Four Letter Words

Long ago in a far away land and what seems like another lifetime I had struggled and battled depression. Depression, as the TV commercial says, hurts everywhere and everyone whose life is touched by it. I’m not here to debate depression but to share a life lesson that came from my time of struggle. I’m here to talk about four letter words.

Without boring you with detail, I entered into group counseling for the depression. The counselor was an impressive woman of God, Sister Mary. If you have visions of sweet little novice nuns flying thru the air or skipping and singing on mountain tops, you are not accurately envisioning Sister Mary. Her well known and profoundly descriptive nickname around the counseling center was Sister Mary Chainsaw. She could chew you up and spit you out in tiny mangled pieces without blinking an eye. Not being Catholic, I had no previous experience or exposure to nuns; this came as a shock to me. I, too, had the visions of flying guitar playing nanny nuns. It just occurred to me that Sister Mary Chainsaw was, in and of herself, a form of shock therapy!

Sister Mary Chainsaw had what we now call Zero Tolerance for self pity or denial of facts. No one was exempt from her steely gaze under which your resolve to hide or try to redirect attention to someone else (and their issues) failed miserably. I found myself the focus of a Sister Mary Chainsaw smack-down more times than I care to count. And some of you think I’m blunt and to the point…I’ve got nothing on her!

What I took away from that season of my life was her disgust with the misuse of the word ‘should’. She said ‘should’ was no better than a foul four letter word because of the damage it could cause. People beaten down under the weight of all the ‘should’ other people load on their backs are carrying a burden of man, not God. Depression, consequently, is a man-made issue. That stuck with me.

There are many people out there that will gladly tell you what you should have done; armchair quarterbacks of your life. They can clearly see the error of your ways and present you with a laundry list of better options…in retrospect…after the fact…with 20/20 hindsight. They also frequently use words like ‘always’ and ‘never’. Not only can these words be inflammatory, they are most often inaccurate.

In conclusion let me simply say we should carefully choose the words we use and always be on guard so that we never lay our burden of weighty foul four letter words (regardless of the actual letter count) on others. See, the words should, always and never do not have to be foul four letter words….but too often they are used as tools to cripple, control and manipulate. We’ve all had people in our lives we might like to lock in a room with Sister Mary Chainsaw for a couple of rounds but my charge to us all today is that we diligently work to insure we are NOT guilty of being one of them in the life of someone else! A little Sister Mary Chainsaw goes a long way and still impacts my world today. What a blessing on my life she was! Wish I could tell her but I bet she already knows; Sister Mary knew everything!

Mexican Petunias – 1, Lynn – 0

Delighting in the absolutely perfect weather yesterday I took the opportunity to spend time out in the yard. I can not “do” full sun so this glorious late February morning beckoned me with urgency. I made the usual walk about around the raised veggie bed and dug out some pesky bull nettle trying to grab hold.

Moving on to the Herb Canoe I pulled out the growing and dead stuff of curious origins. We have a weed that looks similar to cilantro that grows profusely all over the place. You can not kill this stuff! Cilantro is a household favorite and has self-seeded for years….this year it missed the boat…literally! No cilantro waving about in the boat but it is growing well in patches located around the canoe. Any attempts to mow that area would take out not only my beloved cilantro but the Bluebonnet plants intermingled with them. Yea, another excuse not to mow or weed-eat! You just do not mess with cilantro and Bluebonnets in our part of Texas.

Dancing around the back yard like a wood nymph in the moonlight I felt so full of energy and vigor I braved the front yard. It’s not a yard really; it’s the downhill side and majority of our one acre. I tiptoed through the native yuccas and remains of my rock garden making my way to the swing about half way down the hill in the one shady spot out there. The view is beautiful looking north-northwest from that swing. Oh the hours, days and gallons of sweat that went into creating a small flat tier to sit that A-frame on! Thankfully the older grandsons still resided here and child labor was abundant. Thank you, Lord, for grandsons! It was all worth it in the end and we have enjoyed many years of ‘swingin’ together admiring God’s handiwork. Ok, we admired our handiwork, too. The ‘new’ has worn off and hill country vegetation has taken a foothold once again but the splendor of the view from the swing still captivates and entices.

To get to front yard I had to pass by my wild and wooly bed of Mexican Petunias. I wish I could take credit for its glorious splendor but they grow profusely regardless of attention or neglect. Ascending the driveway they greet you at the top of the hill, waving their purple jewels in the slightest of breezes. Mine have grown very tall, some taller than my 5’ 3” stature. So, in their time of winter hibernation, I decided this day of perfect weather was THE day to prune them back to a more manageable size before new growth caused me pause and guilt over said pruning. I was singing like one of the Seven Dwarfs on my way to work with the large, long and heavy pruning shears over my shoulder. Today was the day I would conquer and control the prolific beast.

