Take the time.

It only takes a few minutes to make a quick call, drop a short note or a send a brief text.

I’m talking about keeping in contact with those relatives with whom you never feel you have time to connect.

Thoughts meander through your brain like “I really should call my cousin” or “I should have the kids phone grandpa before they go to bed and tell them how their ballgames went.” or even “I should send Aunt Patty a Facebook message to tell her I love and miss her.” (Okay, I know not all women in their mid 40′s like me have an aunt nearing 70 who has a Facebook page, but I do.  As my kids say “Our Aunt Patty rocks!”)

Now, you may wonder why the sudden urge to encourage you to make the extra effort to connect. Well, just this past Saturday, two people very close to me lost loved ones and a third had a member of their extended family get a horrible diagnosis of wide-spread cancer poising to kill him very soon.

In two of these cases, it came out of the clear blue. Seemingly healthy individuals who were fine one minute and then either gone or in a hospital dying the next.

We never know when it may happen to someone we love. Someone we’ve been thinking about, but not taking action to contact and voice our love.

So today, take the time.

In fact, stop reading blogs or cruising the Net or going on Facebook or watching TV. Spend that time today instead writing notes, making calls or sending an email or message to your own  ‘rocking relatives’.

It doesn’t have to be long.

After all “I love and miss you” is only 5 words.

Do it now before it is too late.

I know I’m grabbing me some note cards and a pen and heading out to the back deck for a while.

Will you join me?

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Congrats to Kirsten; Timestamp June 27 at 5:41 p.m. You are the winner of the summertime basket-in-a box giveaway. Send your home address to karen@proverbs31.org so I can ship you your summer stuff

Taking-time Blessings,

Hi all!

Let’s have ourselves an ol’-fashioned, watermelon seed-spittin’, swinging from a tire swing down at the swimming hole party.

Time for a cool summer giveaway.

Simply leave a comment today and you’ll be in the pool (pun intended) for the drawing for this basket-in-a-box summer giveaway. It includes:

*A copy of a fantabulous summer beach read,  The Mailbox by Marybeth Whalen. (Click here to read about it)

*A cute, summery, flip-flop kitchen towel

*Some Jelly Belly tropical jelly beans

*A watermelon sticky note pad with matching pen

*A box of TAZO tea for brewing some of the season’s famous beverage

* A Colonial at Home jar candle in Sea Glass (just smells like the fresh air at the beach!)

*And a box of Fralingers salt water taffy, “with sea air and sunshine sealed in every box!”

Okay gals…..here is the dealio. I am needed greatly the next few days by both my family and my ministry, so y’all will have to party without me. I’ll be back on Tuesday to announce the winner. In the mean time, here’s what I want you to do:

Leave a comment here on your favorite summertime memory.

Then, hop on often between now and Monday at midnight Pacific time. Check out the other comments. See if anyone else’s comment makes you think of another memory or provokes another comment from you. Each time you comment, your name will be entered into the drawing. No limit. (But don’t go getting too crazy and leaving like 100 or anything!)

Have a fun party!

I’ll be splitting my time these next few days between cheering for our boys at the ball fields in two different towns, and at some nearby coffee shoppes (with my laptop in tow) as I prepare my talks for our Proverbs 31 She Speaks Conference next month.

But before I exit, let me leave one of my favorite summertime memories. Going swimming at the Portland Country Club pool as a 10-year-old, buying a mounds bar at the gift shop, slathering my legs with Coppertone cocoa butter (I still love ANYTHING that smells or tastes like coconut) and then after a few hours, heading into the clubhouse to have a sandwich with my dad after he was done playing 18 holes.

Your turn….what memories of summer do you have? You could win big!

Summertime Blessings,

Hey Weight Loss Wednesday gang.

Hope your week went well in the eating and exercising areas. Please leave a comment today letting us know how you are doing and what we can pray for.

I myself have had a great two weeks and let me tell you why.

Accountability.

While I love our little cyber group, for me it also takes someone with whom I can go one-on-one. When I originally lost 100 pounds, it was the gal behind the Weight Watchers counter. Then for a while it was my Weigh and Pray group at church where I had to weigh-in in front of someone .

Since our group at church stops for the summer, I was left with no one to weigh in with.

Then, two weeks ago, my dear friend Mary and I came up with an idea. It might seem strange, but it is working for us.

Each week we take a picture with our cell phones of our scales while we are standing on them. Then we send the picture to each other.

