Just Peachy

Of all of God's good food gifts, the peach has got to be near the top of the list.












Every year, around June 1, I start getting giddy over that soon-to-be bite of juicy, drip down-your-chin-goodness of the first peach of the season. I was actually surprised this year at how early they appeared at the Farmer's Market here in Bolivar, MO. Pate's Orchard in Stockton is our local supplier and I have yet to be disappointed in any of their produce. We also frequent Plaster's Orchard at the Polk/Green County line. Plaster's people drive over to the Bootheel once a week and pick up peaches grown in Campbell, MO, from Bader Orchards. I am eating one even as I type - a process that is going slower than usual, since I am stopping every bite to close my eyes and say yummmmm....

It's fitting that the delicious peach I'm eating now is from Campbell, MO, where my Mom was born and raised. It's her recipe that I want to share with you. When my parents first moved to Bolivar, they ran over to Stockton to buy peaches. My mom overheard a lady in the building talking about making Peach Conserve. Never shy, she asked for the recipe on the spot. To say we like it, love it, is an understatement. It now occupies a hallowed place in our family. Mom usually makes 30 pints or so every summer, but this summer, she's felt a little more under the weather than usual. So, the girls and I tried our hand at it. Thankfully, Mom has been just a phone call away...

 I was actually on the phone with her when I copied down this recipe. A couple of clarifications:
     -a #2 can is 20 oz.
     -3 oz jello pkg
My mom emphasized the "don't skimp" part, so I set my timer to make sure I didn't.

Recipe ready, it was time to start. I googled how to get my jars and lids ready. I went here, found it interesting, but ended up doing what my mom said, and boiled everything. Then, the girls and I started peeling.

Many hands make light work

 And tasting. You can't help it. That goodness is just begging to go in your mouth.

 After the peeling and crushing, we boiled.

It takes a while to get that volume to a boil - and don't have your pot too full. I combined two recipes the next time we made it, and it boiled over. Not fun. Then the "no skimping" part and - done.

After making an impromptu funnel out of a styrofoam cup, we poured that conserve goodness into our jars. After all the lids had sealed and jars had cooled, we took them down to the downstairs frig where they will live until they are gone. Because of careful rationing, especially at the end of our supply, we usually don't eat our last jar until about March - which gives us a couple of months or so to miss it and long for it again!

We still have 1 or 2 more recipes to make - each one makes about 6 pints. I'm getting the hang of it, thanks to Mom's good recipe and her good coaching. I'm glad she wasn't shy that day in Stockton. And I'm very glad God made the peach.

Note: My Follow Through Fridays will return...we've just been traveling so much this summer, that I'm all discombobulated. Just to help me get back on track, I'm giving myself a small goal this week. I have a sampler that is 22 years in the making (embarrassing). I worked on it some while we were at camp, and I'd like to work on it for at least an hour a week. So, next week, I'll report if that happens.

Top Ten

I heard a sermon one time that pointed out something about the ten commandments that now seems quite obvious to me, but until that time, I had never noticed before. One of these ten is not like the others.

That these 9 - no other gods before me, no idols, honor God's name (I wonder what He thinks of our casual, constant OMGs?), honor your parents, don't murder, don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't lie, and don't covet - made the top ten, is understandable. It's #4 that is the surprise.

SABBATH/REST

Is our resting really so important to God that He would put it in this list? Right in there with do not murder?

This is on my mind because we are at KAA this week. Lou has been a volunteer doctor here at Kids Across America for the last 12 years. He's on call for emergencies and has sick call 2x/day, but all the other time, we rest. Our only scheduled event is mealtime, which is graciously provided for us. And, of course, we also enjoy all the other amenities a camp offers. But it is all rest. Purposeful rest. Not only is there more time to walk, swim, read, think and visit, but there is more time to be with God, to be in His word, to talk to Him, listen to Him. That is real rest and renewal. We always come back from KAA rested and renewed. Strengthened for the battles of every day life.

Purposeful resting strengthens. It's essential for physical and spiritual health. That's why God put it in the top 10 as something we need, not just for a week every summer, but every 1 in 7 days. Is that mind blowing to anybody but me? 

So what does a sabbath rest look like in 2011? 

