Little changes

Lately I've been looking at a few minor changes.
I was visiting with a friend who suggested that I try a new hairstyle.
Now you have to understand, I've basically had the same hairstyle for about the last 30 years.
Hey, what can I say?
I realize the curly, puffy, big hair look has been out for some time, but it's seemed to work for me.
Then awhile back I went to the home of a very nice, young couple. When their little boy answered the door he said, "Oh you're a clown."
The mother must have noticed my startled expression and explained that she'd hired a clown for her son's birthday party.
The clown had poufy hair - like me.
Move over Ronald McDonald, Bozo and Blinky, you've got competition!
Seriously, though, as I work at promoting my book, I'm thinking that maybe I need to modernize my look.
My dear friend also suggested new eyeglasses. Now, I personally like big round frames, but I guess that look is out, too.
I suppose polyester, pin-stripe suits are out, as well?
Geez.
Anyway, while thinking about how I'm going to update my look, I'm reminded of how often we can stay in the same rut when we study God's word and pray.
I've been trying to work on that a little.
I've been journaling my prayers - kind of like writing letters to God. I've found that helps me focus and I'm able to get all my thoughts and concerns on paper.
The other day I just sat and asked God questions while I meandered through his word and read different passages. I'm also working with a Beth Moore devotional book called "Jesus - 90 Days with the One and Only."
It's great, because you read the passage, answer a couple of life-application questions, read her devotional text and then write a prayer based on Scripture - like praying God's word.
I have to admit that when I write the prayer, I page through the Psalms and write some of what I read there.
Can we ever thank God enough, because his mercies are new every morning?
I think it's good to try new things. I still love reading the "Our Daily Bread" devotionals on line. I still work through a Beth Moore Bible study when I can.
But I think that adding something different to our quiet time can be just the thing we need to get out of a routine.
God isn't boring. Neither is his word.
So by getting in a rut, I think we kind of cheat ourselves.
Now, if I can just find a flatter, but still flattering hairstyle, I think I'll be on my way to some good changes!

Blessings,

Tammy

What's my motivation?

Lately, I've been a little concerned because book sales have slowed down.
Actually, I was kind of planning to take off January and February and really hit it hard in March, April and May.
But I know I need to sell more books to be able to buy more books _ and we want to give more proceeds to Royal Family Kids' Camps, a program that provides weeklong summer camps for abused, neglected and abandoned children in the foster care system.
Some women from my church are planning to have a camp here next August and they need to raise $25,000!
Please let me explain that the foster care system doesn't have money to put on special camps for these kids ages 7-11. And many of these kids don't get to go to camp, perhaps because of behaviors or medications that regular camps don't want to deal with or because their foster parents may not have the funds for them to go.
These camps are special because kids can be themselves and be shown the unconditional love of God via camp counselors and other personnel.
Anyway, we want to give some more money toward the cause, but it seems like every time we get ahead we have some other expenses and then need to have money for more books.
My husband never worries. He's incredible in that area!
I know I need to rest in the Lord.
And examine my motivation.
Have the books become the means or the end?
If the end is that I sell books, then I've lost focus.
They should just be the means by which I point people to Christ and help provide a few proceeds toward the camp.
My pastor reminded me of a Scripture that I clung to years ago while I was hoping and praying for Mr. Right.
It is: "Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart." Psalm 37:4
And there's: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well." Matt. 6:33.
I hung onto those verses, trying to do what they said, and eventually the Lord brought me my beloved husband, Chuck.
We've been married almost 20 years!
Such things remind me of God's faithfulness and unfailing love.
It's a matter of priorities.
When I seek the Lord and (with his help) strive to do his will, then I can rest in his care, knowing that he has a plan.
"For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord of hosts, plans to prosper and not 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 and you will seek me and find me when you seek me with your whole heart." Jeremiah 29:11-13.
O Dear Lord, please show me how to take delight in you. Help me to put you first in everything I do.
And please let me always seek you with my whole heart.
Because then, I know that I'll find you.
In the name of your precious son, Jesus, Amen.

Blessings,

Tammy M.

P.S. You may learn more about Royal Family Kids' Camps by visiting www.rfkc.org
Or you also may copy and paste this into your Web browser to learn more about the Fremont, Ne. efforts:

http://www.fremonttribune.com/articles/2010/01/23/news/local/doc4b572e2fe304a774424966.txt

A new life

Just last week I learned that I'm going to become a grandma!
How exciting!
It came sooner than I expected, but it's welcome news. My son, Mike, and his wife, Rachel, are having a baby.
This will be a first grandchild for my husband, Chuck, and I.
Chuck has been grinning like a Cheshire cat. Our son, Zach, hasn't said too much, but I think he's pleased.
Already I've been praying that the baby will be healthy, will be able to see and hear and will have a strong heart and lungs.
And I'm reminded of some verses in the Old Testament book of Psalms. They're found in chapter 139, starting with verse 13.
They read:
"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."
Wow. Imagine that.
All of our days have been written in God's book before they ever come to pass.
So there must be a page telling about a tired, fuzzy-haired grandma-in-waiting who sits in front of a computer and writes a blog about a baby who's on the way, right?
Hmmm.
What other chapters lie ahead?
What chapters will comprise the life of my grandchild?
I wonder.
I pray they will be good chapters, rich with stories of faith and love.
And I know that for me, the best chapter will be the one where I meet my God face to face and begin the story of my time in eternity with him.

