Where is the Urgency?

It is strange to talk about a lack of urgency during Advent. If anything, December is full of too many things to do and too little time to do them in. There are parties to plan and decorations to put up and cookies to bake, Christmas pageants to get ready for, presents to buy and wrap and Christmas cards to send. Just thinking about it all can wear me out. Yes, there is much to do, but this is not the type of urgency Advent is supposed to be about.

Advent is about getting ready for Christmas – the commemoration of the Birth of Christ. It is also about getting ready for the second coming of Christ. The Gospel for the first Sunday of Advent speaks of this end-time event. Luke tells us that “There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars; on earth nations in agony, bewildered by the turmoil of the ocean and its waves; men fainting away with terror and fear at what menaces the world, for the powers of heaven will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand erect, hold your heads high, because your liberation is near at hand.” (Luke 21:25-28)

The end is coming for each of us and for the world and we do not know the day or the hour. We often hear reminders to live each day as if it were your last. Attempt to live with no regrets. Embrace life to the fullest. This is all good advice, but in the midst of everyday busyness, it is difficult to maintain such an attitude every day. We often get caught up in the muck of everyday living. There is so much to concern ourselves with, so much to attend to. It is ironic that during December, a month that is filled to the brim with things to keep us occupied, Advent invites us to focus on the things that truly matter.

Barbara Rossing, author of “The Rapture Exposed: The Message of Hope in the Book of Revelation” is quoted in the December 2009 issue of “U.S. Catholic”: “We need to reclaim an urgency about our mission . . . an urgency to be sowing seeds of the kingdom of God, like in the New Testament communities. It’s an urgency to love our neighbor, to feed the hungry, and to obey Jesus’ commandments . . . Time is short, and we have to be about something important.”

Each of us is given 1440 minutes every day to make the most of; twenty-four hours to love and serve one another and share the joy of being Christian. During this season of Advent, may we take the time amidst the hustle and bustle of getting ready for Christmas to reclaim the true urgency that following Jesus Christ requires of us.

by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur
http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com

An Attitude of the Heart

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6,7

This is the time of year that we take a moment and think about what we are thankful for. At our dinner on Thursday, some of us will share our individual thoughts of gratitude. We’ll be thankful for our families, and our friends and the kids are always thankful for their pets. But as I was lying in bed this morning pondering this holiday of thanks, I realized that these things are simply blessings, the real source of thankfulness should be to the Provider. That was how the holiday originally started. A day to give thanks to the Lord.

It all started back in the early 1600’s. A group of Pilgrims had left England because of religious persecution. They traveled to Holland and lived with the Dutch for several years. But when their children started speaking Dutch and becoming attached to the Dutch way of life, the English felt their morals were being threatened and decided to head to America.

On September 6, 1620, 110 Pilgrims set sail for the new world on a ship called, The Mayflower. The trip across the ocean took 65 days and many folks became sick and one even died during the voyage. They settled in Plymouth, but by this time, winter had already invaded New England, and their living conditions were sparse, to say the least. The Pilgrims did the best they could that first winter, but out of the original 110 who had set sail in September, less than 50 survived. Life was looking pretty bleak, but they didn’t lose faith.

Then in March, the weather started to clear up and the Pilgrims met a fellow that changed their lives. An Indian by the name of Squanto walked into their camp. He spoke English, he had traveled to England with other sailors and learned their language. He taught the Pilgrims how to survive in this new land. As a result of those lessons, their harvest that fall was plentiful. And they had a huge celebration to give thanks to God for the provision that He had shown them.

Thanksgiving isn’t just a day to stuff ourselves with turkey or to try to get the best shopping deals.

Thanksgiving is an attitude of the heart and one that we should live out all year round.

Father, You are so faithful. Those early Pilgrims simply wanted to live in peace in a place where they could worship you. And the journey that they endured to do that was truly amazing. And yet, in the midst of their challenges, you provided just what they needed. Father, forgive me when I fuss about my little discomforts, help me to have the fortitude to endure whatever comes my way. And Lord Jesus, thank you for all the blessings you have provided for me and that I can live my life in peace, worshipping you.

