How Sweet It Is

 It's been a long time since I posted a blog! Over a year in fact. Do people even read blogs anymore? My husband has encouraged me to post my articles on my blog. I've been writing an inspirational article called "Heart & Soul" in our hometown newspaper each month for over three years now. I love the task each month. It scratches my writing itch just right! My latest article was on confession. 

I've been practicing the ACTS prayer module in my quiet time. A - Adoration, C-Confession, T- Thanksgiving, S - Supplication. Each category is fairly easy for me....except the confession one. That is something God and I are working at together. Confessing sins daily is a new thing for me. An eye-opening thing, for sure. Forgiving others, especially those who haven't asked for it, it's not new for me. It's just difficult. Learning to recognize my own inadequacies every day and asking for forgiveness for them has helped me in learning to forgive those who have wronged me. Opening old wounds is becoming less. Turns out that confession, truly is...good for the soul. Here's my recent "Heart & Soul" article in the January '26 edition of Hometown Treasure. 

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The glass was broken. The ball was in his hand. And yet, my son had no idea how the windshield got broken while he waited in the car for my return. I allowed guilt and shame to do their work in my son’s soul until he finally confessed. This gave me the opportunity to extend grace to him and come up with a plan to fix the windshield together.

 

You see, Junior was more concerned with the repercussions than with remorse. What he didn’t understand was that, although I would be upset that I now had a windshield to replace, the act wouldn't make me stop loving him. He didn’t want to face the reality of his wrongdoing, so he chose to play dumb in hopes I’d be dumb enough to believe him. But he soon learned that the weight of guilt was heavier than spilling the painful truth!  

 

I recently heard this quote from my Bible study leader. If the practice of confession is superficial, then the experience of grace will be superficial. Genuine confession = genuine grace. Junior confessed – I forgave. Neither act was easy to do.

 

Junior learned that saying, “I’m sorry,” is difficult. Confession, however, is a two-way street: it frees you from guilt and allows the other person to extend grace through forgiveness. Likewise, when we confess a sin to God, He forgives and forgets. Phew!

 

It’s not so easy to ask for forgiveness from a human, though, is it? The anti-inflammatory concoction I drink each morning doesn’t taste good, but the benefits to my joints are worth it. The same is to be said of eating a slice of humble pie. It’s hard to swallow, but the benefits to my soul are well worth the humility.

 

But what if you’re on the flip side of this transaction, the one to whom someone is confessing? Well, you have an excellent opportunity to forgive and reconcile. Harder yet, what if you’ve been offended and the offender doesn’t apologize?  Well, according to this Bible verse, we are to forgive anyway.

 

Ephesians 4:31–32 (NIV)

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger...Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you".

 

Because of Christ’s death on the cross, I have been forgiven and set free. The gratitude of this transaction should motivate me to extend grace through forgiveness and receive grace through confession.

 

Unfortunately, my motivation wanes when I have been wounded by someone. I’m more apt to fret, stew, and think ill thoughts. How about you? When it comes to confession and forgiveness, relief comes only when I remember the example Jesus set for me. On a cross. On the day he extended grace and mercy to a sinner such as I. But mostly, from the grace he gives me now every time I disappoint him.

 

It turns out that, contrary to popular belief…revenge is not sweeter…grace is!

 

A Reason, A Season, or Forever

 As we near the month of Love - I'm reminded of this article that I published in the Hometown Treasure last year. Who are these people in your life?

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Coming off the holidays, where I spent time with friends and family and moving into the "month of love," I've been reflecting on relationships. Conclusion - I've been blessed with a lot of them!

Some were in my life for a reason, some for a season, and some are in it forever. No relationship in my life has been wasted. Even if they ended, there was a purpose. I've learned valuable lessons, shared laughs, and loved.

There have been individuals in my life whose paths have crossed briefly with mine. They have been placed there for a reason. Past teachers taught me essential lessons or skills. I've encountered people in the grocery store that I'm convinced were there for a purpose. This is how I learned to pick a good cantaloupe!

Then there are those people who were in my life for a season. Classmates, parents who I shared bleachers with and cheered our children on together, or friends who moved away. We didn't part on complicated terms but moved on with good memories. I've also endured complex relationships for a season. I learned valuable lessons there, also.

Then there is the long-haul group. These forever people are my mainstays who have stuck with me no matter what. They are my parents, family members, spouse, and lifelong friends. These are the ones that have loved me through the thick and thin of life. These individuals have grit and grace, and I can always return to them when I've lost my way. Even if I try, I can't get rid of them (God love 'em) because their love is deeply rooted in my heart.

Where are you in the lives of other people? Who fills in these categories in your life?

God created us uniquely and desires us to be in a relationship with each other. He saw Adam was lonely and created another human being for him. In Galatians 6:2, we are instructed to carry one another's burdens. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says we are to encourage and build each other up.

No matter the status, there is a purpose in each encounter we make along the way.

Romans 13:8 (NLT) says: Owe nothing to anyone – except for your obligation to love one another.

Whether you are in someone's life for a reason, a season, or forever you owe them nothing but love. Easily done if you're in good standing, but more difficult if there are hard feelings. In time and through prayer, we can have love in any relationship. However, it must be sincere love, according to Romans 12.

This passage says we should be devoted to one another in love and honor one another above ourselves. It gives a list of how sincere love should look. This list applies no matter how you fit into someone's life.

