Another Milestone

A co-worker passed along to me yesterday the fact that we went over the International Date Line while flying from San Francisco to Hong Kong. These little milestones may be insignificant, but they're kinda fun to look at; reminding ourselves that the world is much bigger than our everyday environment.

For it was July 2003 when I was in Greenwich, England (zero degrees longitude) and it was July 2004 when I straddled the equator in Quito, Ecaudor (zero degrees latitude). Now in September 2006 I crossed the International Date Line.

What's Next?

• The North Pole
• The South Pole
• Stepping foot on all 7 continents (I have 2 to go!)
• ??
  

I'm open to suggestions!

All for now,
Lisa

Soon, There Will Be Three More to Add!

I did not know this at the time of my previous post, but I will be traveling to more countries soon -- and three of them I have yet to travel to AND they're on my list of favorites! I am smiling and thanking God:

• Singapore
• Hong Kong
• Spain (Barcelona)

Can't get much better than that! I will give a synposis of my trips upon my return. I'm so looking forward to Asia as I've yet to travel there at all. How exciting to literally see the other side of the world! We have a big big world... and we have a bigger God!

All for now,
Lisa

Surrender vs. Resignation

I've been pondering these two words from the standpoint of a child of God. Here's what the dictionary says:

surrender: To relinquish possession or control of to another because of demand or compulsion.
resignation: A giving up of a possession, claim, or right

They look pretty close, but I dare say they are completely different. And I would say the difference is hope.

Resignation is void of hope. Surrender isn't. Both of them require your hands to be off, the white flag to be lifted. But resignation offers no hope for change. Surrender doesn't. Surrender means you're offering up control to another... and my hope is in God. And He always controls it perfectly.. if I let him.

Here's to hands off!

All for now,
Lisa

Today Marks One Year

One year of blogging. Not much else to say.

All for now,
Lisa

Random Little Things

I just read Laurie's blog and was completely inspired! Here's a random list of things about me:

• I wake up most days without using an alarm
• The first book I remember reading is "Fun with Dick and Jane"
• I can curl my tongue but I can't flare my nostrils
• I love the smell of freshly mown grass
• I played the trumpet in High School
• My sophomore year, I marched in the Rose Bowl parade
• I failed my driver's test the first time
• I have been para-sailing
• I hate mopping the floors
• I used to hate being late, but now I don't mind so much (but not too late)
• My favorite number is eleven
• Like in the Wizard of Oz, if I had to choose, I would take a heart over courage or a brain
• If I could choose my own name, I think it would be Lisa
• I am more of a risk-taker now than when I was younger
• My favorite movies are "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and "To Kill a Mockingbird"
• I love the color green
• The person I admire most in the world is (was) Rich Mullins
• There are few things better in this world than a good Sunday afternoon nap
• I don't and won't have any tatoo's
• I went downhill snowskiing this year, for the first time in 25 years

All for now,
Lisa

Have Passport, Will Travel!

I recently counted the number of countries I have visited. I believe it's 22. Don't take this as bragging, but I was surprised it wasn't more. I guess I thought I'd visited more places than I really have.

So far, I've visited (in no particular order):

• Mexico
• Ecuador
• Cuba
• Guatemala
• El Salvador
• Puerto Rico *
• Canada
• USA
• UK (Scotland, Great Britain)
• Ireland
• France
• Netherlands
• Germany
• Luxembourg
• Lichenstein
• Austria
• Switzerland
• Monaco
• Italy
• Greece
• Turkey
• Israel

Those places or trips on my list:

• Spain, Morocco, Tunisia (for the mosaics)
• Brazil, Argentina
• Peru (Machu Picchu)
• Bangkok, Hong Kong, Shanghai
• Japan (Tokyo)
• Malaysia (Singapore)

All for now,
Lisa

Cuba 2006

Most of you know that I recently traveled to Cuba for a mission trip with my church. At left is a link to a chronological photo journey (my thanks to the many others who also took photos - I've added some of them in here to fill in gaps where I didn't take photos).

