Monday Morning Memo: Not Once

First of all, I want to thank so many of you who messaged me last week, stating that you were praying for me.  I was just overwhelmed by your kindness.  Your prayers are being heard and I am gaining strength.  I was able to spend time this past weekend with my grandchildren and then went to church yesterday, so my heart and soul had a much needed “feeding” and I am feeling very blessed.

 

I have a question for you to start your week.  How often are you thrilled with what you see when you look in the mirror?  All the time?  Most of the time?  Rarely?  Never?

 

I was thinking about this question last week and it made me think of all the times in my life when I have looked in the mirror and didn’t like what I saw.  The times when I have wished I was like someone else.

Why can’t I be as pretty as her?
Why can’t I be as thin as her?
Why can’t I be as creative as her or him?
Why wasn’t I given the athletic ability with which she or he was blessed?
Why can’t I be as smart as she or he is?
Why can’t I write as well as she or he can?

I could go on and on with my list.  There have been many times when what I saw in the mirror, just didn’t measure up to what I thought was “perfection”.

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So when I saw this graphic a few days ago it really hit home.  It is so hard for me to believe that when God created me, He didn’t make any mistakes.  Not once has God looked at me and thought:

I sure wish I would have made LuAnn as pretty as ___________.
I sure wish I would have made LuAnn as thin as ___________.
I sure wish I would have given LuAnn the same creative ability as ___________.
I sure wish I had made LuAnn as athletic as ___________.
I sure wish I would have made LuAnn as smart as ___________.
I sure wish I would have given LuAnn the ability to write as well as ___________.

Not once has He done this.  God created me to be me, and I can waste so much time in my life trying to be someone else, that I miss out on who and what I am.  I am a child of God who was created in HIS image.  I am a child of God who is so dearly loved, that He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for my sins.  I am a child of God who has accepted Him as my Lord and Savior and, as a result, I have a home which is being prepared for me in heaven.  When He calls me home…I will spend eternity with Him, my Heavenly Father.

 

And the exciting news?  The same is true for you!  Not once has He looked at you and wished He would have made you more like __________(insert the name of your choice).  Not once has God looked at you and thought He made a huge mistake.  NOT ONCE!  You were also created in His image, and He loves you more than you can ever imagine.  

 

Yes, He loves you and me with all our flaws and imperfections and nothing we have done or no inferior quality which we might have can diminish His love for us.  I don’t know about you…but that just blows my mind!

Does that mean we should never strive to change those qualities which hinder us from looking like Jesus?  Of course not.  Striving to reflect His image should be our focus every day, by making choices which we know will please Him.  It is a continuous process in which He loves us where we are today…but wants even greater things for us tomorrow.  Why?  Because He loves us that much.

I just feel like someone needs to read these words today.  Someone feels they are a failure.  Someone doesn’t think he or she has worth.  Someone is thinking that if they were just like ___________...their life would be perfect.  So if you are that “someone”…when you look in the mirror today…don’t concentrate on what or who you aren’t.  Concentrate on Who created you and in Whose image you were created.  

 

Remember…God is perfect so He can’t make a mistake, so He didn’t make a mistake when He made you and He loves you right where you are TODAY!

So God created mankind in his own image,

in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27

Monday Morning Memo: Off-Kilter

It wasn’t the week we had planned…but then again…are most weeks?  It was a week I had looked forward to for quite a while because we were going to have the blessing of caring for four of our grandchildren, ages 1-8, for four days.  Yes, I knew I would be exhausted, and it would probably test me to my limit…but I knew all the memories would be worth it.

 

We hadn’t been sure for quite a while if we could do it, because of my two major surgeries in 2024 on both of my Achilles.  But God had blessed me with a better recovery than I even expected…so I didn’t think that would affect our plans.

 

The only problem was the nagging cough that I just couldn’t shake and the subsequent tiredness I was feeling.  I kept telling my doctor, “I just don’t feel good”.  My energy was much less than normal, and I was finding myself taking at least one or two naps a day.  We kept thinking it was maybe because of the two surgeries, that my body was just worn out from the recoveries, and that it would just take time to bounce back.  My doctor kept checking me out, trying different medications to stop the cough so I could begin to sleep better and in turn, hopefully have more energy.  An x-ray was even taken to see my lungs and it came back that everything was clear.

 

Finally, on January 9th, my doctor sent me for a CT scan of my lungs.  He knew something had to be going on that the x-ray didn’t show.  My doctor called me that evening and he was as shocked as we were with the diagnosis…double pneumonia.  But it did give us some answers as to why I felt so bad.

