Heather Holleman's Blog, page 78

Winterizing

Today I winterized my potted plum tree. When you have a plum tree in a pot outdoors (at least in Pennsylvania), you must insulate the tree against the bitter winter cold. This tree’s roots and young trunk won’t fare well if I don’t offer some protection. You might have a potted plant that you hope survives the winter. Here’s what I learned to do:

Purchase a frost shield blanket from your local hardware store and wrap the pot all the way around and up to the base of the trunk. Then, wrap your pot around and around in layers of burlap or another kind of insulating material. I used 12 feet of burlap, and then I secured everything with this festive ribbon.

In the spring, I pray my little plum tree grows beautiful plums (it might take another year). The more mature plum trees along the back fence have strong roots deep under the ground. They don’t need the same insulation. Maybe this year, they’ll produce fruit at last.

I take my cues from nature. Some of us need to wrap ourselves up and create better boundaries against things that deplete us or threaten our well-being. Some of us need to help protect others. It’s a harsh season. Bundle up.

The Reason You’re There

Today I remembered to take each moment as it comes as a gift from God with a special purpose attached to it. Sometimes I find myself in unpleasant situations in places I wish I could leave (like the doctor’s office). But then I remember my “sent” identity and what it might mean that Jesus sent me to this location for a purpose to bless and proclaim to others something about God.

So today, when a nurse asked me about upcoming travel, I mentioned my Christian conference speaking. She immediately put her pen down and asked, “What do you speak about?”

I told her. I told her about being seated with Jesus from Ephesians 2 and how much God loves us. I asked her if she has ever read Ephesians or what she knew about God. Did she have a Bible? Did she know about being a Christian?

Suddenly, the appointment didn’t matter. What mattered was her and her need for God. We talked about her faith and her desire to reconnect again with God. She asked if she could look up my books, and I told her not to worry–I would deliver signed copies to help her grow in her understanding of God’s love for her.

Sometimes, where we find ourselves has nothing to do with what we think is going on. It has to do with God sending us somewhere to someone who needs to know Him.

Maybe that’s why you are where you are today.

 

In the Hustle and Bustle, Take Time for Solitude

I always remember how often Jesus retreated to solitary places to pray. I love the power of this statement in Luke 5:16: But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Jesus valued solitude for the purpose of prayer. He valued taking time away from people for spiritual purposes. During the hustle and bustle of the holiday season ahead, I remember the importance of withdrawing from others to reconnect with God.

But how? Isn’t it rude to go off by yourself? No! It’s OK to tell people you need time alone to recharge spiritually. You can even plan ahead for solitude, especially if you have a house full of guests. What about waking up early or retreating to bed an hour before others? What about going on a walk alone? You can tell others you are developing the spiritual practice of solitude for the purpose of prayer. It might just inspire them as well. You might even invite your friends and family to designate times for solitude.

In that special time away from people, consider carrying your Bible and reading to listen to the Holy Spirit. Consider journaling your worries or prayer requests. Reconnect with God and ask to “keep in the step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5). Confess wrong attitudes about others or any sin that comes to mind. Ask God to fill you afresh and then enjoy reconnecting with your friends and family from a heart filled with the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control). In your time of solitude for prayer, pray for your friends and family. Practice gratitude. Listen to the voice of God to direct you for the rest of the day.

Your solitude–when you’re away from people but near to God–will change everything about the times when you’re fully present with people during the holidays.

The Difference a Week Makes

I’m amazed that this time last week, I endured kidney stone surgery. But just a week later, I traveled to Pittsburgh to pick up my oldest daughter from college and enjoyed the holiday show at Phipps Conservatory. I felt so blessed to enjoy a pain-free weekend.

And I loved the holiday lights!

Beautiful Disruption

This morning, in my reading of the book of John, I keep thinking about what happens when Jesus enters a situation. It doesn’t stay unchanged. When Jesus arrives, a beautiful disruption happens. When Jesus arrives, things happen. You can’t welcome the presence of Jesus and stay the same. Jesus brings life, hope, truth, healing, and peace. Jesus scatters the darkness and sends demons away. Jesus brings divine order and power to whatever situation He joins.

I think about this as I go about my morning. I think about inviting Jesus fully into every circumstance: my family life, my work, and my plans for the day. I invite Jesus afresh into my writing, my speaking, and my creative acts. You can’t invite Jesus in without something marvelous always happening. I await all that beautiful disruption today. 