Basically for me, each day started off with power-walking with my friend Jody, then leading praise and worship for our group devotional. After which, we'd be off to the college campuses for the afternoon (where I'd play guitar). Then we'd come back to the hotel, clean up, and then head back out for an evening worship (where I'd also play guitar)... sometimes in the strangest of places (like a traffic circle!).

The last day was spent at a wonderful beach!!!

Hope you enjoy the photo journey.

All for now,
Lisa

Encouragement to surrender... ouch!

I encourage you to let the holy Spirit search your heart for what God could have
set in your heart and you haven't surrendered to it.

I read the above as the last note on a friend's blog. It hit me like a ton of bricks. As I know there is a stirring in me and has been for a while... like I'm on a cusp of a calling. But I don't really know what it is... mainly because I haven't taken the time, opportunity, or openness to let it develop.

ouch.

It hurts more because I've done such an excellent job of ignoring it... putting it on the "big ig" as a friend of mine often says.

Well, the big ig only serves to let confusion fester. And I'm afraid I've layered busyness, head knowledge, and other shiny objects that I've let distract me on top of denial and what I've got is a heap-a-mess.

Know the feeling? I'm sure you do. So, what to do?

I'm blogging this as somewhat of a confession. The word I think I've gotten lately is "service". And I'm serving in my Sunday School class right now, but I think it has more to do with service to the church in general... not sure what.

So, I ask the Holy Spirit to come right now and search my heart and intercede for me with groanings too deep for words (Romans 8:26); to show me what God has set in my heart, to give me the power to surrender, and to surrender to it.

All for now,
Lisa

Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?

"Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?" is a popular song, written by Scott Wiseman. Although most of us know it sung by the raspy-voiced singer, Rod Stewart, the song was actually published in 1945. But the thought is timeless.

Most of you who know me, know that I'm a fairly verbal and fairly affectionate person. But few of you may really know why. And I have no idea why I'm bringing it up now save that it's been on my mind lately.

You see, I had a wonderful older sister. A beautiful woman whom I adored. But she was taken from me over 12 years ago. Very suddenly. And since then I often wonder (sometimes daily) if I told her enough that I loved her. I think I did, but the thought lingers.

Have you told the people you love that you love them? Even if you have, they would probably appreciate hearing it again. You may not have as much time as you think.

I should tell those I love I love them before time splits us asunder, leaving
someone else to wonder where we are and how it goes. ~ Jim Mugford

All for now,
Lisa

My First Retail Opportunity!

As some of you know, I have had a jewelry company for about 5 years. I mostly make necklaces, earrings, and bracelets out of precious and semi-precious stones on gold/silver, and dabble a little into silversmithing.

It's a great outlet for creativity. However, I also have a full-time job, so my modus operandi has been to make jewelry as I can, and when I have a good inventory I'd have a trunk show. However, lately I have not been able to have a trunk show. And a couple of weeks ago, I really questioned whether or not I should keep the company going.

I asked the Lord for guidance: whether or not I should close the company down, and/or how I could continue selling the merchandise.

It wasn't a week later that I was having a casual conversation with a friend of mine, who owns a retail shop. She mentioned that she was thinking of having a line of jewelry in her store and what would I think about showing Liesel merchandise there. I had never even thought about that idea. Brilliant! And a direct answer to prayer.

Thank you, Lord, for giving me the questions... and the answers. You are seldom early, but You are never late!

All for now,
Lisa

Luuuuuuuuuuucccyyyyyy, you got some 'splaining to do!

Ha! One of my favorite TV shows growing up was "I Love Lucy". I used to watch it in the afternoons, laying on my parent's bed (it was a treat to watch it on the TV in their room). For a while, my mom used to come back and check on me because she thought my incessant laughter was actually me crying! Well, I was practically crying from laughter.

So, that being said... I hope you can understand my excitement about my impending trip to Cuba. All those years of watching Ricky talk about his homeland gave me insight into the country and a curiousity about what it was like.