Before I could make a substantial dent in the dormant woody stalks, I was feeling the weight of the large pruning sheers searing in my shoulders, throbbing aches in my lower back, swelling knees and spaghetti-like arms rendering me all but useless. Foiled by my own weenie-ness! Grrrr. Taken down by flowers, how shameful. I was feeling so thankful for having a strong husband….wishing he was home. Twenty-two years of his physical job have left him with awesome upper body strength, biceps of steel and solid arms I have found comfort and security in over the years. My ultimate go-to place when I need a shoulder to feel secure and safe. He would teach those pesky Mexican Petunias who is boss in quick order!

“Oh, Honey……”

Dear Tooth Fairy

Being something of a sentimental sort I tend to save little things that touch my heart and use them in unordinary ways. For instance, in my Bible I have a note written on a page that came from a notepad shaped and decorated to look like a ladies sandal. The note was written by Daniel, one of the grandsons that lived with us for a while. It is in childish scrawl and says, “Dear toothfairy I’m missing my TOOTH! Thank you” It was left under his pillow one night in hopes the Tooth Fairy would leave him money for the tiny tooth he had misplaced.

To-date, that note melts my heart with same the warm fuzzies I felt sneaking out of his room after reading it by the dim night light when my tooth fairy duties were completed. I use the note as a bookmarker and it lives in the chapter of Proverbs. I read Proverbs each day and see the note often. It never fails to make me smile.

I have a rubber mouse that lives in my purse; in fact, he travels from one to another as my outfits change. I’m not sure how I came to have this rubber mouse in my purse in the first place but I’ve carried him around for at least fourteen years. One Sunday morning in church, grandbaby Hannah was getting restless and fussy. I pulled the mouse out and she was delighted by him. She played quietly the rest of the service in my lap. I can not tell you how many babies and toddlers have been entertained by that silly mouse over the years! Hannah is now nearly fourteen years old and he is still my traveling companion. I’ve pondered this mouse issue in hopes of understanding why I keep him. All I can tell you is that when I feel him in the dark recesses of a purse or bring him out for a wiggly child I see the smiling face of baby Hannah and I get too mushy for words; so the mouse stays.

These are but two examples of the little things of my life that take me to another place and time when an especially sweet memory was born. We like to think we have captured the important moments to retain for all time. They silently tiptoe away without notice more often than not. We try to establish traditions we hope our children will find poignant and cherish but our adult perspective and their child’s mind file events under different categories…if they are filed at all. We teach them of the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, Santa and work to preserve their innocent beliefs as long as we can. I think it’s to preserve our youthful memories just as much as it is for the kids.

As a parent and now grandparent I relish all the precious times I had with the kids of my life. My little things may seem weird to you but they are treasures to my heart.

Can you imagine how many memories of His children God, Father to us all, must have to reflect on? Boggles the mind! He made provision to forgive and forget the bad and ugly sinful things we do, so His memory storehouse must truly runneth over with warm and fuzzy moments that bring His heart to that place of sweet remembrance.

Mouse or no mouse, life with Hannah was not easy yet it is the mouse that travels with me, not the heartache and disappointments. I can not even wrap my head around all God has set aside on my behalf so He can enjoy the warm, fuzzy times with me. I’m astounded by that!

My prayer for each of us today is that we strive to live and serve Him in such a way that we actively and purposely build sweet memories with our Father God. Those are memories that last!

Quote of the Day - Revisited

Morning, Friends.........this morning finds me plagued with a migraine headache which has rendered me unable to write; so I am sending a previous post. It holds up to the test of time. If you've not read it before, I hope you enjoy, if you have read it, I pray God will shed a new light of insight for you. See you tomorrow! Lynn

I collect quotes; the ones that strike a chord in me when I read them. I'm sharing one with you this morning. Here it is:

If things are not going well with you, begin your effort at correcting the situation by carefully examining the service you are rendering, and especially the spirit in which you are rendering it.

Roger Babson(1875-1967, American statistician, columnist)

I don't know if the author was a spiritual man or not but his philosophy certainly applies in a Christian walk, doesn't it?! It's difficult to look at ourselves as the source of our woes when we're so busy pointing at others, the enemy and/or situations.

