March 2009 - Susan Panzica

Wisdom From Lauren, the Textmaster !

Posted on March 30, 2009 by Susan Panzica

My daughter’s response to my post about texting is worth a post of her own.

How thankful am I to have a daughter with such great wisdom and insight! I could joke about how the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree or how I did such a great job imparting my wisdom, but the truth is I have made my fair share of mistakes along the way, and I know many moms who have excelled at parenting only to see their child make poor choices or face many trials along the way. So I know that it is by the grace of God alone that I can be proud of my daughter’s wisdom and accomplishments.

Here’s her comment to yesterday’s post:

When you text someone, its easy to read their text with expressions because you know exactly how they meant it. When people don’t text as much, I feel like the texts are more on a factual basis. The same thing can be related to God. The more we text, or read the Bible, the easier it is to see the expression, and know what His will is. If we don’t read as much, we can still say we are Christians, but its more of a factual basis instead of a relationship in which we delve into expressing ourselves with the love we have for our Lord and Savior.

In today’s fast-paced society, we often hear that spending “quality time” with our kids is more important than “quantity time.” But the truth is that there is no adequate substitute for spending ample amounts of time together when it comes to developing real relationships. Having 2 aunts that I equally adore, one here in NJ, the other in Arizona, taught me that it is easier to recognize the voice on the phone when speaking with my local aunt who I spent more time with. The more time we spend in communication the easier it is to recognize the unseen voice. The same with God. The more time spent in prayer and Bible reading, the easier it is to recognize His voice.

Let’s all commit to spending both “quality time” and “quantity time” with the Lord and with our loved ones!! Thanks, Lauren, for the insight!!
Susan

The Trouble with Texting

Posted on March 29, 2009 by Susan Panzica

Last night, my husband sent a text message to my daughter, “What movie are you going to see?” She sent a reply, but my husband wasn’t quite sure of her response, so a little while later, he asked me to text her and ask her what movie she was seeing. When I sent her the same question, she replied i love u man. So I told him, “I Love You Man.” He looked at me quizzically and said “Huh? She said the same thing to me.” When I informed him that that was the name of the movie, we burst out laughing. He thought that instead of providing the name of the movie, she just told him she loved him, and he couldn’t understand why she had called him “man.”

And that’s the trouble with texting. And not just texting, but with all written forms of communication. One person expresses something in writing, and the reader can “hear” something entirely different. Once Stephanie from my office sent me a text asking if I needed her to come in for morning hours, I responded it’s okay. I was surprised when she didn’t show up. I meant “It’s okay, come in.” She thought I meant, “It’s okay. I can handle it alone.”

I’m always amazed when my daughter will read me some of the text message conversations she’s had. She’ll read them aloud with such expression, as if the person had actually spoken the words to her, and I’ll wonder how she knows what inflections the writer intended. The very same words can even mean different things depending upon how they are spoken.

I apply this same principle when I read the Bible. Sometimes it’s easy for our eyes to gloss over the words on the page, especially if they are familiar to us. So I will take a passage and read it aloud putting emphasis on each different word. It’s amazing how different the message can be with each new reading. Try it:

For GOD so loved the world, that He gave His only Son…

For God SO loved the world, that He gave His only Son…

For God so LOVED the world, that He gave His only Son…

For God so loved the WORLD, that He gave His only Son…

For God so loved the world, that HE gave His only Son…

For God so loved the world, that He GAVE His only Son…

For God so loved the world, that He gave His ONLY Son…

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only SON…

I left out the For, that and His, but you get the idea. You can see how the different emphasis conveys different shades of meaning. It’s a great way to liven up your Bible reading.

Here’s a few other verses to try.

“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.” Jer. 29:11

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer.” Ps. 18:2

I LOVE YOU MAN, oops GIRLS!!

Susan

Happy Birthday, James!

Posted on March 27, 2009 by Susan Panzica

Today, I got the most wonderful phone call. James was a student in my Sunday School class when he was 5 years old. He called to remind me that it was his “spiritual birthday”. Nine years ago today, he prayed with me to receive Jesus Christ as his Savior.

He remembers many details of that day, including where we where and even what he ate that day – chocolate chip pancakes! But more importantly, he remembers what that day signifies. At 5 years old, he was born into God’s eternal kingdom. Each year, his parents honor that decision with a special gift. He is a godly young man, and the Lord has great plans for him, I’m sure.

