Blog Posts

Look Back and Move Forward

5/23/2018

Have you ever felt like, no matter hard you try, you're not getting anywhere?
That's where I've been lately.
It seems that no matter how much I do, I fall farther behind.

And I'm missing the here and now because I'm fretting about what needs to get done.

Last month our thirteen-year-old grandson was out of school for two weeks with a fractured knee. After a week and a half on heavy painkillers, he finally felt well enough to do some schoolwork.

My husband brought home the books, worksheets, and report packets from each of our grandson's classes. We piled them in a towering stack next to his chair. His eyes bugged out. "That's Homework Mountain. How am I supposed to do it all?" he asked.

I told him, "Don't worry about doing everything. Just pick one subject and work on it when you feel up to it."
He heaved a sigh and grabbed his science book.
An hour later he put the book and completed worksheet packet on the opposite side of Homework Mountain. "One down, ten to go," he muttered.

But after resting he picked up another book. This time it only took twenty minutes to finish. He plopped his work on the finished pile and crowed, "Oh, yeah!"

For the next two days he chipped away at Homework Mountain. He'd glance at it, then look over at the work he'd done.
He called me over each time he completed a subject so we could celebrate. Soon the pile of finished reports and worksheets reigned in middle-school splendor.

He said, "Hey Grandma, I kept looking at what I needed to do, then looked at what I'd already done. And I finished two weeks of work in two days!"

Sometimes we need to look back to see how far we've progressed.

I decided to take a cue from my grandson.I've been beating myself up for not writing more. But when I looked back over the past few months, I see progress.

My stories are in three of the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul books.

Another story is coming out in LIVE magazine, as well as an article for Inspiration Ministries.

Instead of focusing on "I'm so Far Behind Mountain," I'm determined to look at accomplishments, no matter how small they seem, and give God the glory for it all.

How about you? Where do you see forward momentum in your life? What will you celebrate?

Even if we don't feel we've accomplished much, the bible offers this encouragement from Zechariah chapter four:

"Do not despise these small beginnings..."

After all, even a baby step forward moves us in the right direction.

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God Hears You

3/27/2018

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Do you ever feel like God isn't listening?
Take heart, because He even hears our whispered prayers. I shared one testimony about it in a recent Chicken Soup for the Soul release, Miracles and More.

My daughter Patty writhed on the maternity room’s rumpled sheets. She clutched her distended abdomen and clenched her teeth. Her sweat-matted blonde hair and pale face bore testimony to the pain she silently endured.
I held back my tears and faked a calm demeanor.

Patty’s story reflected that of many young women. Meet a man. Fall in love. Love turns sour.
Patty’s courtship had spiraled down into an abusive nightmare. She decided to end the dangerous relationship rather than subject her yet-unborn baby to it.
Which led her to this teaching hospital. Crews had renovated the Labor and Delivery unit somewhat, but this room screamed, “Hospital,” from the dull white paint and disinfectant smell, to the wall of medical equipment.

Equipment I’d soon be grateful for.

Patty had arrived early that morning to have her labor induced. Hours had passed with no progress.

The worst OB nurse in the history of the world attended my daughter. I privately dubbed her NurseZilla the Hun.
To each of Patty’s requests, “Can I get up and walk?” or “Can I turn onto my side?” NurseZilla the Hun would brusquely respond, “No. We have monitors lines on the baby. Just lie still.”

A police interrogation cell would have held a more welcoming atmosphere.

To our great relief, after hours of NurseZilla’s, “No, no, no’s,” Super Nurse took her place. She smiled at Patty and said, “Let’s make you more comfortable.” And commenced doing everything NurseZilla had nixed.

Patty’s doctor was out of town, so a variety of staff members came to check her throughout the day until he arrived.
One doctor examined her and frowned. “You’re not dilating as fast as we’d like. We’ll hold off on the epidural for now.”
Patty grimaced. “The pain’s pretty bad.”
“We’ll keep checking you,” he said, and walked out of the room.

Patty groaned and drew her knees toward her chest. I held out my hand. “Squeeze it,” I urged. “Squeeze as hard as you need.”
She shook her head. “No, Mom, I’d crush your hand. I don’t want to hurt you.” Patty gripped the bed’s side rails in a white-knuckled hold instead.

Time slowed to mocking crawl. Shadows shifted across the walls as darkness fell. Footsteps echoed past our quiet room. The monitors tracked Patty’s and the baby’s vitals. I wiped away the sweat trickling down Patty’s agonized face, and longed to ease her suffering.

