Shelley – Page 7 – The Shepherd's Daughter

Author: Shelley

Chip and The Flip

Posted on July 6, 2014July 7, 2014 by Shelley

It’s not every day you get The Bird.

Some days it’s for honking at an angry driver.

Other days it’s for telling someone that God loves them.

Laurel and I were checking out at our local Target this afternoon. We chose cashier Chip’s line, since it was the shortest. And because we like Chip.

Chip has worked at Target for as long as I can remember. I don’t know his story. He is efficient and polite, but he seems to be somewhat mentally impaired. He repeats himself constantly.

“Welcome to Target. Thank you very much. Sorry for the wait. Will this be all? Sorry for the wait. Thank you very much. God bless.”

It was this last statement that got a rise out of the customer in front of us today. As the gentleman gathered his red and white bag and prepared to leave, he pointed his finger at an unassuming and unsuspecting Chip and said,

“If you can say ‘God bless,’ then I can say ‘God is dead.'”

Laurel and I stood there, stunned. Chip appeared flustered. I felt compelled to intervene. So I called out after the man as he exited the store:

“God still loves you!”

He answered with a raised middle finger.

Well, then.

Chip thanked me for standing with him. I thanked him for blessing people. I thought his response was profound:

“I have to stand with God. He created me. I will always stand with God.”

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. (1 Corinthians 1:27, NIV)

Keep up the good work, Chip.

I am not ashamed to stand with you.

And God is not ashamed to be called your God.*

*From Hebrews 11:16.

His Design

Posted on July 2, 2014July 2, 2014 by Shelley

I felt like Lucy Pevensie, opening the wardrobe door and entering the magical world of Narnia, as I crossed the threshold of the white-bricked historic home to attend a friend’s surprise birthday party on Sunday.

Only I had stepped onto the pages of a home decorating magazine.

An eclectic, but pleasing arrangement of shabby chic style furniture filled the living room, which was also inhabited by little bird figurines and mossy nests. The dining room table in the adjoining room was elegantly set with black and white china, napkins and silverware, as if dinner guests were expected at any moment. (They were not. We were there for a casual BBQ on the back patio.) Throughout the house, vintage glass dishes and bowls had been repurposed into charming candle holders, set amidst accents of rustic burlap and greenery.

(Even the cats were dining out of whimsical little decorative dishes in assorted shapes and colors. I kid you not.)

It was quite fanciful.

I was taking it all in when a joy-robbing thought intruded, dispersing my delight and inviting envy:

My house looks nothing like this.

Oh, I try. But my best attempts at “shabby chic” just end up looking…shabby. When I display my flea market finds, the effect is somewhat…flea-ting. (Sorry, just couldn’t resist.)

I “tried” again the following night as we prepared to host a couple of friends for dinner. Inspired by my visit to The Amazingly Decorated Home, I tied some scraps of burlap ribbon to several canning jars and arranged some random candles inside. I bought some pretty white flowers for a centerpiece. (I even remembered to move the plastic cat dish OFF of the table before we ate.)

Need I say more?

My house will never look like hers.

And you know what? It’s O.K.

Because while I may not have inherited the decorating gene, I am gifted. So are you. God says so.

There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other. (1 Corinthians 12:4-7, NLT)

I love to teach. There’s just something about digging into God’s Word and unearthing hidden gems that thrills my soul. I have trouble keeping them to myself! God made me this way.

What is your gift?* Is it serving behind the scenes? Showing compassion to the hurting? Leading the way? Creating a home that invites and delights?

Whatever it is, remember God is the Distributor.

It is the one and only Spirit who distributes all these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have. (1 Corinthians 12:11, NLT).

Who are we to compare? I want to be so secure in who God created me to be that I am free to enjoy and embrace others’ giftedness.

God has put each part just where he wants it. (1 Corinthians 12:18b, NLT)

God is the Designer. When we offer our gifts to His service, He will arrange them masterfully. Even those that are chipped and faded can be transformed into objects of beauty and usefulness in His hands. Each of us has a unique and special place in His design.

We all have talents to bring to the table.

Let’s share and celebrate them instead of comparing and envying them.

*For a brief Spiritual Gifts Inventory, you can follow this link: http://59384.inspyred.com/images/Spiritual%20Gifts%20Test.PDF

Only Child

Posted on June 20, 2014April 14, 2015 by Shelley

It’s been a good week to be Rachel.