Little By Little

When I look at how much I must do (and how behind I am) in grading and other things, I could feel overwhelmed and stay stuck in that feeling. I see the enormity of the task instead of the small parts I know I can finish.

When I choose to tackle what’s ahead of me, little by little, I make progress. Sometimes, we shouldn’t pay any attention to the big picture. We should focus on a small task, then the next one, then the next one. Soon, we’ll finish, and we’ll stay happy and at peace. We keep plugging along, little by little.

Reentry

I’m finally feeling better after the kidney stone surgery! The stent is out! Now, I think about reentry.

I’m behind in all my grading, and I’ve haven’t made any progress on my manuscript that’s due in January. I canceled so many meetings and even a speaking event. Everything in life just stopped. I haven’t really done anything but lounge about for the past 11 days—drinking water and managing pain. I did teach my classes and then immediately return to bed. I did try to take a walk once. I did make dinner last night (Ina Garten’s Chicken Piccata–highly recommend).

But today is a new day. When you have a surgery like this, you realize you made it through a trial. You feel stronger, less afraid of pain, and proud of yourself for surviving something terrible. You feel thankful for God’s perfect timing, God’s provision of doctors and medical care, and God’s blessing of friends. You’re thankful for God’s peace and very real Presence.

*And now I know exactly how to comfort you if you ever have endure kidney stone surgery.

Jesus’ Troubling Question

I keep returning to John 5 in my Bible reading time–the healing at the pool of Bethesda. I try to read elsewhere, but I’m pulled back to this text. Each morning, I discover something I hadn’t noticed before. Today, I read the King James Version because it includes the image of the angel who troubles the water.

Now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

In other translations, Jesus asks, “Do you want to get well?” or “Do you want to be healed?” I always wondered about this question. Of course the man wishes to be healed. Of course! And why ask the question at all? Why not just heal? It seems like a bizarre question. I’ve heard others say that sometimes people don’t really want to get well because they somehow like their condition and that Jesus was trying to point this out. Or they talk about how the man who would rather complain than be healed. I don’t see the text that way. I see a sick man so hopeless that he’s forgotten how to want anything at all. He’s far more dead in his soul than he is in his limbs.

I think of Jesus’ question as a troubling of the waters of the soul. It’s a question designed to see if hope still lives in the heart. Is there desire left? Is there anything green and ready to blossom in that old soul who waits and waits, discouraged and hopeless? The question stirs up the heart. Do you still want anything at all?

I think about the kind of healing Jesus will offer–physical, yes, but far more important is the way a man’s soul will now come alive. He’ll never have to stand watching as other people get ahead of him for their miracle. He’ll never have to see an angel who comes for everyone but him. The healing waters now flow from within him. Yes, he wants to be whole.

 

All the Soups

One blessing of my kidney stone surgery involves the delicious soup that friends brought over for dinner. Mexican Tortilla Soup. Butternut Squash. Autumn Vegetable Soup. Chicken Noodle. Greek Lemon Chicken and Rice. 

We have snow flurries in Pennsylvania at the moment, so the day feels particularly perfect for a steaming bowl of butternut squash soup.

Soup slows a person down; it’s not something you can gobble up. It’s a peaceful kind of meal for a peaceful day.

I did teach classes at Penn State this morning, and now I’ll rest at home, grade essays, and eat soup as snow occasionally falls around the house. I hope your Monday feels as peaceful as mine right now.

Divine Designs

I decided to start reading Oswald Chambers’ My Utmost for His Highest daily devotionals again. I haven’t really read Chambers since my college days. At the time, Chambers’ words often felt too heady and demanding. I often read his entries and felt more discouraged than encouraged. I was young in my faith and didn’t know how to apply half of what Chambers’ wrote. But lately, I’ve found great delight in the wisdom I’m reading now 30 years later. Timing is everything.

I loved the entry this morning:

“We can all see God in exceptional things, but it requires the growth of spiritual discipline to see God in every detail. Never believe that the so-called random events of life are anything less than God’s appointed order. Be ready to discover His divine designs anywhere and everywhere.”  

Life feels more adventurous and supernatural when I stand ready to discover divine designs around me. I look for evidence of God’s love and provision and His arranging of details to send me where I might bless or to send others to bless me. I look for lessons to learn. I look for how a situation drives me into prayer and dependence on God. I no longer see anything as random or out-of-control. I see the day’s unfolding according to God’s appointed order. What a comfort! What a beautiful life!

I look for divine designs.