Let it Soak In

I set the wooden slats from our garden bench on a thick piece of cardboard on our garage floor. Dark wood peeked through the soft yellow paint, beckoning another coat for protection from the baking sun, pelting rain and lingering snow.

I started painting the bench last fall, brushing on that first soft yellow coat. Then one snow turned into another here in Iowa, with a cold, white quilt putting a summery garden bench in the back of my mind.

Then comes 2010. One rainfall merged into another through the spring and much of the summer, and I had set the slats – about the width of my palm – against the north wall of our garage, partly tucked between the upright freezer and my husband’s workbench. Distraction, plus procrastination, and here it is the next October, and I’m finally finishing the project.

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

NIV (biblegateway.com)

This week, I poured the yellow paint into a paper bowl, took the narrow, black-bristled brush and began in long strokes across the slats. Sometimes, I glopped too much paint on my brush, and I could hear the wood yelling, “Air! I need to breathe!” OK, I didn’t really hear that. However, personification ranks as one of my favorite writing tools.

But the project did speak to me. Actually, God used the painting project to speak to me. He faithfully touches me with truth often, so this came as no surprise to me.

But I am thankful.

You see, I am a studier. I love to flop open my Bible across the oak grain of our fingernail-polish-marked, century-old kitchen table, and look down into the study notes, see if I agree with the interpretation and envision the cultural insights, read the cross-reference verses to see the continuity in His Word, and generally dawdle in learning and re-learning priceless truths. This makes me so utterly aware of His love for me and mine, of His perfection and His breadth.

Genesis 5:21-24

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.

NIV (biblegateway.com)

I can easily spend hours loitering in the Bible – but the laundry, appointments, errands and vacuuming call to me, too. 

So, as I stroked paint on slat after slat of the seat and back of our bench, I noticed a little paint soaks in. Too much stays on top, pooling and really, being wasted.

Paint will peel off far too easily when it’s spread on too thickly. Likewise, mere head knowledge of God and His word offers less than He planned when He commanded us (me) to keep His words on our hearts (my heart).

His word on my heart? That’s a project I want to prioritize, not set aside. With a gentle heart attitude, not bound by be-a-better-Christian rules, but seeing the words of God’s heart through His love. Because He’s with me always.

Like with the paint, I don’t want to just spread study – or service or anything else – on so thickly that they do not soak into the wood, into my heart.

Romans 5:5

and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.

ASV (onlineparallelbible.com)

I long to live, and do live, with Him continually, aware that there will be stumbles on my part. I love and need my relationship with my God – Father, Son and Spirit – to spread out, over and into my life and my identity. More and more. To His glory.



©Helene Bergren. All Rights Reserved.

A Work Trip's Blessings

Visiting a dairy farm with brown Swiss milk cows - and this cute sample of their youngstock - made a special treat for me. Photo by Helene Bergren


©Helene Bergren. All Rights Reserved.

What a week. A whirlwind of recording video interviews, shooting harvest, livestock and dairy farm photos, and learning new software.

From Monday through Wednesday, I traveled on a video production trip through bluffy northeast Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin.

The travels gave me the chance to meet some bright young dairy farmers and their families, pet cute calves, visit vibrant small towns, and the bonus experience of web software training in Minneapolis, Minn.

Our travels took my boss-client and I in a large circle from Ames, Iowa, through Minnesota into La Crosse, Wis., up through Eau Claire, Wis., into Minneapolis, and back down to Ames. Phew.

Previous video trips’ schedules have jammed even more into each day. This time around, we were eating supper between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. each night, pretty much, and found our stopping-point towns and were checked into our Super 8s (Plush, I know.) by 10 p.m. Not bad at all.

Two things I appreciate about this week – in addition to the chance to see the adorable calves and come home to my family.

1. God gave me a way to learn

2. He showed me how much I need to protect and prioritize special time with Him if I plan to have any

Back in the 90s, my love of learning, in part, drew me into this journalistic career. The fun part about my educational addiction is, I do not require some new fantastic skill. Little facts gratify me, too.

Such as . . .

·      Every rural road in Wisconsin is paved. So they cover the cost with a higher gas tax

·      Decorah, Iowa, offers a vibrant downtown, with coffee shops, well-preserved Main-Street style architecture, college-town events, a variety of retail stores and friendly people

·      When you eat at restaurants in Italy, often just being seated tallies up to a $2 cover charge just to take a load off

Intelligent people are always ready to learn.

            Their ears are open for knowledge.

Proverbs 18:15 NLT

I’m not sure I fall into any particularly intelligent category. Pretty easy to see that based on my bullet list, I know.

However, gaining new insight this week showed me again what a variety of people God made, what great expertise people have in fields far different than mine, how big this world is, and when I think about it, how even bigger God is. That’s all good news.

