Encouragement

Sep 2012

Following Jesus’ example in the hard times

Posted by Glynnis

Have you ever had a month or two that felt like just a few days … and blurry days at that? That’s what August and September have felt like to me. So while today I have a devotion running on Encouragement for Today, and I want to welcome visitors who are stopping in, I also want to share a bit of personal information with my regular readers … those who faithfully read my blog, post loving comments and pray for me.

Don’t think I’ve forgotten about the special giveaway of my friend Tracie’s book. And boy-howdy is it a perfect match for my life right now. Make sure you read how to enter to win at the end of this post.

I’ve had a lot going on these past two months, but I haven’t been able to share much of it. First because I had scheduled a back-to-school series and needed to honor that commitment. Then because I’ve been overwhelmed with family needs. Actually August started off great. I’d been planning a special mother-daughter trip to Scotland for over a year to take my mom to the Edinburgh Tattoo. We are Sinclairs, and there’s just something about the sound of bagpipes when you’ve got Scottish blood in you!

Me and Mom at Edinburgh Castle

Although we had a great time together, we came home to some very sad news. My oldest sister, Helen Ann Ferrel, was having some undiagnosed neurological symptoms. In July she had a small lung cancer removed, and we knew it had spread to her lymph nodes. We kept our trip plans because she was doing well and recovering nicely from surgery. She was to start chemo in

Glynnis, Helen Ann, Mom & sister Paula, July 2012

September, but what none of us knew, including the doctors until just a few days before her death, was that her cancer was aggressive. And what had initially seemed like unrelated symptoms was in fact cancer.

We all dropped everything to be at her side and on August 31st my beautiful big sister passed away. The funeral was the next week, and for the past few weeks it feels like I couldn’t get traction under my feet. If you’ve ever gone through grief you know what I mean.

My sister leaves a huge hole in our family. She was an amazing wife, mother and grandmother – totally devoted to her family above all. She inspired me to set aside the dishes and play with my children, and to always remember that relationships are more important than projects.

In the midst of dealing with this loss, I’ve had the normal pressures of life, and of course a month of work that got set aside for family. So, how does all this fit in with my devotion today? I’m not sure it does. Excepting that I’m convinced of one thing: we need each other to show the love of Jesus, every day, especially in the hard times.

I’ve met some people these past few months who have held tight to Jesus’ teaching. Here are just a few examples:

The friend who showed up at the hospital with a platter of sandwiches, a case of water, and some gel heel pads for my mother (who was having heel pain).
The pastor and his wife who opened their home to us, gave us the keys to the front door, and left the keys to the car in case we needed it.
Church members who brought tray after tray of food to feed the family members who poured in from all over.
My friends at P31 who told me to drop everything and they would pick up the slack.

And the list could go on. We need each other to follow Jesus’ example … to step into each other’s pain, to reach out and touch with kindness, and sometimes to just show up and grieve alongside us. We live in a world that’s filled with heartache, and fear, and loneliness and grief. There’s only One who can make a difference, and I’m so thankful for brothers and sisters who choose to learn from Jesus and follow His teaching.

Now, there’s one more thing I want to do. And that’s to share a book that can make a difference in your stressful times. In fact, my friend Tracie Miles is one who has learned from Jesus, and models His love consistently. Today I am celebrating the release of her newest book, “Stressed-Less Living: Finding God’s Peace In Your Chaotic World” by giving away a copy.

To enter, please post a comment related to the topic of my devotion or how someone was Jesus to you in a hard time, or really anything. Just leave a comment on my blog before Sunday at 8 p.m. EST (please don’t hit reply if you are reading this in an email, as it won’t enter you in the contest) and I’ll select a winner and announce it on Monday.

If you don’t win Tracie’s book on my blog, I hope you’ll consider buying it. And you might want to do so next week. Between October 2nd and October 7th Tracie is doing a special promotion, where anyone who buys her book during that week will receive 7 free gifts. You can read more on her book website : www.stressedlessliving.com.

Thanks so much for joining me today, and for sharing in a bit of my life.

