Finishing Well

Posted on January 18, 2016 by Suzanne Montgomery

As I am writing this morning, it is bitterly cold outside: zero degrees with a wind chill of -16. Tim gets to stay snuggled in bed since he is off work today for MLK’s birthday but I must trudge out in this most unwelcome season of Indiana weather. My thoughts can’t help but long for early February when we will be traveling down to southeastern Alabama for my son, Garrett’s, graduation from flight school. I’m sure it won’t be hot there but it will definitely be a lot warmer than here. My dreams today are in the south, two weeks in the future. This has a way of affecting my presence in the now.

Just yesterday, I stood in front of our church as liturgist and stated, “This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” I said it with conviction. I think I was trying to convince myself and all the others who had braved the cold of the truth of this statement. This is the day to rejoice, not tomorrow or next year or 10 years from now when we reach whatever we seek that will bring us “the good life.” Isn’t it the American Way to grasp hold of our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness? We look anxiously forward to the next level, forgetting to stay present where we are and finding joy in what is now.

Granted, there are special events that it is only right to look forward to in anticipation. I’m excited to see Garrett graduate. He has invested 18 mo. of his life learning to fly helicopters. This is a huge accomplishment that must be celebrated. Great deeds begin with the setting of a goal and persisting until they are finished. But if our focus is too much on the future then we lose the enjoyment to be found in each moment. There is a tension between the two views that pull against each other. I find myself often struggling to find balance.

As I am moving past mid-life, I can look back and say that I have been fortunate to be able to accomplish many of my dream goals. I set my mind long ago to get my medical degree so that I could care for others. This has been my vocation now for over 30 years. I prayed to raise my children to adulthood and they are now each successful in their own lives. Now I get to watch them continue to grow and change into the beautiful people they are now and are becoming in the future. These are two big goals that have impacted everything else in my life. I fully understand how blessed I am.

But what of future goals? Am I over the hill, on the downward slide? Oh, I hope not! I pray that God has much more in store for me. My goal now is to retire, in the not too distant future, healthy with little or no debt, if possible. This is a little bit selfish but it also isn’t. I want to be in good enough shape to give away medical care and have more time for mission work here and abroad. I want to make writing a priority because I get the sense that God wants me to share my thoughts. But most of all, I want to not be so busy with “work” that I don’t have time for the grandchildren that I hope to have someday.

Only God knows what lies ahead. These are my dreams. God may have a much different plan. Overall, I want to run the race of life and end it well, no matter what situations, good or bad, are coming my way. So many of the kings of Israel and Judah started out well but ended badly. Often it was pride that tripped them up. They chose to depend upon themselves or other idols rather than God. Their dreams took precedence over God’s plan.

So in everything, we must weigh whatever we do in reference to it’s value in God’s eyes. Am I building His kingdom here on earth or tearing it down? Are my thoughts set on Him or some earthly desire? What lies ahead in His heavenly kingdom is greater than anything we could dream of here. But that doesn’t mean that we ignore needs here because we’re looking toward heaven. In the Lord’s Prayer, I pray every Sunday, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Building HIs kingdom here should be the foundational goal of everything we do, little or big. Is it? Or are we chasing after the fleeting happiness this world offers? If I am honest, the answer is both.

Lord, open my mind to truly grasp the motivation behind my goals. Help me in the day to day struggles to keep my thoughts focused on Your will in the midst of chaos and confusion. Though I am tested every step of the way, let me always, in everything, be a builder of your kingdom here on earth through love and compassion. But more than anything, let me find joy and gratitude in every day I have been given. When my race is over, take me home to rest with You.

In His Presence

Posted on September 25, 2015 by Suzanne Montgomery

A new journal…a new day! I’m writing my first page while drinking a pumpkin/banana smoothie and eating a pumpkin spice English muffin for breakfast. Yum! It’s definitely fall. The mornings are crisp but the days are still warm. I was too busy yesterday with work to walk over lunch so I went out after dinner for a walk down to the turkey farm and back. The sun was setting as I returned home. The light across the golden soy bean fields contrasting with the stark blue sky is amazing this time of year. I took a photo last fall of the fields with the old barn across the road to try to capture it’s beauty but it doesn’t really compare to reality. I must hold the beauty in my mind’s eye to remember in dark days how absolutely spectacular the world can be.