Packing in Time with Him

When I travel, I in no way want to put God up on a shelf. In the midst of the driving and viewing scenery, I enjoy looking out and praising God for His handiwork, and seeking Him in how to handle an interview or conversation.

Of course, while driving, I could ask to listen to a praise music station or crack open my Bible in the car, and I have done that before. But who wants to be showy? I want this time to be a special, private meeting between just God and me.

So, this week showed me – again - how great a blessing God gave me when he opened the door for me to stay home with my children 12 years ago. A big benefit of that time has been my ability to lollygag around with Him in the Word, prayer journaling and the like. 

What a renewed respect I gained for my brothers and sisters in Christ who work full-time, parent, exercise and still protect time with Him.

So, on this outing, I missed a day of taking a bigger chunk of time to be with Him, though, I chatted with Him now and then. And starting a day in prayer — no better way exists to preface my day.

In part, when I think about an eventual return to full-time work, it will be natural for me to just set an alarm or stay up later to delve into prayer and Bible study time. True enough. But I also know, I will want and need to work hard to keep it a priority, with a heart of love for Him, not fear or self-condemnation.

So, I am thankful to God for the heads up of how I may need to re-structure my days as my life stages change. And I am thankful He leads me and blesses me in all the time I spend with him, whether it means a one-hour sit-down with him, or sweet snippets throughout the day. Any time praising Him and bringing Him glory matters eternally, and it makes my life better.

“. . . My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.”

John 10:10 NLT



©Helene Bergren. All Rights Reserved. 

Wisdom from Above

God's wisdom is above even these gorgeous clouds He made.  Photo by Helene Bergren


©Helene Bergren. All Rights Reserved.

Helene's Psalm

God, I thank you
For your counsel
exceeds my wisdom

I praise you
for sustaining love
for clarity

for the epiphany moment

for the understanding
for the direction

I praise you
for the relief
for taking my burden
for lifting my spirits
for casting away confusion
and hurt

I praise you

for all you impart

I praise you
for peace




©Helene Bergren. All Rights Reserved.
In our church, we are in the midst of a series called Emotionally Healthy Spirituality, based on a book by the same name (and based on God and His Word, obviously). Our pastor preached out of Psalms, and gave us space to write our own. The above poem/blog post comes from that time. The day before, God had just given me real peace about some directions and focus in terms of career and education for me and in our home. Praise Him continually.

Jorge` Turns 14

Someone in Guatemala counts on my love. And I love him.

His name is Jorge`, and on Tuesday, he turns 14. He is my sponsor son, and across the miles, I wonder, wonder what he is doing during each day. I see in each picture I receive from Compassion International how much he grows each year. I see in the words of his letters, how he's growing mentally.

I hear of soccer and a new backpack he received with last year's Christmas gift. I hear his brother is sick. I hear of weather, and months ago, his fears that H1N1 would strike Guatemala. So here I am a thousand miles away from him, in his mountain village, praying God would protect him.

I see in the pictures he's drawn for me through the years that he's learning about the world around him. When he was younger, I mentioned that I grew up in a town steeped in the history of the railroad, and he drew me an adorable train in colored pencil. I mentioned flowers I tend in my landscaping, and the letter I received from him in August, shows the intricate layers of a rose - like the roses bordering my home. He pays attention, this boy does.

I love him. And I love his letters.

He says, "Please keep praying for me." And thanks me because he knows I do.

It doesn't cost much, sponsoring a child - $38 per month through Compassion International. And when I sponsor Jorge` through Compassion, I know he's receiving something far more important than an education. Far more important even than meals, birthday and Christmas gifts. He receives the good news of Jesus Christ, that he died, was buried and rose again, for Jorge` (for me, for you, for all of us) so we might spend forever in Heaven with our perfect Maker. We just have to reach out in faith.

Jorge` lives a life we in America would still call poverty, even with my help. But He has hope. God's care. And did I mention I love him?

What do you think? Won't you do this? Won't you honor my sponsor son Jorge` on his 14th birthday, Sept. 21, and more importantly Jesus Christ, by going to compassion.com, and sponsoring a child?

Are you friends with my husband, Rod Bergren, on Facebook? Do you follow him on Twitter? Being a Diet Mountain Dew addict, anytime someone catches him drinking Dew, or mentioning Dew on Facebook or Twitter, he's coughing up a dollar. Won't you do something?


©Helene Bergren. All Rights Reserved. 

Gratitude Graphic

From Gratitude Graphic ©Helene Bergren. All Rights Reserved.

Thank You, Lord, for . . .

Ta-Da! My last post in the series about gratitude. I spent four hours last night making a very cool Adobe Illustrator file with stars and different-colored fonts of this non-exhaustive list of what I am thankful for. But, in none of the file versions I tried does the text show up readable enough in Blogger. Sigh. Maybe I'll make a homemade T-shirt with it or print it and have it framed. Yay, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of my non-technical side, I shall rejoice and be glad in this Friday. Blessings in Christ to you. Read on and see how abundantly blessed I am. It's a mix of the serious and light-hearted, generally in no particular order. I highly recommend this exercise of listing what brings praise and thanks to God into your heart. Enjoy.

