What Influences You?

It's been awhile since I sat down just to write. I really need to do it more often but I find that lately just thinking about writing things down either gives me a headache or brings tears to my eyes.

God is so good, He does not change, His ways are SO much higher than mine, and His faithfulness is new every morning! It never grows out of style or gives out! Praise be to God!

I go through a lot of emotions this time of year - always have. As is with most I feel the loss this time of year - the loss of loved ones who have passed on. Ironically, I realized the other day that the most important losses have been around the holidays.

My grandmother & my mom both passed on to a greater place in November - 22 years apart almost to the day. The 2 greatest influences of my life. My father passed away 2 days before Christmas 25 years ago – an influence but not in the way most people would think of in relation to their father.

I guess I started thinking about the contrasts – the differences in the influences – because we discovered last week that my paternal grandmother passed away in 2002 & we had no idea. My sister stumbled on it looking for family history. My sister & I both agree that the saddest part of her obituary was that there was no mention of her grandchildren. Then we realized that my dad’s obituary had no mention of his children. Like mother like son.

The contrast in influences

Here you have 4 people:
2 parents that influenced their children
2 children that had freedom of choice

2 parents that by appearance choose opposite directions
2 children that lived the example given

I am a product of those influences whether positive or negative – who I am is a direct result of their choices. Who they are defines me. 

Yet – who I am is a direct result of the positive influences. Who I am is defined by who I am in Christ. Who I am is because of a Grandmother who prayed diligently. Prayed first for her own daughter to find her God again after taking a wrong turn.  Then she prayed for her grandchildren to know God and live life by His Word. Positive Influence!

Who I am is because of a Mother who realized that life without God was wrong & turned her life around. She prayed & lived her life always doing her best to keep her eyes on the God that gave her life. Did she always do it right? Nope & I always made sure I reminded her of that ;) She knew that it was His faithfulness, forgiveness, mercy & love that carried her – that was what she staked her life on. He never let her down. Positive Influence!

As for the negative influences – I learn from those. I learn the path not to take. I learn that it is only Godly influences that keeps me from going the wrong direction. I learn that who I am is only because of ‘Whose I am’ – Who I belong to. 

As hard as the losses are & how much my heart aches at times for another chance to spend time with Grandma or just a little bit more time with Mom – what they both left for me can not be put into words. My life will never be the same & I will continue to strive to live my life heading in the direction they both started me on. I pray that my life will be a lasting legacy of what they started. 

Where ever you are right now – no matter what the future looks like – your influences will direct you one way or another. How you choose to let those influences direct you is completely in your hands.

Maybe all you see is the negatives - God is waiting to help you walk through them.
Maybe all you see is positives - God is waiting to help you walk through those as well.

God – I AM – Jehovah – Creator – Sustainer of Life & so much more. He is the ONLY God, there is no other! Great is His faithfulness~

Who knows what this coming year will hold - actually I know WHO knows & I am staking my life on Him.~

"For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord..."

For the Love of Children

Today was a very busy day – yet intertwined with the busy-ness were 2 things that just put things in the proper perspective.

First one:

I had stepped into the 2 year old room to help out for a bit. The teacher had the Veggie Tales Sunday school songs CD playing. Some of the kids were standing around the player kind of ‘dancing’ to the music. SO I sat down & sang along & danced a bit with them.

One the songs that started to play was “Oh how I love Jesus” – one of my favorites – and so I started singing. One of the little ones came over & gave me hug but didn’t let go – he was trying to dance with me while I sang along with the song.

I don’t know if it was just me but I sensed that it was very soothing to him – he just snuggled through the whole song! It made my day because it really reminded me of why I do what I do. And the realization that it is only because of God’s grace that I get to do what I do! I am so very humbly grateful that God in His infinite wisdom changed my life circumstances drastically to move me into working with children. I pray I never stop thanking Him for this wonderful gift.

That incident was enough for today yet God is so gracious & loving He gave me one more.

Second one:

We were serving snack this afternoon - I realized that one our 3 yr olds was not eating - he was crying & very upset. This is one who does not cry very easily.

I called him over & asked him what was wrong - he wanted to tell me what was wrong but I couldn't quite get it out of him. So we went for a walk to the kitchen so that we could wash off his face & maybe get to the bottom of what was wrong.

What I realized was that his feelings were hurt & that it I had hurt his feelings. You see he had been doing something he wasn't suppose to do & when I asked him to stop it did something inside of him - so when I was trying to get him to tell me he was reluctant to tell me that I hurt his feelings. I was able to get him to tell me why I had hurt his feelings & I reassured him that it was okay to tell me if I hurt his feelings.

It was at that moment that I realized that my opinion of him matter – that he valued me – he had finally bonded with me. It’s something we have been working on. He has had some struggles in the classroom & we have been working on helping him learn self-control. He has been improving & I have been very proud of him & he has been very proud of himself – AND even more pleased when he gets to give me a high five & show off his stamp for the day.