As a parent, the kids give me all the examples I need (see how I'm talking about their examples & not mine, hehehe). One child or another would come telling some sad, sad tale about how a sibling did them wrong and the first thing I asked was, "What did you do to them?" It made them so mad when I did that! After a bit, we would eventually get around to discovering the action that inspired the assault in the first place. When this was brought into the light, they invariably came back with, " but I was just...(fill in the blank).." Somehow they have justified their own actions but want retribution whacked down on the other person for their heinous crime.

No one likes to own responsibility for the not so wonderful actions, behaviors, attitudes and issues of their life. This is especially true when we KNOW we are not acting as Christ would have us do, yet we spend a great deal of energy listing all the reasons we can't. "....but I was just ...." "...but they..." "...don't have time..." the list goes on and on. We've all been there and said those very things.

The Christian's life should reveal the truth of who Jesus Christ is. In so doing, it can provide a godly example and legacy for future generations. God wants us to invest our lives in ways that bring honor and glory to Him. Doing so, we will also be developing a rich spiritual inheritance to give to others.

Again I ask, what legacy will we leave behind?

“If things are not going well with you, begin your effort at correcting the situation by carefully examining the service you are rendering, and especially the spirit in which you are rendering it.”

We could leave a better legacy by examining our own hearts and actions honestly; making adjustments to realign with godly principles.

"No matter how pretty it may be, the view through rose colored glasses is neither honest nor accurate. Our actions need to stand up in the clear bright Light that is God."
Connie Lynn Bermea (1953- American Christian writer)

You may quote me on that!

As the Rooster Crowed

The morning is still dark and chilly out. Sitting by an open window, I shivered thinking I should close the window but before I could rise to do so the mournful crowing of a neighborhood rooster pierced the morning quiet. My mind took a mental journey to another cold dark morning with dawn not yet making an appearance and being ushered in by the crow of a rooster. For a moment I could smell the smoke of a camp fire, hear the muffled shuffling feet as they stomped in an effort to get warmth all the way to the toes. My heart seemed to race though I knew not why. People talking almost in a whisper as they tend do in the dark. A heavy angst weighed me down; my heart so full of fear and confusion I thought it might explode. For that split second in time I thought this must be as if I was standing beside Peter as the rooster cried out. I do not know if I could bear what he must have felt when the knowledge of his betrayal first sunk into his mind, then his heart. It must have felt as if the weight of consuming shame crushed the very life from him. Was inescapable remorse and self-disgust wringing his gut and heart as he counts through the rooster crowing once, twice and the final heart piercing third crow? The world around him stood still as he is aware of nothing else, save the rooster.

Why, Lord, are you showing me this?

My neighbor rooster not stopping at three continued his morning song; the moment of intense spiritual time travel ended. The question plagues me as I write it down before the sights, sounds and smells leave me. It felt so real, in the actual moment yet I know in reality it lasted no longer than a split second. The quiet voices and sounds of a waking community as the backdrop of the intense scene with Peter seemed encompassing and alive to me. Still I ask, Why, Lord, did you show me that?

Was it to remind me that on any given day in a thousand different ways we are capable of betraying Jesus with our actions, words or self-serving hearts? That we Christians today are dangerously close to our own rooster experience when with friends we talk about how un-Christ-like the world is yet stand around the proverbial camp fire doing nothing to change it? Is our comfort zone around that fire with friends the extent of our action to bring about change for Jesus? Does our silence and lack of effort to publicly and actively advocate for Christ any different that Peter’s denial?

If we are to stand before our God on judgment day to account for all we have done or not done and if the weight of my spirit in that glimpse back at that historically significant moment in time Jesus walked the earth was any indication, oh People, we do not want the rooster crowing in the background! Let it be our battle cry rather than announcing our betrayals.

Peter went on to be a mighty force in the early Christian church. Perhaps it took his rooster experience to humble his heart to the state of brokenness necessary for Jesus to rebuild it for His service. I do not know why I had this weighty and puzzling experience this morning but I know it was for God’s purposes. I may never know the answer while I’m still on this side of heaven but it got my attention in a profound way. Roosters crow to usher in the new morning and wake the sleeping world…..ponder that a while. Perhaps the rooster played a bigger part in the story than we see at first glance.

Prayer

You know how every now and then we get one of those ‘holy bops on the head’? We could get all theological and call it conviction but you know when a holy bop comes your way. I was bopped this morning. A little background…….

We have one of those large cool prints in a great frame of the old man sitting at his table with a Bible, loaf of bread and bowl of soup. The man has his head bowed and hands folded in prayer. You’ve seen the one I’m talking about. I love it. It was a gift from a friend and though I have little wall space for it to occupy, it sits in a place of prominence atop the china cabinet. It is a study of humble and prayerful simplicity.

