Wednesday's Word

Welcome to Coffee Hour, friends, and to Wednesday’s Word. I can’t believe tomorrow is Thanksgiving! And I can’t believe how the time is just whizzing by! I wrote this poem three Thanksgivings ago now, when my son and his family had moved to Texas…oh, how I miss them, especially around the holidays. 

But God has spoke a poignant message to my heart and just like home is where the heart is, Thanksgiving is also a matter of the heart and isn’t just a day to celebrate, but an attitude to adopt!

I hope this poem brings a giggle to your soul and a new perspective on/in life and family!

Twas the Night Before Thanksgiving

Twas the night before Thanksgiving and all through the house

Every creature was stirring, including the mouse

Everyone was working on all of the fixings

The noise and smells were coming from the kitchen

The children were busy with their tablets and toys

Captured in their games, they made not a noise

While the adults laughed and worked all collectively

What a beautiful sight it was for any heart to see

When all of a sudden there arose such a clatter

Mom ran to the kitchen to see what was the matter

She looked to the left and she looked to the right

She couldn’t believe what was in plain sight

There was broken glass from a favorite platter

And at first glance, she knew it didn’t matter

Everyone was frozen, waiting for her reaction

But she didn’t give the devil that satisfaction

The counters were a mess, preparations everywhere

It looked as though a tornado had just gone thru there

The turkey had flown from the platter to the floor

The poor thing looked like it just couldn’t take no more

The stove was a disaster waiting to happen

full of pots and pans, handles overlapping

The old mom would have immediately gotten on her broom

And painted the atmosphere with a bit of doom and gloom

But the new and improved mom was no longer that way

For she had learned the true meaning of Thanksgiving Day

She stared at each of them and the mess they surrounded

Knowing her response would leave each one of them astounded

Now sons, now daughters, in-laws and friends like family

Is this ever a sight for the eyes of my heart to see?

More than the chaos, the mess on the floor

The memories we’re making are worth so much more

So grab a rag, and a dishtowel too

Here’s one for each and every one of you

Let’s work together in cleaning up this mess

It will only take a few minutes or less

Pick up the turkey, and we’ll wash him off

We’ll stuff him but good and put him in the trough 

We’ll baste him all over, and get him ready to eat

No one will ever know we stepped on his feet

And when the morrow comes and we gather for the meal

We’ll be able to discern what matters and what’s real

Faith, family, friends, love and laughter

Help to bring us all the happily ever after

I looked to each of them with tears in my eyes

And said something I had just realized

Oh, why can’t it be Thanksgiving every day?

Loving each other in a Christ-like way

Patience, self-control, love and joy too

Are there for the asking for each of you

We don’t have to wait for a holiday to see

That Christ’s greatest gift is that of family

Praying you enjoy your Thanksgiving, no matter what circumstances you are in, no matter who you are with … or not with!

Thankfully,

Evinda

Wednesday's Word

Two Wrongs Don’t Make a Right!

Thanks for joining us for Wednesday’s Word @ Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United. Grab your favorite beverage and your strand of faith and let’s go tie some knots together.

Just a little over a week ago all of us witnessed a moment in history…a shifting, if you will, an unexpected jolt for many as the results for president were announced.  No, don’t worry; I’m not going to make this political. Instead, I’m going to bring it back to each of us as individuals, one nation under God, and the conduct expected of us by the Overseer of our soul. 

Come with me to 1^st Peter 3:8-10 where Peter is instructing the new believers who are enduring a lot of persecution for their beliefs. I truly believe with all my heart that these words are truth to our troubled souls in this most uncertain time in our lives and nation: “⁸Finally, ALL OF YOU, (emphasis added) have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind.⁹Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing.”

Do I need to say more?

Not really, but of course I will; after all, it’s Coffee Hour! ☺

I have heard many stories of others being verbally abused by those who felt the election didn’t go the way they wanted, but I’ve also watched as anger and fury have literally contorted souls, creating an entirely different personality than what we had come to know and love. It has been heart-wrenching to watch, but I’ve also experienced the backlash from those who just have a very strong opinion. And when I step back and watch, without putting my own two cents in there, I realize there is a fear driving each and every one of them to this angry boiling point, and instead of making it about our fear, our opinions, which are pride-driven as well, maybe we ought to remember Who is ultimately in charge. This didn’t knock Him off His throne, beloved!

