The First Pancake Rule

Things are happening.

I found out last week that my new website may be finished soon. I’m excited, but nervous. 

I’ve been waiting to get my new speaking/writing ministry Extreme Joy Ministries up and running, but there’s something about gazing at the starting line and anticipating the sound of the gun going off to begin. Yes, I’m excited—and nervous—about placing my foot on the line and preparing to move forward.

A couple of weeks I was listening to a podcast by Ann Kroeker who is a Writing Coach and she was talking about the First Pancake Rule.

The First Pancake Rule.

Ann Kroeker said that when you begin making pancakes the first few usually don’t look very good. After pouring the batter they may end up shaped funny, too thick or too thin, and over or under cooked. But you keep pouring the batter and making pancakes.

After awhile you begin to get the hang of it. The batter has settled into the right consistency, you have figured out just how much batter to use and how long to leave it on the griddle before you flip it over. After awhile things begin to fall into place and you are making yummy round pancakes. (All right, she didn’t use the word yummy, but yummy works for me when it comes to hot

pancakes covered with hot maple syrup. But I digress.)

 Ann says it’s the same way when you start or re-start something. You have to just start and expect the first few things (or times you do it, whatever it is) to not be perfect. Start, keep pouring, and you will get better. 

That’s where I am at the moment. I’m beginning to pour the batter: 

• My new website will be up and running so I will be blogging and sending out a newsletter. 
• I'm continuing to be the guest Bible Study teacher at a church in my area.
• The first week of December I’m scheduled to speak at a Women's Conference in Charleston, SC.
• I’m submitting proposals to teach workshops on speaking and speaking tips to a few Writers’ Conferences.
• A Writers' Spiritual Retreat is in the planning stages.
• I’m working on presentations, book ideas, and blog ideas.

My pancakes may not come out perfect, but I’m going to mix the batter and start pouring.

What about you? Is there something you are waiting to start? What about something you want to re-start? Have you set goals but are fearful to step up to the starting line and begin?

Start.

 

Give yourself permission to make a few ugly pancakes.

The more you keep pouring, the better you will get.

And where can you find me? I’ll be standing over the griddle pouring . . . 

 " . . . being confident of this very thing, 

that He who has begun a good work in you will complete 

it until the day of Jesus Christ;" (Eph. 1:6 NKJV).

Scripture from New King James Version of the Bible

Pictures courtesy of www.pixabay.com

Pause & Ponder . . . God's Timing

"Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?"

Words spoken from an uncle to his niece years ago in a land far, far away. But can I take these same words and direct them to you? And me?


What's on your schedule to do today?

What's your "To Do List" look like?

Where will you be going today and who will you see?

What plans did you make, or were made for you, that you have to accomplish?

These all may seem trivial and of no importance in the great scheme of life, but are they?

Queen Esther knew that her people, the Jews, were in danger of being killed . . . but she also knew that if she went before the King unannounced that she too could be killed. She had no guarantee that he would receive her.

But God had a plan and her uncle Mordecai had a glimmer of hope and faith. Maybe, just maybe, his niece had been chosen as Queen "for such a time as this" to save her people. And she was. As she stood in the court before the King, she found favor in his sight and through a series of events, she was able to save her people for being annihilated.

Maybe, just maybe you have been placed in your family, neighborhood, job, or even your generation "for such a time as this." We have no idea how God wants to use us to further His Kingdom.

Jeremiah wrote "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; Before you were born I sanctified you; . . ." (Jer. 1:5). You may not want to believe it but before you were even concieved and in your mother's womb God knew you.

Yes, before GOD formed you in your mother's womb, He knew you. 

Can you get ahold of that truth? God is the One who formed us and 

He KNEW us even before He formed us. At that time He also sanctified us, 

which means He set us apart. 

We don't exist to wake up every day to go through the same mundane motions, get a pay check, eat a meal, sleep and do it all over again the next day. No, God has always known us, formed us, and placed us in this century "for such a time as this." He has something only we can do.