Love,

Glynnis

260 Comments | Filed Under: Encouragement

Sep 2012

Reward effort before the test – Day 10 Back to School

Posted by Glynnis

Welcome to Day 10 in my Back-to-School series. I hope you’ve enjoyed a little bit of encouragement, some commiseration, and hopefully a smile or two. I’m delighted to wrap up this series with another post from Karen Ehman. When she told me her idea for this post I was delighted. You see, Karen has a heart for the child who tries his hardest and gets a C. Or the child whose appearance or figure isn’t quite compatible with whatever is “in” at her school. And I think it’s God’s heart too.

There is so much judging that goes on in schools (and everywhere really). It reminds me of a line from one of my favorite movies, A Knight’s Tale, when the bad guy says: “You have been weighed, you have been measured, and you have been found wanting. In what world could you possibly beat me?”

Our children face this kind of comparison every day. And little by little, they convince themselves that they don’t have what it takes. And they end up as grown women and men believing the same lie. It must grieve God’s heart to see His creation accept Satan’s stamp of “disqualified.”

So what can we do as moms? LOTS as it turns out. I hope you enjoy this refreshing approach to encouraging our children from Karen Ehman

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If you think back for a moment to your own school days, you’ll remember incidents when you were judged on your academic performance. Or maybe there were times you felt nervous about being socially rejected.

Every time a homework assignment was given back to you with a letter grade written across the top.
Each pop quiz or chapter test where you found out what percent of the answers you’d gotten right.
Every paper that was turned in and then dotted, circled and slashed in red and returned to you to fix.
On the play ground when kickball teams were chosen.
In the lunchroom when you hoped you wouldn’t be left holding your tray, looking for a play to sit.

School situations are often a set up for feelings of inadequacy and rejection. How can we as moms try to combat this and make our children feel loved, accepted and successful? Try these ideas:

~ Don’t just reward high grades, also reward diligence. If your child studies faithfully Monday through Thursday for her spelling test, take her out Thursday evening for ice cream or another special treat BEFORE the Friday morning test. Tell her how proud you are of her hard work and stick-to-it attitude. Reward the work not just the final grade.

~ Occasionally slip an encouraging note in your child’s lunch. Or for fun, use a ballpoint pen to write a message on their banana or orange.

~ Send a text message to your child right before their big test in one of their classes. Tell them that you are praying for them and that, no matter the grade, they are an A + in your book! (Of course, if your child isn’t supposed to have a phone in class, try writing a note to open before the test)

~ Make a point to verbally identify the unique qualities you see in your children. Are they always careful to include others? Do they continually see the bright side of things? Do they help around the house without being asked? You may notice these qualities but how often do you stop to relay appreciation to your child? A little verbal praise for their character goes a long way.

~ Be interested in their extra curricular activities and sports (even if they aren’t something that naturally captures your interest). You may not love football but you love your child. True love is a parent who purchases “Volleyball for Dummies” or does an Internet search on an extra-curricular activity their child loves. Showing an interest in their likes shows them you love them.

~Help your child make friends. Offer to have a new friend over for supper or to drive a group of friends to the movies or putt-putt golf course. Make a special snack and let your son or daughter have a few friends over for a movie night. Help foster friendships for your kids by creating a fun and inviting place for them to hang out.

With a little effort and creativity, you can make your home and your family a place where your child knows they are loved and wanted regardless of academic performance or social popularity.

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Oh my, this inspires me to look for opportunities to affirm my children’s effort and good choices, irregardless of the outcome. Thank you, Karen!

This weekend Karen is giving away a signed copy of her book, A Life That Says Welcome & $10 Target card to purchase something special for kids (or yourself). To enter, please leave a comment on any back-to-school topic. Or even a prayer request. I’ll be reading them throughout the weekend and will stop and pray for each one I read. I’ll announce the winner on Monday.

While you’re at it, please stop over at Karen’s blog and say hello! She’s busy working on the launch of her newest book called Let. It. Go. How to Stop Running the Show and Start Walking in Faith. It’s not out until November, but I need it now!