Now, this was a bit scary for me. I don’t like ANYONE knowing what I weigh. Why, I even ask the doctor to look away when I weigh in at his office! So you must find a tight-lipped, trusting and non-judgmental friend, who will both encourage and inspire you.

It really works.

Seriously!

I’ve lost 8.8 pounds in two weeks!

Grab a friend and try it!

Now, check in here and let us know how you are doing. Do you do anything beyond our cyber group for accountability? If so, what?

And don’t forget to hop back over tomorrow for our big summertime give-away!! It is a basket-in-a-box of summertime treats!

Blessings,

Sorry this is just being posted at noontime. The Midwestern storms knocked out our power and Internet access all morning!

Hi all–

I had a wonderful 24th anniversary with my hubby yesterday that consisted of cruising around in a borrowed Jeep convertible, (I wondered what he was up to when he told me to “dress pretty and wear a ball cap and jacket”….), having brunch in a quaint park and perusing boutiques and shoppes and other non-kid or sporting goods stores.

It was a fun and relaxing morning.

Then, the clock struck noon.

Back to reality.

We then took off for an end-of-the year party for Mitch’s Varsity baseball team.

Now, I am spending today working on preparations for our Proverbs 31 She Speaks conference before heading to the ball fields tonight.

I’ll be back Wednesday with our regular Weight Loss Wednesday feature.

Then, you won’t want to miss Thursday! In honor of the kick-off of summer this week (the same day as our anniversary:-) I am giving away a boatload of summer items–to read, to use, to eat, to enjoy!

Bookmark this site and head back over then. Or, sign up to get new blog posts sent to your inbox by using the little “subscribe” bar and button over to the right.

In the mean time, I thought I’d try my hand at one of those “Simple Daybook” features I see on so many of my friends’ blogs. Here we go….

Outside my window….is my front porch with cascading, hanging baskets in shades of pink, purple, orange and white; two comfy chairs with a tea table between them, sporting a blue glass bee catcher, and some burgundy day lilies just about to bloom.

I am thinking…about all I have to do in my home office today before heading to Spencer’s ball game tonight!

I am thankful for…a patient, forgiving, so-opposite-of-me husband who keeps me grounded when I want to fly away.

I am praying for… my dad, who just found out he has skin cancer and for a major decision Todd and I are facing this summer.

I am wearing…black exercise capris and a “mom-to-the-third-power” t-shirt I got at Hearts at Home (I swapped a book for it with a vendor who had a table across from mine.)

I am creating….a syllabus for the Speech/Creative Writing class I am teaching to junior/senior highers at CHESS next year.

I am going…to try to get groceries tonight after the game.

I am reading…just my Bible this summer (along with my Beth Moore “Esther” study) and a few manuscripts for people who want me to endorse their books.

I am hoping…I lost weight this week,

I am hearing…the sound of my keyboard and clinking dishes from Spencer who is trying to scrounge up some leftovers lunch while I work.

I am remembering…how five years ago I said I’d never have a website. Thanks to my friend Marybeth who talked me into it (she is the one I stole this daybook idea from!)

From the learning rooms…finishing up some math for the year with the boys two days a week. YUCK! And Todd is doing a one-on-one study with each boy on the life of Joseph.

From the kitchen…making peanut butter banana bread this afternoon and trying not to eat it.

Around the house…there is a lot of dust!

On my mind…my daughter in Charlotte. I miss her and having her gang hang around in the summer having bonfires and making s’mores.

Noticing that…this is taking longer than I thought it would!!!!!

One of my favorite things…the sound of a batting cracking a baseball on a line drive.

Here is a picture I am sharing…of just that! Mitch at his tourney last weekend:

See you later this week everyone. Go enjoy YOUR favorite things!

Monday Morning Update: Hi all! No time for a post this morning. It is our 24th anniversary and then we are headed to Detroit for Mitch’s end-end-of-the-year Varsity Baseball party. We leave for the party after lunch so Todd and I will celebrate in the morning. I have no idea what he is up to. All I know is he told me to dress pretty and wear a baseball cap. Hmmmmmm.

Anyhow, I’ll be back tomorrow. In the mean time PLEASE read this post by our friend Scott Becker and comment if you would. It will touch your heart. Oh….and I do have time to announce the winner of Hero by Derwin Gray. It is:

Sarah Read; Timestamp June 17, 11:07 am.

