almost there

This journey has been a most interesting one. I can't give all the details yet as we're off to another family Christmas celebration. However, I can say this. I stand in awe of how God can move things without my help! He's really very capable of handling things without me, amazing as that may seem. Even my incredible administrative capabilities don't hold a candle to how our Creator can manage myriads of details and make things move when He decides it's time.

We signed papers yesterday. Now we have to wait for the bank's okay and we are on our way. Possession date is January 15th, though we have freedom to be in before that, we've actually had the keys for quite some time but not the freedom to possess the land. So close. Not far.

I got worried for a few seconds that perhaps something would go wrong now and I'd be in for yet another big disappointment in my life (has God every REALLY disappointed me? - only in my expectations and vain imaginings). I've been reading a series of books by Liz Curtis Higgs based on the story of Jacob, Rachel and Leah - I highly recommend them!! Anyways, one character says to another, "God has been with you this far, don't you think He'll be with you the rest of the way?" His grace is sufficient for my weakness.

We'll keep watching and waiting as we see how God will continue to move this forward. The letting go begins, embracing the new begins.......what a trip.

IT'S HAPPENING

Why am I always so shocked when God does something that He tells me He's going to do? We're moving! This week! God has opened the doors, moved things around and we're on our way to our new house.

I'll let you know all the details once I know them, but I'll be shutting this thing down here in the next few days and we'll be on our way.

He told me this was going to happen - that we'd be in our new house by the end of the year. I didn't quite believe it would happen. Oh me of little faith. Why didn't I believe? Cause I couldn't figure it out in my own puny brain.

The best part of all of this is we know for sure it was God because none of it came from us. I like that. Anyways...I'm a little wowed, etc. at the moment. I little nervous, a little scared, a little sad (I'll miss my neighbors). I can't think of anything more to say - my sweet princess and I are going to have some tea.

waiting to breathe

waiting to breathe
copyright 2005, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original

Have you ever had the profound sense that something is about to happen? There's an old song that we had on a record when I was a kid that went like this...

"I just feel like something good is about to happen,
I just feel like something good is on its way,
He has promised that He'd open all of heaven,
And brother that could happen any day.
When God's people humble themselves and call on Jesus
And they look to heaven expecting as they pray,
I just feel like something good is about to happen,
And brother this could be that very day!"

I wonder if that's how Mary and Joseph felt as they made their way to Bethlehem.
I wonder if that's how the shepherds felt sitting on the hillside.
I wonder if that's how the wisemen felt when they first saw the star.
I wonder if that's how God felt as he placed Jesus inside Mary's womb.

Did all the heavens tremble with the anticipation of this event....I expect they did. In the meantime, the vast majority of folks went about their daily business without any idea of what was on it's way. When the angel told the shepherds what they'd find in the stable they just couldn't contain themselves any longer. They spilled over the edges of heaven and exposed their joy for the world to see. I don't think they were in stately rows, each holding a celestial hymnbook. I think they were dancing and spinning and letting loose their contained exuberant joy! And the only ones who got to witness it were some dirty shepherds and their sheep.

As I anticipate long-awaited events I get just a momentary glimpse into the heart of heaven. I expect that heaven holds its collective breath each time a soul teeters on the brink of decision...waiting
........watching
.........will they?
.......please, take the gift, oh please, oh please
...........come on, NOW, do it now!!!

I can only imagine.

AND THEN, the waiting is over!

The celebration begins! All heaven breaks loose! God just gives us little glimpses of this amazing celebration that our frail bodies can handle by allowing us these 'gifts' of waiting - for the birth of children, a spouse, an answer to prayer. When these things come to pass the joy is so intense we can hardly contain it, we weep, we laugh, we jump up and down, we hug everyone in sight and announce the great thing that has just happened. We think we have huge celebrations when we are through waiting and begin to breathe again but our limited celebrating techniques cannot compare to the glory of heaven hosting a gala affair.

So while you wait in anticipation to open your gifts this Christmas, or wait for that answer to prayer, don't forget that all of heaven is holding their breath along with you. And when the answer comes......CELEBRATE!!! Let loose with your joy, let the world know how good God is and what He has done, I don't think He'll mind you going on a little!

