Author

Lois Flowers

Timely Encouragement from the Book of Daniel

by Lois Flowers April 4, 2023

by Lois Flowers

Inside: God’s sovereign control over human history was on full display when Jesus was crucified 2,000 years ago. It remains a comforting truth for us today as we think about Easter and as we look ahead to future events in our country and world. ~

I ended March by completing the Book of Daniel in my Bible-reading plan.

I’ve read it numerous times over the years. This time, though, I went slowly, noticing details about familiar stories that seem especially timely and other parts that had never grabbed my attention before.

April 4, 2023 22 comments

What to Remember When Life Throws You Off Track

by Lois Flowers March 28, 2023

by Lois Flowers

Inside: When seasons change suddenly or life throws you for an unexpected loop, remember these quick lessons from the running trail. ~

This little message, written on the trail to encourage marathon runners a few years ago, also spurred me on every time I passed it on my morning jogs.

Every time I sit down to write a blog post that has anything to do with running, I almost have to laugh.

I’ve never been what I’d call a runner. Partly due to a bad foot and partly due to not being very athletic.

One of my most distinct memories of college is having to jog a mile around an indoor track for a wellness class assignment. I was the last one done, and I thought I was going to pass out before I finished. It was horrible.

Fast Forward

In my mid-30s, I got custom orthotics and began jogging on a treadmill. Not always consistently, mind you, but eventually I found a good rhythm and started to see tangible evidence of the benefits of exercise.

I like to read on the treadmill, so I always resisted whenever anyone suggested I run outside. Then about three years ago, near the beginning of the pandemic shutdown, my daughter Lilly finally convinced me to let go of the arms of my trusty treadmill and join her on the trail by our house.

How Could I Not?

She was senior in high school, with limited time left at home. I wanted to take advantage of every moment with her, even if it meant engaging in the one activity I had always avoided.

Lilly is a patient coach. Over time, I gradually stopped feeling like I was going to die with every stride.

I kept running when she went off to college. Little by little, I added yards until I met my distance goal.

Ups and Downs

Until I got sick with Covid in February, I was running about 2.3 miles at a time. That might not sound like much to a serious runner, but it’s much farther than I had ever dreamed of running regularly.

Still, I’ve had my ups and downs. The hotter it gets, the more I struggle on the trail. Even when the weather cooled off last fall, it took me a long time to see proof of the running mantra that summer pain equals winter gains.

Over time, I started to wonder if I was in a rut. I thought about trying to run faster or farther.

Getting Back on Track

I decided to keep going as I was, and then I got sick. Everything I’ve read about post-Covid exercise suggests that you can’t just jump back into your pre-illness routine. It takes time to get your strength back and build up your endurance, even after mild to moderate sickness.

I began by walking on the trail and the treadmill, pushing myself a little bit more every day. Once again, it’s obvious how much better I feel—mentally and physically—when my day includes some kind of exercise, even when it’s less than it was before.

The Long Haul

My point in telling you all of this is not to convince you to take up running (or any other kind of exercise, for that matter). Rather, it’s to remind us both that life is marathon, not a sprint.

The scriptures tell us to run with endurance the race set before us. This includes hills and valleys, ups and downs, highs and lows.

Along the way, we experience seasons of sickness and wellness, joy and grief, uncertainty and clarity. We often have no warning before the season changes, which can add another layer of difficulty to what we are facing.

This is life, and even though it should not surprise us, it often does.

4 Quick Encouragements

That said, wherever you find yourself on your own personal race course, perhaps you will be encouraged by a few quick thoughts that have helped me lately.

• Some seasons are just harder.

• Opportunities to compare are abundant; reject them.

• There’s a very good chance you’re stronger than you think you are.

• Growth measured in miniscule increments is still growth.

Onward and upward, friends!

♥ Lois

The scriptures tell us to run with endurance the race set before us. This includes hills and valleys, ups and downs, highs and lows. Share on X Growth measured in miniscule increments is still growth. Share on X

P.S. I’m linking up this week with #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.

March 28, 2023 20 comments

Share Four Somethings: March 2023

by Lois Flowers March 21, 2023

by Lois Flowers

Inside: The importance of routines and rhythms, memorable quotes from The Great Divorce, a poignant band concert, fighting the worry battle and some fine-lookin’ nachos.

