Author: Susan Panzica

Focus → Refocus

Posted on by Susan Panzica

A little while ago, I shared about focus and how it is so easy to focus on the 1% negative instead of the 99% positive. Last week in Bible study, one of the women made a sweet comment that Ashley’s hair was so beautiful and my nails were so nice. She didn’t say anything about anyone else in the room. Don’t you know my first thought was “What’s wrong with my hair?” Why, oh why, do we women do this to ourselves?

On a walk in the arboretum near my house, I again spotted my rainbow in the spray. I wanted to get a better look, so I moved past the tree to my right, and the rainbow disappeared!

A step back to my previous position and the rainbow returned. In order to see the rainbow, I had to be in the right place and to be looking in the right direction.
And to see the promises of God, I also need spiritually to be in the right place and to be looking in the right direction. When Paul says, “Think on these things…” (Phil 4:8), it is an instruction to us – “Do this… Think this…” God would not instruct us to do something if we would not be able to do it.
Years ago, my friend Ashley, the one with the great hair, went through a difficult time. Tests revealed that the baby she was carrying was very sick, a chromosome anomoly. It was uncertain how long her baby would live. Ashley was faced with worries most of us could never imagine. To combat her fears, she put Paul’s words to the test. She decided to make a list of “whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely,  admirable, excellent or praiseworthy.” As she wrote, she realized that she didn’t even have to go past “true.” With Ashley’s permission, here is her list:

Whatever is true:

1. The Lord gives strength to His people
2. The Lord blesses His people with peace Ps. 29:11
3. For You created my inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb Ps.139:13
4. For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, “Do not fear. I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13
5. He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. Job5:9
6. Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Matthew 16:23

Whatever is noble:
1. This is what God the Lord says-
     He who created the heavens and stretches them out
     Who spread out the earth and all that comes out of it
     Who gives breath to its people and life to those who walk on it:
     I, the Lord, have called you in righteousness
     I will take hold of your hand. Isaiah 42:5-6
2. For God is the King of all the earth
    Sing to Him a psalm of praise
    God reigns over the nations
    God is seated on His holy throne. Psalm 47:7,8
For the remainder of her pregnancy and baby Laura’s short life, Ashley’s list kept her thoughts from racing in a downward spiral. Throughout her trial, Ashley and her husband were beacons of light to those around them. At the funeral, the pastor said that baby Laura was like a shooting star that he and his family saw while star-gazing on a recent camping trip. For a brief moment, all attention was given to this shooting star. And for a brief while, with all attention on Laura and her family, God’s light in them shone in the darkness. In their grief, they were able to comfort others with the comfort they received from the Lord. 2 Cor. 1:3-4
Be in the right place and be looking in the right direction, and the promises of God will be all you can see!

Susan

Thanks a million!

Posted on by Susan Panzica
I have missed writing for the past few weeks. I planned to stop procrastinating, but just kept putting it off!
Many thanks to you for your wonderful comments and emails regarding my one year anniversary of writing this blog. It has been my joy sharing with you thoughts that God has placed on my heart. And it is my prayer that this little spot of cyberspace will always serve as an encouragement to you, equipping you to serve our King. Please feel free to keep leaving comments so we can “chat” at Eternity Cafe!
Kathy D. is the winner of Max Lucado’s newest book, Fearless. Congratulations, Kathy! It is a great read!
Susan

Happy Anniversary To Me – A Gift For You!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Today is my one year anniversary! Who would believe it? Not me!


I started blogging as a way to practice and improve my writing skills, and hopefully, to encourage someone in the process. It has turned into a sweet blessing for me, making so many new friends in cyberspace. My life will never be the same because of you!

To thank you for your encouragement and support over the past year, I am hosting my first “give-away”. Everyone who shares a comment will be entered in a drawing for the newest Max Lucado book “Fearless”. To be eligible to win, please leave me a comment on the blog (http://www.eternitycafe.blogspot.com/) or reply to this email. Be sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win. At the end of the week, one of my kids will pull the winning name.


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To commemorate this anniversary, I’m sharing my first blogpost, still one of my favorites!
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Monday, October 13, 2008
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Thanks for visiting Eternity Cafe today. Well, friends, I’m finally in the 21st century, and here’s my first post!! It is my desire that this blog will serve to shine God’s light in your life and mine. I just love to share ideas, stories, illustrations, photos, even recipes as they come to me, either through my crazy brain or by way of email, devotions, sermons, conversation, etc. I hope that you will join me adding your insights by posting your comments.