Merry Christmas all, and see you next year. I hope your celebrations are joyous.

in need of grace

The effects of three concerts, rehearsals, funerals, recitals, Christmas program preparation, not to mention, preganancy, homeschooling, daily life and and irritable digestive stystem are finally ganging up on me. I'm exhausted. I want to lock myself in a closet with a bed, some fabric and my sewing machine so I can refresh my body and my spirit (believe it or not sewing is a very spiritual activity for me, it allows me to concentrate on my Maker as I make things). Anyway, I'm too tired and weary to write anything else.

fresh flowers for December 12

Moving Forward
©2005, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original

It was Monday morning. The cold darkness of a Canadian winter was still thick in our room. I rolled over in bed thinking I would maybe look at the clock to see if it was soon time to get up. Before my eyes could open of their own volition, my husbands’ words caused them to pop, “Oh no, it’s 7:55. Do you think we can do it?” After a moment’s hesitation I replied, “Of course we can, you take the food, I’ll get the girl.” We zoomed to our assigned posts. While my husband worked in the kitchen I got a sleepy five year old into a school outfit and did her hair. We met dad at the bottom of the stairs backpack ready and breakfast in hand. Quickly she got shoved into ski pants, jacket, hat, mitts, scarf and boots. Whew, look at the clock, it is now 8:10, five minutes to spare before the school bus arrives. Two tired parents and one small girl pointing in the same direction, to get to school on time, warm and well fed.

The spotlight moves from one performer to another. Candles flicker on tables as people sip coffee and taste decadent desserts. The story of God from creation to beyond the pearly gates unfolds through song, dance, drama and multi-media pieces. Behind the scene technical crews, decorators, food crews and hosts work to make sure that everyone is where they belong and all runs smoothly. A prayer team offers up intercession in the basement. Seeds are sown. Hearts are touched. Tears are shed. Lives are forever changed. Three performances, dress rehearsal, sound checks, more than fifty cast and crew, strained muscles and voices, tired bodies all pointed in the same direction to extend the kingdom of God.

While the goals and amount of people involved were vastly different, these two events illustrate the same thing. There is power in a team that is focused on one goal. While one determined person can accomplish a lot on their own, even more can be done when two or three work together. Unity of vision and a willingness to move toward that goal is a powerful thing not only in individual families but in the church. As my husband and I waved good-bye to our daughter we had a feeling of accomplishment realizing what we can do when we work together in a focused way. We have a long-term vision that we want to see accomplished in our family that will take many more years of effort and discipline and moments like that to accomplish, but we know that it can happen – we believe.

That sense of accomplishment, focus and teamwork was multiplied many times over in our spiritual family as individuals gave of their time, talents and gifts to a common goal. We’d never done something quite this big before. I could feel a sense of family and team as ‘good job’ was whispered here and there. Prayer being offered up for those who were feeling weary and weak, undergirding each other with the power of love and unity of purpose. We needed each other, not one of us could have done that on our own. Who knows where God will take us from here. One thing we know for sure, there is no going back, only forward. Where will God take us? We don’t know, but we know why. There are two kingdoms, one to be advanced and one to conquer. We know what our purpose is and we will continue to work towards it.

The underlying forces in these events were belief that the impossible could be accomplished and a willingness to try. And why bother in the first place? The reason was clear as we all stood together at the end to sing, “I believe, and I will always sing, this little child, He is the King of Kings!”

Today's musings

I just got home from dress rehersal for our church's Christmas Concert of the Heart. Wow!! We have some amazingly talented and wonderful people in our family. Singers, dancers, actors, artists all proclaiming the story of God. An amazing opportunity to proclaim Jesus. I am so thankful for all these incredible people that I call family. You should all come!

Today we saw another amazing thing. We had the full ultrasound of our tiny unborn babe. He or she weighs a little less than a pound right now but all the parts are there and working beautifully. It was awe-inspiring to see these fuzzy grey and black pictures of our new family member. What love burst within me as I looked into that tiny face whose jawline is just like Sam and Abby's and mine. Seeing little fingers and toes. We got to see that little one open up it's mouth wide in what looked like a laugh. Now I can hardly wait to hold that precious one in my arms.