Here comes the topic of my ‘holy bop’……

Have we gotten away from the real way to pray? Is it really a prayer if you are busy putting your napkin in your lap as you rush through the requisite thanks at the speed of light? If your mouth is full as you utter, “thanks, Lord” before moving on to the next bite can we take solace in knowing the Lord really accepts that as a prayer? Is it really a prayer if we are just getting it out of the way so we feel better about it because we are suppose to pray? Laying it on the table, so to speak, prayer served up cold like fast food can hardly be worthy of being called PRAYER. Can it?

We have become a lazy people that think so highly of ourselves and our growling bellies that we have gotten to a place where we are not only content with but consistently spitting out a line or two of complacent words (usually the same ones every time) as quickly (and insincerely) as we can so we can move on to the good stuff…..food.

Really, People, can we call this prayer? Bop, BOP, BOP………..

I believe that God would rather us not waste our breath or His time with such foolishness. It is a mockery of prayer….a mockery of thankfulness…….can a mockery of God be far behind?

Repeating a child’s prayer is great when we are children but it is meant to be a teaching tool to form good habits, not a lifelong prayer discipline. If we approach the foot of the throne in anything less than humble thankfulness with a sincere heart we are missing the point. The fast-food-like prayer offends my sensibilities (though I have been guilty of doing it) so I can only imagine that the Lord finds it lacking. Bop, BOP, BOP…..

Maybe this only applies to me……..maybe none of you have ever uttered the speedy short prayer……..maybe we to get real and honest with ourselves so we can be honest with God. Thought I’d share the picture as well as the questions………

Can You Smell Me Now?

As the aromas of breakfast linger this morning I am reminded of how powerful our sense of smell is. Just a passing whiff of Jergens Lotion and I am transported to a time of my innocence and youth. My Grandmother used Jergens everyday and though I am now the grandmother I cannot smell it to this day without thinking of her. It is a loving smell memory.

I once worked with a young woman, a single mom, who shared her fears she of not being a good enough mom to her son. I had been around her and the boy, they had a good relationship; she talked often of him, took extra steps to make sure he had all he needed and a lot of what he wanted. In talking it out I discovered her fear was based on an olfactory memory. She told of her mother, a German immigrant and stay at home mom, always smelling of onions. This young woman had embedded memories of hands that tended her in good times or through sickness smelling of onions. She was not a cook like her mom and rarely smelled of onions so she felt lacking as a good mother. In our talk, she became aware of why she felt as she did and was able to see her smell memory dictated her feelings, not reality. An embedded memory of smells is powerful, indeed.

God talks of aromas in scripture. He often referenced the sweet aroma of burnt offerings. There are two clear distinctions between the sweet-savor offerings and the sin and trespass offerings. The burnt meal and peace offerings were a sweet savor because no sin was represented in them. God enjoyed them because of the devotion of the one making the offer they represented; such as prayer, praise and worship for us today.

The sin and trespass offerings, requiring unblemished animals to represent the sinless Christ, were nonetheless laden with un-forgiven sin. These offerings were not a sweet aroma to the Lord. Jesus was laden with sin once He took our sins upon Himself, and the law claimed His life.

A second distinction is that the sin and trespass offerings were burnt outside the camp. This act emphasized God's disgust and aversion to sin and at the same time signaled the separation sin produces. The sinner, separated from God, could have no access to Him until he repented, and he was likewise separated from the community until cleansed of his trespass.

However, in giving Himself as a living sacrifice out of love and devotion, Jesus was first a sweet-savor offering.

Smell is powerful and it is the sweet savor aroma of Christ and His sacrifice that we as Believers bring to God as we walk out our life in devotion to Him. The Old Testament talks of the burnt offerings and sacrifices under the Law while the New Testament talks of the ultimate sacrifice, Jesus, the fulfillment of scripture in the Old Testament.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 (NIV) But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

Ephesians 5:2 (Amplified) And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

As I write this the smell of my favorite incense is wafting through my house. It is rich, complex and I find it a very pleasant fragrance. I hope and pray that my life as a Believer walking to bring Jesus to others is as sweet a savor fragrance to God. I certainly want to be the ‘aroma of Christ’ in God’s nostrils. Yes, our sense of smell is powerful, may we always be as a sweet fragrance to God.

Friends of Substance

Some of the best ‘God Talk’ conversations I’ve had started out as ‘Girl Talk’. What a blessing to have godly friends that share both your desire to live for God and the struggles facing Christians in daily life. I’m talking about real friends with whom you can share your naked heart in confidence because you know they will not judge even if they have to point out erroneous thinking on your part or be forthright in not letting you off the hook when you make excuses about actions. I think it is no coincidence that good friend and God friend is only one tiny letter apart.