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For my first post, I chose a story that is near and dear to my heart. Years ago, when my 20 year old daughter was just four, we were standing side by side in church singing during the worship service. (By the way, she now stands beside her dad as she plays bass guitar leading the worship with him! How time flies!) But at that time, my observant little girl asked me a question. She said, “Why do people raise their hands when they worship?” I was just about to share my great wisdom with her, providing some brilliant answer when I felt the Lord just shutting my mouth tight. So I asked her, “Why do you think that people raise their hands when they worship?” To which she thoughtfully replied, “I think that they are holding hands with God.”
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From that moment on, I always asked her (and my son) what they thought before I provided my answer!
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Her answer revealed so much insight into what our relationship with God ought to be. It was the prophet Micah who said, “He has showed you, O man (or woman), what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” You might say “… to walk holding hands with God.”
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Now just imagine that you are a child holding the hand of your Father. His hand covers yours, and you feel His protection. He is so much bigger than you are. He is gripping you tightly because He doesn’t want to lose you. He doesn’t want any harm to come to you. He wants to protect you, even though sometimes He allows you to reap consequences, because that too, is for your good.
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Imagine as you hold His hand where His eyes are. He can see across the street. He can see what lies ahead. He can see where the dangers are, and He can shield you from them. Imagine His vision and realize how limited your vision is. And remember, when a child holds her daddy’s hand, it is gripped and supported – He is doing the holding! It is not nearly as difficult as when you try to keep your hand raised in your own strength.
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Imagine how much the owner of that Hand loves you. How He cares for your every need, even those that you don’t realize you have. How His grip is a confirmation of how you are tenderly loved with a strength beyond your own understanding. Realize that if a great danger were heading your way, how He would push you out of the way, and sacrifice Himself that you might live.
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This is what it is to be a child of God.





Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand. Psalm 37:24
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“I want men (& women & children!) everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer.”
1 Timothy 2:8.

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Susan

Ten Pounds

Posted on by Susan Panzica

So I’ve been walking more and eating right,
and still fit into all the same large clothes! Arghhh!
I have to shift my perspective from earthly to eternal. 
Keep the temple healthy.
Be a disciple – exercise discipline.
“Be still” – is not an excuse to be lazy.
Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please!
Workouts in the gymnasium are useful,
but a disciplined life in God is far more so,
making you fit both today and forever.
You can count on this. Take it to heart.
1 Tim. 4:6 The Message

Your Roots Are Showing

Posted on by Susan Panzica
“But blessed is the (woman) man who trusts in the LORD,
whose confidence is in Him.
(She) He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8







Once a month or so, my pup and I have “Grooming Day”! She visits the groomer, and across the street, I get my nails done. This Thursday was a triple grooming experience as I needed to have my hair done as well.


 I hadn’t visited my wonderful hairdresser, Nina, since May. You can imagine the mess. I need regular touchups to cover the gray, but I had to confess that I had been cheating on Nina. I was using a product called Root Touchup which got me through the summer, but that only takes care of a small portion of my head. My roots needed real attention, and thanks to AnnMarie & Nina, on Thursday, they got it.

The Bible has something to say about our roots from a spiritual perspective. Jeremiah tells us that the woman who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in Him, is blessed. And it’s not just feeling blessed, it’s a blessing with tangible benefits.



(She) He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.




The roots of a tree planted by the water naturally grow in the direction of the water. They stretch out to be fed by the stream. They search for that life-giving source. They don’t wait for a gardener to show up with a watering can. Likewise, we ought to seek the life-giving flow of Living Water, the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to nourish us, not just depending upon a church sermon or Sunday School class to feed us.





It does not fear when heat comes;


The droughts in California cause the timber to be bone dry allowing a tiny spark to ignite a devastating fire. But wetlands have no fear of the fire. If we have partaken of ample Living Water, we need have no fear of the heat when it comes – and note, Jeremiah says “when” heat comes, not “if” it comes. We can be sure that heat will come, but if our roots are well watered, we will be like that tree standing firm.





its leaves are always green.


Years ago, my friend, Therese, and I sat in a car under tree near a streetlight for hours sharing our hearts. It was autumn, and we noticed that most of the leaves had fallen off the tree, except for one area of the tree near the light. The light kept the leaves on that part of the tree green and alive reminding us of our need to stay near our source of life-giving Light.





It has no worries in a year of drought


Why wouldn’t the tree have worries in a drought? Because it has stored up enough water to sustain it during dry periods. There is no doubt that we will have dry periods, too. But that is not a cause for worry. The Bible calls itself our spiritual food (milk and meat). I’ve heard it said that sometimes reading the Bible is like dessert, so delicious we could savor every morsel. Sometimes, it’s like cereal, a bit dry, but we eat to sustain us and provide building blocks for growth. And still other times, it’s like medicine. It may not satisfy our tastebuds, but it provides healing. Drought or not, we ought not to worry (Matt. 6:33, Phil. 4:6).





and never fails to bear fruit.


