I needed a break. Just a day or two to step out of my routine. So I took a weekend off and spent it with some people I love who are not the people that I love everyday.
In making arrangements, I called my wonderful friend Leah. Leah is amazing, loving, energetic, selfless, intelligent, and oh so much fun. I love my friend and I am so grateful for the overwhelming blessing she has been in my life. At the conclusion of our phone conversation we prayed together for just life stuff – family, business, health. During our prayer, God nudged me to pray for someone I had never met. I prayed for the Divine Appointment that He had for us, for the person(s) that He had a special message for. I prayed that we would be ready and on the alert.
I headed over to Salem Friday evening and crashed a dinner with my parents and their friends. I love these people. If you ever want to know where my goofy humor comes from, or why I am the way I am, look to my parents’ friends. I don’t have one set of parents, I have six! I have known and loved these people all my life and they are as close as any family. Such a great time. Saturday morning, after sleeping in my childhood bedroom, I headed over to Leah’s. We were going to go the Oregon Garden, plant sales, do all this great garden/earth day stuff. It was snowing. Freezing cold, blowing wind, annoying sleet. Walk around outside in that? I don’t think so. We went shopping and to a movie instead (Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed - you’ve got to see this one!).
We had definite plans and our plans kept changing. It was just one of those days. We met several very nice, interesting people. We even saw a portable art exhibit when we ran into photographer Ron Anderson and his IPod. Beautiful. Our last stop was a BBQ for some entrepeneurial types that Leah is connected with. Nothing like a grilled hamburger, even if it is 35 degrees outside!
It was a very pleasant group and I enjoyed the conversations – mostly small talk among groups of 3 or 4. At one point one of the men made a statement about womens’ views of men; his comment suggested that women are in charge and think of men as accessories or unimportant. It wasn’t a malicious statement, and anyone watching our sitcoms would think that is indeed the state of affairs. But his statement bothered me especially because he was so sincere. I answered boldly and confidently that my husband is the head of our family. He sets the priorities and directions for us, and I do everything I can to support him and make it possible for us to achieve those things. I respect him and honor him.
You could have heard a pin drop. Two things happened – well, one thing, but from two groups and for two different reasons. Keep in mind that this was a secular group and I doubt very much that faith had come into the conversation before. Jaws dropped – the ladies likely because they couldn’t believe one of their own was admitting such a thing; the men, I think because hearing that statement from a woman was the last thing they expected.
Leah chimed in at this point and gave them a wonderful perspective of God’s design: the hierarchy of authority in marriage that reflects the authority of Christ as head of the church; the equal value of husband and wife as joint heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven. I added a perspective of what the Christian married life looks like and the freedom and power within it.
There was definite relief and perhaps even gratitude on those men’s faces. The youngest of them, a 30 year old named Rob, leaned in and, speaking for himself and his wife, Summer, said they agreed exactly. A little later I had opportunity to talk more privately with Rob and Summer. They had been together about a year and were about to purchase their first home together, hoping to start a family. Rob said to me, “I think of myself as a Christian, I believe that Jesus died for my sins, but I don’t know much else.”
…This is where alarm bells, sirens, and heavenly choruses break in…
I started talking to them about the Gospel, God’s great love for them, His purpose and desire for them. Rob admitted he wanted to connect with a group of godly men and be discipled. I offered suggestions on how he could do that, what to look for. I also urged him to pray for exactly that – God will move mountains to answer the prayer, “God, I want to know you more. Teach me.” I talked with Summer too, but most of the emphasis was on this young man who desparately wanted to know his Savior, to lead his family, to love his wife in godliness. Most significantly, I had opportunity to pray with this young couple for all the things we had talked about.
Later, as we were getting ready to leave, I whispered to Leah that I’d had the appointment we were expecting. Her eye’s lit up as Summer came up to me, tears in her eyes. “You don’t know what you’ve done for him,” she said. We talked for a moment about her role as his wife, the power of her prayers, the critical importance of her support and belief in him. I gave her a big hug and asked them to come see me if next time they’re at the coast. I want to know what God does with this couple.
Leah had to hear everything, she was so excited. As I retold the story, she kept repeating, “Does it get any better than this?” To be God’s mouthpiece, to share boldly His message of love? No, it doesn’t get any better.
Filed under: My Heart
Yesterday was my husband’s birthday. It was a great day.
Tim is a mostly practical man. I say mostly because how many men to you know who really need their very own utility bucket truck with a 55 foot boom? And how many men do you know who, rather than paying $4.35 for a gallon of diesel, make their own fuel? Yet, all the things he builds, collects, and invents have decidedly practical purposes.
For example, for his birthday he wanted only two things: A new tractor seat and a new windshield. Two years ago for his birthday, we went all out. Of course it was his fiftieth and that’s worth going all out for – big catered party, nice gifts, Cirque du Soleil for crying out loud! He really does need a new tractor seat. The one he has is basically exposed never-drying foam with a little duct tape on it. I offered to get him one that’s heated and has massage fingers, but he wasn’t interested. Just wanted one that wouldn’t soak his bum every time he sat down.
The other request was for a new windshield. This was no ordinary broken windshield. On March 15, Tim attended the 5th anniversary memorial for his best friend, Gogo Peters. Gogo was killed in a car accident leaving Shawn, his wife, not yet 3 yr old Elijah, and baby Jamin who wouldn’t be born for six more months. I was unable to attend because of a scheduling conflict and Sabrina was ill, so Tim was the Taylor family representative to honor Gogo and pour our love out to Shawn and the boys.
