Unsung Heroes

We've all heard the quote, "Behind every great man, there is a great woman." I would go even farther to say that behind everyone who succeeds there is an unsung hero; someone who picks up the slack, someone who encourages, someone who comes alongside to help.

I have such a friend, a hidden treasure. I've observed her for years as she faithfully supports not only me but a number of people who serve at our church. She does not claim the limelight. I'm sure many members are unaware of her part in the success of our ministries. But she continues to give of herself, sacrificing her time and energy, allowing others to succeed.

Take a look around, who are the unsung heroes in your life? Look a little farther, who do you see working behind the scenes making others look good? Take some time to encourage the encouragers.

Want to go farther? Be an unsung hero to another person. Encourage, volunteer, pick up some of the slack, write a note, make a phone call, offer to babysit...

Finding Howe Cavern

One gloomy, cloudy day unsuitable for wonderful scenic photographs, Norm and I decided to visit Howe Cavern, actually it is called Howe Cave now. Since we hadn't been there for about 16 years with the kids, we got basic directions, take I-88, get off at exit 22 and then follow the signs.

We had no problem getting to the exit and we found the signs clearly marked. As we traveled we talked about the Schoharie Valley and how it might be nice to have a house on the ridge with a beautiful scenic view of the valley. We saw more signs, "Howe cave straight ahead".


At one intersection we noticed a particularly colorful sign for the Secret Caverns. We had tried to go to the Secret Caverns last year, unfortunately during their closed season.

We continued down the road, came to Howe Cavern Road, but saw no sign indicating which way to turn. We continued several more miles before Norm turned on his GPS which announced, "Find a place to make a legal u-turn." We had missed the turn 3 miles back. Norm thanked me profusely for his gift of a Blackberry phone.

On the way back, we talked about how well marked the road had been until the time we had to turn. Wouldn't that be the best time to have a sign?

We thoroughly enjoyed the cavern. I am amazed at the extent of God's creative power...above and below ground. Our guide, Ben did an excellent job pointing out unique formations and telling us the history of the cave. I can't imagine wading 8 hours in knee to waist deep water, a lantern in one hand and swatting away bats with the other hand as an enjoyable experience that I'd be willing to pay for. But now, with a bricked walkway and sturdy boats, it is a very nice time.

On our way out, heading back to I-88, Norm laughed and told me to look in my rear view mirror. I saw a huge...HUGE sign that said, "HOWE CAVE! TURN HERE!" With a big arrow pointing left. The sign was as wide as the road and about 10 feet high. How had we missed that sign? It was because of a smaller, colorful, glittering sign pointing to the Secret Cavern.

We are easily distracted by something that glitters and shines or makes noise. Mike Saccocio of Schenectady City Mission gave a sermon about the blinking red light on our phone that grabs our attention to let us know we have a call or message, or even more persistent, our ever present cell phones that ring or vibrate demanding we pay attention to them. Sometimes we go pretty far out of the way before we even notice we are off track.

But God is always faithful to get us going in the right direction again. He continually woos us to follow Him, wanting us to stop and listen for His direction, listening past those things that scream at us, demanding our attention.


"The Lord said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave." 1 Kings 19:11-13 "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left." Isaiah 30:21

Showers of Blessings

We have a tradition at our church called "Showers of Blessing". It is a time when the ladies of our church get together to celebrate the new moms, those ladies who have added to their family through natural childbirth or by adoption. We include any lady who has had a child since our last shower and any who are currently pregnant. It gives the new moms, especially the first time moms, a chance to get to know other women who have children the same age and also the older ladies who are there to support them.

We have a fun time preparing, all the ladies of the church give money to buy gifts and several of us go shopping. We buy diapers, baby food, blankets, towels, bibs, a list of babysitters, some toys and a colorful bin to put it all in. Adopted children usually are older and so get gifts appropriate for their age. We celebrate with food of course, cakes...one for the boys and one for the girls along with various party trays. We keep the program simple, introductions of the new moms, the reading of a children's book, perhaps a DVD or skit that either encourages the moms or makes them laugh. We play a fun game where each new mom brings her own baby picture, then the ladies figure our which mom goes with each baby picture.

Titus encourages older women to train the younger women how to be good wives and mothers and to treat those outside the family well. But our society which encourages independence and a do-it-yourself attitude undermines the fulfilling of that scripture.

I remember being an independent mom, I didn't ask for help unless I was desperate. I felt that asking for help meant I wasn't a good mom. I never thought another woman wasn't a good mom if she asked for help...so why did I feel that way about myself? Whatever my reasons, pride, self-approval, comparison or stupidity, I don't want other moms to go through the same thing. I want them to be free to ask for help, knowing they won't be judged for asking...just understanding that we care what happens to them and their children.

A mom who has been through the joys, trials and experience of raising a child to adulthood has a lot to offer a new mom. We can listen to their struggles, empathize with their frustration and give them a perspective outside their experience. We can offer help, babysitting for a date night, an adult to talk to, an afternoon of rest...

Beyond offering help to young moms, there is a blessing that comes when women of all ages come together when we decide to support one another instead of comparing and cutting one another down. We can laugh and cry together. We can share our joys and trials. We can offer help and support to one another. We can be the community that God had planned for us, sharing our hopes and dreams as well as our tears and frustrations, living a life that encourages one another and honors God, revealing the love of Christ that He has placed in our hearts.