 

The news came Thursday evening, and we were to get our grandchildren on Saturday.  The first person I called after my doctor’s call was our son to give him the news.  To him the decision came quickly…he knew there was no way I was going to care for their four children.  While I knew he was right, it broke my Grandma’s heart.  And the news probably did something to the children’s other Grandma’s heart…because she got the call that she would now have four children for a week, instead of half a week!  The woman is a saint…and I can’t thank her enough for caring for our grandchildren so lovingly. 

 

Honestly, we thought that was enough unexpected news for the week, but Sunday arrived and when our well pump kicked on, it tripped a breaker.  Hoping it was just a bad breaker, Dan replaced it after he returned from church.  But it wasn’t long, and it tripped again.  Knowing that wasn’t a good sign, Dan contacted our local service company first thing Monday morning.  After checking things out, it was determined that we needed a new well pump…but of course…that didn’t turn out to be an easy fix.  I’ll spare you the saga of each day’s disparaging report…but they couldn’t get the pump out and we had to have a brand new well dug.  So, we spent the week, until Friday evening, living as our ancestors did…carrying water in day after day after day…

 

To say this past week hasn’t been fun, would be an understatement.  But even so, we could see God’s hand working.  We still had heat, so that gave us a warm home to live in.  We still had electricity…so lights to see what needed done.  Many times we stated that we are sure there are many in California who wish they were only dealing with lack of water…instead of losing everything they owned.  And thankfully, we will not miss any meals because we must pay for a new well.

 

While it wasn’t what we had planned, I realized God’s hand was also in allowing me to get a diagnosis before our grandkids came to stay.  I would have felt so bad if I would have, by chance, given any of them my pneumonia.  And, while living a little bit like our ancestors wasn’t easy…can you imagine trying to care for four children with no water?  That, my friends, would have taken it to an entirely new level of difficulty and threw me way further back into my heritage than I wanted to go.

 

Yes, God is SO faithful.  When things go as planned, or not as planned, none of it is a surprise to Him.  He knows what we need, exactly when we need it…so there really is no reason to worry or fret.  While His ways don’t always make sense and sometimes throw us a little off-kilter…He is right there to straighten us back up and set us back on course.  I don’t know about you…but I just can’t imagine doing life without Him.   

 

“Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.
    Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you.
    I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

Monday Morning Memo: My Miracle Moment

I had another post written for today, but this past weekend, I couldn’t get my mom off my mind.  The reason is that if she were still on this earth, she would turn 99 years old this coming Wednesday, January 15^th.  What an amazing woman she was, and I would give just about anything to have one more hug from her.  

 

I dedicated my first book, Image Seeker, to my mom, where I wrote:

 

“This book is dedicated to my mom, Coyla Gerig, who taught me through her example to put Christ first in my life.  Then, and only then, will I live, love and serve to the fullest.  Thanks Mom, for showing me how to look more and more like Christ every day.  May your legacy live on through me and may I, in turn, inspire others to seek His image.”

 

These past few days have brought to mind the miracle I experienced the last time I saw her alive and I just felt led to share it with you today.  Yes, I’ve shared it before…but when God works a miracle right before our eyes…I believe it deserves to be shared more than once 

 

I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done (Psalm 9:1).

 

If I am completely honest, I had mixed feelings on Thursday, August 13th, 2009, when I received a phone call informing me that my mom had taken a turn for the worse.  As I drove to be by her bedside, I really wasn’t sure how to pray.  The thought of losing my mother from this earth overwhelmed me, but the realization that in death she would have a new, whole body and mind with Jesus was healing to my soul.  She had made it clear to us as we grew up that her focus was on her Lord and Savior, and she was willing to do whatever He asked of her.  She had shared with me that in every decision she made, she wanted to make sure it honored her Jesus and would have a positive impact on eternity.  Knowing that was her desire, I knew it was selfish of me to want her to remain on this earth.  I knew of no one else who deserved more to be welcomed into heaven with the words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.”

 

I entered her room and the scene was hard to observe.  The nurses were telling us she had suffered another stroke and could no longer swallow or speak.  Her eyes stared blankly at the ceiling and there was no recognition on her part that her family was by her side.  We did our best to keep our conversation on a positive note not knowing for sure whether or not she could hear us.

 

Then, out of the blue and much to my surprise, I saw her eyes begin to move.  Not only were they moving but they were actually following me as I walked around the room.   I remember thinking that maybe I wasn’t seeing clearly or that it was just my imagination, but when I looked again it was clear that I was looking into the face of the mom I had known for so many years.  Even though she couldn’t speak, it was obvious she was trying to convey a message to me.

