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As some of you may know, my Nana went home to be with the Lord a few weeks before Christmas 2008. Nana was my biggest cheerleader and through many times in my life, was my best friend. In a challenging time as a young teenager, I moved in with her. She left me a note one morning that said:

‘If things get tough – and they will – read these over and over and understand what they are telling you. You can do it – keep your eye on the future – not the present.’

I love you

Nana’

She attached an old newspaper clipping that said the following:

The Seven Habits
1. Be pro-active. You are responsible for your life. Decide what you should do and get on with it.
2. Begin with the end in mind. Think of how you want to be remembered at your funeral. Use this as a basis for your everyday behavior.
3. Put first things first. Devote more time to what’s important but not necessarily urgent.
4. Think win-win. Have an abundance mentality. Seek solutions that benefit all parties.
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Don’t dive into a conversation. Listen until you truly understand the other person.
6. Synergize. Find ways to cooperate with everyone. Value the difference between people.
7. Sharpen the saw. Continually exercise and renew four elements of your self: physical, mental, emotional-social and spiritual.

I have referred to these habits all of my life. As I continue to hold these papers that are almost twenty years old and will continue to until my days come to an end, I pray that these habits will inspire you.

With the love from my Nana,
Nancy E. Hill

Luke 24:36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them ‘Peace be with you’. I pray for peace for each of you on this day.

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.”
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”
So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

I praise God that I was in an audience this week of when our pastor spoke on Mary and Martha.  He offered the devotion as a ‘reminder’.  WOW.  It was a ‘reminder’ that I definitely needed to hear.  And I imagine someone else out there needs the same reminder, so here you go.

Luke 10:38-42

Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

In this passage, we are seeing in clear view that Martha is missing the moment because of the tasks at hand.  She is so consumed with the preparations of the meal.  Martha was unable to keep her focus on Jesus because she was so frustrated with Mary. 

More times than not, I find myself being Martha.  Trying to juggle all of the responsibilities I carry.  Just as Martha, I work hard and I always have the best intention at heart but I can easily allow myself to have a ‘Martha Moment’.  As a reminder to my day, I have posted a sign in my office that says ‘Don’t Be Martha’.  So, that I can embrace the moment at hand to sit at the feet of our Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Thank you for taking the time to read,

Nancy E. Hill

During the last year that my oldest daughter was in public schools, I ran into a sticky situation.  A friend of ours had given our family an invitation to a party well in advance.  I checked the calendar, our family was free so we RSVP’d ‘yes’ and we notated it on the calendar.  Within a week or so, a letter was sent home with my daughter that she would be partaking in an event at school with her music class.  I sent a note back to the school letting them know that my daughter would not be able to attend the event, as this was a conflict with our prior engagement.  The music teacher asked my daughter ‘what the event was?’ and my daughter answered the question honestly.  The music teacher told her ‘attending a party doesn’t seem like a very good reason to miss my music program.’   The music teacher was so upset with my daughter that she made her sit aside during music class.  She was told that if she did not participate in the program, she was not allowed to practice.  My daughter was so embarrassed and hurt that she begged me to change my mind about the party so that we would attend the music program and her music teacher would be nice to her.  This was my big opportune moment to teach a lesson.

I made my daughter look up the definition to the word ‘commitment’.  The definition to the word commitment is ‘the act of committing’ or ‘the state of being committed’.  The level of commitment can come in any garden variety!  However, for our household, commitment means you do what you mean and you mean what you say!  

With commitment, comes communication.  If any member of my family or I commit to anything, it goes on the calendar.  If we have a commitment, then we must communicate that commitment.  Each night, I check the calendar to make sure all is set for the next day.  We live by this rule because we live by commitment.  And we are able to function with our commitments with communication. 

If anyone in our family did not live by this, serious problems can occur.  The range of these problems from lack of commitment or lack of communication is so broad; this blog cannot list all of it! 

However, in a simple form, look at an activity in PEACH.  When a sponsor plans an activity, much time and planning goes into this.  The sponsor picks the location, contacts the appropriate person for planning, contacts the committee to setup for the PEACH calendar, completes a write up for the newsletter, comes to PEACH meetings in advance to take registrations and/or monies, then attends the fun activity.  WOW!  That is allot of commitment and communication!  Imagine when you have a registration not show up or call to let you know of a delay or unable to come to your activity.  The ripple effect.  Another family could have had that spot, the tour guide/location has frustration with the group and the feelings of the sponsor that put all of this hard work into this activity – it can be hurtful or frustrating. 

While life happens and changes must be adjusted, sometimes our commitments need those changes and adjustments as well.  And as long as we all stay in communication, we can all stay in joy, compassion and love of one another. 

Commitment and communication, two words that should be in our vocabulary through all the days of our life. 

On Sunday, September 14th, I left my home to go to church.  I had a sinkful of dishes, floor full of laundry, many house activities that needed done.  I had just planned to ‘put them off’ until I got home from church.  I had no idea of the wind strength that was coming through.  I had no idea the length of the power outage that was coming as well. 

For anyone who truly knows me, I am generally very organized and always prepared.  For me ‘to put something off’ is out of character for me.  If I would have had any idea how the next week would be, I would have been more organized and made sure the house chores were complete.

While every human being puts these tasks off to some sort.  We need to prioritze our responsibilities each and every moment of our lives.  But, the preparation of our spirtual lives and the spirtual lives of others will always be the number one priority.  In Isaiah 25:1, ‘O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago.’  Even the Lord, our God, is prepared.

With this said, think about taking time today and think about what you need to be prepared for.  Is it something that can wait?  Or is it something that should be done now?  What are the priorities that the Lord has set for you? 

Thinking of all these things will prepare you for all of the events that go on in your life.  Events can be just a load of laundry but can also be eternity!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ‘Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus’

I want to share this scripture with you today.  I am thankful for all the blessings in my life including my brothers and sisters in PEACH.