Differences, passion and cute baby animals

"Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us." Romans 12:4-6a

Noah, my mom-in-law Sandra, and I were on our way to visit my sister-in-law and her kids and their kids for a couple of days in Ranson, WV. Driving through Morgantown, we saw a truck from WVU with the words "Division of Animal and Nutritional Sciences," which conjures up mental images of people studying how to take temperatures of horses and how to birth goats. Ewwww.

I'm not an animal person. We have a cat and a goldfish, and I take pretty good care of them. I also enjoy a good baby animal video on YouTube from time to time.  (For your viewing pleasure, check out the one posted below). However, there is not anything about Jennifer that wants to study that. I began to think about how glad I am that people are so different. If everyone on earth loved writing, but had no interest in animals or computers (yeah, I'm out of the loop there too), we'd have a whole lot of dead animals and we would have nothing on which to write.  

The fact that we are so different is a good thing. Animals are taken care of, computers keep computing, cars get painted, sick are cared for, and television shows get produced. 

It's also a good thing when it comes to the ways we serve God, though I don't always see it that way. 

When people have a different opinion than mine, naturally they're wrong. *said with only slight sarcasm* But seriously, people are passionate about different things in life. One might be passionate about the poor and the homeless, while someone else might be passionate about  music, and I have another friend who is passionate about fashion. All of it can be used for God, the very God who hardwired us with those passions. 

Sometimes I wonder why my church doesn't have a kind of ministry that is running through my head that we need. It varies, depending on what I am focused on at the time. If I am really feeling a concern for the poor in our community, I start to wonder why my church isn't out feeding the homeless. Or if I hear of a focus on adoption at another church, I wonder why my church isn't doing that as well. 

But I am part of my church. If God has placed these desires on my heart, it could very well be my job to get these things going. As much as I want to blame it on other people, and criticize us as a whole for not focusing on those things that I think are super important, I have to place the blame back on myself. 

God created us all different for a reason. I will have things He wants me to do, that He won't ask you to do. And the same goes for you. If you are wishing for something to be done for a cause that is dear to your heart, don't waste another minute waiting on someone else to do it. Pray about it. Ask God to show you what He wants you to do about it. Then do it. 

I am definitely preaching to myself right here too. When I put off doing the things God puts on my heart, not only are the people I could be serving missing out, I am too. Instead of feeling peace from knowing I'm doing what God wants, I'm feeling unsettled. Instead of seeing the beauty of watching God work in ways I never imagined, I'm wondering what it would be like if He did. Instead of making a difference, I'm not. 

There are so many reasons we can come up with for not doing the thing that needs done. We aren't qualified. We don't have time. We don't have resources. Just to name a few. 

But God isn't limited by any of that. He used Moses, a shepherd with a speech problem, to lead an entire nation of people out of slavery. Not only did Moses not feel qualified, he obviously didn't have resources to feed and care for more than 2 million people. Moses obeyed anyway, and God took care of it, using Moses and his brother Aaron to speak, and using manna and quail supplied by God himself to feed the people. 

If you haven't felt God asking you to do something yet, ask Him to show you. He will. Then do the best you can, wherever you are with what you have. God will take care of the rest. Whatever it is that God might be asking you to do, don't put it off any longer.  The world is waiting. 

Tapes, faith, and Jonathan

"...Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few." 1 Samuel 14:6b

For several years, I worked as a transcriptionist for a mental health agency. I started out in data entry, then the transcriptionist had surgery, so I filled in, then she quit, so I was able to take the position. Perfect! Sometimes I was even able to do my work at home. During the summer, I could stop by the office, pick up the tapes and type them from the comfort of my home in my PJs, not needing a babysitter.

One problem. I didn't keep up. I would drive to the office to pick up the tapes, sometimes 10 at a time. I might do two of them, then need to pick up more. The stack grew. This resulted in a very large envelope stuffed with untyped transcription tapes and a whole lot of stress. When I finished my journalism degree and was about to begin my internship at the paper, I quit the transcriptionist position and I turned in this giant envelope, with something like 40 untyped tapes, to my boss. She lovingly said something like..."I'm going to kill you...Good luck at the paper."