 

As tears fell, I looked at her and said, “Mom, you know everything that is going on right now, don’t you?”  And, as unbelievable as it seemed at the moment, with everything she had left in her, she shook her head yes and attempted the slightest smile.  I then moved to the end of her bed and once again, her eyes followed my every move.

  

I realized at that point that I more than likely had a very small window of opportunity to talk to her, so I knew exactly what I wanted to say.  I looked into her beautiful eyes and said, “Mom, I just want you to know how much I love you.”  No sooner had the words left my mouth than my mom did something I will never forget.  She winked at me.  I couldn’t believe it.  In that instant, I knew God had performed this “miracle moment” so that my mom could tell me she loved me one last time.  She couldn’t speak, but she could wink and what a gift that was to me.

 

Just as quickly as the miracle happened, it was over.  Her eyes glazed back over, and she was back in the world I could not enter.  But at that point, I knew it wouldn’t be long until she would meet her Jesus face to face.

 

Two days later, her family who had gone before her, along with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, greeted my mom on the streets of gold in heaven. No more anxiety.  No more confusion.  She was finally whole. 

 

Miracle.  It may be an overused word in our vocabulary but for me, it is the only word that is appropriate for this experience.   I have no doubt it was an act of God, and it was truly amazing, extraordinary and unexpected. 

 

What amazes me about this event is the fact that the Creator of the universe, the King of Kings, Lord of Lords, my Jesus, cared enough about me to bless me with this miracle.  I didn’t deserve it and I surely didn’t do anything to earn it; but it was given to me because He knows me so well and knew what occurrence would be miraculous to me.  I also believe He orchestrated this miracle moment not only to remind me of my mom’s love for me, but to whisper in my ear that I am also His child whom He dearly loves. He wanted me to know He would hold me in His arms in the difficult days that followed.

   

Do you want to see miracles happen today?  Look around you.  Be watchful.  I think too often we are looking for an earth-shattering miracle to take place and we miss the miracle moment.  You may not see a withered hand healed, but you just might experience a blessing far greater than you could ever imagine!

 

Jesus, thank you so much for shining Your light in my darkest moments.  Help me to rest in Your care when sorrow overwhelms me, but keep me mindful that Your blessings may be right around the bend on my journey with You.

Monday Morning Memo: Back to the Basics

I am artistically challenged. Just hearing the word “art” makes me feel a little queasy. I remember when I was in school, and they required us to take an art class. I would have rather cleaned the toilets with a toothbrush than take that class.  I’m not sure I will ever forget the day they told us we were going to make a pinch pot out of clay.  All I could think of was…seriously? How in the world was that going to help me in my future? It was just torture, pure torture for me.

 

I think one of the reasons that I don’t enjoy art is because I’m not a very patient person. I want things done and I want them done now, and creativity often takes time which I’m not willing to give. I wish I could take that lump of clay and make something beautiful out of it, but if I’m honest, I’m just not willing to put the time and effort into making it become a reality.

 

I was thinking recently about the fact that not only am I artistically challenged, but I’m sometimes Christian challenged. I know how I should be living and what I should be doing, but I think about how much effort and time it is going to take to be the person God wants me to be, and I just give up before something beautiful can be created in my life. It’s often easier to do nothing and just be content with the status quo, than to push out of my comfort zone and allow God to create a masterpiece within me.

 

I also think fear often plays a part in my choice to not want God to work in my life. What will He ask me to do? What will others think of me if I am more vocal about my beliefs and values? What if I’m put in a situation where I speak out and I find myself standing alone?  I’ve been there in the past…and I know it isn’t a very fun place to be.

 

This is the time of year when many are making New Year’s resolutions which often consist of eating better, losing weight and exercising more. While those are important things to strive for, I really feel God asking me to consider what I want my walk with Him to look like this year. Will I be satisfied with the status quo, or am I willing to walk on the journey He has set before me…wherever that may take me? Do I love Him enough to patiently wait for His directions and His timing or am I more bent on following my plans and ideas?

 

I like Jonathan Edward’s resolutions, and I’ve decided to adopt his as my own for 2025. They are simply this:

 

Resolution One: I will live for God.

Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.

 

Pretty basic, huh? Yes it is, but I think it is what God is trying to get through to me.  Following Him isn’t rocket science. It’s just living each and every day for Him, listening and obeying what He tells me to do. I’m realizing that creating a masterpiece out of my life isn’t my responsibility – it’s His. My responsibility is to be obedient and if I am, He will make something beautiful out of this “lump of clay” named LuAnn.