More pain-filled hours passed. Finally, a doctor examined her and pronounced, “Good news. You’re dilating. You can have that epidural now.”
The anesthesiologist arrived and prepped Patty’s back for the spinal injection. “Sit up and hold still,” the young man cautioned. He worked carefully while Patty fought to stay motionless. After what seemed an eternity the man said, “Done. It’ll take effect soon.”

A relieved smile spread across Patty’s face. “Wow, I feel so much better. Thank . . .” She slumped to the side in mid-sentence. The tech caught her and laid her back on the bed. Her head lolled on the pillow.

A niggle of dread traversed my spine “What’s happening?”
A concerned look crossed the anesthesiologist’s face before his profession mask dropped into place. “Nothing to worry about.”

The monitor showed Patty’s blood pressure dropping steadily. I pointed to it. “Really? Is that normal?”
Her vital signs became erratic, and he called for help. A nurse appeared, checked the monitor, and made another call. The next person came in requested more back-up. Super Nurse hurried in and laid a comforting hand on my arm. “It would be best if you stepped out. You can wait in the family lounge.”

Instead, I slipped back into the corner. More staff members rushed into the room. They ignored me as they entered full “save the patients” mode.

Every motherly instinct screamed, “Go to your daughter!” The rational part of my mind warned, “Stay out of their way so they can help her.”

There was only one thing I could do for my precious daughter. I clasped my shaking hands together and prayed, “Lord, Jesus, please save Patty and her child.” Softly, quietly, I sent my whispered prayer past the confines of the chaotic hospital room.

The unnerving racket of clattering instruments and beeping monitors filled the air. The fast-moving medical professionals surrounded Patty, urgency in their actions. They called instructions in increasingly loud tones.

I remained in the corner, whispering prayers.

After what seemed an eternity, Patty’s precarious monitor readings leveled out. Faint color tinged her cheeks. She opened her eyes blearily, and the medical team visibly relaxed.
Patty’s doctor arrived soon after. He examined her and smiled. “Ready to bring your baby into the world?”

After that, the labor and delivery progressed normally. I experienced the incredible joy of witnessing my grandson’s Asher’s birth.

Patty looked like she’d been through a battle. But with her newborn son cuddled to her chest, she radiated absolute joy. She looked into her son’s eyes and crooned words of love.

When the nurse took baby Asher out so Patty could rest, I smoothed the tangled hair from her forehead and thanked God she and her new child were alive and healthy.

Patty reached out “It’s safe to hold hands now,” she joked. Our fingers intertwined and she drifted toward sleep.
“I love you Mom. And I know you’re going to stand there and pray,” she murmured, “But please pray quieter this time.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“After the epidural I just wanted to sleep, but I couldn’t. You were praying too loudly.”
“Honey, things got pretty hectic when you collapsed.”
Patty looked at me, uncomprehending. “Mom, what are you talking about?”
“You passed out. The staff worked frantically to save you and the baby. It got really noisy in here.”

Patty’s eyes widened. “I don’t remember any of that. I only heard you praying super loud.”
Astonished, I asked, “The beeping, the clattering, the staff yelling instructions to each other? You didn’t hear that?”
Patty shook her head. “No. I only heard you praying. It sounded like you were shouting.”

Realization jolted through me. God had used the prayers to get Patty’s attention, and tether her to life when she was drifting toward death.
And those prayers she perceived as being so loud? I’d never lifted my voice above a whisper.

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TV, My Sweet Nemesis

1/25/2018

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Oh, my sweet, sweet nemesis--television.

In March 2014 I publicly admitted my weakness. I'd created a late-night TV and junk food comfort zone. "Comfort zone" sound much better than "addiction," right?
I thought I'd conquered television's dreamy pull, but recent late-night reruns lured me back in.
Shows from the past half century unfold before my delighted (and slightly glazed) eyes.

The Twilight Zone. Alfred Hitchcock Presents. Perry Mason. The Rifleman . . .

Midnight finds me ransacking the fridge like a rabid wolverine. After stuffing my face I fall asleep to the TV's lulling drone.
The next day I wake bloated, groggy, and kicking myself for making such a foolish choice.
Again.

Last night I prayed for help. Instead of a sudden disdain for chocolate or a potato chip aversion, the Lord reminded me of Galatians 5:22-23.

One of the fruits of the spirit is self-control.
God had already given it to me, but I needed to exercise it.

Say WHAT?

Late night TV offers a slew of workout DVD's promising to strengthen my abs and glutes. Unfortunately, none for exercising self-control.

So I prayed, "OK, Lord, I need strength to exercise my self-control." Soon after I came across this passage,

"As soon as I pray, you answer me; you encourage me by giving me strength." Psalm 138:3 NLT
And He did. Last night I snuggled in bed instead of the recliner, and held a book in place of a remote.

