Bible Archives - Page 2 of 4 - Flannel with Faith

Due Date

Posted on December 8, 2024January 26, 2025 by K.L. Hale — 93 Comments

It was June of 1994. “His due date is Christmas Day,” my obstetrician shared. Later that evening we told big brother, Jarrod, “Your little brother might come on Christmas Day!”

Instantly, my mind began thinking of Christmas plans, gifts, socials, and school! “Will I make it to Christmas break before he comes?” Time flew faster than bad news! We celebrated Jesus with one special boy that Christmas-two days later, another special boy, Jay, was delivered. All in due time.

December is determined! What is due? Past due. Due dates. Taxes, bills, and holiday shopping! Due diligence is necessary. How can we live in the moment constantly thinking about due dates? Ah, I have found freedom in the frenzy. As life’s due dates circle and swirl, my communion with Christ centers me.

Outstanding, receivable, and payable. Our debts were paid, dear friends.

Outstanding

In his creation all “due dates” crumble.

Walks in the woods prove how nature cares less about due dates. Humans force and nature flows. The hawk and I gazed at one another for what seemed like eternity. “I’m not going to take your dinner, my friend,” I whispered. Songs from what seemed like a thousand birds cried out. I felt cushioned and calm.

Due dates? All were called off. Nothing would “come around” but critters. Charitable was conducted between the kindness of few strangers enjoying conservation. We weren’t “checked out” (either at a store or on-line). We were completely checked IN.

Nothing was owed.

Receivable

Due to cutbacks and shortages, this rowdy class of 5^th grade students didn’t have a teacher. After a physical altercation was carried out, *Ellie asked, “Will you forgive me? Can I come back to the circle?”

“Oh, sweetheart. Please come back. I’m given grace each day. Of course I forgive you.”

Situations arose that required assistance and differing outcomes. Yet, at the end of the day, there wasn’t anything due.

What was due? She had consequences (don’t we ALL?). What was receivable? Love won.

Payable

Humans put due dates on everything. Kids, jobs, relationships, and homes. Beliefs, habits, health, and unknowns. Holidays, sports, customs, and pets. Squeeze a few more in, stress and regrets.

So much is owed. What are YOU…DUE?

What if we paid one another kindness, respect, and generosity?

Payable? You’re not delinquent. The debts, short and long-term, are paid.

Do you have hope? Do you believe? Or do you feel unworthy to be paid? Due and delivered over 2,000 years ago, Jesus paid all that is due. HE WILL RETURN. All in due time.

Happy December, dear friends. You are loved. 🤍

Have faith 🤍

Embracing imperfection with faith, flannel, & fresh air

K.L. Hale

More from Flannel with Faith 💛

©2020-2024 Flannel with Faith. All rights reserved.

One-Size-Fits-All

Posted on October 18, 2024January 26, 2025 by K.L. Hale — 60 Comments

It was as if someone thumped my head with a hard shoehorn! Suddenly, it made sense why my feet hurt (I think pain can be like an ignored piece of your wardrobe?).

“Did you know you’re wearing the wrong shoe size?” asked the kind and knowledgeable saleswoman. If you know me, then you aren’t surprised I started giggling. She shared tidbits I’ve never been told (or I can’t remember?):

“You need enough room to account for swelling.” “Did you know our feet continue to grow as we age?” “Our feet and toes weren’t DESIGNED to fit into today’s shoes.”

We bragged about our favorite shoes! Oh, and the ones that love us back, like our Birks. They give our toes plenty of room to be exactly the way God designed our feet to be (my dear friend Kim inspired this thought, too). “Wouldn’t it be nice if I could “plug” in my height, weight, hair color (just kidding, tee hee), and a “one size fits all” shoe would appear? After an exhausting hour of trying different brands and styles I made a choice. So far, so good.

All sizes vary.

Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Romans 12:2

My current views in classrooms offer a variety of sizes! Hearts, minds, emotions, attitudes, learning styles, bodies, and abilities come in “assorted” sizes.