I Love You Jesus.
In Your name I pray,
Amen

God’s Blessings Upon You!

Love,
Joyce
The Choices You Make Today…
Will Affect Your Tomorrow!
http://www.alifedecision.org

Unfulfilled Desires

At Bible Study this week, my friends and I were discussing “passions” – those things that we feel strongly about. According to Quentin Hakenewerth, S.M., “a passion is emotional energy which is attached to some goal or object. Passions help us become lively and resourceful persons.” However, we need to attach this energy to something that is worthwhile. “Saint John gives us three criteria for recognizing passions which are harmful and ego-centered: those which 1) pursue pleasure for its own sake; 2) crave possessions for their own sake; 3) covet status, titles, or rank to build up our image in the eyes of others (cf. 1 Jn 2:16).” On the other hand, one can never be too passionate about those things that come from God – “love, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (cf. Gal 5:22-24).

Everyone has something that gets their inner fires burning, and thankfully, these things generally coincide with gifts that have been bestowed upon them from God. The combination of our talents and our passions is the fuel which keeps us going in life. It is the impetus for civilization and relationships and contributions to society. The women whom I am lucky to call friends are all passionate people, yet when we got to the question “Describe a passion you have, for example, a desire to achieve some goal or work on a particular project which gives you lots of energy. What can you do to develop this passion?” the room became eerily silent. We are all mothers, and homeschooling mothers at that. There are so many things we would like to do, some desires admittedly more noble than others, yet they are squashed by a lack of time. There is only so much “emotional energy” that one can muster after a full day of parenting. Even when the energy is there, the time and opportunity are not.

It is true – we mothers do have ample opportunity to practice things like love, patience, kindness, generosity, and self-control. Motherhood is a noble pursuit. I know some women who were truly made to be mothers. I, however, am not one of them. I love my children with all my heart and do all I can for them. They were given to me by God and I treasure the gift and acknowledge the responsibility. I was called to homeschool, despite my initial reluctance. It was definitely the right decision for our family. I’m trying to be the very best mom I can be. I know that I am lucky to have this opportunity. Yet, I am more than that. I am more than the person who takes care of the kids and cleans the house (and I admit, I don’t do that chore particularly well). God gave me other gifts. I was also blessed with the opportunity to obtain an advanced education.

Like my friends, I do try to make use of my passions and talents to contribute to the world at large. It is always in small doses, however. I’ve had older mothers assure me that the day will come when I will get the opportunity to make more use of my gifts. That may be true, or it may not. There is no guarantee that I will live to see that day. Even if I do, there may very well be other people who will need my time and attention – sick parents or caring for grandchildren, for example. The future is a great unknown. All I have is today and the circumstances I find myself in. The unfulfilled desires are frustrating. I sometimes wonder why God made me, what my purpose is in the big scheme of things. I have to trust that he knows better than I do my reason for being here. All I can do is keep going, praying and trying to do the best I can with the time I have. Another wise woman at Bible Study (I told you I was lucky to be among these women!) reminded us all of the importance of acceptance. I need to work on that. I need to be happy where I am and let God take care of the restlessness in my heart.

by Patrice Fagnant-MacArthur
http://spiritualwomanthoughts.blogspot.com

Letting Go And Letting God ~ By Dionna Sanchez

 

Mothers pour everything they are into their family and their children’s lives. There comes a point in time though, when the children grow up.  They leave home for college or they get married and have a family of their own. Whether or not your children live near you, it can be hard to let go. It can be hard to not continue to want to have a “say” in their lives.

In the Bible God says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” Genesis 2:24

When our children leave home to start families of their own, they are no longer under our charge. (As hard as it is to acknowledge!) Our role changes. Of course we will always be mothers, but we need to tell ourselves that we need to step back more than we step in at this point. You see, there will be an empty spot in our lives. We no longer need to make sure our child is going to the doctor annually, or that they are paying their bills. We no longer should keep track of what they do with their time everyday or how often they call us. Our whole lives have been focused on preparing them to be an adult. So when the time comes – we need to truly let them be one!