In His love,

Glynnis

178 Comments | Filed Under: Back to School, Encouragement, motherhood

Aug 2012

Week 8 – Some perspective might be needed

Posted by Glynnis

Hi friends,

Today ends week 8 in Melissa’s online study. And after reading her blog in preparation for this post, I decided to take a different approach. Rather than giving you an assignment to do something in your home, I want to invite you to do some heart work.

I haven’t had a chance to speak personally with Melissa (although I will) but it sounds like it’s been a hard week for her. Maybe some of you are feeling that way too. And truthfully, it’s been a hard week for me too.

After an amazing time at She Speaks two weeks ago, I came home for a few days then headed out of town to be with my older sister after lung cancer surgery. Sadly, she had just received the devastating news that cancer was found in her lymph nodes. In the next month my sister will be facing an aggressive combination of chemotherapy and radiation that she is dreading.

It’s amazing how unimportant “things” get in that moment.

As I got ready to leave, my sister expressed her gratefulness that I came to visit in spite of how “busy” I was. Being a mom of five, my life is full. But I told her with all sincerity that she had moved to the top of my priority list.

Sometimes we need to get perspective. Yes, keeping our homes in order is important. But it can never be more important than people. And sometimes we need to reorder our priorities based on perspective.

Let me share how this works in my life. Seven years ago my niece Christa was killed in a car accident. It devastated our family. Once my grief subsided, perspective took it’s place. When one of our kids messes up (and my kids aren’t perfect!), we administer consequences, but we go next to perspective: They are still breathing! There is hope.

I get through hard times by keeping perspective. And I use past hard times to remind me of what’s important in this moment, and that guides my decision-making.

I hope you do find some tips from my book that help you be more productive, and have a more organized home and office.

But more than that, I hope you always keep perspective about what’s really important.

So, if you are feeling overwhelmed by demands, and are close to giving up – then take a break. Spend some time with someone you love. Call someone just because. Write a letter to your grandmother. Send your niece or nephew a box of goodies. Take your mom to lunch.

Remind yourself of what’s really important in this life … and it’s not things.

And speaking of that, I’m going to be taking a blogging break for a few weeks (except for next Friday and my last message as part of Melissa’s series) while I take my mother on a trip of a lifetime. She is a Sinclair by birth, and today we are heading to Scotland – just the two of us. I wanted to take her to the Edinburgh Tattoo, so we’ll be there next Tuesday night. I can’t wait!

Thank you so much for joining me today.

With deep love and gratefulness,

Glynnis

33 Comments | Filed Under: Encouragement

May 2012

Do you ever feel like running away?

Posted by Glynnis

Years ago, when my first three children were small, I found a book in a Christian bookstore. The title perfectly depicted how I felt at that time. So I bought it, carried it home, and hid it (still wrapped in the store bag) in my bedside table.

The title was: Sometimes I Feel Like Running Away From Home.

I was embarrassed for my husband to see it. My oldest was just learning to read and I didn’t want him to see it either. What would they think? How could I explain that I didn’t really want to leave, but every once in awhile I wanted to not be touched, pulled at or asked a question. I loved my family, but I felt like I was losing me. And then the guilt set in.

How could a woman who experienced three years of infertility and now had three healthy children ever want to be away from them? Wasn’t I supposed to be enjoying every peanut-butter kiss and jelly-smeared hug? What was wrong with me?

I don’t remember ever reading the book. I think I just kept it hidden. But I do remember the feelings.

Inadequacy
Overwhelmed
Exhausted

And when those three emotions combine, you are nearing a danger point. While I never seriously considered running away, my soul needed refreshment. In the midst of being a full-time caregiver, I needed to be reminded that I was important. That my opinions were valuable. And that it was okay to incorporate my love of roses, afternoon tea and Wedgewood china into my life then, not set aside for some unknown date.

I remember the day things changed for me. It wasn’t a super-spiritual moment. It was a Target moment, standing in the shoe department looking at the most adorable girly tennis shoes. As the mother of three boys my life was consumed with masculine things. So for a brief moment, I dismissed the shoes, thinking they were too girly. I took two steps and froze. A thought crossed my mind: Wait. I’m a girl.