You might be saying, "TV addiction? Seriously? That's nothing compared to what I'm facing."
Fair enough. So what are you struggling with today?

Drinking?
Smoking?
Drugs?
Pornography?
Stealing?
Eating disorder?

The list is almost endless, but no matter what we battle, the bible offers good news.

"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure." 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

No matter what you're struggling with, it's not bigger than God. He's an ever-present help in time of trouble.

Bring your situation to Him.
Dig into the bible to find answers to your issue.
Be accountable to trustworthy people.
Be honest with yourself about the problem.

And I'll do the same with the TV/late-night food obsession. The trail of Nacho Cheese Doritos would give me away anyhow.

Turkey photo courtesy of vectorolie@freedititalphotos.net
Chain photo courtesy khunaspix @freedigitalphotos.net

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Ease Christmas Pressure

12/11/2017

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Does preparing for Christmas resemble a Hallmark movie or a horror flick?

Years ago a TV commercial showed a frantic woman scrambling to simultaneously deal with a ringing phone, screaming children, barking dog, and a delivery person at her door.

Finally in desperation she throws her hands up and cries, "Calgon, take me away!" Immediately she's luxuriating in her bathroom tub, discreetly covered in Calgon bubbles from the neck down.

Evidently, behind the scenes in Happy Commercial Land, the dog stops barking to answer the phone, the delivery person baby-sits the children, and Betty Crocker and the Keebler Elves get dinner under control.

How about you? Do you feel overwhelmed? Could you use a Calgon moment? I'm pretty sure the Fed-Ex man and Marie Callender won't show up to help any time soon, but there's some good news.

There's a God who loves you. He wants to help you.
Here's what He says:

           "And call for help when you’re in trouble--
               I’ll help you, and you’ll honor me.” Psalm 50:15 The Message

We can go nuts with Christmas tasks: shopping, baking, cleaning ... Or we can focus on Jesus, who truly is the reason for celebrating Christmas.

"For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 NLT

So when Christmas preparations start to bury us under a multi-tasking avalanche, we don't have to crumble under it. Let's call to God for help. He's available 24/7.
Betty Crocker and the Keebler Elves are already busy in my kitchen.

Photos courtesy of stockimages @ http://www.freedigitalphotos.net

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#1 Way to Beat Thanksgiving Blues

11/20/2017

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Does Thanksgiving at your home resemble a Better Homes and Gardens feast? Maybe, like us, it's closer to a Duck Dynasty free-for-all.

Each Thanksgiving my husband, Jake, and I host an open house for people who'd spend the holiday alone.

One year we broke tradition and had a hot dog grill-out in the back yard. (Yeah! Thankful for fewer dishes to wash.)
Frigid Nebraska temperatures prompted us back inside the following year. (Yeah! Thankful for heat.)

Abraham Lincoln's 1863 Thanksgiving Day proclamation read, "They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God..."

Maybe this holiday it's hard to see God's gifts. Perhaps you're grieving the loss of loved ones, or struggling with illness. Maybe you feel alone.

If sorrow overshadows thankfulness, here's some great news.

You can have a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Proverbs 18:24
He'll never leave you. He'll never forsake you. Hebrews 13:5
His name is Jesus.

If you're lonely, hurting, or discouraged, this 2 minute video
could transform your life.

Wouldn't that bring a true day of thanksgiving?

By the way, if you drop your beautifully roasted turkey, rinse it off and carry on. It'll make a great story for next Thanksgiving.

Turkey photo courtesy of tiverylucky@freedigitalphotos.net
Other photos Courtesy of stockimages@freedigitalphotos.net

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Oh Mercy!

9/20/2017

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photo courtesy of digitalart @freedigitalphotos.net

A while back my husband, Jake, bought 2 dozen feeder goldfish for his afternoon of fishing. But some were too cute to become bait, so I begged, "Please let me keep them as pets."

Those three, named Faith, Hope, and Love, remained. My long-suffering fisherman hubby even bought them an upscale aquarium plant for their tank. A nice one, not the cheap plastic kind I would have picked up.

The other goldfish became bait,
but we showed these three mercy.

Fast forward two years. Jake trapped a possum, which we cooked and ate as related in a previous blog. Seriously. Click here.

Side note: Anytime people eat something unusual they say it tastes like chicken.

     "Rattlesnake? Tastes like chicken"
     "Ostrich? Tastes like chicken."
     "Possum? It tastes like a collision of ham and chicken."
It's delicious...once you look past the fur and feet.

photo courtesy of jiggoja@ freedigitalphots.net

Enter possum #2. This little guy wound up stuck in the cage without food or water for a day. Jake looked at its sad little face and fed it a McDonald's hamburger.