It can be hard to not try to pull closer to your child when they love learning how to pull away. It doesn’t mean they don’t love you or value you. It simply means you have done your job well and it is their chance to be an independent individual – one that they have every right to be!  So what do you do? You continue to love, advise (when asked), and be there for your children – but on a respectful-of-their-territory-and lives stance. You let them be all that they want to be.  Once your children are grown and you have left them a legacy, it is your chance to turn to something new. You see, once they are grown into wise, healthy, God-fearing adults, it is time for you to let them live that out. You can now pour who you are into someone else who needs you. Again – not withdrawing who you are from your children’s lives, but just giving of who you are a little bit more to someone else who may need you.

I see so many parents who do not know how to take a step back once their children are grown, and simply let them live their lives out. They continue to try to “mother” their adult children. All this does is suffocate and restrain, instead of liberating and freeing the children. If you don’t trust what’s in your child’s heart and their feelings for you as an adult, you have some issues that you need to deal with the Lord on. If you do, you need to learn that your place in their life (although valued and treasured) has changed. You become more of a mentor and a confidante, instead of an everyday needed “mommy.” Does that make sense?  Don’t whittle your relationship away to obligatory gestures on your child’s part because they are afraid to step on your toes or hurt your feelings. Go out and live your life! Find someone new to “mother!” There are so many people out there who have no one. People who need to feel love and have someone pour everything they are into their lives. God did not leave us here to try and nurture those who are already healthy and nurtured. He left us here to reach out to the lonely, the sick, and the hurting. What are we doing for them? Our children would be the first ones to share in our joy of taking the new phase of our life to pour out to others and help them. Whether it’s by volunteering at a local school or hospital, teaching Sunday School, mentoring other young moms who are struggling, etc – find something to help you fill the void that might be left in your home and heart instead of trying to continue to fill it in your adult children who are seeking to find some space to do the same in their own lives and to their own children.

You can do it. You can see that instead of holding on to the role you’ve always known, that your new and changing role as a mother – the role that is a little less needed and a little less sought out – is still one that is fulfilling because you did your job well, and now God has made room in your life to do a new work through you.  Won’t you let Him?

 

~ Dionna Sanchez is navigating her new role as a step mom – as her stepson has left home, gotten married, and gone away to college. She hopes to continue to be a valued mom in her new changed role. You can always read more of her heart and words at http://www.emphasisonmoms.blogspot.com

“Faith Like Potatoes”

“Where there’s love, there’s hope.”

We saw this remarkable new movie the other day.  Starts slowly, but once it gathers steam, it goes for broke.  This is a terrific, faith-building movie on the order of Facing the Giants or Chariots of Fire.  Faith Like Potatoes is available for rental at Blockbuster.  Based on a true story.  Five stars!

Shared by: Kristine

The Hair is Always Prettier on the Other Head

I have never liked my hair. Not even when I was four-years-old and my golden locks rivaled those of Rupunzel. Oh, I liked the length, and when it was properly curled and styled I pretended to be a princess…but I did not like the tangles…and even less did I enjoy the pain and aggravation caused by the untangling process.

My mom, being the one who had to listen to my whining protests, decided that my long hair had to go. This decision was made when I was in the fourth-grade, and it was one with which I agreed.

Oh, but there was a downside…when I was in grade four, the year on our annual Mid-Penn Bank calendar read 1984. Why is that date significant? Well…for starters it was the year of the mullet. Sigh. I do wish I had a picture to share.

Not only is the mullet an eye sore, it is a lot of work. My hair still easily knotted in the back and a brush was no longer the sole implement required to style my baby fine tresses. Each morning my mom had to stand over me with a hot curling iron to make the top portion of my head look more feminine…indeed, I do wish I had a picture of the finished look.

Fast-forward 25 years and you will still find me complaining about my hair. In fact, if you are my Facebook friend, you have witnessed my recent turmoil involving a box of home color and my daughter delightfully exclaiming that the results looked beautiful…just like a lollipop. Now of that, I have a picture.