We didn't get to see the gender, apparently we have a very modest child, wouldn't let us peek. Oh well, we can anticipate the surprise, I am definately hoping for a girl but the boys are all hoping for another boy, they don't think we have quite enough yet.

After the ultrasound Kelly and I went out for lunch all by ourselves. It wasn't even fast food. We had a lovely time talking about the things that God has shown us over this last week as we fasted and prayed into our house situation. Nothing has changed that we can see with our eyes but I think our hearts have been. The Jesse tree readings that I got from the internet all spoke about how God took people from one place to another for a specific purpose - Abraham, Jacob, Moses and Joshua.

Oh God grant me faith so that I can really see what your purpose is and to rest in the truth of who you are, the God who knew me before I was born and has planned the times and seasons of my life and the places in which I will live so that some might come to know YOu.

Blessings

I've been cruising around the blog world. haven't done that for ages. Want food. am hungry...want things that are bad for me like zesty cheese doritos or McNuggets or something like that. Good thing my dear fetcher of bad food just had a shower and is in his jammies and refuses to move for his poor, pregnant, hungry wife. Guess I'll go eat a fresh bun that I made today. it'll have to do..............

a little life lesson today, otherwise known as a flower

My seven year old sometimes gives way to irrational fears. Some days he conquers them and some days he doesn't. Today he didn't. I wanted him to take the bread down to the freezer. He wanted me to go with him. Of course, in my brain, going with him would completely defeat the purpose of sending him to do the job. Couldn't someone come with him? Everyone was busy doing something. Just go down the flippin' stairs, I'm thinking to myself. He wouldn't. I told him to remember that Jesus was with him and would help him conquer fear. This didn't help, he decides that Jesus was just a man and can't help him. Just take the bread down!!! He throws it on the floor. Fine, I'll do it myself and there'll be consequences for you buster. I'll do the job, I'll do it he yells. Too late, says I.

Later, after he's calmed down he comes and I ask him if he's learned something here. Of course, he doesn't see any lessons to be had. Here it is folks - in follow up to Nin's post on choices....when we choose to believe a lie - that Jesus isn't who he said he is, that He can't possibly help me through my fear, etc., etc. we can get ourselves disqualified from doing that job that God appointed us to do in the first place. Sometimes we get a break - Moses whines and cries that he is not the man for the job until God gets fed up and sends Aaron along to help, but Moses still gets the credit. But sometimes, we don't, Saul for example, he was the annointed king, he gave way to fears, doubts and anxieties to the point that the Spirit left him, he got fired.

My son will have to live with the consequences of his disobedience and the lies he believed today, fortunately for him, it won't be a life-altering thing, but you never know.

God not only wants us to follow Him, but He wants us to fear Him, stand in awe of Him, be amazed by His power and presence and ability to do whatever He wants. This is the God I serve, He made me and knows what I'm capable of, if He's asking, I better hop to it, knowing that He will enable me to do whatever He has asked.

He's BACK

My wonderful husband has re-entered the blogosphere. His last blog refused to let him post anything so he just gave up. But he was inspired by Moose at Moose's Place and there you have it. All it takes is a little inspiration!

You'll find Minstrel's Musings here

There are a few other blogs that haven't been on my link list before but I finally got them on. Moose's Place, Firestarter and Walking Again are in the list.

Livin Forgiven has a great post on choices that you need to read - has me repenting for my rotten stinky attitude toward God regarding the house stuff. Forgive me Lord for doubt and fear!!

fresh flowers for December 3

From Hot Chocolate to Hot Water
copyright 2005, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original


“…but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1:14, 15)

Hot Chocolate. That’s what I wanted the other night. Too bad for me the only hot chocolate we had in the house was the kind you have to mix with milk. Pasteurized milk and me do not have a very good relationship, especially since I’ve been pregnant. But I was tempted, dragged away and enticed. My desire was conceived and I didn’t care what I would suffer afterwards I carried on to the sin part and made that hot chocolate, drank it down and enjoyed every lovely chocolaty mouthful that went across my tongue.

