Lisa notes

In This Transition, Keep a Steady Focus on God
—Grace & Truth Linkup

By LisaNotes November 13, 2020 Grace & Truth Link-Up 4 Comments

We’re in an in-between phase in the United States.

Our elections are over, but the new President doesn’t officially take office until January 20.

But it’s likely that each of us are in other in-between places in our own lives, too (hello, covid). Rarely does life sit idle. We transition between things all the time.

Our Featured Writer, Wemi Omotosho, is in England, which has entered a second lockdown for at least 4 weeks. She reminds us that we don’t know how any of our transition situations will be resolved.

But as believers, we can keep our eyes steady on God.

“Let’s remember that even in the midst of these storms, He is with us. Our hope in God is our anchor as we press ahead in the midst of this turbulent season.”

Read Wemi’s post here, then add your own blog posts in the linkup below.

Looking Ahead in Transition

Thanks for sharing, Wemi! Here’s a button for your blog.

Grace and Truth_Rules

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.   

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace Truth_Button

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Now Let’s Link Up!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

How comfortable are you in transition phases? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Have You Outgrown Your Clothes?

By LisaNotes November 12, 2020 Guest posts 1 Comment

If you’re like me, you might have clothes in your closet, and behaviors in your life, that:

  • Are uncomfortable (anybody else feeling the extra 5 pounds since ‘Rona?)
  • Are unflattering
  • Are holey (and not the good kind of holy)

We don’t have to dress out of this closet. These clothes are ugly to ourselves and to others: bad tempers, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk, lying to one another (Colossians 3:8-10).

They no longer fit us. We have permission to bag them up and get them out of the house.

Wardrobe Makeover

Instead, we can receive a wardrobe makeover.

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I’m writing today at Do Not Depart for our series on Colossians 3. #RENEWED

Will you join me there?

Fiction and Nonfiction Books that Go Together

By LisaNotes November 9, 2020 Books I Recommend, Reading 23 Comments

This week’s topic for #Nonficnov is Book Pairing, connecting a fiction book with a nonfiction book.

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Here are my suggestions from books I read in 2020.

FICTION

If you like Jodi Picoult novels—she takes on the hard topics in story form—you’ll like A Spark of Light. In it, Picoult takes you inside an abortion clinic where hostages are being held and hurt by a pro-life activist. While Picoult doesn’t try to convince you of the right or wrongness of what’s happening in the book, she does help you better understand the wide variety of characters involved as she unfolds the story.

NONFICTION

For a nonfiction pairing, try Compassion (&) Conviction: The AND Campaign’s Guide to Faithful Civic Engagement by Justin Giboney, Michael Wear, and Chris Butler.

Its premise is that life often isn’t binary. It’s not always this OR that. Sometimes it’s this AND that.

Written from a Christian perspective, this book educates us on how to be both Christian AND political, with grace and with love. Using examples from the Bible itself (Joseph, Moses, Daniel, etc.), the authors state, “To refuse to engage in politics is to refuse to take advantage of a useful tool for God’s work.”

It encourages Christians to identify social issues that we can help with. If we’re to love our neighbor, we need to learn how to stand up for each other in all realms of life.

“Christians should engage politics because doing so provides us with a robust opportunity to love our neighbor by acting justly, promoting human flourishing, and seeking the prosperity of our community.”

3 More Pairings

Here are three more fiction/nonfiction pairings I suggest:

  1. If you’re a Harper Lee fan (the author of To Kill a Mockingbird), you’ll also like the nonfiction Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep. It’s about the story of a serial killer in Alabama in the 1970s, and Harper Lee’s desire to write a book about it.
  2. If you like The Giver of Stars about the traveling librarians in Kentucky in the 1930s by Jojo Moyes, you’ll also like The Library Book by Susan Orlean. It’s the amazing history of American libraries written in a very nonstuffy way.
  3. If you like The Store by James Patterson about an Amazon-type company that is taking over the country, you’ll also like Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch. It explains how even our language is changing as a consequence of technology and the internet.

Link your own book pairings at JulzReads.

What fiction and nonfiction books would you pair? Share any favorites in the comments.

5 Reasons to Love Being a Grandparent (+ Pictures)
—Grace & Truth Linkup

By LisaNotes November 6, 2020 Grace & Truth Link-Up, Grandparenting, Life updates 16 Comments

My own grandmothers seemed very old when I was a child. Is this how my grandchildren will see me?

I resist the stereotypical “grandmother” image of grandmothers from media in my youth. A scary collage of wrinkles, gray hair piled high in a bun, a housecoat and slippers.

Today’s grandmothers are presented as modern and hip and stylish.

I don’t know that either image fits me.

I am simply me. Granna. I’ve only known her for 2 1/2 years. But I have fallen deeply into the role with great joy.

Below are 5 things I love about being Granna and 5 pictures to show it.

I’m sharing five groups of five things I love this week, one per day.

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5 Reasons to Love Being a Grandparent

1. THE ADVENTURES

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In addition to changing diapers and giving baths again, I’m also picking up frogs again and reading picture books and romping in the yard looking for treasures. And loving every second of it. 

2. WATCHING MY CHILD RAISE A CHILD

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I love watching my daughter be a wonderful mother to my grandkids; the cycle of life goes on. And in watching her, I’m also reminded of how tiring it is to be a mother, which makes me glad I’m now the grandmother instead.

