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As we were flying to Texas the other day to check out some colleges with my second oldest, I overheard a woman describing the town she was from. She said it is tucked away in a little corner of the North East. I could hear the warmth for her home in her voice as she was speaking. She talked about how the trees were not huge, but there were very beautiful forested areas. What struck me the most was when she said that the nature there was not the “wow” that you might see in many other areas of the country, but it was quietly beautiful. I knew exactly what she meant.

I have had the privilege of seeing some amazing sights in our country. I have seen the giant stone mountains of Yosemite. I have been in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado and made my way to the top of Pike’s Peak. I have lived in California my whole life and have stood where the land and the ocean meet many times. I have gazed up at the giant redwood trees in the coastal forests.

However, I too live in a place of quiet beauty. The oak trees out my windows don’t make a flashy show of color in the Fall, but they subtly change throughout the year in a steady way. The little bluebirds may not be as brightly colored as some of their feathered friends, but they too are consistently busy adding cheer to the world just outside.

There is a difference in how we experience these two types of nature. The “wow” type can inspire awe in us for our Creator. I know when I saw the mountains in Yosemite, it really sunk in just how big our God must be. These types of experiences make me think of our “mountain top” times with God, the spiritual highs. The other, quieter type of nature makes me think of our day-to-day lives or the times when we need to “soak” with God, the times when we just need to lean on our Heavenly Father.

Even Jesus, when He was here on Earth, had these two different types of experiences. He had the moment after Baptism when the Heavens opened up and His Father blessed Him. He went up to the Mount of Transfiguration. Then He also experienced being alone and fasting for 40 days and being tested by Satan. He spent many quiet hours alone praying with God.

We need both of these types of experiences in our spiritual walk. The mountain top times can give us vision, excitement and spur us on, but just like most of us can’t live at Yosemite, we also cannot maintain that type of spiritual high constantly. We are designed to come back down to the quieter, steadier places and live out–sometimes struggle out–those “wow” moments of the mountains.

“Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.  Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.  The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land.” Psalm 95:1-5

When my younger children wake up in the morning, they make a beeline for their Daddy’s lap. There is no passing “Go.” No stopping for a drink of water. Nope, not interested in breakfast yet, just straight for the cuddles. With their hair still tousled from sleep, the youngest still clutching her blanky, they snuggle in safe and secure.

They seem so peaceful. They are not worrying about their upcoming days. They are not thinking about school or chores. They are not concerned about phone calls they need to make, meetings they need to attend or bills they need to pay…oh wait, that’s me.

You see unfortunately, some days I am not as wise as my children. Instead of waking up and immediately cuddling into my Heavenly Father’s waiting arms, I begin the worry wheel in my brain. The things I have to do that day come flooding in. Yes, the first thing I do each day is have a quiet time, supposedly with God, but sometimes my thoughts are anything but quiet and I am not so sure I am really present to my Father.

God gives us such beautiful pictures of His Father-heart in the Bible. He compares Himself to a mother bird sheltering her chicks under her wings. He says He is our rock and strong fortress. He tells us that He is ever-present, always loving and never forsaking. Why would I not want to snuggle into His arms every morning and rest?

The problem comes in the form of my self-reliance. I still, after all this time of walking with my Heavenly Father, have a hard time trusting Him. I start rushing off on my own and only when things get a little tough do I remember to slow down and turn to Him. I love that He is available for me not only in the morning, but at all times of the day or night! He is never the one who forgets about me. Just as my children can find comfort and safety in their earthly father’s arms, I can find peace and love in my Heavenly Father’s arms.

“He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” Psalm 91:4

We are all familiar with seeing this title in the subject lines of our email boxes. This means, in essence, regarding a former communication. It is a prefix that means something is happening again. With this beautiful Spring weather, and all of the green plants and flowers beginning to grow, I really began to think about these two letters.

There are so many words that begin this way: rebirth, redeem, restore, regrow. We even use quite a few of these words to describe what Jesus does in our lives once we receive Him and give ourselves to Him. They tell about the process He begins at our moment of salvation, to turn us from our old, sinful natures into thriving, new creations.

In the same way, that the plants and trees do not stay dead and brown from the winter, but are slowly changed day by day into the dark green of summer, we too are being slowly changed more and more into Christ’s image.

I have seen oak trees, that I was just positive were completely dead, be in lush, beautiful green by summer. In the same way, no matter how “dead” our former lives may have made us feel, Jesus, by His mighty recreating power can raise us from the dead.

If we allow Him to work in our lives He promises to: reinvigorate, restrengthen, rejuvenate, remember, repurpose, rehabilitate, repair, reclaim, and renew us. And all we have to do is re-pent!

“Do not be conformed by this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2

When I began blogging, several years ago now, my first blog was about my son. It described his power for stating the obvious. Unfortunately, this little guy also loves to be in everybody else’s business. He has to be the first to tell any news about anyone. I can’t even get out of the car when I return home before he is talking at me through the windshield, telling me the latest news.

