Heart Hope by Olga

The kids had arrived late the night before and little Griffin was still asleep when I left for work. It had been almost 2 months since I had seen him and I wasn't certain he would recognize or even remember me at his young age. I was engaged in a training when a glance out of the corner of my eye told me that the whole crew had arrived--Tommy, Margaret, Will, Molly and Griffin. I heard shouting, "Ma Ma" and saw squirming as I finished my conversation. As soon as he was unbuckled from the stroller Griffin, dressed in a bundle of snowsuit and a fur lined loggers cap, came running toward me with arms outstretched. He did remember me...he couldn't wait for me to pick him up and smother him with kisses. And I couldn't have been happier to experience his true love. As I thought about it, I realized that this must be the way God feels when we are excited to spend time with Him. He doesn't want is to come out of obligation or drudgery, but He wants us ...

Kids teach us so much if we just take the time to listen. On a recent visit, 8 year old Will taught me about kindness, compassion and including others. Will, Molly and I were leaving church when Aunt Lala and Uncle Matt asked if the kids wanted to ride to our house in their car. Molly quickly answered yes since she adores her aunt and uncle who verbally applauded her for wanting to ride with them.  Will quietly said he would ride with me and hopped in the car. Driving out of the parking lot, he shared that he wanted to ride with me so that I wouldn't have to be by myself. He continued to confess that he tried to always look around to see if anyone was being left out in order to include them admitting that he had been left out before and he didn't like it.  He ended by saying that one of his friends doesn't like for him to include others because it hurts the team by having players on it that aren't very good, but Will said that's not what's important. Pretty ...

Moving will teach you a lot about yourself. While packing I have learned that I have way more stuff than I should. Too many dishes, too many clothes, too many things that I might need someday, too many things that I am keeping for other people. I have also discovered that just when you think you are almost finished packing, the things start multiplying and you have more stuff than will fit into the number of boxes you have left. So why do we have so many possessions? Is it because we are trying to keep up with the neighbors? Is it because we are afraid of being without? Or is it because the media makes us think we have to have it and so we buy it? Whatever the reason, I'm ready to make a change. I've made a start by giving things away to friends and making many trips to the Thrifty Store to donate, not to purchase. As I look at all of the boxes ready to be moved, I think of Jesus. What would have happened if He had been so tied to His things? He would have ...

Not sure exactly where I will be on April 1 ...but as of that date 275 River Ranch Road will no longer be my home address. No this is not an early prank. In the next few weeks the stuff will be purged, boxes will be packed and the moving van pulling away from the front door, but I don't know where my head will lay in the days, weeks or months to come. Am I worried? Am I concerned? Am I fearful? No. No. No. I ran into a friend while walking this afternoon;  As we visited about a variety of topics my friend exclaimed that we don't know how we will respond in certain situations until we are faced head on with them. I totally agree. At this point I thought she might like to hear about the message that she had missed at church on Sunday , since we have both been going through some similar upheavals and it seemed to be applicable. Pastor Craig had preached on two questions that Jesus asked His disciples in Mark chapter 8. Who do people say that I am and who do you sa...

I've never quite understood Mardi Gras. It seems a bit strange to me that you would spend weeks drinking and partying just to get your fill before Lent begins where you give up some of the things you overindulged in the days and weeks before. When living in New Orleans years ago the festivities were exciting with the parades, floats, masks, beads and doubloons. I was right in the middle of grabbing for the goodies being thrown from the floats, but was turned off by the crowds, the tourists, the people parking in my driveway in order to attend the parades and the people who were participating in behaviors that were foreign to me. (I didn't really understand why people would urinate in the middle of a busy street.) Don't get me wrong; I'm not against having a good time or going to a good party and there's nothing wrong with drinking unless you drink too much or hurt someone in the process. I just don't think we think about how God feels about things...

Working in the church nursery can be a pretty mindless way of serving in the children's ministry at church. Now don't get me wrong, I serve in many other ways that require preparation and time, so just to be able to show up and love on babies is a perfect job for me once a month. I had the young pastor's children - one 23 month old and the other just a baby.  Since the baby just slept I had quality time with little Lane. He was quite chatty using one word "sentences". Yellow, fish, hat, ball were some of his favorites. So when his mother came to pick him up, I informed her of his impressive vocabulary. Her reply was surprising in a way. She said, "Yes we really have to be careful what we say around him." In my mind I was wondering what the pastor would be saying in front of him that was not appropriate. You can probably imagine where my mind was going, however I was relieved when she gave the example. Her husband loves football and she said ...