Heather Holleman's Blog, page 92

Propagate

I discover a beautiful blooming gardenia down in North Carolina, and I secure permission to take a few cuttings. I’m studying how to propagate.

These cuttings may grow roots in a few months. I’ll keep them in fresh water like this until enough roots grow. Then I can transplant the gardenia to a pot. I’ve seen gardenia growing well in Pennsylvania, and I learn that if I keep the plant properly moist (they love humidity!), I might have a good chance of growing this beautiful and fragrant plant.

Propagating takes time. It takes great care over long, long stretches of days. I’m learning once again to take the long view of things.

Daily Dose of Whimsy

We discover a tree frog has jumped into our car. The little frog decided to journey with us until we found a place to let him jump free. Meanwhile, I look around me at all times; whimsical things might just join along for the ride.

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A Little Laughter

What if you prayed for laughter today? I think about the blessing of laughter and the numerous health benefits from having a good laugh. You’ve heard it said that “laughter is the best medicine,” and perhaps we’ve overlooked why. Laughter, it turns out, improves the immune system, relieves stress, and even eases pain. I’ve read about laughter therapy for cancer patients and about laughter interventions for those suffering with depression and anxiety. Laughter aids mental health in wonderful ways.

I’m thinking about laughter because of the ESV translation of Genesis I’m reading. When God blesses Sarah with a son, Isaac, in her old age, the whole miracle feels funny to her. She laughs about it. The Bible says, “Sarah said, ‘God has made laughter for me. . .’.” (Genesis 21:6).

God has made laughter for me.

I think it’s debatable how Sarah feels about this and whether she thinks people are laughing with her and not at her, but in either case, we find laughter.

So I asked God to increase our laughter since it’s so good for us to laugh.

 

 

The Shape of a Life

I’m learning so much from my plumcot trees. My two-year old plumcot is finally old enough to prune into the kind of shape I’m hoping for. Shaping a tree like this seems so odd; you remove healthy, beautiful branches–not because of damage or disease–but simply because they aren’t part of the plan.

The lesson: I always remember that God might prune good things from our lives because He’s shaping us. It might not make any sense to say good-bye to people, places, projects, or anything that God removes from us, but the stunning shape comes from discarded parts. In this photo, I just removed half the tree!

A two-year old plumcot tree planted from seed.

I then turn to care for my one-year old plums. If you notice, these require special support, and I often tie the branches to stakes to train what will become the sturdy trunk. But imagine how constricting and how narrow for the tree!

The lesson: I think of how God often brings our lives to a point where we feel constrained or tied down. Often parents of young children feel this way. Or we feel this way in our locations or in what we perceive to be narrow and restricted callings. But what if this, too, is a strengthening and a straightening for what’s ahead for us?

I’m also learning the particular patience of taking the long view in life. These trees don’t begin to blossom until three years. and even then, nothing guarantees the kind of fruit I’m hoping for.

The lesson: Will I find contentment in God’s plan for my own fruit-bearing? I think about the plum tree that will grow and grow, year after year. If it’s the kind that won’t bear fruit, I consider the beauty of those leaves and branches that can house bird nests and squirrels and maybe one day an owl. I think of children in a hundred years who could climb it or who might sit in its shade. Even without the kind of fruit one expects from a fruit tree, the tree produces an altogether different kind of blessing and nourishment.

God shapes every life differently. And every life bears different fruit.

All Those Years Later

This morning I marveled about God’s way of answering a seemingly unanswered prayer. I thought of God’s timing over centuries. I thought of God’s infinite goodness. And it was about Moses of all things. Do you remember how Moses begged God to allow Him to enter the Promised Land? Do you remember how God wouldn’t answer that prayer in the way Moses wanted? Did it make you sad for Moses? You read the account here in Deuteronomy 3:23-26:

“And I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying, ‘O Lord God, you have only begun to show your servant your greatness and your mighty hand. For what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as yours? Please let me go over and see the good land beyond the Jordan, that good hill country and Lebanon.’ But the Lord was angry with me because of you and would not listen to me. And the Lord said to me, ‘Enough from you; do not speak to me of this matter again.” 

