Heather Holleman's Blog, page 18

Everything Worth Having

This morning, I remember this paragraph Elisabeth Elliot wrote in her book called The Path of Loneliness: Finding Your Way Through the Wilderness to God on surrendering to God. I bolded my favorite lines:

“Can give up all for the love of God? When the surrender of ourselves seems too much to ask, it is first of all because our thoughts about God Himself are paltry. We have not really seen Him, we have hardly tested Him at all and learned how good He is. In our blindness we approach Him with suspicious reserve. We ask how much of our fun He intends to spoil, how much He will demand from us, how high is the price we must pay before He is placated. If we had the least notion of His loving-kindness and tender mercy, His fatherly care for His poor children, His generosity, His beautiful plans for us; if we knew how patiently He waits for our turning to Him, how gently He means to lead us to green pastures and still waters, how carefully He is preparing a place for us, how ceaselessly He is ordering and ordaining and engineering His Master Plan for our good-if we had any inkling of all this, could we be reluctant to let go of our smashed dandelions or whatever we clutch so fiercely in our sweaty little hands? If with courage and joy we pour ourselves out for Him and for others for His sake, it is not possible to lose, in any final sense, anything worth keeping. We will lose ourselves and our selfishness. We will gain everything worth having.”

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A Marvel

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Too Cute To Care

Well, the bunnies are everywhere. They are most likely eating my pumpkin patch and feasting on my raspberries. I decided they are too cute for me to care, at least for this summer. But I’ve learned my lesson: next year, I’ll have Ash strengthen the fence around the pumpkins and raise the raspberry patch.

I rush to the growing pumpkin vines to scare away a baby bunny, but when I lift one of the leaves, he sat there, twitching his little nose and little puff-ball tail. His little black eyes were shining, and the setting sun turned his ears golden.

I had no chance.

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Because God Is Like This

I discover a little bookmark I received almost 20 years ago about the attributes of God. Bill Bright compiled a list of 13 things to remember about God from his book God: Discover His Character. I love thinking about God’s attributes and what they mean for how we live each day. The bookmark list reminds us that God is personal (so I can truly know Him); that He is all-powerful (and can provide any help I need); that He is ever-present, all-knowing (so He can answer any question or figure out any complexity I’m facing), and sovereign. God is also holy, truthful, righteous, and just. Bill Bright then reminds us that “because God is love, He is unconditionally committed to my well-being.” Isn’t that so wonderful to remember today? Finally, we finish the list with God as merciful, faithful, and unchanging.

I thought about Paul in prison when I read this list. As he knew God (and God didn’t remove him from his chains, for example), what did Paul dwell on when his circumstances or hardships did not change? I like to think that Paul delighted in the ever-presence of God, His love, and His sovereignty. He knew that a holy God put him where he was, and Paul had surrendered and consecrated his life as a living sacrifice. And Paul was able to know the secret of being content anywhere because he knew God in all of His glorious attributes. When we know God like this, it changes everything.

Perhaps this list will help us as we move through our day with whatever challenges we’re facing.

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A Great Ebook Deal For You!

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3 Guests So Far

Ash jokes that I’m now a talk-show host in my front yard as different neighbors come sit in the camping chair beside me. I’m testing out my ideal location for Adirondack chairs (thank you for those of you sending messages of your best suggestion for my front yard seating!) with my camping chairs. I’m testing out ideal time of day. I’m also testing out the power of sitting outside in chairs for great conversation. If a family member wants to talk about something, I’ve been saying, “Hold on. Join me outside.” It works! The breeze blows, the leaves rustle, the birds sing—and we talk in the camping chairs. There’s something about chairs outside with nature all around. Maybe I need a little portable fire pit.

Today, I enjoyed three guests for short visits. One was a dog, Hudson, that approached, lifted a paw in greeting, and sat, staring at me intently for at least 15 minutes. So I talked to Hudson and admired this lovely dog. Hudson’s owner and I talked about everything from Christmas traditions and family beach vacations to Italian salads of all things.

The best time to gather a guest for my chair seems to be whenever dogs need their walks. So early morning and early evening for sure. Tonight, I might make a cup of decaf just to sit and talk with Hudson (who obviously loves me).

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The Way They Always Have

My friend who knows I love Frederick Buechner encouraged me to sign up for a daily email with a different Buechner quote. Today, I loved this quote about what it means to worship God. Buechner reminds me that when we truly love God, we’ll respond with joy and foolishness (like all lovers always have when they are in love). Here’s a great part of his quote: “To worship God means to serve him. Basically there are two ways to do it. One way is to do things for him that he needs to have done—run errands for him, carry messages for him, fight on his side, feed his lambs, and so on. The other way is to do things for him that you need to do—sing songs for him, create beautiful things for him, give things up for him, tell him what’s on your mind and in your heart, in general rejoice in him and make a fool of yourself for him the way lovers have always made fools of themselves for the one they love.”

All morning, I think about God sending me on errands, giving me a message to deliver, or inviting me into spiritual battle with Him. I think about spending the day creating something beautiful or giving up a certain right to myself I’m holding onto. In other words, I remember to cry, “I will live the life You ask me to—because I love You and will make a fool of myself for You!”

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For Sitting Out Front

My new idea involves chairs for sitting in my front yard. Since we don’t have a front porch, I might just put two folding chairs on the lawn so I can visit with all of my neighbors and their dogs. Sometimes I like to stand in the driveway and visit with everyone. The sun sets in such a way that my front yard enjoys late afternoon shade, and I can watch the sunset just over my shoulder.

Yesterday, I heard a friend say that the day he and his wife put Adirondack chairs on his front porch changed everything. They’d sit together out front, and people stopped by to visit. The chairs contained gravitational pull for conversation. I think this would make a perfect anniversary gift for Ash and me to give one another.

Then, I heard neighbors who had chairs out in a circle in between their houses in the front yard. They gathered every evening for conversation. I also heard of a great conversation question that absolutely delighted me. A neighbor began asking a group of neighbors this question: What was the first song you remembered really loving and playing over an over again? Then, the neighbor built a playlist of everyone’s songs and played them for everyone. I thought this was so fun.

I’ll keep you posed on my chair initiative.

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A Blessing in Things Undone

I glance out into the backyard to see how the weeds have once again overtaken the area by my plum tree and birdbath. It’s now jungle-like and lush like a rainforest of weeds. I think about things undone in the midst of things to do. Haven’t we all? But what I love about God right now is how He is always working for our good (Romans 8) and demonstrating His overflowing love to us despite anything we do or fail to do. He is so good. He is so kind. He is even, at least in my life, whimsical.

I decide to check the water level in the birdbath since we’ve had some hotter days. Plus, these robins splash and bathe like it’s their own personal pool party every hour.

I glance down into the weeds. There, I see three bunnies, no bigger than my palm, nestling together. Fresh from the nest, they enjoy the cool shade of weeds and a perfect hiding place from predators. In fact, I wonder if Mother Robin right above them will sound an alert if anything dares approach. I turn to my left to see Mother Rabbit enjoying her breakfast of grasses near the back fence. The weeds are a blessing.

All is as it should be.

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First Little Fig Growing

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