Category: Coping

"I guess I'm in a rut, but I like it that way. What's wrong with that?"

Perhaps you've said something like that. Most of us have.

Being in a rut can feel as cozy as wrapping up in a warm blanket on a cold day.

After all, past experience taught us that as long as we stay in the known we can handle the demands of our life. If the rest of our world thinks we're out of step, well, that's just too bad.

    Change makes most of us squirm.

Maybe that's because coping with change always involves effort

Another friend raved about why her new smart phone was worth the asking price. The woman in the next chair said, "I'm keeping my dinosaur phone until it dies. I don't want to figure out one of those fancy new gadgets. It's too much brain damage."

To adapt–whether it's a new gadget or a new idea–involves learning. And unlearning.

Staying flexible and open to new ideas requires time and involves stress as we adapt. It's easier to think and do things in the same old way, including how we relate to the people in our lives.

    We don't have to figure out a new way.

No wonder we like our ruts

I confess, occasionally I've used my rut(s) as an excuse, too.

It's as if I hunker down in that known place, quite contented with myself and my own point-of-view. Don't bother me, please.

The trouble is, we live in a time when changes come so fast they dizzy us. Who hasn't wished they could put the world on pause for just a little while, long enough to catch our breath?

But we can't. Resisting change often seems the only tactic available to us.

    People who want to dig in and hang onto the status quo have a point, but     that keeps us stuck.

So how do we handle it?

The other day I ran across a quote I hadn't thought about for years.

This pithy line came from a speaker at a business convention. At the time it hit me like a much-needed whack on the side of the head. I scribbled this rhyme on my program and later memorized the simple truth of it. For awhile I repeated it often, but then I let it go.

Yet these words still pack a punch:

The only difference between a rut and a grave

is that a grave is deeper and the ends are closed.

I wish it weren't true, but that's a truth some of us have to learn. And relearn. And relearn again.

What about you?

Right now, if you sense a need to change in some way, why not ask God to open your understanding? That's step one. Then open your mind and your heart to listen.

Do you want to make changes? Branch out in a new direction? Be happier in the life you have? Grow deeper in your faith in Jesus?

Then here's a Bible verse for you–and for us all.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20 NIV

And when you notice you're not in the grave, not in the rut, be sure to thank God for giving you strength to change and grow. It's never too late and you are never too old!

Here's to staying unstuck,

Lenore

Be sure to count the cost of living in a rut

September 10, 2019
Maybe you're wondering what the color beige has to do with anything.

So did I the first time I heard that description. Our engaging conference speaker–sorry, can't remember her name–had us laughing. And sometimes squirming.

According to my scribbled notes, here's the gist of what she said:

"My friends, I'm here to say, 'Please don't go through life as a Beige Lady! Or a Beige Man!'

"Now don't get me wrong, most Beige Ladies and Men are wonderful people.

"They often work behind the scenes and they're very agreeable, so everyone likes them. What they don't do is speak up when there's a difference of opinion. You see, Beige Ladies–and Beige Men–don't like to make waves.

"What's wrong with being agreeable?

"Not a thing. The problem is, Beige Individuals, as nice and willing and dedicated as they may be, seldom change the world.

"That's a waste. Jesus told us to be salt and light, to 'season' the world we live in, and shine His light in the darkness around us.

"Salt inevitably affects the flavor of a food and even one lighted match sheds light into a dark place.

"God put us here to make a difference, right where we are

"Not by being loud or strident, but by being strong and at the same time, being winsome and considerate. At home, in our marriage and family. Out there, in our church and community.

"Jesus told us to be true to what we believe. But be forewarned, this may cost us, especially if we differ from prevailing opinion.

"That can make it feel safer to be a Beige Lady or a Beige Man and keep our mouths shut, just smile and blend in with the crowd. Yet God put us here to live out out Christ's purpose for us.

"Remember Ephesians 2:10? This verse says it all:

'For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.' –ESV

"My friends, God did not create us to be 'Beige People!' Like Queen Esther in the Bible, you and I were born for such a time as this. To change our world, to be salt, to be light. Now, let's get going!"

Immediately, the entire room was clapping and cheering. From then on, at every break people discussed what she said.

The hard stuff came at home, wondering how could I "change the world?"

