by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Obsessing over: Hydrangeas. Bountiful blooms scattered throughout the garden greeted us upon our arrival Saturday afternoon. The Nikko blue hydrangeas were snipped from a plant I dug up in my grandmother’s yard prior to her move to assisted living, making them extra special to me.
Working on: A writing schedule. I’ve allowed a multitude of distractions to disrupt the schedule I began in January but today is a new day! I returned from the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Conference with a fresh sense of purpose, including a renewed desire to step up my devotional writing. While at the beach last week, I learned that
Upper Room decided to accept my meditation. The publish date is May/June 2013. Talk about revving up a writing engine!
Thinking about: How much I’d enjoy a screened-in porch right now. (Perhaps, I should instead be thinking about the pitfalls of envy)
Anticipating: The arrival of our second grandchild — a little boy from Uganda. We’re not sure when his arrival will take place but we are certain that God has His hand upon him and is preparing him to become part of a family that already loves him very much.
Listening to: Bumblers smack the window panes as if they’re doing somersaults off a spanking new Springfree™ trampoline. It doesn’t get much more exciting than this, friends.
Eating: Healthier. Steven James, when speaking on The Four Secrets to Success, told of how we need to keep tuning our instrument (minds), which included eating healthy foods and exercising.
Wishing: I’d had more options yesterday when I had to put our cat to sleep. She’d been gone for about a week and returned home injured quite badly. She was, by far, the sweetest outdoor cat that’s ever happened upon my back porch. Lucy will be missed.
Despite the last entry, composing this post was a lot of fun. Want to give it a try on your blog? Check out the post that inspired this one, thanks to
Allison Martin, first-place winner for the blog category. Visit her site,
The Budget Maven, and you’ll see why.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
Only hours before the awards ceremony at Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference, I crossed paths with Julie at the Cloud Cafe. Although I’d received a positive critique from Dr. Donn Taylor the day prior, I had low expectations of placing in this year’s poetry contest and I was disappointed — not in the assumed outcome, but by the fact that I was…well, disappointed. Why did the award mean so much? Did it mean too much? Would a loss deter me from the path of poetry?
God, through Julie, helped me to see how I was on the cusp of believing the lie that a piece of paper could validate my writing—to myself and to others. God alone stirs this heart to communicate and takes the work to places of His making. I simply need to be obedient (is there anything simple about obedience?)
Tears flowed. Hope arose. God’s Validation Gratefully Received. Win or Lose.
Later than evening, as Eva Marie Everson announced the winners for the poetry category, peace sheltered my heart from any possible disappointment. And then I heard these unexpected words: In first place, the winner is…“The One” by Cathy Baker.
Can I be honest? Hearing your name called, while thunderous applause erupts from those you most respect, is an unforgettable experience. And yet, while making my way to the stage I recalled a quote written in my journal many years ago:
“It matters not if the world has heard or approves or understands…the only applause we’re meant to seek is that of nail-scarred hands.” ― B.J. Hoff
To God be the glory.
Not What My Hands Have Done
Not what my hands have done can save my guilty soul;
not what my toiling flesh has borne can make my spirit whole.
Not what I feel or do can give me peace with God;
not all my prayers and sighs and tears can bear my awful load.
These guilty hands are raised, filthy rags are all I bring
And I have come to hide beneath your wings
These holy hands are raised, Washed in the fountain of your grace
And now I wear your righteousness
Thy work alone oh Christ can ease this weight of sin
Thy blood alone, oh Lamb of God, can give me peace within
Thy Love to me, oh God, not mine oh Lord to Thee
Can rid me of this dark unrest and set my Spirit free
Thy grace alone oh God to me can pardon speak
Thy power alone oh Lamb of God can this sore bondage break
No other work save thine, no other blood will do
No strength but that which is divine can bear me safely through
I praise the God of grace; I trust his truth and might
He calls me his, I call him mine, My God, my Joy, my Light
My Lord has saved my life and freely pardon gives;
I love because he first loved me, I live because he lives.
– Aaron Keyes
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
“Each cup of tea represents an imaginary voyage.” – Catherine Douzel
The faculty at Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writer’s Conference is like none other. I most appreciate how they choose to make themselves available to attendees by eating meals with us, talking before and after sessions, and simply hanging out with us in the lobby. Much time and energy is required on their part to prepare, travel, and to show up — not only physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well.