With her older and younger sisters both happily away at camp, a rare, perhaps unprecedented thing occurred:

The “Middle” Child became the “Only” Child.

She’s had our exclusive attention. Been treated to lunch, coffee and shopping. Watched whatever she’s wanted on TV. Hasn’t had to share. Not one little bit.

It all ends tomorrow. (Sorry, Rach.)

But she’s certainly enjoyed it while it’s lasted.

As a mom of three daughters, I try hard not to play favorites. I love them all equally. I love them each uniquely.

But I do not love them perfectly. Despite my best intentions, there are those inevitable times when someone feels slighted or neglected. Even the highest human love has its limitations.

Not so with God and His children. For He is the Perfect Father.

His love is Unfailing. His time is Unlimited. His attention is Undivided.

God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love.”

(St. Augustine)

Since He’s infinite and omnipresent, He can pull this off. All of the time.

He is GOD.

As His children, we have been given privileged, unrivaled access to His presence.

Yes, we are members of a wide and wonderful family. We are brothers and sisters who need each other and (try to) love each other. (Well, most of the time.)

But we also crave and need focused, one-on-one time with our Father. Isn’t it reassuring to know that He is able and willing to relate to each of us individually?

It’s almost as if we were His only child. Every single day. We are never overlooked or forgotten.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. (Ephesians 5:1, NIV)

We are all extremely dear to Him.

The word ‘dear’ in the Greek is agapetos. Agapetos means beloved, esteemed, worthy of love—God’s favorite.” (Jill Savage)

God never plays favorites.

Because we are EACH His favorite.

It’s always a good week to be us!

See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1a, NIV)

I love my girls! And my little guy too. — I love each of my girls! And my little guy too.

Free for the Taking

Posted on June 7, 2014July 7, 2014 by Shelley

Last night I chaperoned my first (and, Lord willing, last) junior high promotion dance. Seeing as how I’m not a huge fan of junior high dances, and seeing as how misery loves company, I roped my good friend Julie into joining me in the Concessions Booth for the three-hour duration of the dance. (Julie is not only a good friend–she’s a good sport. She’s even still talking to me today.)

It turned out to be quite the entertaining evening! While minding the cookies and cotton candy, we were treated to a bonus fashion show featuring a variety of hemlines (Hello, high-low!) and hues (Mint green and coral were both well represented). Our booth was strategically located near the girls’ bathroom, so we also witnessed our fair share of wardrobe malfunctions and tears. Every now and then we’d sneak into the gym to spy. It was just how I remembered it from my own junior high days–awkward slow dances, wallflowers, and all.

I was reminded of all the reasons one’s promotion to high school is indeed cause for celebration.

The most memorable moments for me, however, came whenever a group of kids would approach the Concessions Booth to inquire about the cost of a particular food item.

“It’s FREE,” we’d reply.

Their reactions were priceless. All seemed surprised. Some doubted. A few hesitated.

“Help yourselves,” we’d encourage.

Most would then eagerly grab a bottle of water and a candy bar (or two or ten) and return with their entourage to the gym, scattered sequins sparkling in their wake.

I enjoyed being the bearer of the good news that, thanks to some generous donors, it was all free for the taking. It was fun seeing the looks on their faces as they absorbed the fact that they really could help themselves to whatever they wanted, without charge.

The spiritual parallel was not lost on me.

Because Salvation is not For Sale.

It cannot be purchased with good works. It cannot be obtained through church affiliation. It cannot be earned by living a good life.

It’s FREE. A gift.

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23, NLT)

Thanks to God’s generous heart and Jesus’ perfect life, eternal life is ours for the taking. It’s not just about Heaven. It’s about a simple, honest, real relationship with Jesus. Right here, right now.

Surprised? Hesitating? Wondering what the catch might be?

Yes, it IS free. But it may also “cost” you…your pride, your popularity, your plans. You must humble yourself. Surrender yourself.

HE’s worth it.

I think life without Jesus is a bit like a junior high dance–big on glitz and drama, small on meaning and substance. Isn’t it time we graduated to something better?

If you haven’t yet received the free gift He is offering you, might I encourage you to do so? I’m delighted to be the bearer of this Good News:

“It’s Free! Help yourselves!”

Just reach out and take it.

Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God… (John 1:12, NIV)

Laurel and Friends dancing in the park before the Dance. — Laurel and friends dancing in the park before the dance.

(Photo Credit: Rugged Grace Photography)

Mother’s Day Confession

Posted on May 12, 2014August 26, 2014 by Shelley

It’s time for a little confession.

