by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Encouragement from the Word, Godly Relationships, Lifestyle Encouragement
We stopped by Walmart on the way home from church today and it was teeming with people! Thankfully, we weren’t in a hurry because we had the chance to visit with several of our friends and neighbors. Shortly after grabbing the first few items on our list I bumped into Ms. Sally from our church. “I just cannot find the crackers,” she mused.
“They are on the aisle labeled snacks,” I responded – and then just to make sure, I walked there with her. As soon as we rounded aisle 7, I could clearly see there were no crackers. I was standing there confused when another friend, Cheryl, walked by. “Where did the crackers go?” I inquired. “I was sure they were here.”
“They have been moved to the back where the drinks are,” she informed us. Ms. Sally wheeled off in search of her crackers. After a few moments she returned to report that she had found them.
Meanwhile, we stood and chatted with Cheryl and her husband. It was a great conversation, animated with sharing of family news and concerns for those in our community. I stood talking with my arms full of bread and soup and spaghetti sauce. In the midst of the conversation, a man excused himself as he interrupted. “Where did you find the bread?” he asked. He gestured to his family following him, “we are not from here and we don’t know where to find the bread.”
I smiled and gave directions, pointing with my free hand in the direction of the bread aisle. As I often do, (maybe it comes from years of teaching distracted teens) I repeated the directions to be sure I was clear. He and his wife expressed their gratitude and headed off to find the bread.
We continued in conversation, but after only a few moments, a former student, Eric, tapped me on the shoulder. “Since you are giving out directions,” he quipped, “can you help me find this?” He held out his cell phone to show me a photo of chicken bouillon.
“That is on the soup aisle,” I explained. I glanced at his expression and then lead him down the soup aisle. “Here is what you’re looking for,” I smiled as I handed him the jar. Returning back to my group I joked, “I guess I am the traffic director today!” Inside I thought, “hmmm – we have a theme!”
All around us people are looking for direction. I feel so blessed when I can point someone the right way. Whether it is where to find the bread, how to deal with their child’s addiction, or where to look in the Bible for words of hope, giving direction is one of the most honorable jobs. It implies that someone views me as approachable and available, they recognize my wisdom or knowledge, and they trust me to help them get there.
If we want to help with those searching for the right way, we must be approachable and available. Two of my encounters today came while I was in the midst of conversation. It wasn’t that I was not busy, but I had a smile on my face and I made eye contact with people as they walked by. If I wear an expression that says, “Don’t bother me!” then likely people won’t. I like to be interrupted – I want to be asked – I love to engage with people. I didn’t stand in the middle of the store with a sign that said, “Ask me!” But then again, I really did!
We must first know how to get there ourselves if we want to direct others. If we don’t know the way, we must simply ask someone who does. I don’t always know the answer, but I can usually find someone who knows. Part of being in the position to help is being willing to admit that I don’t have all of the answers! I knew where the crackers used to be, but it wasn’t hard to locate someone who was more familiar with the changes. Ms. Sally might not have asked Cheryl because she didn’t know her. I was simply the connector. Wisdom and knowledge is helpful, but true wisdom has as much of a desire to find the truth as it does to know the truth!
Finally, sometimes giving direction is not enough. Often, we need to walk along with someone until they reach their destination. People don’t always recognize what they need until it is taken from the shelf and placed in their hand. Something familiar and commonplace to me can seem foreign and out of reach for another. When asked, I must be willing to point the way and then lead the way.
I didn’t solve the problems of the world today, but the crackers, the bread, and bouillon were all found. I left Walmart with the items I came for and a sense of purpose. I am a traffic director – can I help you find your way?
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | Lifestyle Encouragement
This photo popped up on my feed today as a memory from one year ago. This is one of my favorite picture of my four kids. It brings a bevy of emotions, but today it made me think of all the things you don’t see when you look at this picture.
Right away, I noticed how much my kids have grown since this was taken – in more ways than one! I love that they are dressed up and look nice. I love how close they are standing and that they look like kids that like each other. I love that, in general, they appear to be happy, healthy, kids on a snowy afternoon. But here is what you don’t see in this picture …
This picture was taken outside of their grandmother’s house on the way to bury her. One of these kids was suffering with extreme anxiety, depression, and a drug addiction. We didn’t make it through the day without a meltdown. One of these kids despises getting his picture taken. One really wants to hug his brother but isn’t allowed. Three are just happy there is no drama going on in this moment.
I would be willing to bet you didn’t see all of that. While a picture is worth 1000 words – it can also hold a lot of secrets. You may wonder why I even like this picture when I clearly know the back story. I suppose it is because it was one bright spot in a day full of other emotions. It was a moment when my broken family was whole and happy. It was a moment when things seemed good.
But this picture also serves as a reminder of several things. It reminds of me that we stood in line for hours on end while people filed through to share wonderful stories of how my mother-in-law had blessed their life. It reminds me that even when we were struggling through a difficult time, we came together as a family. It reminds me that, even though that was a dark and frightening period, we are now in a joyous place of healing and recovery!
I can look at this photo with all of its secrets and tell you the happy news of today. Yes, my kids are now bigger and taller, but they have grown in so many other ways. Our son is now recovering from his addiction as well as his depression and anxiety. We have had frequent family time with no meltdowns or drama, and he even lets his brother hug him now. Actually, I would say that our whole family is closer than ever before. I have seen a confidence develop in each one of these kids over the last year. I am so proud of all of them!
by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | The Art of Encouraging
I was interviewed today by a young girl from my community. As part of her Art Badge, she needed to visit an artist’s studio and inquire about their process and materials. She and her mother asked great, insightful questions, and I enjoyed answering them. It gave me a chance to think about who I am as an artist and to reflect on the why and how of what I do.
