The Narrow Gate

The little boy reaches for the homemade gate blocking the stairs. He knows it's off limits. But the temptation is there.

"Maybe Grandma won't notice if I reach sideways and keep my eyes focused straight ahead," he thinks.

"Oops! Busted again. I guess she really meant it," thinks Braden, my sister's grandson, turning to leave the scene of the "crime." (I'm sure my granddaughter, Kinley, will have similar moments when she's a bit older!)

Our family has had three new babies in the past 18 months. This influx of little ones has been a reawakening into the world of babies and toddlers and how their little minds work. Remember playing peekaboo with a toddler? If they have their eyes covered, they think they're invisible.

But are we adults really so different? We know the differences between right and wrong. We can't blame a childlike mind. But we are sometimes like Braden, looking over our shoulder to see if anyone is watching as we "touch the gate."

The Bible has something to say about gates, too.

A gate at a Tennessee cemetery

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Matthew 7: 13-14, New International Version

Several years ago, Christian singer Sandi Patty recorded a song, Little Narrow Gate, based on the Matthew 7 passage.



It says in part:

There's a little narrow gate
At the top of a hill
And it beckons my heart to enter in
And follow where it will ...

With the wind at my back
The journey before me
I set my feet on the road that leads to life
And take the hand of the One
Who'll be my companion
For He will show me the place to begin.

The Holy Spirit can guide and direct our feet on this sometimes difficult and rocky path we call life. The Bible gives us a road map. Thanks be to God!

***

It's a constant battle to make good decisions when it comes to our diets, too. (Or it is for me!) This Spinach Salad with Squash recipe is full of flavor and nutrition. If you want to turn it into a main dish salad, simply add a grilled chicken breast, slices of grilled steak or a salmon filet. Yummy!

And here's a main dish, Southwest Beef & Bell Pepper Skillet, packed with peppers, beef and rice. Enjoy!

A Love Like No Other

As I lean in to kiss her, she smells scrumptious, a blend of baby shampoo and newborn baby.

The pattern of her breathing is interrupted on occasion by a little sigh or two. Her eyelashes quiver, and I wonder what she's dreaming. Though I know she's too young to truly smile, I see a glimmer of a grin dancing across her face. Her fingers seem impossibly tiny as they instinctively grasp my husband's mammoth hand.

We are in love. We are in awe. We are blessed beyond belief with this tiny miracle.

This is certainly not the first time I've held a baby. But my heart feels full to overflowing.

Everyone told me that being a grandparent was like no other experience. They were right. I contemplate why that is. As a young mom, was I just too tired to be so wrapped up in the moment? Did the hormones raging through my post-pregnancy body keep me from truly seeing the miracle?

I don't have the answer.

But the birth of our first grandchild, Kinley Marie, on December 30 has me thinking about unconditional love.

Is this how my Heavenly Father looks at me? The Bible says it is. But it's so hard to truly believe that in my heart. Shouldn't I have to earn that kind of love?

And I have so many flaws, Lord. I fail, day in and day out.

I didn't do this thing that I should have.
I did do that thing that I shouldn't have.
I'm not smart enough.
I'm not thin enough.
I'm not patient enough.
I'm not kind enough.
I'm not thankful enough.
I don't forgive quickly enough.
I'm not ... I'm not ... I'm not.

But you know what? God loves me anyway. And I'm probably offending Him mightily when I bring up all the flaws instead of celebrating the magnitude of His gifts in my life.

You have begun to live the new life, in which you are being made new and are becoming like the One who made you. This new life brings you the true knowledge of God.

Colossians 3:10

I'm a work in progress. Yes, God expects me to keep studying, keep praying, keep serving, keep being the hands and the feet.

But when I fail, He still sees me with eyes that are as loving as Abba/Father.

Or a Grandma.

I heard a song with new ears this week. It's Anthem Lights' Can't Get Over You.

It says, in part:

I love the way You love like no other
It's got nothing to do
With anything that I do.
Time and time again
You forgive me
So this time I choose
To stay here with You

Hold me, pull me just a little bit closer
I don't wanna lose this moment
Your love has covered me. ...

It's a good song to have stuck in my head this month. Love is much more than heart-shaped candies and chocolates. Like the song says, it's about love like this:

Here in the arms of my Father
Only grace can be found ...

And when in my humanness, I forget it, I'll think of that feeling of cradling a newborn baby.