Whenever we turn around there he is, listening intently. He appears to have the power of cloning himself as well, because it seems he is everywhere all at once taking in information that he then disseminates just as quickly!

Now, I have told you before that I am not exactly mother-of-the-year, so please don’t get too upset about what I tell you next. This characteristic of his was getting so intense and rude that I came to a creative solution. I began to call him “Edna.” Now, no offense to any lovely ladies out there with the name Edna. It was a name I thought of to describe the elderly, neighborhood gossip. The lady who just always happens to be outside watering her roses when something interesting is going on in your front yard.

As you can imagine, my 8 year old son did not take too kindly to this nickname…at first. The really surprising thing is that after he stopped being irate about it, he calmed down and realized that he really was Edna! After that, he made a concerted effort to stay out of other people’s business and to stop himself when he began to ask a nosy question. He even began to admonish his sisters that they should not be too inquisitive so they didn’t end up as an “Edna.”

Now, this is a long story to get to my actual point. ANY strength taken too far can become a weakness. My son has amazing powers of observation. He notices details that other people routinely miss. He is extremely interested in people. I know God is going to use all of these talents in a very special way. However, he will probably always have to watch himself that he is not being too nosy or intrusive.

God has given each one of us strengths. These strengths can be wonderful gifts in our lives and in other people’s lives. But, we have to be careful. An organized person can become a “control freak.” An outgoing, friendly person can become obnoxious and overbearing. A person who loves justice and truth can become harsh and legalistic. And on it can go.

In fact, a good way to figure out your own strengths, might be to look at your weaknesses. If there is an area you struggle in, could it be a strength taken too far? I know this has been the case frequently in my life. With God’s grace, I have come a long way. I know He is eager to show you your own special strengths as well and how to reign them in and share them with the world!

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” II Corinthians 12:9a

My friend was telling me recently, how some animals bond immediately with their mothers after they are born. This is the case with ducks, chickens and geese. It is said that lambs are born knowing their mother’s voice. I don’t know how many other animals are like this, but in my own experience this can be the case with human babies as well.

When my fifth daughter was born, she was laid on my stomach right away. As she lay there, she turned her little head and looked directly into my eyes! It was a moment I will never forget and she has been my special girl ever since.

This is like when we first give our lives to Jesus. For the very first time, we gaze unhindered into the eyes of our Creator and a bond is formed. As we continue to walk with Him, the bond becomes stronger. In fact, as far as Jesus is concerned, it is unbreakable.

Another friend shared something with me the other day that goes right along with this bonding idea. She gave me a paper that describes and defines the Hebrew word for “wait.” The first word for “wait” that it describes is chakah, but the second Hebrew word is qavah. Interestingly enough, this is the word used in the familiar verse, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” This form of the word “wait” actually means to bind. So the paper said we could read the verse as, “They that bind themselves to God shall renew their strength.”

That is such a beautiful picture of our relationship with Jesus. The closer we walk with Him, the more we are renewed and the stronger our bond becomes. Nothing can take us away from Him, He is our Father forever!

“My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of My hand.” John 10:27-28

I don’t know if you have noticed the little signs at many places of business lately, asking for exact change due to a national change shortage. I have no problem with that, I am happy to count out my coins or just tell them to keep the change if I am feeling magnanimous. I only wish that sometimes I could do the same to my life!

I don’t know about you, but I am not the biggest fan of change. Even when the change is good, good for me, or a change for the better, it is still disconcerting. I am just old enough that changes in technology frustrate me. Unlike the ecstasy my children experience with a new phone, I approach mine with dread and suspicion. Changes in my environment have always thrown me for a loop. Even a new opportunity can make me nervous before I feel excited.

As you can imagine, in my family of 8 children, change can happen at a rapid pace. With an age range from 19 to 5 years old, there is always something changing! I know however, that if it was just me, I still wouldn’t enjoy change.

I think there is something within even the most restless and adventurous of us that enjoys consistency and routine. We like to be able to be able to count on things being a certain way. Unfortunately, there is much truth to the saying that the only thing certain in life is death and taxes!

The absolutely wonderful news is that there is a third thing that we can count on in life. In fact, we can stake our lives on it. And that is God. Never-changing, never failing, always perfect, always loving, solid as a rock…God. This is the good news that keeps me calm when everything around me seems to be in upheaval. There are so many comforting verses in the Bible about God being our steady rock, our safe place in times of change and trouble.

When I feel uneasy and uncertain about the changes happening around me, I am so glad that I can go to my Heavenly Father Who is always steady. I can tell Him my frustrations about my new phone, (first world problems!) But I can also talk to Him about much deeper changes, such as the ones He is constantly working on in my soul. So I guess in the end, I am grateful for change, even though once in awhile, I may wish I could just tell life to keep the change!

“‘Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10