Ann Farabee

By Ann Farabee

Mini Golf

A game of miniature golf is a must at least once a year, right? 

One would perhaps assume I was pretty good at it, since it is an annual family priority. But no. I tend to always come in a strong 4th position on our four person team.

The original mini-golf was Putt Putt, which was founded in Fayetteville, NC, in 1954. All Putt Putt holes were a Par 2. It was designed to where a ‘hole in one’ would be a possibility for each hole. When I was a teenager, the orange and white Putt Putt facilities were quite the popular spot for date night.

When playing Putt Putt, a player finishes his hole before the next player starts. In mini golf, each player takes his first putt, then the player farthest from the hole takes his second putt.

Putt putt or mini golf – I love it – but I never win. I never come in 2nd place. I used to hold back on my skills when my children were young so they could win. That went by the wayside very quickly, but I still never won.

My strategies for success:

• I align my body with the golf club and the hole.
• I keep my eyes on the ball and the hole.
• I tap the ball easy or hard, depending on how far I want it to go.
• I assess the layout and make my plan for the hills, valleys, and traps.
• That’s about it – unless you count how to make adjustments based off the fact that you are carrying a bag with everyone’s stuff in it, while trying to keep score on that little scorecard with the little pencil with no eraser. That takes skill.

Options for making mini golf more fun:

*Hit the ball so it hits the hole, circles around it several times, and then fails to go in.

*Hit the ball so that it hits the hole and then jumps out of the hole, crosses the boundary, and ends up near another hole where another family is playing. (This works in bowling, as well.)

*Hit the ball to where it leaves the course and cannot be found.

Yes, I have done all of these.

Sometimes, it tends to not be 100% fun. Too hot. Too cold. Too crowded. Too slow. Too impatient. Too cranky. Too tired. And that is just me – I am not sure how the rest of the family feels.

The only part of mini golf I have not experienced is winning.

But, on our way home, we always realize we made a good memory.

Making memories matters.

Genesis 1:31 says that God saw all that he had made and it was very good.

Not just good – but very good!

We took time to do something for fun.

We took time to be with people we care about.

That time is never wasted.

Now that I think about it, I guess I win every time I play.

We all do.

Lord, thank You for family and friends. May we cherish those moments with them. May we remember that these special times are not just good – but are very good! Amen

By Ann Farabee

*It was time for the big reveal:

Pink balloons burst out of a huge box and began floating away. It was now official! Everyone began talking at once, hugging each other, and expressing their excitement! There was not a doubter in the crowd. We all knew what the pink balloons were revealing to us. A baby girl would soon arrive! How exciting!

*It was time for the big reveal:

The gift had been wrapped and placed on a table, waiting for the recipient to unwrap it, so it could be revealed to him. The paper was ripped away and the little boy squealed with joy, while running around the room saying, “I wanted this! I wanted this! I can’t believe I got it!” He ran off quickly to put that remote control car to good use! How exciting!

*It was time for the big reveal:

The high school athlete stepped up to a microphone to reveal the name of the college he planned to attend to play basketball. Three different college jerseys were on the table if front of him, so he reached down and picked up the one with the name of the school he had chosen. Cameras clicked! The crowd cheered! How exciting!

*It was time for the big reveal:

A group of children huddled around the table waiting on the birthday cake to be revealed. When they saw it, their eyes lit up. They then began to yell, “Happy Birthday!” at the top of their lungs to celebrate the birthday child! Ooh’s and ahh’s took place! How exciting!

*It was time for the big reveal:

I had finally begun to believe that my problem was going away, but on this day, it reappeared with a vengeance. Discouragement crept in. I prayed, “Lord, I need help!” I then opened up my Bible because I knew words from those pages would reveal God’s promise of peace to me.

There it was! The big reveal was taking place:

John 14:27 – Peace, I leave with you. My peace, I give to you. It is not peace that the world gives you. I give it to you. Do not let your heart be troubled. You do not need to be afraid.

The revealing of the pink balloons. How exciting!

The revealing of the remote control car. How exciting!

The revealing of the college the athlete would attend. How exciting!

The revealing of a birthday cake, followed by ooh’s and ahh’s. How exciting!

The revealing of God’s Word to our hearts.

The Spirit of God revealing himself to us!

How exciting!

How miraculous!

How powerful!

Lord, may we always be amazed that You reveal Your Word to us.

May it always be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.

May we always cherish it.

May we always realize how blessed we are that we have access to our God in heaven through the revealing of Your Word to us.

May we pay attention.

