I Would Never . . .

A few years ago, my girlfriend and I snickered behind our Bible study leader's back. It was the middle of January and she had just admitted she still had her Christmas tree standing in her living room. We couldn't believe it. How could anyone still have their Christmas decorations up in the middle of January--ridiculous.

Now I am eating my laughter and my words. It is January 10th and we are just taking down our tree. (Thankfully it's artificial.) The miscellaneous decorations have been piled on our game table for days. I am embarrassed, depressed and humbled the mess.

However, I hear my Jesus whisper to my heart, "Hmmmm, judge not." I had judged her as unorganized and lazy. Now, here I sit in the exact same situation. All those years ago, I should have known this would happen to me, too. It's like when you say, "My child will never do that!" Then your child not only does whatever it is that you so disapprove and does an even better job at it.


So, I am putting way my boxes and trying learn the lesson--again. Never say, "Never."

Doggy Dental and Life

Yesterday, I was supposed to go to my Bible study group. It would have been the first time back, since before Christmas. But life happened, I didn't make it there. It was a bad day to miss, since they were celebrating my birthday that fell during the Christmas break.

Here's what happened. I took my little dog, Jasmine, to the vet for a "dental check-up." I thought I would pick her back up around 4:00 in the afternoon, take her home and go to my small group.

She shivered and shook as I carried her in to the doctor/dentist. I mentioned that her breath smelled BAD. The vet literally stuck his nose in her mouth, breathed deeply, and then murmured. Hmmm. He asked me several questions. Sniffed some more and announced that she had the beginnings of kidney failure. He could diagnose this by smelling my dog's breath?

By three in the afternoon, sure enough two different tests proved his diagnosis. My little old dog is in the beginning of kidney disease. Because of the delay for diagnostics she wasn't ready to go home until 6:00. My study starts at 6:00, so there was no way I was going to make it in time. I drove home with a groggy dog with a sore mouth, kidney disease and three different medications to give her each day.

Isn't life like that? You expect something simple and it turns into something much more complicated. So my day ended up by picking up my dog with first stage kidney failure and eight pulled teeth. I missed Bible study and the birthday cake.

It wasn't a horrible day, just a day when life happened differently than I expected.

Old Times, Old Friends

Right before New Year's Eve, I chatted with a dear friend.It was one of those conversations that when I hung up the phone I knew I had left so much unsaid. I wanted her to know how much I loved her. That she has been one of the biggest blessings in my life, but yet, I couldn't find words that didn't sound trite.

Although I write for vocation and ministry, I was at a loss to convey the deepest feelings of my heart. I wanted to talk about the heartache in our lives. I held back afraid that I was misunderstanding or reading something between the lines of our conversation that was not there. I was afraid to ask. I was frightened for myself and what the future held for both of us.

Oddly that same night Mark and I went to dinner with some new neighbors. We talked and shared information about each others lives. We ended up visiting for almost four hours without running out of things to say. We didn't share deep things. We didn't speak of our lives heartaches, but spoke lightly of our past and current goals for 2009.

What was the difference between these two conversations? The first is a deep relationship that weaves through many areas of my life. It's too important to me to misspeak. it is a forever friendship filled with many of life's unknowns. The second new friendship was just that--new. It was surface and not important to me if I said or did something that they might consider ignorant or silly. It was a beginning friendship, important yes, but not a my heart's core.

As we start 2009, hug your friends. And consider this quote by C.S. Lewis,"
Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art ... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival."

One last thing, here is a great trivia topic. It comes from a excerpt from my Bible study, Perplexing Proverbs. When give your friends that big bear hug them, ask them about meaning of the New Year's song. "Auld Lang Syne"

"Auld Lang Syne" is an ancient Scottish song. It was sung for hundreds of years before the lyrics were actually written down in the 1700s. A close translation of the words “auld lang syne” is “times gone by.” So on New Year’s Eve we sing to friends and friends of the past.

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?
For auld lang syne, my dear,
For auld lang syne,
we’ll take a cup of kindness yet,
for auld lang syne.

A Posse of Peeps

One of my favorites things about Christmas is that I seem to get together with most of my friends during the month of December. And we usually eat. (Isn't that part of the "merry" of Christmas?) This year I had tea with a my dear friend, Marti. She brought me a basket of homemade biscotti that looked like they came straight of biscotti bakery. Delicious!

One of the highlights was getting together with my Tuesday night Bible study group. We are a posse of peeps who love each other dearly. This summer we traveled to Myrtle Beach to laugh and sun together. For Christmas we went out to a fancy restaurant to exchange laughter and calories.

I pray that every one of my blogger friends finds a "posse of peeps" to love, laugh, and live life together in 2009.

God Bless Us Everyone!

It's Christmas Eve. My family is preparing to go to church and have our traditional potato soup. Another one of our traditions is to watch A Christmas Carol Our favorite version is the one with George C. Scott. He makes a mean bitter-hearted Scrooge. The story begins with Mr. Scrooge seeing the face of his dead partner, Marley, in a door knocker. Creepy! A couple of years ago we were in London and I found a "Scrooge" door knocker. I took a picture and think it is a perfect example of Scrooge's experience.

By the end of tale,Scrooge has changed his heart toward God and his fellow man. In the end of story he is described by author Charles Dickens as "Scrooge was better than his word. He became as good a friend, as good a master and as good a man as the good old city knew...Some people laughed to see the alteration in him, but he let them laugh and little heeded them; for he was wise enough to know that nothing ever happened on this globe, for good, at which some people did not have their fill of laughter in the onset.

Tonight as we celebrate the birth of Jesus, let the world laugh at us. Yet let's invite them to Christmas service with us. Let's be kind-hearted. Let's be generous in callous world. Let's proclaim the good news of Jesus--the Baby, our Savior.


And as Tiny Tim,the little boy in A Christmas Carol, would proclaim, "God bless us every one!"

Winter Wonderland

Amazing! It snowed in Las Vegas today. My grandson, Michael, was even able to build a snowman. It is a rarity for snow here. It happens about once every five years. I was so delighted that I took a "jammie" day and stayed home. I made my "world famous" carmel corn and took time to ponder the blessings of the season.

I read Psalm 116 and echoed it's thoughts. "I love the Lord." Today was a Christmas type of day filled with peace and tranquility.

Speaking of tranquility, we had our Scheppmann Family holiday part yesterday. We played a holiday version of Pictionary. My sister-in-law pulled the word "tranquil" from the box. How do you draw that? She gave up.

I guess because of today's beauty, I would draw snow in Las Vegas and carmel corn.

A Weekend of Gifts

This past weekend, I spoke at Forest Home in California for a holiday retreat. Bless those poor women's hearts--I had laryngitis and I rasped my way through the entire weekend. But the wonderful thing about serving the Lord Jesus Christ is it not about me--it is about Him.

We celebrated His upcoming birthday and His gifts to us. He is our Wonderful Counselor, the Prince of Peace and our Everlasting Father. We celebrated the gift of friendship. I am still celebrating my new friends.

Cyndie Sterner--who organized the entire event--Great job!

Mandie Pinto--who led us to the throne of God. Check out her website www.mandiepinto.com

Shawn Baker who used her talent of massage to help my sinus's clear up.

Quite a weekend! It blessed my Christmas stockings off!