Renewing Your Mind

You're probably wondering what the above photo has to do with renewal. That's a photo of me standing in my yard next to a pile of pine straw bales. For those of you who don't live in the southeastern US, pine needles aka pine straw are used to mulch flower beds and natural areas. We have a huge yard, and it requires eighty to one hundred bales of pine straw twice a year. It's a big job, but when I finish the yard looks fantastic. All the natural areas are renewed. I love working outside in God's creation, and I've been itching to get out in the yard and renew the pine straw, especially when I take a walk and see that my neighbors have put out new pine straw. I haven't tackled the spreading of pine straw this year because I'm too busy meeting my newest book deadline, so the pine straw will have to wait until I turn in my book.

The following scripture from Romans 12:1-2 talks about renewing our minds. "¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Just as the flower beds and natural areas of my yard need renewing, we need to renew our minds by keeping them in tune with God. What do you do to keep in tune with God?

Merrillee

Is spring really here?

Hi. It's me again--Lenora. (I often say that when I talk to God, too!)I think spring has finally sprung in Louisiana. We've had lots of storms lately--those April showers and now I've planted some May flowers. I'm having my church circle group here tomorrow night and we're having a nice supper out by the pool. So that meant that all today I did some spring cleaning and my husband and I worked in the yard, clearing up leaves and limbs and pine straw and just about everything else left over from the wind and rain. Now my back is complaining! But it was so nice to get out in the fresh air and work through the renewal that comes with spring. It was warm so I didn't have to bundle up. The wind had died down so it was very pleasant. I did put on bug spray (that's standard in Louisiana where the mosquitoes are always out and about.) But I picked up limbs and pulled weeds and had a pretty good time. My dear husband has worked at his "part-time" job for about seven days straight but he washed the patio down, including the chairs and table and cleaned the pool and made everything looks so clean and pretty. We have new flowers planted and I'll cook everything tomorrow. I'm glad to be here because I had something rather strange happen to me last Friday (on my 53rd birthday). First, I woke up after my husband had left and heard a tv on. My husband never leaves things on, so I went downstairs and saw the little tv in the kitchen on and that tape of the British lady singing away was running on one of the morning shows. That was odd enough. Then a towel in my bathroom just fell right off the rack. That was odd. Then, Friday night I had an assignment for the magazine where I moonlight. I had to get all dressed up to attend the Cotillion. It was raining. After the court was presented and I had my pictures, we all headed out to a tent past the old auditorium where the Cotillion is always held. The tables had these huge three-foot tall glass vases full of lovely flowers on them but the wind was hurricane strength coming through that tent. I was sitting with a nice couple at a table, enjoying the great food, when the wind picked up. We decided to move. I went to speak to a friend and bam, just like that, the huge vase at the table shattered into a million sliver of glass. About five seconds AFTER I'd left. I looked at my friend and said "I was just sitting there." He said, "I know." Okay, that was very odd. If I'd stayed there, I'd probably have stitches all over my face or worse. On the way home, I thanked God for giving me the good sense to move when I did. And then it hit me. 53. That was the age of my sister Glenda when she died (after a wreck with a drunk driver.) My first LI "The Wedding Quilt" was based on all the emotions my family went through when she died. I looked up at the dark night and sent her a big "thanks". I believe my sister was watching over me Friday--all day long--in her playful way. And I think she probably helped me move before that big heavy vase could come crashing down all around me. Talk about renewal.
At 53, I feel renewed and filled with gratitude that I had her in my life. She always loved birthdays. So today, even though I worked hard at spring cleaning (who knew one woman could collect so many winters shoes!!!)and I'm sore and tired from picking up broken limbs, my spirit is not broken. Spring is here and each minute is precious beyong measure. The flowers know when it's time to bloom. They push through the winter to find the sun. And that's what we have to do, too. We push through, even when things seem to be shattering all around us. Winter is over; spring is here and He is risen. My garden looks like the color of love. Because I have angels watching over me--in every season.

One Refreshing Day by Missy Tippens

Missy here. Since we’re talking about spring and renewal this month, I had the idea of sharing the beautiful photo at the left (from a redbud tree at our church) and telling how, after years of drought, we’ve had a fairly wet spring, etc., etc.

But then yesterday we had the most wonderful day—a renewing, refreshing day for me. And I wanted to share it with all of you.