As I finished a piece today that I have been working on – in my mind for a couple of years – but physically for a couple of days, I realized that more people might like a glimpse into the workings of an artist’s process. I am sure that we are all different, and I am constantly evolving my own creative system, but here is the journey of my latest painting, “The Roost”.
I often begin thinking about a painting when I see something that captures my attention. About five years ago, Jerry and I went on a missions trip to Costa Rica. We travelled along rough dirt roads from one remote village to another, and I was fully enamored with the small rustic homes and rural jungle life. On one of the trips to La Gata, we passed a tiny house with a fence across the front yard. A rooster was perched on the fence, and though I only caught a quick glimpse, that image burned in my mind. I knew instantly that I wanted to paint something similar.
Several years later, while visiting a local friend, I took these pictures of her chickens roosting on her deck rail. It was dusk and image quality was not good, but it reminded me of that rooster in Costa Rica. I realized then that the image I was interested in capturing was really about the roost and not the particular breed of chicken. I found a board that seemed just the right size for the painting and covered it in black paint. Though unsure of the background color I wanted, I decided black would be a good place to start. I left the board black and it sat unpainted for a couple of years longer.
Finally, this week, I decided to paint these chickens. Usually, I paint a background and then chalk in my subject before adding the details, but I have striving to loosen up and allow myself to experiment and develop the image as I paint. This time I used the brush to “draw” my simple outlines. As I began adding splashes of color to the background, I could see leaves developing. I started thinking about the bush outside my kitchen window where we often find our chickens roosting at night. Just last week, I peered in between the branches and found myself eyeball to eyeball with a hen! She was not happy with me for invading her privacy!
Finally, I worked between these two photos, as well as some generic chicken photos from the Internet for reference, to create the final painting. In the end, I realized that I was not trying to replicate three specific chickens but instead a conglomeration of memories and experiences. I love the attitude and atmosphere these chickens create – it is exactly what I think of when I imagine “The Roost”.
by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Encouragement from the Word, Lifestyle Encouragement, Trusting God
Animals are funny creatures! They tend to be fairly self-sufficient, but occasionally we do have to step in to help them out. When our goats are growing their horns, they reach a particular point where they can push through the fence to eat the grass on the other side (an entirely different story!), but when they decide to pull their heads back through they are stuck! The frantic goat will pull and pull and cry loudly until we come over to help them. Most of the time, when we take hold of the horns to help the poor thing navigate back through the fence, the goat will push against us and refuse to cooperate! Neighbors may hear me yelling, “You silly goat, I am trying to help you!”
Just the other day, one of the newborn piglets wriggled its way through the rails of the birthing stall into another part of the barn. The mother had no way to rescue the little stray and it was squealing in frustration as it was separated from its litter mates. I ran around to the back of the barn and picked up the piglet to return it to its mother. That piglet squealed
like a “stuck pig” all the way around the pasture. Both of our sows were snorting at me and Gertrude, the lost piglet’s mother, looked as if she wanted to come through the fence to charge me. She grunted furiously as I slipped her piglet in through fence so she could nose it into the barn with the rest of the litter. As I tossed the piglet in and retreated quickly, I snapped at Gertrude, “Don’t you know I am just trying to help you?”
The very same afternoon, I let the chickens out of the run to peck around the yard. Several of the nosey hens made a beeline for
Roadrunner, our mama hen that had just hatched 5 little chicks. Immediately, she puffed up and started going after every chicken that dared move within a 5 foot radius of her precious little ones. I quickly began to gather up her chicks as they darted to get away from the mayhem. Roadrunner, spying me scooping up her offspring, came after me! Thankfully, I was able to capture all 5 chicks and move them safely to a coop where she joined them. Through the wire of the coop door I fussed at Roadrunner, “I was trying to help you, crazy mama!”
This morning, as I desperately tried to think of a way to “rescue” one of my own children, God made those words I have been uttering to my animals ring out loud and clear in my heart. I have been struggling, wrestling, and pushing against Him as I feel
helpless in the situation. My child is out of my reach and in harm’s way, yet I am powerless to assist. I want to fix it – I want to help – I want to protect – and in that desire, I rail against the one who truly has the ability to rescue. Oh, that I could just get out of the way! It is the kindness of God that He has shown me, through my own ability to rescue my animals in sticky situations, that where I am unable – He is able! I choose to trust Him, knowing that He loves my child infinitely more than even I can. In that love, I find my hope.
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
by wendy | Nov 11, 2021 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Focus on God
It is especially quiet at Cornercopia this week. Actually – it is me that is quiet and that is unusual! I can’t help it though – I have laryngitis. I really can’t manage much above a whisper and even that, at times, is painful. It’s funny, I don’t realize how many everyday tasks require communicating with my voice until I don’t have one to use.
Jerry and I are both talkers. When we are home together, we often yell to each other from the other room. Neither of us have great hearing so that usually results in some frustration. Yesterday, I was working on the computer and Jerry asked me a question from the other room. It wasn’t as if he was just announcing something – he actually wanted a response. Normally, I would yell back, “Hang on a minute!” or “Come in here, I can’t hear you!” but I couldn’t yell – so I said nothing. He tried again. I whispered, “You will have to come closer,” but of course he couldn’t hear that. Finally, he came into the room and I motioned for him to come close. When he was close enough, I was able to respond.
We live in a loud world. We are accustomed to shouting above the mayhem in the midst of our busyness and expecting others to hear us and respond. We seldom stop what we are doing and come in close for an intimate conversation. This time of quietness has reminded me that God does not try to compete with our crazy life. He does not respond to flippant shouts from the other room nor does he yell over the noise to get our attention. He prefers for us to come close, look Him full in the face, and listen with anticipation. How will we hear Him if we are not willing to be still and quiet?
Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live.
Isaiah 55:3