My opinion of him mattered! And when I called him out for his behavior–which  was not big deal from my perspective- From his perspective? He was crushed! He took it personal - right to the heart.

I gave him a hug & asked if everything was okay & he said yes. We started to walk back down the hall & he reached up & grabbed my hand. We walked back out to the yard hand in hand & it almost made me cry.

Here was this little one whose heart was crushed unintentionally by me yet he was willing to take my hand & trust me again. The simple act of him reaching up & grabbing my hand was his way of saying that he still valued my opinion, he still loved me and he knew that I loved him no matter what.

God in His grace & mercy calls us His children. He trains us, grows us up, disciplines, picks us up & brushes us off. He is always ready, waiting & willing for us to come & crawl into His lap so we can tell Him how we are – we can even tell Him when our feelings are hurt. He won’t cast us out – He won’t tell us to go away – He won’t make us feel less important.

He also will wait for us to take His hand – He holds it there but we have to grab it – we have to take hold. This little boy has no idea what he did for me today. How very special this whole thing was. He will probably never know how God used it to remind me of how much He loves us.

What this little one will know is how much God loves him – How much God will always be there – he will know that God’s love is unconditional.

I am so humbly grateful that God gives me moments like this with these precious little ones. I learn so much from them & they are constantly reminding me in so  many ways just how much God loves us – always~

A sweet aroma

I have always loved the small ways that God uses the children I work with to teach me things. Their innocence is refreshing & makes it so much easier to see things that you usually miss.

This past week one of my 2 year olds (who sometimes acts more like a teenager than a 2 yr) had a question for me. I got down & kneeled on the ground so I could look at her face to face. She proceeded to say, "Miss Sheri how do you smell?" To which I said, "Ummm what do you mean?" And with her impatience showing she said, "How you smell?" and proceeded to reach over & sniff my neck a couple of times.

She stepped back & let out a satisfying "Awhhhhh!" Which made me chuckle - I said, "And how did I smell?" Very matter of fact she said "Oh good Miss Sheri".

I kept thinking that I was grateful that I had a good "aroma" :) Then that got me to thinking - which really is never a good thing. My 'aroma' obviously was very pleasing to this little one. She was quite content. Would others agree? Would the people around me taller than 4' agree that my aroma was pleasant? In general I sure hope that my aroma is not offensive;)

I want God to be pleased - I want whatever I do & say to be a pleasing aroma to my God. I kept thinking - When He sees me & watches my interactions with others is He pleased with me? Is He satisfied? I sure hope so. However I am pretty sure there have been many times ( & more to come) when my actions are less than sweet - probably very foul smelling!

All I can do is start each day with the knowledge of who He is & who I am. That it is only because of His grace & mercy that I can even hope to be a sweet aroma.Then pray that He will work through me to be HIS sweet aroma to those around me.

A Song & A Box of Kleenex

You know God never ceases to amaze me. He uses the simple things, the things that we do or use all the time to remind us of Who He is & just how much He loves us. 


I love music - it has been a part of my life for.. forever:) My mom loved music and passed that on. Music is one of many tools that I believe God uses to speak to me. Music often reaches into our soul in ways that nothing else can. I think that is why there are times when I am singing that the tears flow. The songs are not just words to me - the songs are truth about God & Who He is.


He so often uses music to reach me when I need it the most. He did that at church on Sunday. I didn't realize that I was feeling a bit weary & tired. I didn't realize that I needed to be reminded that despite what is happening around me, He is still on His throne! I didn't realize I needed that pick me up~


We were singing the song "You are the Everlasting God" - which is one of my favorite songs. It is one that God used to comfort & encourage my heart when my mom was ill & when she passed away. There is so much truth in the words - AND I find that He uses it often to remind me of those truths over & over.


When we started singing I realized just how much I needed His reminder - I needed to know that He does not grow weary, He does not faint, He defends the weak, comforts those in need, lifts us up on the wings of eagles.... He is everlasting! We just have to wait on Him - rest in Him.


The tears started to flow & I can't stand it when I do that on stage - fortunately I was standing amongst the choir in hopes that no one was watching - I was trying to be 'inconspicuous' hoping no one was seeing the tears. I just couldn't help it. God knew what I needed before I did - AND had that song picked out just for me. 


The other thing that really touched me was that God could have left it there - just using the song to remind me that He loves me & He would be all that I needed. That was enough but He wanted me to know that in a tangible way.


He used a Kleenex box - Yes I said a Kleenex box. 
God prompted someone to provide a Kleenex box. God prompted someone to notice. 
God prompted someone to be His hands & feet.
I know it seems silly - but for me it was His way of giving me a reminder I could see. 


He didn't have to do that. 
He didn't have to meet me at all on Sunday - but He did.