My son plays on the middle school tennis team. They had their last match last week, but for fun, the coach arranged to have an 8th grade student and teacher doubles tournament . Each 8th grader was matched with a teacher and played doubles against another teacher/student team.
First off, it was an absolutely perfect spring day. Sunny and about 65 degrees. But what was so refreshing to me was how supportive the teachers were to show up after school hours to take part in the event. They cheered for the kids, teased with them, and had good competitive fun.

You know, I’ve been really impressed with the middle school teachers. They show up for a good many events above and beyond the call of duty. And they do it out of caring for the kids—at an age where the kids aren’t always so easy to love! That’s what was so refreshing to me yesterday. We so often hear the negative stories about school and teachers. So I’m happy to share a bit of the positive.

And as an addendum, today a bunch of those same teachers were out helping with a county-wide track meet!

I hope you’ll share a story of renewal or of something that has refreshed you recently.
Missy

Rest and Renewal, by Carol Steward

There comes a time when everyone needs renewal of some sort. It may be a time of physical exhaustion, recovery from an illness, or a season of spiritual crises. When this time reaches out to you, it's time to reach out to those who love you. It's time to let them give back and give to you.

When I'm writing, I build a cocoon around myself and force myself to focus on the current book. My family builds the layers of protection around me, supporting me so I can focus. When I was younger, letting others take charge of those chores around the house was out of the question. Who knew that letting go would be such a challenge?

As a mother, I learned to juggle everything to keep my family going at warp speed. I didn't know what sleep was, literally. The time I thought I needed for renewal was shorter then, maybe an afternoon of shopping with a friend, a date with my husband, sleeping in for an extra hour on a Saturday morning. I had things to do and people to meet… I didn't have time to "waste" on the frivolity of renewal.

As His child, I realize more than ever that God intended for us to renew ourselves regularly. Much as I try, to this day, I can't seem to sit still on Sunday. It's often my one day to catch up with housework or writing for a longer stretch of time.
His plan included a day of rest, as documented in Genesis 2: 2, "And on the seventh day God finished his work which he had done, and he rested..." Even God took time to renew and reflect, setting an example for all of us.

Mark 6:30-31 says, "The apostles returned to Jesus, and told him all that they had done and taught. And He said them, 'Come away by yourselves to a lonely place, and rest a while.' For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat." Stress and busyness has been around for as long as man. Exhaustion leads to stress and stress kills - not just the body. Stress kills our hope, our joy, and our love.

It's critical that we continue trying to fit rest and renewal into our lives. Rest and renewal go hand in hand. Through the winter, many plants go into dormancy, a time to renew. Spring is a perfect visual example of God teaching us the importance of renewal. Trees and flowers wake up from a long winter's nap. The icy cold melts away to warmer days of light. And light naturally boosts our mood, our hope. God has that one ALL figured out, doesn't He?

A few years ago, my daughter and daughter-in-law helped me replenish our supply of sugar Easter eggs - one for each family on Easter morning. By sharing that time together and taking my mind totally off writing, He refreshed me and I was able to get back to writing again. Find ways to treat yourself and make it a concentrated effort to follow through. Here are a few ideas to let grow on you this week. I'll be working on several of them, too.

Go to bed early one night a week. (not tonight)
Turn off the television and pick up a book.
Reach out to someone else who might need a reminder to slow down and let God refill their cup.
Sit down and eat dinner rather than eating it on the run.
Have a friend over for coffee.
Pick up a craft or hobby that you never finished.
Listen to soft and relaxing music.
Get a massage.
Go for a walk.

The list is endless. Just stopping to plan to rest gives my mind a much-needed break. What about your ideas? How do you Renew yourself?

New Beginnings

Springtime is associated with with new beginnings. What paints a better picture than trees as they display their new leaves or flowers as their color and beauty spread across the landscape? Here's a photo I took from the deck of my friends' cabin in the north Georgia mountains last spring when I was doing research for my April book, HOMECOMING BLESSINGS. If only I had stopped and taken a photo of the Dogwood trees that were in full bloom when I passed through Atlanta on my way to the mountains.



The leaves were just starting to pop out on the trees on the hillsides above the lake when I took this picture. The signs of new beginnings were everywhere. The theme of HOMECOMING BLESSINGS is new beginnings for the hero, heroine and even her father. What better time is there to tackle something new than in the spring when we see so many signs of renewal?

Two scriptures come to mind as I think about new beginnings—one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament.

One of my favorite scriptures is Isaiah 40:30-31.

³⁰ "Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
³¹ but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

The other scripture comes from Romans 12:2.

"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—
his good, pleasing and perfect will."

Life is reassuring when we know that God is there to guide us and renew our spirits and our minds and give us the strength to make that new beginning. Whatever it is.