 

Believe it or not, I still have that sad looking pinch pot that I made many years ago and I have it in my library as a reminder. I realize as I look at it that on my own, my efforts won’t amount to much, but with the Master Artist doing the work, I know I can hold onto the words in 2 Corinthians 9:8, “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” As I begin 2025, I am so thankful that HE IS ABLE!!

Monday Morning Memo: Just One Step

Christmas is over and I hope yours was as special as ours. Everyone, except our oldest granddaughter, was able to be with us this year and we had a wonderful time together.  As I looked at each family member while we opened gifts in the afternoon…I just kept thinking about how blessed I am with children who love the Lord and want to serve Him.  And then of course, our eight grandchildren bring me more joy than I can express.  Oh, I love them all so much.   

 

I also thought about how it seems like the older I get, the faster the years fly by and no matter what I do, I just can’t slow things down.  It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming our first precious baby into our family, and now our family totals 16.  To be honest, sometimes feeling the years fly by makes me feel a little panicky.  There are so many things I want to do…so many changes I want to make in my life…so much growth I long to experience to make me look more like Christ.  What saddens me though, is that instead of my panicky feeling pushing me to do more and being more intentional in my walk with Christ, it sometimes causes me to become frozen with fear.  I become overwhelmed and I feel inadequate to do what I need to do to move forward.  I deal with questions going through my mind such as what if I take a wrong step and make a mistake?  What if I say the wrong thing or look like a fool to my family and those around me?  What if my walk with Christ costs me more than I’m willing to give?

 

As a result, I bury my head in the sand and just allow the world to go on without me.  I feel more secure when I’m curled up in my personal cocoon because by doing nothing, I’m assured of not failing.  A voice in my head reminds me of my past failures and urges me to play it safe…don’t take any chances…let others do Christ’s work.

 

At that point…Satan has me right where he wants me.  He has me so paralyzed in fear that he doesn’t have to worry about me having an impact for Christ.  He knows that as long as I’m stagnant and as long as I’m not willing to step out of my comfort zone, I won’t be doing anything to make a difference in eternity.  As a result, no one will ever see Christ in me or hear from me that there is a God who loves them more than they can ever imagine.  

 

I don’t know about you, but I think that is a very sobering thought.  There are people all around me who need to hear about my Jesus and I may be the only person to whom they will listen.  But if I’m not willing to trust Christ to lead me, to give me the courage and strength to grow wherever He plants me, they may spend eternity in hell.

 

If you are reading this and you just can’t relate because you have never felt the need to crawl into a cocoon, I want to commend you and encourage you to keep on keeping on.  But, if you can relate and you are peeking through a tiny hole in the wall of your shell to read this, you may be wondering how you can break out.  How can you begin to move forward…how can you start turning the wheels in your life to jumpstart your walk with Christ?  Take a step.  One step.  You don’t need to begin sprinting or running a marathon; you just need to take one step forward.  Grasp onto Christ’s hand and put one foot in front of another.  Trust Him to walk with you for your first step and for each step that follows.  

 

Just think, if in the next week you and I would take just one step forward each day, we will have already moved seven feet closer to His ultimate plan in 2025.  It may not seem like much…but it is a whole lot better than sticking our head in the sand which always leads to taking steps backwards.

 

Will we make mistakes as we move forward?  Probably.  Is there a chance you and I may try something and fail?  Good chance.  But you see that is ok!  Christ is not asking for perfection; He is asking for our heart.  And if our heart is sold out to Him and our focus is on holding His hand and trusting Him to lead us, He can make something beautiful even out of our failures.  

 

Today is a new day…why not begin by taking just one step!

 

“But I am trusting you, O Lord,


saying, ‘You are my God!’”

Psalm 31:14 (NLT)

 

 

Monday Morning Memo: Is Your Tinsel Tangled?

Ready…Set…GO!  Crank up your energy and dive into Christmas week.   Last minute shopping, wrapping gifts, grocery shopping so you can make all those recipes you’ve been saving for the holidays, emptying out those extra bedrooms that you’ve been using as storage rooms so your company has a place to sleep, bathe the dog, clean the house, practice remembering names of distant relatives who you only see once a year, threaten your kids that they better be on their best behavior and say thank you for whatever grandma and grandpa give them…even if they didn’t get what they wanted AND slap that Christian smile on your face even though you are exhausted and in desperate need of sleep.