I knew how to do the job, but it was too big for me, and maybe for any one person. 

I'm so glad God isn't like that. It's comforting to know there is no job too big for Him. 

In I Samuel chapter 14, Jonathan points this out as well. 

Jonathan and Saul were taking on the Philistines with just 600 men, and the only weapons were what Jonathan and Saul had with them. Jonathan and his armor bearer took off for a bit to get a closer look at them, and Jonathan told his armor bearer to go with him to face the Philistines. He said, "Perhaps the Lord will act in our behalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whether by many or by few." 

Jonathan was pretty wise. Not only did he know that the battle is God's, which is something the Israelites had a recent habit of forgetting, he also knew that no battle was too big for God to win, and that He could use even just a couple of guys to do it. 

On a side note, if ever there is a guy in the Bible to have a crush on, for me it's Jonathan. I'm sure that sounds weird. But if there were a Jonathan poster, I would have it hanging on my wall right next to Taylor Lautner. There's just something about his devotion to God, his humility, his loyalty to his friend, and his selflessness that really gets me all starry-eyed, like Marsha Brady at the mention of Davy Jones. But I digress...

That day, God caused somewhere around 20 Philistines to fall over when Jonathan came by, and his sidekick finished them off. 

Jonathan knew no job was too big for God. That's the kind of faith it takes. I wish I could always say the same about my own faith in God. I guess know it in my head, but sometimes my heart feels less sure. 

God doesn't guarantee He will fix things our way; however, He will do it the best way. Our job is just to trust Him and look to Him for our rescue. 

If there is something in your life that seems too big, know that it isn't. Like Jonathan, take a peek at your Philistines, and instead of seeing them, see how much bigger your God is than your situation. 

Praying for guts

Standing in line for the Gatekeeper, I could feel my stomach turning. It was the first ride my husband, son, and I lined up for at Cedar Point last weekend, and I wasn't sure I was up for it. I have ridden my share of coasters in the past, but the older I get, it seems the emptier my courage is becoming. Noah was being pretty brave about it, but I was afraid that any sign of weakness from me could result in some added fear for him, which I didn't want. (Turns out that wasn't something I needed to worry about, as the next day at Kings Island, he rode the Diamondback so many times, he began posing for the camera during the ride, making goofy faces, and at one point forming his hands into the shape of a heart as a message for me to see on the screens in the gift shop). 

I had a plan to back out of it. I thought I could just stay in line for the ride, then as I start to climb on, I would just keep climbing through and wait for them at the exit... Maybe he wouldn't notice I had gotten off. But I didn't want to do that. So I prayed for guts. Lots of guts. At one point I even had to ask myself if I was sure I wanted God to give me guts, because then I would have to ride it. But probably 40 minutes into the line, I decided I did want the courage. I wanted to be able to face my fear. God did it. I had the courage it would take to get on, get strapped in, and with tears in my eyes, face the Gatekeeper. 

Here is what one article said about this ride...

“The GateKeeper is indeed a record-breaker. It is the longest (4,164 feet), fastest (67 mph), has the longest drop (164 feet), and has more inversions than any other wing coaster (six). Moreover, each inversion is different than the last. It also features the highest inversion of any roller coaster in the world."  

Sounds fun, right? 

The guts I needed to make it through the ride, climbing up the enormous first hill and then twisting and turning through the rest of the 2 minutes and 40 second ride, were there. 

I realize this is just a ride, but it was a big deal for me that day. And if it was a big deal to me, it was a big deal to God. I'm so glad He feels that way. 

There is something a little bigger that I am also praying for the guts to do. I've had it on my heart for a while to have a Bible study for about a year now (I guess I don't like to jump into things?). God has kind of gotten specific about it in a way only He can do.