Tim was coming home late and it was another of those wild stormy nights that we’ve had all winter. To say that I was anxious would be an understatement. Now, I’m not one given to overactive imaginations or paranoid thinking, not usually anyway. But since Nathan died, one of my great fears is that I’ll see that sherriff car and the chaplain at my door again. That night Tim was very late, and the storm was getting worse, and I was getting really wound up. So I prayed, knocked those frightening, distracting thoughts out of my head, and headed to bed.
It was after 1 am when Tim finally woke me with the words, “I almost died tonight.” On the dark mountain highway, a tree had blown across the road. It was around a blind turn and Tim never saw it. He went straight through this tree at 60 mph in an explosion of branches, glass, and needles. How he missed the mass of the trunk only God knows. It took him nearly a half mile to come to a stop. His only injuries were small cuts to his face from flying glass. The car, a 25 year old Mercedes Benz, had a completely shattered windshield and a couple small dings to the grill. That was it.
So yesterday, we drove to Salem and met up with son Jeremiah while a new windshield was being installed. Oldest son, youngest daughter, and Tim and I shared the rest of the afternoon together. Not doing anything special – hanging out at hardware and home improvement stores, eating together, and sharing jokes and stories.
The best gift of all, and the one we knew he would appreciate the most, was just time together. This is a man who loves his family above all else. He adores his children, he’s crazy about me, we are the very best of friends, and our greatest joy is when we can hang out and enjoy each other.
One of the highlights of the day was just before we headed back home. We ran into Great Harvest Bakery, and they’d just locked the door! Oh No! I must have looked really pathetic, because the young girl inside let us in. When she learned it was Tim’s birthday, she graciously gave us some bread and scones. We went next door to Jamba Juice and bought her a delicious strawberry smoothie. Laughs and smiles and unexpected gifts. Happy Birthday.
Filed under: My Heart
I’m in a strange state of mind. Perhaps it’s because I’ve been sick – I’m usually a very high energy person and I’ve been completely zapped for about a week. Perhaps it was seeing snow several days during the first week of Spring – that was just weird. I don’t know. But my mind is all over the map. Consider:
My daughter-in-law Lauren, wife of Nathan, was planning to move to Seattle to be closer to Nate’s family, aka My husband and me, and our kids, Sabrina, Charlotte, and Jeremiah. Not only has Charlotte moved to Chicago after leaving her husband, Lauren has now decided to move, with our grandson Jack, to Chicago as well. I think it’s wonderful that all the cousins, three precious little boys, are going to be close together. Son Tim and daughter-in-law Mandi are there, as is the older kids’ mom, Pam. There is now more of our family in Chicago than in Oregon. It makes sense for them to be close together, supporting and loving one-another. It just brings up those same horrible feelings of watching my children leave again as they have over and over all their lives. We’ve missed so much of their lives and this is just more that we’ll miss.
The community ladies Bible study that I lead has just started a new series on Women of the Bible. We have a primary study book and I’m supplementing it with my own scripture study plus other commentaries. This week we’re studying Eve – creation and temptation, disobedience and sin, blame and redemption. She was the crown of creation, made of finer stuff than all else, enjoyed unencumbered fellowship with her husband and her God. Yet, she took her eyes off God and focused on herself and was led so easily by slithery deception. I am just like Eve – all women are. It’s so easy for us to take our eyes off our loving Creator, to be distracted by worldly enticements, to be tempted by such a simple lie. God gives us opportunities to show our love for Him by our obedience – seeking to please Him because we love Him. How easily we forget.
The study I just finished was a very indepth look at the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6. For some reason this study absolutely drained me! Jesus teaches a morality that is completely contradictory to what the “moral” people of the day practiced. He emphasized the secret attitudes of our hearts as far more worthy of attention than anything anyone can see by our behavior. And He taught about forgiveness – what God is asking me to forgive is pocket change compared to what He has forgiven me. Important lessons that I am striving to apply to my life daily. There is part of the study that I did not complete for the ladies’ Bible study that I feel I must continue with, that is judgment. Forgiveness and judgment are very closely linked and I’ve seen just the tip of the iceberg so far. I’m compelled to go deeper into this very soon.
In ministering to a dear cousin in prison, we are studying scripture together via mail. We are striving to understand consequences to sin, God’s purpose in using imprisonment as a means of discipline and refinement, and how God can work positive things out of difficult situations. It’s a challenging study because it is forcing me to look at hard subjects that I haven’t had to take a position on until now. And I am having to speak truth in love and sometimes that truth is difficult and ugly.
On a lighter note, I have baby chicks that are about three weeks old. They are such a delight to watch as they learn to fly and try to mimic the grown up hens. The hens don’t know what to make of these energetic babies. My chickens have become my pets and follow me everywhere – and I’m sure it’s not because I keep a bag of birdseed in my pocket! You wouldn’t think of a bird as affectionate, but there are a few who have no qualms about jumping up in my lap and letting me pet them. Sounds silly, doesn’t it? That I would get so much pleasure from barn yard fowl.
And on a note of praise – I am so proud of my daughter, Sabrina. She returned this week from her first mission trip – her team built a house for a family near Tijuana, Mexico. It was a life- and faith-transforming experience for her. I’m proud of her hard work and discipline in preparing for her trip, her servant’s heart toward this family and the people on her team, her trust in God to handle difficult situations in His way and His time, her grace. I’ve been struck recently with awe over this young woman. She is developing into a confident, competent, compassionate Woman of God, and I am bursting with pride. And I am grateful to God for the opportunity to be a part of her life. I am blessed.