There was no immediate reaction. “Ha ha,” I thought to myself, “no problem, it will be different this time.” Boy was I wrong! And while I didn’t die and the reaction didn’t make me wish I was dead I realized full well that I had sinned against my own body. Certainly no one else was affected by my transgression, except that my husband had to put up with a miserable wife for an evening and night. It was even more foolhardy considering I was already sick with the flu and a cold and this just exacerbated that problem. I was miserable. The only thing I could do from then on was to let the reaction run its course and beg my body’s forgiveness, promising myself NOT to do that again.

It’s hard sometimes to say no to sin. Especially when it looks like a cup of hot chocolate. Smells good, tastes good, doesn’t look particularly like an evil desire at all. But we all know, way down deep that we have these little sins that carry us away without a thought. Okay, I have to admit there was a lot of thought put into my sin. I knew full well that it was a bad idea and shouldn’t do it. The problem was, I didn’t care, I was after that warm chocolate going down my throat. I was jealous of the 101 cups of hot chocolate I’d made my kids and watched them enjoy. I wanted it and the end result didn’t matter. When we take a look at James 1 we see what the result of even this little transgression is – death. Your death might look different than mine did but I’m sure you know what I’m talking about. Fortunately for my family, this particular death affected only me, good thing that it wasn’t alcohol I craved or cigarettes or the need for a cat in the house – any of those would have put my unborn baby, myself and my kids in certain danger.

The good news is that God also gave us 1 Corinthians 10:13, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man (hot chocolate) and God is faithful, He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear (it wasn’t that truly decadent triple chocolate blend from the Victorian Epicure party), but with the temptation will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it (yeah for apple cider, instant hot chocolate and non-pasteurized milk, apparently I am also supposed to be thankful for soy milk but I haven’t quite made it that far yet – can’t quite bring myself to pay the exorbitant price for something I may detest).”

Go and sin no more.

in a vaccum?

I'm beginning to feel like I live in a vaccum. I write e-mails...no response. I leave messages on people's phones....no response. Perhaps I don't really exist and this is all a dream.

It would have been good if Thursday had been a dream. It was supposed to be a warm and wonderful day of putting up our tree, reminiscing over ornaments, etc. Instead it was chaos, bedlam and shouting matches. Add to that one sick mommy (who was getting decidedly grumpier by the day) and a couple of kids who were still sick and whiny. It wasn't a very pleasant day in any way, shape or form. The only thing that went well was having our morning devotions using the Jesse Tree readings I found on the internet. The scripture spoke to my heart anyways.

Friday was much better, finally done being sick myself (a little coughing still but nothing major) though the two youngest are still coughing and runny noses. Had a great family night last night playing games, eating popcorn and having an impromptu concert of recital pieces, dancing and singing. Maybe today will be better yet...

I'm still here!

Blogging has become such an extremely low priority in our crazy days lately, there just hasn't been time. I have to admit I miss 'meeting' all of my on-line friends. I took a few minutes to read this morning at Intent and CareBear and Livin' Forgiven', they all have good things to say.

This week has been sick children, way too many bodily fluids being flung around for this queasy stomach. Yup, the gagging and nausea still haunt me though things have gotten better this week has been very difficult. That handsome man in the pictures below has been my saving grace - keeping up with cleaning up the diarhea and vomit on a regular basis. My boys have helped with the laundry and the bathtub has seen a lot of use lately.

We're still here in our old house, it is not sold yet but maybe that will change soon. We've had two people look at it this weekend and one more is coming tomorrow.

We have a date for Samuel's heart surgery. Excited and scared about that.

Leading our Transformations group has been a huge blessing - what a wonderful group of people we've given to lead for this little time frame.

That's all for now, gotta go plan our lives for the next couple of weeks....

me and my honey 

Gotcha 

fresh flowers for November 25

Recipe for Success
©2005, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original

Like most kitchens I have a shelf that contains recipe books. Lately, I’ve actually found myself using those things. I rarely bake anything but bread, which doesn’t require a recipe anymore and when I cook, it is generally a little of this and a little of that, sometimes I’ve created new recipes that are actually quite good. My mother calls it ‘cooking by the spirit’. If I do look at a recipe book it is usually just to get an idea of something to make, not to actually follow the recipe.