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Titus 2:3-5 NIV

Another blip in life

After my last blog, I was determined to get the house in order, exercise regularly and write each day...and then another blip of life. My son called with a problem, an infection seemed to have spread throughout his body. So I drove to Buffalo and took him to the doctor. Fortunately, it was just a rash.

The trip out was quite eventful. Just past Utica I hit a snowstorm, it started with just flurries, no problem, then all of a sudden I could not see through the blowing snowflakes surrounded by a cloud of snow. I slowed to 25 miles per hour like everyone else. Fortunately before me there was a truck, I could watch its lights and follow it, knowing where the lane was.

I watched the lights and thought about following Christ. There are lots of times that I don't understand what is going on, I can't see the way before me clearly and the way seems like a slippery slope. All I can do is keep my eyes on the light, Christ, the light and continue to move forward, trusting the light to lead me in the right way.

As I traveled with my eyes on the lights in front of me, keeping the car on the road and in the right lane, I didn't have the time to worry about Robert. The lights reminded me to trust in the Light, that he would take care of me and my son.

Well I got Robert all settled, okay, on with my plans then my husband came home with a pulled calf muscle...another blip in my plans.

But I've come to realize the blips are okay. My family is far more important than following my plans. And I can continue to move forward embracing the blips in life as a reminder that I am following the plan God has for my life.

Resolutions

About this time, I take stock of how I'm doing on New Years Resolutions...usually not to well. This year is pretty much the same as the past, good intentions...life interferes.

But this year I am more hopeful. I know that good intentions won't make it happen, and that while life may interfere, my resolutions are all about living life to the fullest. I can enjoy or deal with the interruptions and still move forward on my goals for 2010.

A main goal is to spend more time in the Word of God getting to know God's character and His will for my life. As I get to know Him, I will trust Him more completely and understand that what I see as an interruption is just a blip...perhaps an important blip that could change me for the better.

Another of my goals is to get back to an active, healthy lifestyle. My kids bought me a Wii for Christmas. With the Wii fit, I've been slowly moving forward doing activities which will help my overall health. Giving up french fries will also help.

And then there are just things I want to accomplish...getting more articles published, getting the house in order, writing a novel, getting my Competent Communicator award from Toastmasters, catching up on scrapbooking, painting all the wood I bought for tole painting...in essence, completing what I've begun.

I don't know what goals you'd like to accomplish, but I know this about mine. I will trust God to lead me in the right ways, bringing into my life those interruptions that cause me to seek Him and make me a better person. Achieving the goals I have made is not as important as living the life that God has laid out for me.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him (God) and He shall direct your paths." Pro. 3:5-6

Enjoy life and whatever comes your way, consider the possibilities that God has laid before you.

Dare to step out.

Norm and I thoroughly enjoyed Bryce Canyon. We walked around the rim, looking down into the canyon and were amazed that every 20 steps or so, the view changed completely. The sunlight reflected off each of the hoodoos sometimes making them glow with a fairy like quality and other times placed them in shadows adding a sense of mystery. I stood in awe of God's creation, I had never seen anything like it.

Norm wanted to walk down into the canyon, but I kept thinking of the walk out. Going down would be easy, it was the coming back out that could cause problems. But I encouraged Norm to go ahead and head down, I'd just walk around the rim and meet him after an hour or so.

As I stood at Sunset Point, so called because it was supposed to be the best place for a picture at sunset, I listened to a group of ladies talking about their canyon adventures. They had gone down into the Grand Canyon, much deeper than Bryce. They discussed the challenge and then one of the ladies made this comment, "I'm really afraid of heights. But I don't let my fear keep me from making trips like this. I would miss out on some great experiences if I gave in."

Later that day when Norm suggested we take the hike down into the canyon and see the Queen's Garden, I agreed. The views were amazing! We walked through arches, saw plants of all kinds and enjoyed a maze of trails through the hoodoos. A hoodoo is the towering rock that is left when the rock around it dissolves away.

Going up took a lot longer than going down, but it was worth it. I am grateful to the lady who unknowingly encouraged me to go into the canyon, I would have missed so much staying on the rim and not going deeper.

I'm trying to take more risks in my life. I don't want to miss out on anything that God has planned for me.

However, as it is written: "no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him." 1 Corinthians 2:9

The Greatness of God

A few weeks ago Norm and I went out west to the canyon lands. The creativity of God amazes me. We visited Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, Monument Valley, Arches and the Grand Canyon. Everything was so big and each canyon had its unique stone formations...no two were alike.

We could see the Double Arches from the parking lot, people crawling around and through it, seemingly inches high. It surprised me that it only took 10 minutes to walk to it, it seemed much farther away. After crawling around and through the arch, I returned to the car to wait on Norm.

A Japanese family pulled up beside me. They got out of the car and pointed to the arch. They posed for a picture and the mom tried to convince the other three to walk to the arch. They shook their heads and made comments, I'm assuming the comments dealt with the distance to the arch. I tried to tell them getting closer was worth the walk, it wasn't that far. But the three shook their heads and the mom shrugged her shoulders and they drove away.

Sometimes God appears so far away and so big that He seems unapproachable. It is hard to imagine that a God who created the universe and the huge canyons cares for us...but He does.

Psalm 145

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name forever and ever.
Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
All you have made will praise you, O Lord; your saints extol you.
They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations.
The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
The Lord watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
My mouth will speak in praise of the Lord.
Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.