That day I bought the cute tennis shoes, and determined to start incorporating the things I loved into my life. I could only do it in little ways, but those little things sustained me on some of the hard days. A pretty coffee mug, fresh cut flowers on the table, a ruffled blouse. In the midst of the chaos, I created little vignettes of beauty, little moments of peace. Yes there was still Barney on the VCR and Hot Wheels in the hall. But those touches of me really helped.

Of course the answer to feeling overwhelmed and inadequate as a mom isn’t as simple as buying a cute coffee mug. Nothing can take the place of the peace the only Christ can bring. But identifying that my needs had value was a start. Once I admitted it to myself, I was able to let my needs be known to my husband, who was very supportive. I was able to be honest in prayer too, and God ministered to my spirit.

By the way, I still have the book. I found it before writing this post and smiled. It’s a reminder that time does pass, and perspective really helps. All moms need a break to get perspective. We need to rediscover us so that we can continue to give to others. After all, if there’s nothing left inside, what can we give?

I hope this post encourages you to treat yourself this Mother’s Day. You are valuable and important. You are worth a treat. You’ve got a big job and you need to be refreshed!

Speaking of being treated, we selected four commenters from the past two days at random to win copies of “Always There” featuring a devotion by Renee Swope, a Mining for God Character Calendar and a CD of a mom’s message by Renee. The winners are: Stephanie C posting May 8 at 3:09 am; Ron posting a May 8 at 5:05 am; Laura D. posting May 8 at 9:29 pm and Michelle May posting at 9 at 11:23 am. We will be sending you an email so please watch for it.

Thanks to everyone who commented. And if you’d like to leave a comment today, please remember to click here to be taken to my blog.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Love,

Glynnis

42 Comments | Filed Under: Encouragement, motherhood

Mar 2012

I choose my reward!

Posted by Glynnis

For a few months I was on a losing streak. Weight loss losing streak, that is.

I’m not really bragging since I haven’t even lost what I added LAST YEAR! Nevertheless, the scale was showing lower numbers consistently. And then I hit a milestone number – the top number in my healthy weight range. And I celebrated!

With layered buttered popcorn at the movies the next day.
With an incredible Italian sub loaded with meat and cheese and oily goodness after the movies.
With a Mexican food dinner out later that week.
And a few more treats that would be embarrassing to admit (as if this isn’t already embarrassing).

The next week the scale played a trick on me. It forgot that it was supposed to be going down and it got confused and started going up. It seriously had a problem because it went up about 5 pounds.

Really? How is this possible with just a “few” celebrations!?!?

So now I’m getting honest about what it’s going to take. And I’m reminding myself that it takes hundreds of correct little decisions to meet big goals. And in every decision I’m actually making a choice between two rewards: I either choose the immediate reward or the delayed reward. And they ARE NOT the same.

If I eat this cupcake (which seems so little and hardly worth the worry) that is my reward.

If I bypass the cupcake, I’m choosing the reward of a thinner, healthier body.

This is actually a principle Jesus taught in Matthew 6. Jesus was actually teaching about hypocrites who do their acts of service in public in order to receive man’s approval. Jesus said this in verse 2, “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.”

Their reward was man’s approval. My reward, when I choose a cupcake, or buttered movie theater popcorn or an extra slice of pizza, is the momentary pleasure it brings.

But that’s not the reward I want. And I deceive myself to pretend I’m not making a choice between rewards. Oh how I try to deceive myself with some impressive mental gymnastics that I’m not actually making a choice in the heat of the moment. I minimize the damage of little decisions. All. The. Time.

However, today is a new day. Isn’t that good news?

I’m faced with more opportunities to choose my rewards. And that’s a refreshing way to try again. It’s still hard to pass by those delicious cupcakes my daughter made on Saturday, but I’m visualizing the other reward I’m choosing.

What rewards do you want? Might it help you to visualize that reward when you want to choose another more immediate one? I think this principle can be applied to so many other areas of life.

Immediate reward (not always in my best interest) or delayed reward (what I really want).

The choice is mine.

Grace & Peace,

Glynnis