Disclaimer: Fast food in not part of an optimal diet for possums. Or humans.
Nevertheless, Jake not only fed and watered it, he released it. "Jethro" the possum ambled away, safe from the stew pot.

Possum one became dinner.
Possum two received mercy.

Photo ccourtesy of iosphere @freedigitalphotos.net

Think about God's great mercy. Unlike us, He holds out mercy to all. He doesn't grab anyone and say, "OK, you're bait. I'm dumping you in the river to catch something better."
He never decides, "Hmm, you're not appealing enough. Into the oven with you."

God always extends his mercy to us.
He always gives us another chance.

"The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each morning." Lamentations 3:22-23 NLT

photo courtesy of Sura Nualpradid @freedigitalphotos.net

photo courtesy of KEKO64 @freedigitalphotos.net

Have you seen God's mercy at work in your life? It's new every morning, special for you.

Since God has shown me so much mercy, I'm heading out to extend some right now. Jethro the possum is asking for his McDouble and fries.

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Tornadoes and Trees and Inner Storms

7/20/2017

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Two tornadoes swept through our Bellevue, Ne community last month, two days before Father's Day. The aftermath made our neighborhoods resemble a war zone. Collapsed roofs, siding torn from houses, streets blocked with tree limbs and debris.

Children's bedroom in neighboring subdivision

Branches snapped off the three giant cottonwoods in our backyard, wreaking havoc on our neighbors' properties.

One of our smaller downed cottonwood limbs crumpled the neighbor's fence.

One huge limb smashed a hole into the backside of our next door neighbor's roof, punched another in the front of it, then crashed down lengthwise across his boat and Jeep.
Enormous branches filled the other neighbors yards.

Damage to our home? Zero. Nada. None.

My husband surveyed the neighbors' wreckage and shook his head. "Our trees need to go."

He'd been saying that about my beloved cottonwoods ever since we moved into our home eleven years earlier.

Day one of tree trimming. (Jake bought home 3 Symphony bars to sedate me.)

Even though I love basking in their shade, I also know those trees are old, shallow-rooted, and potentially dangerous.

Looking at them made me wonder what other potentially dangerous things I cling to.

Grumbling at my family?
Complaining about slow drivers blocking my path?
Grousing when things don't go smoothly enough to suit me?

Those things don't seem dangerous compared to a rampaging twister, but

Murmuring and complaining keeps me focused on negative thoughts.
It causes storms to develop in my heart and mind.
My bad attitude affects others.

Who wants to be around a grouch who's thundering about, squalling if she doesn't get her way?

The bible says,

"Do everything without complaining and arguing," Philippians 2:14

"...Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many." Hebrews 12:15

When inner gales are gusting, I use a praise break like this one to tame the tempest.

Psalm 100
Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us, and we are his
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

Focusing on God's love and faithfulness calms my internal storms. How about you?
What settles you when the tempests are raging?

Click on the links below to see photos of the twister's aftermath. By God's faithfulness, not one person was injured by the tornadoes.
Omaha.com storm pics

Watchers.news storm photos

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Jeanie's Three Quick Tips

7/2/2017

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Each month I share three quick tips in my free monthly newsletter.

To get organized
To simplify
To save money

Here's an excerpt from my July newsletter.
Happy Independence Day!

Jeanie's Three Quick Tips

Tip 1: Organize

Shh. I'm about to share the super top-secret tip to getting organized:
Get rid of what you don't need.

Last month author, editor, and all-around good guy Lee Warren hosted a 300 items in 30 days declutter challenge.
If releasing 300 items sounds overwhelming, think of all the old paperwork, unidentifiable blurred photos, and multi-piece toy sets cluttering your space.
To motivate yourself, count a pack of cards as 52 items. Plus jokers.
Click here to see what Lee's participants are selling, donating, and tossing out.

I pulled this photo from a Craigslist ad. The homeowner became fed up with the toy overflow, and posted them for free to the first person who'd pick them up. Literally.

So if your house is overstuffed with stuff, take that important first decluttering step---preferably without crud crunching underfoot.

Tip 2: Simplify

Grounding is beneficial. No, not the type that sends your teenager stomping off to their room.
Grounding, or earthing, is simple, free, and just might improve your health.
The Wellness Mama website offers an interesting article about the benefits of grounding, including better sleep and reduced inflammation.

Science folks, click here to read how the ground's free electrons enter the body, equilibrate with the electrical potential of the Earth, and stabilize the electrical environment of organs, tissues, and cells.