At 24 years old, I made the same decision as James. My friends and I spent summer weekends at a beach house in the Hamptons. We slept on the beach by day and danced in the bars at night. One night, we met the members of a band. What we didn’t know was that the band members had come to Christ a few weeks before we met them. Well, it wasn’t long before we did know that! They freely shared the good news with us, and after several more meetings and reading the Bible, we also accepted Christ as our Savior. That was the beginning of a long, an unusual, but a glorious story of walking with my Lord.

Whether you have come to know Jesus as a child or as an adult, whether long ago or recently, the important thing is the coming to Him. We often lavishly celebrate our physical birthdays, but our earthly bodies will one day pass away. Our spiritual birthday marks the day we enter eternal life which will never pass away.

Today was a beautiful reminder to me of my spiritual birthday as well as James’. I am reminded of the best gift ever given. I am thankful to Tony A., Richie and the other band members for sharing Christ with me. I am thankful for the opportunites I’ve had to share Jesus with others, and to have had a part in James’ spiritual birthday, as well as other students, friends and family. We are forever linked!

Having received Christ as Savior, we have a mandate to share Him with others. It is the greatest privilege to participate in another’s salvation experience.

Do you have a story to tell? What is your testimony of coming to Christ? Have you had the opportunity to share in another’s coming to Him? Would you leave me a comment or send me an email! I’d love to hear about it!

Susan

The Wisdom in Hot Chocolate

Posted on March 25, 2009 by Susan Panzica

I received this email, and since we won’t be having hot chocolate much longer, thought I’d better share it soon! Enjoy!

A group of graduates, well established in their careers, were discussing their lives at a class reunion. They decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired, who was always an inspiration to them.

During their visit, the conversation turned to complaints about stress in their work, lives and relationships.

Offering his guests hot chocolate, the professor went into the kitchen and returned with a large pot of hot chocolate and an assortment of cups. Some cups were porcelain, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite. He invited each to help themselves to the hot chocolate.

When they all had a cup of hot chocolate in hand, the professor shared his thoughts.

“Notice that all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress.

“The cup that you are drinking from adds nothing to the quality of the hot chocolate. In most cases, it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.

“What each of you really wanted was hot chocolate. You did not want the cup… but you consciously went for the best cups.

“And soon, you began to eye one another’s cups. Now friends, please consider this…

“Life is the hot chocolate … your job, money and position in society are the cups.

“They are just tools to hold and contain life.

“The cup you have does not define, nor does it change, the quality of life you are living.

“Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the hot chocolate God has provided us.”

Always, remember this ……..

God brews the hot chocolate, He does not choose the cup.

The happiest people don’t have the best of everything.
They just make the best of everything they have!

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Leave the rest to God.

The richest person is not the one who has the most, but the one who needs the least.

Susan

Green Tees

Posted on March 22, 2009 by Susan Panzica

Here’s a plug for a terrific product. Jody shared these wonderful embroidered bags as prizes on the retreat. Her new company makes custom bags, hats, t-shirts, etc. from organic cotton and recycled polyester. You can find all the info at http://www.greenteesembroidery.com/.

Green Tees Embroidery

Susan

Spring has sprung – or did it?

Posted on March 20, 2009 by Susan Panzica

Aaaaah! The first day of spring!
Are the birds singing?
Are the trees budding?
Are the flowers blooming?
A glance out the window this morning reveals a shocking sight!
It’s snowing!
There’s snow covering the lawn, trees and shrubs!
So unexpected, so unwelcome!
And everyone coming into my office today is saying the same thing.

Oh, sure we loved the first snow back in December.
A winter wonderland!
The start of ski season!

March 20, 2009

So what’s changed?
The snow is still snow.
It’s just that we’ve had enough. We’re tired of it.
What was once endearing and beautiful has become tiresome and annoying.
Yet, it’s two sides of the same coin.

Reminds me of some relationships.

When we first start dating, for example, we value the strength we see in our new guy.
But after years of marriage, that same trait may make him seem bossy.
We loved the peaceful calm of our new beau.
That now may seem like laziness.
They say opposites attract, so we may be drawn to someone different that us – someone that’s a strong tower or a calming influence. But the very same quality that attracted us can bother us after the honeymoon period is over.