But lately, I’ve been noting the benefit of recipes and following what they say. The results are pretty good. I’ve actually made a few new things that my family has enjoyed. The other use I’ve found is that I can put a recipe out for my husband or oldest son to follow so that they can get supper preparations under way if I’m not home.

I started thinking about all this when I saw two recipe books out on my counter that I had actually used in my cooking expeditions this week. In our Bible study group we had just completed a lesson on walking in victory over sin. There are some specific things in the Bible that sound a lot like ‘recipes’ for overcoming sin in our lives. I started to note the similarities.

There are some circumstances that we find ourselves in where we need to walk by the Spirit, seeing what God has in store for us where scripture doesn’t spell things out specifically. These are always great adventures, seeing where the Lord leads and how things will work themselves out for our good and for His glory. This is kind of like my experiments in the kitchen, sometimes I don’t quite get things right and I know that next time I will need to follow a different path. I am forging a new trail, going on an adventure to learn something that I haven’t known before. An example of this is our walk with this housing thing, we don’t know what the end result will be, maybe we won’t even move, but we’re learning a lot and will continue to bend our ear to hear what the Lord is saying to us.

Other circumstances require specific instruction where you don’t waver from a prescribed order. When I bake cookies, cakes or pie I definitely follow my recipe books’ instructions. Choosing to go my own way on these things could easily end in disaster and nasty results. God is very specific on many issues in scripture, take the ten commandments for example, pretty hard to misinterpret those. In Hebrews it tells us how we are to relate to leadership in the church. Other scripture gives us clear direction on how we relate to one another in our families, friendships and in the family of God. Not following these prescribed orders for staying out of sin leads to broken relationships with God and others, misery and other nasty results.

In the kingdom of God there is room for great adventure and room for prescribed order. Both are good and both are necessary. Of course, it is important to be aware of when to do which one, when we understand that we have a recipe for success no matter what.

I thought I’d give you one of my very favorite recipes that I follow to great success every time! This page is covered with dots of chocolate and what-have-you. Hmmmm, think I might have to go make one of these…..

Chocolate Cake (from Taste and See – a Wiens family cookbook – that we aren’t actually related to at all, Kelly received it as a gift from some people he met on a plane once!)

I always double this recipe to make a nice deep cake. If you’re doubling use a 9x13 pan if single use 9x9 – unless you like skinny cake.

1 ¼ c flour
1 c sugar

½ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp. Cocoa
1 egg
½ c. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. Vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 c cold water

Sift together dry ingredients. Add remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes – if you double it you’ll need to bake it for 10-15 minutes longer or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

fresh flowers for November 18

Every Good Gift
copyright 2005, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original

While we were on holidays we celebrated Christmas with my husband’s family. It was a lovely time. My husband and I grew up a little differently where Christmas is concerned. His family asks for the ‘Christmas wish list’ and you can expect that you’ll receive something off that list. My family did not practice this, we were given gifts that my parents wanted to give us, it was always a big surprise as to what they had come up with that year. Both practices are wonderful, however, it sometimes throws me into a quandary when it comes to giving gifts. Do I honour the wishes of the person on the receiving end or do I go with the idea in my heart that was born for that person and surprise them with something unexpected and unanticipated? I’ve done both over the years but this year I felt really convicted to go strictly (almost) by the lists provided. The interesting thing is that pretty much everyone else seemed to be doing the same thing. The result was that everyone seemed to be quite delighted with all gifts received. We had all received things that we desired.

When we first got married trying to make that list for my mother-in-law was excruciatingly painful. I had such a hard time wrapping my head around writing down things that I really wanted. I was forced into thinking about what I truly wanted but was also scared of disappointment. What if my desire changed between the time I made the list and the gift-giving moment? I had grown up learning to be content with whatever I received, unfortunately, like every other kid, I wasn’t always terribly content and sometimes disappointed with what my parents had hoped to bless me with. My mother-in-law, however, had no idea of my likes and dislikes, my wants or my desires. That list gave her some clues as to appropriate gifts for me, it made her gift-giving much easier. On the other hand the same was true for my husband’s sisters, I didn’t know them that well yet and the lists gave me some idea of what they preferred.

