Getaways

The lazy, hazy days of summer are gone and we're into our structured September. Though there's something sad about saying goodbye to summer, it's good to get back into harness. School does that to families.

Now might be the time to plan a mental/spiritual health day for yourself--a day where you restore your energies and focus on the priorities in your life. A day where you seek God's direction or wisdom.

In Phoenix, there are two very nice retreat centers which offer beautiful natural settings for just such a day:

• Franciscan Renewal Center
• Canaan in the Desert

Now that the weather promises to cool a bit (in Arizona), we finally can engage in some outdoor activities. Arizona friends: consider taking a half a day to visit one of these centers. If you're not in Phoenix, find a beautiful park in your area.

Once a year I walk through the prayer garden at Canaan in the Desert and feel a sense of renewal as I'm led through the events of Jesus' death and resurrection. It's a moving yet uplifting experience.

Closer to home, is the prayer hill at Christ's Church of the Valley--my home church. It's an easy walk up a trail that is marked with stations of the Lord's Prayer. Atop the hill is a cross and an opened tomb.

A word of caution:  Arizona is home to lots of creepy crawlies, some deadly. Stay on the trails or in the open--keep your eyes open when praying!


(From the devotional, Live Your Highlights.)

Balcony People

A favorite author of mine from many years ago, is Joyce Landorf Heatherly. She is a gifted speaker, singer, and author. So many talents rolled into one person!

I especially enjoyed her novels on Biblical characters: Joseph and I Came to Love You Late (Martha). Her research and writing make these characters come alive. I can relate to them and their struggles when I see them through the eyes and expertise of this gifted writer.

What really resonates with me, however, is the term balcony people that she coins in some of her nonfiction books. She has written quite a bit about the balcony people in our lives--those who affirm us and encourage us.

Make a mental list of the balcony people who have influenced your life.

• What was special about them?
• How did they make you feel?
• How did they affect your life?

Now think about people that you support, encourage, raise up, or praise. Hopefully, this second list is a long one.

Look around. Who in your sphere of influence needs to be lifted up? What can you do to help them?

Today, be a BALCONY PERSON..........the world needs you.

Click here for more titles from Joyce Landorf Heatherly:  Joyce Landorf

God's Humble Employee

The "Best Selling Artist of all Time" doesn't even have her name mentioned on the copyright page of the books she illustrated. Her name is Ann Vallotton and she was a Swiss artist who died several years ago at the age of 98.

That's because the book is The Good New Bible and her desire was to be anonymous. She wanted people to be drawn to reading the Bible for themselves. Because of the success of The Good News Bible, her illustrations have blessed people around the world.

You can read more about this amazing woman in my book, Live Your Highlights, in the chapter titled, "God's Employee." Her humility touches me. Just email me at sueraatjes@cox.net or visit my website for more info on purchasing the book:  www.sueraatjes.weebly.com.

Click on this link to read more about Ann Vallotton:
  www.unitedbiblesocieties.org/one-of-the-worlds-best-selling-artists-was-a-bible-illustrator/

Do a Google search to see her delightful illustrations. My favorite is the one from Galatians about carrying one another's burdens. Enjoy.

God's Support Group

(Following is an excerpt from my new book, Live Your Highlights. If you'd like to purchase a copy, just send me an email at sueraatjes@cox.net. Soft cover is $12 plus $3 shipping, if mailing is required. E-book version is $5 with no shipping charges. Enjoy.)

 What would it be like to be part of a support group made up of characters from the Bible?

Imagine sitting in a circle in the basement of a drafty old church, sipping terrible coffee from Styrofoam cups. You size up the other members of the group: 

“Hmm. Who is that old guy with the beard and long stick in his hand? His name tag reads Moses. Wonder what his problem is?

And the young man with an eagerness about him? His name tag reads Hi, my name is Timothy. Next to him is another old guy—A.  Paul (the A stands for apostle). They seem to be friends because Paul keeps chatting in Timothy’s ear. Quite a talker, that one. Timothy is attentive, but I did see him roll his eyes once when Paul wasn’t looking.

“Not many women in this group, other than the classy one with a regal appearance and good posture. She has two names on her tag: Sarai – Sarah. There is an elderly woman with a wrinkled face. What did she endure to earn such a time-worn countenance? Her name is Jochabed, and I guess she is important to that guy Moses sitting next to her. He is very attentive, re-filling her coffee cup and adjusting her shawl.”

The list could go on but you get the drift. The Bible is full of rich characters who rely on God. Wouldn’t it be terrific to select the character who suffered what we currently deal with and sit next to them for a one-on-on? You might be surprised at some of the issues they grappled with:

Job dealt with physical and emotional tragedies, while Caleb Joshua, Shadrach, Mechach, Abednego, and Daniel had to face fear head-on. Elijah and King David turned to God during deep depressions. Peter and David both had to face their sin in a spirit of remorse.