More recently, Cuba has been on my heart for at least six years! Not sure why. Just has. So, when this trip came up I knew my answer would be "YES"!

Our visas are ready, but my bags aren't quite packed. I'm excited that I'll be taking my guitar down there. Perhaps I'll run into a Cuban musician and jam a little. Wouldn't that be so cool???

If you are so inclined, I would welcome your prayers.

All for now,
Lisa

Is that You, Lord?

A friend just emailed me to respond to one of my recent blog entries. She said something that I really liked... "Every time I ask, 'Lord is that You?' about gets confirmed and reconfirmed in random ways. All I can say is it's just so nice to hear from Him.

WOW!! How cool. She also said she settled on Psalm 25 to read about Truth. I looked it up, and wow... confirmation and reconfirmation about full trust, confidence, and reliance.

Here is the Amplified Version of Psalm 25

UNTO YOU, O Lord, do I bring my life. O my God, I trust, lean on, rely
on, and am confident in You. Let me not be put to shame or [my hope in You] be
disappointed; let not my enemies triumph over me. Yes, let none who trust
and wait hopefully and look for You be put to shame or be disappointed; let them
be ashamed who forsake the right or deal treacherously without
cause.

Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your
truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for
You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day
long. Remember, O Lord, Your tender mercy and loving-kindness; for they
have been ever from of old. Remember not the sins (the lapses and
frailties) of my youth or my transgressions; according to Your mercy and
steadfast love remember me, for Your goodness' sake, O Lord. Good and
upright is the Lord; therefore will He instruct sinners in [His] way.

He leads the humble in what is right, and the humble He teaches His
way. All the paths of the Lord are mercy and steadfast love, even truth
and faithfulness are they for those who keep His covenant and His
testimonies. For Your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity and my
guilt, for [they are] great. Who is the man who reverently fears and
worships the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way that he should choose. He
himself shall dwell at ease, and his offspring shall inherit the
land.

The secret [of the sweet, satisfying companionship] of the Lord have they
who fear (revere and worship) Him, and He will show them His covenant and reveal
to them its [deep, inner] meaning. My eyes are ever toward the Lord, for
He will pluck my feet out of the net. [Lord] turn to me and be gracious to
me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart are multiplied;
bring me out of my distresses. Behold my affliction and my pain and forgive
all my sins [of thinking and doing].

Consider my enemies, for they abound; they hate me with cruel
hatred. O keep me, Lord, and deliver me; let me not be ashamed or
disappointed, for my trust and my refuge are in You. Let integrity and
uprightness preserve me, for I wait for and expect You. Redeem Israel, O
God, out of all their troubles.

It's always so nice to hear from Him. And speaking from experience, most often, all we have to do is get quiet enough to listen.

All for now,
Lisa

Sticking to the KISS principle

Over the weekend, I found the following "Who I Am In Christ" handout in my papers. I had received it from some Bible study along the way and kept it. I'm glad I did. It's a nice, simple reminder of who we are.

Do you believe it? All of it? All of the time? I would love to say yes, but I can't. Too often, emotions or evidence points to the contrary. However, when that happens, I simply have to acknowledge that those things are fleeting and the below is constant. And I have to testify, every time the constant has won out over the fleeting. Praise Him!


I am accepted...
John 1:12 I am God's child.
John 15:15 As a disciple, I am a friend of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:1 I have been justified.
1 Corinthians 6:17 I am united with the Lord, and I am one with Him in spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 I have been bought with a price and I belong to God.
1 Corinthians 12:27 I am a member of Christ's body.
Ephesians 1:3-8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
Colossians 1:13-14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10 I am complete in Christ.
Hebrews 4:14-16 I have direct access to the throne of grace through Jesus Christ.