3. SEEING A NEW SIDE OF MY SON-IN-LAW

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It’s also fun watching my son-in-law take care of the girls, take them for 4-wheeler rides, teach them about bucks and does. 

4. LOVING THE SAME LITTLE PEOPLE

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My daughter knows I’ll always answer her calls when she and the kids want to FaceTime; I’ll always be interested in hearing about the latest tooth popping through; I’ll always delight in every photo and video she wants to send me. We’re all vested in seeing these kids grow up strong and healthy and godly.

5. IT’S JUST PLAIN FUN!

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Our second granddaughter turned one year old last month! It’s been so much fun to journey through the first year of life with another baby, watching her learn to play with toys, to push a stroller, to laugh at her sister. When God gave us grandkids, he blessed us with a gift beyond measure! 

Featured Post—3 Ways to Provide Roots for Your Grandkids

Whether you’re a grandmother or not, you likely have children in your life. Maybe neighbors or students in a Sunday school class or nieces/nephews.

Whatever the relationship, you can be a spiritual influence in the lives of these little ones, showing and telling them that God is love.

Deborah writes about ways to provide our grandchildren with more than just another playmate. I want to be the kind of grandmother she writes about.

Read Deborah’s meaningful post here as our Featured Post, then link your own blog posts below.

Well-watered Grandchildren: 3 Ways to Provide Them with Deep Roots

Thanks for sharing, Deborah! Here’s a button for your blog.

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Grace and Truth_Rules

1. Share 1 or 2 of your most recent CHRISTIAN LIVING posts. (No DIY, crafts, recipes, or inappropriate articles.) All links are randomly sorted.

2. Comment on 1 or 2 other links. Grace & Truth linkup encourages community.   

3. Every host features one entry from the previous week. To be featured, include this button or link back here on your post (mandatory to be featured, but not to participate).

Grace Truth_Button

Grace and Truth_Meet Hosts

We encourage you to follow our hosts on their blogs or social media.

MAREE DEE – Embracing the Unexpected
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

HEATHER HART & VALERIE RIESE – Candidly Christian
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LAUREN SPARKS
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

LISA BURGESS – Lisa notes
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Now Let’s Link Up!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Are you a grandparent? Do you have happy memories with your own grandparents? Share your thoughts in the comments.

5 Posts and 5 Favorite Comments

By LisaNotes November 5, 2020 Life updates 4 Comments

One of my favorite things about blogging is reading your comments. They often contain far more value than my posts.

Here are five favorite posts from the blog last month, along with five of my favorite comments from you beautiful readers. Thank you for sharing your hearts and wisdom here. 

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I’m sharing five groups of five things I love, one per day this week.

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5 Posts and 5 Favorite Comments

1. Would You Want to Be the Next President? 

Would you want to be the next President? Not everyone is called to lead. But Jesus invites all of us to follow.

From Lois:

“I served as class secretary all four years, and in college, when I was given the opportunity to be the editor of the newspaper, I chose to work in the media affairs office instead. I’ve often wondered if my avoidance of leadership roles was indicative of some kind of weakness or flaw, but maybe God has called me to other things, as you suggest. Here’s to “following where Jesus leads,” no matter what the future holds.”

2. Can You Wait 5 More Minutes? 

Can you wait just 5 more minutes before you give in to that temptation? Sometimes that’s all we need.

From David:

“Wait 5 minutes” is a very good idea, which I will definitely use. 5 minutes later I am busy doing something else and the urge is forgotten.

In an insomnia attack, I have to get up. Read, write, have a snack, … the best thing is yoga. 3am is quite a good time for a long slow session. And then my whole body is singing out for sleep.

Perhaps any habit that says “It’s bedtime, you will be asleep soon” will be effective. Bedtime journalling has worked for me (though after 5 minutes I’m just getting started). The best scheme ever was a 1/2 hour sesh: 15 mins free writing — has to be *about* something, has to be positive (eg why I like X); 15 mins reading poetry. Both of which I love but never have time for. And having to set aside 30 mins meant I intentionally went to bed early. Will be starting this again soon as I’ve just ordered a new book of poems.

3. God Personalizes Your Gifts 
God knows you by name and by need. He personalizes his gifts for you.

From Donna:

“God is not one size fits all, and engages with us on such a personal level according to our need. When going through a difficult trial, it’s so comforting to know He sees “me” and knows “me” not just someone like me. Thank you for this encouragement!”

4. What Do You Think About God? It’s Critical 

What we think about God determines who we are and how we live. That’s why it’s important we form the right ideas. Read this excerpt from James Bryan Smith.

From Linda:

“Loving God with you, friend.
How mercifully kind, loving, and just He is.
He’s got this. All that assails us.”

5. How to Prevent Compassion Fade During a Pandemic

How do you not get overwhelmed by the big numbers of deaths during the pandemic? Prevent compassion fade by focusing on one person at a time.

From Marielle:

“I have seen the power of focusing on or ministering to the one. I try to keep that perspective in being present with one child, writing to bless just one soul, and praying for others one by one.”

previous Favorite 5’s

5 Things to Make You Smile—November 2020

By LisaNotes November 4, 2020 Life updates 13 Comments

We need some laughter today, yes? We’ve been through a lot (and we’re still here!).

These 5 things made me smile. I hope they will make you smile, too.

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5 Things to Make You Smile

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It took me a minute to get the last one. 🙂 Here’s an explanation if you need help.

previous Favorite 5’s