This week’s word comes as a great reminder to all of us from the Authority over heaven and earth, the One whom you and I will ultimately answer to for our conduct, the One watching, and I’m certain, shaking His head, His heart grieving over the division of what was once one nation under God, and yet…my heart eagerly awaits for Him to move mightily for I believe what was meant for evil will be used for good and His glory; I believe this nation is finally ready for another revival! 

We as “believers” need to turn our focus upward, winning others over by our gentle spirit, our sympathy and love for one another, moved into action by a tender heart and a humble mind…ah, yes, humility. Oh, Coffee Hour friend, where is our humility? When it’s all said and done, He’s not going to ask who we voted for, but one thing I do know is He will talk to us about our conduct after this most pivotal election!

Humbly,

Evinda 

Wednesday's Word

How Hungry Are You?

1^st Peter 2:1-3: Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, ²as newborn babies, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, ³if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Welcome to coffee hour @ Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United. I’m so glad you could join us for Wednesday’s Word. Grab your favorite beverage, your Strand of Faith and let’s go tie some knot that our faith would not come unraveled in those tough and challenging times.

Have you ever met someone who just hasn’t grown up? It’s as if they got stuck somewhere along the way, like maybe out of high school – actually more common than we realize –they seem to want to hang out with younger people, continue practicing things that are not only immature for their age, but inappropriate for their soul’s growth, seeking acceptance and approval with every move. I remember how my son struggled with the concept of growing up as he was making his way closer to the end of high school. I had no idea then that he was so full of fear at the thought of growing up, but it drove him to more fear-based decisions and choices. Let’s face it, growing up can be overwhelming to our kids, especially if they have Super-parents who are doing everything everywhere but not necessarily at home, or if they have had absent parents, meaning no parents at all!

But for the most part, when we rewind our own childhood movies, and those of many others, we can see this one theme: children just want to hurry up and grow up!

As I pondered these verses, I wondered to myself, why does Peter use the analogy of newborn babies and the desire for pure milk right after an instruction to put away some childish characteristics? And then it hit me – I can be a bit slow! ☺ The only way to put away those childish behaviors away and not partake of them is to feast on/in His Word.  

Think about it: when a baby is hungry, there’s no denying it, right? Could it be He wants us to hunger for His Word like we do food? So many things are planned around food, and food is to the body what His Word is to our souls! When you are getting ready to sit down to eat a favorite meal, think about how you feel: your mouth waters, your tummy makes sounds that sound like percussion beats in a band, the anticipation is finally over; and then there’s the happiness over a meal well prepared, and finally the satisfaction you feel after eating.

See the more we take in of His principles and promises, the easier it will be to leave these childish characteristics aside, and I believe that these five listed in verse 1 pretty much cover every sin or shortcoming ever committed by man…and woman! Maybe better said, these are the ingredients to anything that we do that leads us away from the “pure milk.”

Let’s look at each of them quickly: Malice is: “Desire to cause pain, injury, or distress to another,” and/or ^2”Intent to commit an unlawful act or cause harm without legal justification or excuse.”

Wow, His word tells us to leave vengeance to Him!

Deceit: “Dishonest behavior: behavior that is meant to fool or trick someone,” and this includes speech!

Again we are warned in His Word over and over to speak things that lift up not tear down.

Hypocrisy: “The behavior of people who do things that they tell other people not to do: behavior that does not agree with what someone claims to believe or feel.”

We are all guilty of this one and we’ve all experienced it!

Envy:  “The feeling of wanting to have what someone else has.”

Oh, my goodness, again, His word is replete with examples of being content in all circumstances!

And then evil speaking, well that’s just talking wrong/bad about someone or something, or even having a potty mouth in high gear!

So, as I look at these verses, I get the sense that if we would crave His word as much as we crave our favorite food, these childish characteristics would no longer have power over us and in us! 