Our speaker told us to start where we are and I set out to do that, nibbling off bits and pieces. One big discovery was the difference it makes to start my days right. How to do it?

First thing in the morning, decide to be cheerful, even when life feels like one tough, dreary slog. Better yet, repeat this verse out loud:
This is the day the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.                                         –Psalm 118:24 -NKJV

Ignore the lousy mood(s) of people around you. Choose to respond with love and kindness instead of anger.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.    –Proverbs 15:1 -NIV

Pray for wisdom and strength beyond what you feel at the moment.
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.    –Isaiah 41:10 -NIV

Whether it's cultivating a happy home or daring to speak up when we feel outnumbered, our ever-present Helper is at our side.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.  –Romans 8:26 -NIV

Expect to be changed–little by little–for the better.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.   –Galatians 5:22 -NIV

What matters most is what we live out

Most of us know by now that words are cheap and actions carry way more weight with both children and adults.

The most effective way to influence our world is not by impressing people. Rather, it's about following Christ's example. Always, we rely on Him for strength and courage.

Meanwhile, we keep our eyes open for ways we can season the world around us with love and hope and faith.

This is not a slam on the color beige

As our speaker said, you and I were created to be more and do more than simply be nice and blend in.

Maybe that's easier than we think. We're mistaken if we think it's about our own strength and our own noteworthy accomplishments.

Rather, it's all about Jesus. He's the never-fail, always-with-us Light and power source and He changes us from the inside out. (Will we fail sometimes? Of course, because we're human. But in Jesus we're forgiven and free to start over.)

The bottom line for you and me as Christians: We can stop struggling to measure up and just relax in Jesus' love and grace.

Our part is to go about our daily lives and let His light shine through us. The rest is up to Him.

Rejoicing, too,

Lenore
Don’t get stuck in being a “Beige Lady”–or a “Beige Man”

September 19, 2018
If someone in a neon-green jacket pounded on your door and shouted, "Get out now!" what would you want to take with you?

Did you answer, "The people I love?" Me, too.

Who is ever ready for that?

Thousands of Texans lived out that scenario in the last few days as the slow-moving disaster associated with Tropical Storm Harvey grinds on.

We can't take our eyes off the surreal footage from Texas.

Our hearts ache as we imagine their pain. Their loss. Not only of possessions but of security. Their deep sadness as reality sinks in. What was will never be the same again. Even after the rain stops.

Never ever.

Are we ghouls who love to witness destruction?

Uh-uh. I think it's also the power of that little voice inside that asks, What if that were me? Am I strong enough to survive? To deal with whatever comes?

Then comes the thought that makes us feel guilty: Thank God that's not me.

At least, not this time.

One thing we know for sure. Into every life rain will fall and storms arise. Each of us will face event(s) or situations that feel like a personal tragedy.

That's life in this fallen world.

Texas Gov. Abbott said on-camera that we all deal with challenges, but what defines our lives is how we respond to our challenges.

He ought to know. At age 26, Abbott was out running and a falling oak tree left him partially paralyzed. He's been in a wheelchair ever since.

Each of us has our own definition of "tragedy." How we respond will depend on who we are and what we stand on. What we believe.

Where do we find hope when the waters are rising all around us?

Phrases from an old hymn seem penned for the misery going on right now in Texas:

"My hope is built on nothing less Than Jesus' blood and righteousness . . .

"His oath, His covenant, and blood Support me in the whelming flood . . .

"On Christ, the solid Rock I stand, All other ground is sinking sand."

Rescue may not fully come and yet we must go on. That huge oak tree crushed Greg Abbott's spine. Despite skilled surgeons and rods of steel he could not walk again.

Losses comes in a variety of ways. A loved one dies and no amount of grieving restores life.

A job goes bye-bye or a business goes bust and we lose what we've known as "everything."

All we can do is watch and pray as our "normal" crumbles around us.

What we have is a Rock to stand on

Shelter in our storms. Refuge in our floods. Strong arms to hold us up when we falter.

The sure knowledge in our hearts and minds and yes, in our souls, that we are not hurting alone. Our Lord sees and hears and hurts with us.

After all, didn't He watch His Son suffer and die on the cross?

Didn't Jesus weep when his friend died?