Just in case you want it stuck in your head, too, here's the acoustic version of the song from Anthem Lights. The harmonies are delicious.

And, speaking of delicious, if you're looking to treat your family, a neighbor or a special friend during this Valentine's month, try this recipe for Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Or if chocolate is the key to your loved ones' hearts, try this Chockful of Chocolate cupcake.

Enjoy!

See

Lighthouses don't dot the landscape of central Kansas. My "skyscrapers" are windmills and grain elevators.

But for Thanksgiving, we visited our son, Brent, who is pursuing a master's degree at the University of South Carolina. Before we joined him for our shrimp and grits Thanksgiving meal in Columbia, we did some sightseeing in historic Savannah, Ga., and Charleston, S.C.

One of my favorite stops was Tybee Island, a few miles from Savannah, where we watched the sun rise over the Atlantic Ocean.

The day before, we had climbed the 178 stairs to the top of the Tybee Lighthouse. Ordered by General James Oglethorpe, Governor of the 13th Colony in 1732, the lighthouse has been guiding mariners' safe entrance into the Savannah River for more than 270 years. While it's been rebuilt a number of times, a lighthouse has been a constant on the landscape.

We hadn't specifically planned to go to Tybee Island, but when I saw the brochure about the lighthouse in our motel lobby, I asked to go.

There's a mystery to lighthouses. We envision the beacon of light leading boats to safety. We imagine the lighthouse keeper dutifully climbing the circular staircase to keep the light shining and protect sailors from crashing on rocky reefs.

In the light of day, you don't see the bulb and the glow until you reach the pinnacle of the lighthouse. But it's there, ready to shine when the day turns to night.

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for
and certain of what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

Soon after we returned home from our trip, I opened an email Advent devotional from Guideposts, which made me again think about the lighthouse:

Vision. That's what faith is all about - vision to see beyond the bleakness that surrounds us to the brightness of better days; vision to see the possibilities, and not just the problems, in people. Vision to believe ... and wait. If you are struggling with an "unanswered" prayer, take heart. See God bending toward you in love. Then believe that He is working on your behalf - because He is!

God is like that lighthouse. When we were at the top, we had 360-degree vision. The view stretched for as far as the eyes could see.

He's always there, shining his Light. He will open our eyes. Whether we are about to hit the rocky reefs or are sailing along on calm seas, He is there. We just need to look and truly see.

***
Vision in the Kitchen

You've heard that carrots are good for eyesight, right? So here's the food portion of Food for Thought this month. I eat plenty of carrots, but, unfortunately, they don't seem to be working on me. But it's a tasty dish anyway.

Roots at 500 is better than the photo looks, I promise. It's chockful of root vegetables - russet potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, beets and, yes, carrots. Enjoy!

Shine Through Me

Stafford (KS) First United Methodist Church

Our church sanctuary has a stained glass ceiling. If you walk into the dark sanctuary, you might notice it. But it's not until the lights are on that you truly see the beauty.

I think we're like that, too. I used to sing a song called "Shine Through Me." (It's old enough that I couldn't find it on youtube, so I could share it with you.) But it says, in part:

It's not enough to know it
We've got to somehow show it
Or love is like a candle in a tomb
Whose fainting heart will soon be gone
Without new breath to urge it on.
To be the ray of peace in place of gloom.

Shine through me, shine through me.
Lord, make my life
A stream of light
For everyone to see
A glowing, reaching, loving light
It's what I need to be
So take control, ignite my soul
Shine through me.

Great Bend (KS) First United Methodist Church

This Christmas season, we again celebrate the arrival of the Light of the World.

Jesus said:

I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

John 8: 12

Scott City United Methodist Church

How best do we celebrate the arrival of that Light into the world?

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5: 14-16

St. Teresa's Catholic Church, Hutchinson, KS

Sometimes the light wakes us up. It might even scare us. Think about those shepherds in the field, "keeping watch over their flocks by night." There they were, minding their own business, and a bright light and a multitude of angels show up. This was no ordinary moonlit night, and they were terrified.

Messiah Lutheran Church, Lindsborg, KS

But they overcame their fear, and they went to the manger. Then they spread the word.

So what's the Light of the World calling you to do? Just like the stained glass windows, we become what we are meant to become only when the Light shines through us.

In the midst of this hectic holiday season, when the to-do list is larger than the time to accomplish it, remember to SHINE. That's the best way to spread the good news that the Light has come to the world.