Amen

By Ann Farabee

I couldn’t help but smile when I saw the young mother whose T-shirt was imprinted with the words, “I’M SO TIRED.” Her six month old son had the words, “I’M NOT TIRED” on his T-shirt.

No matter the stage of life we are in, there is always a need for rest – even if we think we are okay without it.

Here are some examples about rest in the Bible:

*Exodus 3:17 – In six days God made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

*Mark 6:31-32 – Jesus took his disciples in a boat to get away from the crowds and to go into a time of rest.

*Matthew 8:24 – A great storm arose in the sea. The ship was covered with waves. Jesus was asleep. Yes, Jesus was resting in the middle of the storm!

Jesus demonstrated the importance of rest by resting, showing us that rest was refreshing and … restful.

So, what is rest? Definitions include:

1. A bodily state characterized by minimal functional activity. (Sitting or reclining?)
2. Freedom from labor. (Doing nothing?)
3. A state of being motionless. (Perhaps a nap?)

Charles Spurgeon stated, “In the long run, we shall do more by sometimes doing less.”

Convinced? Ready to rest? It will take dedication and commitment, but there are quite a few RE-wards when we  RE-st.

We can:

*RE-fresh

*RE-member

*RE-store

*RE-direct

*Re-lax

*RE-juvenate

*RE-cover

*RE-group

*RE-vitalize

*RE-connect

Ready to rest?

Let’s intentionally make time for rest and see how we like it!

As a teacher, I daily worked at home on lesson plans and grading assignments. I felt God leading me to commit to setting aside Sunday as a day of rest – and I did. Yes, I am talking about working six days a week and resting on the seventh day. (Not only did I stop doing schoolwork on Sunday, but housework, as well!) It allows more time with family, more time in worship, and I am rested and ready for the week ahead. It may very well have been one of the most helpful steps I have taken in my Christian life.

If you do not feel you can ‘jump’ into that commitment, how about a daily time of rest?

Take 10, 20, or 30 minutes daily where you do whatever you feel is restful.

Create your plan and schedule it into your day.

You deserve it.

God set the example.

Jesus set the example.

That’s enough for me.

Ready…Set…REST!

By Ann Farabee

*GET UP AND GO.

Joshua rose early. He and his people were headed to the Promised Land.

*PREPARE YOURSELF.

He told his people to prepare themselves, for the Lord would do wonders among them.

*GOD IS WITH YOU.

They took the Ark of the Covenant with them. It included:

God’s Law – 10 Commandments

God’s Provision – Manna

God’s Authority – Aaron’s rod

*LISTEN.

The people walked. Right at the brink of the Jordan River, Joshua told them to stand still in order to hear the Word of the Lord. They stood still. They listened. They heard.

*STEP INTO THE WATERS.

As soon as the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant took the first step of faith into the flood-like waters, the waters receded. The people passed over on dry ground.

*GIVE GOD PRAISE.

After crossing over, God directed one man from each of the 12 tribes to take a stone out of the deepest part of the Jordan River and build a monument. Then, in times to come, when the children ask their fathers, “What do these stones mean?” they could tell them about the great works God had done.

Can you envision it? One man at a time – tearfully laying down his stone – and then lifting his hands toward heaven to express thankfulness and praise for all that God had done.

Try to grasp some of the passion and emotion we might feel if it were us carrying a stone on our shoulders that may at one time have represented a heavy burden – laying that stone down, and then lifting our arms and voices in praise to God for our victory.

Maybe it would sound something like this:

Your LOVE! Thank You, my God, for loving me even when I didn’t love myself!

Your FAITHFULNESS! Oh, God, You have been there for me in the darkest of nights!

Your HEALING! The doctors said I wouldn’t make it. You, my God, said I would!

Your PROMISES! I’m grieving, but Your promise is that I will see my loved one again!

Your SACRIFICE! You looked ahead in time and died on the cross for me!

Your SALVATION! Oh, God! I am unworthy! Thank You for saving me!

Your MIRACLES! I felt hopeless, but You sent victory!

Your GRACE! Oh, God! Thank You for showing me undeserved favor!

Your PRESENCE! When I was depressed and alone, the Holy Spirit brought comfort!

Your MERCY! Thank You, Lord, that Your mercy follows me!

Your PROVISION! When my family was in need, You provided.

Your FORGIVENESS! I was in sin. You forgave me.

What do our stones mean?

Yes, they will ask us.

Yes, we will tell them.

Because they need to know.

Maybe we can also show them. Here’s how:

*Buy some small stones at a craft store or find some stones in your yard.

*Make a list of some of the great works God has done in your life.

*Use a marker or paint to describe them on the stones.

