What is Lent?

By February, I am done with winter. It is time to think of preparing the ground, to consider what seeds and seedlings to order, and to calculate how much bark mulch I will need for my flower beds.

In a similar way, Lent is a preparation for Easter and a time for removing obstacles that impede our spiritual growth. Christians celebrated Lent many years before they added Christmas as a holiday. Both are part of the Christian calendar Christian calendar explained.

During the 40 days of Lent, some Christians fast or skip chocolate. Some get up early and vow to pray more. I know of others who give up social media or unplug the TV. I read about one gal who worked to give up sarcasm her story.

As children, remember when we played hide-and-seek? The object was to be found. My cousin whistled to make sure she was found. God wants to be found. He will help us to keep our commitment to find him in a more meaningful way.

We can pray now to find what obstacle needs to be removed. Then when February 14, 2018 arrives, we will be ready for Lent. Many express the death, burial, and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) seem much more profound after 40 days of self-sacrifice.

Fifty in the Faith

Socrates said, “the unexamined life is not worth living.” On January 17, 2018, I will celebrate my fiftieth birthday as a believer. Hooray!!! While I think of the many blessings, I also wonder if my life exemplifies fifty years of growth in the faith.

I’m not into the hype the world puts in to New Year's Resolutions. But, every January, I do set personal and ministry goals for the year. This year for personal goals I plan to use Luke 2:52 as my guide. Luke chapter two chronicles twelve-year-old Jesus getting left at the temple. When he is found and the family journeys home, the chapter concludes with: “And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.”

Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually, and socially. When I set my personal goals, I divided a piece of paper into four blocks. I placed one growth area in each quarter of the page. My analysis included looking at my strengths and weaknesses in each growth area.

Then I placed a goal in each quarter that I want to work on this year. This paper is placed in my devotional materials and I check it routinely. Below are some possible goals. Notice each of these example goals are measurable so you can check how you are doing. 

                                            2018 Personal Growth Goals

                                                          Luke 2:52

          Mental                                                                Physical

          Read 12 books.                                                   Get to bed at 11 pm.

          Take knitting class.                                             Lose ½ pound each week.

                                                                                              

                                                                                              

                                                                                              

          Spiritual                                                              Social

                                                                                              

          Update prayer notebook.                                    Weekly lunch with a friend.

          Start verse memorization.                                   Monthly couples dinner.                                                                                                           

The Worst Mother's Day Gifts

Most moms are too polite to complain, but 40 percent say they have received a Mother's Day gift they didn't want. The British paper the Mirror reported on March 5, 2016 thirty terrible gifts that moms had received. Here are some of those worst gifts:

                * Deodorant

                * Fire extinguisher

                * Cleaning supplies

                * A loaf of French bread
                *  Salad dressing
                * Popcorn
                * Ants (hopefully in an ant farm)
                * Hair dye
                * Screwdriver
                * Toilet roll
                * Calculator
                * Car parts

If you're struggling what to get your mom, please do not consider any gifts from this list. Instead you could print Proverbs 31:28, "Her children arise and call her blessed." Then have it framed and gift wrapped for mom. Unless she's allergic or on a diet, chocolates work well as a present. Flowers are a winner too.

Why Are So Many Christians Unhappy?

Have you read 1 Peter 1:8 lately? “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.” 

 If you believe the scripture to be true as I do, then why are so many believers sad?

I suppose I could understand how a terminal cancer patient in horrific pain or a parent who stayed up all night with a sick child might suffer melancholy. In his classic book, Spiritual Depression, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, writes some by nature tend to exhibit a sad personality. As a counselor, I have observed that to be true. Also, we can’t forget the evil one thrives on stealing our joy.

However, the Christians who I have noticed to be the most miserable are those who live on the fence. They seek pleasure and satisfaction from the world but when that fails they hop back to God for security and fire insurance. This tango of tangled affections leaves them exhausted and confused.

Think back to the Garden of Eden when the serpent duped Eve into thinking the world had the pleasures of life not God and his plan. Is he not trying to trick us into the same sorrow today? My advice is to do as David did and declare, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psalm 73:25). Our steadfastness will lead us to a soul soaring with joy.

Code Blue-Gray Proposal

What a great conference last week! I have finally caught up on my sleep from the "Called to Write Conference" in Pittsburg, Kansas. Some nights I was so inspired to write, I couldn't settle down to

close my eyes. Sleep evaded me another night when I stayed up late to write a book proposal.

Debra L. Butterfield, CrossRiver Media

Code Blue-Gray: Hope and Humor for the Ill (a working title for now) was given to CrossRiver Media for consideration. The bulk of this book will chronicle my health journey from the end of 2013 to the present. Interspersed there will be one-liners, cartoons, and humorous poems. My hope is Code Blue-Gray will be marketed in hospital gift shops to give the dying and depressed some comic relief and hope for healing. Please pray with me as CRM reviews my proposal . I have met two editors from CrossRiver and was impressed with both. Debra Butterfield, Nonfiction Acquisitions Editor for CRM, presented several workshops at the conference. One I especially enjoyed was "Creating Captivating Characters." Deb is pictured to the left. If you would like to get updates about this upcoming book, please leave me a comment and I will add you to the growing list.

Kathleen Y'Barbo

CALLED TO WRITE

I am looking forward to the Called to Write Conference next week in Pittsburg, Kansas. Featured speakers are best-selling author Kathleen Y'Barbo, prolific-freelance writer Jane Landreth, and Jeane Wynn of Wynn-Wynn Media. Ramona Tucker of OakTara, whose father passed away and her mother is gravely ill, will not be able to present. She will be replaced by Debra Butterfield, acquisitions editor for CrossRiver Media. This event is hosted by the Christian Writers'  Fellowship of Girard, KS. If you would like more information on this great conference go to the link below. I hope to see you there.
        Called to Write Conference 2015

New Blog and Website

Please check out my new website and blog. Praying for Our Pastors is a blog that talks about topics of prayer and keeps you updated as to the progress of my upcoming book, Pit Crew: Praying for Our Pastors to Finish the Race. Here are the links:
Praying for Our Pastors Blog
Praying for Our Pastors Website