Here is what sincere love looks like:

It is selfless, zealous, fervent, and service-oriented. It is joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer. It's hospitable, compassionate, and giving. It blesses and doesn't' curse. It rejoices with the joyful and mourns with the grieving. It is harmonious, humble, and never conceited. Sincere love does not seek revenge but makes peace with everyone. It overcomes evil with good!

How many can you check off this list in your relationships? I’m a work in progress on many of them. Let us strive to love each other sincerely - whether for a reason, a season, or forever.

Popcorn for Adults

 

Give me a show of hands for those that love a box of Cracker Jacks. My love of popcorn began with a box of that caramel coated goodness. And let’s face it, what kid doesn’t root around for the “surprise” that’s in the box. My tattoo dreams came true many a day with a lick and stick tattoo I pulled up from the sticky contents of my Cracker Jack box. Oh, those were the days.

I’m a grown-up now and prefer more sophisticated delicacies, i.e. Angie’s Boom-Chicka Pop. That’s right, Angie, the Popcorn Queen, as I like to call her, is the creator/CEO of Boom-Chicka Pop. It’s delicious and she has marketed many flavors. But my Sparky and I have a big obsession with the purple bag, The Kettle Corn flavor. We eat a bowl of it every night!  We purchase it in giant 1 lb. 9 oz bags that look like king sized bed pillows. We load up on them at Costco, sometimes 5 bags at a time. We do this because one time Costco didn’t have them. We cried real tears and friends felt so bad for us they were offering to mail us bags from their town. Costco always has them now. They claim it has nothing to do with the temper tantrum I had in the aisle there, but I’ve got me a feelin’!

Because of all our grown-up distinctiveness we no longer eat right out of the bag. We transfer our sweet snack to a big metal popcorn tin that sits on our counter. ‘Cause we’re just fancy like that! Even the dog knows the sound of the tin shutting and begs for his share of the goodness.

This morning as Sparky was leaving for work, he couldn’t find his wallet. We looked all over the place. He was sure he had put it on the counter when he came home from work. He retraced his steps from the prior night in his poor feeble little mind to no avail. Perhaps he left it at CVS when he stopped there on the way home. He drove by there and scoured the parking lot. I drove there when they opened for business and inquired if a wallet had been turned in. He prayed. I prayed. We begged the Lord to show us the wallet! Where or where could it be?

Once at work, Spark decided to view our Nest camera video footage. Ah the Nest cam – the thing I love to hate. I hate the thought that this camera is watching my every move all day long, but Spark is convinced that if ever there is a burglar – we’ll nab him! He texted me and tells me to look at the footage from 5:31 the night before. And there he is, as plain as day, pulling his phone out of his right pocket and his wallet out of the left pocket and depositing them on the counter as he has done for the past 30 plus years.

This put our minds at ease for the rest of the day, enough that we could get something accomplished.  The wallet had to be in the house. Once home from work, I pulled all the trash out, looked around the house again and watched over 3 hours of video clips from that @#$& video camera. Nothing. Never do I see either of us go back to the spot where the wallet had laid.

Having exhausted all possibilities, I sat down and thought long and hard about the night before. It was pretty boring actually, and not very fun to think about. As a side note, we need to get a life. Then it dawned on me, the only place we didn’t look was the popcorn tin. He did have his nightly bowl of Boom-Chicka. “Now, wouldn’t that be crazy if his wallet was in the popcorn tin,” I mused to myself as I lifted the lid.

And there…to my disbelief laid Sparky’s wallet amongst the fluffy kernels! What on
earth!!! That’s it, my husband is officially losing his mind. This is very concerning. I didn’t know if I should laugh, feel relieved or be highly concerned about his mental well-being. I quickly snapped a pic and sent it to him.

Relieved as he was, he was in shock and kind of thinking the same thing as me – is he losing his mind? However, he did remind me that I got popcorn after he did. Now the plot thickens.

I am completely baffled by this and although I was relieved to have found the wallet – the mystery now remained as to how in the world it found its way to the popcorn bucket. Did I put it in there? I was the last one to dip my bowl in the tin.

I logged back on to the @#$& video footage. I scanned through videos until I saw one of myself getting popcorn. I watched it over and over. I took the lid off, laid it on the counter, and returned it to the tin. I took the lid off a second time and got a handful more to fill my bowl up and returned the lid again.   

Now, Spark’s wallet is not a typical wallet. It’s actually a money clip. The clip is magnetic. It wasn’t until I watched the video a fourth time that it dawned on me – Hey, I bet I put that darn lid over the wallet, and it was magnetized to the lid. Sure enough, I tested out my theory and that is what happened. Somewhere along the line the wallet became too heavy and the magnetization gave way plummeting it into it’s sweet and salty safety net!

The moral of this story is that I’ve come a long way from a lick and stick tattoo in my cracker jack box. I’m now finding 4 credit cards, $50 in cash and a Five Lakes Coffee Card in my Boom-Chicka! Growing up has its perks! Welcome to my adult world!

Don't Sink

 Here's another article from my column in our hometown paper that was published in May. I hope this encourages you today...

Don't Sink

 

A sinkhole was discovered in the concrete parking lot of a local entity. The excavator who was called on to repair the hole was shocked at his findings. Digging 30 x 60 ft wide and some 9 ft down, it appeared the area may have been a burial ground for debris from the 1965 tornado. Amongst the treasures were an 8,000 lb. tree, a mangled bicycle, and a trailer hitch. Over 58 years, these items began to rot and shift, and air pockets were formed, causing the earth around them to give way, concrete and all.

