Have you ever missed God working in your life? I have. And I almost missed another one recently.

I have been in a major cleaning mode, straightening, rearranging, throwing out, etc. I was cleaning out a basket beside my bed where I store devotional books, Bibles, notebooks and other things when I came across a flag tucked in the side. I just sat down hard on the floor and stared in wonder. Now, this is no great flag to look at. It's just a 1/4" dowel with a piece of white material attached to it. Written on it, in my own handwriting, is the word "JOB" in all caps with the date March 17th, 2007 underneath. And then my signature. That's it. Why is that so earth shattering you ask? To explain that, I'll need to take you back to March 16th, 2007.

I was attending a women's retreat put on by our church district. I was feeling really good. I wasn't going for any divine spiritual revelation or healing. I was going to have fun and hoping to get closer to some women in our church. Now, this is the same women's retreat that motivated me to start this blog and to title it as I did (See first entry) so you know God didn't let me off that easy!

That first night as the speaker was talking of surrender and what we might need to surrender to God, I felt Him telling me I needed to surrender my job to Him. No, I needed to give up the coffee shop for Him. I was so startled I didn't believe it. My job? My job was 3-4 shifts a week working at a coffee shop. Not a big deal, but it was the only extra income coming in at the moment and my husbands job was barely paying the bills and necessities. I had been cleaning houses for about 6 months, but found out my body wasn't made for that when my shoulder gave out on me. I remember thinking, "I gave up the cleaning houses and now You want me to give up the coffee shop too? And then what do we do?"

I fought it until the last session, when the speaker gave out these little flags. The white flag of surrender. She asked us to write something that we felt God had been asking us to surrender to Him. Date it and sign it. So, even knowing what God will do when we surrender things to Him, I wrote "JOB" and left it at that.

And really didn't think of again until one night in July when I saw the flag again. God had taken care of everything perfectly. If you have read the other entries, you know that I now have a job at the school in the library. That job came up just 4 weeks after I signed that flag. I had never looked at that being significant until I found it this summer. What if I hadn't been able to surrender the coffee shop to God? Would I have held onto it so tightly that I missed the other opportunity? I don't know and I don't live in, "What if's". I just say, "Thank you" and trust Him a little more each day.

Psalm46:1-3
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 the water roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah

Mowing the Lawn

I love to mow the lawn. As a mom of three boys I used to say it was the only thing as a mom that I could do that lasted longer than 30 minutes! Now, as they grow older, sometimes it's the most peaceful hour I can get twice a week!

But, it's more than that. Mowing the lawn gives me a chance to enjoy the many little pleasures God gives us every day that I am too busy to notice. Take for instance the smells. There is nothing like the smell of fresh cut grass. It's just a good earthy smell. Even with that smell of gas that gets mixed in. It brings back memories of summer days as a kid when I would run around barefoot, playing tag or hide and go seek or just lay down on the grass and watch the clouds go by. It reminds of camping with my family and we'd just lounge around on a blanket or quilt and read in the heat of the afternoon.

In our backyard we also have lily of the valley, a rosebush, peonies, and a pine tree. And even though last week I tried piercing my ear on the rose bush and everytime I have to mow around that stupid tree my blood pressure rises, they still smell good and if I concentrate on that, I'm amazed at all of God's creation.

On beautiful spring days like today, I'm thankful for the cool spring breeze tickling my skin as I walk along and for the magnificant oak trees we have around our house that provide shade. As I pass my flower beds I can see which ones are surviving the early spring freeze and which ones need split or weeded. I can check on the rhubarb and my mouth waters at thoughts of rhubarb jam and other treats that we make each year from the tart vegetable (fruit?).

And don't forget the mowing clothes. This is my chance to get out that favorite pair of jeans that are faded so much they are almost white, but oh so comfortable. Don't forget that favorite roomy t-shirt too. I always wear athletic shoes when I mow, (to protect the toes) and no socks. It can get a little warm, but when you pull your toes out and that wonderful cool air hits them, ahhh.

I've been reading The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis and it really makes you think about so many things we do (or don't do) in our Christian walk. One of them is taking the time for simple pleasures and enjoying God's beautiful creation. If you aren't familiar with the book, it is written as if two demons were communicating to one another. The letters you read are from Uncle Screwtape, the older, wiser, demon, to his nephew, Wormwood, as he tries to keep a human from God. And once the man becomes a Christian, how to keep him from forming a relationship with God. Chapter 13 starts out: "My Dear Wormwood, It seems to me that you take a great many pages to tell a very simple story. The long and short of it is you have let the man slip through your fingers." and it continues to tell how.

