Today is the sixteenth anniversary of the birth of my firstborn’s firstborn; child of my child, daughter of my daughter, Haylie Marie. I was blessed to be present at her birth and remember it as well as her mother’s birth. It was a day of joy and anticipation. An overwhelming emotion comes over you as you watch your child look into the face of her child for the first time. The miracle that we call life should not be taken for granted.
The magnitude of that wonderful event, as big as it was at the time, did not fully sink into my understanding until I was reading the Bible one day. I'll admit it was difficult to read about all that “begetting” going on throughout the pages of Biblical history. I would skim through quickly giving neither my attention nor the proper respect due to why it was important. To me, at the time, it was just something to get through. Then one day, early in my grandparent years, it hit me; I was a part of that begetting, had done some begetting of my own and now my children were begetting. This was my first authentic connection to the Old Testament. I felt for the first time a part of God’s Big Picture. I was a tiny piece of thread in the tapestry of eternity. Somewhere was a line from me to the man and woman God crafted and created with His own hands. I was family.
Sounds strange now to say I never felt connected to the Old Testament before that moment. In my Christian infancy I felt as if that part of the Bible was more for historical reference. All my life I believed the story of creation, Noah’s great ark adventure, Moses parting the waters and I was certain God lived in heaven. I expected to go there myself. The part of the Bible that applied to me, as far as my ignorance was concerned, was the New Testament. The rest was just a prelude of things to come. I was right and I was wrong. It was a prelude in that it came before what was written about Christ; but it was the foundation, on which the time of Christ’s life on earth was foretold; the roadmap from creation to redemption. It is very trunk of God’s family tree.
Today I will pick up my tenth grandchild, Madielynn Marie, for an overnight visit. We will watch her every move in amazement and wonder as parents and grandparents tend to do. My husband will comment about how much she looks like him and to prove it, he will refer to the picture of our son, her father, as a small boy. It is true, there is a strong family resemblance but it is the big picture of God’s family that we hope to pass on to our children and our children’s children for generations to come.
Happy Birthday, Haylie, my love. You are family and I thank God for you!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
American Idol
1 John 5:21 Dear children, keep yourselves from idols.
We are in a time when idols are alive and well. Biblical history and scripture tells of idols made from silver, gold, bronze or wood; crafted by hand yet worshipped as if real power lived within. Today, they drive expensive cars, live on the silver screen and in our homes via technology and reign on high as some sort of superior beings. Sadly, they have a sort of power that idols of old never possessed. They have the power of communication. This is far more dangerous. They reach far more people sitting on a couch during one interview on a talk show than ever heard Jesus preach in person. Sobering thought, isn’t it?
We have made demi-gods out of actors, musicians, politicians, athletes, and even people whose only claim to fame is that they have money they did not even earn, the rich and famous. We have also included some religious leaders. We elevate them above John Q. Public and watch their every move, hanging on their every word. Entire television shows and magazines are dedicated to reporting any and everything they can about these people. Since that is not often solicitous enough for the hungry smut appetites, they make up more enticing ‘news’ to report.
The dangerous thing is that we given great weight and import to the opinions of these man made idols. Generally, they are neither educated nor knowledgeable about the issues they are spouting off about more than John Q. Public but, because it is one of our idols, we hang on every word as if it were gospel and adopt it as our own because SURELY, if our idol has said it, thinks it, believes it, promotes it….it MUST be right. Oh my!
Part Two of the paragraph above is that some of these idols believe their own PR and feel they need to enlighten the rest of us. They abuse their access to exposure as a personal platform for their pet projects, political views and faith preferences. If Oprah endorses it, people line up to buy it. Willie Nelson has the voice of a toad but huge crowds will stand in the hot sun or pouring rain to see this drug fueled and law breaking performer …. paying big bucks to do so!
Idols made by American people, worshipped by American people, and in direct conflict with God’s holy word are ‘preaching’ on a regular basis. Our culture is not unique in this mentality, neither is it something new on the timeline of man; but because of technology and world wide communication, more and more people are influenced by them. Yet another case where the devil can sit back and watch man facilitate his own downfall!
The Bible very clearly admonishes us to stay away from idols and idolaters; yet we are creating idols out of people that simply chose a profession, in the case of actors, where they pretend to be what they are not; how ironic is that? Then we worship them; making idolaters of ourselves! 1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. Am I saying we should avoid movies and television? No. I AM saying we need to be diligent and pro-active when we see an attitude in our families where this mentality may be taking hold. We are to guard and hold ourselves, our children and other Christian believers to the standard and instructions of the Bible. This is God’s word, not merely suggestions.
If God does not hold one person above another, who are we then to create an idol from another human being?
We are in a time when idols are alive and well. Biblical history and scripture tells of idols made from silver, gold, bronze or wood; crafted by hand yet worshipped as if real power lived within. Today, they drive expensive cars, live on the silver screen and in our homes via technology and reign on high as some sort of superior beings. Sadly, they have a sort of power that idols of old never possessed. They have the power of communication. This is far more dangerous. They reach far more people sitting on a couch during one interview on a talk show than ever heard Jesus preach in person. Sobering thought, isn’t it?
We have made demi-gods out of actors, musicians, politicians, athletes, and even people whose only claim to fame is that they have money they did not even earn, the rich and famous. We have also included some religious leaders. We elevate them above John Q. Public and watch their every move, hanging on their every word. Entire television shows and magazines are dedicated to reporting any and everything they can about these people. Since that is not often solicitous enough for the hungry smut appetites, they make up more enticing ‘news’ to report.
The dangerous thing is that we given great weight and import to the opinions of these man made idols. Generally, they are neither educated nor knowledgeable about the issues they are spouting off about more than John Q. Public but, because it is one of our idols, we hang on every word as if it were gospel and adopt it as our own because SURELY, if our idol has said it, thinks it, believes it, promotes it….it MUST be right. Oh my!
Part Two of the paragraph above is that some of these idols believe their own PR and feel they need to enlighten the rest of us. They abuse their access to exposure as a personal platform for their pet projects, political views and faith preferences. If Oprah endorses it, people line up to buy it. Willie Nelson has the voice of a toad but huge crowds will stand in the hot sun or pouring rain to see this drug fueled and law breaking performer …. paying big bucks to do so!
Idols made by American people, worshipped by American people, and in direct conflict with God’s holy word are ‘preaching’ on a regular basis. Our culture is not unique in this mentality, neither is it something new on the timeline of man; but because of technology and world wide communication, more and more people are influenced by them. Yet another case where the devil can sit back and watch man facilitate his own downfall!
The Bible very clearly admonishes us to stay away from idols and idolaters; yet we are creating idols out of people that simply chose a profession, in the case of actors, where they pretend to be what they are not; how ironic is that? Then we worship them; making idolaters of ourselves! 1 Corinthians 10:14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. Am I saying we should avoid movies and television? No. I AM saying we need to be diligent and pro-active when we see an attitude in our families where this mentality may be taking hold. We are to guard and hold ourselves, our children and other Christian believers to the standard and instructions of the Bible. This is God’s word, not merely suggestions.
If God does not hold one person above another, who are we then to create an idol from another human being?
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
What a Life!
It’s a chilly morning and still dark outside. I’m still sitting at the computer having spent time reading the Bible, looking up scripture and specific prayers concerning the needs of people I love that are going through a difficult time and struggle. I want to make sure I cover their specific needs in prayer.
When someone you love hurts and their life is out of whack you share their pain. Words never seem enough to calm a frantic or saddened heart. Loss comes in all shapes and sizes and is an equal opportunity heartache looking for a place to happen. Needs looms large in every life from time to time.
Then our little puppy, Pan Dulce, wakes and wants attention. First he runs around as fast as his little legs will let him, and then he comes to me hopping on his back legs, wanting my attention and in my lap. He is a long-haired Chihuahua though he still has puppy hair and is cold, shivering. I put on my robe, tying the belt tightly around me and slip that shaky little mass of energy between me and the robe. He snuggles in next to my chest like a baby kangaroo in his mother’s pouch. Soon the warmth of our bodies calms the shivering and he relaxes even more. His immediate needs are met. All is right in his world and he feels loved, comforted, and taken care of.
From time to time Pan Dulce will poke his head out of the top of the robe to see what is going on. Then, reassured, he snuggles back in. I can almost hear my husband saying, “¡Qué vida” which is Spanish for “What a life!”.
When we made the decision to bring Pan Dulce into our family, we knew we were taking on responsibility for his life and he would be dependent on us to meet his needs. Sometimes that means cleaning up his messes. We made the choice to love and protect him, regardless of circumstance, regardless of whether or not it was convenient. In return we receive his total unconditional love. He brings us joy on a daily basis.
God made that same decision about each of us. He made the choice to love and protect us. Just as Pan Dulce depends on us, we are completely dependent on God….whether we know it or not! When we realize that we can not make it on our on and allow God to be in control, it is HIS unconditional love that provides for our needs, cleans up our messes regardless of circumstance. We can climb up in the lap of the Lord and He will wrap is loving arms around us; warming us when we are cold, feeding us when we are hungry, comforting us when we feel the pain of loss.
Pan Dulce made his need for me obvious with his hopping up and down to get my attention. He wanted me, needed me and knew he could come to me. What message are you sending God today? Is it just as obvious that you want Him, need Him and know you can go to Him?
Could someone look at your life in the Lord and say, “¡Qué vida”?
When someone you love hurts and their life is out of whack you share their pain. Words never seem enough to calm a frantic or saddened heart. Loss comes in all shapes and sizes and is an equal opportunity heartache looking for a place to happen. Needs looms large in every life from time to time.
Then our little puppy, Pan Dulce, wakes and wants attention. First he runs around as fast as his little legs will let him, and then he comes to me hopping on his back legs, wanting my attention and in my lap. He is a long-haired Chihuahua though he still has puppy hair and is cold, shivering. I put on my robe, tying the belt tightly around me and slip that shaky little mass of energy between me and the robe. He snuggles in next to my chest like a baby kangaroo in his mother’s pouch. Soon the warmth of our bodies calms the shivering and he relaxes even more. His immediate needs are met. All is right in his world and he feels loved, comforted, and taken care of.
From time to time Pan Dulce will poke his head out of the top of the robe to see what is going on. Then, reassured, he snuggles back in. I can almost hear my husband saying, “¡Qué vida” which is Spanish for “What a life!”.