 

A life lesson stared back at me as I stared into that big hole. Debris, buried and forgotten for 58 years, had caused considerable destruction. I imagine the farmer, who dug the hole, worked tirelessly to eliminate every reminder of that horrific day. Palm Sunday 1965 - when twin twisters ripped through our community, leaving a swath of death and destruction. He shoved the debris down into the earth and rebuilt his life.

 

I thought about past "storms" in my life and the destruction they've left behind. Have I buried that wreckage deep into my soul, thinking they will no longer harm me, only for them to be unearthed later? Or worse yet, do I occasionally go back to the hiding place and dig them up? The bitterness I haven't dealt with, people I haven't forgiven, unhealed wounds of broken relationships?

 

Can you relate? Do you have any past hurts that you've shoved down deep? The items in the sinkhole eventually wreaked havoc – will our hidden pain finally do the same in our lives? Well, I'm not a psychologist, but in my experience, anything that I have shoved down deep and not dealt with has eventually returned to haunt me. Why? Because instead of learning from it or getting rid of it, I have just stored it away in my heart for a while.

 

Sure, it's hard to not remember hard things that happen in life. The loss of a loved one, financial demise, beating cancer, and the list could go on. A friend once told me that she can forgive and forget but never forgets the lessons she learned from the experience. She doesn't want to. Those lessons are the fruit that has sprouted from the hurt we have planted. The lessons learned when cleaning up the debris from our personal storms is what propel us forward into a future filled with wisdom and hope.

 

When Israel became stuck between the past and the future, God revealed himself to them through Isaiah the prophet, giving them great hope. He says in Isaiah 43:10, "Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing, Now, it springs up. Do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland". 

 

This is a great word for me as I deal with the junk I have buried and refuse the lesson it speaks into my life. Dwelling on the former things doesn't do me (or you) any good. They may cause us to sink. Let our focus be on the hope that springs eternal from the solid foundation of Jesus Christ! He is doing a new thing!

 

 

 

 

 

Champions of the year

 

My friend coaches a youth soccer team. He instilled this fundamental principle into his group of young athletes, reiterating it often: "Champions focus on where they are going, not what they are going through."

Champion is a word that has never been associated with my name. I'm not an athlete unless you
consider sprints to the concession stand during extra innings, something notable. Don't let the word champion fool you, though. We are all champions of something. Champions for whom we believe in, for a cause, for the relationships we cherish, and some days, we may be the champion of laundry. Being a champion is to succeed.

This quote, stated so wisely by my friend, has resonated with me…big! I'm guilty of allowing my circumstances to take me down. Do you know what I have accomplished by staying in the pit, lamenting my situation, and wallowing in self-pity? NOTHING! Nadda! Zilch! Focusing on my circumstances gets a lot of mileage but gets me nowhere.

I don't know about you, but it takes up all my mental space when I'm going through the thick of something. It's my every waking thought; it determines the trajectory of my life at that time. Occasionally, I come to my senses and remember where my focus needs to be. And guess what? When I do this, inevitably, I have hope.

At a particularly rough time, I was commiserating with a friend. She said to me, "You're just in the waiting room. What are you going to do while you wait?" Huh? She added, "Girl, while you're waiting for answers, you gotta get busy!". She was right. I needed to focus on where I was going and actively pursue the mission in front of me. By doing so, I had purpose and perspective. My troubles didn't go away but focusing on my higher calling sustained me while I waited.

I'm reminded of the Mathew 14 account of Peter and Jesus walking on water. When Peter saw Jesus walking on the storm-tossed sea, he asked if he could come to him on the water. Jesus said, "Come." Peter did. However, the minute he took his eyes off Jesus and focused on the storm around him, he began to sink. So, it is with us when we take our eyes off Jesus’ plan and concentrate on the storm brewing around us – we fall. 

A Hand-sized cloud filled with hope

 

A story in 1 Kings 18 of the good book will knock your socks off. The hero in this story is, of course, God, but his co-star is Elijah. I'll spare you all the details because reading it yourself is best.

Basically, Elijah gets into a showdown with the Prophets of Baal. He challenges them to a "burnt-offering" contest. The rules consisted of each team, The God Team and the Baal (false idol) Team, placing a bull on an altar and praying to their God to come and burn up the offerings. Not to spoil it for you, but as you can imagine, the Baal team dances and calls out to their God all day. The dead bull lay there patiently waiting for his cremation. Never happened.

When it is Elijah’s turn, he puts the bull on the altar and digs a trench around it. He fills it with water and douses the whole thing until it's soaking. He calls out to the one true God who wastes no time proving to the crowd who is Boss! He sent an all-consuming fire from heaven that was so great it even licked up the water. Many were brought to their knees to worship the one true God that day.

Now many of you may know this story. I had read it or heard it many times. But just as God does, when we open His word, he reveals something new that hits all the right feels at the right moment.

The rest of the story is what got my attention. After this, Elijah told King Ahab (one of the meanest hombres to walk the dusty trails of the Holy land) to prepare his crew because heavy rain was coming. With no clouds in the sky, Elijah climbs to the top of Mt. Carmel with his servant. He bent down to the ground, put his face between his knees, and began praying for rain. Six times Elijah sent his servant to the edge to look out toward the sea to see if there was any sign of rain. Finally, returning from his seventh trip to the edge, his servant reported seeing a cloud as small as a man's hand rising from the sea.