"When every earthly prop gives way, He then is all my Hope and Stay."

The striking fact is how often these people in Harvey's wake speak of praying. Of trusting God to take care of them. Of "doing unto others, as the Bible tells us to do."

These are people who are standing on the Rock because they know Him–and they witness of Jesus Christ to the watching world.

Looking at Texas prompts us to consider our lives

It's good if we do so once in awhile, just to help us keep a balanced view of what really matters in life. Survivors almost always echo the same thought: "Our family is safe and that's all that matters. Somehow we'll get through this."

If that's true for adults, how much more for children.

To a child, Mom and Dad themselves are home and security. It's like the saying on gift shop plaques that reads:

"Home is wherever I am with you."

That's the bottom line for parents and kids and for all family members.

"Things" are not what makes for a good life. To know that's true all we have to do is check out the lives of the rich and famous

Right perspective restored

Whatever the situation, whatever our personal tragedy may be, if those we love are okay and we know our loving Father is watching over us, we are safe and secure.

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7

Texan or not, even in the midst of trouble we have reason to give thanks. Life may never be the same and yes, it may be hard. But it is good because we possess what matters most. Life itself is a gift.

Be at peace, my friend,

Lenore

How to get through tragedy when it comes your way

August 30, 2017
Suppose your middle-school child came home the first week and told you, "Well, today in band practice we played our pencils."

Would you believe that story?

That's exactly what Sacramento music teacher Donna Pool instructed her new band students to do.

(Maybe she took her cues from Professor Harold Hill in the musical, "The Music Man.")

This 2010 tale is worth retelling because it carries a timeless lesson for us all.

Some of Mrs. Pool's beginning band students at Arcade Fundamental Middle School had no instruments. What's more, there was no money in the budget to purchase them.

What would you do?

This teacher was determined to keep alive her students' interest in learning to play. Determined enough to risk being called a fool. I'd call her a hero. See if you agree.

The word got out

It's small wonder that Donna Pool's story appeared in The Sacramento Bee.

That year Arcade Fundamental had so many students signed up for the new beginning band class that there weren't enough instruments to go around.

Did Donna Pool rant and rave? No.

Did she blame funding cuts and tell her students to start carrying signs? No.

Instead she announced they would work with what they had until they had more. Then she began teaching them basic fingering techniques, using pencils and ballpoint pens.

(Mrs. Pool still teaches multiple levels of band at Arcade Fundamental, also the jazz band and concert choir.)

The news spreads

Once The Sacramento Bee article appeared, local television news crews followed. Even CNN picked up the story, although she turned down an interview with Brian Williams.

In no time instruments began pouring in from all over town and around the country, enough for their needs and more. Excess instruments were added to the San Juan Unified School District's inventory. Anything over that they donated to other school districts.

Mrs. Pool encouraged callers to take their instruments to schools in their own communities.

She attributed the shortage of instruments to adding a new beginning band class rather than budget cuts. However, she said, "The arts don't get enough money. Schools don't get enough money."

Nevertheless, Mrs. Pool must be doing something right. As of 2010 the music program had grown from 120 students to 190 students and about one-third of the school's 600 students played in one of their five bands. (Sorry, I couldn't get current enrollment figures.)

There's a take-home here for you and me

This is one of those win-win stories from which we can learn.

Instead of spending their energies bemoaning what was lacking Mrs. Pool and her students sucked it up and found a way to make it work. We can, too.

It's possible to keep moving toward our goal even when conditions are not what we would choose.

Creative thinking can lead us down interesting paths–and sometimes that's just what's needed–so it's good to always have a Plan B ready.

Doing unto others as we would have them do unto us has not perished from these United States.

When we get involved we can make things better in our community and in other places.

We can get stuck in what's lacking

At any age it's easy to fixate on what's missing in our lives. We endlessly replay all the things we wish were different.

This takes us nowhere.

My grandmother lived through her share of hard times and doing without. She used to say, "Do the best you can with what you got."

Grandma's grammar might make English teachers cringe, but Donna Pool modeled this truth for her students and taught them a life lesson they won't forget.

It's still good advice

Whatever our age, whatever our situation, each of us can lift our hearts and bless others by focusing on what is and doing what we can.