Timothy, Abraham, and Moses served, in spite of being "out of their comfort zone." Ananias, Queen Esther, and Mary all were handed dangerous tasks by God.

Are you dealing with the Empty Nest Syndrome? Jochebed and Mary both had to relinquish children. David (him again) knew what is what like to have a rebellious son and he also dealt with his own swinging emotions. Sarah and Ruth followed others without regard to their own wishes.

                           

Continue on with your own search of the Bible's ordinary people who served God, in spite of their short-comings. You’ll enjoy visiting with your new group of friends.

 I hope the coffee’s fresh!

Homesickness

Say the word "homesick" and I immediately get:

• A lump in my throat
• A pain in my chest
• A heavy stomach

As a child, I battled homesickness big time. It ruined many a sleepover or pajama party, two common activities of childhood entertainment.

I loved sleepovers--at first. I looked forward to them and would give myself a pep talk, saying, "I can do this! It will be fun." Then, around midnight or so, the tears would come, along with the lump in my throat, pain in my chest, and upset stomach.

My patient parents. Many a night they drove across town to pick up a crying Susie who, once again, could not stay through the night. And, I would wave goodbye to a tearful girlfriend whose sleepover was ruined.

Homesickness is a feeling you don't easily forget. I dealt with it as a child, then as a student going away to college (really rough), and as a new bride living in another state. I still remember pulling out of my parents' driveway for the last time after our wedding.

It's amazing that eventually I re-located 2000 miles from my home in Ohio to distant Arizona. I've come a long way with this homesickness struggle, but whenever anyone mentions the feeling, I immediately empathize.

I read something the other day that put a positive spin on this term. It came from that fantastic devotional writer Sarah Young in her book Jesus Calling (2004):

[Jesus speaking] "I made you in My image, and I hid heaven in your heart. Your yearning for Me is a form of homesickness: longing for your true home in heaven."

Homesickness is a longing that can be quelled only by being home, with those you love. When I equate the angst of my childhood homesickness with a longing for Heaven, to be in the presence of God, I smile. It puts a whole new light on it.

Heart Disease

Heart disease is a terrible thing.

The tragedies of this past week show the extent of our country's illness. Those tragedies anger all of us, as they should. The killing of two black men in Louisiana and Minnesota, and the killing of five police officers and wounding of seven in Dallas, are inexcusable.

It's a disease of the heart.

The antidote? We must:

• Value ALL human life
• Accept differences
• Teach children to love and honor people
• Dialog with others, regardless of mindset, color, gender, nationality, religion, or political persuasion

 

We don't have to agree, but we must interact peacefully and respectfully.

Heart disease is a terrible thing. 

 * * * * * * * * * * *

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." (Hebrews 10:24)

"...clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12-14)

"Love is patient, love is kind....Love never fails." (1 Corinthians 13:4 & 8)

Create Memories

Much of what we do as parents falls under the category "making memories." Moms and dads go to a lot of effort to provide activities and traditions, both large and small, that anchor their children--memories for them to carry throughout their lifetime.

Hopefully, most of these events are positive. We often can't help it when negative things happen in our children's lives, so we do our best to mitigate the effects. Wow, I'm getting deep.

What started all this introspection?

Recently, our scattered family gathered at a favorite vacation spot, beautiful San Diego, California. We vacationed there as a family for over 40 years.

My husband and I are in the phase of our lives where we don't have to enter the icy, seaweed-infested waters of the Pacific Ocean. Our time for boogie-boarding is history. We don't have to impress the grandchildren with our frisbee, football, paddleball, or volleyball skills--the ever-present beach activities.

We get to just sit in our lawn chairs under an umbrella. We get to watch our children interact with their children on the beach and in the water. We get to watch the ten grandchildren play in the sand and water--just like their parents did many years ago. We love it.


It occurred to me, beach play never changes. For eons, kids have been building sand castles, digging holes for the tide to fill up, burying siblings up to their heads, and "selling" pretend sand cakes to the old adults sitting in lawn chairs. It must be in their DNA because all children do the same.

Everyone was having fun, whatever activity or non-activity they were engaged in. Then it hit me how important it was that we created positive memories all those years ago. It really did have an impact on them. I remember thinking, I wonder if this is worth all the effort. Will they even remember what we're doing?

Good news is, yes, they will remember. Perhaps not all the tiny details we work so hard to orchestrate, but memories that will impact them with a sense of fun, love, belonging, and tradition. All good things.

The message is:

Parents, take heart. You're busy, tired, stressed, and over-scheduled. Some days, making memories is probably not high on your agenda. Keep at it because they will remember, and they will add it to the list of memories they create for their children. It's worth your effort.

Summertime is time for family memories.....enjoy!

 

 COMING SOON

Live Your Highlights 

60 Days of Encouragement for Christian Living!

 Read 1 chapter a day, & in 2 months you will develop the habit of meeting w/ God regularly