The by-product of abiding in the Vine is bearing fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is not like a gift of the Spirit which is given at the discretion of the Giver. Fruit is the consequence of obeying and remaining with Jesus, the Vine. An apple tree can’t produce more fruit by force or wishful thinking. No huffing & puffing on the part of the tree will result in more fruit. Fruit is produced on a branch that is firmly attached, is fed, watered and in the light . . . over a period of time.






One last thing about roots – the Bible tells us that we if we miss the grace of God, a bitter root can grow and cause trouble (Heb. 12:15) and that the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Tim. 6:10). These are roots to be avoided because they will poison the tree.






The roots are what sustain the tree. No more root touchups here! Let’s make sure our roots are firmly planted, stretching toward living water, free from fear and worry, and bearing good fruit. Then we can be proud to say our roots are showing!






Susan

Focus!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Oh, why is it that we tend to focus on the 1% negative instead of the 99% positive?

6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers [and sisters!], 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. 9Whatever 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.  Philippians 4:6-9

When we read the above verses, we usually note that verse 8 tells us what we ought to think about. But if we look at verses 7 and 9, we see that the peace of God (v.7) and the God of peace (v.9) are like bookends surrounding our thought life. If we can but focus on what is true, right, pure… anything that is excellent… something that is worthy of praise, we will discover the peace of God bathing our minds and the presence of the God of peace directing our thoughts.

Can you find something true and let your thoughts meditate on that today?

Would you leave a comment or send me an email on something you found true or worthy of praise? I’ll post them later this week for all of us to share!

Susan

New News

Posted on by Susan Panzica

Thanks so much, sweet cybersisters, for your prayers on behalf of my family. It was a tough, but worthwhile trip to Florida. We had 5 doctor visits in 4 days. We saw the internist, kidney specialist, oncologist, a new chiropractor and back to the internist. It was a perfect storm of scheduled appointments, each one providing valuable new information. My dad came home from the hospital on Tuesday having regained strength after having his blood sugar level restored. My stepmother’s hyponatremia (salt loss) can be regulating by restricting her fluid intake and taking salt tablets. That’s the good news, but there are still several serious issues that need prayer. Both are very fatigued, and my dad is having some uncomfortable side effects from ongoing chemo treatments. It’s hard being far from family, and they would like to move back to NJ, but the depressed real estate market is making it difficult for them to sell and buy a new home up north. They are both very appreciate of the prayers on their behalf.


On a different health issue:


Patrick Swayze’s recent death from pancreatic cancer brings to the headlines an condition that has affected our family deeply. Almost 4 years ago, Tony’s cousin, Ron Weber, passed away after battling pancreatic cancer. Then last summer, one of our favorite patients and friend, Jerry Schwartz, lost his battle with pancreatic cancer just a few months after being diagnosed. And exactly one year ago, my cousin, Allen Woolf, died within one month of being diagnosed with this same insidious disease.


On Sept 27th, my family and I are walking to support research for a cure for pancreatic cancer. The Lustgarten Foundation was extremely helpful to the Weber family during their ordeal, and they are leading the charge to finding a cure and effective treatment for this disease.

We will be walking in honor of Ron, Jerry and Allen.
If you would like to give a donation by credit card online to support this wonderful organization:
Go to: www.lustgarten.org/panzica
Click on: Sponsor Me in the upper right corner
Fill in your information
Click on: Donate Now at the bottom of the page

Susan








Why I don’t live in Florida

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Okay, it’s official. I am living in a Seinfeld episode!
Even a difficult situation has its funny moments!

Arriving at the airport, I was supposed to meet Larry, the driver. On my cellphone in the busy terminal, I heard him say, “I’ll meet you outside.” So I waited outside in the suffocating heat and humidity with the other passengers. My hair was expanding by the minute. One by one, everyone was wisked away by their ride, and no Larry. Finally, I turned around and spotted a lanky old man in shorts, jacket and hat standing alone inside the doors. Could it be Larry? I turned to go inside, the glass doors parting before me like the Red Sea, releasing a blast of frigid air. Sure enough, it was Larry standing beside the deserted baggage carousel. Evidently, he said he’d meet me by the “number five”, not “outside.” You mean I could have waited in the air conditioning? Did he not think to step outside where everyone else was waiting for transportation? Oy!

Remember the Seinfeld episodes when Jerry visited his parents in Florida? I’m living the dream!

How about the one when Elaine slept on the sofabed and needed a chiropractor in the morning? Well, my chiropractor’s back in NJ!! [Miss you, hon!] I moved to the living room couch after the 1st night. Just like Elaine, I was assured that there was extra padding on the mattress crumpled inside the soda. Hmmmm, really?

Or the one where Jerry’s mom thinks it’s freezing if the temperature drops below 95. I was told to “bring a jacket because it’s so cold.” Are you kidding me? I’ve been having hot flashes that last all day.