My husband got me Godiva chocolates for Mother’s Day.

And I complained.

I know, I know. It wasn’t pretty. I told you this was a confession. I admit the error of my ways.

But you see, I’m a Ghirardelli girl. My husband knows this. So when I pull a shiny package of foil-wrapped truffles beginning with the wrong letter ‘G’ out of the gift bag you can understand my confusion, right?

What was wrong was my reaction.

By focusing on the brand of chocolate in that bag I missed out on a beautiful truth:

I have a husband who brings me chocolate.

Better yet:

I have a husband.

Better still:

I have children.

Best of all:

I am loved.

At the end of Mother’s Day, or any day, aren’t those gifts more than enough? The type of chocolate, the color of the flowers or the sentiment on the card doesn’t really matter. It’s all too easy to miss the richness of our reality, the miracle of the moment, longing for what we think we lack.

I may not have it all. What I have may not be perfect.

But I’ve heard it said that:

Happiness is wanting what you have.”

The truth is, I already have so much more than I could ever want.

Thank You, Lord.

Even the finest chocolates pale in comparison.

…giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ… (Ephesians 5:20, ESV)

He Knows

Posted on May 2, 2014July 14, 2017 by Shelley

“I hate this place,” I couldn’t help but blurt out to Laurel.

We had just checked in for her ultrasound appointment last week, and had seated ourselves in the comfortable brown leather chairs that dot the large, modern lobby of the radiologists’ office. It was tastefully decorated in neutral tones. A towering stone fireplace stretched from floor to ceiling, the dramatic focal point of the room.

“Why do you hate it? I think it’s nice,” she responded, a bit surprised by the intensity of my reaction.

If you’re a woman over 40, you’ll know instantly why I dislike this place. This is where I go for my annual mammograms. And I had just scheduled one for the following Monday.

Later that evening at my Thursday night Bible study, teacher Beth Moore transitioned into the closing of our DVD session with these words:

There’s no such thing as a ‘routine’ mammogram.”

I scribbled this on the bottom of my notes with a silent “Amen.”

She knows.

Beth went on to describe her visit to a similar radiologist’s office in Houston for some follow-up tests from her own recent mammogram. Her daughter Melissa had accompanied her for moral support. As they waited, Melissa scanned the ominous titles of the cancer brochures on the nearby rack and couldn’t help but exclaim, “This is brutal!”

Then she turned to her mom and said something profound:

Jesus knows it’s scary to be us.”

I jotted this down in my notes as well.

Because, yes. It is.

The news this week brought fresh reminders of just how scary. In case you missed it, tornadoes, floods and sinkholes wreaked havoc from Arkansas to Florida. CNN reported that since Sunday 38 lives had been claimed by these deadly weather-related events. I’ve mourned as I’ve read some of the stories of heroism…and loss.

It’s scary to be us.

Jesus knows.

I love the way The Message puts Hebrews 4:15:

We don’t have a priest who is out of touch with our reality. (Hebrews 4:15, The Message)

He knows what we’re going through. He is with us. He will help us.

I liked the King James rendering of this verse as well:

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities… (Hebrews 4:15a, KJV)

He feels our pain. He knows our frailty. He understands our fears.

A God who can be touched is a God who can be trusted.”

(That last quote was mine. Feel free to copy it in your notes if you like.)

It was scary to answer the call from the radiologist’s office yesterday. They want me to come back in this afternoon for additional images. So, for the third time in eight days, I will walk through those foreboding automatic doors and taste that familiar fear as it rises and fills the cavernous waiting room.

Jesus knows it’s scary to be me today.

But with Him by my side I can face all my fears.

*Update: I’m grateful to report that all is well! The technician showed me the spot they were concerned about and took two additional images of the area. She left the room to go talk with the radiologist to see if he wanted an ultrasound. It felt like she was gone a long time, maybe 15 minutes. I just kept praying, and prayed specifically that God’s presence would fill this place and replace the fear with His peace. Not just for me, but for the many other women who would sit in that room waiting and wondering. When she finally returned she said the spot had “disappeared” and that even the radiologist hadn’t expected that outcome! I don’t know what happened, but I’ll take it! Thank You, Jesus!