In most gift-giving our desire as a giver is to bless and love the person receiving the gift, sometimes we hit the mark and sometimes we are a little off. We are human, sometimes we get it just right and sometimes we are dreadfully wrong. I’m sure we’ve all given or received a gift that just didn’t cut it. It can be disappointing on both ends. God isn’t like that, He always gets it right, even when we don’t think so initially.

God desires to give us the desire of our hearts, it says so in Psalm 37 and in several other places in scripture. He delights to give good gifts to His children. Sometimes they are the gifts like my parents give, a surprise, something unexpected and unanticipated. Sometimes they are the things we ask for, like my husband’s parents, that bless us and we count them as answered prayers. Then there are gifts that cause us to wonder what He was thinking, doesn’t He know that I really didn’t mean it when I asked Him for more patience? You know what I mean don’t you? You pray for patience and immediately or sooner you get a package wrapped in something that causes you to exercise those patience muscles beyond your human capacity? Like the kids dumping all the cereal boxes out on the floor just after you washed it? You ask God for more love in your heart and your package is a friend saying something that hurts beyond words and your immediate desire is to never speak to them again or hurt them back?

Yup I much prefer those gifts that fulfill the longings and desires - that don’t take much work, the blessings that get handed over without having asked for them or unexpected surprises, those are the ones that come in those great gift bags, easy to open and get at. Those other ones take some work to get at, the packing tape is hard to get through, there are multiple layers of wrapping and the gift is deep inside that wrapping, not unlike a package wrapped by my brother-in-law! No matter what wrapping the gift comes in the unpacking is worthwhile because we can be sure of this; God gives good gifts to His children. “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights,” (James 1:17a)

To find a few more of God’s gifts look up: Ecc 3:13, John 4:10, Acts 2:38, Acts 1:4, Romans 6:23, 1 Cor 7:7, Eph 2:8, 1 Peter 3:7 and 4:10, Rev 22:17.

fresh flowers for Nov 4

Simple Solutions
©2005, lani wiens
a fresh flower original

A few days ago our internet shut down completely. Me, being the ‘worst case scenario’ thinker that I am immediately began to assess all the horrible and expensive things that may have happened. Turns out it was unplugged. Imagine that, an easy solution. Sometimes things really aren’t as bad as they look! I hope that this is an encouragement to you today. Perhaps there actually is a simple solution to whatever it is that you’re going through right now. You see I would have found the problem if I had simply gotten down on my knees. I thought about it, but I didn’t do it. Pretty typical, huh?

In God’s word He assures us that ALL things will be made into good things for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose. It may not look like it now, but God is redeeming the nastiness in our lives even as we speak, making them into good things that can affect your current life and the life of others for a bigger picture in a positive way.

Actually, that’s all I have to say for now. My little boy needs to get out of the tub and we’re on our way to BC for holidays as a family. I won’t be here next week so I pray that all is well with your soul until next time.

Blessings
Lani
The flowerlady

fresh flowers for October 28

What Are You Waiting For?
©2005, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original

We’ve been waiting for a number of things for some time. Most likely we’ll always be waiting for something I guess. Right now we’re waiting for:

1. The freedom to move
2. surgery for our son who has a heart condition
3. a new baby (at least we know when the projected end of this project will be!)
4. any number of hopes and dreams

For the last several years we’ve been waiting for help for our second son who has behaviour and development issues related to his birth–mom’s habits in pregnancy. Just this last week our waiting to see some of these specialists was finally over. We have no idea how these appointments will turn out or if we’ll actually be ‘helped’ by the experts but the waiting is finally over. It’s encouraging when you’ve been waiting for a long time.

Ten years ago we were waiting to conceive and then suddenly that waiting was over, too. Now we not only have one child but are awaiting number six. It’s hard to believe that God has blessed us in such a dramatic way, far beyond our imagination. God has used all of these waiting situations to mould us and change us into His image just as a potter changes and moulds clay to suit him. I’d like to share some of these lessons today that will, I hope, encourage you (and me) in our waiting.