Abba, help me to crave Your Word as much as I crave a great steak, or my favorite dessert, Skinny Cow lathered up in peanut butter! ☺

From my heart to yours,

Evinda

Wednesday's Word

Be on the Lookout

1^st Peter 3:15: Quietly trust yourself to Christ your Lord, and if anybody asks why you believe as you do, be ready to tell him, and do it in a gentle and respectful way. Living Bible (TLB)

Happy Wednesday! I’m so glad that you took the time to stop what you were doing and join me for Coffee Hour here @ Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United.  Come with me to yet another revelation that brought scripture to life in me.

My personal coffee hour with Him began at 4:30 that morning. I was being sent to a different law firm and wasn’t quite sure how long it would take me once I got off the Red Line Subway, so I was giving myself plenty of time. As I rewind the day, I can’t help but smile as I realize it only took me about ten minutes to walk the five short blocks. And to show me He was with me, He made sure that I saw the Red Line Subway stop just 100 yards from where I needed to be which is the way I went back to Union Station for the train ride home.

Though I was tired, I was energized in my mind, and soul. I was ready to work, to paint a verbatim record with words…Apparently, He had other plans! The defense attorney came out and informed us that the applicant had informed her he couldn’t testify; he was under the influence of yet more medications; his grandfather had a heart attack and they weren’t expecting him to live and he just didn’t feel like testifying, so we’d be going on the record to state just that and then we’d be done. Dang it! I was all prepared to get some pages, Lord…but I guess you have other plans.

We did what she said we would do, and within four minutes – the shortest deposition I’ve ever taken in my almost 27 years of reporting – we were done! Badda bing, badda boom! Setting up my equipment took me seven minutes for crying out loud! I left the building a little less happy than when I entered, but within minutes let go of my frustration. Obviously He knew what was/is best, so I went to my office just a couple stops up the route to Union Station, dropped off an expedited transcript, visited with staff for a bit and then went for a relaxing lunch before catching the train home.

The conductor greeted me and there was a little poke in my memory about him; I had gone home this early one other time in the recent past and I wasn’t feeling so well and he was very nice. He greeted me again, only with that hesitation of vague familiarity. I didn’t attempt to jog his memory; I was so tired and was having a hard time staying awake, much less communicative, but I also wanted to get on and get my three-minute transcript done!

By the time we were on our way and towards our third stop, I did just that, and couldn’t help but hear a conversation he was having with another rider, this rider was in a wheelchair and quite an interesting fellow. Anyway, their dialog was definitely about the philosophies of religions and you could tell they believed different things. I tried not to look like I was listening – you know what I mean – but at one point my cover was blown as my eyes caught his. I must have had a question in my eyes, because several stops later, after he had helped this man off the train, he came up to me and just began talking with me as if though I had been part of that conversation! Awkward! ☺ ☺ 

I discovered He was a Mormon and so I asked him somewhat confidently but curious nonetheless what were the differences between Christianity and Mormonism, and then quickly added, I understand you do refer to yourselves as Christians. I really wanted to know. It was an eye-opening experience…but not just for me. When he talked about heaven, eternity, our view differed greatly, but what was cool in a God’s grace kind of way is I was able to use scripture to play verbal tennis, if you will, when it came to a couple of our differing points of view. We talked about the levels of heaven; he referred to them as the levels of glory. Okay, that’s not so far off. He believes, or they believe that they are the priesthood; okay; that’s a minor and I wanted to focus on the majors. The very last thing we touched upon before my ride came to an end intrigued me and saddened me all at the same time. He said we all will have a “review of life.” 

I said well, yeah, we will be judged on our gifts, how we used them or not, our fruit, our faith which should produce good works. “Is that what you mean by a review of life?”

What he said next rendered me lost in thought…and sad, so very sad.

He said “We will get to feel the pain we caused others but didn’t know we caused others.” 

Now to put it in a way that my pea brain can comprehend, we will be shamed? 

“We will continue this conversation another time,” he said the train pulled into the station.

I looked at him and smiled. “Yes, we will.”

Now I am definitely looking forward to seeing him again and will definitely refute that philosophy…in love and gentleness. But as I re-wound the camera the next morning in my time with Him, it hit me that He had answered my prayer, which was to be used by Him. I wasn’t supposed to stay on the record getting page after page after page and making more money. He had a different plan and needed me on that train and in that conversation! I can’t take the credit; we know it was His Spirit in me. 

