Dealing With Literal Snakes

When you get an email like the following one at 5 a.m., after just arriving at work... you think, "Welcome to Arizona."

This evening (Wed 9/29) Cliff found what we thought was a dead baby rattlesnake in the parking lot by the last curb. When we attempted to remove it to the desert, it reminded us that it was very much alive and upset.
It then proceeded to crawl into the drainspout at the north end of the building. Per Bill's instructions there are 3 cones around the spout. Since several people who work late park out back, please be careful when going to your car, since it was right were one would walk when leaving.

Joe
Operations Technician


My next thought was, "Good thing I park in the front lot." After returning to my desk after the on-air shift, I read this message:

Joe,

Thanks to you & Cliff for being alert, as of now the problem has been resolved, I put a hose in the roof drain & the flow of water brought him from hiding in the darkness to being exposed by the light. At that time the forces of darkness & the forces of light collided & I was able to intentionally remove his head. Once again light has triumphed over darkness.

Everyone have a Blessed day.......

In His Service,

Bill
Facilities Manager

Normally, I'd advise prayer as a hedge for any scary issue in your life. But traffic cones and Godly men can help, too.

God's Mysterious Ways

Nine years ago, my husband and I were thousands of dollars in debt, so we sold a house we loved to downsize and make some money. We were so sad to leave our beautiful home, and we were not thrilled about the new subdivision.

But in the alley one day, we met gregarious neighbors, Tom and Brenda, whose house backed up to ours. Long story short, Mark and I both were invited to be in their wedding and to this day, four moves later, consider this couple among our dearest friends.

Every once in a while, we would congratulate ourselves on paying off our debt, but we still wondered about that stage of our lives--why things happened the way they did, why we had to leave the house we loved, and so on.

Fast forward to last January. Brenda's brother-in-law hired Mark when he needed a job. If we hadn't known Brenda, we sure wouldn't have known about the job in Arizona that's a great fit for Mark's talents. If Mark hadn't been in Arizona, I would never have been looking for the Christian radio job in Tucson that I started in April. God's ways are not immediately known to us, but I thank Him that he watches out for us.

Mark and I left another house we loved in Georgia. We are wondering about the last two years in Atlanta--what relationships did we make there that will make a difference some day? Will we ever know specifically why we felt called to ministry there? We try to be obedient, but our human nature wants to see a reason why we were there. However, we may not see the big picture until we see Him face to face.

In these times of uncertainty, I am thankful to have a job, and I am thankful that God sets plans in motion years before we ever know our needs.

We have traded a dream house for a worn apartment, but I know that God has a mansion waiting for me. I hope mine backs up to yours.

Checking In

April was the craziest month on my record of life. I racked up three addresses in two states and lived in three states! It was fun, though. If I owe you a phone call, an email, an invoice or a report, now you know why. [Thank you for your patience!] I still feel as though I'm living out of a suitcase, and it might be that way awhile, as I sort out some possible long-term assignments or try to sell a house.

This week, you can hear me on morning radio again! If you live in Arizona, dial in a terrestrial station from 6-9 and listen. If you live out of state, go to www.myflr.org and then where it says, "Find a Station," click on an Arizona city, then scroll down to "Listen online." It's fun to be back on the air in broadcasting ministry. If you want to call in, the number is 1-800-776-1080.

Things are still tough for many people. So I feel blessed to have work in my field. If you are struggling, I want to encourage you to avoid stressing or worrying. God has a plan, and everything will work out. Enjoy your extended vacation. Now you have the time you always wanted. Clear out the clutter. Recycle, throw away, give away. Clean, exercise, read. Enjoy. Praise. Write a letter. Start a blog. Volunteer. Pray. And pray some more.

Walking in Faith

Robyn from Kingsville gave me permission to share her story with you:

"This morning I decided that I needed to get back on my walking schedule. So I bundled up and took off. As I got just to the end of my street I noticed a young woman, who appeared to be by herself, unloading a truck, moving into a house. As I passed I waved and immediately starting thinking of spiritual opportunities. And of course, the obvious physical help it seemed she could use right here and now. I thought of how God, who is always faithful to my prayers (prayed with evangelism on my mind this morning) in that area.

"I continued to walk, thinking that I just got started good, and I really need to take care of my health (before I can take care of others, trying to heed my own counseling words to others). Rationalizing, trying to not feel guilty. So, I walked with purpose and determination, feeling good about disciplining myself toward lowering my cholesterol. At the same time I would not forget about what I might do for this young woman: take her homemade banana bread, welcome her to the neighborhood, invite her to worship services... I made my big loop of several blocks, and as I got close to my street I decided that I would double-back. I said, 'OK God, if she is still there and still unloading furniture, I will need your help to not injure my back,' which was already hurting.

"So, I rounded the corner and headed her way. I could not see if she was still there at first, so I kept walking. Then I could see her standing at the front door, just looking at the sofa, half was in the back of the truck and half on the front porch. I thought, 'OK God, maybe it's not too heavy and we can do this.' Just as I was about one house away, my husband drove up beside me. [He had taken the day off to make some repairs]. I told him what I was about to do, so of course he pulled over, and we went up and met our new neighbor. I held the glass door open out of the their way as they moved the sofa inside.

"I had faith that God would help me, and he sent my husband at just the perfect time. Isn't that cool?"