(If you remember, God wouldn’t allow Moses to enter the Promised Land because Moses disobeyed God’s directions when speaking to the rock to get water for the Israelites. He struck the rock twice instead of speaking to it as God commanded in Numbers 20).

But what I thought about this morning from my reading from Prevailing Prayer was how Moses did indeed enter the Promised Land years and years later at the transfiguration of Jesus in Matthew 17. God answered Moses pleading prayer in an even more marvelous way right in the Promised Land. We read this:

After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

I wonder if God had a special conversation with Moses at that moment. I wonder if God said, “See, Moses! I heard your prayer. I planned for this all along. It would take a long, long time, but I knew it would be worth it for you to arrive in the Promised Land this way, with Elijah. And with Me.”

So when I think that God hasn’t heard me or is ignoring me or even saying no, I remember Moses.

God heard. God said yes.

 

The Knocking

I’m finishing the book Prevailing Prayer by D.L. Moody. In his chapter on petitioning the Lord, he discusses how Jesus tells us, “Ask and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you” (Luke 11:9). Moody writes, “Some people think God does not like to be troubled with our constant coming and asking. The only way to trouble God is not to come at all. He encourages us to come to Him repeatedly, and press our claims.”

The only way to trouble God is not to come at all. 

Moody explains further that many people approach God and do not expect an answer. They are the ones who knock and run away or knock and believe in their heart that nobody is home. Or they knock so softly to not disturb. Finally, they knock without being sure they actually want entrance into the place.

But think about the persistent knock of someone on your door. They won’t go away. It’s loud and urgent. They know what they need and won’t run away. Moody reflects on someone who says, “Jesus cannot be expected to answer runaway knocks. He has never promised it. I mean to keep knocking, knocking, until He cannot help opening the door.”

So we keep knocking on the door. We ask, seek, and knock to find the door opening. I think about what doors seem closed to us. On which door will we keep knocking with the full expectation God will open that door and welcome us?

Back When I Was a Homesickness Expert

Back in the 1990’s at Camp Greystone, I slowly became an expert in helping homesick campers adjust to camp. Two techniques worked the best:

First, the number one intervention that helped these campers was this: the next day’s schedule. When I could excite the campers about what was coming next and remind them of the predicable and fun schedule, they became almost immediately more comfortable. I’d say, “I know you miss home, but tell me about what you’re doing tomorrow. Did you sign up for swimming? For ceramics? What time? Oh! How fun!” I kept going back to the schedule of what was coming next at specific times. I’d tell the homesick girl to keep thinking about how much fun this or that thing was going to be at this or that time. The technique combines hope with predictability. You will have fun at this time. Then, at this time, this will happen.

The structure helped.

Second, I had to teach the campers that it’s OK and even normal to miss home. You can miss home and have fun at the same time. What a revelation to these campers that they could hold these complex emotions together in the brain! Laura Hollowell–our great leader at camp–taught homesick campers this profound truth: they didn’t have to choose between their love of home and their love of camp. Both are true, and the stress of feeling like you have to choose which place makes you happiest makes the homesickness worse. It added to the confusion. I learned to tell homesick campers they can miss home and also have fun.

Remember the hopeful schedule.

Remember you can miss home and have fun at the same time.

I remember this when I travel or vacation for any duration of time. Even adults can become debilitatingly homesick when they travel. They often don’t talk about it because it’s embarrassing and confusing. Isn’t homesickness just for children? No! Anyone can become homesick when traveling (even on the best, most glamorous vacations). You’re longing for familiarity, and you miss your home surroundings, especially pets. You miss familiar foods, sounds, and smells. These homesick feelings can nearly ruin a vacation you’ve planned.

Do what homesick campers learn to do: Put a daily itinerary together that includes the kinds of fun things you know you’ll enjoy. List out actual times and the events you’re looking forward to. The structure often helps immediately. Then? Remember you can miss home and have fun at the same time.

What works for homesick campers at Camp Greystone works for adults, too. Happy travels!