Oh, that I would always be prepared to give an answer for the hope that is within me…may I challenge you today to be on the lookout for an opportunity to do the same…in love.

Evinda

Wednesday's Word

1^st Peter 2:20

But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God.

Thanks so much for joining us for Wednesday’s Word and Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United. Grab your beverage and your Strand of Faith. Something tells me there may be a very big knot to tie in our faith!

The other day I was on the phone with one of my Transformers and they were sharing their recent relational struggle which involved a sister and her three children and her and her two children.  As she unfolded the pieces of her interpretation of what happened that led up to her son being bullied, and how she handled it, and the results of the way she handled it, she was left in a frustrated quandary and wanted me to tell her which direction to go now. Each time I suggested something, she brought a new piece into the messy puzzle, which definitely tweaked it just enough to change the outcome had she tried what I suggested. I listened and could totally relate with her frustration but also realized that in every situation, there are two versions: the one I’m being told and the one I’m not being told. ☺

Not only that, but there were many facets to this current drama she was entangled in and as I continued to listen to try and assimilate them all, I put myself in her shoes and in the shoes of her sister and there was a holy moment that happened as these words flew out of my mouth, almost without any warning but for the memory of having read these powerful words just the day before: “Let go of your right to be right,” I exclaimed.

“Huh?”
The silence was refreshing.

I repeated what I had said, and then added, “So many times when we know that we know that we are in the right, we want to take the other person and rub their nose in our opinion of being right, get them to see what we see, but we can’t do that for it only causes harm, and adds to the frustration. Maybe it’s time to step back and pray and just let go of your right to be right. This situation is not going anywhere, but if you continue trying to solve it now, you will only make it bigger…and worse.”

As I was sharing this with her, He was speaking to me! He’s such a multi-tasker like that! I’m pretty sure that you can vouch for at least one broken relationship that means so much to you, and recently I have surrendered mine to Him, letting go of my right to be right while praying He builds the bridge towards reconciliation, which definitely will require that I bear patiently while I suffer in my soul over the absence of this relationship, doing what is right by letting go and letting God work it out. And knowing this is pleasing to Him…well, that does make it a little easier. 

I love this Transformer and her teachable heart. She got it and simply said, “So do nothing?” 

“Right now, yes, do nothing; just handle it within your own household, with your husband and children and let go of your need to be right. It’s not like this won’t come up again, but before it does, you need to be prayed up so you can soften up.”
I am definitely waiting patiently to see how God intervenes in her relational struggle and mine. How about you; do you have an area of your life that you need to surrender your right to be right? I’m praying that these holy words will erase that need while rooting in your heart and blossoming in your life and the lives of those whom you love.

Evinda

Wednesday's Word

What if…

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. “ Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

Welcome to Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United. Grab your favorite beverage, your Strand of Faith and let’s go tie some knots in our faith as we ponder this scripture along with this phrase, “what if…”

There is so much life going on…and so many not-so-positive reactions to the waves of tragedy, challenges and circumstances happening all around us. But what I think makes life even more uncertain for us is when something is happening within our inner circle of life, meaning our own homes, and/or the homes of those closest to us. A couple of weeks ago, an author acquaintance of mine lost her little three-year-old son and for days she’s been posting her pain, and I mean each post is so vividly real that you can feel her pain…so much so that it’s hard to not get overwhelmed by the waves of it and go under.

In a deposition the other day, I was overwhelmed with sorrow for this young man who had to confess his many felonies, spending much of his life on the streets or in prison. I was able to not focus on the things he’d done that landed him in jail but instead on what led him to do all that he did that ripped him off and stole so much from him. 

And just this past week, someone whom I long to be close to did something that was tantamount to inserting a knife into my heart and turning it a few times and her attempt to cover it up only pulled it out and left me bleeding emotionally. But the Great Physician, in His sovereign ways rushed to my aid and whispered these words to me, using them as salve to my soul, opening up the eyes of my wounded heart to the truth that just as there is a Sovereign, loving God, there’s our enemy, walking around stealthily, or even not so sneakily, seeking to distract, deceive and divide. 