In that same vein, your issue becomes our issue when you drop the Y (why) in sharing with a good God friend. Your yoke becomes Our yoke when a God friend walks beside you; a burden shouldered between godly friends. No problem or issue can prevail when your God friend stands praying faithfully in the gap and Jesus is walking beside you. Talk about a power team! Jesus doesn’t need the help but He is the One closer than a brother so He understands relationships of depth; He’s not intimidated by bonds to God friends. The Bible tells us to seek godly counsel. This is why (Y) it is vital to have mature God friends; other friends can not give godly advice; no one can give out what they do not have.

God friend or Accountability Partner, call it what you like but it is imperative that this be a working relationship of a well traveled two way street. Both parties need to know they are free to share, free to care and free to walk in confidence that the other will be honest with us, most especially when we are not being honest with ourselves. I had a friend tell me she sometimes holds back when she’s not ready to deal an issue because she knows I will tell her what she doesn’t want to hear. Trust me, THAT is a two way street I have walked. She, too, tells me what I need to hear not what I want to hear and we love each other for it.

I have been blessed in my life with such friends and give thanks regularly for them. These are time tested, storm weathering friends that you can count on at all times regardless of circumstance or convenience; praying women not afraid of stomping their foot in the face of wickedness, shouting down a demon or burning the midnight oil on your behalf. We have shared more laughter and tears than I can tell you. We laugh at ourselves and with each other; we’ve wiped tears and noses. We’ve held one another in silence and been a sounding board for some loud venting. We do not always agree but we always stay regardless. We are blessed with the gift of having a God friend.

While you can not open up to just anyone and wisdom dictates knowing the difference, I pray you ask God to bring the right person into your life if you do not have such a God friend, Accountability Partner. These relationships are too important not to have God leading the way in crossing your paths. They are not for the faint of heart or anyone unwilling to give and receive honesty. God friends make the best good friends and bring a rich fullness and sweet warmth. God friends are really angels walking around on earth to hold your hand before you walk the streets of Heaven with Jesus. Thanks, Lord!!!

Where's the Beef?

Many years ago there was a commercial on TV with an old woman, her cane and a hamburger. She demanded to know “Where’s the beef?” It was cute and the line caught on. People used it, and then reused it regarding anything they questioned the quality on. There is not a lot worse than a skimpy dried out ‘slice’ of meat in a burger so it challenged the populace of burger maker to compete more. Burgers got a bit better till the fervor died down and then a lot of burger joints went back to the rubbery patty again. Things look better once more with fat juicy burgers making a come back. This is good for John Q. Public if you throw caution to the wind regarding eating fast food.

Vegetarianism and Vegan-ship(?) are making a lot of noise on the health scene. The bandwagon is loaded with all sorts of promoters and products that are simulated replicas of real food; by ‘real’ I mean that with which was made by God. My Honey and I partake in a ‘Daniel Fast’ at the first of each year for spiritual reasons and have learned more than we probably ever wanted to know about these food wannabes during these times of fasting. In a Daniel Fast you simply eat veggies, fruit, whole grains, etc….no bread, sweets or meats. Thus, our introduction to meatless meat.

In and of itself, meatless meat is usually a soy based product chocked full of protein and shaped to look like a burger patty, crumbled ground meat, and even BBQ ribs….the kind on a McRib sandwich. The BBQ rib-less ribs are my Honey’s favorite. And I have to say, they are not bad. Not great, but not bad. Even though our fast has ended, I still incorporate those into our menu. I made sandwiches with them the other night on Kaiser rolls and with some pickle and onion, you can’t really tell it’s meatless meat. Low fat, high protein, low calories and BBQ sauce, what more could you ask for?

The problem with ‘created’ food is that it did not come from the Creator. It may have good aspects to it and I do not argue those points. In a world demanding more food to feed its increasing population, some of these foods could make the difference between starvation and health. That is not, however, the topic today. I used the meatless meat to make a point about how, more and more, there are people ‘creating’ their faith with a God-less god. Like the meatless BBQ ribs, they have aspects that make it look like a god without it actually being THE God. These god wannabes can never be holy, life giving, and sanctifying gods with eternal life or bring salvation yet many flock to the wannabes in droves because they are starving for spiritual nourishment. They may as well be bowing down to a cardboard cutout for all intent, purposes and spiritual nutrition they get from their God-less gods.