In the morning, I had to drive alone to the hospital. How do I get out of here? Every street looks exactly the same. One wrong turn, and I will be lost forever in a maze of palm trees and stucco facades. We got my dad a GPS for his anniversary last year. Where would he keep it? My search of the car revealed only a pack of tissues and a deck of cards. Well, if I get stuck in the maze, at least I can play solitare!

Asking for directions wasn’t much help either. “It’s about 4 miles [it was 6] down the road. Look for the little blue ‘H’ signs.” How about mentioning the GIANT entrance to the university directly across the street? Luckily, I tore a map out of the phone book before I left. Too bad the map only showed 9th and 14th streets, and the hospital is off of 13th behind … a maze of palm trees and stucco facades.

These are a few of the signs I passed on the 6 mile trek to the hospital, well except for one. Can you guess which fictional development Jerry’s parents lived in?
-Boca Lakes
-Boca Gardens
-Boca Glades
-Boca Lyons
-Boca Rio
-Boca Lago
-Boca Pointe
-Boca Grande
-Oaks of Boca
-Del Boca Vista
I think I’ll name one Boca Shmoca…

Last night, I had a close encounter with a gekko. I won’t go into the harrowing ordeal, but he had no business being inside, and with my dad away, the extermination was left to me. Let’s just say: this is not my gift. I think my bloodcurdling screams could be heard echoing beyond … a maze of palm trees and stucco facades. And did you know that even if a palmetto bug is lying on his back in the same spot all night, he still might not be dead? Trust me on this – or you may experience the bloodcurdling screams yourself. Florida is not for the squeamish!

There’s a park nearby – Palmetto Park. Why not just be honest and call it Giant Cockroach Park?

Above my dad’s desk is a ‘classic’ guidebook “How To Be An Extremely Reform Jew” which contains such wonderful advice as:
Every doorpost in your house should have a mezuzah (a small hollow case containing a tiny scroll of parchment that typically reads ‘Inspected by No. 32’), and every time you pass by one, you should touch the mezuzah gently with your fingertips and then kiss your fingertips, until everyone in the household has the same flu symptoms. You should also say: “May God protect my going out and my coming in from now and evermore,” though it is common to abbreviate this to: “God, I’m late. Where is my umbrella?”

Now if I only had a pen that could write upside down in space!
Susan

ps – Thanks to all of you for storming the gates of heaven with me. Your prayer support means the world to me. I so appreciate the comments & emails, and I do feel your prayers.
Today is the first of our series of doctor’s appointments. May he & we get to the cause of the problem, so it can be properly treated. Lord, a complete miraculous healing would work, too!!
Thank you and God bless you…

Let’s Storm the Gates!

Posted on by Susan Panzica

I flew down to Florida today unexpectedly because my dad is in the hospital and my stepmom is facing dire health problems of her own. I’ll be here until Thursday, attending doctors appointments, investigating resources and making home health care arrangements.

I’d appreciate your prayers for their health, both physically and spiritually.

I once read a story by Corrie ten Boom who was in a concentration camp during World War II. As she was being taken away by the guards, her friend ran past her and whispered, “I’m storming the gates of heaven for you.” Those words made a great impact on me regarding my prayer life. Do I have the sense that I am storming the gates of heaven when I pray?

Would you storm the gates of heaven with me? And let me know what I can pray for you.

Susan

Fearless by Max Lucado

Posted on by Susan Panzica
Fear has been a constant companion all my life. To me, it is like the threshold in a doorway. It prevents me from going further. When I was little, I remember being afraid of participating in a pillow fight my dad was having with my little sister. I stood silently at the entrance to the room, even after they invited me to join them. I still find that it is fear that prevents me from moving forward.

So when I was given the opportunity to review the new Max Lucado book, Fearless, I jumped at the chance.


We live in a world of turmoil and unrest. People everywhere are facing real fearsome situations: economic crisis, terrorism, health issues. “Every season seems to bring fresh reasons for fear.” Other people (like me) have unrealistic fears like pillow fights, phobias, worries for the sake of worry.

In Fearless, Max Lucado addresses all these issues with life stories and Biblical wisdom. He challenges us to trust more and fear less. And he provides the tools to accomplish this. Each chapter focuses on a different aspect of fear including the fear of “not mattering”, the fear of worst-case scenarios, the fear of global calamity, the fear of death, the fear of disappointing God. Fearless challenges us to imagine our life without fear, wholly untouched by angst. “What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?”


The book is such an easy read, yet with such a compelling message. It empowers me as the bride of Christ to choose to allow my Bridegroom to carry me over that threshold, past that fear, leave it behind and enter into a place of peace, living a life free of fear.

For more information on Fearless, visit Thomas Nelson Publishing.