And then I heard this reminder in the form of a question: What if that’s the best she could do? 

Wow, as I picked myself up off His operating table, my heart once again intact, I was humbled, not quite healed, but humbled at the thought. What if…we were to give everyone the benefit of the doubt and realize that they are doing the very best that they can? What if we separated their actions from their soul and looked at those hurtful actions as empowered by the enemy, meant to distract us, deceive us and divide us? Would our battle plan change? Would we leave the battle or fall to our knees that we would rise, and take the high road when they take the low one? 

Oh, to see that our battle is not against those who hurt us, but the one who means to distract, deceive and divide us from Him and those we love.

Encouraged in the journey

Evinda

Wednesday's Word

Where Do You Hang Out?

John 8:31-32: “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. ³² And you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.’”

Welcome to Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United, and our Wednesday’s Word to be used as weapons in warfare! Grab your favorite beverage and let’s go hang out for a few moments away from life’s pulls and distractions.

There’s something about reading the red letters within the Bible, something that makes it easier to imagine Jesus as a real person; do you know what I mean? It’s as if He’s talking right to you and me…and the truth is He was and these words spoken so long ago have this uncanny power to speak to us as though aiming straight for our heart. Try putting your name after every “you” and see what I mean: If you, Evinda, abide in My word, you, Evinda, are My disciple indeed. And you, Evinda, shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free…from confusion, from distractions, from negative emotions, from giving in to temptation! I could go on, but you get the picture? ☺

These words are spoken with the utmost of love to give us a prescription for the infections that run rampant and try and infect us physically emotionally and spiritually. This instruction of abiding in His word is a preventative, kind of like a spiritual probiotic to protect us from worldly infections present wherever we hang out.

So where do you hang out? In other words, where do you spend most of your time? Is it at home, at work? On the phone, the computer, social media, video games? Oh, my goodness so many things can distract us from a safe hang-out, huh?

You may be wondering, what in the world does hanging out have to do with this verse? I’m so glad you asked! ☺ Jesus’ first words in this verse are, if you…in other words, here’s the power of choice. And then He goes on to give us the instruction: abide in My word… 

Do you know what the word “abide” means in the Greek translation? It means to dwell. In other words, if we were to choose to hang out in His word more often, we will know the truth for each and every circumstance that comes our way!  Sounds a bit simplistic, I realize, but I have to tell you it has worked EVERY time I’ve dared to abide! But isn’t it easier to hang out emotionally in what is troubling us, to allow circumstances and challenges to consume us? Why is it we don’t treat hanging out in His word for a little bit daily as a prescription? I mean, isn’t He the great Physician? When a doctor writes us a prescription, we take it, don’t we, if we want to get better?

This is an open invitation, a pre-written, preventative prescription from Him to you and me to bring our hearts and minds to a safe place, a place that will provide answers, no matter what the question, a place that will offer perspective in times of confusion, a place that offers shelter from any of life’s storms, directions when we are lost, healing for any of our wounds.

So I challenge you to start hanging out daily in His word, even if it’s a few minutes. The bigger dose you take, the more you hang out the more truth He will reveal to you and the better you will feel!
Love,

Evinda

Wednesday's Word

There’s a Storm in my Head!

Mark 4:39-40: “Then He arose and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’ And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. ⁴⁰But He said to them, ‘Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?’”

Welcome to Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United. It’s a great time to just “be still” and allow His words to penetrate down to our bone marrow that they may come to life in our life!  Grab your favorite beverage and your red Strand of Faith and let’s go ties some knots so that in our next storm, our faith will not unravel!

Do you ever wake up thinking? Or go to bed and have a difficult time going to sleep because the thoughts in your mind are racing their own independent race for some unseen finish line and crashing into your ability to sleep? Ugh, welcome to my world. They say it’s partly due to menopause…hmmm, look at that word backwards: pause o men! Wow, that has everything to do with this verse He gave me this week. I think He’s trying to tell me something!