For Good

Posted on April 17, 2014August 26, 2014 by Shelley

Their facial expressions were difficult to distinguish from our perch in the upper balcony during last Saturday’s matinee performance of “Wicked.” But even from that distance there was no mistaking Elphaba’s green face and Glinda’s golden curls as they began their farewell duet on the stage below. In perfect harmony their voices intertwined, lifted and filled the Gershwin Theatre on Broadway.

“For Good” is a song about friendship and the difference one life can make in another. I couldn’t help but think of some of the people I had been blessed to know in my lifetime who had helped to change ME for the better. My heart pulsed with gratitude and my eyes pooled with tears as I pictured their familiar, loved faces.

Three days later, as our flight from La Guardia touched down at DIA and taxied to the gate, I took my iPhone off of airplane mode to check for messages. Waiting for me was a text from my dear friend Bridget, letting me know that a mutual friend of ours had passed away that day. His name was Doug.

Doug was one of those people.

He had the build of a teddy bear and the heart of a servant. His laugh was infectious. He possessed the rare kind of wisdom obtained only through enduring trials and hardship. He was Godly.

I was a young Arizona college girl majoring more in Sorority Life than in Spiritual Life when I met him. But he believed in me, gently but persistently encouraging me to attend campus ministry events and conferences. I showed up at one conference to discover my registration had been anonymously paid in full. I always suspected it was him.

Doug had incredible faith. Following graduation we both felt called into full-time ministry. Inspired by the biblical story of Nehemiah, who rebuilt the wall surrounding Jerusalem in 52 days, Doug believed God would raise his financial support in just 52 days. He did. (Mine took seven months. But Doug cheered me on and helped me persevere.)

We spent a summer ministering in Turkey together. I would never have had the courage to go overseas without his strong leadership and secure companionship. He carried my unwieldy hard-sided suitcase all over that country and stood quietly by while I suffered the unpleasant effects of food poisoning. He later returned to the Middle East, where he faithfully served the Lord alongside his family for many years.

Heaven will be a more populated place because of him.

I have no doubt he is there now. I can just imagine him waiting patiently at the pearly gates to welcome his countless friends and spiritual children as they arrive, one by one. He’ll greet them with a twinkle in his eye and wrap them in a warm bear hug. Then he’ll grab their suitcase and take the lead, showing them around his Father’s kingdom, just like he did on earth.

For Good

I’ve heard it said,
That people come into our lives
For a reason
Bringing something we must learn.
And we are led to those
Who help us most to grow if we let them.
And we help them in return.
Well, I don’t know if I believe that’s true
But I know I’m who I am today
Because I knew you.

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun,
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood.
Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better
But because I knew you.
I have been changed for good.

It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime.
So, let me say before we part:
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you.
You’ll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart.
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you’ll have rewritten mine
By being my friend.

Thank you, Doug. You and God changed so many lives for good. I am eternally grateful to be one of them.

*Excerpt from “For Good” by Stephen Schwartz

Pass the Fruit

Posted on March 25, 2014April 1, 2014 by Shelley

A dietician declaring “No More Dieting?”

Aren’t dieticians all about diets? The word “diet” is in their name, after all.

Not dieticians Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch, to the surprise and relief of the diet-weary. In their book, Intuitive Eating, they share stories of real life change that have resulted from their unconventional approach. You may recall that it recently inspired me to make my own “Declaration of Dieting Independence.”

While the book is not written from a distinctly Christian perspective, I was struck by the way its principles seemed to echo many biblical themes, like grace and freedom. I kept noticing references to the “Fruit of the Spirit,” that oft-quoted list of nine godly character qualities found in Galatians 5:22-23.*

It just never occurred to me to serve this kind of fruit at the dinner table!

Here is a sampling of quotes from the book, along with their corresponding “fruit.” Perhaps it will whet your appetite for more.

Love

“If you don’t love it, don’t eat it. If you love it, savor it.”

(Eating should be pleasurable!)

Joy

“It’s not about going to the gym to exercise, it’s about finding a realistic way to provide regular, joyful movement in your life.”

(For someone with an aversion to exercise, this sounds so much more enJOYable.)

Peace

“Make peace with food. Call a truce; stop the food fight! Give yourself unconditional permission to eat.”

(Food was never meant to be a battlefield. The war is over.)

Patience

“Please be patient with yourself.”

(There are no “quick fixes.” This process may take awhile.)

Kindness

“She learned to give herself nurturing messages and make nonjudgmental decisions about her eating.”

(Why is this so hard to do?)