It’s easy to see ourselves through others’ eyes. People will “size you up” quickly. Social media deals a good hand in that game–280 characters, a paragraph rant or rave, or a meme. Whether you’re squeezing into something that doesn’t fit or swallowed by something much bigger than what you need, I know a “one-size-fits-all” God that will make sure YOU fit just right! Ah, surrender. It’s not easy, but necessary and liberating!

There are times I try to squeeze myself into a worldly shape. Am I trying to “fit” into this world or am I keeping an eternal perspective?

God, without you, NOTHING fits right.

In the end, the size of our shoes, wallets, bank accounts, and homes won’t matter. Catastrophic evidence of this has been felt across our country. If a one-size-fits-all compassion, grace, and kindness would exist every day, perhaps we’d stop sizing one another up and just…love.

Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Francis of Assisi

Last Saturday I began this piece. That afternoon a friend shared her husband’s passing. His death was unexpected. My heart hurts for her and the family. Even with faith, loss stings. Suffering ends for one and begins for those who stay behind. I cannot provide any words of comfort but, “I love you.” That evening two other friends and I spoke of survivor’s guilt. It seems selfish to share. It’s hard to separate circumstances from God’s purpose. I don’t want to tell someone (or even hear) “It’s God’s will.” Yes, I believe that God will never leave or forsake me. Why do I know that? I’ve experienced it. Can we extend a hand or a hug out of mercy? Compassion without cynicism. If our Western “workdays” were realistic, we’d spend more time tending to our families, gardens, and overall emotional, mental, and physical health. Struggles are real. Suffering unites us; just as happiness can. As my grandkids grow, family and friends age, and seasons shift, blessings are still bestowed. As I balance health, habits, and happenstance, I’ll keep an eternal perspective with an inspired intuitive initiative. There’s very little I can control, but I have a huge part in how I react. Will you join me in forging forward with faith (and how about Flannel?)?

You are loved. Keep the faith.💛

“America is the first culture in jeopardy of amusing itself to death”-John Piper (Don’t Waste Your Life)

This season includes many memory-making opportunities. I’ll “see” you when the winds blow a bit cooler in a couple of weeks. If you have to choose between responding to me or making a memory, do what’s on your heart (for you’re already in mine). We get one “shot” at this life here–make it count.

Have you heard of NET, yet? 🦓https://www.lacnets.org/ if you or a loved one are diagnosed with NET cancer, I’d encourage you to visit LACNETS.org for exceptional support and resources.

©2020-2024 Flannel with Faith. All rights reserved.

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.
Hebrews 11:1

So long September

Posted on September 30, 2024January 26, 2025 by K.L. Hale — 89 Comments

September, you’re leaving in a surprising and surreal fashion.

Record storms and floods devastated lives and livelihoods. A September to remember. As crunchy leaves fall in summer-like regions, swirling waters and destruction flood the hearts of victims. How can they enjoy the beauty of the fall foliage?

September, you swirled. Are you surprised I’m still here?

Sometimes, it’s all surreal.

What’s the meaning of life? What’s the point? I’m repeatedly reminded that it’s not about wealth, possessions, or position. In a blink of an eye, it can all be gone.

“Meaningless! Meaningless!” says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun? Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. The sun rises and the sun sets, and hurries back to where it rises. The wind blows to the south and turns to the north; round and round it goes, ever returning on its course. All streams flow into the sea, yet the sea is never full. To the place the streams come from, there they return again. All things are wearisome, more than one can say.” Ecclesiastes 1:2-8 (NIV)

“Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, the more knowledge, the more grief.
Ecclesiastes 1:17-18 (NIV)

“What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart, yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:9-11 (NIV)

“Do not say, “Why were the old days better than these? For it is not wise to ask such questions. Wisdom, like inheritance, is a good thing and benefits those who see the sun. Wisdom is a shelter as money is a shelter, but the advantage of knowledge is this: Wisdom preserves those who have it. When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider this: God has made the one as well as the other. Therefore, no one can discover anything about their future.” Ecclesiastes 7:10-11 (NIV)

“As you do not know the path of the wind, or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.” Ecclesiastes 11:5

“Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”
Ecclesiastes 12:13 (NIV)

So long September! October, I welcome you with open arms and a praying heart. Will you create a colorful and crisp comeback for those who need it? Friends, may hope and faith find you. You are loved.