The best writings are those from my heart, so I’m going to dig deep and bring this up and out to share with you with the hope and prayer that it will encourage someone in their journey. See, there’s this relationship – hmmm, I can’t even call it a relationship. In fact, over the last year or so, I’ve realized that the relationship I thought I had with them wasn’t really what I thought it was.  In fact, it’s riddled with resentments that I had no idea existed…on both sides and those erupted about two months ago. I tried with all of my might to make it right but then knew it was time to let go and let God.

See, the more these people pushed back, the bigger the chasm in my heart, the more it ruled my thoughts. The thoughts clamoring for my attention, looming over me like the mountains of Mt. Everest threatened to steal my heart away from my Mountain Mover. I mean, relationships are the core of our existence and can be all consuming and cause an internal storm that controls external actions.  So that’s where I was in my head and heart with this very important relationship until about a week ago. And yes, I’ve spent much time on my knees pouring out to my Mountain Mover, asking Him to change me, help me to understand them and to build the bridge towards reconciliation. I did not ask for restoration because what was there before wasn’t healthy. 

I love taking God at His word, speaking His words into my life’s circumstances, and watching it come to life…and WORK! After weeks of mind-screwing this situation, trying desperately to understand, validate so we could negotiate, I finally was able to say, “Peace, be still,” and the storm in my heart and head subsided. And whenever the wind of thoughts threaten to come upon me again, I think of Jesus inquiring of my faith and asking me why am I so fearful…and the threat of the storm goes away and once again, I remain still…and waiting for His divine intervention that will reconcile my love for them to them!

Faith-ing through the journey,

Evinda

Wednesday's Word

Where’s Your Mindset Set?

The Blue Shoe

Colossians 3:2: Set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth!

Welcome to Wednesday’s Word @ Coffee Hour with Chicklit Power and Trench Classes United. Grab your favorite beverage and your Strand of Faith and let’s go tie some knots because honestly, as a dear friend once told me, mind over matter matters! ^SJ

Last week was a hard week in my court-reporting world, but life is just like that; you have to take the good with the bad, ride the waves of excitement and hold steady when there’s a lull. Over the last several months, I’ve become accustomed to spending at least one if not two days of each week in L.A. and I absolutely enjoy it. However, it’s become a bit more challenging as I’ve gotten a lot older. ☺ Each time I go into L.A., I’m up at 4:00 (no easy feat nowadays) to have my Coffee Hour with my Abba, figure out what needs to get taken care of in the ministry, pack my equipment, and of course some pretty shoes that I can easily slip on in exchange for my tennis shoes before I enter the office where I’ll be reporting for the day. Well, last Monday was no exception. I packed everything, including my favorite pair of blue shoes – they took me two years to find – a pair of Aerosoles. Not only are they incredibly comfortable but they’re really cute too! I mean too much of my wardrobe is based on these blue shoes! 

This particular day turned out to be a shorter day than expected because my 2:00 had cancelled, so I made a hasty decision to try and get the next train back to San Bernardino. This was a challenge and would require some fast-paced walking, maybe even a few moments of jogging down the streets of L.A. to reach the Red Line about a mile away.  Now, there’s something funny about a woman lugging 50+ pounds of equipment down the boulevard, sort of, and yet, I fit in as just another “different,” perhaps a bit crazy lady in the streets of L.A.!  I should be in amazing shape with not an ounce of fat on my body, but Menopause has pushed that image on pause!

So I made it…with a few minutes to spare! I got comfortable and got right to work editing my job and then working on upcoming ministry stuff. An hour and a half passes by quickly and this day was no exception. As the train pulled into the station, I looked out the window and saw my husband waiting for me…and my heart smiled. I headed for the exit and suddenly my smile faded as I realized that the shoe I had hurriedly placed in the side pocket of my case was…GONE! The conductor’s voice came over the intercom, “doors closing, door’s closing,” 

I yelled out, “Hey, I need to check inside. I lost my shoe!” I didn’t wait for a response and left my court reporting equipment out (can you believe it; over 6k worth of stuff!) while I ran back in…only to discover my shoe wasn’t there. I was devastated. I know that may seem like a strong word for losing a stupid shoe….but I seriously looked for just the right pair of blue shoes for two years and had just found these three months ago. I loved them! 