Take time to pause and ponder not only the idea that He has a plan for you, but what that might be. I can tell you it won't be found on your smart phone, on the TV, or listening to the news or those around you. It will be found by spending time with the Lord in reading His word and in praying.

It's the little nudges from the Holy Spirit, saying "go this way," "say this," or "do this" that will allow you to fulfill the plans God has for you. Don't let the enemy keep you distracted to the point you miss the many ways God wants to use you. For He created you . . . "for such a time as this."

Scripture from the New Kings James Version of the Bible
photos courtesy of pixabay.com

Be Still . . . The Lord Will Fight For You.

"I don't know what to do."

"I can't seem to find my way through this maze I've created."

"I am so worried I can't eat or sleep."

"What's going to happen next?"

"I don't know which way to turn."

"Lord, can you hear me?"

I'm sure at one time or another we have all screamed these words while in the middle of a desperate situation. This is life, we are in the middle of it, and things happen. Some things we create and some things are out of our control, but either way we find ourselves stuck in the middle.

As they followed Moses out of Egypt, the Israelites also found themselves in a desperate situation. With the waters of the Red Sea before them and Pharaoh's armies fast approaching behind them, they were stuck with no options in sight.

Have you been there? Stuck with no options in sight? I have. Maybe the choice before me wasn't to drown in a sea or be killed by an army who was pursuing me in fast chariots, but nevertheless I have felt stuck with nowhere to turn.

God saw what was happening to His children and He had a plan.

First Moses told the people "Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord . . . the Lord will fight for you" (Ex. 14:13, 14 NASB).

And He did!

God told the people to stop crying out to him and move towards the waters. At that point God performed a miracle. As Moses lifted up his rod, God caused the sea to go back with a strong east wind dividing the sea. Throughout the night the people were able to walk to the other side on dry land.

And what about the army that was chasing them? That morning God looked down on the army and caused their wheels to fall off their chariots and when they tried to turn back He caused the sea to return to its full depth drowning all the men.

Yes, the Lord fought for them.

                And He will do the same for us. 

                            He sees what is happening to us, His children, and He has a plan.

But we need to learn to, "Be still and know that (He is) God," (Psa. 46:10). He wants to fight for us but we need to let Him. 

What are you in the middle of today? What situation seems impossible? What's closing in on you from both sides?

God sees. 

God knows. 

God hears our cries. 

But we need to be still, 

know that God is God, 

and let Him fight for us! 

He wants to do a miracle in our lives,

 but we need to be still and let Him do it.

Me Do It!

I'm not the kind of girl that can "kick back" and just let things take care of themselves.

Oh no . . . I'm more like the toddler who won't let you help them and looks up at you and says with defiance, "No! Me do it!"

For some reason, even as an adult, I want to look at those who are trying to help me and say, "No! Me do it!"


It's not that I think my way is always the right way, or that I can do it better, it's just that for some reason I feel as though I NEED to do it.

Ok, maybe sometimes I do think I can do it better.

It's just something that drives me.

But if I stay on this track too long, I become weary, discouraged, and unproductive. Thank goodness I have family and friends around me that understand me and will call me out if need be. I have a close relationship with them and because of this they can often see before I can that I'm over-doing it and bring it to my attention.

And they do.

But they aren't the only ones.

As a Christ-follower I have spent years developing a close relationship with Jesus Christ and through Him, a close relationship with my heavenly Father. When I accepted Jesus as my Savior, I received the Holy Spirit who teaches me, "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit . . . He will teach you all things," (John 14:26 NASB).

He teaches me, AND He calls me out.

And it happened again today.

So . . . here I am praying, thinking, planning -- trying to work some things out.

I started out right. I prayed.

But I just couldn't stop there and let God do it. No, the "Me Do It!" attitude took flight.

