The Miracle of Meeting my Neighbors

Meet our neighbors????  How can we find any space for another task?  The last thing we want to encounter is another "to-do" for us to fill when our own needs are pretty over-powering.

The truth is, when we take the time & energy to reach out to people, God uses the seeds we sow to grow something beautiful for US, and very often fill a need in our own lives. We sometimes forget that God asks us to bless others - not only for them, but often, its more for us.  

For the past six months, there have been tremendous changes & growing pains in my own life & family.  The REEEEALY painful ones - like having teeth pulled without numbing medicine kind of pain. You know - the changes that ache, contort, stretch, and have made the life I knew unrecognizable.

I'm an extrovert by nature, and thrive seeing people come together - community. I'm forever looking for creative ways I can spread the gospel of Jesus to people and through people.  But I've surprised even myself because in this time of heartbreak, I have just wanted to crawl into a cave, be by myself & lick my wounds.  

In the past, I have facilitated many neighborhood barbecues so people can meet those in their community, but this time, I didn't have it in me.  We moved to a new neighborhood, and of course it was brought up - "When's the BBQ???"  Not now.  I'm tired.  I don't have the energy.

But God...lovingly nudged the issue.  So I took a step forward and started the process - kinda hoping people would turn their nose up & not want the event.  But they did want it, so the planning went underway.

Through JUST the planning & invitation process, I met people, people met people, and some of our own family's deep silent needs/prayers were answered - and I heard numerous testimonies from others that I'm not alone in feeling the healing of our community coming together.  Why?  Because God uses people.  He often connects people to answer prayers, & meet needs.  

I believe with my whole heart that's why the enemy works sooo hard to bombard us with stress.  The result?  We feel bogged down, busy, overwhelmed, and we close off from people.  We are the loneliest busiest society.  We work so hard to accomplish our goals, but forget often God uses communities to build the beautiful places that healing & peace dwell.  We don't need to do it on our own, in our own strength, we weren't created to do it alone.

We are stronger, sharper, and HAPPIER as the body of Christ 

when we work together.

A beautiful time it was, & lots of new friendships forged. (For the privacy of our neighbors, I'm not posting pics of the participants) I saw numbers exchanged, laughter and conversations had, and community formed.  I KNOW more events will come for this area, and I'm super excited to see what God will do with it all.

During the BBQ I was approached by someone with the idea of cooking & delivering door to door Thanksgiving dinners to those in our neighborhood who have no family to share the holiday with and are physically unable to "go" to an event... NOW THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!!!!!!!

I passionately love the church and all it gives out to people - but I'm committed to spreading the word that we are to BE the church (outside the walls) so much more than ATTEND the church. We need to look for opportunities - even if it's just a simple smile with compassion towards people no matter where we go.  Jesus is not a Sunday hobby, He's a healing lifestyle. I know so many of us are willing, but just not sure what our part is.  Let's start next door. 

My wilderness - COUNTING IT ALL JOY???

I ran into a special lady this week who I haven't talked with in a long time.  I asked how she was doing - I was sad to hear her answer because she is normally one of the most smily positive people I know.  Her answer was, "We're alright, but not sending out Christmas letters this year because it would read a lot like the book of Nehemiah."  If you don't know what that book is, it's not exactly the book of warm fuzzies - not one you'd choose to read over hot coco wearing your cozy slippers by the fire. Nehemiah was doing some wall building with one hand, and fighting off bad guys with the other...that's the ultra quick version.  I break a sweat just thinking about that chaos.

The thing is, that's how my Christmas card would read too.  My friend was thinking the same as me - who wants to read THAT Christmas update, but isn't it a tiny comfort to know you're not alone in your fight & build?!

People would say to me, "Count it all JOY when you face trials of many kinds..." quoting James to me (as the life I once knew was disintegrating before my eyes).  They meant well, but can I just honestly say I didn't appreciate that.  But...if I am going to be truthful, I've said the same thing when people I love have gone through their own personal hell.  Let's not tell people that when they're in pain anymore.

You see...in a months time:

• I lost our beautiful home I thought was mine forever.  
• I lost my beloved Grandma who was THE family pillar in my life.
• I had several people close to me bring DEEP betrayal to my life...one being my husband.  Yes, my husband.

COUNT. IT. ALL. JOY.  were the words I couldn't figure out.  How DO you?  When people ask how you are doing and you're an honest person like me, do you say, "WONDERFUL!"  Not so much.  I'm not feeling the joy.

Now I've gained a new perspective on "Counting it all Joy".  It's not a belly laugh when your heart is shattered and you feel like you have no hope - it's standing on the truth & promise that things WILL get better.  Jesus wasn't grinning ear to ear when he was hanging on the cross. Job wasn't snickering with his friends & playing monopoly when he lost everything and writhing in physical pain.  Nehemiah...up for the task, yes - but feeling the giggles, probably not.

The joy James was talking about is a KNOWLEDGE.  Knowing that ALL things work together for HIS good, even when we don't understand what that means or looks like. Just know the end will be BETTER.  

Counting it all joy is KNOWING God is not ignoring my pain - He did not ignore the pain of His SON on the cross, but was crying alongside Him and looking forward to the moment when this trial was over, and victory is HIS, and OURS.

The JOY of the Lord is our strength is also the simple reminder that HE is not some God out up in the sky that we are to revere.  Instead, when we put Him in the center of our heart & circumstances, we can hold onto JOY that whatever we are going through with Jesus as our guide, best friend, and rock, EVERYTHING will work out...so count THAT joy.