*Put the stones in a special location in your yard as a monument.

*As the blessings and answers to prayer continue, add more stones.

*Look what the Lord has done.

By Ann Farabee

• It was time for the big reveal:

Pink balloons burst out of a huge box and began floating away. It was now official! Everyone began talking at once, hugging each other, and expressing their excitement! There was not a doubter in the crowd. We all knew what the pink balloons were revealing to us. A baby girl would soon arrive! How exciting!

• It was time for the big reveal:

The gift had been wrapped and placed on a table, waiting for the recipient to unwrap it, so it could be revealed to him. The paper was ripped away and the little boy squealed with joy, while running around the room saying, “I wanted this! I wanted this! I can’t believe I got it!” He ran off quickly to put that remote control car to good use! How exciting!

• It was time for the big reveal:

The high school athlete stepped up to a microphone to reveal the name of the college he planned to attend to play basketball. Three different college jerseys were on the table if front of him, so he reached down and picked up the one with the name of the school he had chosen. Cameras clicked! The crowd cheered! How exciting!

• It was time for the big reveal:

A group of children huddled around the table waiting on the birthday cake to be revealed. When they saw it, their eyes lit up. They then began to yell, “Happy Birthday!” at the top of their lungs to celebrate the birthday child! Oohs and ahhs took place! How exciting!

• It was time for the big reveal:

I had finally begun to believe that my problem was going away, but on this day, it reappeared with a vengeance. Discouragement crept in. I prayed, “Lord, I need help!” I then opened up my Bible because I knew words from those pages would reveal God’s promise of peace to me.

There it was! The big reveal was taking place:

John 14:27 says, “Peace, I leave with you. My peace, I give to you. It is not peace that the world gives you. I give it to you. Do not let your heart be troubled. You do not need to be afraid.”

The revealing of the pink balloons. How exciting!

The revealing of the remote control car. How exciting!

The revealing of the college the athlete would attend. How exciting!

The revealing of a birthday cake, followed by oohs and ahhs. How exciting!

The revealing of God’s word to our hearts.

The spirit of God revealing himself to us!

How exciting!

How miraculous!

How powerful!

Lord, may we always be amazed that you reveal your Word to us.

May it always be a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.

May we always cherish it.

May we always realize how blessed we are that we have access to our God in heaven through the revealing of your word to us.

May we pay attention.

Ann Farabee is a teacher, writer and speaker. Contact her at annfarabee@gmail.com or annfarabee.com.

By Ann Farabee

The words had been written in my scribbled print on a notepad that I discovered in a drawer. I have no idea how many years ago I had written those words, but it was evident that they were written for such a time as this.

The words? The spirit of the Lord will rest upon me. Isaiah 11:2

As I held it, it felt as if the words on the paper had a life of their own and were speaking directly to me.

The spirit of the Lord is resting on me?

Yes – and on you!

It is a promise from the Lord that we need to embrace.

The wordrest, according to my dictionary, has around 30 definitions.

I liked all 30, but these three stole my heart and captured my mind:

*Rest means to stay. The spirit of the Lord stays with us – no matter what is going on in our lives. No matter what is going on in our hearts. No matter what is going on in our world.  We are children of the King. His spirit will rest on us.

Matthew 10:29-31 says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet, not one of them will fall to the ground outside of your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.”  

We can rest in that – always.

*Rest means to support. The spirit of the Lord is supporting us. Most of us go through times in our lives when we are in crisis or just need support. We feel as if we may collapse underneath the load. But there is a promise that the spirit of the Lord will  support us.

Psalm 94:18 says, “My foot slips.The mercy of the Lord holds me up.”

We are held up and supported by the mercy of God resting on us.

It is a promise we can hold onto.

We can rest in that – always.

*Rest means to be silent. The spirit of the Lord brings silence. It is in those sweet moments of being still and knowing that He is God that we are surrounded by silence. As we seek  – and find – quiet times with our Father, we can often hear the voice of God.

Habakkuk 2:20 says, “But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.”

Being silent before the Lord and listening for His voice exudes awe, respect, reverence, and worship as we see Him for who He is – Our Father who is heaven. Holy is His name.

We can rest in that – always.

Lord, thank You that Your spirit rests on us. That sure does bring comfort. Thank you that Your spirit will stay with us.Thank you, Lord, that because of Your mercy, Your spirit will hold us up and support us, even when we fall.Thank you, Lord, that as Your spirit rests on us, we can be silent and hear your voice. Surround us, Lord. Amen

By Ann Farabee

School Days or School Daze? This year it feels like a little of both.