**

Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

Need a way for your cookie trays to shine this holiday season? Try Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Bars. Click here for the recipe.

Check out my last year's Vine Press December post about how to host a cookie exchange. There are lots more recipes for your holiday baking needs.

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Dancing Angels

The breeze through the open kitchen window made the angels dance and sing. And each random melody reminded me of the angels in my life - both past and present.

The angel windchimes are a fairly recent addition to my kitchen. When my grandparents' home was torn down in May, my Dad rescued them from their perch between the dining room and living room. I had given the windchimes to my Grandma for a long-ago birthday. I brought them home and hung them in my kitchen window. And while I certainly thought about Grandma as I worked in the kitchen, I soon became used to their presence. So often, we no longer truly see the everyday, familiar things around us.

But last month, with the windows flung open to celebrate fall after a summer of record-breaking, 100-degree-plus days, the wind chimes began to dance. I heard them all throughout the house. Even from my downstairs office, I could hear the music of the angels.

And I remembered.

I remembered all the people who have left this life, but who left a legacy of love for me and my family.

And I was thankful.

But as I listened to the angels sing, I was also reminded of the "angels" still in my life.

I love Josh Groban's song, Thankful.



It says, in part:

Some days we forget
To look around us
Some days we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for
What we know can be.
And on this day we hope for
What we still can't see.
It's up to us to be the change
And even though we all can still do more
There's so much to be thankful for.

This past month, there were plenty of people who were "the change" for me. They danced into my life and made a difference.

• My Mom made a crib dust ruffle for our granddaughter-to-be. My sewing skills aren't the best, and it was a blessing for her to do that for Jill and the baby.

• Mary, one of my Bible study friends, brought me an angel that my late mother-in-law made as a gift for her years ago. She asked that I give the angel to my daughter, knowing that the handmade treasure would mean more to our family. (Marie, my mother-in-law, passed away 15 years ago in October.)

• Vi, one of my Facebook friends, offered to sell me a toddler-sized K-State cheerleading outfit before putting it in her garage sale pile. Before I know it, our little granddaughter, who is due in January, will be cheering for our family's alma mater in a little outfit that has never even been worn.

Those three ladies were among many people who blessed me with love, care and special kindness throughout the month.

Read the words of the song once again:

Some days we forget
To look around us
Some days we can't see
The joy that surrounds us
So caught up inside ourselves
We take when we should give.

During this month of Thanksgiving, look around you. Stand awestruck at God's creation in every sunrise and sunset and all the moments in between. Truly see the little kindnesses that come your way through family, friends and even strangers.

And then give it back. Give it back to the person who made a difference for you. Or pass it further along with a random act of kindness to someone else.

Like the song says, "It's up to us to be the change." It's what God calls us to do in Colossians 3: 12-17:

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

**

It's Thanksgiving Month. So there has to be a food part to this Food for Thought!

Herbed Turkey Breast

Maybe you don't need a full-sized turkey for your Thanksgiving celebration. A turkey breast may be just right for a small family gathering. Actually, this Crockpot meal is good anytime of the year. Click here for the recipe.

**

Stovetop Ham Casserole

Stovetop Ham Casserole is the perfect way to use ham leftover from your holiday table. Click here for the recipe.

Happy Thanksgiving and God Bless You!

Who's Flying the Plane?

I'm a homebody. There. I said it.

So what's a homebody to do when the theme for the month is "EXPLORE?" Let's be honest here: I don't think I would have been the first to sign up for a berth on the Santa Maria. Ol' Chris Columbus would have pulled away from the dock without me when "in 1492 he sailed the ocean blue."

It's not that I don't enjoy seeing new places and experiencing new things. Once my husband drags me away from my well-oiled routine, I always enjoy the journey.

So what's the hitch? Maybe it's that I don't know what lies around that twist in the road.

It just might not fit into my to-do list. And we Type A personalities all know how satisfying it is to firmly draw a line through the next item on the list. (True confessions: Sometimes we write an item on the list after it's done just for the satisfaction of crossing it off! Come on now ... I know I'm not the only one!)

But here's the thing. No one can tell you exactly what's around the bend. Only one thing is sure: God is already there for you.

This summer, one of my forays outside my normal realm was a trip with my sister and brother to help our Chicago sister celebrate a milestone birthday. As we flew back home, I had a window seat on the airplane.