Goodness

“Scream a loud ‘No’ to thoughts in your head that declare you’re ‘good’ for eating minimal calories or ‘bad’ because you ate a piece of chocolate cake.”

(My “goodness” is not based upon my performance.)

Faithfulness

“Progress, not perfection, is what counts.”

(Being faithful does not mean being perfect.)

Gentleness

“We call this approach gentle nutrition. Taste is important, but health is still honored, without guilt.”

(I like this. Gentleness, not rules and rigid standards.)

Self Control

“She was thrilled that ‘without trying’ she was eating less food, feeling satisfied without deprivation, and not dieting.”

(Who wouldn’t be thrilled?!)

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives…” (Galatians 5:22a, NLT, italics mine)

It’s called “the fruit of the Spirit” because it’s HIS doing! We can’t manufacture it on our own. But as we yield to the Spirit’s control and influence, the fruit will bud, blossom and eventually grow to maturity.

I’m encouraged by the little buds I see emerging in my own life.

I may not be dieting, but I’ll gladly take another serving of that fruit!

*Qualities listed are from The New American Standard Bible.

The Leap

Posted on March 13, 2014March 29, 2014 by Shelley

For Lent, I’m giving up…DIETING.

Actually, I’m giving it up for good.

Let me explain.

Almost a year ago I wrote a blog post titled “Imperfect Progress,” where I shared about my crazy weight loss teeter totter ride. I felt quite vulnerable in doing so. (Much like I feel now.) In case you missed it, I’ll summarize. It went something like this:

Gain. Lose. Gain. Lose. Gain. Lose.

Gain.

That’s right. The teeter totter went back up, as teeter totters are prone to do. And feelings of self-worth and acceptance went down. Way down.

Imperfect Progress? More like Perfect Regress.

At a friend’s recommendation I recently picked up a book called Intuitive Eating. To my surprise, authors and nutritionists Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch were familiar with life on a teeter totter. Only they called it “The Seesaw Syndrome.” On one end sits Deprivation (the essence of dieting) and on the other end, Guilt (the result of overeating). Chronic dieters know this maddening and merciless cycle all too well.

The solution, according to the authors?

JUMP OFF.

Stop Dieting.

For Real.

“…just as when one kid decides to get off the seesaw, the other is forced to stop playing. When you give yourself permission to not be deprived, you simultaneously let go of the guilt! By giving yourself permission to eat, you stop playing the futile seesaw game.”

The initial leap off of the teeter totter is both terrifying and exhilarating. But rather than continue to perpetuate this self-defeating cycle, I am now turning my energies towards developing a long-term, healthy relationship with food. I am learning to be patient with myself in this process, resisting the temptation to go for the temporary “quick fix.” God has given me “new eyes” through which to view myself and food.

It feels a lot like…Grace.

The following caught my eye on Facebook yesterday, because it captures, in a nutshell, what the Lord has been so patiently teaching me:

I need to ~~be skinnier~~ love myself.

I am thrilled to be off the teeter totter and onto a new path. There is much still to be discovered. I hope to share more as I continue on this journey with Him.

Anyone care to join me?

The godly eat to their hearts’ content, but the belly of the wicked goes hungry. (Proverbs 13:25, NLT)

Marked

Posted on March 8, 2014March 29, 2014 by Shelley

Beau marked his “Half Birthday” last week. And, as if a switch had been flipped in his little doggy brain, he immediately began “marking” his territory.

INSIDE the house.

I was reminded of all the reasons we wanted a female dog.

We in turn celebrated the milestone with a trip to the vet for a few “alterations.” (Sorry, Beau.) We’re hoping this will “fix” his little leg-lifting problem.

But I have to share Laurel’s response when we discovered her dog’s newfound compulsion to mark his territory.

“Beau!” she scolded him, “It’s already yours!”

Then she turned to me. “This could be an illustration.”

“Of what?” I questioned.

She went on to describe how as Christians we often work so hard, trying to gain something that has already been given to us.

She’s right, you know.

When we were adopted into the family of God, what was His became ours.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. (Ephesians 1:3, NLT)

There is no longer any reason to feel insecure. He has given us every spiritual blessing in Christ. We have a place in His heart forever, and a full inheritance as sons. We are marked with His seal of approval.

So, RELAX.

Stop strutting your stuff. Cease striving to prove your worth. Quit worrying about “making a mark” for God. (That last one was for me.)

Just live in the joy and freedom of your Father’s house.

It’s already yours.

(Now let’s pray Beau also figures this out. And soon.)