I am secure...
Romans 8:1-2 I am free from condemnation.
Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39 I am free from any condemnation brought against me and I cannot be separated from the love of God.
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 I have been established, anointed and sealed by God.
Colossians 3:1-4 I am hidden with Christ in God.
Philippians 1:6 I am confident that God will complete the good work He started in me.
Philippians 3:20 I am a citizen of heaven.
2 Timothy 1:7 I have not been given a spirit of fear but of power, love and a sound mind.
1 John 5:18 I am born of God and the evil one cannot touch me.

I am significant...
John 15:5 I am a branch of Jesus Christ, the true vine, and a channel of His life.
John 15:16 I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit.
1 Corinthians 3:16 I am God's temple.
2 Corinthians 5:17-21 I am a minister of reconciliation for God.
Ephesians 2:6 I am seated with Jesus Christ in the heavenly realm.
Ephesians 2:10 I am God's workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12 I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.

All for now,
Lisa

The Real Me

I've heard this song a few times today on KSBJ and reading the lyrics made me want to share it with you. It's by Natalie Grant.


Foolish heart looks like we're here again
Same old game of plastic smile
Don't let anybody in
Hiding my heartache, will this glass house break
How much will they take before I'm empty
Do I let it show, does anybody know?

But you see the real me
Hiding in my skin, broken from within
Unveil me completely I'm loosening my grasp
There's no need to mask my frailty
Cause you see the real me

Painted on, life is behind a mask
Self-inflicted circus clown
I'm tired of the song and dance
Living a Charade, always on parade
What a mess I've made of my existence
But you love me even now
And still I see somehow

But you see the real me
Hiding in my skin, broken from within
Unveil me completely I'm loosening my grasp
There's no need to mask my frailty
Cause you see the real me

Wonderful, beautiful is what you see
When you look at me
You're turning the tattered fabric of my life into
A perfect tapestry I just wanna be me

But you see the real me
Hiding in my skin, broken from within
Unveil me completely I'm loosening my grasp
There's no need to mask my frailty
Cause you see the real me
And you love me just as I am

Wonderful, Beautiful is what you see
When you look at me

All for now,
Lisa

A Season to Simply Trust

It's been a while since I've last blogged. And that's not to say that not much has been happening. To the contrary, God has been working (as He always is) in me, but just like a cake in the oven, sometimes, once it goes in, it takes a little time to see the results. I think the timer has chimed and my thoughts have firmed up a little. So here goes... I may ramble a little, but humor me.

Actually, I think God started "baking" this topic as early as January. The thought first came across to me as simply following prophecy. And my desire for God to simply give me a sign, especially when the road seems a bit unclear. It was then that I realized that even if God gave me a sign, I may not follow it.

(http://lieseldiesel.blogspot.com/2006_01_01_lieseldiesel_archive.html)

Now, what I'm realizing is in times of doubt or confusion, I should simply trust. So, what is exactly trust? I found the following on answers.com when typing in the word "trust"

Trust, faith, confidence, reliance, dependence. These nouns denote a feeling of
certainty that a person or thing will not fail. Trust implies depth and
assurance of feeling that is often based on inconclusive evidence.

Inconclusive evidence? Don't we live in a constant state of inconclusive evidence? That's why I wanted a sign! And I trusted God to show me it. But instead of showing me a sign, God has been showing me that my desire for a sign was evidence that I really wasn't fully trusting Him. Aha! So, maybe it's not about trust, but about control?

I often remember a magazine cutout a friend had on her refrigerator:

Faith isn't faith until it's all you're holding onto

I think the above photo demonstrates holding on. The strength isn't in the little hand, it's in the big hand. All the little hand has to do is to hold on.

Perhaps it's no coincidence that I'm currently reading Ruthless Trust. In it, Brennan Manning talks about an interaction between John Kavanaugh and Mother Teresa. She asked how she could pray for him. When he replied, "clarity", she responded with a firm, "No!". "Clarity is the last thing you are clinging to and must let go of".

Furthermore, Ken Brumley, at the Reload Retreat, talked about clarity. He said something like "pray for purity, not clarity. With purity, the clarity will come."