Everybody else, go outside barefoot for 15 minutes and see how much better you feel. Unless you step on fire ants, venomous snakes, or rampaging mutant iguanas.

Tip 3: Save Money

Knowing the difference between "Best by" "Sell by" and "Use by" dates can save you money on your grocery bill.
Allstate's newsletter offers a quick guide to those sometimes confusing labels.

My husband, Jake, eats meat that's so old Methuselah might have grilled it. This photo shows the expression he wears when I tell him I'm throwing out the three-week-old hot dogs fermenting in the back of the fridge.

Where do you push the borders on food safety? Click here to share.

If you'd like to receive my free monthly newsletter, click here to sign up. Yep. It's really free.

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Foundation Stone Mothers

5/13/2017

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Happy Mother's Day to all our beautifully seasoned mothers, the polished gems with decades of wisdom and experience.
Those precious mamas who laid strong foundations in our homes, and our lives.

Those mothers remind me of how Revelation chapter 21 describes the New Jerusalem and its foundations. Verses 19-20 describe twelve precious stones inset in the foundation’s walls.
Stones like sapphire, emerald, ruby, topaz, and turquoise.

In the same way that those stones beautified the city’s foundations, our mothers beautified our lives by laying “foundation stones” for us.

Foundation stones of love, wisdom, perseverance, patience, courage, fortitude, steadfastness, compassion, diligence, self-sacrifice.

Ladies, your generation did it all without the help of modern technology. You had wringer washing machines and outdoor clotheslines.

No microwaves. No cell phones to call for take-out. No dishwashers . . . unless you counted your children.

You sacrificed your time, energy, and resources to instill values and principles into your children. You worked diligently to make a home, doing the best you could with the knowledge and resources available to you.

My mother exemplifies some of the best characteristics of the mothers of this generation.

When I was a child in the 1970’s, a horrific stomach flu epidemic swept through our South Omaha community. My three toddler brothers and I all fell ill. Our home looked like triage center.

Mom went from child to child, emptying buckets, changing soiled sheets, wiping our faces with cold washcloths. After days of this endless cycle, Mom fell ill herself. Dad was the sole breadwinner at the time, and because the flu was so pervasive, Mom was on her own.
Horribly ill, she crawled from bed to bed to care for us. She’d stop to vomit, then crawl to the next child to tend to our needs.

Mom used every foundation stone in her arsenal.
She gave her all to do the best she could for her children.

And ladies, so did you.

So a massive, “thank you” to my mom, and to all of you wisdom-filled, polished gem mothers who laid a strong foundation for us to build upon.

"When she speaks, her words are wise,
and she gives instructions with kindness....
Her children stand and bless her.
Proverbs 31: 26-28

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Love, Loss, and Victory

4/14/2017

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My husband, Jake, looked at our kitchen clock and said, "It's 5:30. The closing must be done by now."

"The closing" seemed to reference more than the sale of his late parents' house, the home Jake and his siblings had grown up in.

Earlier that day, Jake had walked through the house for the last time.
Instead of family racket, only the faint echo of his boots sounded on the bare wooden floor.
Empty closets.
Empty rooms.

An empty space.

It held no trace of his parents, or the family they'd raised there.
Jake left the keys, and walked away.

Did Jesus followers feel that emptiness when he was condemned to die?

For three years they'd followed him--the preacher, the prophet, the healer, their friend.
With Jesus' death, emptiness seeped in.
Empty hearts.
Empty dreams.
Empty hopes left at a blood-stained cross.

photo courtesy of Dan@freedigitalphoto.com

But victory came three days later.

Jesus rose from the dead.
He left an empty tomb.

That empty grave equaled victory, not only for them, but for us as well.

Jesus rose to fill our emptiness;
to give us victory in place of despair.

Instead of an empty life, Jesus offers us a new life filled with his love.
And it's available to anyone who'll accept it.

New love.
New life.
New beginnings.

If you're tired of the emptiness,
If you want a fresh start,
If you need a new beginning,
Pray this simple prayer,

"Jesus, please forgive my sins, and be my savior."

Giving your life to Jesus is the start of your new life.

A life of hope.
A life of love.
A life of victory.

If you want to know more before taking that life-changing step, please go to Billy Graham's "Find Peace with God" website.

If you've just prayed that prayer, please let me know. We'll celebrate your new life, and your new victory!

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Forward>>

Look Back and Move Forward

God Hears You

TV, My Sweet Nemesis

Ease Christmas Pressure

#1 Way to Beat Thanksgiving Blues

Oh Mercy!

Tornadoes and Trees and Inner Storms

Jeanie's Three Quick Tips

Foundation Stone Mothers

Love, Loss, and Victory

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