When we made the decision to bring Pan Dulce into our family, we knew we were taking on responsibility for his life and he would be dependent on us to meet his needs. Sometimes that means cleaning up his messes. We made the choice to love and protect him, regardless of circumstance, regardless of whether or not it was convenient. In return we receive his total unconditional love. He brings us joy on a daily basis.
God made that same decision about each of us. He made the choice to love and protect us. Just as Pan Dulce depends on us, we are completely dependent on God….whether we know it or not! When we realize that we can not make it on our on and allow God to be in control, it is HIS unconditional love that provides for our needs, cleans up our messes regardless of circumstance. We can climb up in the lap of the Lord and He will wrap is loving arms around us; warming us when we are cold, feeding us when we are hungry, comforting us when we feel the pain of loss.
Pan Dulce made his need for me obvious with his hopping up and down to get my attention. He wanted me, needed me and knew he could come to me. What message are you sending God today? Is it just as obvious that you want Him, need Him and know you can go to Him?
Could someone look at your life in the Lord and say, “¡Qué vida”?
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
A Rose By Any Other Name
Today’s title is part of a line from Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. The full line says, “that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet”
Today we can no longer say that. The high price of roses may get you a beautiful bouquet, squeals of delight when given as a gift and/or many brownie points from the receiver of said gift; but it will not buy the fragrant aroma of a rose from the time of Shakespeare.
Sadly, in man’s infinite wisdom (she wrote, tongue in cheek) we have taken a glorious creation of God and developed a product we consider ‘improved’. It will last longer after being cut, it can be showy on a long thorn-less stem, it can come in any color we choose, and it can come any time of year you choose. No longer bound by nature, man has altered God’s handiwork to suit his own preferences.
In doing so, we have lost the once heady aroma of a rose that was its unique fingerprint in nature. A rose no longer smells as sweet as a rose.
There are still sweet smelling roses to be found but you have to look hard to find them. You won’t find them in the cooler of a florist shop. You have to dig around and find a nursery source that may carry a variety or two among the multitude of the ‘improved’ versions. Why do you think it is so hard to find an authentic rose bush? Rose gardens once spilled their fragrant petals on pathways, trellises, up porch columns, over fences and onto anything strong enough to hold them up. Man decided this was too untidy. We needed something more manageable, something we could control more easily without all the effort of the now dubbed ‘old fashioned’ roses. We needed something we could market to the general populous as an easy to grow, accessible to buy and readily available for the top dollar holidays. We took God’s awesome rose and prostituted it right out of its aroma….but, golly; she looks pretty from a distance, doesn’t she?
Sad as this is, it is very common. Man has done the same thing in many areas, including many of our churches and faiths. If Jesus were to walk into a church today I wonder if He would even recognize what we call worship. Man has added and taken away so much of what is written in the Bible, I dare say we have gone the way of the rose in many cases. It may look like a church from a distance but does it give off the sweet aroma of knowledge of Him; that fragrant offering that is mentioned in the Bible? Have we picked the qualities we like and discarded the ones that make us feel uncomfortable? Have we changed the very color of faith to suit our particular desires? Have we taken the freedom of growth in Christ and made it neat and tidy so we can control it better?
Man made religions, like man made roses have lost their sweet smell; they do not carry the soothing aroma of Christ to man or heaven.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (New American Standard Bible) But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
I’ll take that messy, profuse, and sweet smelling old fashioned rose over the long stemmed any day. I’m holding tight to my old fashioned faith, too.
Today we can no longer say that. The high price of roses may get you a beautiful bouquet, squeals of delight when given as a gift and/or many brownie points from the receiver of said gift; but it will not buy the fragrant aroma of a rose from the time of Shakespeare.
Sadly, in man’s infinite wisdom (she wrote, tongue in cheek) we have taken a glorious creation of God and developed a product we consider ‘improved’. It will last longer after being cut, it can be showy on a long thorn-less stem, it can come in any color we choose, and it can come any time of year you choose. No longer bound by nature, man has altered God’s handiwork to suit his own preferences.
In doing so, we have lost the once heady aroma of a rose that was its unique fingerprint in nature. A rose no longer smells as sweet as a rose.
There are still sweet smelling roses to be found but you have to look hard to find them. You won’t find them in the cooler of a florist shop. You have to dig around and find a nursery source that may carry a variety or two among the multitude of the ‘improved’ versions. Why do you think it is so hard to find an authentic rose bush? Rose gardens once spilled their fragrant petals on pathways, trellises, up porch columns, over fences and onto anything strong enough to hold them up. Man decided this was too untidy. We needed something more manageable, something we could control more easily without all the effort of the now dubbed ‘old fashioned’ roses. We needed something we could market to the general populous as an easy to grow, accessible to buy and readily available for the top dollar holidays. We took God’s awesome rose and prostituted it right out of its aroma….but, golly; she looks pretty from a distance, doesn’t she?
Sad as this is, it is very common. Man has done the same thing in many areas, including many of our churches and faiths. If Jesus were to walk into a church today I wonder if He would even recognize what we call worship. Man has added and taken away so much of what is written in the Bible, I dare say we have gone the way of the rose in many cases. It may look like a church from a distance but does it give off the sweet aroma of knowledge of Him; that fragrant offering that is mentioned in the Bible? Have we picked the qualities we like and discarded the ones that make us feel uncomfortable? Have we changed the very color of faith to suit our particular desires? Have we taken the freedom of growth in Christ and made it neat and tidy so we can control it better?
Man made religions, like man made roses have lost their sweet smell; they do not carry the soothing aroma of Christ to man or heaven.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (New American Standard Bible) But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place. For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;
I’ll take that messy, profuse, and sweet smelling old fashioned rose over the long stemmed any day. I’m holding tight to my old fashioned faith, too.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Lesson for Today
There is no wisdom in jumping ahead of God. His plan for us is far greater than anything we can come up with ourselves. Yet, when we function from a fleshly perspective rather than waiting on Him, we race ahead thinking we are really doing something. We could not be more wrong.
I dedicated the writing I do for this blog to the Lord. He gave me the ability to write, without that I could do nothing. I want to use the life lessons God teaches me to reach others. I’m confident that there are others out there that need to learn what ever lesson God shows me in my own life. So, I have determined to use this platform for His purposes.
Every writer wants people to read the words they labored to set in order. That is in part, why we write in the first place. I know I might be able to increase my readership if I wrote a secular blog. Sadly, there are far too many people out there that would not ever consider reading a blog labeled Christian, Devotional, or Faith. I currently have two blogs, I could make one secular and leave the other Christian based. I COULD, yes, but I won’t. I DID dedicate my efforts to the Lord and it would be total foolishness to go back on that. I believe the Lord will bring those He wants to my site and if only one person is touched and benefits from anything I write, then I will consider my efforts successful.
I try to wait on the Lord daily for what He would have me write. I rush to my computer early every morning, even while the coffee makes, in order to have His business be the first thing in my day. I read from the Bible to have His word be fresh in my mind. This morning while reading in Proverbs, I read a scripture I thought would be good for today’s writing. So I set about putting it together. I wrote a complete piece. I thought it was pretty good.
Here’s the thing, I came up with the idea; it was not the gentle nudge from the Lord I seek every morning. I knew this as I wrote it and I kept going regardless. As I finished the piece and moved into edit mode, I felt that familiar holy hand on my shoulder and the quiet voice in my spirit asking if I was ready to wait on Him now. I closed the piece and saved it in my Writing Projects folder in My Documents.
I still think it’s a good piece and one day the Lord may release me to use it. Till then, it will sit in that folder. I wish I could say that was an isolated incident and I’ve not done that before, but I can’t. More than once, I have written something the Lord has not released me to use and I’ve had to file it away. What you give to the Lord it is His; no longer yours to do with as you please. Yes, I could have mechanically moved it to my blog site anyway, there is that whole free will thing……but when you dedicate something to the Lord, there is no wisdom in taking it back when being faithful to your word is inconvenient. It was His all along anyway.
That, my Friends, is the lesson for today.
I dedicated the writing I do for this blog to the Lord. He gave me the ability to write, without that I could do nothing. I want to use the life lessons God teaches me to reach others. I’m confident that there are others out there that need to learn what ever lesson God shows me in my own life. So, I have determined to use this platform for His purposes.
Every writer wants people to read the words they labored to set in order. That is in part, why we write in the first place. I know I might be able to increase my readership if I wrote a secular blog. Sadly, there are far too many people out there that would not ever consider reading a blog labeled Christian, Devotional, or Faith. I currently have two blogs, I could make one secular and leave the other Christian based. I COULD, yes, but I won’t. I DID dedicate my efforts to the Lord and it would be total foolishness to go back on that. I believe the Lord will bring those He wants to my site and if only one person is touched and benefits from anything I write, then I will consider my efforts successful.
I try to wait on the Lord daily for what He would have me write. I rush to my computer early every morning, even while the coffee makes, in order to have His business be the first thing in my day. I read from the Bible to have His word be fresh in my mind. This morning while reading in Proverbs, I read a scripture I thought would be good for today’s writing. So I set about putting it together. I wrote a complete piece. I thought it was pretty good.
Here’s the thing, I came up with the idea; it was not the gentle nudge from the Lord I seek every morning. I knew this as I wrote it and I kept going regardless. As I finished the piece and moved into edit mode, I felt that familiar holy hand on my shoulder and the quiet voice in my spirit asking if I was ready to wait on Him now. I closed the piece and saved it in my Writing Projects folder in My Documents.
I still think it’s a good piece and one day the Lord may release me to use it. Till then, it will sit in that folder. I wish I could say that was an isolated incident and I’ve not done that before, but I can’t. More than once, I have written something the Lord has not released me to use and I’ve had to file it away. What you give to the Lord it is His; no longer yours to do with as you please. Yes, I could have mechanically moved it to my blog site anyway, there is that whole free will thing……but when you dedicate something to the Lord, there is no wisdom in taking it back when being faithful to your word is inconvenient. It was His all along anyway.
That, my Friends, is the lesson for today.
Friday, October 23, 2009
It's Alive!
We live on a hillside on the southeastern edge of the Hill Country in Texas. One word sums up our one acre yard…rocks. The dirt is shallow, porous and pretty good at growing native vegetation. No grass in my yard but if you’re looking for that sticky weed that sticks to shoelaces and socks, we’ve got ya covered! Our landscaping efforts do okay as long as we stick to the native plants and succulents. I happen to like them, so it is not all bad.