Last night as I sat in the home of my new stylist eagerly waiting for her to transform me into a super model with just a few clips from her scissors, (I tend to have high expectations) she said the most peculiar thing to me.

“You are so lucky to have straight, fine hair.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me…I wouldn’t wish this hair on anyone, plus what is with my crazy hair line in the back that grows upward…and that hideous cowlick?”

“It’s much better than having hair like mine…it’s so thick and coarse.”

I looked at her long, thick, perfectly coiffed blond hair and giggled.

“This is too funny,” I said. “You have my dream hair!”

“Well, I guess we all want what we don’t have,” she replied.

How true that is. For sheep, the grass is always greener on the other side…for women, the hair is always prettier on the other head!

Moreover, it does not stop with hairstyles. Why is it so much easier for me to want something I cannot have than to thank Jesus for the many gifts I possess? I take so much for granted.

Instead of griping about the hair I have, I should be thanking the Lord that I can brush my hair every morning without clumps of it falling to the floor, which is what many women suffering with cancer face daily.

Instead of feeling annoyed by my old raggedy comforter each time I make my bed in the morning, I should pour out my heart in thanksgiving that I have a warm bed and blankets. They may be outdated, but they are clean and functional…much better than newspapers that cover the homeless.

Instead of being annoyed that our budget is too tight to buy Christmas presents for friends this year, I should get on my knees and thank my Savior for the many friends He has given me, and ask Him to show me how to creatively gift them with service, love, time, and kindness.

So while the grass may appear greener, hair prettier, furniture grander, homes bigger, and figures thinner…I’m going to try really hard to not be so interested in the proverbial other side. I am going to focus on how to make my inside look more like Jesus and foster a spirit of thankfulness for all He has given me.

“For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.” Philippians 2:13-15 (New International Version)

Never Means Never

A fender bender between a white Ford Explorer and a tan Honda Accord turned a three minute drive to my daughter’s preschool into a 20 minute anxiety laden excursion. I was going to be very late picking up my little girl, and I worried that she was feeling sad and scared as she waited for me. With hurried strides I entered the classroom to find my five-year-old sitting alone at her table. She was wearing her pink coat with a matching hat; her princess themed back pack was resting over her slumped shoulders. When I called out her name, her little head popped up and reminded me of a gopher emerging from its tunnel.

“Mommy,” she exclaimed!

Reaching out for my embrace, she turned her head slightly toward her teacher and confidently said, “I just knowed my mommy would never leave me.”

Do you hold such confidence in your heavenly Father? Do you know that He’ll never leave you? I ask because deep down in my soul, I didn’t always believe this truth….parts of it, yes, but the whole truth…no.

I believed that God, the creator of the universe, was always present in His creation. And, I believed that if I were oppressed, victimized, or sick, He would be with me in those dark hours.

What I had trouble believing is that God would stay by my side during the times I failed. When circumstances were tough, promises broken, and insults hurled, I found my strength in knowing that I was a child of God and that He would not forsake me. Yet, when I was the promise-breaker, insulter, liar, and the selfish hoarder, I felt not only shame and sorrow for my actions, I felt alone. And that perceived desolation, which was stationed on a lie and wrapped with guilt, often kept me from crying out to my Savior.

The portion of truth that seeped into my heart after years of resting on the surface is that with God, never means never. Scripture does not read, He will never leave you or forsake you unless you take the Lord’s name in vain, or unless you covet your neighbor’s house.

Yes, my actions have consequences. No, just as He was not always pleased with the decisions made by King David, He’s not always pleased with my choices. He knows I’ve made some bad ones. But still, He never leaves me alone…He never longs for me to self destruct. Instead, He hears my cry and rushes by my side …arms wide open.

“The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
Deuteronomy 31:6 (New International Version)

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”
1 John 1:9 (New International Version)

Ten I’s of Prayer #10

Intimacy

Well, we come to the end of our I’s, and I saved the best one for last, at least, I think it’s the best one. Intimacy.

What is intimacy? We think we know. Let’s check and see.