I played the bass drum in high school marching band. I wasn’t great at it; in fact, I wasn’t even coordinated enough to play with two hands.

What I could do, though, was keep a steady beat.

Steady rhythms are helpful. They keep everything—and everyone—moving forward together.

When the rhythm is disrupted, it can throw everything off. In a high school marching band—and in life.

This hit home last month when I was sick with Covid. The actual illness wasn’t nearly as bad as the emotional roller coaster ride that followed it.

Fortunately, my husband and daughter kept our household running when I was sick. I’m grateful for that.

I’m also thankful for the rhythms and routines that have helped me get back to the business of managing my home and my mental health.

Speaking of routines, I’ve been participating in the monthly Share Four Somethings linkup for a few years now. I’ve gone back and forth about keeping it up.

It wouldn’t disrupt my blogging schedule much if I stopped. But I’ve heard from readers who say they enjoy this type of post because it helps them get to know bloggers on a more personal level.

I’m all for getting to know people better. Plus, these posts are fun to write.

You can let me know what you think about this in the comments. For now, I’m going to continue linking up with Jennifer Goodwin and the rest of the Share Four Somethings bloggers. As always, we start with …

Something Loved

In early March, the U.S. Navy Band kicked off their 2023 tour in Kansas. My sister Ruth is the group’s long-time principal oboist, so it’s always a joy to see them in concert.

This time, it was also bittersweet. When the band came through the Kansas City area in 2018, my dad was in the audience. He was proud of Ruth’s musical career, and he loved hearing her play, especially upbeat marches and other familiar pieces.

Most people probably don’t cry at Navy Band concerts. But I’m guessing it won’t surprise you to know I had to choke back more than a few tears when the band struck up a rousing version of the Washington Post March.

Something Read

I didn’t have any library books handy when I was recovering from Covid, so I pulled The Great Divorce off my shelf. I’m pretty sure it was required reading in college, but I don’t remember any of it.

According to the subtitle, this C.S. Lewis classic describes A Fantastic Bus Ride from Hell to Heaven—A Round Trip for Some but not for Others. Here are a few memorable quotes …

How heaven changes our perspective on suffering:

“This is what mortals misunderstand,” Lewis writes. “They say of some temporal suffering, ‘No future bliss can make up for it,’ not knowing that Heaven, once attained, will work backwards and turn even that agony into a glory.”

How people in Hell choose it:

“There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, ‘Thy will be done,’ and those to whom God says, in the end, ‘Thy will be done.’ All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice, there could be no Hell. No soul that seriously and constantly desires joy will ever miss it. Those who seek find. To those who knock it is opened.”

Now I’m reading Lewis’s Letters to Children, which I first found in a delightful used bookshop in Tontitown, Ark., (see photo at top of post) and later ordered from the library. I’m also rereading The Screwtape Letters.

Nothing gets my creative juices flowing more than reading good writing, and for me, Lewis is the absolute best.

Something Learned

This month, I’m sharing what I didn’t learn. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say I haven’t learned it nearly well as I thought.

The lesson? Not worrying about tomorrow.

In early 2020, when the world seemed to be teetering on the brink of disaster, God gently impressed upon my heart the need to address this struggle in a tangible way. (See here and here for more on that story.) I still have miles to go, but I honestly thought I had made a bit of progress with it.

Lately, though, I’ve found that while I’m able to live one day at a time in certain areas of my life, I’m far less OK with it in others. It’s been a mental battle, to put it mildly.

The particulars aren’t as important as the struggle, which I think many of us face.

Waiting for answers isn’t easy. What is easy—at least for me—is getting stuck in the what-if vortex.

The difference, compared with how I was before 2020, is that now I am very aware of what is going on. In a way, this makes it worse because I sometimes feel like a fraud. On the other hand, it’s helpful because I am actively seeking ways to respond.

I’m taking deep breaths. Remembering how God has worked in the past. Trying to cast my cares on Jesus right when they are swarming my mind.

One day at a time.

“I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry to him reached his ears.” ~ Psalm 18:6

Something Eaten

Nothing fancy here, folks. We’re talking about nachos this month. On frequent Sunday evenings, Randy spreads out the chips, covers them with cheese and pops them in the microwave.

For Molly, a vast quantity of cheese is enough. For me, the work is only beginning. But, as you might concur after seeing the photo, the result is totally worth it.