It's as John Wesley said years ago:

"Do all the good you can.

By all the means you can.

In all the ways you can.

In all the places you can.

At all the times you can.

To all the people you can.

As long as ever you can."

The good we do may be as "small" as praying for individuals who do a good job. Or supporting them with encouraging words–to them and about them.

Such simple gestures can mean the world to those on the receiving end. And they won't cost us a cent.

Here's to stepping out in faith,

Lenore

Note: Photos are from the Sacramento Bee.
This teacher responded creatively to tough times–and teaches us all

August 9, 2017
"Ordinary" people who perform heroically usually amaze the rest of us, especially when they seem unimpressed with themselves.

Here's one you won't forget. Meet Nico Calabria, age 20, a standout in every way.

Photo by Carl Calabria

After Nico's birth doctors told his parents their son would never lead a normal life.

Could never lead a normal life.

Yet at Concord-Carlisle (MA) High School he played on the varsity soccer team and the varsity wrestling team.

As a 19-year old he was one of five amateur football (soccer) players featured in Powerade's 2014 FIFA World Cup ad campaign.

Even earlier, at age 13, he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, the 19,341 ft. peak, set a world record and, by the way, raised $100,000 to provide free wheelchairs to needy people in Tanzania.

He did it all on crutches.

Nico was born without a right hip or leg.

His fascination with soccer balls started early

He first picked one up and played with it as a toddler. An unlikely toy? Sure, but his parents never discouraged him and Nico never viewed his disability as an excuse not to try.

As he told interviewer Mihaela Husar of "Impresive" magazine, "It was hard sometimes, but my family always had a 'no excuse, tough love mentality' when it came to overcoming challenges."

That's easy to say, hard to carry out for any mom or dad, but especially when their child has a disability.

We get a glimpse of Nico growing up

The ad agency hired by PowerAde sports drink produced this heartwarming video about Nico's life when he was chosen to be a member of Team USA of the American Amputee Soccer Association which in 2014 competed in the World Cup.

YouTube picked it up and it immediately went viral.

For Nico it's all about doing what he loves

Nico tells his "Impresive" interviewer some people think he's trying to make a statement by playing soccer with able-bodied people. Not true. He says he never gave up because, "I just love playing soccer."

It helps that he has no hangups about what he can or cannot do.

"I look at disabilities as 'differences in ability.' There's an important distinction. The definition of 'disabled' is basically a long list of synonyms that don't describe me…like 'crippled' and 'weak'."

PowerAde's global communication manager says Nico redefines our outlook on challenges. "Having one leg was his reality, so he chose to view it as an asset rather than a hindrance. … That's what we loved about him."

Here's life according to Nico at age 18: "I've got one leg. You get one life. I'm not going to let the hand I was dealt in life dictate what my life is going to be."

What holds the rest of us back?

It took me way too long to understand the basic, obvious fact that everything hinges on how we think and what we think.

Whatever the circumstances of our life may be, what we think is most important.

That's just as true for you and me as it is for Nico Calabria.

I need to keep reminding myself of that truth, so I collect quotes. Here are some favorites. Each one has at times been on a sticky note on my bathroom mirror or tacked to the bulletin board above my computer.

Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it. –Irving Berlin

Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right. –Henry Ford

Never, never, never give up! –Winston Churchill

The bottom line for us as Christians

You and I face different challenges, but each one of us has difficulties to overcome. How we look at our lives makes all the difference.

For as he thinks in his heart, so is he. –Proverbs 23:7 NLT

For God gave us a spirit not of fear, but of power and love and self-control. –2 Tim. 1:7 ESV

We know we're not alone. For us, it's God who gives us the right spirit and supplies what we need to live the life He has given us.

That certainty will carry us through each day, each challenge. Count on it.

Still learning,

Lenore

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February 10, 2016
Maybe you didn't know it had a name. You only know what hurry sickness feels like

That sense you simply can't slow down, can't put your feet up and drink a cup of tea, because you'll just get further behind.

You smile and get through your days, but the accusing voice in your head says you'll never be quite enough.

I know it well. Do you?

"Hurry sickness" may sound like a made-up condition, but it's real

Google the term and you'll find a number of entries. Here's one definition from Dictionary.com:

"A behavior pattern characterized by continual rushing and anxiousness; an overwhelming and continual sense of urgency."