Then there are the ‘cotton candy’ Christian preachers feeding people a sugary diet of goodness and light that will rot their spiritual teeth. We have gotten away from telling people that hell is a real and very bad place. Let’s just smile and wave our holy hands and be happy! If we join hands and sing a round of ‘Kumbaya’ all is right in the world. This lack of reality is misleading as many people as the God-less gods.

People need to know that sin is bad, personal choice or not, sin is bad. Agree or not, sin is bad. You can’t live like hell all week long and say a chant or sing a song and make things right with God, not THE God; maybe that works in your ‘Alice in Blunderland’ world but the One True God requires more of us than that.

A friend and I had a conversation a while back; her position was that preaching mercy and grace of God was the best way to win more people to Jesus and talking about sin and hell would scare people off. I felt it was imperative that people know that they are sinners and that Jesus was the only way to God; that’s where the mercy and grace come in. I do not think we should beat people over the head and drown them in recanted tales of their sins, that is not my point; but I think as servants of God we have a responsibility to let people know that eternity in hell is the only other option. Would we not warn them of a damaged bridge when certain death lies below in the ravine? Jesus is the Bridge between sinners and heaven, should they not know that He is only bridge that keeps them from hell?

There are millions of people out there that do not know they are sinning against the King of Kings, Lord of Lords. Unless they hear, how will they know? How can they accept Jesus as Lord of their lives if they do not know and believe He is the path to salvation? It’s easy to see how people can be drawn in and duped by cardboard cutouts of a god when they do not know the real God. My Honey will eat an old shoe if it has BBQ sauce on it. We need to show people real meat that is God so they will know the real difference between what is genuine and what is just covered in BBQ sauce to make you forget it is not the real deal.

Tuna Taco??!!

My Honey is Hispanic and was raised in San Antonio, TX, spending his early years in his grandparent’s house where Spanish was the first language. I am not Hispanic and was raised in the bay area of the Gulf of Mexico where Small-Town-Texas-Redneck was the first language.

He is a ‘land crab’ and I am a ‘water baby’. Though our cultures and youth experiences are similar in some ways, there are more that are incredibly different. Understand we grew up only three and a half hours apart! (In Texas we measure distance in time rather than miles)

He grew up with menudo, tacos and tamales. I grew up with cornbread, greens and gumbo. Our common culinary denominator…beans and rice, prepared differently; yet the same. Our life has been an adventure of melding two cultures and living in harmony and appreciation for the differences. Today, though, we’re talking about food…sort of.

As a baby my Honey had a pacifier in one hand and a taco in the other. Sadly, my first experience with Mexican food was in a frozen dinner; an uninspired introduction to Latin cuisine. Not the case for my Honey. He is taco oriented from the word GO. Regardless of what I labor to place before him at mealtime, he finds a way to make a taco out of something! If there are not any tortillas on the table, he will wrap up a bread encased taco. He’s not picky, anything that will fold in half around anything else edible will do! Tacos are to him as mother’s milk to an infant.

One day while preparing tuna salad sandwiches for lunch I decided to make it easy for him and simply used tortillas instead of bread and made him tuna tacos. Mine just a plain ole’ tuna sandwich on whole grain bread. He was working outside in the yard and running in to find taco materials would be a waste of time, so I presented him with three tuna tacos on a plate. Settled on the yard swing in anticipation of lunch, he looked quizzically at his tacos and asked what they were. When I told him tuna salad tacos he looked at me like I was crazy. I explained it was only a matter of time before he made a taco so I was saving him time and effort. The first bite was a tentative one, indeed, but he relished every bite after that.

Here’s the spiritual analogy that you knew was just a few keystrokes away…hehehe.

When it comes to sharing Jesus sometimes you just might have to wrap the message in a taco. By that I mean we need to use discernment and be sensitive to how it will best be received by the one to which we are presenting it. If putting everything he eats in a taco is the most nurturing to my Honey, then I take comfort in knowing that the food I prepared for him is feeding his soul as well as his body. It doesn’t matter that it is unfamiliar to me and never in a million years would it occur to me to do so. It is the best way to reach him where it makes the most impact. If I tried to shove a heaping bowl of seafood gumbo down his throat just because it was my favorite regardless of how it appealed to him, I would be wasting my time and good gumbo. I use gumbo as an example because it is a part of my family tradition every bit as much as tacos are to him. He did not like it at first and had to acquire a taste for it. If we want people’s souls to be reached we must present Jesus in a concept they can understand. That’s why I encourage people not to use ‘Christian-eze’ as much as I do. It’s not a language non-Believers comprehend.