Elijah doesn't get up and go to the edge to see if his servant is telling the truth. He doesn't dismiss such a small cloud and starts praying for a more considerable cloud or drizzle. Nope, that tiny hand-sized cloud gave Elijah enough hope to trust that God was fixin’ to do something big. He then sent his servant to tell that evil, mean-spirited ol' Ahab to hitch up and head out 'cause a storm is a-brewin’!

Meanwhile, God puts on another show. The sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, and heavy rain came as Ahab's taillights diminished on the road to Jezreel.

I know enough miracles are happening in these stories to leave you on the edge of your seat. I don’t want to dismiss God’s mighty works here, but the real plot twist for me is that little hand-sized cloud and the big hope it gave Elijah.

Friend, how many times have you prayed fervently for something? How often, like Elijah, have you taken on a posture of prayer, pleading for a miracle and waiting expectantly for it to happen? I've got a list a mile long. But the real question is this; How many times has God given you a glimmer of hope only for you to doubt it’s happening? How many times does God give you a hand-sized cloud, and you sit crouched over, praying for a bigger cloud of assurance? Oh, friend, I am relentlessly guilty of this! "I see the hand cloud of hope you've given me, God, but what if…?"

Ditch the doubt, folks, and jump up as Elijah did and trust God will do something significant with that tad bit of hope. Cling to every tiny glimpse of promise He shows you, and don't look back. Run with it as Elijah did. Literally! The scripture goes on to tell us that after Elijah told Ahab to get the heck out of Dodge City, the power of the Lord came upon him; he rolled up his pant legs (or tucked his cloak into his belt, in this case) and ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel. This assurance in God’s plan empowered Elijah to do something seemingly impossible. So can we do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13).

Elijah looked on that small cloud with complete confidence in God that he would bring the rain – GOD WOULD DO THE BIG THING ELIJAH WAS PRAYING FOR! And he ran with it – never looking back!

And He will do it for you also, friend! Pray…trust…wait expectantly! He’s got big things on the horizon for you!

 

 

Choosey Tuesday

 

Choose-y Tuesday

Over the past month, I've been battling our new Insurance company because we've never received our ID cards. I made 9 phone calls and wrote a letter to the company president. After all that, a few words that a Christian woman shouldn't say, and relentless persistence, I finally got a paper copy of our ID card. I laminated three paper copies, distributed them to my family members, gave a sigh of relief, and chose to get on with my life.

That was last week. This week I’ve been looking all over the house for my Columbia jacket. I even looked in my trunk, my husband's vehicle, and workplace. Finally, determined that I must have left it somewhere, I got online and ordered myself another one. I really loved that jacket, so I chose one like it.

This morning we awoke to a cold house. My husband messed with the thermostat for a bit, but nothing happened. No heat. I couldn't warm up with a cup of coffee because I was fasting for an early morning lab draw. Wrapped in a blanket and drinking water, I decided to check my email and see what was new in the world of Facebook. No Wi-Fi! I chose to work on my bible study instead.

I left the house at 6:50 a.m. I couldn’t exit my subdivision because it was blocked by construction. I chose another route. Since it was dark, I decided to use Hwy 20, a main road. I waited a while in one-lane traffic due to road work. I chose another route. I was still making good time on my commute until I got to a county road that was closed due to…. you guessed it…construction. I chose another route.

At last, I made it to the doctor's office. I gave the gal at the desk my new handmade ID card, and she gave me some papers to fill out. Before I was done filling them out, the nurse called me back for the poke. On the way out, I handed the receptionist my paperwork and headed out, eager to take off the mask I had to wear. Some people were outside the office setting up cones and preparing for some construction on the sidewalk. I chose another route to my car.

In desperate need of coffee, at this point, I made my way to Mcdonald's. I decided to dine in to eat breakfast and catch up on my email, etc., since my Wi-Fi didn't work at home. The lobby doors were locked. I chose another restaurant. 

Seeing that my gas tank was low, I decided to get gas. At an intersection with 2 gas stations, I noted that the gas was $4.29 a gallon at both places! Wow, how can this be?! I chose to go elsewhere. I made a right at the next light and headed toward home, thinking the gas might be cheaper along the way. The road was closed. I chose another route. The route I chose was a one-way road in which I met a car coming the wrong way. In my effort to back out of the one-way street, I almost backed into an oncoming vehicle. Close call. Once again, I chose another route.

On this route, I found a gas station that advertised $3.99 for gas. "Aha, I knew it," I said knowingly. I pulled up to the pump to discover it was out of order. Once I pulled up to the next pump, the price changed to $4.29, just like that! Seriously?? I looked upward to see if a pigeon was waiting to take a dump on my head because that should naturally be the next thing to happen.

Sure that the whole world was going to  "h-e-double-hockey sticks" in a hand basket, I stopped by the Amish grocery store and loaded up on canned goods. I'll break it to Sparky later that we're never leaving the house again and will eat of my surplus until Jesus comes.

As cans of Cream of Chicken soup and beans crossed the belt, I dug in my wallet for my debit card. It was then I noticed my insurance card was missing! *@#$!! I didn't get the stinkin’ card back from the receptionist at the doctor’s office! I'll never get back three weeks of my life trying to get that dang card, and I left the sucker at the doctor's office.