Well, it would certainly look different for me now than it did when I had 6 kids at home ages 9 and under. Back then, a sabbath rest was going to the grocery store alone. It was moments here and there when everybody happened to be napping at the same time and I gave myself permission to rest too - in the middle of the day, no less! If any young moms are reading this right now, please, please hear this. Give yourself permission to rest. Or even more compelling, obey God, and rest. Ask God to show you what that looks like in your family with its schedules and demands. He always equips for what He commands. And, don't be shy about getting a babysitter just so you can rest.  Periodically, when I felt I couldn't dog paddle one minute longer and I couldn't find any time or space at home, I'd hire a sitter and go to Dunnegan Park for a couple of hours to just sit in my car and think, read, pray, and yes...nap. Rest.

My kids are older now (ages 21-12) and, believe it or not, no longer want to spend every waking moment with me! I actually ask them to go to the grocery store just so I can spend a little more time with them. My struggle now is not time to rest, but how I rest. During my sabbath times, am I coming away renewed and encouraged, which is the product of real rest, or have I spent my time on weak substitutes? Am I hoping that my continual doses of distraction and entertainment supply what God says I need? That duo has been through the studies and the test trials of the ages. While they may seem to work in the short term, they've been shown over and over again to have just the opposite effect.

In Isaiah 40:31, we are told what is needed for real rest, real renewal.

"but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."

We have to set aside time to do this verse. It's a command. Rest. Sabbath.

One last thought. In that same sermon I mentioned at the beginning of this post, Matt Chandler referenced the following quote by Abraham Heschel that has pushed me to think more deeply and more practically about the sabbath rest and what it might look like. Lots of grace and freedom in these words.

A man who works with his mind will sabbath with his hands. A man who works with his hands will sabbath with his mind.

God gave Moses a top ten in Exodus 20. He meant them. Let's take another look at #4.

You Never Know

When Andy comes to visit, I know I'm going to learn something.

My brother and sister-in-law, Debbie, and 4 of their 7 kids visited last week. We played putt-putt, rode go-carts, visited Bass Pro and ate at Lambert's. But those were just the different settings to do what I like to do best with them...talk.

I think it was after our first meal together that Andy pushed back from the table and asked, "You know what Joaquin Andujar says is one word to describe baseball?"  Potential answers started flying. I suggested "depressing." (It's depressing because of baseball stats. How can you be a really great hitter when, batting a solid 300, you are messing up in one way or another 7 out of 10 times at the plate?)

He then proceeds to tell us Andujar's answer: "You-never-know."

Obviously not a one word answer, but when you read a little about Joaquin and a  few more of his quotes, it quickly becomes obvious that he would not change the phrasing of that question. 

"You-never-know." We talked about the truth of that, not only in baseball, but also in life, as we sat around a table full of empty plates. My contribution to that conversation took us back to January 2008, when Luke and the Bolivar boys basketball team beat the Branson Pirates in double overtime at their place. Branson, always a formidable opponent, had just won the Blue Division of the prestigious Blue & Gold tournament. Bolivar was their first game after that little accomplishment.  Right before the game started, there was a presentation of the trophy, an honoring of one of their players who set a 3 point record for the tournament, and the announcement that there would be a reception for their coach - celebrating his career wins - immediately following our game. Lou and I never said what we all thought was a given - "We are about to get killed." I was just hoping it wouldn't be too mortifying.

But, you never know.

I couldn't possibly do justice if I tried to describe that game and my blood pressure. Suffice it to say, we stayed with them (obviously), and played our hearts out. Thankfully, Lou and I succumbed to Faith begging to go to the game that night. She just happened to have her movie camera, and captured the excitement of that final minute. She was going crazy too, so the video jumps around a bit, but it's good enough to give us a lot of pleasure when we watch it and remember that game.

Hands down, the most exciting, happiest basketball game I've ever been to. It's also the example I use with my kids when we are facing some opponent in the sport du jour that is supposedly unbeatable. It's my "Remember the Alamo" of sports. "Remember Branson!" You never know.

This theme that Andy introduced their first day here cropped up again when Andy, Debbie, and I were walking in Dunnegan Park. Out of the blue, Andy mentions another "you never know" moment. He asked if I remembered the story in the Bible about the lepers outside the gates of Samaria. I didn't, so he told it to me, and I'll share the gist of it with you.  It's from 2 Kings 7.