Not feeling sure about whether I wanted to try it at my home, or at church, I put it off, and undoubtedly questioned my qualifications to lead one. But lately God has put my neighbors on my heart.

I'm not a social neighbor. At all. I can probably count on one hand the names of the neighbors I know. I'm not proud of this, just stating the facts. I've lived in this house since the 1900s (Christmas of 1999, to be exact...). That should be enough time for anyone to get comfortable enough to introduce themselves, but not me. 

But God isn't letting me out of this one, and I don't want Him to. It started with a feeling that I should pray for my neighbors. So I took a walk around my neighborhood, asking God to work in each home with whatever situations were going on there. Then I see on Facebook, without searching for it, a daily guide to praying for your neighbors - their salvation, knowing God's love, grace, that they would have the peace of God, forgiveness and healing, and wisdom.

Then, in His not-so-subtle way, we get a package delivered to our house, but it was for a neighbor, mistakenly left on our doorstep (big bummer, by the way. I LOVE getting stuff in the mail). 

Shawn takes it to the neighbor’s house, and gets into a lengthy conversation with them. The man is super friendly, and tells Shawn he and his wife have recently started a Hispanic church in Putnam County, and that he wants to start a Bible study in the neighborhood. Wow. 

So, I will ask for your prayers as I attempt to figure out details of what God wants me to do with this. I'm excited about it, but am nervous, and a little scared. Especially scared I will chicken out, or find excuses as to why I can't do it.

The writer of Hebrews says this as he finishes out the book in chapter 13...

20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

So I'm praying for guts. And just like He equipped me with the guts to climb aboard the Gatekeeper, He will supply the guts for this as well. 

Obviously, this isn't us, but you can take a peek at what the GateKeeper is like right here.... Yikes!

Losing Focus

Church was, and still is, one of Noah's favorite places. When he was younger, he loved staying after church and goofing off with his friends. When it was time to head home, it was a chore to get him to leave without literally picking him up to go.

 "Hey Noah, it's time to go. You'll see them again soon. We need to go. Come on. We need to leave to eat dinner. Noah, go to to the car. I'm leaving." (I'm sure there's a big list of parenting mistakes here, but stay focused :)

Once we decided it had been long enough. We told him we were leaving. We walked out to the car. He didn't follow. We got in the car, watching him through the glass doors. He wasn't budging. We pulled the car out of the parking space. He wasn't phased. We drove off and drove around the church, through the side parking lot and circled back around. There he still stood. Not impressed. 

Noah is a kid. Obviously we wouldn't leave him, and apparently he knew that. But here's another story about someone who did get left, and it's a sad one. 

In the Bible in the book of Judges, there was a man named Manoah. He had a wife, but they weren't able to have children together.  An angel of God showed up and big things happened. The angel told Manoah's wife she would have a son. The angel gave her specific instructions for this kid - while pregnant, don't drink anything fermented or eat things unclean, and don't shave his head. He is set apart and will be God's way of getting Israel out from under the Philistines. 

His parents really wanted to make sure they were raising him the way God said, even requesting another visit from the angel for an additional parenting class.

This kid was Samson, and he was special. Samson's hair was long and he was freakishly strong as he got older. But something happened. 

Along the way, Samson lost focus on God, and in Judges we read this -
     "But he did not know the Lord had left him." Judges 16:20b

Samson wasn't a kid anymore. He was set apart by God, but he let his desires for things other than God become his focus. By doing so, He turned his back on God, and was left alone and weak and blind.

Though things didn't end well for Samson, ultimately he realized his sin. He asked God for one more shot at the Philistines and killed everyone in the temple of Dagon, including himself.

When people turn away from God, it's always heartbreaking. But there seems to be an extra layer of tragedy when they don't even seem to notice they're doing it.

I've been there. You might ha
ve too. It's easy to get so focused on something or someone else that our attention is no longer on God. Sometimes these things are "big" sins, other times they're perfectly acceptable things that we let become bigger to us than God. Neither is okay.