A kind bagboy helped me out to my car with my purchases. Probably noting the perplexity on my face, he tried to make small talk. All I could think about was how stupid I was for leaving my card. I opened the back door of my car and proceeded to move some things out of the seat to the floorboard so he'd have space to put the bags. There wasn’t much room on the floorboard because MY JACKET was taking up that space!

I returned home with no insurance card, but I had my jacket….and a plethora of canned goods. I stepped in dog pee. It’s only 10 a.m. I still choose JOY – how about you?

 

 

Victim or Victor

 

Here's another one of my Heart and Soul articles I posted to our Hometown Paper in June!

 Victim or Victor? What's your choice!

My friend, Carol, was diagnosed with cancer. The prognosis was grim. Carol faced the hard truth that she most likely wouldn't experience retirement vacations or meet her grandchildren. Upon her first chemo treatment, Carol looked around the room at all the hurting people, and she silently prayed for them. It didn't matter to her that they were all in the same boat. Carol prayed for their rescue.

This practice of praying for those in the chemo room soon became like breathing to Carol. She grew pale, thin, and sicker. But she found joy in visiting the chemo lab all the same. It was her mission to bless those that shared the space with her. With a sweet smile, a kind word, a shared scripture, or a prayer breathed over them; Carol decided not to fall victim to cancer. She chose to be victorious.

As cancer took its toll on her body, Carol blessed those who held a bedside vigil around her. Some may say that she was a victim of cancer, but to those who knew her, she was a victor in every right. While cancer was taking her life, she continued to claim victory by blessing those around her.

Carol didn't allow her circumstances to suck the life out of her. Instead, Carol chose to squeeze every ounce of life out of her remaining days. This was characteristic of Carol, throughout her life. She always seemed to find the good amongst the difficult. She was a shining example to me. I can’t say that my approach would be the same. Triumphing over my circumstances is not my strong suit.  

Life seems unfair sometimes. Expectations get dashed. Hopes and dreams often fail. Our first instinct may be to throw a tantrum like a toddler who didn't get his way in the candy aisle. We may grow bitter and depressed. We may even feel like giving up. I speak from experience. I have been that toddler (as an adult)!

Thinking of Carol and her approach to remain victorious in the greatest fight of her life, causes me to ponder how I approach my own battles. What if I chose to use the energy it takes to feel all those wretched emotions and use it to focus on how I can be triumphant over the situation, instead? What if I looked deep within myself to see how I can successfully turn sour into sweet by making lemonade out of the "lemons" handed to me?

Allow me to visit the hundred-acre wood for a moment and use Winnie the Pooh and his friends as an example. Eeyore said, "Woe is me," a lot. Eeyore was a victim of everything. No matter what happened to that sad little donkey, he saw it as one more exhausting hurdle he'd have to jump. Pooh, on the other hand, saw everything as an adventure. He met life's circumstances with excitement and wonderment. If the honey pot ran low, he sought the thrill of licking the sweetness from the bottom instead of lamenting that he'd soon be without it. Eeyore licked his wounds. . . Pooh licked the honey!

How about you? Are you crying over the looming crisis or savoring the sweetness of the moment? How much time of the day is your focus on the things you cannot change compared to focusing your thoughts on what you can control?

Perhaps the real question is: With whom would you and I rather spend the day? Whom would you and I rather be to our friends?

Victim or Victor? The choice is yours!

 

Who's your herd?

 

I recently watched a video shot by someone on Safari in Africa. A water buffalo was being chased by a pride of lions. He was to be their main entrée. But the water buffalo was resilient and determined to stay out of the food chain for the day. He ran straight for the watering hole. Great thinking on the buffalo’s behalf as cats don’t like water. And it worked; until a giant crocodile sprang up out of the murky depths snapping at his hind quarters with the intent of making him into a delicious snack. The buffalo didn’t give up and was just as diligent in trying to escape as the croc was in taking him down. He swam faster and fought harder until he reached the shore where the pride watched, licking their chops. He was faced with the tough decision – do I die by the pride or by the croc?

Taking his chances, the buffalo stepped out of the water and the annoying croc nipping at his behind, into his certain doom on the shore. The pride was crouched and ready to lunge when…. drum roll please…enter a herd of antler and tusk throwing water buffalos to save the day! The herd moved in a group, in large numbers, aggressively and headed swiftly into the pride scattering them and scaring them away!  The herd then welcomed the brave little buffalo back into the safety of their community and went off for a celebratory graze.

The scene reminded me of my relationship to the church – my protective herd! When the enemy is approaching me at every angle, all I must do is call on the church and they will swoop in for the rescue. There’s not much antler throwing aggression but there is consistent prayer, loving encouragement, comforting casseroles, generous donations and intercession for me in ways I didn’t even know I needed. Much like the water buffalo – they just show up when I least expect it.

Ironically, the video example came to life for me recently when a stressful day presented itself. Feeling unequipped to handle all the pressure of the day, I called on a few from my herd to hold me up in prayer, pull me to safety from the water – scatter the pride from the shore. And I felt their intercession for me all day!

I’m thankful for God’s spirit that equips me to handle the pressures of each day and for his people (my herd) that encourages me along the way.

Who is your herd? Your community? Family? A small group of friends? Who are those special people in your life that have come to your rescue? What group have you assisted in the rescue of a fellow friend?