Have faith 💚

Music Monday

Many weeks ago a fellow blogger and I were listening to this song at the same time! Serendipitous? I told her I would record it for her. C, here it is, my friend. It’s not serendipity or coincidence that water songs have been on my heart (I just recorded a voice over of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” for a 2nd time). One of my favorite Kris Kristofferson’s songs has been in my heart, too. The water has overwhelmed and destroyed so much. It’s unfathomable. With faith and trust, I bet my life on the man who walked on water. Have you?

One of my favorites. R.I.P.

Embracing imperfection with faith, flannel, & fresh air

K.L. Hale

Meaningful Maintenance

July 20, 2026

We don’t wait for our car engine to seize before checking the oil, yet so often, we wait until our bodies are exhausted and our…
Finley River Flash Sale!

July 11, 2026

Summer SALE!🏷️ Would you like 25% off? Use Code: JULY25 at checkout Sale ends July 19th! Join the community Learn about new products and discounts…
Stifling Start

July 7, 2026

Summer is off to a stifling start? “What a life!” the almost-five-year-old chimed, her voice full of wonder as she leaned against her dad in…
Ideal Independence

July 2, 2026

Goodnight full moon–goodbye June! Hello, Kaboom! July 1st came in with a sizzle, snap-fizz, and a boom! The countdown to the 4th of July is…

Simplistic Sanctuary

Posted on August 30, 2024January 26, 2025 by K.L. Hale — 105 Comments

If these walls could talk, what would they say?
About bodies with bleeding hearts and hands. 
Building a home of worship, soft like the Sycamore and their souls,
strong like their grit and gratitude.
Resilience rebounded. 
Diligence demanded. 
Fragrance of faith and the forest. 
Lumber of love and frugal floors of forgiveness.
Simplicity alongside the stream. 
As the wind embraces the leaves, the Spirit engulfs the believers.
If the trees could talk, what would they say?
Several sacrificed for this sanctuary. 
Broken branches and hearts 
Congregate with Christ by the creek. 
Everyone is welcomed with open arms.

Traveling the backroads of my soul, some swervy, a few straight, headed to the heart of what matters most. Simplicity. Surrounded by nature, friends, and good music. Fellowship of food & faith. The sights, sounds, and smells of my therapy theme park. Who will gather to hear this kind of music when this generation is gone? It’s not everyone’s cup of coffee, but it puts a spring in my soul. Making new memories; cherishing the past. My resilience rebounded. Health, habits, and homes might change. My heart is fixed.

Sycamore Log Church, built in 1933-nestled in the hills with humility. A simplistic sanctuary stationed by Creation. The Acts of the Gathering meet weekly. Trees, trails, people, and a creek. The Spirit, love, and nature speak.

“Where the river flows everything will live.”
Ezekiel 47:9

“We are in an age of religious complexity. The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found among us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations, and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart.” A.W. Tozer

Pics by K.L. Hale

Embracing imperfection with faith, flannel, & fresh air

K.L. Hale

Meaningful Maintenance

We don’t wait for our car engine to seize before checking the oil, yet so often, we wait until our bodies are exhausted and our spirits are dry before we think about care. Real upkeep isn’t an emergency repair—it’s meaningful maintenance. It sounded like that for many months: bzzzzz-rrrrr-bzzzz. But it got louder when I…
Finley River Flash Sale!

Summer SALE!🏷️ Would you like 25% off? Use Code: JULY25 at checkout Sale ends July 19th! Join the community Learn about new products and discounts Powered by WordPress with WooCommerce
Stifling Start

Summer is off to a stifling start? “What a life!” the almost-five-year-old chimed, her voice full of wonder as she leaned against her dad in a kayak drifting across the cool waters of an Alaskan lake. Nearby, her seven-year-old birthday brother relaxed in a child-sized kayak, stretched out and happily being pulled along by their…