BRAINSTORM

Well, today "the boys" (my sons) are coming over for a brainstorming session about some new products they're going to be selling. Trying to come up with names, and copy for a new website and catalog. For some reason, they think I can help. I know...poor misguided things. It makes me happy that they still think I'm creative and vital (delusions are tough - I don't have the heart to burst that bubble yet!!) But I had to laugh at the whole idea of "brainstorming."

Now, when I think of the word "storm" I conjure up these definitions:

hurricane - a lot of swirling air that doesn't do anything constructive
thunder - lots of noise, kinda scary
lightning - flashes of brilliance that never last
tornado - endless twisting around that fizzles into nothing
blizzard - a flurry of activity that eventually melts away

You'll notice that all these definitions ALSO apply to my brain...get it?!
BRAIN STORMING!

Yes, when you're a COLEN ("Change-of-Life Empty-Nester") you'll find that the thing you miss most from your youth is that good old, instant memory recall, Jeopardy-ready, I really am a college graduate, fully functioning BRAIN!! Getting older is really tough!

Sometimes it makes me wonder - have I missed my chance in life? Am I too old to reach for those lifelong dreams?

Someone once tried to pay me a compliment on a poem I had written. They remarked, "Wow...you really missed your calling."

"Have I, Lord?" I often wonder.

But you know what? God used a lot of old people in the Bible - people who He felt were JUST RIGHT for the job He had in mind. Granted, they didn't always FEEL ready in the beginning. Some of them laughed, some of them cried, some of them argued, and some of them questioned God. But, in the end, they all OBEYED.

There is no time limit on God's calling - there is no deadline for His work. His schedule lasts our whole lifetime.

Listen to His wonderful Word:

"I have cared for you since you were born...I will be your God throughout your lifetime - until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along...Everything I plan will come to pass...Now I will tell you NEW things, secrets you have not yet heard. They are brand new; not things from the past...Yes, I will tell you of things that are entirely new...I am the LORD your God who...leads you along the paths you should follow...The LORD called me...he called me by name...He said to me, "You are my servant...and you will bring me glory."

That's GOOD STUFF!!

So, here's to my day of "brainstorming" - and knowing that God has His hand on me. It's never too late for Him to work through me, because He never stops working in me!

P.S. Ever notice how a storm also cleanses everything, making all things fresh and new?!

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"

BIBLE "PICK 'EMS"

Back when my sons lived at home, we had this “tradition” when we went out to eat. Everyone usually ordered something different, so we would kinda “share” our meals. Or if you were done eating, someone might reach over and “finish” your food. (Incidentally, I didn’t really understand the whole “doggie bag” concept until those boys got past puberty. For several years there, EVERYONE was a member of the “Clean Plate Club!”) Anyway, we called our little practice – “pick ‘ems.”

For a couple of months now, I’ve been doing a version of that – I call it, “Bible Pick ‘ems.” I know it probably isn’t spiritually “PC” to randomly open the Bible and expect to find a meaningful verse – it opens the door to the whole “out of context” dilemma. And...you might just find yourself in Leviticus!! But, I decided that I wanted to do this, along with my regular reading through the Bible. The way I figured it, I wasn’t “testing” God – in other words, “prove something to me, Lord” – I was “trusting” God – “show something to me, Lord.” After all, don’t we know that His Word is living, breathing, and powerful?!

So, from time to time, I will be sharing my “Bible Pick ‘ems” with you.

Today’s verse is 1 Samuel 30:6b:
“But David found strength in the LORD his God.”

David was literally running for his life at this point. He was surrounded by enemies, afraid, doubtful, overwhelmed – certainly not feeling like that boy who killed Goliath. BUT…he found strength in God – HIS God. God wasn’t just a name to David, or an abstract concept – No, the Lord was his PERSONAL God, his friend, his ally, his EVERYTHING.

Can’t you identify with David? How often do we feel surrounded by our enemies – our personal struggles and trials? How often do we feel afraid, doubtful, overwhelmed – are you like me…MOST DAYS?! But…where is our REAL source of strength, our ONLY source of strength? Isn’t it truly in the Lord – the Lord who is our PERSONAL God, our friend, our ally, our EVERYTHING?

So, I read this verse like this: “But (in spite of all the surrounding circumstances, the struggles and trials, the feelings) Sharon found strength in the Lord HER GOD!”

Do you?

www.biblepickems.blogspot.com

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God"

LEAP OF FAITH

Welcome to my new blog! For many of you, “blogging” might not seem like a big deal. But, for me, it’s HUGE! You see, until just two weeks ago, my computer was a 12 year-old Gateway, with a massive hard drive, connected to the Internet by dial-up! Yes, you read that correctly. (By the way, it was sad leaving my weekend gig in the Neanderthal exhibit at the natural history museum, but it was just time to move on!) My husband and I have a real aversion to all things technological – for instance, he didn’t own an answering machine until we started dating in 2003! So, for a long time I really rebelled against this whole “blogging” idea. It just sounded too “OC” for me – “Hi, my name’s Sharon. I’m a Taurus. I blog…” You know what I mean?! But then, I began to get the sense that this might be a direction that God was leading me to explore.

For a while now, I have had a distinct pull on my heart (still, small voice?!) that God wants to do SOMETHING with me. I love to write, and more and more, blogging seemed to be the answer – at least a great starting point. I have really fought this one – feeling like I was “selling out” or going over to the “dark side.” And quite frankly, my hesitation also came because I was afraid. Afraid to start something – afraid to fail, almost afraid to succeed.
But then I realized a great truth from the Bible. God called all sorts of scared people to do His work! And most often, those called were not asked to do an easy thing. Forget taking a “step of faith” – they were called to LEAP!

“Hey Noah, I’ve got this boat idea!”
“You know, Abraham, I think it’s time to re-locate.”
“Moses, remember those Israelites in Egypt?”

You get the picture. God calls us to BIG THINGS, things that feel too much for us to achieve, let alone even start sometimes. But isn’t that the whole point? We are not asked to have the strength or the courage or the skills to meet His calling – we are only asked to RESPOND.

I want to be like Samuel:
And the LORD came and called…And Samuel replied, “Speak, your servant is listening!”
Here’s to my “leap of faith!!”
Where is God going to ask you to jump?!

BLOG = "Blessedly Leaning On God!"