During a horrible famine in Samaria, with no hope in sight, Elisha prophesies that "this time tomorrow" there will be food - even enough food to sell.  What those suffering from the famine didn't know was what was happening just outside their city gates. Four lepers were trying to stay alive also and were considering their options. If they ask to go into the city, they'll die from the famine. If they stay where they are, they'll die. But if they go over to the camp of their enemies, the Arameans, and surrender, they'll either be spared or killed. The Arameans seem like the only option with a possible win, so they go. The Lord had taken care of the Arameans himself, and the lepers find an abandoned camp with abundant food, drink, silver and gold - all left behind. The lepers then shared their find with the famine afflicted city. And all that happened by "this time tomorrow." So, once again, you never know.

Since my brother's visit, I've thought about our conversations even more. They've made me think about God more. I tested the "you never know" principle on Him. Do we "never know" with God? Well, kind of. That certainly was the case described here from 2 Kings 7. But while we may never know for sure what God is going to do (could this be possibly in part because we often think way too small?), we can know Him. He's told us who He is in His word. He's become one of us in His Son. And He's given us His Holy Spirit to live in us. And when you know someone, when you look at their track record, you know whether or not they are completely trustworthy. God has proven He's trustworthy. 2 Timothy 1:12 says it best.

That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.

My brother, Andy, came to visit. This trip, I learned a little more about baseball, the Bible, and God. That's a little entertainment and a lot of encouragement - a winning combination. He always packs those two when he comes. What will it look like on their next visit? You never know.

Join the Applause

I first became a fan of the word applaud and its various forms in June of 1994. It was used in a sympathy note Lou received from our architect, Ed Kurtz, after Lou's mom died. I'll never forget the line, and I have actually written it in similar notes since then. About Lou's mom Ed wrote, "May she ever applaud your life from heaven."

That line does everything an encouraging sentence should do. It encourages you and it spurs you on to be your best self. It is a powerful word picture.

So when I saw a link to something called Join the Applause  on my twitter feed a couple of weeks ago, I had to investigate what was worth applauding and what I was being encouraged to join. It is described as "a movement of gratitude directed at our Creator." If there is any being worth applauding - any being where applauding is still woefully inadequate - it is our Creator. But applaud is something we can do. This isn't really about physically applauding with our hands, although I'm not opposed to that. I've certainly applauded lesser things. But it's more a mindset, an attitude of the heart, that we share with others because we love and we're grateful to the one who created us and all we see and experience. The founder of Join the Applause, Kennan Burch, further describes it's purpose:
To see people take time to pause, ponder, appreciate and appropriately respond to God for all his acts of creation. The end result is seeing people have a greater sense of awe, wonder, and sense of gratitude. And this sense of gratitude can change how people respond to all of life’s challenges. Gratitude Changes Everything.

I loved it, told my family about it, and said we were going to be mindful of "the day," this Saturday, June 25, 2011, at sunset. Since it's been in the back of my mind for a few days, this section of Acts 14 jumped out at me the other morning.

"Men, why are you doing these things? We are also men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness." Acts 14:15-17

Our God is living. He made the heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them. He did good by giving us rains and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts...

He's the only one who can satisfy our hearts.

And He knew that pausing, pondering, and appreciating His creation would speak deeply to our souls. Not that we worship the creation, but the creator it points to.

I've spent some time of late in a couple of places particularly known for their beauty - Hawaii, and Aspen, Colorado. I have marveled at the ocean

 and the mountains.

In both those settings, I thought of a line I read in Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts. It's on page 167 in the chapter entitled "go lower."

"Yet when I stand before immensity that heightens my smallness-I have never felt sadness. Only burgeoning wonder."

That is so true! I wonder, I marvel at our big God, who undoubtedly can "handle" me and my problems if he is the creator of immense things like oceans and mountains. And it's just as easy to marvel here at home. All we have to do is look up. Psalm 19:1 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaims the work of his hands." Is there anything more immense than the sky? Driving home tonight from a basketball shootout, my son, David, and I were remarking, marveling, over the sunset. What a beautiful, daily reminder of the bigness, the glory, of the one who made us.

He is worth applauding. And we can join the world for a part of a 24 hour applause tomorrow. But let's not stop there. Let's start there. Let's applaud the Creator and our Savior everyday.