The Spirit of the Lord hovers over the earth re-creating nature all around us. We see the seedlings sprout up after the devastation of fire destroys a landscape. Life is reborn. How can a person not believe in a creator God in the midst of all the wonders around us? Order comes out of disorder. The simple becomes complex. This doesn’t happen randomly. But how do I explain the existence of God in the first place? How did He come about? He is outside of time. He is eternal. It’s beyond anything I can understand but I know He exists as sure as I know that I exist. I don’t see Him but I sense His presence around me and within me. His Spirit hovers over me, re-creating in me newness of life, hope in times of despair, the ability to see beauty even in the darkness. This is a light that is beyond me but yet a part of me. A deep sense of joy and peace fill my heart. No matter what lies ahead, the Lord is with me. This is the reward of faith. It is not heaven, although that will be wonderful. It is His presence in the here and now. The kingdom of God is here. It is eternal and cannot be destroyed. It is invisible, yet everywhere, if only you focus the eyes of your heart to see it. <3

Recipe for Pumpkin/Banana Smoothie:

Cut up pieces of banana the night before and place in a ziplock bag to freeze for the next morning. Place the frozen banana pieces in a Nutrabullet or whatever you have to blend the smoothie. Add 1/3 c. of canned pumpkin purée and 1/3 c. of vanilla Greek yogurt. If desired, add a scoop of protein powder. I like Tera’s Whey Vanilla Bourbon. Sprinkle with pumpkin pie spice and add coconut or almond milk. I usually put in about 1/2 c. but this amount can be more or less to get the consistency you want. I add a package of Truvia to make the smoothie a little sweeter but honey would be good also. Blend and enjoy!

The Warmth of Spring

Posted on March 23, 2015 by Suzanne Montgomery

It’s now officially spring but it doesn’t really feel like it. The temperature is only in the 30’s today and I hear that we may get snow mixed with rain this afternoon. Yuck! I’m over it. Winter can go anytime. I’m ready for a warm spring breeze and flowers blooming. Soon, very soon, the warmth will return.

Waiting is tough. Every spring before Easter, I am reminded of one of my favorite stories written by CS Lewis, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.” The kingdom of Narnia was held in eternal winter by the evil witch. They were waiting for a spring that seemed to never come. Does this sound familiar?

When it feels like winter will go on forever, Aslan arrives and everything starts to melt. Even the witch’s sleigh gets caught in the mud created by the warmth of spring. When Aslan comes, hearts are warmed and there’s nothing the witch can do to stop it. She tries to destroy him but by doing so she sets in motion the very thing needed to redeem Edmund and all of Narnia. What a beautiful picture of the Cross of Christ told in child-like terms.

Deep inside each of us, we know that justice must be served for evil. We demand it for the likes of Hitler and ISIS but we don’t want to admit that we deserve justice as well for our own evil deeds. We must come to the realization that we are all like Edmund in Narnia. We have all betrayed the One who loves us unconditionally and we deserve punishment. So Aslan (Jesus) steps in to take the punishment for us all. I’ve heard it said that Grace is getting the gift we don’t deserve but Mercy is not getting the punishment we do deserve. Jesus does both. He takes the punishment that should be given to each of us and instead gives us the gift of life, free of guilt and shame, forever.

The joy of Easter and spring are coming. I want to let the warmth of that joy invade my soul like the first rays of the spring sun. Awaken me again to the beauty all around me. After the long, harsh winter, the colors almost hurt my eyes. Don’t we all sometimes fall into the deep sleep of winter and need to be awakened again?

After the crucifixion of Jesus, two disciples walked along the road to Emmaus with heavy hearts. Their Lord and Master was gone. They did not yet believe that he could be alive after such a brutal death. Little did they know that the stranger who came to walk with them on their way was the risen Christ. It was only when they invited him to join them for dinner at the end of their journey that they recognized him when he broke the bread and blessed it. They exclaimed to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us as he talked with us on the road?”

During this Easter season, my hope is that as the spring sun physically warms your spirits, that your heart will be warmed by the presence of the risen Christ. May he awaken you from the deep sleep of winter and refresh your soul anew as he walks beside you every step of life’s journey.

Accepting the Journey

Posted on January 25, 2015 by Suzanne Montgomery

Tim and I returned from a week-end getaway to Shaker Village in Kentucky earlier today. We enjoy these brief but cherished respites from the daily routine. However, it’s often that I hear Tim say, no matter where we go that he enjoys the destination but hates the journey to and from. Just as often, I will say in response that the journey is just as important as the destination. I firmly believe this on many levels.