At times, the clouds obscured the scene below. I certainly couldn't "see" where we were going. And even if I could have picked out the landmarks, I don't have the skill or training to fly the plane.

I once saw a quote that said:

If God is your co-pilot, switch seats.

Hmm ... That's pretty powerful for someone who craves control.

When we go through the security line at an airport, we certainly don't intend to walk up the breezeway and into the pilot's seat - or even the co-pilot's seat. We leave the navigating to the experts. We settle into our seats. We make sure our seatbelts are fastened. We assure that our tray tables are in a locked and upright position. We good girls make sure we pay close attention to the safety message. Then we settle back in the seat and open our book until it's time to crack open the Diet Coke and pretzels.

Is there sometimes turbulence? Yes.

Does the plane sometimes have to make an unscheduled detour around stormy weather? Yes again.

Are there sometimes delays? Most assuredly.

But we trust the pilot to get us there, even if it's unfamiliar territory to us.

So maybe there's a lesson there. My Pilot longs to guide me on the journey He has planned for me. It's a matter of giving up control and letting Him lead me through the turbulence and rough patches of my life. He wants to lead me outside my comfort zone. He wants to challenge me. He wants to be No. 1 on my all-important list.

One of my Facebook friends periodically has a status report titled, "Message from God." Sometimes those posts seem like they are directed right at me. My friend, Keva, who blogs at Hope in Jesus on Lovely Branches' Ministries Vine Press might call it a "God Wink."

One of those Messages from God has stayed with me. It was on change:

On this day, God wants you to know that change is the very nature of life. Welcome it!

No glass ever became sand again.


No bread ever became wheat.

No ripened fruit ever became a flower.

Welcome change.
Let God choose what kind of glass you create,
what kind of bread you bake,
what kind of fruit you harvest.

Sounds like a good plan, doesn't it? Especially for we sisters who love our to-do lists. It's a reminder to turn the pen over to our life's Author and Pilot and let him fly the plane.

***

And since we're talking about twists and turns, I have the perfect recipe for you this month that will leave you fit to be tied.

As the weather gets cooler, making soft homemade pretzels is a great activity to do with your children or grandchildren. Just click here for the recipe. Enjoy!

The Lord Is My Shepherd: A Photo Essay

The 23rd Psalm is more about living than dying.

Though it's probably the most quoted Scripture at funerals, shouldn't this Psalm of David be our guidepost for how we live our lives daily? It's a psalm many of us learned as children. Has it become something we say by rote or is it something we can take to heart and live each and every day?

It's only around 118 words, depending upon the translation. For me, it paints a word picture of PEACE, our Lovely Branches theme this month. It's full of imagery that gives me comfort: The Lord will take care of me. He'll give me rest when I need it. He'll lead me along the paths I should take. He gives me everything I need for daily living. Even when I face hard times, He's there beside me. And best of all, this relationship isn't just temporary: It's forever.

Psalm 23 shows us a caring shepherd, secure sheep, and a tranquil scene of quiet meadows and still waters. But it is Jesus who gives us peace, not the green grass or the flowing stream or the abundant table.

I love seeing our Creator God all around me as I go throughout my day. He's in the sunrises and the sunsets. He's in the touch of a loved one's hand. He's in the phone call from a friend. He's in the cool breeze as I walk. He's in a table filled with food and a house that shelters me. He's in the big moments ... and in the small little blessings, too. I just need to keep my eyes - and my heart - open to Him.

As you look through the images, I hope you'll listen to the words and melody of Christian artist Laura Story's Perfect Peace (Just click on the underlined song title to listen. )

Wishing you the peace that you find only in the Good Shepherd.

Psalm 23: A Psalm of David

¹ The LORD is my shepherd;

I shall not want.


² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;


He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;


He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.


⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;


For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.


⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;


My cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

***

It may be a stretch to translate PEACE to PIECE.

But for the food part of Food for Thought this month, try a PIECE of homemade Banana Bread. (Click on the underlined title to go to the recipe.) It's a recipe from a cookbook compiled by the ladies of my childhood church, which just closed its doors in June.

Or make this easy Texas Sheet Cake. It makes a big cake, so you'll be able to share a PIECE with friends and family!

The recipe is similar to the chocolate sheet cake recipe everyone seems to have. It was one of the cakes we served this summer at a church baby shower.

My daughter made it for a very special announcement for our family this summer. Click here to read about the Best Cake EVER!