Blessings,

Tammy M.

When life is a deadline

Does life seem like one big deadline to you?
I think I can relate.
I've worked at a newspaper for the last 28 years - more than half my life.
I remember when our deadline was 10:30 a.m. We had to write our stories and type any obituaries that came our way and have it all done by then. Gradually, the deadline crept up through the morning as circulation directors sought to get papers out early for the lunchtime crowd.
Now, it's best if we can have stories written the afternoon before so they're ready for 7 a.m. editing.
Oh, I have other deadlines, too.
We have special project stories due by 5 p.m. Friday. Contest entries are due Monday. Personally, my husband and I have our own deadlines.
So what helps with deadline pressure?
The peace of God.
There's nothing like praying and resting in his peace, knowing that he's faithful to help. And having your mental Rolodex filled with a few scriptures is very helpful, too.
One of my favorites is: "Surely God is my help, the Lord is the one who sustains me." Psalm 54:4.
The Lord has sustained me through many a deadline. Even when I didn't meet a deadline, he provided help and comfort and hope.
God is good all the time. May we learn to rest in him.

Blessings,

Tammy

Lord help me today

Are you like me?
At the end of the day, you think about all the things you have to do the next day?
That can be overwhelming. Suddenly, it seems like a swarm of bees made it into your head and it's hard to get to sleep with all those bee-like thoughts flying around.
For the last several months, I've been praying a simple prayer: "Lord, please help me get everything done tomorrow that I need to get done and not fret about the rest."
The Lord has been faithful.
I've been amazed at how he's helped me to get things done at work.
Psalm 37:8 talks about the trouble with fretting or worrying. It says: "Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret - it leads only to evil."
I think that's true. When we're worried about how some person is going to treat us, we can overreact and often cause ourselves more headaches than when we rely on God to work things out.
I'm forever praying: "Lord please show me how to act and react" and he's been amazingly faithful.
We can also overreact and cause ourselves more headaches when we stress out about how much we have to do and then snap at someone else.
All at once, we have two things to fret about in place of the one.
Psalm 62:5 offers some good advice. It says: "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him."
Deuteronomy 33:12 says: "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him for he shields him all day long and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders."
Can you just picture yourself as a lamb on the shoulders of Christ?
How carefully do you think he carries you? How much do you think he loves you?
May you rest in the love of your Lord as you go through today and all the days to come.

Blessings,

Tammy

Is anybody listening?

Do you ever wonder if anybody is listening to you?
Or really hearing you?
I've been wondering if anybody has been reading this blog.
Sigh.
I'm reminded of that movie "Julie & Julia" about a young married woman, named Julie, who lives in New York City and handles insurance claims after 911. She gets yelled at by unhappy policy holders and is in tears after hearing some of the heartbreaking stories of others.
To keep her sanity, she decides to cook every recipe in Julia Child's book "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."
She also opts to write a blog about it. At first, she wonders if anybody is reading her blog.
I kind of know how she feels.
As a former reporter, now editor, who still writes, I'm used to having my stuff read.
But Blog World has become a whole new story.
Is anybody reading?
I pray so. I pray that people will start reading this blog and then go back and read previous ones.
Writers want to be read.
And people, in general, want to be heard - by God and others.
For example, take a look at what David the Psalmist wrote: "Answer me when I call to you, O my righteous God. Give me relief from my distress, be merciful to me and hear my prayer." Psalm 4:1.
I know God hears the prayers of his people. So it's right that we should keep praying.
Even if we don't think that anybody else in the world listens to us or hears us, I know God does.
He is faithful.
Blessings,

Tammy

In the Lion's Den

Do you ever feel like you're going into a lion's den?
When you walk into work or a meeting you know won't be good?
When you enter an uncomfortable home situation?
Or, heaven forbid, even in church?
I think many of us have faced our share of lion's dens. They may have been a classroom when we were a kid.
Maybe it was gym class.
But whatever the situation, we know what it is to feel very alone in a situation where we picture ourselves being ripped up - if not physically - at least verbally and emotionally.
That's when I think about a man named Daniel who actually was thrown into a lion's den.
Do you remember the Bible story?
Daniel was a favorite administrator under King Darius' rule. Other became jealous of Daniel and schemed to have him thrown into the den.
Many of you know the story. When the den was opened the next day, Daniel was still in one piece.
"My God sent his angel and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight...."
Daniel was pulled from the den. Look at what Daniel, chapter 6, verse 23 says next "And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God."
The evil officials who sought harm for Daniel then met their own horrible end at the jaws and the paws of the lions.
May all of us trust the power, protection and love of God whenever we face a lion's den.

Blessings,

Tammy