I’ve noted great things in our community, recently. A family member had a crisis, and I was amazed at the outpouring of support from a small group of individuals who swooped in to help at a moment’s notice. Yesterday, I saw a sign advertising a fundraiser to help a local cancer victim. Herds, doing what is necessary - providing strength when one is weak.

When you’re between a rock and a hard place (or a lion and a crocodile, as in the buffalo’s case), who will you call upon to get you to safety? What herd can count on you to jump in when needed?

Let us strive to be grateful for the impact others have in our lives. Let us be mindful of the ways we can serve the herd. 

A New Year - A New Word

 

For the last couple of years, I have chosen a word of the year. I pray over it and ask God to reveal a word to me. Then, he does. He’s just cool like that. I search scriptures relating to the word, I meditate on it, cling to it in times of trouble and discern how God is using it in my life through my experiences.

In 2020 my word was “abide”. Oh boy, did that come in handy. Did you know there was a global pandemic that year?? Lots of uncertainties loomed in the world and in my own neck of the woods. I abided in him – well most of the time – sometimes I was in full on panic mode – but that’s a different blog for a different day! Let me reword that – I tried to abide in 2020 the best I could. In all the things that 2020 threw at me – I stayed closely connected to the vine of Jesus. We walked in tandem on those days that he wasn’t carrying my weary body around. He’s just strong like that.

In 2021 my word was “surrender.”  I made a surrender jar and when I was experiencing something that bogged me down and took my focus off God and His superior provision in my life, I wrote it on a slip of paper, surrendered it to the Lord in prayer and put it in that jar. One might argue that I didn’t really surrender them if I held onto them in a jar. Well, you just go ahead and argue that all you want to.  I gotta tell you, there was great peace in looking back at those slips of paper at year’s end and remembering the release of those strongholds. Some things I surrendered were difficult and I grieved their loss. Some things I surrendered over and over because I kept reclaiming them. It was interesting to see my weaknesses throughout the year. Those reoccurring slips of paper that required multiple moments of release. Each time I surrendered something; I remembered that Jesus said, “Victory is mine”. He’s just victorious like that.

So, this year I came up with lots of words. Trust – because on a bad day I lack it (Okay, and on good days as well - just being real). On a really bad day I thought of the word “lo-carb” but I grabbed a handful of pretzels and got over that real quick. I also thought of faithful, contentment and peace but all the while God kept saying Fight! Fight? That’s not a very positive or encouraging word. Why fight?

You see in one of my desperate searches of God’s word this past year I came across a verse that impacted me greatly. It was one of those days when I felt I was, in the midst of a great battle. Spiritual warfare at its finest or maybe at its worse – not sure if warfare, of any kind, can be fine. I was desperately seeking God that day – help me – help me!

Here’s what I found:

2 Corinthians 10:4

“The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have the divine power to demolish strongholds.”  Later down in verse 5 we are instructed to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I digress, it turns out warfare can be “fine,” after all! This, ladies and gents, is how I want to fight my battles – with the divine power of Jesus Christ who demolishes strongholds.

I like Eugene Peterson’s version of this in The Message:

“The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way – never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture”.

So, FIGHT it is. Fight is my word for 2022. I want to be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power (Eph. 6:10).

In 2020, I abided, I was just still and laid on my bed of sorrows and confusion and let the Lord tend to me in his perfect ways. In 2021, I got rid of some ugly stuff that was keeping me in my bed of sorrow and confusion. And now in 2022 comes the hard part. The fight! Fully trusting Jesus to fight my battles. To claim the victories that he already won for me that horrible, albeit beautiful day at the cross.

I want to be a prayer warrior in 2022 – praying in the name of Jesus, through whom all things are possible. I want to put on the armor of God everyday and be prepared to face any battle or schemes of the

devil.

• ·         The belt of truth
• ·         The breastplate of righteousness
• ·         The shoes of the gospel
• ·         The shield of faith
• ·         The helmet of salvation
• ·         The sword of the spirit

I want to seek his courage to fight against every bit of bitterness and ugliness (Col 3:8) that the enemy keeps planting in my mind by taking those thoughts captive and making them obedient to the God who loves me more than I can even imagine!

I want to make sincere love (Romans 12) my weapon of choice with the knowledge that God is in control. All I need to do is fire my pistol of love upon his command.

His ways are perfect. In 2022 I will fight with His divine power. I will fight the good fight, in His name. He is all I need – period! The battles are HIS! Because, well, he’s just good like that!

A Reason – A Season or Forever

 

I saw a movie a few months ago that had a line in it that set me into reflection mode for a while. In the movie, a grandmother was advising her granddaughter on whether she should pursue a relationship she was uncertain about. The grandmother, in her wisdom, encouraged the young woman by saying that some people come into our lives for a reason, some come into our lives for a season, and some are in it for the long haul. Every relationship we enter, has purpose. Although, we may have relationships that are bad or hurtful, they still serve a purpose in our life. They are opportunities for growth and teach us much about ourselves and how we choose to respond to those we have relationship with – or how not to respond.  The grandmother wanted her to know that no matter what happened in the relationship, it would have purpose and she would always have people in her life she could count on - those that were there for the long haul.

No friendship or acquaintance in life is wasted. Even if they end, there was purpose. We learn valuable lessons, we share laughs, we love and feel loved.

