One More Thing Before I Go

Posted on January 7, 2015 by dinahoverlien

Moses and I would have gotten along famously. He was a list-maker, a rule-keeper, and a self-doubter. I can relate to all of those tendencies.

My Bible Reading Plan for this year starts off in Deuteronomy where Moses begins to hand off his forty-year leadership of the Israelite nation to Joshua. He spends eight chapters reminding the people of the covenant, of the commandments, and of the consequences of obedience and disobedience.

Moses makes me think of what PB and I used to do when leaving our four little kiddos with a babysitter. I wrote down detailed instructions on dinner, TV watching, and bedtime. Then I went over the detailed instructions with the babysitter. Then I had her repeat the detailed instructions out loud to me. As we walked out the door, we emphasized a few of the most important detailed instructions, adding a few more details to the instructions.

That’s Moses. He gives the people step-by-step directions on entering the Promised Land. He tells them what to do (Deut. 26:1-2) and what to say (Deut. 26:3-10). He uses visual aids (Deut. 27:2-3), he stages an interactive ceremony (Deut. 27:12-26), and he sings them a song (Deut. 32). Moses encourages the people to remember how God led them in the past, then warns them against forgetting God in the future.

He covers all the bases.

He drives his message home.

Then Moses demonstrates his greatest act of faith.

After parenting the people for decades, Moses leaves them in Joshua’s charge —

with a long list of detailed instructions.

And We’re Off!

Posted on January 5, 2015 by dinahoverlien

Every family has it’s quirky sayings — pithy little proverbs that express volumes in a few words. These bits of wisdom might come from a line in a movie or a quote from a book. Or perhaps the maxims were handed down from past generations and the source is unknown.

My sibs and I recently had a conversation about sayings we heard in our home as we were growing up. One such saying would have been said as the car backed out of the garage and we headed down the driveway, perhaps late for a school concert or a ballgame —

“And we’re off….like a dirty shirt.”

Evidently, dirty shirts were supposed to come off fast, because the gravel was usually flying in all directions as my dad pressed down on the gas pedal. There was a sense of relief that we were finally on our way after numerous trips back in the house for something or another.

I had that feeling this morning — the first Monday of the new year. After the slow, soft, easy days of Christmas break, this morning the pace picked up. Back to responsibilities, back to schedules, back to gravel flying under the tires as I was off and running.

And so we are “off like a dirty shirt” into 2015.

Next Monday: another family adage.

In the meantime, what were some of your family’s unusual sayings?

Fresh Start

Posted on January 1, 2015 by dinahoverlien

Sure, I stayed up late on New Year’s Eve, but I couldn’t wait to get out of bed this morning. New Year’s Day is one of my favorite days of all. It’s a holiday, so there’s plenty of time to lollygag in the morning, but it’s a day off with no presents to buy, no food to make, no expectations to fulfill.

All week I’ve been working on setting goals for the year ahead — making a plan and checking it twice. Like a little girl with a backpack full of brand new school supplies on her first day of school, I hustled to my special chair this morning with anticipation. A fresh start! A new Bible reading plan! A new journal with empty pages! Let’s go!

If you need a little help staying on track with Bible reading this year, check out my 2015 Bible Reading Plan page. I’d be thrilled to have you join me in reading a chapter a day (Monday-Friday with weekends free for catch up). Let’s see what new things God wants to do in our midst in 2015!

“Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out! Don’t you see it?” Isaiah 43:19

Home for the Holidays #15

Posted on December 31, 2014 by dinahoverlien

Closing out 2014 with a picture of the throw-up bucket is just wrong.

There were so many good things about this year.

PB and I sat with our coffee cups by the fire this morning, remembering together.

Good times, hard times, accomplishments, struggles.

I’m so happy to be doing life with this man.

We’ll give each other a smooch at midnight, pray in the new year, and wake up to 2015.

“May the new year be blessed with good tidings
Till the next time I see you again.
And we’ll all join hands, and remember this moment,
And we’ll love and we’ll laugh, in the times that we have
till the season comes ’round again.”

~Till The Season Comes ‘Round Again ~ Vince Gill