There is an area on the steeper downhill corner of our home where fill materials were boxed in with a retaining wall. It’s between 4 ½ - 5 feet deep. This would be an awesome place to grow something pretty if it had real dirt in it instead of the rocky hard packed mess it is. Thankfully, it is not readily visible. It has been the proverbial thorn in this gardener’s side!
I am determined that, one day; I will have usable dirt in which to plant something lovely in that corner. It became my mission. Can’t dig it out and start over because it is vital to the foundation of our home. No wisdom there. So, it must stay in place. Till then, it might as well be useful. I decided to make that my compost spot.
I cook with a lot fresh veggies, so I am contributing to the compost pile daily. It’s amazing to me the number of things you can compost, turning trash and waste into something good. It’s been a few years now of depositing veggie scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells and various other materials. It’s handy, out of sight and working toward a better end; all good things.
The other day I was out on the hillside deck enjoying a cup of coffee and our awesome view. I meandered to the side that looks over on the compost pile about 4 feet below. For a moment my eyes could not make sense of what they were seeing. It was as if the compost bed was alive! Movement, tiny slight movement everywhere created an optical illusion. Then my brain sorted it out and I realized the entire bed was covered in butterflies! They were making a meal stop on the smorgasbord that was my compost pile! It was beautiful. Such a God thing!
The Master Gardener takes the hard hearts of people and turns them into useful, good soil in which He can grow beauty, kindness and love. He takes the trash and gunk from our lives and works it all together for His greater purposes. I’ve witnessed that in my own life! Others benefit from this miraculous change and the cycle of seed time and harvest continues to produce in the lives of His people.
The butterflies certainly looked as if they were delighted about the food source they found. My family has reaped rewards as well. We were shocked and excited to find an abundance of cherry tomatoes vines cascading down the side of the retaining wall a couple of years ago. Not only were they beautiful but loaded with delicious tomatoes. At this moment in time, late October, we have at least six tomato plants thriving and a vine, possibly squash or cantaloupe springing up. It’s too early to tell what it is but the testimony of the fact it even exists is remarkable. We’ll just keep doing our part and see what God has in store for us.
There is an area on the steeper downhill corner of our home where fill materials were boxed in with a retaining wall. It’s between 4 ½ - 5 feet deep. This would be an awesome place to grow something pretty if it had real dirt in it instead of the rocky hard packed mess it is. Thankfully, it is not readily visible. It has been the proverbial thorn in this gardener’s side!
I am determined that, one day; I will have usable dirt in which to plant something lovely in that corner. It became my mission. Can’t dig it out and start over because it is vital to the foundation of our home. No wisdom there. So, it must stay in place. Till then, it might as well be useful. I decided to make that my compost spot.
I cook with a lot fresh veggies, so I am contributing to the compost pile daily. It’s amazing to me the number of things you can compost, turning trash and waste into something good. It’s been a few years now of depositing veggie scraps, coffee grounds, egg shells and various other materials. It’s handy, out of sight and working toward a better end; all good things.
The other day I was out on the hillside deck enjoying a cup of coffee and our awesome view. I meandered to the side that looks over on the compost pile about 4 feet below. For a moment my eyes could not make sense of what they were seeing. It was as if the compost bed was alive! Movement, tiny slight movement everywhere created an optical illusion. Then my brain sorted it out and I realized the entire bed was covered in butterflies! They were making a meal stop on the smorgasbord that was my compost pile! It was beautiful. Such a God thing!
The Master Gardener takes the hard hearts of people and turns them into useful, good soil in which He can grow beauty, kindness and love. He takes the trash and gunk from our lives and works it all together for His greater purposes. I’ve witnessed that in my own life! Others benefit from this miraculous change and the cycle of seed time and harvest continues to produce in the lives of His people.
The butterflies certainly looked as if they were delighted about the food source they found. My family has reaped rewards as well. We were shocked and excited to find an abundance of cherry tomatoes vines cascading down the side of the retaining wall a couple of years ago. Not only were they beautiful but loaded with delicious tomatoes. At this moment in time, late October, we have at least six tomato plants thriving and a vine, possibly squash or cantaloupe springing up. It’s too early to tell what it is but the testimony of the fact it even exists is remarkable. We’ll just keep doing our part and see what God has in store for us.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Fall in Love with Autumn
Fall or autumn, call it what you like, is my favorite time of year. I guess I should qualify that; LATE Fall is more accurate. In most of Texas, we rarely get to see seasonal changes that a lot of the country takes for granted. I have a mental seasonal change in autumn.
Fall brings a barrage of scents, colors and textures that stir emotions deep inside me. I have not found the key to why that happens but I don’t care. I just love that it happens. I love that I can actually spend time outdoors for more than a few minutes at a time. The sun is not my best friend but autumn allows me more freedom and time to soak up nature. Nothing is more comforting and basic to me than walking in the woods this time of year. Even later when all the leaves that have fallen are crunchy underfoot, these walks renew and invigorate me.
Chilly air brings out my inner child. The girl that ran and played peeks outside my grandmotherly face and tugs at memories long tucked away. Memories such as walking along side my grandfather; he made up songs about anything he saw to make me laugh. They never made much sense but we enjoyed them.
The smell of chicken and dumplings simmering on the stove can warm you to your toes though the wind howls and swirls beyond the steamy windows. A mug of apple cider with a cinnamon stick can not be resisted. A favorite fuzzy robe makes snuggling on the couch more relaxing. Pumpkin pie scented candles warm a room with just their tiny flame.
Autumn also brings my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. I’ve written before about Friday being my dedicated day to look back at all the Lord has done in my life that week and give thanks for each thing. Daily prayers should begin with words of thanksgiving. So, for me, Thanksgiving Day is the ultimate holiday because people all over are giving thanks and I see in my spirit’s eye a tender vision of how the Lord might look hearing prayers of thanks from people He might not hear from on a regular basis. A harvest of souls praying for the harvests in their lives! A spontaneous chorus of thanks ringing out when families gather and bow heads together! Oh, my! Gives me goose bumps!! Yes, Thanksgiving is most certainly my favorite holiday and it comes in my favorite time of year.
What’s not to love and be thankful for about this special time of year?
Fall brings a barrage of scents, colors and textures that stir emotions deep inside me. I have not found the key to why that happens but I don’t care. I just love that it happens. I love that I can actually spend time outdoors for more than a few minutes at a time. The sun is not my best friend but autumn allows me more freedom and time to soak up nature. Nothing is more comforting and basic to me than walking in the woods this time of year. Even later when all the leaves that have fallen are crunchy underfoot, these walks renew and invigorate me.
Chilly air brings out my inner child. The girl that ran and played peeks outside my grandmotherly face and tugs at memories long tucked away. Memories such as walking along side my grandfather; he made up songs about anything he saw to make me laugh. They never made much sense but we enjoyed them.
The smell of chicken and dumplings simmering on the stove can warm you to your toes though the wind howls and swirls beyond the steamy windows. A mug of apple cider with a cinnamon stick can not be resisted. A favorite fuzzy robe makes snuggling on the couch more relaxing. Pumpkin pie scented candles warm a room with just their tiny flame.
Autumn also brings my favorite holiday, Thanksgiving. I’ve written before about Friday being my dedicated day to look back at all the Lord has done in my life that week and give thanks for each thing. Daily prayers should begin with words of thanksgiving. So, for me, Thanksgiving Day is the ultimate holiday because people all over are giving thanks and I see in my spirit’s eye a tender vision of how the Lord might look hearing prayers of thanks from people He might not hear from on a regular basis. A harvest of souls praying for the harvests in their lives! A spontaneous chorus of thanks ringing out when families gather and bow heads together! Oh, my! Gives me goose bumps!! Yes, Thanksgiving is most certainly my favorite holiday and it comes in my favorite time of year.
What’s not to love and be thankful for about this special time of year?
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Clean Slate
I will be the first to admit I am ‘techie challenged’! This simply means I know just enough to get myself in trouble when I try to make changes on my computer operating systems but certainly not enough to actually ‘fix’ any problem. Oh, the hours of frustration I have created for myself.
Recently, I attempted to correct some problems I was having on Facebook. I tried everything I could think of, read comments on the HELP boards….all to no avail. It began to take on a life of its own because I was so focused on fixing it! I can hear the taunts and snickers coming from inside my PC. Surely it was demon possessed!
So, in what I call a ‘flash of brilliance’, the thought came to me to reset the computer to its default settings. This should not only undo all the ‘opps’ I created but restore it to the original settings from the factory. See, brilliant….right? Perhaps we should not be hasty to rush to that conclusion.
My magic default restoration did, indeed, fix the Facebook problem. Awesome! I was feeling pretty proud of myself right about then. Still focused on fixing the problem, I felt I had accomplished all I set out to do. My triumphant happy dance did not last long.
What I did not consider was the big picture. In the reality of said big picture, I had lost all information, program settings and http addresses I use on a daily basis. Yep, all gone! Including the addresses to my blogs…this is a big OPPS! I wiped them all out with the light touch of a key, a click of a button and the single mindedness in which I was functioning. Wiped clean…I may have corrected one issue but I created a host of other problems. I put away my Happy Dance shoes!
As I see it, this is a fairly accurate picture of what we do in life. We focus on what we perceive to be ‘the problem’ and set our minds to fixing it. We try all we know, talk to anyone that will listen, take advice from people that know nothing more than we knew in the first place and end up with a stack of add-on problems we created in our ignorance.
Looking at this from a spiritual perspective we have collected an array of OPPS and sins. Let’s look at some of them:
Focused on the problem rather than going our ultimate problem solver, God.
Pride in our own actions and works.
Breathed life into the problem by constantly talking about it.
Prayer as a last resort..”All we can do now is pray.”..rather than the first course of action!
The good news is, when we finally get real and take our issues to God, asking for forgiveness for our foolish ways, He can and will hit His holy 'reset button' and wipe our sin slate clean. Then the real problem solving begins. That’s about all the technical information we need to know.
Recently, I attempted to correct some problems I was having on Facebook. I tried everything I could think of, read comments on the HELP boards….all to no avail. It began to take on a life of its own because I was so focused on fixing it! I can hear the taunts and snickers coming from inside my PC. Surely it was demon possessed!