How can we keep this from happening? Proverbs says this-
     "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." Proverbs 4:23

Guarding your heart does seem like the best place to start. If my heart is focused on God, I won't be able to get distracted by the things that can take my eyes off God.

A lady from a Bible study I am part of shared some wisdom her husband passed to her and I haven't forgotten it - If you have a minute, do this with me.

Look at something across the room from you, like a picture on the wall. While you are looking at it, notice all the other things you can still see (especially if your peripheral vision is better than mine). Right now, as I do this, I can be looking at the picture but I can still see my window, my favorite chair, my couch, my kitchen, my cat licking himself, lots of books and papers I didn't pick up from yesterday - a bunch of other stuff.

Now walk closer to that picture you were focused on. As you get closer and closer to that picture, those other things are no longer competing for your focus. I can't see my cat, those papers, and when I finally get as close as I can to that picture, it's the only thing I see.

I want that with God so much. To be so focused and so close that nothing else will even be competition. I know you know as well as I do how we can make that happen. The more time I spend talking or listening to God, the more time I spend reading His words to me in the Bible, and the more time I spend listening to and reading from other people who are teaching me more and more about Him, the more focused I am getting.

Sometimes I just need a little reminder. Reading about Samson getting his eyes gouged out will do that.

I wonder if Samson hadn't taken his focus off of God, what a beautiful story he could have had, rather than a sad one. I want mine and yours to be beautiful stories. Let's get focused.

Cleaning out the attic

Our attic was overflowing. I didn’t see this as a problem, but my husband said our attic isn’t made for that kind of storage. What?

I guess our attic will accommodate a small amount of our stuff, but couldn’t handle the job we (well, me really – Shawn and Noah are happy getting rid of everything) were asking it to do. The way I saw it, if there was room for it, I could put it there. Apparently the weight of all my junk on top of our house is something to consider. 

I finally talked myself into cleaning it up and clearing it out.  We had at least 22 plastic totes in the attic, not including any Christmas decorations, luggage, bags of other clothes not in totes, paint, pictures, wreathes, etc. It was full.

So, I mentioned to Noah that it would be a good summer project for us, putting it on my “to-do-sometime list.” Noah had it on his short list of things to do – as soon as possible. His summer list included finishing an enormous Lego set he bought around Christmas time but hadn’t found the time to complete, finishing “Mockingjay” – the third book in the Hunger Games series (loved this series!) , and a duct tape project . We were having breakfast Friday and I mentioned that since we didn’t have any commitments that day, it might be a good day to get started on something from his list. Surprisingly, he chose the attic. Which meant I was also choosing the attic.

For much of the weekend and this week as well, we have been up there, sweating and lifting, carrying boxes and dusty things up and down the stairs.  I sorted through lots of things, some from my high school days, some from our wedding, lots from Noah’s early years, and a bunch of stuff of my mom’s. In the middle of this, I found a lot of our things ruined. Candles – melted. Sweaters – weird stains.  Any craft project that involved hot glue – fallen apart. White things – yellowed.

*While I wish I would have thought to take a before-picture of the stuff in the attic, this is the mountain of stuff we are getting rid of that is now in the spare bedroom...*

I tried to clean some of it up. I put a sheet, a blanket, and a couple of pillow shams in the washer to see what would happen, hoping they would come out looking like new.

Later that evening, I remembered the things in the washer. I went to get them out and was bummed by what I saw. All over the inside of my washer was some weird substance that resembled damp clumps of that stuff you put in the bottom of hamster cages. And some netting I didn’t recognize. Through the process of elimination, I realized that a few hours before it had been a blanket.

Not only was the blanket destroyed, it also had potential of destroying my new washer. Let me give a bit of background here – We just bought a washer a few weeks ago, after a washer we owned for around 3 years broke due to no fault of our own, with no warranty and no help from Whirlpool (even after a scathing email complete with a frowny face). Shawn used a Shop-Vac to suck all of the grossness  out of the washer last night. I am washing a test load right now as I write this, hoping the machine comes out of this alive.