My theory is fairly simple. If the message of Jesus is to be shared with people of different backgrounds, cultures, languages and intellects it is imperative that while we remain true to the content, we may have to serve it in a recognizable form that touches the basic inner being of the receiver. Jesus in a taco here; Jesus in an eggroll there. Matters not as long as people are being fed the Bread of Life. Jesus supplies all that nurtures and nourishes us; we’re not adding to Him, just serving Him in a way that will touch hearts and lives though it may seem different and foreign to us. He is for all nations, all people, all cultures and tongues …. The Bible says so!

A missionary friend shared a story from a mission trip in Africa where the spiritual leader of the local people asked that they bring Jesus to them not as a potted plant but as seeds they could plant and grow in their own soil. WOW, that is so much more lyrical than ‘wrapped in a taco’ but the message is the same.

Inner Child - Which Way Does it Go?

Some of you may be old enough to remember the TV show with Art Linkletter called ‘Kids say the darnedest things’. I am old enough to remember. It was always cute and usually embarrassing to the parents, which, of course, made it funnier. I received the following message from my precious daughter-in-love(law) regarding a comment made by our six year old granddaughter, Rylie. She said, “Rylie told me today that she can't play the games that her friends want to play because she will have an allergic reaction to doing what she doesn't want to do.” Where do they get this stuff? It was funny but it very clearly represents a child’s mentality…..it’s all about me! Limited to children? I think not.

Looking at life through a child’s eyes our perspective is a bit narrower though I can not help but believe it is filled with far more wonderment and awe. They are more open and accepting than most adults, not yet jaded by the evil in this world, disappointments and disillusions. Perhaps that is why Jesus said in Mark 10:14-15 But when Jesus saw this, He was indignant and said to them, "Permit the children to come to Me; do not hinder them; for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. Truly I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it at all."

There is distinct difference between being child-like in acceptance and childish in attitude. Child-like is innocent, accepting, inclusive; childish is self-centered, self-serving, and exclusive.

The crux of the matter is we must learn to adopt the child-like acceptance of God’s supremacy and openly believe…TRUST, HAVE FAITH…in spite of our adult ‘worldly’ knowledge and life-tinted vision if we are to receive the kingdom of God. No small task, indeed, but the rewards are great and eternal, the struggle temporary.

To no surprise the Bible addresses this, too, in 1 Corinthians 13:11 When 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.

Note it says “…I am done with childish way..” not “…done with my child-likeness…”

The cuteness of Rylie’s rationale wears thin as we get older and it ceases to be cute very quickly. None are immune to lingering childish ways so we must be on constant guard. I, for one, have held on to a lingering rebellion. It is a small scale rebellion to me but it does reflect a heart that is not totally void of issues to clean out. I go IN the Exit doors and OUT the Entrance doors at stores. It just grates on me that someone is telling where I can and cannot go….so I rebel. That’s my sin, the secret is out. I have practiced this more years than I can count and it went virtually unnoticed until the grandkids lived with us. One of them noticed and asked about it. I explained what I was doing and they all thought it amusing. So, pitiful excuse of a grandmother that I am, I laid my rebellious heart open to the kids; they started doing the same thing. The actual action we were taking wasn’t so bad but the fact that I openly practiced rebellion in front of them was! It DID become an issue with my Honey one day when the kids explained to him he was going out the wrong door and why. Oops!

See? You have to be on guard every minute because when you get to Heaven you want to see the Entrance door, NOT the Exit sign!!

IF is a Big Word

God loves us unconditionally. Halleluiah! For we could never be worthy of that vast love left to our own devices, choices and flesh driven ways. Yes, His love is unconditional. There are, however, benefits that come out of that love for us that require some action on our part. Proverbs Two talks about the moral benefits of Wisdom. If you recall, a short while ago I wrote about Wisdom in Proverbs being the prophetic word for Jesus. Either way, using Wisdom or Jesus, Proverbs Two is clear in the actions we as Believers must take to obtain these benefits. For the sake of this reading I will use Wisdom/Jesus; read it with both names. Reading it as Jesus makes it more personal to me.

The actions we need to take will be in blue, the benefits will be in red. The tiny word IF plays a large part in this….IF makes it clear that whether or not we receive these benefits is totally up to us. Notice how much more we receive than is required…..hmmmm.

Proverbs 2

My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom/Jesus and applying your heart to understanding, and if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.

For the LORD gives wisdom/Jesus, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. Then you will understand what is right and just and fair—every good path.

For wisdom/Jesus will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Wisdom/Jesus will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse, who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways, who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil, whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways. It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words, who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God. For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead. None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.

Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous. For the upright will live in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; but the wicked will be cut off from the land, and the unfaithful will be torn from it.