• • •

Now it’s your turn. Have you read any memorable books lately? If worrying about tomorrow is a struggle for you, how do you combat it? How do you like your nachos—just cheese or loaded down with colorful extras? Do tell in the comments, or add your own version of Share Four Somethings.

♥ Lois

Steady rhythms are helpful. They keep everything—and everyone—moving forward together. Share on X I’m taking deep breaths. Remembering how God has worked in the past. Trying to cast my cares on Jesus right when they are swarming my mind. One day at a time. Share on X

P.S. I’m linking up this week with sharefoursomethings, #tellhisstory, InstaEncouragements, Recharge Wednesday, Let’s Have Coffee and Grace & Truth.

March 21, 2023 35 comments

How to Pray for a Grieving Friend

by Lois Flowers March 14, 2023

by Lois Flowers

Inside: Do you struggle for words when praying for grieving friends? Try asking God to help them in areas that were difficult for you during your own seasons of sorrow.

I don’t have specific stats to back this up, but it seems as if the first few months of 2023 have been marked by an onslaught of grief and loss.

Off the top of my head, I can think of five people I know who lost close loved ones, three of them unexpectedly. And that was just over a few weeks in January and February.

March 14, 2023 22 comments

How a Simple T-Shirt Can Bring People Together

by Lois Flowers March 7, 2023

by Lois Flowers

Inside: When there’s so much that divides us, a catchy message on a T-shirt can highlight what we have in common if we simply take the time to notice. ~

I was getting ready to check out at Kohl’s when I noticed a woman near the front of the store peering at me as if she knew me. I didn’t recognize her, but that didn’t stop her from coming over to where I stood.

“I love your T-shirt,” she said.

“Oh … thank you!” I said, glancing down to see what my shirt said. (Yep, I should have known.)

“Easily distracted by plants.”

That’s Me

The message describes me to a T (pun intended). And I’m not the only one, apparently.

Nearly every time I wear this particular shirt, gifted to me by my husband who knows firsthand how applicable it is, people stop me to tell me how much they like it.

I don’t mind, though.

Common Ground

Maybe I take after my outgoing Italian mom, or perhaps I learned it from my extroverted daughter. Whatever the case, despite my introverted nature, I enjoy interacting with strangers at stores.

And especially these days, when there’s so much that divides us or could potentially tear us apart, I love that a simple message on a T-shirt can highlight what we have in common.

It’s not limited to hobbies like gardening, either.

Faith Flag

Another favorite T-shirt has the words faith, hope and love emblazoned down the front. People stop me about this one too. At Sam’s Club, at Wal-Mart, at the check-in desk at the early voting place.

In my mind, wearing the shirt is similar to drawing an icthus in the sand, like early believers did as a way to identify one another.

It doesn’t blare Christianity. Most people don’t even notice it, in fact. But when someone sees my shirt and makes a point to say something, it clues me into the fact that—at one level or another—we share some key values.

Building Bridges

It also makes me wonder. Could it really be that simple? Could the unassuming act of wearing a T-shirt open doors, build bridges, cross lines, maybe even start up an unlikely friendship?

I’d like to think so.

We don’t have to think alike about every issue, or even most of them. If we’re paying attention, though, I think we can find pieces of common ground here and there.

We’ve all heard the saying, “Be the good you want to see in the world.”

Maybe we could start by wearing the good we want to see in the world.

• • •

Do you have a “message T-shirt” that brings people out of the woodwork to talk to you? Have you ever commented on the words on a stranger’s shirt? Please share in the comments …

♥ Lois

When there’s so much that divides us these days, I love that a simple message on a T-shirt can highlight what we have in common. Share on X Could the unassuming act of wearing a T-shirt open doors, build bridges, cross lines, maybe even start up an unlikely friendship? Share on X

March 7, 2023 29 comments

Share Four Somethings: February 2023

by Lois Flowers February 28, 2023

by Lois Flowers

Inside: A week that went sideways, a growing list of loves, a favorite Psalm and learning to trust on the cusp of a new season.

I’ve spent the last several days on the couch, resting my way through the various phases of a sickness I’ve not had previously and certainly didn’t expect to get last week.

The coming days likely will bring an uptick in articles about how the world has changed in three years and where we are now and what it all means. I have a few thoughts and feelings about that myself. Right now, though, I’m just grateful that my inevitable turn with Covid has been mostly unremarkable.

February 28, 2023 18 comments