God kind of spoke to me about this ratty old blanket, the melted candles, and the yellowed things from my attic that I thought were so important. By holding on to things I couldn’t let go of, not only was it not helpful, it was potentially harmful.

Things from my past that I wish I had done differently and other things I knew I had done my way that went against what God wanted for me.  I know these things aren’t good, but there was a part of me that would still think about them and not want to give them up entirely. I wasn’t giving these things an active place in my life, in my symbolic living room, but I was holding on to them, giving them value by storing them in my heart and mind. Whether it was remembering fondly things that make God sad, or beating myself up over things that have been forgiven, neither belong in my attic. Not only would it do harm to me by keeping them there, it has potential to do harm to others as well. Kind of like the harm that could come to my washer.

In Philippians 4:8, the apostle Paul warns the Christians in Philippi about this sort of thing –

            “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.”

He is calling for an attic overhaul of sorts. If we have things in our minds and hearts that don’t fit into his neatly separated storage containers – true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy – toss it.  It doesn’t belong. In verse 9 he tells us that by doing this, and following his example as he follows the example of Christ, we can have the peace of God. Boy do I want that peace.

God will gladly help us clean out those thoughts, and we can start fresh with our newly acquired Apostle Paul Storage System. And to keep it clean, when we start to have a thought that we know isn’t God-approved – we need to get rid of it. Storing it isn’t an option if we want God’s peace. So glad He is happy to help.

On a side note, my washer just dinged, and I checked – it’s working great! Shew J

Oh, also I am having a yard sale this Saturday – 2 Louie Court in Williamsburg Colony in Barboursville J

Birds, brokenness, and God's track record

Peregrine falcons are interesting. They are fast and they are committed. These birds keep the same mate for life.

The only reason I have even heard of these particular falcons is from working at the Ironton Tribune and doing a story once about some fledglings that were in a nest on the Ironton-Russell Bridge. The falcons were going to be banded and named in a ceremony of sorts, open to the public.

I was able to climb on the bridge and be close to their nest and get a couple of pictures and it wasn't pleasant. I am terrified of heights and water, so a bridge that is in such bad shape it is about to be torn down was not my favorite. I prayed a bunch.

These tiny falcons were to be temporarily removed from their nests by wildlife experts, taken to a picnic shelter at the base of the bridge, and given a tiny ID bracelet around their tiny falcon legs. Then some students who had been studying them were going to name them.

Though the little falcons would only be away from their parents for a short time, and then carefully returned to their nests, their mom and dad had no idea what had happened to them.

The screeches and squawks above the Ohio River were kind of heartbreaking, knowing that these loving parents were so scared and so helpless, swooping and flying all around the bridge in a panic, and not realizing their babies and their situation were safely in the hands of professionals.


There have been so many times in my life that I have felt like that falcon couple. I felt fear and panic, and began my own screeching and squawking, wondering why something has happened, why it seemed like there was no one to help and nothing I could do. And, like the falcons, I didn't see that I had a Professional in control of the situation the entire time.

My parents' divorce - God was there.
My Mom's sickness - God was there.
My loss of two pregnancies - God was there.

Just a few of my own examples. These situations were ugly and messy and didn't go the way I wanted, but I was never alone for even a second. It may have felt that way sometimes. There were many times I felt desperate and heartbroken.

In Psalm 77, the writer says in verses 1-9,

     "I cried out to God for help;
        I cried out to God to hear me.
     When I was in distress, I sought the Lord;
        at night I stretched out untiring hands
        and my soul refused to be comforted.
     I remembered you, O God, and I groaned;
        I mused, and my spirit grew faint.
     You kept my eyes from closing;
        I was too troubled to speak.
     I thought about the former days,
        the years of long ago;
     I remembered my songs in the night.
        My heart mused and my spirit inquired:
     'Will the Lord reject forever?
        Will he never show his favor again?
     Has his unfailing love vanished forever?
        Has his promise failed for all time?
     Has God forgotten to be merciful?
       Has he in anger withheld his compassion?'"