Whether it's music, sunsets, His word, or yes even a Kleenex box - God will meet us where we are-always! 


I guess that must mean He loves me very much! And if that doesn't make me feel good then .... humm I don't know how to finish that! 


"You are the everlasting God, the everlasting God! You do not faint, You won't grow weary! You're the defender of the weak. You comfort those in need. You lift us up on wings like eagles."

Good stuff :)

To Hope or not to Hope?

You know I have been pondering this for a couple of weeks now. Hope - a small word yet one that gets thrown around a lot. When I look the word hope up in the dictionary there are a couple of "definitions" that I really liked.

1. The feeling that what is wanted can be had....
2. A person or thing in which expectations are centered
3. To look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence
4. To trust, expect or believe

Humm... Good definitions. I hope that we get that job; I hope that they make it home safely; I hope that my team wins; I hope that......Fill in the blank - We can put anything in there that we hope for or hope in.  

I guess I have been thinking about this because I know of people who lost hope. People who just decided it was not worth it anymore. People who push and struggle to keep going because they had hope - but somewhere along they line they lost that hope. They decided that they just couldn't do it.

It makes me sad to think that a couple of those people gave up completely. They so completely lost hope that the only answer they could come up with was to take their own life. It breaks my heart that they saw that as their only option.

Then I think about those who continue to push through - they go through the motions of life but if they would stop they would admit that they have no hope - they have nothing to believe in or trust in. For them their life is nothing more than just doing what is expected. They see no value in their life and they don't care.

Know anyone like that? Maybe you feel that way? What is it in life that has you feeling as if the hope is gone? Is it family? Friends? Health? Money? I think there are times when we all feel that hope is hard to see or find - when life is hard and you scratch your head wondering if it is ever going to end.

I know I have - wondered if life would ever get better. Wondered if I would ever have my health back & my life back. Wondered if I would ever feel "normal" after the death of a family member.  Did I lose my hope? humm well when I think about that I have to go back to the definitions above and then ask myself what do I have my hope in?


1. The feeling that what is wanted can be had...What is it I want?
2. A person or thing in which expectations are centered....Who is it I put my hope in?
3. To look forward to with desire and reasonable confidence....What am I looking forward to?

4. To trust, expect or believe...What I am trusting in or believing?


As a believer in Jesus Christ I can say without a doubt what my hope is - I want to be made into His likeness and His word tells me He is doing that. The person I put my hope in is Jesus Christ - there is nothing or anyone else. When I put my hope on things or in people I will only be disappointed.  What I look forward to or hope towards would be His return or my entrance into Eternity. That is what I know to be in my future. I trust it, expect it AND believe it.

I don't have the "market" on not losing hope - And I certainly know that the enemy is very much at work to bring me down. What I do know is what Paul says in Philippians 1:6 "For I am confident of this one thing - that He who began that work will complete it" He being Jesus - will not be finished with me until I step onto the other side of eternity.

I don't know what your hope is in tonight - I do not know what circumstances you are facing in life. What I do know is that the same hope I have is ready and available for the asking. Doesn't mean life will be easier - Doesn't mean that all your problems will disappear. What it does mean is that you will have hope - You will have purpose because of Who you belong to.

Don't give up - Don't throw it away. Feeling like you just don't care? Talk to someone - let others reach you and help you.

It reminds me of the song "On Christ the Solid Rock"
"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame but wholly lean on Jesus Name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand - all other ground is sinking sand"

His Love Never Fails

It is hard to imagine that one could find a wise, philosophical moment while sitting in the laundry mat but alas it has happened. 

Yesterday morning as I was watching the clothes go round and round in the dryer I was thinking of the people in my life who are going through some very hard things. Health issues, job issues (or no job), death of family or friends, and so much more.

People are in hard places and it is hard to sit back and watch at times. I am a "fixer" so I want to get in there and fix it - make it better but I can't. There is nothing I can do but come alongside & support through prayer and just being God's hands when possible.

In our service this morning I was reminded of a couple of verses - Romans 8:28 & Ephesians 3:20. 


Romans 8:28 says that He works all things together for our good. It doesn't say it will feel good - it says for OUR good. Which means He must have a purpose. He must know that the outcome is. He HAS to know where the end is and that we will come out on the other side.


Ephesians 3:20 says He is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us. His love is so beyond our comprehension and His power so above what we could imagine - it is too much to try and think on. 

He - through His power & love - walks us through the hard (& the good) times. Sometimes it doesn't make sense but on the other side of it He becomes so much more beyond what we could imagine. And then we become just a little bit more like Him.

So what does all of this have to do with watching the dryer at the launder-mat? Absolutely nothing! The dryer did not inspire me - God's word did:)


His Love Never Fails, His Mercies Are New Every Morning, Great Is His Faithfulness & He Is ALWAYS working things for our good