As Jesus instructed the Ephesian church in Rev. 2:5, we need to remember our first love. When we drift away from that first love, we must repent and do the things we did at first. Of course, He’s referring to our relationship with Himself, but the same principles apply to our other relationships.
Remember how you felt at the beginning of your relationship? We need to flip the coin back and begin to appreciate those qualities that had seemed so attractive that really are still there. We need to peel away the years of subtly built up annoyance.

When 4 year old Hailey came in today, her mom said that she was thrilled to see the snow. She just appreciated it for what it was. She wasn’t bothered by it, tired of it or worried about it. In her childlike manner, it wasn’t complicated. It was just snow.

Maybe that’s why Jesus instructed us to “change and become like little children”.

Quick! Build a snowman before the snow melts!

Susan

Cell Phones vs. Bible

Posted on March 19, 2009 by Susan Panzica

Evelyn shared this in my small group on the retreat:

CELL PHONES VS. BIBLE…

Ever wondered what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phones?

What if we carried it around in our purse or pocket?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn’t live without it?

What if we gave it to kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of an emergency?

This is something to make you go…hmm…where’s my Bible?

And unlike our cell phone, we dont have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill!

Thanks, Evelyn!!
Susan

Get Smart-er!

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Susan Panzica

While on the retreat, I shared my recent testimony – that I have nicknamed the year 2008 “Get Smart!” You may remember the program “Get Smart” from childhood days. The main character, Maxwell Smart, was a bumbling agent who worked for an organization named Control, fighting crime against the nemesis, Kaos. The opening credits pictured Maxwell Smart walking in a straight line, and as he walked, doors just opened for him one after another. Last year, as I was just walking with the Lord, doors began to open for me in unexpected ways, moving me in the direction of writing, maybe publishing, a book.

What I forgot to mention was that when this new journey began, I made a committment to myself and my family that whatever came my way, I would not get so caught up in my project that I neglected my responsibilities at home. In the past, my tendency to get so absorbed in what I’m doing had caused me to lose all track of time, and I’d be frantic trying to get my other tasks done. I knew this wasn’t God’s way, so I have resolved to keep my priorities in order. You might say – I’m moving from Kaos to Control!!

Anyway, back to my story – I had closed my testimony by saying that if 2008 was Get Smart, then 2009 will be Get Smarter! When I got home, the first thing I saw was this bag from my daughter’s college bookstore on the kitchen table:

Yay!! Who can say life with God isn’t fun?

Susan

W O W – What an Outrageous Weekend!

Posted on March 17, 2009 by Susan Panzica

W O W – With Outstanding Women!

I’m so thankful for the wonderful time I spent with the women from the PVCA retreat this past weekend! They are a beautiful bunch, inside and out. And we were in a beautiful place, inside and out! Many thanks to Nancy, Pam and the committee who worked so hard all year long to put together such a blessed experience.

We strolled along the ocean.

And rested on the jetties.

We ate (mostly)

delicious meals.

And had lots of laughs.
(That’s Heather!)

Time was spent in small groups and large groups, dining, laughing, sharing, catching up with old friends and getting to know new ones. So many inspiring stories were shared with both humor and tears.

The small group leaders did a fabulous job helping me to present the message about who we are in Christ. They shared about what it means to be an ambassador, the bride, a servant, salt, a soldier, an heir, a sheep and a branch of the Vine, about what prevents us from living as we should and what can we do to get back on track.

On a side note – I noticed that many of the group leaders shared that fear was a factor, so I want to invite you to attend High Mountain Church’s Ladies Tea (June 6th) where I was asked to speak on what subject — fear! Fear is something that I have wrangled with all my life, and it seems that I’m not alone. Especially in these dark days, with the economy and spiritually, fear hits very close to home. But take heart – “perfect Love casts out fear!!” “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and self-discipline.”

Back to the retreat – One image that will stay with me was when little Alex (our very special male attendee) heard his aunt’s voice and turned his head, looking up at her with eyes brimming with adoration and a smile to match. It reminded me that His sheep know His voice, and when we hear His voice, we must turn toward His direction with joy.

Aunt Nettie, Alex and mom Amanda

At the very end, the entire group turned toward the wall of windows facing the bay (and the mainland in the distance) and sang “Shout to The Lord.” It was a holy moment, one which bridged the sacred to the secular.

As we leave the Spirit-filled weekend, may the lessons that God showed us strengthen us to know who we are because of who He is and to be His representatives back in our realities at home, work, church, school, wherever He’s placed us.

Susan