As I walked toward my smiling husband, all I could do was exclaim about my lost blue shoe. “Tell me where to get them and I’ll go buy them for you.” That did make me smile for a minute. As soon as I got in the car, I didn’t waste a minute and started to Google Aerosole shoes, and could not find my shoe anywhere. This began to really consume me and I allowed it to pretty much ruin the rest of my day, especially when I went into my closet to plan what I was wearing for my next day, which was back in L.A.! Everything I wanted to wear required those darned blue shoes!

I had a dream that night of finding that blue shoe and I knew just right where I lost it. I saw myself in the middle of the street holding on tightly to my lost blue shoe while cars went zooming by me, blasting their horns. I mean this dream was real…that is until I went there the next morning and it was nowhere to be found. Disappointment washed over me worse than my longest hottest hot flash and suddenly this verse came out of the hallways of my heart and echoed in my brain: “Set your mind on things above, not on things of this earth”!

 I continued walking up Wilshire Boulevard but immediately my mindset was changed, no longer set on my lost blue shoe. I know that our Father cares about everything that concerns me so I have hung on to the one blue shoe with the hopes that one day, somehow my other one will make it back to me, and if not, it will serve as a reminder about my mindset, that it should be set on things above, not on things of this earth…or blue shoes!

Oh, to gain an eternal perspective so external circumstances lose their power!

Evinda

Wednesday's Word

A Promise to Hold on to!

“Fear not, for I am with you: Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

Welcome to Wednesday’s Word and our Coffee Hour! He never ceases to give me something to write about, some way in which He showed up in my life in a way that I must share with others. Oh, how I hope this one helps you tie a knot in your Strand of Faith. Come with me to the largest-attended deposition of my almost 27-year career as a court reporter!

I walked into the conference room almost an hour early expecting to see no one but perhaps the videographer. WRONG! There were several people already there, much to my surprise, as I was thinking there were only going to be one or two attorneys, and that my biggest challenge was going to be getting the six checked in telephonically, something I had never done before. 

But as the room began filling up, I realized I had assumed incorrectly…isn’t that usually the case! ☺ Let’s pause here for a second so I can give you a couple other details.

Now I had gotten prayed up for this deposition, especially after printing the caption the night before and seeing the 30+ case numbers attached to the “lead case” number. As panic knocked on the door of my heart, I shooed it away with the assurance that my God wouldn’t allow me to go to something He wouldn’t bring me through. In my almost 27 years of court reporting, I think the biggest attorney party I’ve ever had to report was seven or eight, nothing larger than that; however, one time in court I reported a high-profile case and the room was filled with attorneys but the judge always made them say who they were and who they represented before saying anything! That is the key: we have to paint a verbatim picture with words and the words have to belong to someone! In other words, every person who speaks must be identified. Now, with that in mind, let’s return to this room that is quickly filling up as I’m checking people in on the telephone!

I stopped dead in my tracks as I counted how many were already in the room; five plus the video guy. Okay, I thought to myself, everyone is just wanting to be early and get a good seat for the show! Well, within five minutes, that theory was blown straight out of the conference room and up into the air. The last attorney to arrive as we started the proceedings numbered 23!

The case material was challenging, but not nearly as challenging as figuring out who was saying what they were saying when they were saying it, so by the time I’d figure it out, the answer was already spilling out of the witness’s mouth and the next question was almost on the table! Talk about playing catch-up or throw up! At one point in the proceedings, the teleconference got lost due to dead batteries in the phone and I remained calm as I went in search of a techy guy and he replaced the batteries and we got up and running again. From that point on I kept my cell phone on my lap, texting one lead attorney every now and then to make sure they were all still hearing the proceedings…in between objections, answers and questions.

See, here’s the cool thing: I truly remained calm in all the chaos. His instruction to me to not be dismayed, to know He was right there with me holding me up so I wouldn’t give up, throw up and/or walk out is the only explanation I can give because when I went back and began preparing the transcript in rough draft form to send to our client, I had written cleaner than I had in years…had hardly dropped a word!

Our God’s promises are true, my friend. He just says, you first, then Him. What do you need to trust Him for or in today?

Joyfully,

Evinda