So, in what I call a ‘flash of brilliance’, the thought came to me to reset the computer to its default settings. This should not only undo all the ‘opps’ I created but restore it to the original settings from the factory. See, brilliant….right? Perhaps we should not be hasty to rush to that conclusion.
My magic default restoration did, indeed, fix the Facebook problem. Awesome! I was feeling pretty proud of myself right about then. Still focused on fixing the problem, I felt I had accomplished all I set out to do. My triumphant happy dance did not last long.
What I did not consider was the big picture. In the reality of said big picture, I had lost all information, program settings and http addresses I use on a daily basis. Yep, all gone! Including the addresses to my blogs…this is a big OPPS! I wiped them all out with the light touch of a key, a click of a button and the single mindedness in which I was functioning. Wiped clean…I may have corrected one issue but I created a host of other problems. I put away my Happy Dance shoes!
As I see it, this is a fairly accurate picture of what we do in life. We focus on what we perceive to be ‘the problem’ and set our minds to fixing it. We try all we know, talk to anyone that will listen, take advice from people that know nothing more than we knew in the first place and end up with a stack of add-on problems we created in our ignorance.
Looking at this from a spiritual perspective we have collected an array of OPPS and sins. Let’s look at some of them:
Focused on the problem rather than going our ultimate problem solver, God.
Pride in our own actions and works.
Breathed life into the problem by constantly talking about it.
Prayer as a last resort..”All we can do now is pray.”..rather than the first course of action!
The good news is, when we finally get real and take our issues to God, asking for forgiveness for our foolish ways, He can and will hit His holy 'reset button' and wipe our sin slate clean. Then the real problem solving begins. That’s about all the technical information we need to know.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Onward Thru the Fog - Revisited
On a recent weekend morning, upon waking, I was startled by how bright the sun was as it poured in my kitchen windows; I thought it was still early. My eyes are not use to waking up to sunlight, I’m typically a very early riser; darkness still abounds. Stumbling into the kitchen for that first cup of nectar of the gods, coffee, I was honestly startled by the glowing brightness. I then became a bit concerned about just HOW late it must be but it was only a little after 7, so that confused me even more. I confuse easily before coffee. To add to the confusion, when I looked out a living room window I saw it was very foggy! HUH!!?? It was so foggy I could barely see the outline of the house across the street.
OK, now my curiosity has surpassed the confusion and I headed out the front door to examine this craziness from our deck's vantage point. Yes, indeed, it was quite foggy, rather mysterious and surreal looking out over the valley in front of me like something from a hobbit movie. Yet, turn ever so slightly toward the east and the glow was overwhelming! It was awesome.
The first thought in my now less confused head was, "Isn't that just like God!!" We can be shrouded in foggy situations/problems/sins that seem all encompassing but God is still shining on all around us; even when we can't see His light. The glowing brightness that is God never goes away, we just focus on the fog.
I smiled that smile, you know, the one that always comes on our faces when we see a rainbow. You can't help yourself; you always smile that little comforting smile of reassurance because we know the promise that comes along with that rainbow. Maybe, just maybe, the next time you're in a fog, (whatever kind of fog it may be) you'll think about the glowing brightness that is all around and take comfort in knowing it's there even if you can't see it. You'll smile that little smile and walk on because of the promise HE is always there!
OK, now my curiosity has surpassed the confusion and I headed out the front door to examine this craziness from our deck's vantage point. Yes, indeed, it was quite foggy, rather mysterious and surreal looking out over the valley in front of me like something from a hobbit movie. Yet, turn ever so slightly toward the east and the glow was overwhelming! It was awesome.
The first thought in my now less confused head was, "Isn't that just like God!!" We can be shrouded in foggy situations/problems/sins that seem all encompassing but God is still shining on all around us; even when we can't see His light. The glowing brightness that is God never goes away, we just focus on the fog.
I smiled that smile, you know, the one that always comes on our faces when we see a rainbow. You can't help yourself; you always smile that little comforting smile of reassurance because we know the promise that comes along with that rainbow. Maybe, just maybe, the next time you're in a fog, (whatever kind of fog it may be) you'll think about the glowing brightness that is all around and take comfort in knowing it's there even if you can't see it. You'll smile that little smile and walk on because of the promise HE is always there!
Monday, October 19, 2009
Freedom in Boundaries
Boundaries should not be drawn in sand. Sand shifts and moves too much, leaving unclear lines where boundaries once were. Boundaries in our lives are a good thing.
Contradictory to what they would have you to believe, kids, adolescents and teens need and want boundaries in their lives. They will kick and scream that they do not, but they do. They just do not realize it yet. This understanding doesn’t come until much later.
I’ve started teaching a class for twelve and thirteen year olds at church. It’s a new class and we are rather developing it as we go. Week One, I laid out the boundaries. Having raised a few kids over the years, I know boundaries are the grease that help the wheels go around. Without them, things come to a screeching halt! So, Week Two, we reviewed the boundaries. Week Three, there was no need to revisit the boundaries, they haven’t changed. No one is confused about what and where they are because I made them very clear from the beginning. It takes nothing more than a slight raised eyebrow in the direction of anyone toying about near a boundary line to bring them back to reality of the boundary line.
Yet, in the face of more structure, these kids are fired up about this class and are responding positively. It’s all very rewarding to see this. They have fun, learn and are required to come up to a higher level of understanding and behavior than before and they like it! They are challenged and made to actually ‘think’ about what they think about. Then, they are told they will be held accountable for decisions and actions. We haven’t had the time yet for this accountability to manifest yet but they know its coming. Still, they are excited about this class.
I rather feel like a tour guide sharing the details about a hiking trail. I get to talk about the beauty of walking with Christ they will experience, educate them about the forks in the road they will encounter and warn them of the inevitable pitfalls waiting ahead in the life of a young person living a Christian life in a world that mocks rather than embraces our choice.
As baby Christians, we stumble along, don’t we? As mature Christians we stumble long, too; this time we are just more prepared because we know Jesus is walking along side us.
We, too, have learned the comfort and joy that can be found when we live within the boundaries of a Christ-filled life. Some come to that knowledge kicking and screaming about having boundaries. Many think the boundaries of a Christian walk must be confining and restrictive. I’ve heard people say they would do the church thing later in life after they’ve had their fun. How sadly miss informed are they?
God-placed boundaries are not made of barbed wire but of time tested love and concern. He knows the trouble we will get in to left to our own devices and so He has provided His boundary lines to be available to us in written Word, the Bible. Having such we are held to a higher level of expectation and accountability. Within the boundary lines, however, we are free to run and play; to build our families and find the area God would have us serve. It doesn’t feel like a burden to have these boundaries but freedom to dream higher than we could before because we know the Lord of Creation inspired and authored our dreams. We are able to accomplish more because we can do all things through Christ.
My new class is not unique. It’s the foundational stuff a Christian walk is made of. The goal is to equip these kids to face the world just ahead of them; to help in the transition from children to young adults. We, the kids and I, will learn together as we walk this out. I have long believed that we should never stop learning or growing. When you cease to learn, you die. I can’t wait to see what the Lord teaches me through all this!
Contradictory to what they would have you to believe, kids, adolescents and teens need and want boundaries in their lives. They will kick and scream that they do not, but they do. They just do not realize it yet. This understanding doesn’t come until much later.
I’ve started teaching a class for twelve and thirteen year olds at church. It’s a new class and we are rather developing it as we go. Week One, I laid out the boundaries. Having raised a few kids over the years, I know boundaries are the grease that help the wheels go around. Without them, things come to a screeching halt! So, Week Two, we reviewed the boundaries. Week Three, there was no need to revisit the boundaries, they haven’t changed. No one is confused about what and where they are because I made them very clear from the beginning. It takes nothing more than a slight raised eyebrow in the direction of anyone toying about near a boundary line to bring them back to reality of the boundary line.
Yet, in the face of more structure, these kids are fired up about this class and are responding positively. It’s all very rewarding to see this. They have fun, learn and are required to come up to a higher level of understanding and behavior than before and they like it! They are challenged and made to actually ‘think’ about what they think about. Then, they are told they will be held accountable for decisions and actions. We haven’t had the time yet for this accountability to manifest yet but they know its coming. Still, they are excited about this class.
I rather feel like a tour guide sharing the details about a hiking trail. I get to talk about the beauty of walking with Christ they will experience, educate them about the forks in the road they will encounter and warn them of the inevitable pitfalls waiting ahead in the life of a young person living a Christian life in a world that mocks rather than embraces our choice.
As baby Christians, we stumble along, don’t we? As mature Christians we stumble long, too; this time we are just more prepared because we know Jesus is walking along side us.
We, too, have learned the comfort and joy that can be found when we live within the boundaries of a Christ-filled life. Some come to that knowledge kicking and screaming about having boundaries. Many think the boundaries of a Christian walk must be confining and restrictive. I’ve heard people say they would do the church thing later in life after they’ve had their fun. How sadly miss informed are they?
God-placed boundaries are not made of barbed wire but of time tested love and concern. He knows the trouble we will get in to left to our own devices and so He has provided His boundary lines to be available to us in written Word, the Bible. Having such we are held to a higher level of expectation and accountability. Within the boundary lines, however, we are free to run and play; to build our families and find the area God would have us serve. It doesn’t feel like a burden to have these boundaries but freedom to dream higher than we could before because we know the Lord of Creation inspired and authored our dreams. We are able to accomplish more because we can do all things through Christ.
My new class is not unique. It’s the foundational stuff a Christian walk is made of. The goal is to equip these kids to face the world just ahead of them; to help in the transition from children to young adults. We, the kids and I, will learn together as we walk this out. I have long believed that we should never stop learning or growing. When you cease to learn, you die. I can’t wait to see what the Lord teaches me through all this!
Friday, October 16, 2009
Not One More Thing
I have written before about waiting to hear from God before I write the morning blog. It is named Truth in the Morning for a reason. Some mornings, like this one, I do not readily receive divine inspiration quickly so I take some time to go back and read writings I’ve done over the years. It serves to get the creative juices flowing and helps me focus in on what might be a gentle nudge from on high.
As I was reading this morning I began to see a pattern or at least a frequent common thread. I had written many times about making time to spend with the Lord…..many times! I talked about making it a priority in our day-to-day lives. I talked about tithing the first time of our day to the Lord. I had written about structuring our time. Like I mentioned, it was a common thread over the years.
While reading one piece a line jumped off the page at me. It said in part…’…spent all her time on the harried and hectic activities of her everyday life.’