The main definitions of ‘intimacy’ mean a close, familiar, and usually affectionate or loving personal relationship with another person or group, an act or expression serving as a token of familiarity, affection, or the like, the quality of being comfortable, warm, or familiar, and privacy especially as suitable to the telling of a secret.

Ooo…don’t you love that?

According to all our words on prayer…

*intercede
*invade
*inspire
*influence
*instruction
*invest
*increase
*impact
*imbue

…none of them will be effective if we do not have an intimate relationship with the Lord.

Though we have virtually perfected our horizontal conversations, we have seriously failed in our Vertical one. Prayer is the development of our personal relationship with the Lord, as our intimate friend.

This spirit-converse can be found only when one retreats to that quiet place, to listen for the intimate whisperings of our precious Lord.

The intimacy of prayer is like a child or grandchild crawling up in your lap just to snuggle with you because he or she loves you. Do you ever crawl up in the Father’s lap just to love on Him? He delights in that, just as you do.

Do you make time to experience this cherished alone-time with the Lord? Or do you merely rush in, lay out your plans and wishes, and rush out again?

No great soul ever grew in intimacy with the Lord on the streets of a busy life, only in the solitude of prayer. When busyness keeps us from hearing the whispers of our Beloved and keeps us too distracted to feel the comfort of His arms and the peace of His words, we will never discover what Mary did as she sat as His feet.

We need to be alone with God, where no outcries of earth intrude, where no ghosts of years past interrupt, where no outside opinions interfere, where no urgency of decisions impede.

Is intimacy with the Lord missing in your life? If you want to know the Lord and grow the fruit of spiritual graces, spend time in His presence, for only then will deep affection blossom, resulting in a richer relationship with Him.

Speaking of prayer, Martin Luther said “to be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”

If I could inject anything into your heart about prayer, it would be this: be still in His presence and listen, guard your heart against intruders, have the right attitude by not being in fear or doubt, or being timid, whiney, or hypocritical, do not take it for granted or leave it out of your daily schedule, claim your inherited rights and privileges in Christ and the promises of the Word, pray for all men, pray for Israel, rely on the Holy Spirit, fast when necessary, pray according to God’s Word and His will, pray in faith, trust, confidence, patience, boldness, and expectation, all in the Name of Jesus, and until you have peace, praising and giving thanks to God at all times.

~~Blessings of intimacy, Lynn~~

Ten I’s of Prayer #9

Imbue

Since I’ve started these prayer posts with a definition, this one is no different. In part, the word ‘imbue’ means to fill with moisture, permeate or saturate, to fill the mind (etc.), to impregnate or inspire with feelings, opinions (etc.), to influence thoroughly, pervade, to cause to become impressed or penetrated, to cause to absorb, and so on.

How do these definitions fit in with prayer? We’ll find out in a second.

First, in our prayer times, don’t we usually run to the Lord to pray…

…when a child is in a car wreck,
…when peace disintegrates into chaos,
…when a best friend stabs us in the back,
…when the repo man stands knocking at the door,
…when the cupboard holds little more than the cup,
…when pain strikes the chest and there is no insurance,
…when a husband loses his job and finances are cut off,
…when buying Christmas presents is a vague recollection,
…when the roof overhead is in jeopardy of being taken away?

When these things occur, do we then allow raging emotions to fill us? In our immaturity, do we stomp our feet and whine at life’s circumstances, “Why me?”

And with what do we usually try to satiate our emptiness and pain? Do our circumstances call us to raid the refrigerator, drive us to the local bar, lure us to try drugs, tempt our eyes and lusts with porn or an affair?

Or do we seek the Lord, allowing Him to fill us with all that we need? According to our word’s definitions, the Lord will…

…imbue us with His power, His plan, His holiness, and His will,
…saturate our negative minds with the positive mind of Christ,
…inspire our misplaced feelings and opinions to be transformed,
…fill us with His Spirit and quench our thirst in those dry, wilderness days,
…pervade and influence our new-creation lives by impressing us with the image of His Son.

The lyrics of Fill Me Up, Lord by Richard Blanchard seem appropriate:

Like the woman at the well I was seeking
For things that could not satisfy;
And then I heard my Savior speaking:
“Draw from My well that never shall run dry.”

