5 (See also 1Peter 1:6 and James 1:2-4)

"...Rather train yourself for godliness; for while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe." 1 Timothy 4:7b-10

Dad also would encourage me with  "Train don't strain." I know the Lord, who is allowing these trials to train me, will only allow enough training to make me into the woman He desires for the work He has prepared.


So I press on to the goal...

"But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13b-14

When Right Keep Going Wrong - MOVE!

Craig and I have been feeling like we're living under a dark cloud, and haven't been able to shake the gloominess, for whatever reason. This week, I've been reading through Job, which has really put our life into perspective.

This song has helped me to get a right attitude on every morning and look to the Hope He promises.

This is for all of my friends who are going through hard times; I am praying for you:

you who have lost loved ones -
     a spouse
        a child,
           a niece,
              a nephew,
                 a father,
                    a mother,
                       a grandparent;

you who have lost your health,
     been given a devastating diagnosis;

you who have suffered shattered marriages,
     broken relationships,
          severed friendships;

you who have lost a job,
     a home,
          dreams...



Whatever trial you are facing, don't lose hope...look forward to brighter days!

'"My tears have been my food

day and night,

while they say to me all the day long,

“Where is your God?”...

...Why are you cast down, O my soul,

and why are you in turmoil within me?

Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,

my salvation  and my God.' Psalm 42:3, 5

Empty Nest - Bitter Sweet

Having an empty nest is bitter sweet...

It is so sweet to see the eaglets soaring on their own, climbing to new heights with new opportunities and challenges. It's tough being the mama eagle who nudged them out of her nest. All I can do is watch, pray and be there to swoop in, if needed. Sometimes I want to swoop in before I'm really needed - just a little turbulence, they make a slight adjustment and are flying steady in no time.

The bitter part is that their soaring often takes them far from the nest, with return flights waning in frequency. They need me less and less. I need retraining for a new job description. Can I negotiate this?

Both of my "kids" were home for a brief time this summer. God has done an amazing work - without me - imagine that! They have matured in so many ways and were a huge help to me. Some things cannot be captured by a camera, but here is a glimpse of the blessings they poured out...

Chad decided that our deck railing needed replacing and a paint job was in order. (I have to admit - it was rotted.) He purchased the materials, tore down the old and replaced it with brand new - with a little help from Dad. :)

Cristin decided it was time to clean and organize the basement. I wish I had "before" and "after" pictures; Extreme Home Makeover, for sure! It's amazing how quickly you can find things when everything is in its place! 

I'm so proud you have found your wings ...


and am continuing to pray for you, as you dare to do great things, following God as He leads. <3 U!

Love God, Love People - Which People?

"Love God, Love People" is a slogan that is popular in evangelical circles these days, and we usually immediately think of Jesus's Parable about the Good Samaritan in Luke Chapter 10. From this parable, we are taught that if we truly love God we will also love people who are very different than us, even our enemies. Samaritans were outcast of the Jews, and the Jews would avoid a Samaritan at all cost. Jesus commanded us to cross cultural barriers, socio-economic barriers, ethnic barriers to take the Gospel - the Good News of Salvation through Jesus Christ to everyone - the whole world.

But is that all?

We  in the "church" get fired up and excited during special outreach events, local charities, and short term mission trips about "loving" people that we have never met. We feel good about all the "good" we are doing to help the hurting people in our world in a tangible way so that we can have an opportunity to tell them about Jesus. It is one way God opens opportunities for His people to share the Good News of Jesus.

But what about...

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:34-35

Jesus commands us to love "the brothers and sisters" of the faith. As we love one another, the world is drawn to us and wants what we have. It gives us another opportunity to share the gospel while living it before men on a daily basis.

This is the hard kind of love - loving people even after you REALLY get to know them, "warts" and all! As we study together, share our lives, pray for one another, make poor choices, hurt and fail one another it becomes more difficult to "love" and "be loved". In our culture, when people don't live up to our expectations it is easier to just walk away...from marriages, friendships, family, church, jobs...and plug into a new one.

I recently had a conversation with someone who no longer attends church. She has a lot of brokenness in her life that was out of her control, and her comment was something like this: "Every time I go to a church, people get mad at something, they leave and the church splits. I have enough brokenness in my life. It hurts too much to invest in people, when there's a high probability they will walk away." (my paraphrase) I appreciate her honesty; it made me sad.

As people who have been washed in His love by forgiveness, mercy, and grace, we too should be freely extending forgiveness, mercy, and grace.

"So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." Galatians 6:10

I know there are times that God definitely moves people in their relationships. He has in my own life. It still hurts. Yet, we need to keep our arms extended with a willingness and readiness to forgive, extend mercy and grace.

I was humbled by the outpouring of love, care and concern from some of my brothers and sisters of former churches who recently reached out in my time of need when Craig was hospitalized. I was reminded that "Friends are friends forever, if the Lord is the Lord of them..."

Read Friends Are Friends Forever lyrics here.

Blessings to my friends who have stuck with me through the good and bad, who love me when I am unlovable, who challenge me, who have left the door open...

Do Everything

Questions I've been wrestling with...
Complaining I've been doing...
Self evaluations I've been making...
Guilt I've been fighting...
Searching and researching...
And all the pleading I've done over the past year and a half...

in the daily conversations

with My Lord 

He repeatedly confirms, 

and I am confident...

I'm right where He wants me,

doing the work He has prepared  

- in advance - for ME

with the gifts and talents He created ME to have 

along with the knowledge and experience He's given ME

as I have walked in obedience 

and the lessons I've learned when I strayed, stumbled, and fell;

The work He's prepared for me is NOT the work He has  for you.

Whether 

a stay-at-home wife & mother or automotive engineer

setting a table or setting up meetings

pushing a grocery cart or pulling a briefcase

running ministries or running tests

in t-shirt and shorts or business casual

serving on a church committee or serving on a corporate board

living on a limited budget or earning overflow to bless others 

wherever, whatever, whenever, to whomever

I want to

"do EVERYTHING in the name of the Lord Jesus.

giving thanks to God the Father through him."

What I Did On My Summer Vacation - Golf

"What I Did On My Summer Vacation" - Week 1, Day 1


It all started Friday afternoon at Mystic Creek Golf Club at Camp Dearborn in Milford, MI. The Powertrain Material Labs from Milford, Pontiac, and Warren meet for an afternoon of "team building" and fun with lunch and a golf scramble. Craig and I were the anchor to our team (like a dead weight)!

My clubs were hand-me-down when I started golfing 26 years ago. The guys laugh so hard when they see them - and if I was easily embarrassed, taking these clubs to a fancy Golf Club might be a problem. My irons, a 5 and 9, are so rusted it's hard to read the number on them. I have a 1 wood and 3 wood along with an assortment of 5 putters to choose from. LOL!

Eric was our coach and cheerleader, always ready with some positive comments and encouragement. ... and when needed, he gave firm direction like harrassing Craig into using his 1 wood instead of the 3 iron when we needed his drive on the last hole. PERFECT!!!! - best shot Craig had all day! :)

Fred was our easy going, positive, fun, always smiling, have a good time teammate. So good to have his laid back attitude set the tone for our day!

Eric asked this question at every putt: "Who wants to put it in?" and since everyone else is being so "gentlemanly", I step up...and actually make a few good putts!

We ended in first place at 2 under. GO TEAM BERYLLIUM!!!  :)

It was a perfect day and a perfect start to Week 1 of Summer Vacation!