Father Son Holy Spirit. Salvation in Jesus! My husband. Jessica. Daphne. David. The Family I grew up in. Baby feet. Baby hands. Baby smiles and giggles. Worship time at The Ridge. Hearing from my home the sound of children playing at recess on the school playground a few blocks away. The gift of life.

Indoor plumbing. Electricity. My faith. Modern medicine. My sponsor son, Jorge`. God as Savior, Healer, Provider, Leader, Counselor, Maker. His presence. My sisters. Plentiful food sources in America. My parents. The wisdom of earlier generations. Rainbows. Snuggling with hubby and children. Jokes my children make up. Artwork my children create.

Rumba panties on little girls. Little girls in black patent shoes. Tractor sounds little boys make when they play farm. The generally loud energy of little boys. Being home with my children for 12 years and counting. Umbrellas. The Bible. My spiritual gifts. Nehemiah’s example. Thunder and lightning. Mozart. Bach. Beethoven. Mancini. Casting Crowns. Newsboys. Rebecca St. James. Lilies of many colors. Milk. Roses. Daffodils. My parents’ farm. Growing up on a farm and in the country. Small group friends. Childhood friends. Electricity and running water. Cousins, dozens, and dozens!

The fruit of the Spirit in my life, and in the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Aunties and Uncles. My husband’s fix-it abilities – car, house, computers. Sleepovers as a child, and hosting them for my children today. Strawberries and memories of Grandma’s strawberry patch. Being born on Granddad’s birthday, and Jessica being born on Grandma and Granddad’s wedding anniversary. Daphne coming home from the hospital on her dad’s birthday two days after her birth. David’s birthday so close to one of my sister’s. Enjoying (mostly) the miracle of three full-term pregnancies. Sunrises and sunsets. Jesus’ bodily resurrection.

Experiencing time on the Pacific and the Atlantic. Mission trips to the Navajo Nation and the border of Mexico. God’s pure wisdom. My health. Mercy & Grace. Swingsets. Nieces and nephews. Godly examples to follow in my church and circle of friends. Grandpa Fred. Piano lessons from Aunt Irene, and having her as my great aunt.

Peace that passes understanding. Crest Whitening Strips. That 10^th Anniversary trip to Tahiti. Sweet, sweet neighbors. Seeing friends who have moved away. Living in a safe community. Teaching children. AWANA for my kids. Talking about God, and my walk with the Lord with others. College. How God provides for our family through my husband great brain and hard work. The examples of Daniel and Joseph. Learning how God is working in other people’s lives, hearing what exactly He’s up to with others. Bubblegum.

20^th Wedding Anniversary family vacation to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Apple pie. Psalms. Making birthday cakes for my children. Talking about Bible passages with my husband. Photography. Writing. That God would work through me as a vessel. That my kids enjoy school. Giving speeches, or teaching, and how God calms me for presentations. Impressionist Art. How God has poured out His grace on me in so many ways. Being a nurturer. Decorating. Working in my landscaping and with flowers. Fun, sweet Aunt Helen.

Smiling at strangers, and getting smiles back. Rocking babies. Reading to children. Colors – Red, Blue, Pink, Yellow, Lavendar, Aqua, Seafoam Green, Sunset Orange, Burgundy, Lime Green. Steak. My mom. My dad. The worship example of Mary of Bethany. That I still have both my parents. Memories of fun times with my in-laws. Having the name of the grandmother I never met for my first name. Sharing my middle name with the grandma I knew and grew up loving so dearly, and knowing I’ll be reunited with her in Heaven.

Prairie Ridge Church. Christian books. Compassion International. Samaritan’s Purse. Gospel for Asia. Thru the Bible. Oneplace.com. My literacy. Flexible, creative work. Dates with my husband. Peppy cars. Vacations in Chicago. Lollipops. Tootsie Pops. Great authors. Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Religion. The Constitution. Godly leadership. Make-Up. Seeing Churchill Downs. The smell of harvest in Iowa. Horses. Kittens. Puppies. Jo-Jo the love dog. Nachos. A good joke or riddle. Medical advances.

Praising God - openly and freely in the U.S. A really good run. Trees. Our safe neighborhood. Chick conversations. A good love story. Funny movies. Getting to see foals and calves born. Piglets. Red or white barns. Caring for others. Towels warm from the dryer. Chocolate milk. Neapolitan ice cream.

Chai. Iowa, beautiful land. Polka dots. Stripes. Other people’s patience with me. The promise of Heaven for all who confess with their mouths Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in their hearts that God raised Him from the dead.

©Helene Bergren. All Rights Reserved.