“Not on my watch.”  My thoughts reverberated with those words as I drove to Sunday morning worship a few day ago. I had heard them a number of times from a workshop speaker two days previously, as she enthusiastically shared her passion for women’s ministry and emphasized God’s call to her as a leader.  “Not on my watch” were significant words that shaped her leadership focus. She wanted to be sure women knew how to study the Bible so they could know Jesus. She did not want women to miss out; not on her watch. This phrase kept her centered on her goal. It reminded her that she was responsible to God for leading well, and that time was precious. After all, she would not always be in a position to lead and influence women.  I was intrigued by this idea, and also by the terminology, so I did a little research to learn where the term “not on my watch” came from. It's a nautical phrase referring to the nature of command on board ship. Days and nights are divided in...

A few days ago we discovered that the Black Walnut tree in our yard had unsightly bumps on the top side of lower-branch leaves. We learned, much to our surprise, that this was due to an infestation of gall mites. Yet the problem had been hidden and unseen from the ground; we only discovered the disease when we trimmed off a low-hanging branch. How deceiving! From a distance, everything looked just fine: thick leaves and abundant growth. Yet our tree had been getting stealthily infected without us even being aware of it. Black Walnut trees are particularly susceptible to gall mites. The problem is exacerbated when there is thick, unpruned foliage accompanied by a lack of rain. The combination of these two factors help the incubating mites to spread as they irritate the lower branch leaves; the ones that get the least amount of rain because of the thick covering of branches above. Not enough air and space between branches, and not enough rain water, help the mites to get a footh...

I often paddle with my husband in our two-seat kayak, but he always sits at the back and steers. So when my young grandson asked me to take him out, and I realized I would need to steer, I was anxious. I went anyway, because my grandson wanted to go. Within a short time, I realized that we were doing just fine. Some times we moved a little slow when we didn’t paddle together, and sometimes we spun in a circle when we dug too deep or shallow with our paddles, but that was all. I was able to steer well enough for us to have a wonderful outing on the lake.  What was preceded by anxiety turned out to be fun. We had the chance to talk as we paddled, to sit and drift, and to just enjoy looking around at God’s creation.  I was able to face my fears and realize that I only felt uncomfortable because I was dealing with the unfamiliar. I simply needed to enlarge my comfort zone. I used to feel the same way about driving long distances by myself. A couple of years ago,...

One day my three-year old grandson, Broen, didn’t want to eat his breakfast; he just wanted to play. His dad gave him a consequence, repeated three times: “If you don’t eat, I will take the food away and give it to you for lunch.” What did Broen do? He threw a huge tantrum which included yelling and crying.  So how did my son respond? Matthew asked Broen if he was frustrated and if he needed a hug. Broen nodded yes to both questions. He put his three-year-old arms around his dad’s neck, and his dad responded by patting his head and holding him tight. The result? That little boy calmed down. Sometimes when I watch Broen’s behavior with his dad, I see a reflection of my own relationship with God. My Heavenly Father says “no”, or “not now”, and I don’t like my desires being crossed. Like Broen, I get frustrated. Like him, I think my way is better. Like a three-year old, I don’t want to listen or obey, so instead I whine. I even may step back from God because he has not done wha...

Last week I sat – once again – on what felt like life’s sidelines. Why? Because – once again – I had a bad cold. More inflamed sinuses, more coughing, another sore throat. Since January, I’ve been sick every month. Sick enough that every month has included canceled activities and lying in bed. This constant barrage of illness has left me feeling weak and weary, and I find myself wondering, “Why now? What is different about this year than prior years?” Yes, our house is extra busy because we have extended family who live with us. Yes, my grandsons – like many children – easily get colds. Yes, I lead a full and busy life. Yet none of this is new in my life. What caused my immune system to buckle so quickly over these last six months? Is God just telling me to be more careful about exposure to germs?  Perhaps. Yet I think there’s more to it that. Believing that God has created both my mind and body, I take notice of what’s happening. And what’s happening is a conflict between...