Spring... time to make a splash!

This last Tuesday I had the blissful opportunity to speak in front of a group of amazing women at Oasis.

Oasis is a themed summer event that is held for 4-5 weeks on Tuesday night at my church (Rolling Hills Community Church). It provides an opportunity for our church to open our arms to women from all ages and stages of life ... some may have never had the opportunity to feel the warmth of the Lord through his followers for one reason or another. Some may have known him once before but have taken the road traveled by many ... hurt by the very people that should be showing the Grace and Mercy of the Lord... the wide road of the world. It is also a refuge for the "busy woman" needing a night with the Ladies. The evening provides dinner+ dessert.. entertainment accompanied by speaker then off to class that they have chosen at sign-up. The classes vary on the season and what is available.

So that is a little over view of what this event consists of. Our theme this year was "Get the Big Picture" using seasons as the foundation. With the seasons during the year and during our lives there is a Panoramic Perspective to be found. We began with Fall... the next week was Winter... and the third week (my week) was Spring. Now that you have the Preface ... here is what I said... (with some variations that are recorded on CD but not written down.)....

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Hello Ladies...

Well last week ... I must admit ... I was not prepared to speak in front of you. I had full on writer's block. So I gathered with some fantastic ladies, that are here tonight, to work on our sketch and they were laughing at me and encouraging me with what Becky talked with us all about on the very first week.

"Jeanette, It's not about you.... it's all about HIM."
"great.. thanks" (I replied in humble embarrassment )

Really though... it's not about me it is all about Him. In God's completeness he fills in all of my missing pieces and picks up all of the parts.

Then I listen to Jenny speak last week. Her story and heart hit home for me. Not because I have lost a loved one or am a cancer survivor. It was how she reminded us to Holler for Help, Humble ourselves, and Hold on to God through the hard winters of life.

As I have been listening and learning, I believe the women around me are right... we go through all of the seasons in our life more than once... just differently. Each one has the purpose of God drawing us nearer to Him and growing us into the beautiful full gift we are designed to be. The season I'm in right now is Spring. Before I get into that I'm going to tell you a little story.
*****
"Once upon a time "...isn't that how every little girl's story begins?? Anyway..

"Once upon time there lived a bubbly little girl who lived her life full and loud. She was blessed with a mommy who knew how to have fun not matter the circumstances.

She jumped into the leaves of fall
Marveled at the rich array of color and changes all around
While enjoying the sweet aroma of newly sharpened pencils.

Sometimes winter would come with a start
Crisp air and harsh conditions
Everything looking like it was dead and alone with no hope for tomorrow...
Then ... the first snowfall.
That meant pillow fights in the middle of the night with her little sister ... accompanied by Mommy's famous homemade hot coco
Then bundling up for snowball fights and building snowwomen... yep .. that’s right Snowwomen...imagine that.

She would slip her galoshes on, when spring would finally come, and open her umbrella ...to take "splash" walks with her mommy and sister; with out a care in the world for how wet they might get.
She would giggle as her mommy pointed out the little boy birds chasing and singing to the little girl birds.
She listened carefully with awe as her mommy explained to her how even though something looks dead in the winter didn't mean there wasn’t color and life surging within simply waiting for Spring to explode."
*****

Well... that little girl was ... and in my mom's eyes...is ... Me.

Somewhere along the way I had forgotten how fantastic Spring can be.... until this year.

A couple of years ago I found my true colors when I finally humbled myself and said "Okay Lord, here I am. I have know idea what you are up to or doing but I'm showing up. What are we doing today?" and he sweetened my sap. ( The sweeter the sap the bolder and brighter the color of a trees fall leaves.)

Before that ... and after that .. though I was journeying through the double edge of winter and I had not prepared for it.... not this type of winter anyway.

See the marriage to my best-friend, high-school sweetheart, and partner in crime ... he's Calvin and I'm Hobbes... felt and looked like it was dying.

The early course of winter, he had began his journey on the path of destruction into 12 years of alcoholism and addiction that soon led to other poor choices. I, too, began along the path of destruction with poor choices...that included addiction, alcoholism and adultery... that tore apart my character, integrity, relationships, reputation, and nearly my marriage. Each of us had begun to look like those withering dead trees of winter....
That's when I Hollered... no I WAILED for God
I Humbled myself completely
and I Held On for dear life!

SO... the second winter was brighter for my but just as hard. It wasn’t easier just brighter because my focus was up here (pointing to God). I saw the storm raging all around me and realized that I couldn't do anything but focus right there. I would step out of the boat even and as long as I kept my eyes up then I was able to walk and not drown in the deep. I would slip and drown sometimes just like everyone else and then I would remember "okay wait ... focus... alright there you go" and God would send a helping hand. through a friend , or a song, some reminder that he was there. He became my refuge. He surrounded me with amazing women from all ages and stages of life. They held me accountable, offered advice and encouragement, an ear or sometimes just a shoulder to cry on.I fell madly in love with my Jesus... I dove into Him. I placed God's promises all over... on my mirror... because I tend to spend a lot of time there... and on my computer at work with little post-its. A couple of them still ride with me today. One of them was 2 Corinthians 4:16 ... I'm going to open up the scripture because I really want to give you exactly what God has here....

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NIV (New International Version)

16Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

So we fix our eyes on Him. All of this stuff it will pass but He is eternal. And the "day by day" ... wow... that really stood out to me because that meant it wasn't going to happen all at once or right now. It means moment by moment, piece by piece... he is renewing and rebuilding... "day by day". That give me a lot of hope.

The other one was 2 Galatians 6:9

Galatians 6:9 (New International Version)
9Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

So if I just hold on it will all work it's self out. I can rest in Him.

Well Ladies.... I'm here to tell you ... Believe God's promises. He never changes them nor does he move from them. We do.

This last December my husband went to rehab for 23 days and I joined him for the last 3. God is good all the time and All the time my God is Good. I find my self singing that praise regardless the circumstance.

He Renewed... bringing new life to both of us
He Restored... what appeared to be demolished and without any hope of rebuilding
And His amazing Grace.... It is COMPLETE Redemption.

We'd been home for a month and I came across Galatians 6:9 again and I cried with the deepest joy and thankfulness.

The Lord reminded me... "Jeanette, there is New Life all around you.... you just need to be patient for winter to pass."

Everyone's seasons are a little different. They don't look the same, they are a little different in types and we don't always go through them at the same time... that's why we feel so alone in it but we can all share in the Hope that rises from the cold hard surface. I now read Psalms 23 in a whole new way. You read through out it how He is there all the time ... alongside us, leading the way, preparing things and then there is the part about the valley and how I have to GO THROUGH IT before I can LEARN how to fear no evil.

Longsuffering does not fall upon deaf ears nor does it go unnoticed or without purpose. See... those ladies I told you about that God used to help me... well I recently learned he was using me to help them. People are watching and each time we learn how to handle it a little differently and better I hope.

It helps us to truly treasure...
To treasure the Vibrancy of the Tulips... which is His reminder of HOPE... they are the first to burst with their bold colors after the winter.
To enjoy the sweet song of New Life
And to embrace the puddles of life.

God has taught me how to put my galoshes on again and live life with a SPLASH! I hope that you will too!
Have a good night and thank you.
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Well that is what God gave me to share and I pray that if you are reading this you are blessed and will live your life with a splash too. Thank you for reading and I am blessed that you did.

7/24/08

Picture from Flickr: Rain Rain Sketch by icklebird