Email me at karen@proverbs31.org with your home address!

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In honor of Father’s Day, I have asked our friend and former Pastor Scott Becker to allow me to post a letter he wrote recently to his daughter Brooke.

Before I tell you about Brooke, let me tell you about her family.

Scott and Becky Becker are high school sweethearts who married and had five beautiful children.

Becky was a standout athlete who still holds some track records at Fowler High School here in Michigan. (She’ll hate that I just told you that. She never likes to be the center of attention. And yes, that Fowler is the same little town I talked about here when Hope TerKeurst came for a visit. Then she and our daughter Kenna talked about it here too. Crazy girls!)

Scott is a top-notch accountant and a former pastor who has a way with words. Seriously. I am bugging him even now to start a blog, write a book…something! In the mean time, he has agreed to let me print some of his words here for you to ponder.

Scott and Becky’s fifth child Brooke was born prematurely on Feb 19.  She weighed 1 pound 8 ounces.

However, Brook was not born too early to have her place in God’s plan; a plan to draw many people closer to Him as they saw the way her parents, siblings and loved ones handled her birth.

And her death.

Sweet Brooke left earth to live with Jesus forever on March 28th. Here is a letter Scott wrote to her after she left.

Brooke,
There are so many things I wanted to share with you but time would not allow.

First and foremost I wanted to share my love. I wanted you to know how precious you are; created in the image of God.

I wanted to hold you and tickle you and teach you about Jesus. I wanted to hear your voice and I wanted to hear you giggle.

I wanted to celebrate your first birthday and many more besides. I wanted to see you interact with your siblings; I wanted to see you rocked by your mother. I wanted to push you in the swing and take you for walks with your little hand in mine. I wanted to rest with you sleeping on my chest.

I wanted to take you to the cottage or the beach and watch you splash in the water or play in the sand. I wanted to see your expression the first time you ate ice cream. I wanted to see you ride a bike. I wanted to pick you up when you fell down.

I wanted to hear you say “mommy” and “daddy”. I wanted to watch you play with dolls. I wanted to see you in your cute little dresses. I wanted to see you play in the snow and sled down the hills.

I wanted to pray with you with your little hand in mine. I wanted to see you drive (sort of), and grow in independence. I wanted to see you grow in humility, and truly learn to be dependent.

I wanted to help you with your math, (after you squirmed for a while). I wanted to watch you play sports or play an instrument. I wanted to listen to music with you and have talks with you. I wanted to take you hunting and fishing and spend time outdoors with you. I wanted to see your expression at Christmas.

I wanted to see how you would handle adversity, and more importantly, how you would handle success.

I wanted to walk you down the aisle with your “little” hand in mind.

The most important thing I wanted was for you to bring glory to God.

Although your time was short, you gave me what I wanted most. Your little feet left large footprints.

Your courageous fight united many people. You reminded us of the power of prayer and the importance of faith. You also reminded us that all life is worth fighting for. You brought out the best in people.

You reminded me that this earth is not my home and that I am just a steward, even of “my” children.

You reminded me that love never fails.

Never.

With your little hand in mine you helped me to embrace the cross like never before. Thank you for sharing your love with me.

I love you.

Daddy

P.S. It is comforting to know that your little hands are now in the hands of Jesus’

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Parents, treasure EACH MOMENT with your children.

Even the seemingly mundane times like when they are licking an ice cream cone (and it is melting on the upholstery of your nice new car); or when they want a snippet of your time…..to push them “higher” in the swing, or to watch them ride their bike (for the 17th time that day) or when a teen simply needs you to “hang out” with them or teach them to drive that car.

You know, those times when your brain can invent a dozen other things you think you should be doing.

Or even that you’d rather be doing.

Thank you Scott for reminding us that there is magical quality to those seemingly mundane moments.

Because it means our kids are with us.

And thank you precious little Brooke for the powerful big lessons you taught this momma this year.

I can hardly wait to thank you in person someday.

Sweet Blessings,

I want to give a shout out to the winner of Embraced by the Father & a $10 Starbucks card: Deborah; Timestamp June 16 at 1:19 pm. Send your home address to me at karen@proverbs31.org.

Also….please stop back tomorrow when we’ll feature another Father’s Day guest you WON’T want to miss…

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Oh girlfriends….I am so excited about today’s special guest. And just in time for Father’s Day!