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Being a Christian is not some mamby-pamby spectator endeavor. Not at all! We can not passively sit back and wait for the shower of blessings to cover us. It is an active, live on-going, giving and receiving relationship that requires we (1) make decisions and choices (2) take actions and (3) take an active role participating in maintaining the relationship. It’s not a part-time activity either. It’s a lifestyle, a life altering decision to walk away from the ways and mentalities you held and surrendering to the one and only living God. It’s giving up your plans and being open to the path God has planned for you. This isn’t scary but it is very exciting! Our tiny finite minds can not even comprehend all that He has in store for us IF we….THEN He……

Take off your shoes and dive head first into The Living Water. If you call yourself a Christian and have been standing back afraid to get your feet wet, get over yourself! It’s not about you and it’s all about Him. Drenched in Living Water means you are not standing in a desert full of dry bones!

An Excuse by Any Other Name

Excuses and rationales come in all flavors, colors and sporting a variety of monikers. You can find them everywhere, no need to look far and wide; you probably have a stockpile handy for unexpected issues that drop by. We all have them and have used them often. In large they are recyclable! We can use the same one over and over. It’s a sense of comfort to lean back on a familiar excuse. They do wear thin after a while, so we restate it thinking we are being, oh, so clever and creative. Sadly, the one we are fooling with our tired old worn out excuse is ourselves; everyone else knows our list of excuses as well as the menu at their favorite food joint.

There was a time in my Christian infancy when I blamed an entire denomination on the actions of two perverted men that had treated me badly. I refused to step foot in a church of that denomination because of my experiences. I wanted no part of a church that had people like that. I refused to take my young children to a church of that denomination as well. Thus, there was a time period I didn’t take them anywhere because their father insisted on that denomination and I refused based on my history viewed through my life tinted glasses. I felt justified, I had valid reasons…..I was wrong.

I was a flawed person using other flawed people as my excuse. Sounds rather like a clanging cymbal now but it rang strong in my rationale then. I cannot even take satisfaction in knowing that is one of the most common excuses when it comes to church going. Too many hypocrites – there’s always room for one more, people talk about other people, backstabbers – don’t listen, refuse to take part in such conversations, I only have the weekends to get everything done around the house – we need more attitudes of Mary and less of Martha. Laundry will always be around, I promise. The husband of a friend used to say he had church with God when he was in the woods hunting or on the boat fishing. His wife asked him who he gave his tithes and offerings to out there. I’m proud to say he now attends church with his wife. His decision!

I talked about going to church in the previous paragraphs but it certainly isn’t limited to that. The last time we painted our house, tired and exhausted, we decided we had done enough and would get to the touch-ups later. That was eight years ago…we’re still “trying to find the time” to touch-up. It’s time alright; time to paint the whole house again! Can you imagine the life one must lead to be so busy and productive that they are unable to find one afternoon in eight years to complete a necessary task!!? Yep…the old tired worn out excuse got very thin years ago; so much so, we don’t even bother making it anymore.

Then there is the honesty factor. When we throw out an excuse or rationale we often are sidestepping honesty all together. When “I don’t want to” is the honest answer and we send out “I just can’t because…” instead, we are not being completely honest. We are taking a slice of truth and stretching it to cover our real reason. In that stretching it can become distorted to the point of not even being recognizable. I once asked a Christian friend to help me with a portion of a ministry project I was doing. She had before and I just knew I could count on her help again. So I asked, describing the task with which I needed help. Without blinking an eye she answered, “No, I don’t think I’m interested in doing that.” At first I was taken aback by the unexpected reply, then amused and after a little contemplation I felt admiration for her total upfront honesty. It was a breath of fresh air in the stagnant world of excuses. I had to admire that. I’m pretty much a ‘bottom line kind of girl’ and still I have trouble being as straight forward as my friend when asked to do things I do not want to do. I find I fall back on making excuses. I have come to the conclusion that we need to stop making excuses about making excuses. That would make them excuses to the second power!

We need to clean out our stash of excuses and rationales like we would a junky closet. This, of course, requires complete honesty with ourselves and we all know how painful that can be. Take the band-aide approach with each excuse as you come to it and just rip it out of your vocabulary and mentality. Ask Jesus to help you, Lord knows we all need His help in every step of the process…being honest with ourselves, facing our ugly habits and ways, staying faithful to the process, etc. He knows how hard this is for us and we can do all things through His strength. We just have to first make the decision to do so.

P.S. All the Martha’s out there be you male or female need to take off the proverbial apron and spend more time with Jesus. There is nothing in or around our homes that won’t wait a couple of hours on Sundays.