When and Why People Seek Your Input

I often ask my students why people seek their input. The answer often reveals a direction for their careers they haven’t yet considered. The answer uncovers their strongest areas of talent and expertise.

I ask the class: Why do people seek your input? For what service? 

The answers pop in: fitness and nutrition advice, relationship help, therapeutic conversations, financial planning, decision making, building a social media platform, writing, study skills, empathetic listening, party planning, website design, and baking. The list goes on. Sometimes a student will tell the class that everyone wants advice on interior design because of her talent in this area. Maybe she should change her major. Or the student that manages a large investment portfolio might consider taking some finance classes to see where it leads. What about the student who cannot stop offering styling advice to his friends? Could that become a business?

It’s something to think about. Why do people seek you out? For what service?

People seek me out for spiritual encouragement, evangelism training, and writing advice. People seek my husband out for strategic thinking, leadership development, and discipleship. My daughters? I watch how their friends seek them out for advice in certain areas. This might indicate a future calling.

Living with flair means paying attention to how people want you to serve them. It’s a clue, a signpost, and a possible career direction.

 

Thinking About the Rainbow

The best rainbow photo I ever took involved a hike in the Rocky Mountains. I love this decades old photo!

Rocky Mountain Rainbow

I thought about this photo because I’m beginning my chronological Bible reading plan again using Every Word: A Reader’s 90-Day Guide to the Bible. I arrive to the moment in Genesis when God places a rainbow in the sky as a sign of His love and promise to Noah never to destroy the earth by a flood (Genesis 9:12-17). The rainbow is the sign of the everlasting covenant.

I spend a few minutes thinking carefully about rainbows and what they represent. I love thinking metaphorically and symbolically, so of course I found myself delighted by the three factors present create that rainbow: refraction, reflection, and diffusion. Yes, I looked up each word! When we look at a rainbow, we can see light bending or changing direction as it passes through water droplets (refraction). The light changes when it encounters the water. It then reflects. It then diffuses.

I want to be that light that refracts when it meets the Living Water–Jesus. I want to reflect Him and then diffuse that love everywhere. Refract, reflect, diffuse.

And this happens best in trials.

Rainbows appear best after the worst and darkest storms. Without that dark backdrop of storms, you’d hardly see the beautiful rainbow in my photo.

My Favorite Summer Pasta Salad

Tomorrow, our little street hosts our annual block party. We get permission from the city to block off the street with traffic cones, and we enjoy a great day together. The party lasts all day and into the night with great conversation, delicious foods, and fun games for the children. One generous family provides all the BBQ meats (and they have a smoker!), but neighbors bring all the sides and drinks. We all gather in folding chairs and just hang out in the centrally located yards or right in the street.

If you live on a street you can block off, why not throw your own block party–if not this summer, next year? It’s a great way to build connections with your neighbors. We all look forward to this each summer, and because of COVID, we skipped last year.

It’s time for a real party!

To prepare for tomorrow’s party, I decided to make my favorite pasta salad recipe that uses the basil I’m growing in my garden. It’s the Williams-Sonoma Pasta Salad with Tomato and Bell Pepper dish.

It’s a lemony salad filled with capers, fresh basil, and veggies to make this a healthy and light side dish. The recipe is over 20 years old, and I couldn’t find it online (so I took a picture for you below from the cookbook). All credit goes to Williams-Sonoma! Here’s the link to their cookbook. I modify this recipe by doubling the fresh lemon juice and capers because I love lemon and capers! I also double the whole recipe for a crowd. Here’s what I do:

Mix 5 tablespoons good olive oil with 1 tsp fresh lemon juice and a dash of salt (more if you like salt). Add in 8 shredded basil leaves. Let this rest a while in a separate bowl while you cook 1/2 box of fusilli pasta.  While it’s cooking, chop 3 tomatoes, 1 yellow bell pepper, and 3 celery stalks. Add this to the bowl with 2 tablespoons capers (or the whole drained jar like me!). Mix everything and pour your lemon-basil dressing over it. You will love this! Here’s the look of the doubled recipe with the whole box of fusilli. Enjoy!