I met Pastor Derwin Gray last August when we moved our 18 year-old daughter Kenzie to Charlotte, NC to attend cosmetology school. We stayed with our friends the Swope’s for the weekend and attended worship with them on Sunday morning. It was then that we heard Pastor Derwin preach.

Our boys, who like many pre-teen and teen boys have a hard time paying attention to a Sunday morning sermon, were riveted on Pastor Derwin’s words as he spoke. A gifted communicator, Pastor Derwin is also known as the evangelism linebacker as he is a former NFL player. (Okay…perhaps that had something to do with their paying attention too! )

Derwin Gray is a man of great passion. For six seasons in the NFL he played with a contagious passion that led to two Pro Bowl nominations. For the last nine years, he has communicated the Gospel of Grace around America and abroad with an intense passion that is both contagious and inspiring. He is a 2004 graduate of the Billy Graham Institute of Emerging Evangelists and a graduate (with honors) of Southern Evangelical Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he is being mentored by world-renowned theologian, philosopher, and apologist Norman L. Geisler. He currently is the pastor of Transformation Church in Charlotte. It’s his life mission to join God in restoring people to their original purpose through the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to create a multi-ethnic, multi-generational, mission-shaped community…a community of people who live out the Gospel by making their community a better place because of Christ in them.

I’ve asked Pastor Derwin to visit with us a bit today about his recent book entitled Hero. We got our boys signed copies of it last summer and I, as a mom, read it on our way home from dropping Kenz off. I loved it so much, I decided right then to make it part of Father’s Day week on my blog. And Pastor Derwin has offered to send a signed copy to one of you to give to a special man in your life!

Now for the interview:

*Pastor Derwin, tell us a little about what life is like at the Gray house this summer.

Summertime with the Gray’s is always an adventure.  This is code for our kids are looking at my precious bride and I singing, “Schoooools out for the summa.  . . so entertain us!”  We are like most families with a fourteen year-old daughter (Presley) and a nine year-old son (Jeremiah); my wife and I develop a strategy to defeat them!  All kidding aside, we will take a trip to Texas to see my family and a trip to Montana to see Vicki’s family.  My daughter Presley and I will go to Camp Caswell near Wilmington, where I will be one of the preachers for a week.  While at Caswell, Presley and I will stuff our faces silly with shrimp in-between preaching sessions.

*What first prompted you to write your book Hero?

I was compelled to write Hero when I was asked “What do you want people to say about you at your funeral?”  I thought to myself, “I want people to say that Derwin was a hero to his wife and kids.”  So that’s how Hero was birthed.  I thought to myself, “What if God could use me to write a book that would inspire men to live a heroic life?”  What’s been cool is that my wife writes her thoughts, prayers, and reflections throughout the book.  It was very much like we wrote Hero together.  I am finding that women are enjoying reading Hero as well.

*The subtitle of your book reads “Unleashing God’s Power in a Man’s Heart”. What transformation can take place in a man if this truly happens?

God’s passion is for us to love Him with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.  The way I say this in the book is “Upward, Inward, Outward”.  This is the end goal of God’s transformative work in humanity.  My passion is to see men and women live an Upward, Inward, Outward life.  This is heroic.  And this is what Jesus wants to empower us to do.

*What do you feel is missing in today’s fathers?

Many fathers have not been fathered.  Some of us fathers have surrendered our divine birthright to be heroes at the altar of the American Dream—which has often turned into materialism.   Having things is not bad.  But it’s very bad when things have us!  Many fathers suffer from father-wounds that have emotionally crippled us.  And Jesus, the Great One, wants to heal our broken limbs so we can truly run the race of life.  Sadly, we and our broken limbs often limp away from the One who can transform us to run the race of life faster than we ever thought possible. My prayer is that the Spirit of God would use Hero to let men know that it’s okay to admit our weaknesses, pain, and insecurities.  And to let men know that our Papa in heaven welcomes us with a divine embrace of grace and not a closed fist of judgment.  And it is God’s grace that transforms us to be heroes.

*Most people reading this blog are women. If they are married and have children, what advice can you give them to help their husbands be heroes in the eyes of their kids?

The greatest and most effective way to assist your husband or son to live a heroic life, is to allow God to transform you into a hero!  Be the transformation you want to see in him!

Thanks, Pastor Derwin, for stopping by today!