One of my dearest friends is Tracey, whom I can always count on for her insight, honesty, and eloquence. She once told me that during a dark time, she really was down to simply remembering three things: "God is soverign, He is good, and He loves me". I have often hung on to those three things, but I think the missing link was that I was still looking for His hand, His plan, and now I'm just going to stick with keeping with the purity of who I am (a child of the King) and fully trusting that what He has in store, although unbeknownst to me, will be better than I could ever have imagined!

1 Corinthians 2:9
However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him' [Isaiah 64:4]

Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Ephesians 3:20-21
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Philippians 1:6
being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Philippians 4:8-9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

I'm not saying that asking Him to show you His will shows lack of confidence in Him or a lack of trust. I just know right now He has me in a season of simplying trusting Him and not asking any more questions.

Well, would you believe that a friend just emailed me with this as her ending note, "You can pray for my faith to be strong as I learn to put all my eggs in His basket!"

Putting ALL my eggs into His basket. Well, that pretty well sums up this whole blog entry. Thanks Sarah!

All for now,
Lisa

ITunes Issue

I know many of you have an ipod. Some are you are also quite ipod saavy. This is a question for you.

I have an ipod. I have itunes on a PC of which I have ripped many CD's. I now have a laptop which which I wish to replace my aging PC.

So, I first tried to take my ipod and connect it to my new laptop -- which I thought would download the songs off my ipod and put them on itunes. NO! I was wrong. It basically deleted the songs off my ipod (I think it thought I wished it to take the songs off the yet unused itunes (which was blank... and blanking the songs off my itunes)).

So, the question is: how do I take the songs off itunes on my PC and put them on my laptop and "register" my laptop as the connector to my ipod?

Whew?!?!

All for now,
Lisa

This Wednesday

On Wednesday, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be

01:02:03 04/05/06

That won't ever happen again in your lifetime.

All for now,
Lisa

A Lesson in Tuning In

I had reason to fly to California this past week. I flew into Oakland airport one evening, From Oakland, I drove to my company's headquarters in San Ramon. As I drove out of the rental car company driveway, I turned on the radio in the rental car then did my usual "seek, seek, seek" until I could find an amenable radio station. Let me tell you, Northern CA is stuck in the 80's and 90's! I really couldn't find anything pleasing. I think I circled the FM dial two or three times. By this time, I'd made my way to the mountains. This is where I had an interesting experience.

I finally found a radio station, though not coming in strongly, and settled in for the rest of the drive (about 30 min) -- listening to Contemporary Christian Music (Strong Tower by Kutless). Well, in just a few minutes, I was losing that radio station and another radio station was tuning in. It was also a Christian radio station, but a much more traditional one. On air was a brilliant tenor singing "How Great Thou Art" with great passion. I was amazed that two radio stations (probably separated by the mountains) were transmitting on similar frequencies.

I loved it! Because they were both singing about the same thing... just in VERY different styles. As I drove up and down the mountains each radio station would take turns coming in stronger.

It made me think. It made me think about a couple of things:

- How each of us is transmitting our own praise and worship at the same time. And how God can pick up our frequencies, each and every one of ours, and listening intently and intimately and not missing a beat. How big is He that he can multitask to each of His children with the greatest of intimacy without even working at it???

- How each of us has our own, unique style and yet it is brilliant in its own regard. Because it's not about the style, it's about the content... who God is.

All for now,
Lisa

P.S. he he ... isn't it interesting that He took me to San Francisco to get a lesson in "tuning in" (i.e. it was the hippie Berkley professor Timothy Leary who coined the term "Turn on, tune in, drop out" in the 1960's)

Erin Go Bragh!

translated means "Ireland Forever"


The most beautiful music of all is the music of what happens. - Irish proverb

Happy Texas Independence Day!

On this day in 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico and actually became a nation unto itself (prior to agreeing to be part of the United States). I believe Texas is the only state among 50 that has this distinction. Can you tell I'm a proud Texan?!

All for now,
Lisa