"And now for your blunders. On your own showing you first of all allowed the patient to read a book he really enjoyed, because he enjoyed it and not in order to make clever remarks about it to his new friends. In the second place, you allowed him to walk down to the old mill and have tea there- a walk through country he really likes, and taken alone. In other words you allowed him two real positive Pleasures."

The letter goes on to explain to Wormwood that the book and walk were dangerous because it gave him time to feel he was coming back to himself. That to detach him from the Enemy (God) Wormwood must detach man from himself.

I couldn't help but think about us today. We are so busy anymore! We rush here and there doing everything we think we have to do until we are exhausted. And it's not as if we aren't involved with church, sometimes, it's church that exhausts us! There are Sundays when I wish I could just go to church and that's it. No social committee, no nursery, no teaching Sunday School, no announcements to make for VBS, etc. And rarely does that all happen on one Sunday, but occasionally, they can all collide. Then I have to step back and evaluate if I'm too involved. There are many Christians like this. They get so busy serving God, they forgot about WHO they serve!

So, I want to ask you, when did you last do something enjoyable? When did you last mow the lawn and enjoy it? Have you just gone for a walk with your family and had no goal other than to catch up and talk with each other? What was the last book you read for enjoyment? Take time this week to enjoy God's creation and the simple pleasures He gives us each day. Refresh yourself and your walk with Him.

Psalm 121 says, "I lift up my eyes unto the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth." When was the last time you lifted up your eyes from the treadmill of life you're running on? Take time today.

If you give a mom her cough medicine......

If you give a mom her cough medicine, she will complain about the taste, then say it's burning a hole in her stomach.

So you give her some crackers to help her tummy.

Then, the crackers are dry so she needs a drink of water.

But, if you drink water after you are in bed, guess what? Then she has to get up and go to the bathroom.

While she's in the bathroom she decides she cannot stand the dirty floor anymore, so she gets it swept and mopped.

Now, she is wide awake and can't sleep, so she begins to read the latest Ted Dekker book, Skin.

But it gets kind of scary, and the house is dark and creaky and everyone else is asleep, so she decides to pray.

As she is praying, God reminds her that she didn't do her devotions that day, so she gets back out of bed and spends time reading the Bible and praying.

While she is reading her Bible and praying she is struck by a divine revelation and decides to share it with others in her blog.

When she is done sharing spiritual insight in her blog, she decides to check her e-mail. She sees many people in her inbox that she needs to catch up with (her last few weeks have been very busy) so she spends some time catching people up on her life.

Finally, her eyes get really heavy and she decides she should go to bed.

But, she is having difficulty swallowing because of her sore throat and begins to cough again. Looking at the clock, she sees it's been four hours and she can have some more cough medicine!

This was inspired by events that occurred last night, but only the first three things actually happened, the rest started going through my mind and I found it funny, so had to share.

I am my beloved and he is mine!

My boys are at Grandpa and Grandma's for the weekend and I have spent the last two hours cleaning. I can see the floor, the bathroom is shiny and when you walk onto the back porch, you can see the floor! No shoes, no coats, no bookbags, there is a floor! We are into the second week of mom having her first full-time job in almost twelve years and I was behind. Just this week, I had a bridal shower Monday night, spring program Tuesday night, AWANA awards night Wednesday night and my husband and I didn't want to miss "Amazing Grace" at our local theatre, so that was Thursday night. WOW. Needless to say, picking up and cleaning and even getting the dishes washed wasn't happening.

Now, before I get all the comments about enjoying this time and how fast it goes and how many years I'll have to enjoy a clean house, remember how you felt when you were in the middle of it and for those who are in the middle with me, say a nice long, "Ahhhh". It feels good. And I already know that time is going fast. Instead of house of little boys and babies I now have a house of big boys and one little man already! Very scary.

Speaking of time going fast, today is my anniversary! Twelve years of wedded bliss! That's why the boys are Grandma's. We had asked if they would come down and babysit tonight, but because of Dad teaching Sunday School, they couldn't, so they decided to just take the boys for the weekend! Okay!

What are you doing for your anniversary you ask? We are going to a wedding reception. Before you pooh-pooh that, think about it, free food and entertainment and a very romantic atmosphere? Perfect. Actually, the more we thought about it, the better it seemed. What better way to remember when our love was first new and why we fell in love in the first place than at a wedding?