Every life includes periods when we're chronically short of time.

Think of moms with lively small children and moms who juggle jobs and mothering their families.

For some, life stresses go on and on. Parents of special-needs children and caregivers for loved ones with ongoing health problems, for example.

Whatever our life situation, if that sense of I don't have time for this! pounds in our veins even when we're supposed to be relaxing, it signals we're out of balance.

Take a moment to count up the daily responsibilities on your plate

We make lists, then too often our lists accuse us. We say, "I just need to get myself together!"

Before you beat yourself up for not coping better, think of this:

Even when we chose our responsibilities, want them, love them, we can be on overload.

Continual overload produces stress, which experts call "a silent killer." Habitual stress often leads to high blood pressure and predisposes us toward other health problems.

Sooner or later continual stress takes its toll on our hearts, our bodies and, yes, our minds.

Yet living in stress can become a way of life so familiar to us we ignore the signs we have hurry sickness:

Snapping at others, even the people we love most.

Exhaustion that hangs on despite a good night's sleep.

Being weepy.

Hurry sickness makes us feel we're endlessly on the hamster wheel of "when/then." (When I get this done, then I can relax.)

Technology just ramps up the pressure

Technology, as wonderful as it can be, is a bully.

Consider how often each day so many of us "must:"

Listen for "pings" on our amazing smart phones and check for texts and emails

Go over tweets on our Twitter page–and follow up on them

Check Facebook to see what's new

Ditto to Pinterest, Instagram, etc.

All this technology expands our horizons, true. It's a gift for people who are housebound. They can roam the earth and that's a wonderful thing.

The down side is it brings extra stuff to keep up with. Anxious thoughts and feelings of falling behind multiply.

Do-it-yourself antidotes to hurry sickness

This is an inexact science, as variable as individuals. In many ways, it's a matter of following Jesus' example.

Live in the moment. Decide what you will and won't respond to, as deliberately as you choose your TV programs. Practice being fully present and engaged in the now.

Remember this moment is God's gift–and this moment is all any of us really have. Stop and smell the roses of your life.

Take regular breaks, time to focus your thoughts on all the ways God has blessed you. The blessings are always there, even in the midst of problems.

Get away, even if it's just to walk down the hall or around the block.

Be sure you take care of yourself. Get regular exercise. Eat healthy. Take naps and get enough sleep at night.

Carve out time for reading the Bible and talking to God. Ask Jesus, your friend and brother, to walk with you. Start your day focusing on faith and you'll be calmer all day long.

Rethink your priority list. Most of what we label "musts" really aren't.

The world will not come to a halt if you don't get everything done that's on today's To Do list.

Revamp how you think and speak. Let how you express yourself reflect your new mindset. Shake off the guilt monkey by learning to say, "Let it go" and "It doesn't matter."

The foundation underlying your new practices

Jesus showed us how to live and stay in rhythm with how God made us.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. –Mark 1:35

"Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be given to you as well." –Matthew 6:33

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." –Matthew 11:28

"I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." –John 10:10

I'm working on it, too,

Lenore
Does Hurry Sickness have your stomach churning?

October 6, 2015
I don't know about you, but I'm longing for lazy time in the sun, looking out at a deep blue ocean, with palm trees and endless sun…

Some place like Acapulco, for instance.

I hadn't thought much about Acapulco before the January day I heard a convention speaker describe it in Chamber-of-Commerce terms.

All I knew about him was his name: Zig Ziglar.

Once he took the podium he spun some country stories, his southern accent coming through. the stories never stopped.

After awhile he looked out over his audience, smiling and with his eyes twinkling and asked:

"How many of you think you're overworked and too stressed to take time off to relax?"

Most of us in that large auditorium raised our hands.

"Well, how about a package deal that includes two round-trip plane tickets, plus vouchers for a week at a plush oceanside resort, all meals and tips included.

"Now, I know you're overworked and too stressed to take time off to relax . . . (He grinned and paused for what seemed a long time.) "But how many of you think you could be at the airport, checked in and ready to fly to Acapulco by 2 o'clock tomorrow afternoon? Raise your hands, please."