Only Space

As I write this, I am 34,000 ft above the ground, winging my way to Denver and eventually, Aspen, CO.  I'm traveling with my 20 yr old daughter, Hannah, who is working there for 5 weeks this summer. Thanks to American miles, I will get to see where Hannah's living and maybe get a taste of what she'll be doing. For the two days I'm there, we get to tour around a bit, and hike the much praised Maroon Bells area.

So obviously, she and I are out of Bolivar this week - but we aren't the only ones of our clan on the move. Faith and Elizabeth left at 6 a.m. this morning (the 12th), for Toledo, Ohio. They are with the youth of our church on a mission trip to the inner city there. Mary Grace is not out of Bolivar, but she's out of the house, as she is at tennis camp at Southwest Baptist University until Friday. Luke left last week for his summer job in Fayetteville, AR. That leaves David and Lou to hold down the fort for a few days. They are, I'm sure, watching the Mavs-Heat game as I type.

As I've contemplated our being apart, even for this short time, I thought about a line I read in the book, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. Bonhoeffer's brother, Walter, is leaving home to fight in WWI. (Thankfully, nothing quite so dramatic with us.)

They took Walter to the station the next morning, and as the train was pulling away, Paula Bonhoeffer ran alongside it, telling her fresh-faced boy: "It's only space that separates us."

That thought speaks to me. It reminds me that the real ties that bind are not broken by great distances. It reminds me of the truth that there is no distance in prayer. And that prayer is no small thing.

So here, I'll virtually run beside their planes, trains, and automobiles as they are gone on their little trips (and eventually their big trips). I'll remind them (and me) with the words of Paula Bonhoeffer, "It's only space that separates us."

Hawaii, Radar, and Rain

I should start at the beginning. But I'm not going to. I'm starting my posts about Hawaii with pictures taken toward the end of our trip. That's because a blog thought popped into my head at this time also - and all because of one word: Rain.

What do you do when what's on the radar is not on your radar?

When we were planning this trip, the thought that our planned activities might be interrupted by precipitation never entered my mind. Helloooo, Shelley. You vacationed in a lush, tropical climate. That kind of climate is made possible by abundant rain. When we started to experience this rain, we did read on the internet that if it was raining where you were on Oahu, just drive 10 minutes and you'll find the sun. Ok. No problem. Wasn't expecting this, but we'll just do a little extra driving - a little more time in the car than planned. But our car time, albeit crowded, was very good family time. Seeing the silver lining to this cloud.

But one night, more than just a little intermittent shower showed up. According to the Honolulu weather man, the big thunderstorm making noise above our heads was a the result of a very unusual weather pattern for Oahu. A couple of days after this, we visited with a couple who has lived on Oahu for 9 years. The woman explained that in those 9 years, they'd only experienced 5 thunderstorms. Electrical storms were incredibly rare for them.  Since we'd already had conversations about the unexpected rain showers prior to this, we just looked at each other and shook our heads. But then, God gave us eyes to see the beauty. This storm wasn't like the thunderstorms we have here. This was truly an electrical storm - and what a show it was putting on over the water in front of our house. Before the rain really started falling, the lights went out inside the house as the light show began outside the house. So everybody grabbed their camera and started throwing around words like aperture and shutter speed. In this picture, the electricity had just gone out. The lightening was illuminating the entire sky out the kitchen window.

Lou's Droid provided temporary light inside

Lou was able to capture the following strikes. As you can tell, there were a couple of trees and some wires in front of our house, but just past them - the Pacific.

These strikes were not just occurring every once in a while. We were "oohing and ahhing" every 5 seconds. Our guys couldn't take pictures fast enough. What a gift we were given, even though it wasn't the gift we would have chosen. God gave us eyes to see.

The rain came later that night, but I guess it cleaned the atmosphere of our weird weather pattern, because we saw improvement the next day.  After visiting Harbor Church in Honolulu, we hiked Diamond Head.

At the top of Diamond Head

We then headed to the beach and took a family picture.

Kailua Beach

And then a group picture with our dear friends, The Forristers, from Llano, Texas. It's tough to get a picture of 15 people with everybody looking just right. Sorry Heide.

Looking at these last couple of pictures, most would assume our trip was postcard perfect - that every expectation we I had of vacationing in Hawaii was met. There's that darn word again, "expectation." (See January 23 post, Young, Married, and Expecting, for more of my thoughts on expectations). It often kills the given, doesn't it?  Well, it tried to on this trip a couple of times. (Did I mention it rained some while we were in Hawaii?) But God helped me talk to myself about my expectations instead of listen to myself about them.