We recently did a bible study by Dave and Claudia Arp entitled, "10 Great Dates for You and Your Mate" and the first date was remembering all your firsts. First date, first kiss, first time you talked about getting married, etc. It was good reminder of why we are together. A co-worker and her husband recently forgot that and were seperated for four weeks, seeking divorce when God intervened and the first thing their marriage counselor did was have them remember why they fell in love in the first place. What first attracted them to each other? It was neat to be doing this Bible Study at the same time and be able to share experiences with her.

So how are you doing? Do you and your beloved need to go back to the beginning? Do you need reminded why you ever loved him at all? Hire a babysitter, ask a friend to watch the kids, or go to the park and let them play while you and you beloved talk. Need help in knowing what to talk about? Click here

What are you hiding?

Quick thought before I head back out the door to work.

I had a small hole in my sock this morning when I put it on. I thought to myself, "It's little and in the toe, no one will see it." By the time I came home for lunch now, my toe is sticking out of it!

No sin stays hidden. I remember when I rebelled against God and everyone. I thought no one knew how bad it was, until I got pregnant. That I couldn't hide. That was bottom for me. What I didn't realize then was that God knew all along. He just had to get my attention. Don't hide your sins from God, confess them today and live in his love.

God's Plans or My Plans?

Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the Lord, "and will bring you back from captivity." Even though these verses are directed to the exiles in Babylon, many have treasured these verses. Sometimes when life seems horrible, it's comforting to know that God has a plan even in this.

This week, I started a new job, in many ways, my dream job. I am a library para for our high school and middle school. I love books! (The two of the three Ted Dekker books were read this week.) And now I get to be surrounded by them and work with them and encourage others to discover them and get excited about them. And my hours are the same as my boys. When they are off, I'll be off. I go to work when they leave for school and I get to leave when the last bell rings! And it's way more hours than I have been working, which helps a lot.

Now, I don't know about you, but I have a habit of getting ahead of God. Waiting on the Lord is not my strong suit. I'm a person with control issues and letting go and letting God does not come easily to me. There have been times when I have gotten myself into impossible situations because I thought I knew what needed to be done and I went and did it. Only to find out that wasn't what God wanted at all and he had a better plan.

So when I was asked to come interview, I began to have doubts, "Was I really supposed to take this job? Was I running ahead of God again? Was this showing a lack of trust in Him, by thinking I had to have a job?" And on and on I went. By that night, I had a sick stomach ache and headache! But I talked it all out with my husband and was able to sleep that night. Only to be attacked by the doubts again that morning.

I was ready a little early and just sat down for a little while. About five minutes before I was to leave, I felt God's peace wash over me and was able to go the interview knowing I had to follow through. It wasn't until sometime after I was offered the job, and accepted, that I had true peace.

I was still doubting myself and my motives and I asked God if I wasn't relying on Him to provide, when I felt Him say, "This is my way of providing". And it hit me. This was his answer. What had I been praying for the last nine months? For God to provide. And when He did, I almost missed it just because His plan didn't fit what I thought He would do! What blessing are you missing today?

Isaiah 55:8-9-"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Why Smelling Good!?

I thought the first thing I should address is why I chose to call my blog, "Smelling Good". It's because of a recent women's retreat that I attended.

The speaker notes are titled, "The Splendor of Surrender", and on the first page there is this paragraph: "Surrender is offering our whole body as a sacrifice to Him. It is not unlike the burnt offering, producing a sweet smelling aroma of satisfaction to the Lord. Surrender 'mells' (in reference to a story of her son) good to Him. It is irresistible to God and man. It is the splendor of surrender. "

And I have written off to the side, "The fragrance of God" which referenced back to some sermon notes I had taken not that long ago. Some thoughts from that are; "Through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. To those being saved, it is the fragrance of life, to others, the fragrance of death."

Wow, I had never thought of that. I am one of those people who take rejection personally. This fear of rejection has been a fear Satan has used to make me a timid witness for God. I don't go knocking on doors or handing out tracks. I've always relied on them seeing a difference in my life and seeking that difference. This sermon freed me in many ways from that fear. Some people will be so hardened to God that even the "smell" of Him flowing out of me and my life will be offensive to them. It's not what I do and say that offends them. It's God.

Which reminded me of what my counselor said some 13 years ago when I asked him why non-Christian guys were so attracted to me. He told me that from within me shines the light of God, whether I am living for Him or not, His Spirit is within me and that is attractive to those who are seeking Him, whether they know it or not.

So, that's the long answer to why I titled my blog as I did. I want this blog to "smell good". I want it to be used by Him to attract those who are seeking Him. Like a moth to a flame, may this be the light shining in the darkness.