Laughter. Cheers. Everyone waving their raised hands.

Zig waited for us to quiet down

Then he said in a soft voice, "Well, if you could have been packed and ready to go to Acapulco by tomorrow at 2, why can't you manage to take a weekend off with your spouse or your whole family?

"I'll bet there's a nice motel with an indoor swimming pool not too far from where you live.

"The point is each of us somehow manages to do what we really think is important to do.

"And nothing is more important than your marriage and your family!

"Don't put the people you love last on your To Do list! When your personal life is happy you'll be more productive in every other area of your life–and less stressed, too."

Are you feeling stressed and overworked?

All of us wonder sometimes How will I make it through the day?

It's true for moms. And dads. For the married and the single. For old and young. For people who struggle from paycheck to paycheck and for those who don't.

Even if we're well-adjusted.

Even when we're happily married and love our children to pieces.

Even though we're strong Christians.

Sometimes, for no particular reason, life simply feels overwhelming.

Times like that we dream of escape–to Acapulco, or any place, really, where we can be calm and quiet, with time to think and no pressure.

But we stay

We stay because we love our spouse and our children.

We stay because we have something to do that matters.

We stay because we know deep down we're right where we need to be.

And because it's the way to peace in our hearts.

So we take a deep breath and ask God to renew our strength and our joy–and maybe our love.

And we remember again what the writer of Ecclesiastes said in chapter 4:6:

Better one handful with tranquillity than two handfuls with toil and chasing after the wind. –Ecclesiastes 4:6 (NIV)

Besides . . .

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit. – Proverbs 15:13 (NIV)

Even in Acapulco.

Growing, too,

Lenore

Could you be packed and ready to fly to Acapulco tomorrow?

January 21, 2015
Tornado roars through Moore, Oklahoma. How would we cope if this was where we used to live?

Imagine coming back to this.

Some residents returned to piles of rubble they couldn't see over.

Some found flat, empty spaces littered with debris. They could only trace in their minds where walls once stood.

All cried and hugged each other. Who wouldn't?

In memory their individual homes looked sweet and flawless, filled with precious possessions. The ordinary, boring routines of daily life transformed into cherished rituals.

Tragedy makes our vision clearer

How many interviews have you watched where Moore residents said something like, "Oh, it's all gone, but that doesn't matter. My family is okay. That's all that counts."

We forget that too easily, don't we?

Is it possible to possess that perspective without first suffering a tragedy?

I think we can. I think we must.

That's especially important for moms. In Moore, ten children died. Yes, the school children were with their teachers.

Even so, they faced their fears on their own.

That's life. Even young children spend most weekdays away from home. Older kids and teens, too. We moms can give them something indestructible to hang onto, whatever comes.

Something like this

First we teach our children they can talk to Jesus themselves. We stress that Jesus is with them, right here. Right now.

Songs are good, too. For generations godly moms and grandmas have been teaching, "Jesus Loves Me," to their little ones. Every Sunday School kid learns it, too. It goes like this:

Jesus loves me, this I know,

For the Bible tells me so.

Little ones to Him belong.

They are weak, but He is strong.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me,

The Bible tells me so.

Jesus loves me–He who died

Heaven's gate to open wide;

He will wash away my sin,

Let His little child come in.

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me!

Yes, Jesus loves me,

The Bible tells me so.

–Anna B. Warner, in 1860, set to music by William Bradbury in 1862.

Picture one of those young children huddled down listening to the tornado roar down on them. Wouldn't repeating words like these over and over help them get through it?

We can't give away what we don't have

If we're to speak faith and confidence to our families and those around us we need to be equipped ourselves. We can store up verses like these so we'll have them ready to call up when we need them.

Here are some personal favorites:

*(God says) "Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me." –Psalm 59:15 (ESV)

*(Jesus says) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." –John 3:16

*(The Lord says) "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine . . . Do not be afraid, for I am with you . . . " –Isaiah 43:1, 5 (NIV)

Make verses like these part of our emergency kit

School kids in Moore had regular tornado drills. Let's take it one step further and aim to be emotionally and spiritually prepared for whatever comes–and our families, too.

Let's equip minds and spirits with what will carry us through.