"Gratefully, take the given. See Me in the given. Joy is in the given."

No matter what's on the radar or our radar, God has our joy on his radar.

Follow Through Friday - on Sunday

It's 10:52 Sunday morning and I am sitting by gate 58 at Kansas City International Airport. Getting ready to be here was no small task - which is my very valid reason for not posting on Friday. I know that if I had been getting paid to blog, that post would have been written on time, and I would be sitting here, probably starting another blog post. But, I'm not getting paid, and I knew any of you who visit here would understand.

We are on the way to Hawaii. I have all kinds of emotions surrounding that fact. I'm excited. A tiny bit nervous - I have a love/hate relationship with flying. I don't like being that far above the ground. I love having hours to read, think, sleep, etc. And, I feel incredibly, undeservedly blessed. Why do I get to do this? This time away with my family is such a gift. Even the little bickering that's already surfaced a couple of times this morning - I'm thankful for the reminder that they aren't perfect, I'm not perfect. We are all, to quote a dear friend, in process. And thankfully, these 7 people love me in the middle of my messy processing.

And unbelievably, we get to continue processing together for a week in Hawaii. Wow.

Thank you, Lord, for today and what you have for us. All glory to you.

"Don't Be Boring."

Christopher Hitchens, well known intellectual, author, and atheist was mentioned on twitter recently. He has esophageal cancer and his prognosis is not good. Wanting to learn a bit more, I googled him and found a March 6, 2011, interview he gave on 60 minutes. Of that 12 minute talk, the part that reverberated in my head was the following:

His father was a naval officer, and his mother was the first real splash of color in an otherwise drab existence. She told him the only unforgivable sin was to be boring, and he has rarely committed it. She aspired for him to go to Oxford and become a proper English gentleman - and one of those wishes came true. (March 6, 2011 CBS 60 Minutes)

Christopher Hitchens remembered something his mom had told him. And it sounds like he took it seriously.  Now I'm not putting all of who Christopher Hitchens turned out to be on his mom's shoulders - or on those words. But just hearing that, reading that, made me ask myself, "What words of mine reverberate (or will reverberate) in my kids' heads?

I immediately winced  because I knew I could predict at least one statement they would say if I asked them the "what words reverberate" question. I did summon the courage a couple of days ago to do just that. I relayed this story about Hitchens and then asked, "Ok, now - and remember, be nice - what would you say I'm known for saying a lot? Pretend you are older, and you have kids. Finish the following statement: My mom used to always say _______."

It's funny, but only one of them voiced my predicted, dreaded answer. Elizabeth immediately echoed what she'd frequently heard come from my mouth, "Have you done your chore today?" I wince again typing that. But, I knew it would come up, because I ask it almost every day. Obviously, I need a different system of accountability in place. Threatening repeating parents are never winsome.(I am taking notes....)

Elizabeth did follow quickly with, "and, Hold a high head and a booming tail and go on!" I'm kind of glad about that one, though, because it's straight from my mom's mouth and it helped me through a million awkward moments. Nervous? Not sure what to do, but you have to do something? No getting out of an awkward situation? Hold a high head and a booming tail and go on.  Thanks, Mom. Your grandkids are hearing your voice through me.

Hannah, sweet thing, says she hears me saying, "Rise and Shine!" And, surprisingly, she said that without a hint of bitterness at me being the one who daily disturbed her slumber. This made me feel like she was glad my voice was the first one she heard most days.

Faith, who I asked as quickly as I could because, as usual, she was running in the house to get something she needed before she went to the next place she was going. "Many hands make light work!"  And with that, Whoosh!  She was gone. I guess she figured that comment needed no explanation. And, it really didn't - but I am noticing a bit of a theme here...

Then Mary Grace chimed in. Hers is the only one that I almost want to take issue with. She said, "You are always asking me, 'Mary, will you take the dog out?'"  I have to believe she was feeling especially put upon about this chore the day I asked this. Please, let this not be my legacy!

The boys' answer reflects what some may say is  typical for males. My two have issues with misplacing, well, everything. So it was no surprise when they answered my question with the question that they know they'll hear from me the minute they tell me they've lost something. "Where is the last place you absolutely, for sure, remember having it?"  Ok, I do think they will find this question useful the rest of their lives. It's the starting question they'll use as they retrace their steps to find the lost object de jour.