There may be individuals who are in our lives solely for a reason. Our paths cross for a short time with a goal in mind. I think of past teachers I had that taught me important lessons, but there was nothing more beyond that. I’ve had encounters with people in the grocery store that I know were placed in my life, for that moment, for a reason. This is why I know how to pick out a cantaloupe or make guacamole! There was a woman who went to my church for a very short time, when I was young. She taught a youth VBS class that impacted me forever. Can’t even remember her name now, but what she taught me stuck with me. There was a reason she was in my life. Who has been in your life for a reason?

Then there are those people that are in your life for a season. Those people in my life have been those I learned alongside in a classroom, never to see again once the final exams were over – but I adored my time working with them. They are those people I sat with on bleachers and cheered our children on together for a few months a year. Friends who lived in the community for a while that we knew well and attended church together until they moved away. We didn’t part on difficult or indifferent terms; they were just here for a season and we both moved on with good memories of time spent together. Can you think of those who have been in your life for a season?

Then there is the long-haul group. Those forever people that are your mainstay. The ones you’re stuck with, like your parents. Or maybe your spouse, sibling, or a childhood friend whose hand you’ve never let go of. Those you know you can turn to when you have a need or who will celebrate your victories with you. These are the ones that love us through the thick and thin of life. Those individuals with grit and grace who we can always come back to when we’ve lost our way. The first ones we call upon when we need prayer. The ones we can’t get rid of, even if we try, because their love is so deeply rooted in our hearts. Who’s in it for the long haul with you?

Where are you in the lives of other people? Do you have those whom you’ve met along the way where you served a specific purpose – there was a reason you were in their life. Who have you shared a valuable season of life with?

And who are you fully committed to? No matter what – you will always love them?

God created us all uniquely. He wanted us to be in relationship with each other. To help each other out along the way. When he saw that Adam was lonely, he created another human being. In Galatians 6:2 we are instructed to carry one another’s burdens. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says we are to encourage one another and build each other up.

All of this can happen in big and small ways. Opening a door and giving a smile to walking alongside someone facing a crisis – there is purpose in each encounter we make along the way.

Romans 13:8 tells us this:  Owe no one anything except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

And what law is that you might ask?

In Matthew 22:37-40, when asked what the greatest commandment of the law is, Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the law and the prophet’s hang on these two commandments.

And there it is…the answer is always love. Whether you are in someone’s life for a reason, a season or forever you owe them nothing but love. Easy to say and do if the reason, season or long haul is in good standing. More difficult if there is bitterness, hard feelings, differences of opinion (repeat that one) or you met under difficult circumstances. But, even then, there is room for love. It’s a lot like jello – there is always room for it! In time and through lots of prayer, we can have and show love in any relationship – but it must be sincere love according to Romans 12.

This passage says that we are to hate what is evil and cling to what is good. We are to be devoted to one another in love and to honor one another above ourselves. It gives a long list of what sincere love looks like. This list applies no matter how you fit into someone’s life – it’s a one size fits all kind of love!

Here is what sincere love looks like:

It is selfless, zealous, fervent and has the heart of a servant. It is joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer. It is hospitable, compassionate and giving. It blesses and doesn’t’ curse. It rejoices with the joyful and mourns with the grieving. It is harmonious, not proud, humble and never conceited. Sincere love does not seek revenge but makes peace with everyone. It overcomes evil with good!

Can you check off this list in your relationships? Have you or are you exhibiting sincere love with all the people in your life? Jesus gives this command in John 15 – My command is this; love each other as I have loved you. Really think about that for a minute. His love was so big for you that he gave his life. That’s sincere love folks! Love - like Jesus does - whether it’s for a reason, a season or for the long haul.

Spacious places

 

It’s good to pick up the word of God and read! There is always wisdom or some little nugget of truth to cling to. When I’m fully engaged and not distracted by the grocery list rolling around in my mind or what’s on the agenda once I check daily bible reading off the top; the Father always catches my attention.

Recently, when reading Psalm 118, He directed me to this little nugget.

Vs. 5 – When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord; he brought me into a spacious place.

Two phrases stuck out to me: hard pressed and spacious place. I resonate with both. I can’t even express how many times this past year I have felt hard pressed, in a tight space, backed up against a wall. Many times, my racing thoughts made me feel almost claustrophobic … trapped …confined. Whether I was able to see it in the moment or not, God always provided a spacious place. Sometimes he provided subtly, other times notably and many times abundantly.

When I think of something being spacious, I think of it being big, abundant and roomy. He always provides in abundance. His timing is never mine. His will won’t always line up with my way of thinking (thank goodness). But he always provides a spacious place to run to when I am hard pressed.

I began my day hard pressed. Another battle waged and rattled my cage first thing. But my spacious place came when I was, at last, able to plunge my hands into the deep rich soil of my garden and tuck in the plants that had been so patiently waiting.

Father God introduced me to Mother Earth, on this day, and led us into a spacious and sacred place. I will return to it over and over this summer, patiently watching for seed to sprout. Weeding, pruning and eagerly awaiting the harvest.

And I will also return to the spacious place of his word where patience grows, faith blooms and hope emerges into a harvest of abundant blessing that he has waiting for me.

Both places are holy ground, reminding me that great things come to those who patiently wait and do the necessary work it takes to grow according to his great plan. The waiting is hard but with each little sprout that emerges from the soil there is hope of what is to come. This is true in the garden and in life.

Where are you hard pressed? Cry out to God – he will bring you into a spacious place where you can stretch out, walk with head held high and hands raised to give him the glory for the harvest of blessing that is to come!

What's your legacy?