The scenery, no matter where you are travelling, is interesting in and of itself. Beauty is all around us, even from a car window speeding down the highway. Though I generally deplore the hassle of flying from a large airport, I am still thrilled every time the jet lifts up above the clouds into the sunshine above. There is just something about this that always makes me anticipate it. It’s like being a child seeing the world from this perspective for the first time. It never grows old for me.

Whatever mode of transportation, we are a captive audience with those travelling along with us. This can be misery or it can be opportunity. We are able to take the time for a conversation that the busyness of everyday life doesn’t allow. Remember as children the endless games we played in the car while on long trips or the many songs we sang? These activities bound us together as family. We either drove our parents crazy or they joined in with the fun. It was all a part of the trip.

If all we can think of is, “Are we there yet?” we will have missed out on a crucial insight. In this earthy life, the destination is generally a small segment. The journey takes the most time and we overlook its benefits if we aren’t careful. It may seem boring or difficult but, on a deeper level, the journey is what makes us who we are. If it takes time to reach our goals, then we learn patience and perseverance. If our path is rocky and treacherous, we become strong and resourceful. If we experience failure along the way, we become humble but also learn what it is to never quit. Knowledge and wisdom are gained in the journey, not the destination. Reaching a pinnacle is not nearly as sweet if the ascent is a short and easy hike. It’s only in the struggle, that we appreciate the prize at the end of the race.

The apostle Paul often uses the analogy of a runner in a race to depict a life of faith. “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” If heaven is our dreamed of destination, then life is our journey. Yes, we learn in the struggle but we also experience joy as we move through the beauty of life. We see glimpses of heaven along the way to urge us on. Each spectacular sunset, every melodious bird song in spring, every smile and tender embrace we experience, motivates us toward the prize before us. These are pieces of heaven.

Be that as it may, the journey is a mixture of good and bad, blessings and struggles. Accepting it all for what it is, may be the entire point. Live life fully without reservation. Run the race with gusto with your eye on the prize. But never forget to enjoy the view along the way.

Life’s Little Joys

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Suzanne Montgomery

I’m so tired this morning. It’s difficult to wake up to write in my journal. Glad it’s Friday! The little joys in life are what make me smile, like a cup of warm coffee, freshly ground, with pumpkin pie spice creamer. Yum! Maybe this will wake me up.

Other little joys are:

– a soft warm cat to cuddle

– playing footsy in bed

– the glow of a harvest moon

– a song that’s been in my head, playing on the radio

– the taste of a juicy, sweet watermelon

– grass beneath my toes

– a good, clean joke that makes me laugh every time I think of it.

– a crackling fire on a cold night

– the smell of fallen leaves and pine as I walk through the woods

– catching sight of a zooming hummingbird

– a fuzzy bathrobe

These are just a few of the little things that make me feel alive. None of them cost a lot of money or are difficult to come by. I just need to stop a moment in my busy day to notice them. The little joys are all around me. They change depending on where I am or who I’m with but they are there just the same. Gifts from God.

Happiness can be elusive but joy is a choice. It’s the choice to look at life through a different lens. A photographer knows what I mean. A scene that to most is just ordinary comes to life for them. They see the color, the form, the way the shadows fall that come together to make a beautiful photograph. Their eyes are trained to see the world in a unique way.

How we look at the world will determine what we see and what we experience. No matter what our circumstance, there will be little joys if we open our senses to them. Even if we are in a dark place, with no sounds or smells, our mind can take us to a place of joy. It can recall a memory with all the colors, smells and sounds, as if it is real.

Louie Zamperini in his story “Unbroken” as told by Laura Hillenbrand, tells of when he was adrift on a raft in the Pacific ocean with 2 other men after their plane crashed.during WWII. They had no food but the few fish and birds they could catch and had no water except when it rained. They played a game of recalling memories. Louie would recount in detail an Italian meal served by his mother back in California. Dish by dish, they would relish this imaginary meal. One would think that this would be counterproductive to dream of a meal they might never eat again but it wasn’t. It was these memories that kept them alive and gave them hope. Two of the 3 airmen, Louie and Phil, survived 46 days at sea unfortunately to be then captured by the Japanese. They both survived another 2 years in a brutal POW camp. Louie just passed away this last summer. He was in his 90’s.

The mind is a powerful thing. Our mind is a gift but we can use it against ourselves if we choose. Paul said to the church of Philippi in Greece, “Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praise worthy-think upon such things.” In other words, keep your mind on the positive, not the negative parts of life. What we allow our minds to dwell on, will rule our day. So I choose today to let my thoughts dwell on the little joys of life. No one can take these away from me but myself.