Indeed, that is what we do, isn’t it? We can get so absorbed in the activities we choose to do that we rarely look up. Our time is valuable. If we are spending time on it, we must consider it important. How often have you said or heard someone say they were so busy they could not do one more thing?
“I didn’t have time.” These are very popular words; people say them all the time. I know I’ve been guilty of saying that. When I wrote a daily e-mail devotional and encouraged people to spend time in God’s word, I heard that often. People would say they wished they had the time to read the Bible before work or before going to bed but they were just too busy. Not enough hours in the day.
It is all about choice, People! There are things in our days that we can not change but most of our activities, most especially the mental ones, we choose. We have, as a people, been bitten by the bug of self-importance and we scratch the itch of delusion that bite leaves behind.
It may take creative re-organization of your time and/or some editing of activities, but you DO have time….by choosing to spend it on something else, you are choosing not to spend it with the Lord.
Does that sound harsh to you? Perhaps it is; the truth behind the statement, however, can not be denied. The very moment you acknowledge that to yourself, you can start to make the changes necessary. You no longer are able to tell yourself that your activities are more important than spending time with the one and only living God. Something somewhere can be eliminated so time can be set aside for godly pursuit. I’m not talking about a monk lifestyle where you walk around in robes chanting; I’m talking about taking time each day to honor, worship and grow in understanding of our Lord. This isn’t just a suggestion I came up with, it is scriptural.
You can be alone with God on a crowded bus when your relationship is a priority. Get creative in carving out time to spend with the Creator. You plant the seed of time with God and you will reap an abundant harvest.
Those three simple statements could be life changing IF you choose……life is but a series of choices. Nothing is more important than fellowship with the Lord…..not one more thing.
As for me and my house…….
As I was reading this morning I began to see a pattern or at least a frequent common thread. I had written many times about making time to spend with the Lord…..many times! I talked about making it a priority in our day-to-day lives. I talked about tithing the first time of our day to the Lord. I had written about structuring our time. Like I mentioned, it was a common thread over the years.
While reading one piece a line jumped off the page at me. It said in part…’…spent all her time on the harried and hectic activities of her everyday life.’
Indeed, that is what we do, isn’t it? We can get so absorbed in the activities we choose to do that we rarely look up. Our time is valuable. If we are spending time on it, we must consider it important. How often have you said or heard someone say they were so busy they could not do one more thing?
“I didn’t have time.” These are very popular words; people say them all the time. I know I’ve been guilty of saying that. When I wrote a daily e-mail devotional and encouraged people to spend time in God’s word, I heard that often. People would say they wished they had the time to read the Bible before work or before going to bed but they were just too busy. Not enough hours in the day.
It is all about choice, People! There are things in our days that we can not change but most of our activities, most especially the mental ones, we choose. We have, as a people, been bitten by the bug of self-importance and we scratch the itch of delusion that bite leaves behind.
It may take creative re-organization of your time and/or some editing of activities, but you DO have time….by choosing to spend it on something else, you are choosing not to spend it with the Lord.
Does that sound harsh to you? Perhaps it is; the truth behind the statement, however, can not be denied. The very moment you acknowledge that to yourself, you can start to make the changes necessary. You no longer are able to tell yourself that your activities are more important than spending time with the one and only living God. Something somewhere can be eliminated so time can be set aside for godly pursuit. I’m not talking about a monk lifestyle where you walk around in robes chanting; I’m talking about taking time each day to honor, worship and grow in understanding of our Lord. This isn’t just a suggestion I came up with, it is scriptural.
You can be alone with God on a crowded bus when your relationship is a priority. Get creative in carving out time to spend with the Creator. You plant the seed of time with God and you will reap an abundant harvest.
Those three simple statements could be life changing IF you choose……life is but a series of choices. Nothing is more important than fellowship with the Lord…..not one more thing.
As for me and my house…….
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Sin Doesn't Whisper
Whether you've been walking a Christian life for decades or hours, we need to be reminded that we are no longer slaves to sin and temptation. It WILL jump up in your face as long as we are walking on earth, but once we dedicate our lives to following Jesus, we have His strength to help us say ‘NO!’ to all the wickedness the enemy throws at us.
One day my husband I were in town for a Doctor appointment that lead to a visit to the pharmacy across the hall. It was a small place and you could readily see everyone. There were a couple of men there together; it was hard to miss them because they were loud and obnoxious. They were going up and down the aisles, (a whopping 4 short aisles in all) touching and talking about everything. One of them paid for something and, yet as they walked out the doors, the alarm went off. The one that says to step back in and let the employees take the security tags off. They didn't even look back as they walked down the hall.
The people at the counter were watching and started talking about how they weren't going after these guys; their fear obvious. I was rather stunned by all this. It was obvious they had stolen something. It was just as obvious the store personnel were not going to try to stop them.
Then the scene became even more bizarre when the two guys came walking back up the hall to get to the building exit. They looked into the pharmacy with smug delight, knowing they had gotten away it their crime.
Why am I sharing this story with you? Because it occurred to me that, in that moment, these guys were walking, talking sin. Sin, like these men, mingles with you in ordinary places and ways. Sin, like the loud behavior of the guys, intimidates and produces fear. Fear of being found out, fear of being caught, fear of confronting sin when we witness it. Fear and intimidation are NOT of the Lord. Sin is smug and obnoxious like these guys walking back pass the pharmacy, knowing it had gotten its way with you; that you weren't going to try to stop it. Sin can and will attempt to beat down anyone in its path. Anyone!! No one is immune to temptation of sin, fear produced by sin or the empty feeling you get when you've fallen victim to sin.
Though no one is exempt, someone walking in the power of the Holy Spirit has the resource to walk away victorious.
The power of the Holy Spirit living in us is the source of our strength. Calling on that strength, relying on the power of the Spirit, listening to that small voice of guidance all comes when we make a point to listen. The Holy Spirit will not yank you by the collar or scream at you or even come in the clap of thunder. It comes when YOU tune in. We have choices everyday; to listen for the Holy Spirit or change the channel. I saw walking, talking sin in action in that pharmacy that day; it was neither a pretty nor comforting sight.
As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord! May the small quiet voice of the Lord ring in your spirit today!
One day my husband I were in town for a Doctor appointment that lead to a visit to the pharmacy across the hall. It was a small place and you could readily see everyone. There were a couple of men there together; it was hard to miss them because they were loud and obnoxious. They were going up and down the aisles, (a whopping 4 short aisles in all) touching and talking about everything. One of them paid for something and, yet as they walked out the doors, the alarm went off. The one that says to step back in and let the employees take the security tags off. They didn't even look back as they walked down the hall.
The people at the counter were watching and started talking about how they weren't going after these guys; their fear obvious. I was rather stunned by all this. It was obvious they had stolen something. It was just as obvious the store personnel were not going to try to stop them.
Then the scene became even more bizarre when the two guys came walking back up the hall to get to the building exit. They looked into the pharmacy with smug delight, knowing they had gotten away it their crime.
Why am I sharing this story with you? Because it occurred to me that, in that moment, these guys were walking, talking sin. Sin, like these men, mingles with you in ordinary places and ways. Sin, like the loud behavior of the guys, intimidates and produces fear. Fear of being found out, fear of being caught, fear of confronting sin when we witness it. Fear and intimidation are NOT of the Lord. Sin is smug and obnoxious like these guys walking back pass the pharmacy, knowing it had gotten its way with you; that you weren't going to try to stop it. Sin can and will attempt to beat down anyone in its path. Anyone!! No one is immune to temptation of sin, fear produced by sin or the empty feeling you get when you've fallen victim to sin.
Though no one is exempt, someone walking in the power of the Holy Spirit has the resource to walk away victorious.
The power of the Holy Spirit living in us is the source of our strength. Calling on that strength, relying on the power of the Spirit, listening to that small voice of guidance all comes when we make a point to listen. The Holy Spirit will not yank you by the collar or scream at you or even come in the clap of thunder. It comes when YOU tune in. We have choices everyday; to listen for the Holy Spirit or change the channel. I saw walking, talking sin in action in that pharmacy that day; it was neither a pretty nor comforting sight.
As for me and my house, we shall serve the Lord! May the small quiet voice of the Lord ring in your spirit today!
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
A Little Peek
The following is just some random thoughts and beliefs; a little peek into me.
I like the person I am becoming. I was not always happy with the ME that be but I do like the person in to which I see me growing. I’m not saying that I think too highly of myself, just that I can see and appreciate the changes the Lord has made in me over the years. Like most of us, I am painfully aware of my own ‘warts’ and I am in no way a finished product. I could make a list the things I would like to change about myself but why keep a critical eye focused and waste precious time the Lord has given me. If He can look at me and see the good He knows will one day be, then I choose to as well. I won’t stop striving to be more Christ-like, that is my goal as a Christian but I will be kinder to myself than in times past. The Golden Rule says to treat others the way you would want to be treated. You have to start somewhere and how can you be kind to others if you can’t even be kind to yourself?
I enjoy thinking about making things beautiful, not in the eyes of those that think they can tell us what is beautiful and what is not; but beautiful in and of itself, in simplicity. I need an outlet for artistic and creative flows without the pressure of performance. Art from within is a gift from God. Should it be thwarted by the human perspective of someone you do not even know telling you what is or isn’t beautiful? Who came up with the concept of Art Critics and why? I think our soul reaches out to those things that bring a sense of peace to it; it is there in that peace we find beauty.
I believe joy can be found in the most mundane if you are open to it. I’m not referring to the spiritual kind of joy in the Lord; though I do cherish that joy. I’m talking about being open to the joy simple day-to-day life can bring. For instance, the feel and weight of my mixing bowl makes me feel good. I have allowed myself to get glass mixing bowls now that the children are gone, I can’t stand plastic bowls. I love the way a bamboo cooking utensil feels to my hand so the simple act of stirring while cooking is a pleasant experience for me. The smell of coffee brewing, bacon cooking and chocolate anything…all makes my heart happy. Watching the puppy run across the room is another simple joy. I neither need nor want electronic gadgets and/or expensive clothes in hopes of feeling good and joyful in my life. I believe joy is all around us and it’s about being open to finding your joy right in front of you.
