Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus' feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance the perfume.
Ever wonder if what you do makes a difference? If the words you say to your children or the small acts of kindness they never notice, or even the gallant efforts you make to impart great truths matter?
Yeah, me too. Because, as my children have become older, it feels more and more like my parenting is about sacrificial acts that go unnoticed, or even unappreciated. Does my son care that I ran his folder to school (on my way to the airport) after he left it at home? Or my daughter notice that I left her favorite jar of goober (peanut butter and jelly) in her stuff for camp? Or my son notice that I printed off a blog about his desired profession?
Maybe not. But I have to believe that they create a fragrance in our home of love. That my actions are not poured out to them, but actually upon the feet of the Lord, in worship, in gratitude for this rich life. That as I reach inside and give everything I have...there abounds the redolence of grace.
At least I hope so.
So, in a desperate quest to know, I sat down with my son and asked him: What do you miss when I'm gone?
He looked at me and without hesitation said:
Food.
Really, anything else?
Cookies?
And...
Pizza?
Okay, seriously...
Fine, how about popcorn?
Right, well, okay, I got the point. But, as I got up to leave he said, "Wait, Mom. I miss your wisdom, your humor and your good looks."
He was just trying to get on my good side with that last one. But it worked. I'm off to make chocolate chip cookies. Just one of the fragrances I like to leave behind.
But seriously, what fragrance do YOU leave behind? Just something to ponder as we race (or perhaps savor?) summer.
I've been traveling a lot recently - but I am home for a few weeks and enjoyed the 4th of July with my family. I'm working on a new book for a series out next winter with Steeple Hill - a three-book romantic -suspense for Steeple Hill's Love Inspired Suspense line that follows up my Mission: Russia series. This one: a mistaken identity in Cancun (and yes, I forced myself to go there for research. Sacrifices, donchyaknowit.) More on that later. But first...look for Licensed for Trouble, PJ Sugar #3 to hit the stands in August!
Thank you again for all the reader mail - and for your sweet support in the bookstores and online - you leave a fragrance of grace in my life.
In its prime, the Matador Hotel in downtown Albuquerque, New Mexico, hosted railroad barons ,governors, foreign dignitaries, famous outlaws, and even a U.S. president. But by 1954, the Matador was a residence for those with nowhere else to go. Six men, who spent their young lives as cowboys in the Southwest, now gather at the Matador for weekly games of cribbage.
book, THE LONG TRAIL HOME, (Broadman & Holman), won the prestigious 2002 CHRISTY AWARD for excellence in Christian fiction in the category western novel. Three other books, PICTURE ROCK (Crossway Books), THE OUTLAW'S TWIN SISTER (Crossway Books), and LAST OF THE TEXAS CAMP (Broadman & Holman), were Christy Award finalists. He speaks at colleges, churches, camps and conferences across the U.S. and Canada. He is the pastor of Winchester Community Church, and served as mayor of Winchester, Idaho (2000-2007). He has spoken on numerous television and radio programs, including Dr. James Dobson's Focus on the Family. He is an Active Member of the Western Writers of America. Steve graduated summa cum laude in Philosophy from Fresno State University and received a M.Div from Fuller Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Janet (who is also a writer) live at 4,000 ft. elevation in the mountains of north-central Idaho, in the pine trees, next to a lake on the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. The Blys have three sons: Russell (married to Lois) and father of Zachary and Miranda, Michael (married to Michelle), and Aaron (married to Rina Joye) and father of Keaton. A third generation westerner, Steve spent his early years working on ranches and farms. In his spare time, he pursues collecting antique Winchesters (see www.tapaderaswinchesters.com) . . . and construction of Broken Arrow Crossing, a false front western village near his home.
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