We aren't the first to feel abandoned. This writer wasn't afraid to let God know how he felt and we shouldn't be either. Our screeching and squawking to God also keeps us listening for His voice. In verses 11 and 12, the writer goes a different direction. He begins to remember all the times God has clearly been present throughout history and focuses on God's power and faithfulness.

     "I will remember the deeds of the Lord;
        yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago.
     I will meditate on all your works
        and consider all your mighty deeds."

If you are in the middle of your own squawking and screeching, hurting and brokenness, remember your Professional is close by. Remember the times He has been with you before, and the times before that He has been with others. You probably know some great examples from your own life, the lives of your family and friends. And the Bible is full of some too.

He has it under control. He wants the best for you and He will not leave you.

"...As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." - Joshua 1:5b

Teresa and some other stuff

A coworker of mine passed away last week at a young 51 years of age. I didn't get to know her as much as I would have liked, as my position as a reporter was to cover for her while she underwent treatment after a recent cancer diagnosis. For most of my time there, she was on medical leave. But I did have several months during my internship at the paper that she was still there, and weeks here and there when she would be between treatments. Here is what I know about Teresa.

She was helpful. She would often ask if there was any way she could help me, regardless of the work she had to do.
She always smiled. Regardless of her own struggles. Regardless of cancer and divorce occuring simultaneously. She smiled.
She was a hard worker. She took her job seriously and it was obvious she loved what she did.
She loved her daughter. She spent time with her, and on her daughter's days off from school, she would sometimes bring her to work with her.
She was a classy lady.

I wish I had more time to know her.

After her funeral, a few of us from the paper decided to have lunch together. It was good. During conversation, a friend said to us that when she passes away, "If you are still around, please say something about me at my service, or I will haunt you." There wasn't much said about Teresa during her service. It's possible that it is just the way things are done in the Lutheran church. But it left me feeling like Teresa didn't get quite the "send off" that she deserved.

I have written what I thought about Teresa.  I would have loved to hear what others had to say about her.

I've thought a lot about death this week. First with Teresa dying, and then I was listening to a series of sermons about what happens when we die. Great podcasts, and they had me thinking. The pastor mentioned funerals he had led over the years, and that he had, at times, been asked to do funerals for people he didn't know well. During times like this, he would ask the family members to tell a little about the person who died - something they were passionate about, what meant a lot to them. He said once there was a man who died, and as he talked to the family, he asked them the same question.  The room was silent, and finally the recently departed's mom said, "He loved hats. He had the best hat collection."

Sad that after his entire life, hats are all they could muster.

It got me thinking, what would people say about me? At my service, as my coworkers, family, and friends get together for a few minutes to say goodbye, what would be said about me?
I know the things I hope would be said. But are the things I think I feel are important to me, really important enough in my life that other people would notice? Man, I hope so.

During our lunch after the service, one friend mentioned how he hates when people use funerals to try to get people saved. (It didn't happen at this service, just something we talked about in conversation). He said he gets it, just that it isn't the time or the place. I understand why he feels that way.

And I also understand why it is done. There are times that people will only be in a church for a funeral, and no other time. Maybe that will be the only time someone can tell that person how much God loves them. But it did get me thinking, and while I hope that good can somehow come from my death, I hope more good can come from my life. I hope people I know and am around will see Jesus in my life. That they will want it too, becuase I really want it for them. Life is so much better with Him. Peace, love, courage, forgiveness, hope - a whole bunch of stuff that God gives that doesn't come from anywhere else.

I really would love for someone at my service to say, "She was a girl who loved Jesus. She was a girl who loved people like Jesus did."

I know I have far to go for this to be said of me, but it's my goal.

2 Timothy 4:7
      I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.