The ability to experience kindness, beauty and joy come from within us; it’s an attitude and mindset. In a world full of turmoil and uncertainty we need all the kindness, beauty and joy we can get. It’s there for the taking and enjoying and enriching of our lives. The size of your house doesn’t matter; your happiness is not proportionate to your square footage. Happiness is about how you live, not where you live. Kindness, Beauty and Joy are enhanced by thankful hearts and giving spirits; pretty good way to live if you ask me.
I like the person I am becoming. I was not always happy with the ME that be but I do like the person in to which I see me growing. I’m not saying that I think too highly of myself, just that I can see and appreciate the changes the Lord has made in me over the years. Like most of us, I am painfully aware of my own ‘warts’ and I am in no way a finished product. I could make a list the things I would like to change about myself but why keep a critical eye focused and waste precious time the Lord has given me. If He can look at me and see the good He knows will one day be, then I choose to as well. I won’t stop striving to be more Christ-like, that is my goal as a Christian but I will be kinder to myself than in times past. The Golden Rule says to treat others the way you would want to be treated. You have to start somewhere and how can you be kind to others if you can’t even be kind to yourself?
I enjoy thinking about making things beautiful, not in the eyes of those that think they can tell us what is beautiful and what is not; but beautiful in and of itself, in simplicity. I need an outlet for artistic and creative flows without the pressure of performance. Art from within is a gift from God. Should it be thwarted by the human perspective of someone you do not even know telling you what is or isn’t beautiful? Who came up with the concept of Art Critics and why? I think our soul reaches out to those things that bring a sense of peace to it; it is there in that peace we find beauty.
I believe joy can be found in the most mundane if you are open to it. I’m not referring to the spiritual kind of joy in the Lord; though I do cherish that joy. I’m talking about being open to the joy simple day-to-day life can bring. For instance, the feel and weight of my mixing bowl makes me feel good. I have allowed myself to get glass mixing bowls now that the children are gone, I can’t stand plastic bowls. I love the way a bamboo cooking utensil feels to my hand so the simple act of stirring while cooking is a pleasant experience for me. The smell of coffee brewing, bacon cooking and chocolate anything…all makes my heart happy. Watching the puppy run across the room is another simple joy. I neither need nor want electronic gadgets and/or expensive clothes in hopes of feeling good and joyful in my life. I believe joy is all around us and it’s about being open to finding your joy right in front of you.
The ability to experience kindness, beauty and joy come from within us; it’s an attitude and mindset. In a world full of turmoil and uncertainty we need all the kindness, beauty and joy we can get. It’s there for the taking and enjoying and enriching of our lives. The size of your house doesn’t matter; your happiness is not proportionate to your square footage. Happiness is about how you live, not where you live. Kindness, Beauty and Joy are enhanced by thankful hearts and giving spirits; pretty good way to live if you ask me.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
House of Cards
Ever built a house out of a deck of cards? I'm sure at one point or another as kids we all tried. I saw an amazing thing on TV, didn't see the whole segment, just the preview part, but this guy was building the skyline of New York City out of cards. It was awesome and quite impressive. Even showed him blowing on it to show it wouldn't fall down.
I'm not gifted in that area so my efforts wouldn't be worthy of anything, much less TV coverage; but in the tiny bit I saw, it occurred to me that there was a striking analogy in what this guy was doing and what a lot of us do in our faith walk.
This guy, didn't catch his name but let's call him Bob, spent an extraordinary amount of time developing his skill, he had to. You don't just wake up one day and viola', you can build cities from cards. Bob had to develop that skill and it's a safe bet that many a card fell before he mastered the process.
Building our faith and trust in God isn't an overnight event either. Bob believed he could do this and worked at it, getting better and better. It took seeing successes and not just the failures to keep him inspired and motivated.
As Christians, we can often believe in God without believing God. Our actions and wavering faith are the telltale signs of that. If we get blown over like a house of cards every time something comes against us, you can bet our 'believer' isn't working. Our faith cards may be too crumbly or cracked. Only in studying the Word of God, spending time with Him, can we build a stronger house. It isn't Jesus, the Rock on which we build, that has the problem; it's that we are using shortcuts and shoddy faith practices to build a showy house of faith.
I mentioned that in the preview Bob was blowing on his creations to show they wouldn't fall down, think they would hold up against an attack from the enemy, Lucifer? Nope! Twin Towers didn't. We can not and do not have faith in or trust someone we do not know. That's not even wise. It's the One in our lives that has proven faithful over the course of time, the One we know we can count on and turn to in times of need. We are to build our faith house with God.
I'm not gifted in that area so my efforts wouldn't be worthy of anything, much less TV coverage; but in the tiny bit I saw, it occurred to me that there was a striking analogy in what this guy was doing and what a lot of us do in our faith walk.
This guy, didn't catch his name but let's call him Bob, spent an extraordinary amount of time developing his skill, he had to. You don't just wake up one day and viola', you can build cities from cards. Bob had to develop that skill and it's a safe bet that many a card fell before he mastered the process.
Building our faith and trust in God isn't an overnight event either. Bob believed he could do this and worked at it, getting better and better. It took seeing successes and not just the failures to keep him inspired and motivated.
As Christians, we can often believe in God without believing God. Our actions and wavering faith are the telltale signs of that. If we get blown over like a house of cards every time something comes against us, you can bet our 'believer' isn't working. Our faith cards may be too crumbly or cracked. Only in studying the Word of God, spending time with Him, can we build a stronger house. It isn't Jesus, the Rock on which we build, that has the problem; it's that we are using shortcuts and shoddy faith practices to build a showy house of faith.
I mentioned that in the preview Bob was blowing on his creations to show they wouldn't fall down, think they would hold up against an attack from the enemy, Lucifer? Nope! Twin Towers didn't. We can not and do not have faith in or trust someone we do not know. That's not even wise. It's the One in our lives that has proven faithful over the course of time, the One we know we can count on and turn to in times of need. We are to build our faith house with God.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
COFFEE: The Life Lesson
One of life’s great pleasures is a cup of good coffee, especially that first one in the morning. Foggy headed you shuffle into the kitchen to brew what I like to refer to as the ‘nectar of the gods’; waiting for your cup of hot nectar with a slight bit of impatience and not wanting any intrusions from the world in general and most especially from the people you love and live with. Ok, so maybe that’s just me. This is the perspective I am most familiar with so it is from this point of view I write. No attempts at objectivity today!
People can be picky about coffee. Were this not so, Starbucks and others would not be able to charge an outrageous amount for their coffee. My personal theory about why people will pay big bucks at Starbucks is that it feels like an obtainable indulgence to pamper oneself in a hectic world. The coffee IS good, no doubt, but I believe it is the whole act of treating oneself that has folks lined up. A little luxury in a paper cup is far better than no luxury at all.
For most of us, it is the coffee we make at home that we indulge in most often. My attitudes about and tastes in coffee have evolved over the years. But nothing has evolved more than the coffeemaker itself; from the lowly pot where both ground beans and water were thrown in to the most sophisticated automatic machines that do everything but drink the coffee for you. Coffee makers have come a long way.
The irony of this is that not matter how space-age looking you machine may be it will still be taken down by the tiny miniscule deposits of minerals in the water. They work like an invisible army to coat and clog the inner workings of the machine. Over time, this will cause the quality of taste of your coffee to suffer because the required water temperature to brew optimum flavored coffee will not be reached. I have to replace our machine every few years because of this painfully familiar problem. At first, the efforts to de-mineralize the machine bring some relief but it is only a matter of time. Nothing is more disappointing than waiting in anticipation for that first sip only to discover upon arrival that the flavor never made it to the cup; it is weak and lacking in every area: color, flavor and temperature! Makes you want to stomp your foot and throw the cup…ok, that may just be me again.
As I sit here with my post breakfast cup of coffee, I am struck by the notion that the demise of the humble coffee maker by invisible mineral forces is very much like the forces just waiting to take us and our faith walk down. If we are not constantly diligent and aware, seemingly unrelated and unimpressive actions and/or habits can eat away at the foundation we stand on like spiritual termites. A snarky comment here and there may not seem threatening but it cracks opens the door for the termite-like tormentor to tiptoe ever so silently in. A bit of pride here, a little harmless lie there and before you know it; the cumulative build-up has desensitized us to the very things causing the damage, just like with the coffee maker. Once on fire for the Lord, our walk becomes weak and lukewarm.
Revelation 3:15-16 I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth!
I saw a study once about these verses. In a nutshell it said that cold water is refreshing and hot water is healing, both good things but in Biblical times, lukewarm water was used to purge the belly. It made people sick in a hugging the toilet kind of way. So, from that perspective lukewarm was neither refreshing nor healing and of no good use. Not what we aspire to as Christians is it? Yet, is a very real possibility when the build-up of corrosion takes place in our lives.
The next time you burn your mouth with a cup of coffee, rather than complaining, maybe we can choose to see the benefit of not being lukewarm! Piping hot for me, please!
People can be picky about coffee. Were this not so, Starbucks and others would not be able to charge an outrageous amount for their coffee. My personal theory about why people will pay big bucks at Starbucks is that it feels like an obtainable indulgence to pamper oneself in a hectic world. The coffee IS good, no doubt, but I believe it is the whole act of treating oneself that has folks lined up. A little luxury in a paper cup is far better than no luxury at all.
For most of us, it is the coffee we make at home that we indulge in most often. My attitudes about and tastes in coffee have evolved over the years. But nothing has evolved more than the coffeemaker itself; from the lowly pot where both ground beans and water were thrown in to the most sophisticated automatic machines that do everything but drink the coffee for you. Coffee makers have come a long way.
The irony of this is that not matter how space-age looking you machine may be it will still be taken down by the tiny miniscule deposits of minerals in the water. They work like an invisible army to coat and clog the inner workings of the machine. Over time, this will cause the quality of taste of your coffee to suffer because the required water temperature to brew optimum flavored coffee will not be reached. I have to replace our machine every few years because of this painfully familiar problem. At first, the efforts to de-mineralize the machine bring some relief but it is only a matter of time. Nothing is more disappointing than waiting in anticipation for that first sip only to discover upon arrival that the flavor never made it to the cup; it is weak and lacking in every area: color, flavor and temperature! Makes you want to stomp your foot and throw the cup…ok, that may just be me again.
