Welcome

Why a blog from me, someone who has never been a writer, someone who has never been articulate or had a solid grasp of the grammar world. Because God told me to write. Several years ago a life storm invaded my family. God kept telling me to write it all down. I argued, but He would not let up. This went on every day for a couple of weeks until one day out of frustration, (I'd like to say it was out of obedience), I picked up a pen and paper and wrote for 7 hours straight! Do you think maybe I needed therapy and God knew it?

I've been writing ever since and have learned to love it! I started out sharing my stories with friends and family. I've now been published in a Nashville church paper, Our Daily Journey (a devotional site of RBC Ministries), PCCWeb Daily Devotional, Ruby for Women Ezine Magazine, and I am a contributor in the book Alabaster Jars, Life in Abundance Collection 2.

Why Ponderings? During this life storm, God led me to a pond in the woods behind my home. There He met me each time, teaching new lessons, reminding me of old ones, showing His presence and allowing me to feel His love through the surroundings of that pond. I found myself returning over and over to ponder, pray and praise. A healing of my heart took place and out of the experience came my first book, Ponderings From the Pond, then a second book, Ponderings From My Porch, and now a third book is in the works along with a memoir about my storm.

Why am I making myself so vulnerable? Because God has done so much that I cannot keep quiet. I have to share. Jesus's last words to his desciples were, "Go,tell." We are his disciples too and this is just one of my ways of telling.

I'm no scholar but I have heard God's voice in my spirit, experience His love daily, and have a desire for others to experience this also. I would love to share with all who visit and I would love to hear from you. If my sharing gets just one to ponder, to be quiet with the Father, to see and hear from Him or to be reminded of something from Him, then this is worth my vulnerability.

As you visit me, sometimes we will be at the pond, sometimes we will move to the front porch, and sometimes we will just be here, there, and yonder. Thank you for coming and please feel free to come back anytime, you are always welcome here.

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

*****EXCITING NEWS*****

My first book, Ya Know What I'm Say'n, has been released.


Ponderings

Ponderings

Sunday, January 13, 2013

Expiration Date



Ok…time to be vulnerable again.  I’m going to confess something.  Six years ago during our life storm, I lost the joy in cooking and baking.  To be honest it has never come back.  I believe God gave me new joys to take the place of old ones.

 
But at Christmas time, I felt I should bake something.  I always loved my Grandmother’s cherry pie so I decided to make one.  I use to always make my own pie crust, as it is not hard to do at all, just a little messy.  Several years back though in the joyless baking days, I didn’t want to give it up all together, so I bought packaged pie crust that you roll out and put into the dish.  I must have been more joyless than I thought in the kitchen because they never got used. 

 
The packages of pie crusts got stuck in the back of our extra refrigerator out in the garage.  I saw them every day as I would go in there to get other stuff for the day, but just ignored them.  I got so used to seeing them back there, that I really didn’t pay any attention to them.

 
So this past December, I remembered the pie crusts and thought I would make a pie.  I went to retrieve them and read the expiration date…three years old.  I threw them away and decided to make homemade sugar cookies instead.  I mixed up all the ingredients and spooned the dough onto cookie sheets and baked them.  When I pulled them out they didn’t look right.  This was my grandmother’s recipe and hers were always big and puffy and soft.  These cookies on my sheet were flat.  I didn’t understand and pondered for a few minutes and then had a thought.  Go look at the expiration date on the baking powder can that I had used.  The date had expired 5 years ago!  No wonder they didn’t rise.  Out went the baking powder too. 

 
Pondering again, I thought about Jesus Christ.  He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow, forever and He never gets old,  His love for us never goes flat, never molds, and never expires. . .and neither do His promises.


 He has blessed me with friends who bring me goodies from their own kitchen.  One brought me homemade chocolate mints and another brought me a homemade pie and cookies from another. Isn't God good!? Bless their hearts!  I believe there is no expiration date on their hearts either.
 

 I may not have the joy of baking anymore but He has filled me with joy for other things.  He has never left me to feel joyless in all things.  No, I will always have the joy of Him in my heart, serving for Him, and the joy of loving my family, and so many others. And you know what?  He has blessed me not only with friends who bake but with stores and shops that make wonderful baked goodies, just like home.  

I'm so thankful for these blessings, because although my desire to bake has expired, my sweet tooth sure didn't! 

Dear Sweet Heavenly Father,
Thank you for ALWAYS being there. . .for when joys seems to go, You are ALWAYS there to fill us up with others we may not have even known were joys until you opened our eyes and hearts to new things. The love you give is sweeter than any other thing in this world and I am so grateful for all the sweetness of your Words, Your promises, and all good things which come from You. . .yes, even chocolate, gooey, chewy, nutty, goodies.
And one more thing Father. . .
I'm so grateful to know I never need worry, I never need to look for an expiration date. . .with You.
Thank you!
In your most precious, never-expiring Name, Jesus,
Amen.


     Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will NEVER leave you or forsake you.
Joshua 1:5
(see. . .no expiration date;)
 

6 comments:

The souls remedy said...

Great analogy! It is so easy for us to push something aside and say "i will get to that later." Often times later is days, weeks, months even years. To our dismay it has expired. But Glory to God! Whenever we decide do wake up He is there He never expires! Love it!

Maryellen said...

As Pastor Jason said on Sunday, our God is so patient! So thankful for that! P.S. I'm bad about letting things expire, too! As you know, I'm a sporadic cook at best but am trying to do better as the best food I can eat is fresh and cooked daily! :)

Floyd said...

That cherry pie sounds good! But the sweetness you bring into others lives are sweeter than food. Man does not live on bread alone...

Beth Zimmerman said...

Truly beautiful analogy. I used to love cooking and baking too. Not sure where that went. Though as you say ... I now find joy in other things! And I take great comfort in knowing His love never changes, loses strength, or expires!

Lisa Maria said...

Loved this Kris! My joy of baking has not yet expired. I'd share my joy with your sweet tooth if we lived closer together! May your joy in the Lord and your compassionate heart never expire my friend.

Sending you some hugs!

adela said...

I love to bake. Funny thing is that many of the old ingredients have been "improved." Crisco, Nestles Chocolate Chips, Bisquick, CoolWhip, all have new formulae that work differently in the old recipes.

It's a good thing God's recipe for happiness is unchanged and enduring. No need to adapt to a new formula.