 

Wow…sounds like a fun week, huh?  I’m tired from just typing the words, let alone accomplishing the tasks.  We often talk about Christmas being such a wonderful, love-filled holiday, but we often cram so much into this time that we end up just living in survival mode until it is all over.

 

What a shame.  I really doubt this is what God had in mind when He sent his Son into the world as a baby.  I just don’t think He hoped that this miracle would send us into a frenzy each year as we cleaned, cooked, purchased, wrapped, threatened and then lived behind a façade that everything was A-OK in our world.

 

I think many of us fall into this trap because we have made Christmas about US instead of about HIM.  We want everything to be just perfect and so we do what we have to do to make sure everyone gets what they want, instead of giving Him what He deserves.  As a result, we do what a sign I read tells us not to do:  “Don’t get your tinsel in a tangle”!

 

Yes, our tinsel gets in a tangle and then stress overwhelms us and we ignore the Christ of Christmas.  I overheard two patients in the cancer center talking about this one day.  A young man and a woman were sitting across from each other as they each received their cancer treatment.  The woman began talking about how she used to fret about Christmas, but now she doesn’t do that anymore.  She said she has realized that Christmas is about Christ and not about us.  The young man, with a quivering chin and tears in his eyes, nodded his head as he looked out the window and said, “Yes, I just want to be with family and friends.  That’s all I want”.

 

I understand that we all want our family to be happy and feel loved during this season, but let’s make sure our focus is on the One who made it all possible.  As we go throughout our week, when we feel the tension rising, why not take a moment and say to ourselves, “I am NOT going to get my tinsel in a tangle.”  Of course, we might want to make sure our relatives don’t hear us say it because they just might give us a straitjacket for Christmas!  

 

“For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: 

and the government shall be upon his shoulder: 

and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, 

The mighty God, The everlasting Father, 

The Prince of Peace.” 

Isaiah 9:6

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Monday Morning Memo: Behind My Back

Have you ever read a graphic that made you squirm a little bit?  Today’s does that to me.  When I saw it for the first time this past week, I immediately pictured in my mind…standing behind someone hoping they don’t see what I’m doing…only to have God standing behind me, tapping me on my shoulder and saying, “You do know I’m right here watching…don’t you?”   OUCH.

 

How many times in my life have I done something I knew wasn’t pleasing to my Jesus…but I just figured He wouldn’t notice.  I mean…He is so busy with all the major disasters going on and the wars happening…He surely isn’t paying any attention to my “small” sins.

 

I have a question for you and me.  Why do we brag about our Jesus being all-knowing and all-powerful…but then hope to high heavens He doesn’t see what we are doing when we sin?  Rather silly, isn’t it?  But unfortunately, I’m guessing all of us have done this at some point.  Oh, maybe we figure it isn’t a “big” sin.  Maybe it’s just reading books or watching movies which we know we shouldn’t be reading or watching.  Or, maybe it’s just speaking to our spouse in a way we know we wouldn’t…if we saw Jesus standing next to us.  Or maybe it’s just that white lie we told the person who called because we surely didn’t want to have to spend time with them.  Why, it could even be that money we took “under the table” in our job so we wouldn’t have to report it on our taxes.  When we figure all the “big” sins we see going on in our world today…surely ours can be hidden and ignored.

 

Psalms 139: 1-6 says, “O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me.  You know when I sit down or stand up.  You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home.  You know everything I do.  You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.  You go before me and follow me.  You place your hand of blessing on my head.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!”  We read these words and we often think how wonderful it is that He knows everything about us…until we really comprehend that He DOES know EVERYTHING about us!  AND, He still loves us anyway…with all our faults and failures.  Such amazing love.

 

It’s because of His amazing love for us that He wants so much more for us.  He wants us to look more and more like Him…to be more Christ-like in everything we do…and that will never happen if we just continue to think we can hide our sins from Him.  Later in Psalm 139, we find these words, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.”

 

I know if I really do want to look like Christ, my desire…my longing… should be for Him to point out those things in my life which aren’t pleasing to Him.  Then I must be willing to ask for forgiveness and put those things aside which are weighing me down and holding me back from being a totally devoted follower of His.  I know that some days will be harder than others to really listen for His leading and then be obedient…but if my heart is truly given to Him…it will be so worth it as He leads me along the path of everlasting life.  

 

As we prepare to celebrate Christ’s birth, let’s keep today’s graphic in our mind with each decision we make.  Let’s take a moment to ask ourselves if we are trying to do something behind someone’s back, while hoping God isn’t behind our back watching.    Or, are we thrilled to pieces He is right by our side…enjoying the journey with us. The decision my friend…is ours to make.