On the Economy

I heard this from the pulpit today and thought you might like it as much as I did: "We may be in challenging times, but God is not."

God's Protection

This is a follow-up to the last entry about falling. My friend Craig emailed me and said, "You could have broken something. God was really watching out for you!"

And indeed He was. Not only was I not very sore the next day, the scrapes lasted about two days and were gone. And remember part of my job description these days: TV Co-host? What if I had broken my jaw, my nose or put out an eye?

And it gets better. The very next morning, on an early Sunday morning, I was jogging on a street that's usually quite quiet at that time. At the turnaround, I noticed a large truck stopped by the spot I had passed just three minutes earlier. An earth-moving machine had come loose from the truck's trailer and landed on the sidewalk. I'm talking a big, huge chain--broken in two. If that machine hit me... well, I'd probably be dead now.

It's not just me. God watches out for you, too. How many near-accidents, near-misses have you avoided on the jogging paths of life? We chalk it up to coincidence, being in the right place at the right time... but there's more to it. A lot more.

Never Give Up

Keep those dreams that seem impossible on a back burner and move on to something else. Check the fire once in a while to see if those old dreams are still simmering. Maybe they've gotten cold and are not supposed to be a part of your life any longer. But if you're like me, you'd almost forgotten they were there... and God improves upon them.

If you've heard me speak about my early broadcasting career, you know that more than one news director told me to lose weight. One even told me that since I was "no Miss America," I'd have to work really hard in this business. In retrospect, what great advice for anyone: work hard!

God has a sense of humor. I'd all but given up on my broadcasting career. And now, thanks to Him, I am on radio three hours a day and TV two hours a day. One of my favorite parts of the day is Kelly, our makeup artist. I'm a wrinkled 40-something woman who still needs to lose a dress size or two, but she makes me feel like Miss America.

If old dreams can get resurrected in an amazing way for me, they sure can for you. Trust God, surrender your agenda to Him and check the stove.

Interview with Ellen Castro

Ellen Castro and I met on a plane! In the 12 years since then, she has gone from mentor to great friend. She's such an accomplished person. Listen to this: Ellen is an international speaker, coach and consultant, specializing in communication and leadership. Her tagline is so true; she says, "It’s all about TRUST!" She should know. She's the author of Spirited Leadership: 52 Ways to Build Trust on the Job. Her spiritual walk is inspiring. She puts God first, personally and professionally. Her no-cost e-newsletters are encouraging. Go here to subscribe.




LA: Ellen, you had a breakdown as a young professional and realized it was because your work life was not congruent with your beliefs. That led to a huge spiritual journey… and a whole new career… for you. Can you talk about that?

EC: At that point in time, I thought that money and getting my dad’s approval were everything. So I did WHATEVER it took to be the highest ranking female at an oil company in the late 70’s. When I did that and my manager said I was not going to get the next job... I imploded. I was off work for four months and when I came back, my career was over. Whew. Actually the real turn towards my spiritual path happened when I ended up at Harvard at age 36 by “accident.” It was then that I started my spiritual quest. The catalyst was a course that was titled, “The Dynamics of Religion and Psychology.” It has been quite a ride ever since! It is amazing if you pray for healing, that is what God will do to help you find the truth of who you really are and the path to His love.

LA: Your book is an effort to encourage corporate leaders to exhibit their values in the workplace. When you first wrote this book, this was a foreign concept! But it seems to be gaining more acceptance. What reaction have you had to the book?

EC: The book is an outcome of my experience at the oil company...from whom I still don’t buy gas... my studies at Harvard and my work as a leadership consultant and executive coach. And again, God has a sense of humor... you teach what you most have to learn.

So the book is all about trust... since trust is the essence of leadership. And to be trustworthy, you must trust yourself by living a life of credibility and compassion. I believe why things have changed is that people are weary and want to find meaning in their lives and work. People like my book because it is practical and cuts to the chase.

LA: Your corporate presentations and consulting are centered around getting leaders to do the right thing. Why is trust such a big issue?

EC: Trust is a MUST! With everything as chaotic as it is, people want to feel safe and connected in some way. And the leader offers that sense of safety and connection by giving trust and being the role model of trust. There are no neutral actions, and everything leaders do either builds someone’s self-esteem or destroys it. And either builds a sense of connection or isolation. The choice is theirs. And they reap less stress and more success when they are the light and love of God.

LA: Ellen, I love how you put God first in all that you do. What advice do you have for the rest of us on our faith journey?

EC: I put God first because I learned the hard way. He is my source! And my true parent! And when I connect to His love for me, His good for me, I feel worthy and loved. Then I can be the light for others... a source of safety and connection in an unsafe world for others because I feel safe and connected within.

LA: Is there anything else you would like to add?

EC: The truth is while it sounds simple, it is not easy. So my advice is be kind to yourself... there are no setbacks or reasons to punish yourself... it is just an “oops” to learn. So just be happy you got the “oops,” so you can choose again for God and good.

God bless you and yours! Stay connected in every moment! Joy, service and love are a choice... choose wisely!

LA: Thanks, Ellen! I know it was no accident that we sat together on a Southwest flight in 1995. God had a plan for us to help each other and learn from each other. You have so much to offer the corporate world--I hope any leader seeing this will consider bringing you into his or her organization.