Okay gals….now here is the chance for you to have Derwin send a copy of the book to you for a special man in your life. Simply leave a comment on this post (you have until midnight Pacific Time on Father’s Day). Tell us about a man in your life–your father, husband, brother, Uncle, Pastor, or anyone else you consider a hero. Tell us why. What is at least one characteristic you admire about him?

I’ll go first.

Now, you all know I love to gush about my hubby. However, today I want to honor my father.

He is a man who personifies transformation.

Once a person controlled by a bottle which ultimately cost him his family, he has not touched a lick of alcohol in nearly 30 years. And, most importantly, he turned his life back over to the God of his youth.

He is famous now for his grandfatherly life “lectures” as my kids call them, for hooting and hollering at my boys’ ballgames and mentoring younger men struggling with alcohol addiction. All of this from a nearly 80 year-old man with 8 by-passes on his heart (yes 8! Peformed over 13 years ago!), who still mows his own lawn, plays golf several times a week and spends lots of time on his knees for his kids and grandkids.

He is my Hero!!!

Now…your turn!

Hero-honoring Blessings,

Tuesday Update: Hey all! Wanted to be sure to direct you over to our Proverbs 31 President’s blog. Lysa TerKeurst has redesigned her blog and is launching it by having a week of fun giveaways. So….I have three giveaways this week, she has even more.  All of this means more chances for you to win! So, once you are done entering on my site, then hop over to her site by clicking here. Summer fun!

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I’m thrilled you’ve joined us, whether you’ve made your way here via today’s Proverbs 31 Encouragement for Today devotion or as a regular cyber sister. Today, we’ve got some thinkin’, searchin’ and chattin’ to do. However, if you haven’t read the devotion yet, you’ll need to so you can catch up with the rest of us. To do so, click here.

And please stop by often this week. We are having three, yes three, different giveaways, one especially for Father’s Day.

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I love the story of Laurel and her Bible. Not only  did her action that day enable her cancer to be caught early enough for treatment, but it also serves as an example to the rest of us of how we should conduct or spiritual and relational lives.

So often when we are embedded in a relationship challenge, (and let’s just be up front and honest gals, we ALL have them), we can only see our side of the story. We are quick to size up the situation, defending our position and justifying our actions.

And we spend oodles of time fretting over the actions of others; letting our hearts idle in “its not fair” mode and our emotions tumultuously churn as over and over again we replay the situation on our minds.

He did this.

She said that.

What they decided wasn’t fair or godly.

I am right. They are wrong.

You got it, God?

Has that ever been the case with you?

It has with me. Waaaaaay too many times.

As mentioned in the devotion, during those times I have tried to retrain my mind to meander down a different path. I’ve purposed to take the advice I often give to my own kids. It isn’t something handed down to me by my parents. I never read it in a book or heard it in a sermon. It is just a phrase I blurted out in the heat of frustration when dealing with yet another sibling squable in our home a few years back…..

“Mind your own sin”

Simple phrase.

Powerful results.

When will we realize that we cannot control others’ behavior? That we can’t change the outcome of a situation? That the only thing we can control is our tongue (and only with God’s assistance)? And the only things we can ever change are our attitudes, actions and reactions?

Romans 12: 17-19 says:

“Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody.If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”says the Lord.”

If it is possible…..

as far as it depends on you…….

live at peace with everyone.

It isn’t always possible, but we can make sure  that when we are stuck in a trying relationship, we weigh our motives; we check our actions; we temper our reactions; and we accept the outcome.

We can behave in a manner that makes Jesus proud.

If, we mind our own sin.

Committing verses, such as the ones mentioned above, to our memory can be much like Laurel’s Bible, pressed to our hearts. It will help us to feel for any festering lumps of sin and stop the spread of its awful disease.

I want to give a Bible to one of you this week to help you do just that.

It is an English Standard Version personal size reference Bible in Tru Tone Mahogany. (Not quite sure what that all means, but it is a pretty burgundy soft cover Bible) It isn’t over-sized. It is in single column format (which I love!). It retails for $29.99. (Don’t worry. I didn’t spend our grocery money on it. I got it on a fabulous sale!) Click here for the description.

To be entered in the random drawing, just leave a comment on today’s topic. Or share with us a Bible verse that helps you focus on right behavior or helps you in relationship challenges. Or, if time is tight, simply state “I’m in!”

You have until midnight Tuesday, Pacific Time. The winner will be announced Wednesday morning.

Have a wonderful, Bible-pressing, week!