As I sit here with my post breakfast cup of coffee, I am struck by the notion that the demise of the humble coffee maker by invisible mineral forces is very much like the forces just waiting to take us and our faith walk down. If we are not constantly diligent and aware, seemingly unrelated and unimpressive actions and/or habits can eat away at the foundation we stand on like spiritual termites. A snarky comment here and there may not seem threatening but it cracks opens the door for the termite-like tormentor to tiptoe ever so silently in. A bit of pride here, a little harmless lie there and before you know it; the cumulative build-up has desensitized us to the very things causing the damage, just like with the coffee maker. Once on fire for the Lord, our walk becomes weak and lukewarm.
Revelation 3:15-16 I know your [record of] works and what you are doing; you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm and neither cold nor hot, I will spew you out of My mouth!
I saw a study once about these verses. In a nutshell it said that cold water is refreshing and hot water is healing, both good things but in Biblical times, lukewarm water was used to purge the belly. It made people sick in a hugging the toilet kind of way. So, from that perspective lukewarm was neither refreshing nor healing and of no good use. Not what we aspire to as Christians is it? Yet, is a very real possibility when the build-up of corrosion takes place in our lives.
The next time you burn your mouth with a cup of coffee, rather than complaining, maybe we can choose to see the benefit of not being lukewarm! Piping hot for me, please!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Love/Hate Procrastination?
I have a Love /Hate relationship with procrastination. This seems to be a common malady. You can get all kinds of books and articles on how to stop being a procrastinator. It seems no one applauds the upside of procrastination. Just for the sake of this article, we are looking at the bright side and acknowledging the positive aspects of Procrastination.
Procrastination is always looking out for your future. As a procrastinator you will always something to look forward to because the things you are putting off today will be waiting for you tomorrow….or the next day….or next month even. You don’t have to worry about what you will be doing because you can rest comfortably in the knowledge that it will be familiar stuff you’ve been looking at and saving for that proverbial rainy day.
Procrastination opens the door for variety in your life. Some procrastination is not chosen but dictated to us, rather like the prolonged kitchen remodel we’ve had going on. Circumstances have required that this be a slow…er, thoughtful process. Decisions made have plenty of time for change when you’re not getting around to implementing them quickly. Since we’re looking at the up side of procrastination we will focus on the…oh, let’s call it ‘opportunity’ to reconsider options. A fine example would be the wall color choice(s) I’ve made for the kitchen area. The initial plan did not call for a change in wall color. Then, necessity required us to change the countertop we had selected to something a bit more economically attainable. This dictated changing the color on the painted cabinets, which now no longer went with the wall color. So, many…many wall colors samples later….see variety!
Procrastination teaches you to be flexible. I am not an impulsive person. In fact, I probably think about things too long. Add to that my tendency to plan things to the point of being ridiculous and you’ve got one non-impulsive person. Procrastination would seem to be a fine companion for the impulse challenged such as myself. I do not enjoy shopping unless it is for my house (or grandkids). I have put things in my shopping cart, wheeling them around the store, only to put things back on the shelf and walk out having not purchased one single thing. I prefer to think of this as a good thing. I had a friend tell me once that I would shop myself right out of everything I ever wanted. She may have been on to something because I can not tell you how many times I have returned to said store to finally purchase the items I wanted only to discover they no longer were available. So, I’d have to start the whole process all over again and find something else. See…teaches you to be flexible.
Procrastination encourages patience. With the aid of procrastination, you develop fine tuned waiting skills. Always putting off getting started on what ever; lack of action builds tolerance for status quo and patience by not having things change quickly. In what may seem like conflicting traits, I love change yet have a high tolerance (in some areas) and patience in waiting for things I want. I believe procrastination plays a big part of that. Not starting something makes it easier to wait for it to be finished.
This tongue in cheek look at procrastination shows that, although it gets a bad rap most of the time, there are positive aspects if you look hard enough and tilt your head a bit to the right.
You can’t hate the wait when you procrastinate!
Procrastination is always looking out for your future. As a procrastinator you will always something to look forward to because the things you are putting off today will be waiting for you tomorrow….or the next day….or next month even. You don’t have to worry about what you will be doing because you can rest comfortably in the knowledge that it will be familiar stuff you’ve been looking at and saving for that proverbial rainy day.
Procrastination opens the door for variety in your life. Some procrastination is not chosen but dictated to us, rather like the prolonged kitchen remodel we’ve had going on. Circumstances have required that this be a slow…er, thoughtful process. Decisions made have plenty of time for change when you’re not getting around to implementing them quickly. Since we’re looking at the up side of procrastination we will focus on the…oh, let’s call it ‘opportunity’ to reconsider options. A fine example would be the wall color choice(s) I’ve made for the kitchen area. The initial plan did not call for a change in wall color. Then, necessity required us to change the countertop we had selected to something a bit more economically attainable. This dictated changing the color on the painted cabinets, which now no longer went with the wall color. So, many…many wall colors samples later….see variety!
Procrastination teaches you to be flexible. I am not an impulsive person. In fact, I probably think about things too long. Add to that my tendency to plan things to the point of being ridiculous and you’ve got one non-impulsive person. Procrastination would seem to be a fine companion for the impulse challenged such as myself. I do not enjoy shopping unless it is for my house (or grandkids). I have put things in my shopping cart, wheeling them around the store, only to put things back on the shelf and walk out having not purchased one single thing. I prefer to think of this as a good thing. I had a friend tell me once that I would shop myself right out of everything I ever wanted. She may have been on to something because I can not tell you how many times I have returned to said store to finally purchase the items I wanted only to discover they no longer were available. So, I’d have to start the whole process all over again and find something else. See…teaches you to be flexible.
Procrastination encourages patience. With the aid of procrastination, you develop fine tuned waiting skills. Always putting off getting started on what ever; lack of action builds tolerance for status quo and patience by not having things change quickly. In what may seem like conflicting traits, I love change yet have a high tolerance (in some areas) and patience in waiting for things I want. I believe procrastination plays a big part of that. Not starting something makes it easier to wait for it to be finished.
This tongue in cheek look at procrastination shows that, although it gets a bad rap most of the time, there are positive aspects if you look hard enough and tilt your head a bit to the right.
You can’t hate the wait when you procrastinate!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
To Catch a Thief
As I sit writing this, I am wearing one shoe. No, I’m not trying to start a new fashion statement; I’m just trying to hang on to my shoe! We have a new puppy, Pan Dulce. (Long story on his name, that’s for another day.) He’s a precocious little thing that entertains us regularly with his antics. The hardest day can be washed away by simply sitting on the couch and watching the puppy power show!
It seems he has a scandalous scavenger streak…largely for my things. The missing shoe in question is not a big deal as far as a loss would go. It’s one of those rubber Croc shoes. They were the first things he started making off with the day we brought him home. They are light weight, easily towed by the mini-pirate. We thought it was so sweet, he’d make off with one and take it to his bed and snuggle up with it as he napped. Who could be irritated by that?! The baby loves me!
His scavenging ways have gained momentum as he has settled in more, feeling his Wheaties! Today, as I worked on the computer, I could hear a theft in progress. I couldn’t see him but I could hear him! Plop, plop, thud…plop, plop, thud…plop, plop,thud… sounds of Pan Dulce in action. When he finally appeared in the room, he was struggling to drag my Honey’s flip flop. It was bigger than he is and far heavier. They are that hard rubber kind, not the light Croc stuff like mine. The plop, plop part was him attempting to lift the flip flop in a forward motion. The thud part was him hitting his head as he flipped over the shoe head first. Amazing!
Tonight at dinner, I slipped off my shoes (leather strappy sandals) as I normally do to sit cross legged in my chair. I’m short, my feet do not go all the way to floor…what can I say? Anyway, no sooner had I slipped off the last one and had not even gotten the second leg crossed in my lap when our petite pirate came dashing out from under the table with the first shoe. A mad dash back and he made the return trip with shoe #2. Hey, I LIKE those shoes…come back here! ‘No way, Mamacita,’ his guilt-free glance told me. I guess he felt safe under the protection of his chuckling daddy!
Uh oh, that didn’t sound good……
OK, NOW I’VE HAD ENOUGH! As I sit here wearing one shoe to write about our precious little puppy burglar, I see the all too familiar flash of fur dashing across the livingroom. Then I hear a clunk. No plop, plop thud…but a hard clunk. This needed investigating! To my horror the little scoundrel had procured one of my awesome new sexy red heels!! These are the sexiest shoes, not to mention most expensive shoes, I’ve ever owned and the puppy is taking one
to who-knows-where!! This ceases to be a funny game now! It’s not so cute when it’s a delicate red heel instead of a clunky Croc!!
Retrieving my ravishing red beauty, I quickly made my way to my bedroom to assess the state of its mate. It was with great relief to see the other red beauty under the bed where I foolishly thought they were safe. I reached down to pick up my prized heel and low and behold, my missing Croc was abandoned next to it…probably left behind in exchange for the more tempting red one.
Note to self….limit Pan Dulce’s access to bedroom. Ah, yet another baby gate to step over… the things we do all for the love of a puppy!
It seems he has a scandalous scavenger streak…largely for my things. The missing shoe in question is not a big deal as far as a loss would go. It’s one of those rubber Croc shoes. They were the first things he started making off with the day we brought him home. They are light weight, easily towed by the mini-pirate. We thought it was so sweet, he’d make off with one and take it to his bed and snuggle up with it as he napped. Who could be irritated by that?! The baby loves me!
His scavenging ways have gained momentum as he has settled in more, feeling his Wheaties! Today, as I worked on the computer, I could hear a theft in progress. I couldn’t see him but I could hear him! Plop, plop, thud…plop, plop, thud…plop, plop,thud… sounds of Pan Dulce in action. When he finally appeared in the room, he was struggling to drag my Honey’s flip flop. It was bigger than he is and far heavier. They are that hard rubber kind, not the light Croc stuff like mine. The plop, plop part was him attempting to lift the flip flop in a forward motion. The thud part was him hitting his head as he flipped over the shoe head first. Amazing!
Tonight at dinner, I slipped off my shoes (leather strappy sandals) as I normally do to sit cross legged in my chair. I’m short, my feet do not go all the way to floor…what can I say? Anyway, no sooner had I slipped off the last one and had not even gotten the second leg crossed in my lap when our petite pirate came dashing out from under the table with the first shoe. A mad dash back and he made the return trip with shoe #2. Hey, I LIKE those shoes…come back here! ‘No way, Mamacita,’ his guilt-free glance told me. I guess he felt safe under the protection of his chuckling daddy!