Then I saw in God's Word today five words that jumped off the page:

". . . and He will do it . . ." (Psa. 37:5 NASB).

Bang . . . called out.

The things I have been praying for are things that I need to let HIM work out, not me. I really do need to kick back, and "let go and let God," do HIS thing.

Dear Father, 

Thank you for

 loving me enough to remind me 

that I'm not the one who is in control, 

and that it is not my duty to make things happen. 

Thank you for stopping me before I get in the way 

and maybe even hinder what you are trying to accomplish. 

As Jesus taught me to pray, "Your will be done," (Matt. 6:10).

In Jesus name I pray, 

Amen.

"Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He will do it," (Psa. 37:5 NASB).

photo courtesy of morguefile.com and greyerbaby

Lemons, Cantaloupes, Watermelons . . . Oh My!

Most of us have heard the saying, "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." Well that's fine and good when it's lemons. Lemons are small, easy to slice and clean up. But what if life gives you something else?





Life gave me a great big cantaloupe recently. It was bad enough that I got thrown this big melon, but before I could make anything out of it, like cute little melon balls or crisp rectangular slices, life threw something else at me.




What?


A watermelon. Matter of fact, it came flying through my house within thirty minutes of the cantaloupe.

And what did I do with my watermelon?

Let me tell you what I didn't do with my watermelon. I didn't carve it into a tea cup and fill it with fresh fruit and crown it with Tinkerbell, or carve it in the shape of a sand bucket and fill it with starfish shaped melons. Nor did I carve out a pirate ship adorned with pirate flags, a crow's nest holding a pirate Lego man, and sails made out of watermelon rind. (Yes, I looked at Pinterest. Where else would I get these crazy ideas?!!!).



I didn't make a watermelon smoothie either. But what I did was grab the watermelon and hold on for dear life. God knew I needed something large to take hold of as I tried to make sense of what was going on in my life.



Sound familiar? Do you sometimes wonder why the big things like watermelons hit you and your family while other people only get a few lemons, or maybe a grape or two thrown their way?



I have to honestly say I didn't get around to asking this question. The reason being is I was too busy carting around my own heavy watermelon. It was so heavy I had to rely on others to help me. And they did help . . . most of the time. But when I was alone at night, cuddled up to my watermelon during sleepless nights, that's when God made His presence known to me. Not only did He make His presence known . . .

• He gave me rest when I couldn't put another foot in front of the other. 

• He gave me peace when decisions, responsibilities, and fear of the unknown overwhelmed me.

• He gave me understanding when the "WHY?" questions would crowd my thoughts.

• He gave me hope when days and nights ran together.

• He gave me strength when I was at my weakest.

• He gave me love that held me in a way no one else could.

What was my cantaloupe you ask?

My husband having to have out-patient neck/spine surgery after weeks at home in the bed while experiencing great pain.

Oh, and my watermelon? 

Bringing him home from the out-patient neck/spine surgery only for him to have a heart attack within thirty minutes of getting him settled. That watermelon came flying through my house before I could even get settled with the cantaloupe.

After a ride in an ambulance, hours of waiting in the ER, 10 days in the hospital, a heart cath and then quadruple by-pass surgery we came home again . . . watermelon in tow, as we prepared for weeks of recovery.

But we're doing it. Neither the cantaloupe nor watermelon caught God by surprise. He has been faithful to see us through the most difficult days and nights. And, with each day the watermelon is getting lighter, for I'm learning to let God carry the weight of my troubles.

So the next time life gives you lemons, cantaloupes, or watermelons and they come spiralling through your kitchen window, remember God is in control. He knew what was coming and will help you.



My prayer is that you will allow God to be your helper, for He "is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble" (Psa. 46:1 NASB).

Now, where did I see that cute watermelon carving of a flower pot with cute little flowers made out of pineapples, grapes and strawberries. I hope I didn't forget to pin it . . .

all photos courtesy of morguefile.com