Lovingly,

Lenore

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Here’s a survival strategy for when tragedy strikes

May 22, 2013
"Life Happens," they say. Catastrophes happen, too.

Fears we stuff down during the day haunt us at 2 a.m. Questions like, If that were true for me, could I handle it?

That's on my mind because of what happened to friends I'll call John and Mary. These two were driving home from vacation on a summer day. No speeding. No alcohol or drugs. Suddenly their car spun out of control on a curve and slammed into a highway guard-rail. Most of the impact was on the right-front corner of their new SUV.

Mary's side.

John walked away. Mary was helicoptered to the nearest trauma center. Doctors could not repair her mangled legs and amputated both of them below the knee.

Mary's life will never be the same. Neither will John's.

Like so many other friends I'm praying God's healing and comfort. Courage, too, for both of them, every day.

Courageous people seldom see themselves as heroes

For another wonderful couple I know, let's call them Jim and Jenny, this scenario is familiar territory. When she was a young mother Jenny contracted a type of flesh-eating bacteria.

Doctors gave them a choice: Her legs or her life. They chose life.

Surgeons severed her legs well above the infected area, up to her knees. Since then Jenny's prosthetic legs and her walker have been her best buddies. Together this young couple coped, reared their children and made a warm, loving family life.

When asked individually how they got through it, each one said something like, "Well, we knew God wouldn't give us more than we could handle. So we just prayed and kept going."

Tragedy strips away pretenses

After years of happy marriage, Mary and John face the same kind of challenges as they adjust to this new reality. John reports that Mary already is receiving physical therapy. She already can transfer herself from the bed to a wheelchair and will be fitted with prosthetics. After transfer to a long-term rehab facility in another city she's amazing therapists. They predict she'll be walking and driving within six months.

John thanked friends for their support and prayers, then closes his update with this sentence:

"Our lives have changed but we will move forward doing what we want to do in a different way."

When everything else falls away, it's what's inside that counts

Jesus talks about that in Luke 6:45:

Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

My friends have an inner reserve on which they draw.

If we continually put the Good Stuff in it's like "filling our tanks," a reserve of courage beyond our own. Then we'll be ready for every day, whatever it brings.

I've found it helpful to underline Bible verses that speak to my heart so I can find them more easily. Verses like these remind me I'm not alone.

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard-pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. —2 Corinthians 4:7-9

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. –Isaiah 41:10

As you read your Bible mark verses you love. Think of them as your internal armor (Ephesians 6:10-18.)

Then when the what ifs come in the night, repeat them and let them balm away your fears. Peace, be still.

Love,

Lenore

When the bottom drops out of life, how can we go on?

July 14, 2012
Nobody saw it coming. Catastrophes are like that.

This is the face of one woman in the aftermath of unimaginable horror, Japan's 9.0 earthquake and the devastating tsunami that quickly followed.

You and I have not lived what she experienced, but we know that face. We know those tears and those inner groans of, "Oh, please, not that!"

Our world can shake and crumble around us without an earthquake. We can be swamped and drowning without a tsunami.

All it takes is being given that diagnosis we never wanted to hear. Or a day when we wave goodbye to our husband or wife who never makes it home from work. A sports accident that turns our healthy, strong son or daughter into a paraplegic. The young adult child with so much potential who chooses a path we know will lead to unhappiness. The rumored pink slip that awaits us when we thought our job was safe. Home values that plummet and investments that tank when we thought we had saved up some money for the future.

Each of us has our own list. We watch, we cry, we pray. We scream, "Why?" into our long, sleepless nights. And we feel utterly helpless.

That's when we wear the same face as the woman in this photo, the face of fear and dread and hopelessness. She cannot escape her reality and neither can we.

But we can find refuge. Listen to the wonderful words of Psalm 46:1-3 and verse 7, followed by Isaiah 41:10:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging . . .

The LORD Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress . . .

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

The hard truth of life is that we have no truly safe place here on this earth. No guarantees of a perfect life in this imperfect world.

No place to run except into the sheltering arms of God, who so loved the world that he sent his only Son to earth to die on a cross and live again. For you. For me.

In His strength we weather our storms and go on, leaning on the everlasting arms.

His peace,

Lenore

Where can we go when disaster strikes in our world?

March 14, 2011