Uh oh, that didn’t sound good……
OK, NOW I’VE HAD ENOUGH! As I sit here wearing one shoe to write about our precious little puppy burglar, I see the all too familiar flash of fur dashing across the livingroom. Then I hear a clunk. No plop, plop thud…but a hard clunk. This needed investigating! To my horror the little scoundrel had procured one of my awesome new sexy red heels!! These are the sexiest shoes, not to mention most expensive shoes, I’ve ever owned and the puppy is taking one
to who-knows-where!! This ceases to be a funny game now! It’s not so cute when it’s a delicate red heel instead of a clunky Croc!!Retrieving my ravishing red beauty, I quickly made my way to my bedroom to assess the state of its mate. It was with great relief to see the other red beauty under the bed where I foolishly thought they were safe. I reached down to pick up my prized heel and low and behold, my missing Croc was abandoned next to it…probably left behind in exchange for the more tempting red one.
Note to self….limit Pan Dulce’s access to bedroom. Ah, yet another baby gate to step over… the things we do all for the love of a puppy!
Pan Dulce, shoe thief
Monday, October 5, 2009
And the Answer Is...
As children we hated hearing ‘Not now’ or ‘Maybe later’ to a request for something we really wanted or for permission to be granted. The worst was to hear ‘I’ll think about it’ because we all figured out early on that an ‘I’ll think about it’ usually meant ‘No’. When my kids (and now grandkids) were young and would push for an answer I was not prepared to give or complaining about the “I’ll think about it’ answer, I gave them a choice. I would tell them if they insisted on an immediate answer it would be ‘No’ but if they waited I would give their request serious consideration. They always would choose to wait.
As adults taking request, petitions and needs to our Holy Father, we are often no more easily satisfied that those impatient kids. We want an answer and we want it now. After all, we are busy adults with jobs and families to take care of; we need direction or finances or a health issue addressed. We are just too self-important and busy to wait….so thinketh a prideful and spiritually immature man or woman.
Through prayer, the Lord will give us a solution to the problem. The question is, will we see and accept it as THE answer if it is not what we wanted to hear? Hmmm…
His answer could be just what we asked (a Yes) or something entirely different (a No); He might tell us to wait in our current situation instead of taking action, (a Not Now).
God’s direction and guidance will be according to His perfect will in His timing. His answer may require us to take a step of faith. God uses every opportunity to strengthen our trust and grow us in righteousness. Our prayer life must grow from one of childish impatience demanding immediate gratification to one of faith-filled expectation confident that whatever the answer, God is following His will and has our best interest at heart.
1 Corinthians 13:11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.
As adults taking request, petitions and needs to our Holy Father, we are often no more easily satisfied that those impatient kids. We want an answer and we want it now. After all, we are busy adults with jobs and families to take care of; we need direction or finances or a health issue addressed. We are just too self-important and busy to wait….so thinketh a prideful and spiritually immature man or woman.
Through prayer, the Lord will give us a solution to the problem. The question is, will we see and accept it as THE answer if it is not what we wanted to hear? Hmmm…
His answer could be just what we asked (a Yes) or something entirely different (a No); He might tell us to wait in our current situation instead of taking action, (a Not Now).
God’s direction and guidance will be according to His perfect will in His timing. His answer may require us to take a step of faith. God uses every opportunity to strengthen our trust and grow us in righteousness. Our prayer life must grow from one of childish impatience demanding immediate gratification to one of faith-filled expectation confident that whatever the answer, God is following His will and has our best interest at heart.
1 Corinthians 13:11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Just a Thought
Often as I travel down the highways, especially in town with all the flyovers, I think how difficult it would be for the early Native Americans to envision such a thing. Imagine how blown away George Washington would be with the city of Washington, D.C.!
In my great grandmother's lifetime she saw many life altering changes. She told us stories about traveling by covered wagon, seeing a train for the first time, cars invented, and light bulbs in homes, air planes and air conditioning. I can picture her as a young girl with a mind full of curiosity and I knew her as an elderly woman with more stories to tell than you can imagine. Were she alive today, computers would be the norm. Do you think she could have ever comprehended the notion of that? Probably not.
So, all that being true and real in our natural world, doesn't it make sense that we with our puny finite minds can not begin to comprehend the vastness and complexities of God? I get frustrated with people normally considered intelligent when they argue that Godly supernatural abilities and characteristics can't possibly be real because they don't understand them. That seems a bit arrogant to me. I don't really understand how television comes into my home but I'm sure glad it does! If I had to perform brain surgery to save another's life or even to save my own, I could not! I wouldn't know where to even begin...other than to start praying for God's supernatural help!
One look into the star-filled night sky is enough to put perspective on how small we are compared to the vastness of God’s creation. So then, doesn’t it stand to reason that his supernatural abilities used in creating that vastness are greater still? Yes, Believers, the vastness of God is far more than we can comprehend, but aren't you glad it's there to tune into?!
In my great grandmother's lifetime she saw many life altering changes. She told us stories about traveling by covered wagon, seeing a train for the first time, cars invented, and light bulbs in homes, air planes and air conditioning. I can picture her as a young girl with a mind full of curiosity and I knew her as an elderly woman with more stories to tell than you can imagine. Were she alive today, computers would be the norm. Do you think she could have ever comprehended the notion of that? Probably not.
So, all that being true and real in our natural world, doesn't it make sense that we with our puny finite minds can not begin to comprehend the vastness and complexities of God? I get frustrated with people normally considered intelligent when they argue that Godly supernatural abilities and characteristics can't possibly be real because they don't understand them. That seems a bit arrogant to me. I don't really understand how television comes into my home but I'm sure glad it does! If I had to perform brain surgery to save another's life or even to save my own, I could not! I wouldn't know where to even begin...other than to start praying for God's supernatural help!
One look into the star-filled night sky is enough to put perspective on how small we are compared to the vastness of God’s creation. So then, doesn’t it stand to reason that his supernatural abilities used in creating that vastness are greater still? Yes, Believers, the vastness of God is far more than we can comprehend, but aren't you glad it's there to tune into?!
Thursday, October 1, 2009
React or Respond?
Proverbs 17:28 "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue".
There was a time in my life when I did not know the difference between reacting and responding. Probably didn’t give it a thought at all, one way or the other. Adding that lack of contemplation to the fact that I was a ‘quick draw’ of the tongue with deadly speed and self-perceived accuracy, pile on youthful immaturity and stir in a healthy dose of unChrist-like behavior and you’ve got a remarkable copy of the Me-that-use-to-be.
I was aware of my ability to chew people up and spit them out before they even knew what hit them; sadly, I was even proud of it. I, the young spit-fire, believed it served me well. Growing up in an emotional, mental and sexually abusive home, one hones their defense mechanisms at an early age. I’m not making excuses for it, just explaining my understanding of it at the time. Had I read the Proverb scripture quoted above at that time, I would have laughed out loud.
God has done a lot of work on me since then and I am so very thankful. Of all the changes, and there have been many, I am most often aware of the change He has made in me regarding reacting and/or responding. Because of the stripping away of my old self as I grew in Him, I have a choice now.
It is very human to strike out when we feel criticized, attacked or confronted. If someone makes us angry, we leap to our own defense drawing our mighty weapon, the tongue. To this day, my grown children expect me to react quickly and severely leaving my opponents writhing on the ground from the tongue lashing. This makes me incredibly sad because that is not how I want them to think of me. I want them to know and understand we do not have to react to criticism with anger and self-protectiveness, as the world does. They do not understand that my silence when under verbal attack is not a weakness but strength. I simply choose to respond as God has called us to represent Him in every situation; the same way Christ did- through dependence on the heavenly Father.
I can not tell you how often I have given thanks for the tamed tongue. Yes, people and situations still make me angry but God has tempered my reactions and quieted the tongue. I can, through His strength, walk away from the situation knowing I have chosen to use wisdom and discernment. Any response required will be prayerfully considered before rendered. Admittedly, it is not always easy and sometime the hair on the back of my neck rises as a jerk-knee reminder I am still a work in progress.
The Lord told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would give them wise words to say when they faced hostile authorities (Luke 12:11-12). He will do the same for you and me. If tempted to speak hastily, ask the Spirit to put a seal on your lips until God gives you the words to say and tells you it’s time to respond (Ps. 141:3).
Put your weapon away!
There was a time in my life when I did not know the difference between reacting and responding. Probably didn’t give it a thought at all, one way or the other. Adding that lack of contemplation to the fact that I was a ‘quick draw’ of the tongue with deadly speed and self-perceived accuracy, pile on youthful immaturity and stir in a healthy dose of unChrist-like behavior and you’ve got a remarkable copy of the Me-that-use-to-be.
I was aware of my ability to chew people up and spit them out before they even knew what hit them; sadly, I was even proud of it. I, the young spit-fire, believed it served me well. Growing up in an emotional, mental and sexually abusive home, one hones their defense mechanisms at an early age. I’m not making excuses for it, just explaining my understanding of it at the time. Had I read the Proverb scripture quoted above at that time, I would have laughed out loud.
God has done a lot of work on me since then and I am so very thankful. Of all the changes, and there have been many, I am most often aware of the change He has made in me regarding reacting and/or responding. Because of the stripping away of my old self as I grew in Him, I have a choice now.
It is very human to strike out when we feel criticized, attacked or confronted. If someone makes us angry, we leap to our own defense drawing our mighty weapon, the tongue. To this day, my grown children expect me to react quickly and severely leaving my opponents writhing on the ground from the tongue lashing. This makes me incredibly sad because that is not how I want them to think of me. I want them to know and understand we do not have to react to criticism with anger and self-protectiveness, as the world does. They do not understand that my silence when under verbal attack is not a weakness but strength. I simply choose to respond as God has called us to represent Him in every situation; the same way Christ did- through dependence on the heavenly Father.
I can not tell you how often I have given thanks for the tamed tongue. Yes, people and situations still make me angry but God has tempered my reactions and quieted the tongue. I can, through His strength, walk away from the situation knowing I have chosen to use wisdom and discernment. Any response required will be prayerfully considered before rendered. Admittedly, it is not always easy and sometime the hair on the back of my neck rises as a jerk-knee reminder I am still a work in progress.
The Lord told the disciples that the Holy Spirit would give them wise words to say when they faced hostile authorities (Luke 12:11-12). He will do the same for you and me. If tempted to speak hastily, ask the Spirit to put a seal on your lips until God gives you the words to say and tells you it’s time to respond (Ps. 141:3).
Put your weapon away!
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