The definition of the word daze includes some descriptive words: stunned, confused, bewildered, stupefied. Stupefied means astonished, shocked, or made unable to think or feel properly.

Those words may be somewhat appropriate for how life is in our world right now, as we try to get back to normal.  So – as school days begin, at first they may feel like school daze.

Here are some ideas that may help our children adjust to the new school year:

SLEEP. It is important for learning, behavior, focus, mood, and growth. Suggested amounts:

*Ages 3 to 6: 10 -12 hours *Ages 7 to 12: 10-11 hours *Ages 13 to 18: 8-10 hours

BREAKFAST. It is important for health, behavior, growth, and higher academic achievement. Diet should include whole grains, fiber, protein, and make it low in sugar.

PRAYER. As you say the morning good-bye, pray with your child. It just takes a few seconds and will be remembered forever – and probably passed on to the next generation. Also, teach your child to pray for themselves – while at school. They don’t have to close their eyes. They don’t have to pray aloud. God hears our thoughts. Prayer is our greatest weapon.

GOD’S WORD. Help your child memorize a verse to bring to mind at school throughout the day. A good verse to start off the year would be Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ.” Write it down and they can put it in their pockets, book bags, or lunch boxes. I kept a handwritten verse of scripture on my desk at all times when I was teaching. It sure did help.

TABLE TALK. Table Talk refers to the conversations we have with our children. It could be while eating a meal. It could be in the car. It could be any time of the day where the timing feels right. I personally find that asking, “How was your day?” results in a one word response like, “Good.” So, I try to ask questions that lead to actual conversation.

FAMILY TALK. Family Talk refers to times where there is an intentional gathering of family to read God’s Word or pray together.

CONNECTIONS. Show up at school events. Volunteer to help at school events. Send emails or notes to the teacher. Parents are part of their child’s educational experience . Our children need to know that education matters.

HOMEWORK STATION. Keep all needed school tools and book bags at a work station set aside for your child to use at home daily.

BOOK BAGS HOLD INFORMATION. The importance of book bags should never be underestimated. They almost seem to be a child’s personal place of residency. Help your student learn to keep it organized and uncluttered. Look through it. Yes, look through it. You can learn a lot. As you look through it, remove molded bread, melted chocolate, or similar items.

BEDTIME TALK. It is the best. Bedtime seems to be when many children are ready to share their thoughts. Make time for it. Take time for it. Pray together.

Deuteronomy 11:19 encourages us to put God’s Word in our children’s hearts by

speaking of them when we sit in our house, when we walk by the way, when we lie down, and when we rise up.

Lord, may the school days be sweet – and may we not be in a daze for long. Amen

READY… SET…SCHOOL !!!

By Ann Farabee

     If you are in a season of brokenness, you may not want words of advice. You want breakthrough! I understand. I sure have been there. During those difficult seasons of my life, much of my day would be spent going through the motions, watching and wondering how others kept going about their daily routine as if everything was normal. For me – nothing felt normal. 

     You may be grieving, sick, discouraged, facing a difficult circumstance, in a broken relationship, or dealing with broken expectations. If so, read this with your heart, and let God apply it to your life. If you are not in a season of brokenness, read it with your mind, and use it to encourage others along your path.

       I haven’t walked in your shoes. I haven’t traveled your path. But… I can tell you what God has done for me. Here is some of what I have learned in my seasons of brokenness:

     *Brokenness shows God’s provision. Even the strongest can be broken. It is not a sign of weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 – My grace is sufficient for you: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.

     *Brokenness shows God’s plan. It is part of life. John 16:33 – In this world, you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

     *Brokenness shows God’s purpose. Your tests become your testimony. 2 Corinthians 4:17 – For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, works for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

     *Brokenness shows God’s providence. We don’t have all the information. Our knowledge is limited. God knows why. We don’t. Deuteronomy 29:29 -The secret things belong to the Lord.

     *Brokenness shows God’s power. We can’t fix it. God can. Psalm 147:3 – He heals the broken in heart.

     *Brokenness shows God’s proximity. He is near! Psalm 34:18 -The Lord is near to those with a broken heart.

     Vance Havner wrote, “God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.”

      Having been through seasons of brokenness in my life has more equipped me to help bear the burdens of others as they travel through difficult days. You see, my brokenness has become a weapon of usefulness, and my setbacks were actually  setups!

      Oh, how my heart hurts for those of you who may be struggling in your season of brokenness.  May your good days slowly begin to overtake the ‘not so good’ days, and one day when you least expect it, I know the sun will break through the clouds and begin to shine in your life again.