The first thing God showed me is not to concentrate on praying so much for the circumstances to change but for strength and grace to endure the waiting. My heart’s desire is to learn the lessons God has for me the first time through so that hopefully I won’t have to go through the same thing again. Sometimes I forget what the lesson was and He gently brings me back, reminding me that some prayers can be answered more quickly than others.

The next thing I want to tell you is that the reason you’re waiting may have nothing to do with you! What an amazing revelation that was. It was so comforting to my heart. I am constantly looking for where I’ve gone wrong. How am I holding up this process? I’m always assuming that I am the cause of an unanswered prayer, there must be some sin in my life or some place where I have yet to obey. Then suddenly the Lord showed me that the reason I may be waiting may be that there are issues He is working on in another party involved or that some part of the situation is only half-baked, not yet ready for completion. Obviously, when God lays His finger on something that needs to change in me I must change it immediately or I WILL be holding things up, but it’s nice to know that it isn’t always about me and that prolonged introspection isn’t always necessary. When we finally had our first baby it was such perfect timing we couldn’t have planned it better. Kelly had just graduated and landed an excellent job. My job was becoming extremely stressful and difficult, Josiah allowed me to quit with a good conscience and in a good way.

Then just last night I learned another revolutionary lesson. How am I waiting? A speaker I was listening to at our church last night was relating a revelation that she found in the story of Abraham and Sarah. The Lord had given them a tremendous promise of a child and Sarah’s response was cynical (her laughter) and defensive (denying that she had laughed at all). The speaker challenged us to BELIEVE and not give way to cynicism and defensiveness. God speaks into our lives to give us a hope and a future and those promises are TRUE, they will happen because that is who God is, our job is to believe. I found myself repenting over my mental attitudes to waiting for our house and to some of my husband’s optimism in his waiting. I found my heart full of cynicism over that and several other issues. It wasn’t pretty. HOW we wait is an important part of our journey. Choose to believe.

I want to invite you to send an e-mail telling me what you’re waiting for. I’d like to send out that list to the entire group so that perhaps we can pray for one another in our waiting, encouraging one another to hang on to the promises of God. I won’t print your name unless you give me permission to do so, otherwise it will be a general list of things that we are waiting for as a group. The Bible says to spur one another on and I felt that this was something that we could do for one another. Send your ‘waiting list’ to my personal e-mail at laniwiens@yahoo.ca

I am so thankful for all those who have waited with me in the past and are continuing to do so today. Don’t give up now, just over the horizon is what you’ve been waiting for.

fresh flowers for October 21

Dirty Little Secrets
©2005, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original

I have a monster in my house. It is an insidious creature that makes it’s way through our rooms each day, throwing clothing out of drawers, hiding socks and soiling towels. Slowly but surely - if this monster goes unchecked there will be a mountain of smelly clothing and linens waiting for me in the basement. But does that monster stop there? Oh no! If I give way to it’s quietly whispered suggestions of, “Don’t do it now, tomorrow will be fine.” Or, “As long as it’s clean….” Things get even worse!

With the large number of people in our household, keeping the laundry monster at bay is pretty much a daily task. But there are times when the lies of, ‘it’s too hard’ and ‘I’m too tired’ get the better of me and that gleeful, cackling creature wins. That’s what happened over the last few weeks. The laundry monster took over my house. I was tired and laundry seemed too hard to deal with. Once in awhile someone would go downstairs and at least throw something through the washer and dryer. But you see, that laundry monster doesn’t really care whether his mountain is clean or dirty, he just wants one to sit on! My procrastination affected my whole family, people couldn’t find pyjamas, socks or underwear. Finally, I went in there this week and shut him down, at least for this round.

As I was doing my laundry duties I couldn’t help but compare my laundry woes to ‘favourite sins’. You know the ones I mean – that thing you do that you know you shouldn’t be doing that you actually like doing that you say you’re sorry about, make a diligent effort for a brief while and then head right back into it. This last week we’ve been learning about repentance in our Bible study. Repentance means that we turn AWAY from our sin and TO the kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy. Immersed in my laundry piles was definitely NOT righteousness, peace and joy, but I had brought it on myself through my own laziness and procrastination. I needed to repent and I did as I saw what God was showing me.