This was an interesting exercise for me - and telling. And surprising. And so very... everyday. I think I expected them to say something a little more profound. But we live in the very everyday, don't we? And I think I'm forgetting how profound everyday and the everyday really is.

Will these statements, given by my kids at their still young ages, be my signature statements in their minds? I guess time will tell. I am glad to have this post that chronicles what they were thinking in May 2011. And this post has most definitely made me do some more thinking. Thinking about what I'm saying, because, contrary to what I think a lot of the time, my kids are listening.

Follow Through Friday - Weed Party

Can I confess here that I don't mind weeding? Actually, enjoy it?  My kids are once again shaking their heads at the things their mother "enjoys."  I don't enjoy it in the sense that it would be on my top 10 list of favorite things to do.  It's a necessary, unavoidable, dirty, usually sweaty, task. But just like any work that could be described with these same adjectives, weeding has its positive side.

1. It makes an immediate improvement in the way things look.
2. It takes no real mental effort. (Isn't that nice, sometimes?)
3. I can sit down while I do it. (Thank you, David -see 3/25 post)
4. I have complete control over those weeds.
5. Great think time.
6. Or, great listen to an audio book/podcast time.
7. I'm outside.
8. When kids help, I enjoy interesting conversation.
9. I imagine I'm bringing my own Secret Garden to life (love that story).
10. My dad loved working in the dirt, and I spent many hours alongside him, doing just that.

As I reread my Follow Through from last week, I intimated that it was something I try to put off because I dread it.

Yard work is screaming at me again. I've been effectively squelching it up to this point, but some weeds have reached small tree status. I need the accountability of reporting next week to get 'er done.


I don't dread it, but I can put it off because the daily working of the family isn't sent into a tailspin if the weeds are taller than the shrubs. We jumped on it this week though, just a little, between the rain showers, and helped the look of things around here.


Unfortunately, I am posting this on Friday night - the key word in that sentence being night, when it is dark outside. I took before pictures in the sunlight, but neglected to take any after pictures in that same sunlight. There's a reason for that. The 3 younger girls and I were having our weed party yesterday, when a certain reptile decided to crash it. 

Elizabeth, Mary Grace, Faith, entertaining snake, Komo

Obviously, this was a distraction, and by the time we finished taking pictures of it and watching it slither off into the woods, it was time to shed the garden gloves and move on to the next thing happening around here. So, I'll have to post those in my next Follow Through. In fact,  next week,  pictures of completed tasks is really all I can foresee getting done as we prepare for Hawaii. And for those of you who may remember the post I did on Mary Grace's garden, I'll try to include pictures of that completed project too. 

God in a Greeting

The Encounter at FBC Bolivar, where I attend church, is having a scripture memory emphasis this summer. Since we are studying the book of James, all the verses being chosen to memorize are from that rich, rich book. Being on the leadership team that helps plan the worship service, I am in on the discussion of which verses we plan to memorize.

That first week we read through the first few verses of James 1 out loud. This was what Billy was preaching on and we wanted the memory verse to come from there.  The person reading stopped after 1:1, which says,

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings."

The comment made went something like, "Well, obviously, we don't want to memorize that as a congregation." I agreed, as did everybody else in the room, but then I proceeded to tell them what I'm about to tell you.

God reminds me of something every time I think of those words. These words in this greeting. In times past, I typically read quickly - even scanned - the beginning of the letters in the New Testament,  so I can hurry up and get to the good parts. But a couple of years ago, I decided to try to memorize the book of James. My brother had told me about a girl in his church in Washington that had recited the whole book during one of their church services and how powerful it was. I was becoming more and more convicted of my need for putting God's word in my heart in a more permanent way, so I decided to give this a try. So far, I have only memorized the first chapter - and if pressed to recite it right now, I would stumble horribly.

But it was in the memorizing of that first verse that God spoke to  me. I was saying those words from James 1:1 one day, when it hit me how James had described himself. He said he was a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ. God nudged me and asked, "How would you describe yourself? Could you replace James with Shelley? Are you really my servant?"

Wow. Big questions from what I typically had considered a gloss-overable greeting. Memorizing had slowed me down enough to have to really think about what was being said. And what was being said was big. Nothing in God's word is just filler.

God is in the greeting.