There were days that I felt like I got hit by a cannon ball - and each time I was hit, I had NO IDEA what to do in that moment...but I had the peace that passes all understanding; the unexplainable peace knowing somehow things were going to be ok.  My peace would leave when I would go into my natural mode of "problem solving".  That's when the anxiety, worry, and stress would creep in...because I'm trying to "fix" this big mess.  One (of the thousand) nuggets  I got from this season is to stay in the place of "I have NO IDEA what to do - but I know who does, so I'm just going to leave it to HIM."  That's where I can count it all joy.

The day of my Beloved Grandma's memorial I was terribly sad because I couldn't make the trip to be a part of the service. I was thousands of miles away, and my family was all together...but me. It felt like boulders had settled in my heart, but instead of sitting at home, we decided to have a family day.  We reflected on all the beautiful things she sowed into my life.  She loved being a mother & grandma (since we're dutch, she's my OMA)...so I spent the day being a mom, and I laughed with my daughters that much more.  The Joy of the Lord is my strength.

The Christmas season is upon us.  Now every time I hear the song "Joy to the World", I am reminded it's not always a fuzzy feeling type of joy, but a knowing THE LORD IS COME.  LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING.

Join us #1 - Sunshine In A Box

My amazing cousin said something very profound to me yesterday.  It's something I have always felt is the absolute truth - but I love how he put it.

"We are all on the blue marble together. With soo much negativity and fear, it is hard to make a difference, but necessary to try... if you are not part of a solution, then you are part of a problem"

This was said one day after our VERY loved, beautiful, and amazing Grandma passed away.  So during a time of life where it's easy to want to fold and say, "It's too hard", the message is to turn our energy into making a difference instead.

Life is full of grief & not just loosing people we love - I KNOW I don't even have to list what grieves people's lives...we ALL have a huge list of our own.  We COULD spend  ALL our hours, days and concentration processing and trudging through our own junk - but that will never end - because junk just somehow just keeps-on-a-comin' but instead:

Turn Grief into Blessing 
(a much better use of our time on this blue marble)

My hubbs & I started a group.  Call it what you will...a church?  A posse? A family? A community?  The goal is to make a small dent on this big blue marble; we're coming together as the body of Christ, making a difference - one beautiful life at a a time.

We all have much on our plates - loooong hours at work, kids to raise, school, families, meals to cook - so when someone says, "Take time to love one another" the question that gets slung back to me is "HOW?!?!"

One. Life. At. A. Time. Just like my laundry pile...it gets whittled down a load at a time; but there's always more to do. So I consciously, never-endingly chip away at it...so we don't stink.
 
Our amazing group/posse/family has done many outstanding things this past month - and this latest project is way too beautiful not to share.

A dear cousin to one of our members is struggling with terminal cancer in her 30s.  Of course the feeling of helplessness is overwhelming to our amazing giving friend.  "What can we do?" she asked me.

SUNSHINE IN A BOX!!!!!!!!!

I had each person from our group bring something YELLOW.  From sunglasses, to nail polish, her daughter made a pennant, juicy fruit gum, socks, a lady made a fleece blanket, even a box of mac & cheese...YOU NAME IT, IT CAME.  We made a card expressing our support & prayers - and to Texas the box went!  So simple, yet filled with such love.  Most of us didn't even know her - but we wanted to be an extension of her cousin's arms. 

We love you, Leslie!!!!!

All packed and ready to go!

This is a time in our world where we need one another more than we realize or want to admit.  I know we were raised to be independent, strong, and goal oriented - but the true gospel is to link arms & love people.  That's what Jesus came to teach.  To be there for each other.

These last few days while processing & grieving the passing of THE most important person in my life (besides hubbs, my girls, and bro) - my Oma - I'm OVERWHELMED by the support of people who have called, brought gifts & food, took me out, texted me, and just generally went out of their way to be my support & community.  It's what has got me through.  The love of people.  Remembering I'm not on this blue marble all alone. My arms were being lifted when I couldn't raise them myself.

So JOIN US!  Put a box of sunshine together for someone who needs a smile.  Remind them they are NOT alone in this world.  This blue marble DOES have loving people on it - let's be the reminder of that...not matter how small the act of love, it's love indeed.  

All we need is love - John Lennon

A Tribute to Healing

I've been asked many times about the card collection  - and being that it's Mother's Day, 

I wanted to share this story in honor of my mom, the artist. 

Growing up with 2 parents who struggled with terminal illness was most challenging.  My dad worked on the railroad, hunted & fished all we ate until he was too sick to do all the things he loved.  He slowly was losing his mobility, and his life - and as a result he became a very angry, controlling hostile person.  I remember when he first lost his ability to drive, he'd sit in the living room chair and stare at his hunting truck for 18 hours a day...for many months.  I can't imagine his anguish knowing he would never be able to do the things he loved again.  His deep pain and fear resulted in him lashing out at us, his family.

My mom too had her own set of challenges with her illness (not to mention trying to help my dad), and almost died several times over the years.  Where she was an inspiration through chaotic and stressful circumstances was that she always saw the glass as half full, and found ways to find peace through difficult circumstances.  She'd find a stress outlet to pour herself into - something that would bring healing and joy in the midst of storm.

Her last and greatest passion before suddenly passing away - was watercolor painting.  It brought her such joy over her last years.

After my mom passed away - then my dad, it was difficult to find my new normal life and sift through all the feelings and pain.  Through my journey I found that the grief is not an easy road - and is fairly lonely.  Most don't know what to say, and forget it can be a long journey.  So I originally created this card collection as MY outlet of healing.  This has become a tool of support to others on the journey of loosing someone loved.  There are 12 cards in total - one for every month for a year of support.

Thank you - my friends and family for the support on my journey.  I'm excited to see my mom's continual legacy of joy, and peace carry on to be a support to others in difficult life circumstances.

Here is the link to our store where the card collection can be purchased.   http://www.shop.isaverb.com/Collection-of-12-cards-designed-for-grief-support-cm0001.htm