Fill my cup, Lord, I lift it up, Lord!
Come and quench this thirsting of my soul;
Bread of heaven, Feed me till I want no more–
Fill my cup, fill it up and make me whole!

Which do we seek from the Lord to fill us up and make us whole: His hand to give us something or His face and His presence? When we seek Him, do we praise Him? Scripture says, “They who seek the LORD will praise him.” (Ps. 22:26 NIV)

When you lift your hands to the Father, with what are they filled? God says as He did to Moses, “What is that in your hand?” (Ex. 4:2 NKJV) What does He see? Does He see fingers tightly clutching anger? A palm filled with the works of self-righteousness? A glove stuffed with hidden schemes?

If you are filled with hatred, unforgiveness, bitterness, or anything else from your trials and heartaches, how can you have room to be filled with the Lord and His praise?

Paul instructs us, “Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thess. 5:18 Amp) Are you obeying God’s will to praise and thank Him?

One definition I left for the end. Absorb. The Lord has been so gracious and loving to me that, when I sit adoringly at His feet, I do not ever want to miss out on being filled with His presence and absorbing all He has for me.

Are you imbued with all of the Lord?

~~May you be filled to overflowing, Lynn~~

Ten I’s of Prayer #8

Impact

According to the English dictionaries, some of the meanings of the word ‘impact’ say the effect of one thing on another, the power of making a strong, immediate impression, bear on, touch on, influence, effect, the force exerted by a new idea, concept, technology, or ideology, to fill up, or alter.

Can all this be applied to our prayer times? Do our prayers have…

1) an impact on us?
2) an impact on our family, others, or the world?

1) …on us? If our intimate conversations with the Lord do not impact us in some way…touching, influencing, effecting us…are we making the most of our prayer times?

* Do we allow God’s Word to alter us?
* Do we allow the Lord to fill us with His purpose, His vision, His heart?
* Do we sit still long enough to allow His presence to make an impression on us, influencing the way we think and ultimately changing the way we speak and act?

The Bible tells us to “be transformed (changed) by the [entire] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], so that you may prove [for yourselves] what is the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom. 12:2 Amp)

‘Renew’ defined, by Vine’s Expository Dictionary, says it is “the adjustment of the moral and spiritual vision and thinking to the mind of God, which is designed to have a transforming effect upon the life.” There’s that impact.

Are our morals and spiritual thinking impacted and renewed as we sit at the foot of the throne?

As new creations, “what counts is whether we really have been changed into new and different people.” (Gal. 6:15 TLB)

2) …on our family, others, or the world? If our intimate conversations with the Lord do not impact us, how then do we think outside of ourselves and plea for others, thus impacting their lives?

Sometimes God calls on us to pray for a certain person or situation even when we have no knowledge of the whys or what-fors. It may be to save someone from a disastrous circumstance, to give them needed comfort, or to right some wrong. The Spirit leads us in those times to be an intercessor.

Do we obey the Spirit’s call? Do we also make it a regular habit to pray for those other than our family members? Do we have a worldview, praying around the world to save the oppressed, the hungry, the poor, the naked, the hurting, the lost?

Jesus said, “Look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35b NIV) Therefore, we pray that the Lord will send someone to cross the path of the lost, for scripture says we are to “pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” (Matt. 9:38 NKJV)

God “doesn’t want anyone lost.” (2 Peter 3:9b Msg) He desires all mankind to recognize Him as the Good Shepherd of the sheep. Of those who do not yet acknowledge Him as the Shepherd, He agonizes that they are lost without Him. His family flock is incomplete without them.

Just while you are reading this, hoards of lost sheep have wandered off the path and have fallen off the precipice of life. Is there a lost sheep you can rescue from falling into the great abyss of eternal death?

Is your life impacted by those intimate words shared with the Lord in your prayer times? Are you influenced, transformed, and renewed enough to impact the lives of others with your prayers?

May your prayer times transform you and, in turn, impact the lives of others for the Kingdom of God!

~~Blessings, Lynn~~