It’s for all these reasons and more that I like to come up with a small token of appreciation for those leading the classes and workshops I’ll take next week. I’m featuring the gift today because it contains one of my favorite things — tea! Remember
this post?
Initially, I’d planned to drop my mini thank you note inside the bag with the tea pouch, but then realized I had an opportunity to make the note itself the tea tag…and voila!
They’re not fancy, but hopefully the old adage holds true—it’s the thought that counts.
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
✔ Ipod loaded with music from Brandon, Zach (from college days), Aaron Keyes, and David Crowder. What better way to begin and end a day?
✔ Lots ‘o one dollar bills for the Cloud 9 Coffee Cafe. Latan, are you ready?
✔ My “Edie” notebook, stocked with business cards, writing samples, and a flashback-style plastic pouch filled with pens, paper clips, and sticky notes.
✔ Much, much more.
If you know me, you know I’m all about the checklist. The process makes me giddy:
- Empty thoughts onto page. In detail.
- Grab debit card. Go shopping.
- Ask hubster to bring luggage down from the attic. Okay, beg.
- Check off each item — quickly. Score!
Searching for the most comfortable shoes or snazziest notebook is gratifying, but if I’m not careful, I can allow the temporal prep to override the eternal one.
Becoming spiritually prepared for next week’s Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference also involves a process—one of searching the soul, with God leading the way. For me, it looks something like this:
God, would you search my heart? Turns out, I have a tendency to see only what I want to see about myself.
God, would you see if there is any offensive way in me?
- Pride – even a speck of it can leave enough space for the enemy’s big toe.
- Envy – “Envy is dissatisfaction with who God has made me to be. It is also suspicion that God is withholding what I deserve and giving it to someone else.” -Mindy Caliguire. God, am I envying someone else? If so, please forgive me and show me how to put on dancing shoes (preferably, without heels) on behalf of another person’s success.
- Greed – “Greed
grows out of the suspicion that God will not take care of our needs as
well as we can do it ourselves.” -Mindy Caliguire. I say I trust You to lead and guide the way on this journey, but when I try to make things happen in my own strength, there’s a whiff of greed in the air, i.e., the stench of flesh. Father, may You find me dying to self, allowing the Holy Spirit to move fully and freely in my life, bringing forth the sweet scent of Your glory.
God, open my eyes to the new and unique ways You are calling me to live out the Gospel as I choose to see this amazing conference as a blessing from You. Not one person will be in attendance by “coincidence”.
Next week is about You, not me.
Next week is about transformation, not information.
Next week is about becoming the men and women You’ve called us to be, not trying to become someone through the process of “doing”.
“Lay your deadly doing down
Down at Jesus’ feet
And stand in Him, in Him alone,
Wondrously complete.”
-James Proctor, It is Finished
by Cathy Baker | Faith |
May Days! May Days!
What are some favorite May days?
Mother’s Day (May 13) – If you knew my Mom, you’d know why this is a celebrated day. She is an overcomer, encourager, ageless (hope that’s in the gene pool!), Lord-loving woman — and I’m very thankful to call her Mom.
National Day of Prayer (First Thursday in May) – Prayer awareness raised throughout our nation, with Dr. David Jeremiah serving as NDP’s Honorary Chairman this year. Click here to read the 2012 National Prayer.
Word Weavers (Second Thursday in May) – A gathering of like-minded word lovers, focused on sharpening one another’s skills while soothing the inevitable ouch of disappointments.
Family beach trip – Where to begin? Swimming with Piper, conversations about the new little one on his way, four generations of family time, slabs of sunscreen, fresh seafood, and trips to the Yum-Yum shop.
Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writer’s Conference – I’m arriving a day early to spend some one-on-one time with some friends, and then meeting many members of an online writer’s group face-to-face for the first time. I can’t wait, Light Brigade! Edie is once again offering attendees a plethora of workshops and classes—how’s a girl to choose?
Memorial Day – God bless the men and women serving in our Armed Forces, and their families. May we never forget the sacrifices made on our behalf.
So, what’s your favorite May day?