It doesn’t take much before that sin piles up into an overwhelming mess. It’s those little lies that the enemy breathes into our ear that go like this, “Just this once.”, “Do it tomorrow, one more day won’t matter.”, “It’s not really that bad, other people are far worse than you.” And on and on it goes, a seething torrent of self-justifying thoughts that will bring us further and further into bondage and slavery. There is nothing left to do once you see where you are. Repent. Turn away from whatever has you bound and turn toward the kingdom of light. The absolutely glorious news is that the second you do, God’s boundless forgiveness is waiting for you. He said He would forgive us when we confess our sin (1 John 1:9)

Today my sin showed up in my laundry room, I don’t know where yours is, but I do know there is a way out. Repent, then that dirty little secret of yours will have no more power over you. Kingdom of Light - 1, laundry monster – 0.

fresh flowers for October 14

Thorn Removal
©2005, lani wiens
a fresh flowers original

It was a windy day and I was sitting in my favorite chair having my devotions, getting ready for our Bible Study that evening. There was a thorn in my flesh. The thorn took the form of my neighbor’s gate. Our neighbor’s gate is attached to our house. It was not latched shut. It’s hinges aren’t great and it scrapes along the sidewalk very loudly. Whenever it bangs shut it sounds like someone has hit our house with a sledgehammer. The sledgehammer was directly behind my chair. As I mentioned before it was a windy day. Every few minutes I would hear the ‘scccccccrrrrrraaaaaaaape – bang’ sequence. It was very annoying. Especially when I am trying to be thoughtful and attentive to God’s word in one part of my brain because in another part of my brain I am having a conversation, polite of course, with my neighbors about fixing that blasted gate so it doesn’t scrape every time it opens and shuts or at least if they would latch the thing when they leave.

This scenario carries on for awhile. Suddenly God breaks into my ever-so-polite conversation with my non-present neighbor and I hear, “So why don’t you go do something about it?”
“Like what?” I say, “Go latch the gate myself?”
There is silence on the other end. Apparently this is a thorn that can be removed.

The light breaks through! By golly there is something I can do about this problem. Instead of commiserating in my head with non-present people I could actually get up off my comfy chair and DO something about it. Fancy that!!

I put my books down, put my shoes on and go latch their gate. It takes all of about 45 seconds before I am back in my house, shucking my shoes and carrying on with my preparations – without the banging of the gate in my ears. I have taken care of this little annoyance without any fuss or bother. The thorn is gone.

A lesson was brought home to my heart in that moment. I spend way too much time complaining about things that I can actually do something about. I have my own personal ‘thorn’ list see if your list matches up with mine:

• the cleanliness of my house
• the numbers on my bathroom scale (actually can’t do too much about them at present – but at least I have a REALLY good excuse for awhile)
• lack of connectedness with other adult-type individuals
• Not nearly enough time in a quiet space with my maker who gives me wisdom and strength to handle all of the above
• 
  

God says He will equip us to do EVERY good work. He’ll give us wisdom as we ask for it. He gives strength to the weary and lifts up feeble hands. He can actually help me find the motivation I need to make it through each day. I believe it is time to get up off our chairs and DO what we know we can instead of sitting around waiting for something outside of ourselves to come to our rescue. I’m thinking there are things that God expects we can take care of ourselves and isn’t about to do them for us.

This is not unlike my own children who often complain to me about problems that they could easily do something about, expecting me to come to their rescue. I won’t do it. For example, the dog leaves a calling card in the playroom – their response is to come and tell me about it, who will immediately at this stage of life, begin to gag. I tell them there is no need to tell me about it but to simply DO something about it. They are finally getting that idea into their young heads, especially after a front row seat at a gagging scene. They have been trained in the art of getting rid of doggie-doo and are now capable of doing that thing all by themselves. They are capable of taking care of some of life’s problems without mom’s assistance. Perhaps you and I are capable of taking care of some of life’s business ourselves and God is simply waiting for us to catch on. Most likely He has already given us the training in thorn removal that we need and is expecting that we can now carry on on our own.

Today, if you are waiting for rescue for one of your thorns, take a peek at your training. Has God already given you what you need to deal with your thorn and it could be removed if you did something about it? If that is the case, how about you take on the slogan of that famous shoe company and JUST DO IT.