 

I’m committed to reading my bible through this year. I marvel at the little details God is showing me in the stories that are already familiar. One thing I’ve been noticing are the “post-titles. The writers of this magnificent book often put titles after the name as a reference point of whom they are speaking.

Some of these titles are so that you can place their descendants or where they are from like Joseph of Arimathea. Clearly, we understand that Joe is from Arimathea. It’s similar to what we say up here in Dutch country – Henry Yoder’s Betty. This would mean she is the “Betty” who is married to Henry Yoder – for reference. You get the picture?

Post titles are important when reading the scriptures. When every other gal is named Mary – it’s good to know which one we’re talking about. Is it the one who was from Magdala or the mother of Jesus?

The thing that has impressed me, however, are the post-titles that are given according to your response to Jesus. Mary – the mother of Jesus. John – the one whom Jesus loved. Thomas – the doubter and Judas – the one who betrayed him.

Early morning inspiration

 

Psalm 119:147

I rise before dawn and cry out for help. I have put my hope in your word.

 

3:58 a.m. – WIDE AWAKE! My mind going crazy about many things. Fear, worry, unanswered questions, just to name a few. A montage of “what ifs” or “should I haves” traipsing through my mind. Traipsing like a stampede of wild horses, causing me to flee from my bed and into the comfort of God’s word.

My bible barely fits on my lap because my sweet little bible study buddy “AKA Buzzy” needs to sit right on my lap, my bible resting on his furry back. I’m taken by the irony of it all. I needed the embrace of God’s word this morning. Buzzy is literally covered in the word. He refuses to budge from underneath the weight of the book; the spine pressing into his back side – he’s comfortably resting there.

Is this sweet little scenario I’m balancing upon my lap your way of comforting me this morning, Lord? Are you saying, Come, I will cover you with my feathers and under my wings you will find refuge? (Ps. 91:4) There is peace and rest, in your embrace, Father.

I look up from my study and see pictures in the room of days gone by – sweet memories of happy moments in time. Cherished, treasured, and not only kept in frames, but also etched in my mind forever. Visual reminders of blessing in my life. And yet, this “faithfulness on display,” isn’t enough to settle the pounding herd of wild thoughts stampeding through my weary soul.

My eyes fall back to His word and my fingers frantically search the thin worn pages for a glimmer of hope. What word can you give me God? I’m searching – Speak!

I divinely land on Psalm 112. Blessed are those who fear the Lord, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land, the generation of the upright will be blessed.

Wow, what assurance God. I do find delight in your commands. I am thankful for the promise of blessing on my children.

Then, verse 7 leaps off the page at me– They will have no fear of bad news; their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

And there it is – that cover – the blanket of love that I pull tightly up around my neck and sink deep into its warmth. I have no reason to succumb to those fears that traipse
through my mind in the wee hours.

In you, God, my heart is steadfast – I trust in you.

Thanks for the reminder…you never fail. I delight in your commands. Your words cover me.

Put that tongue on hold, please!

 

When I was 8 years old, I overheard my Aunt Delores describing my sister and I to a friend. Speaking of my sister, she said, “Janie’s sweet and quiet and you hardly hear a peep out of her.” And then she pointed in my direction and said, “But that one right there; she can talk a mile a minute!” 

Looking back on that I probably should have been offended. I wasn’t. Instead, I was wildly impressed. Seriously? A mile a minute? For a kid who didn’t have an athletic bone in her body, the fact that I could go a mile in a minute, in anything, was the best news ever! And so, my track record began. 

In Jr. High, my teacher changed the seating order twice, in hopes that moving me by kids I didn’t know as well, would quiet me. It didn’t take long for those kids to become my best buds! Some call it talkative. I call it as just being friendly!

As I grew into adulthood and learned that sideways glances and eye rolling aren’t a good thing, I started to tame the motor mouth, patiently waiting my turn to speak. And speak I did…but were my words always measured and meaningful or was I just spewing them out to get in my word quota for the day? Ask my husband…he has this answer...I assure you!

In my ripened age now, I’ve been contemplative on my words and their impact on others. Proverbs tells us that “the overflow of the heart comes off the tongue.” I’ve observed this in many ways in my life. We all have. Just turn on the T.V. Can you think of anyone who lost a position or a relationship because of words that came too quickly? Lying words. Angry words. Bitter words. Manipulative words. Insert hand raised emoji here. And then insert a big arrow pointing to me. 

My mama used to say two things to me, growing up, that went hand in hand. 1.) If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. 2.) You catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Good advice. I remember it, and on rare occasions, I apply it. 

Today, I saw a meme that said: Knowledge is knowing what to say. Wisdom is knowing whether to say it or not. This quote goes along with scripture that pretty much knocked the socks off me this week, in my study of 1 Peter.  

1 Peter 2:23 – (speaking of Jesus) When they hurled insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.

And to drive this point home just a little (or twist the knife a little deeper into my convicted heart) here’s verse 24:

He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.

No one suffered more unjustly than Jesus. He took my sin to the cross that day. (he took yours too…FYI). If anyone was worthy of retaliation, it was Him. He was in every essence God – he was perfectly capable of saving himself. He chose not to. He could have lashed out at those that were saying such wrong and hateful things. He chose not to. He could have retaliated. He chose not to. He could have come up with some amazing threats – after all – he was God and held their eternity in his hands. He chose not to. Instead, he entrusted himself to a loving Father who judges fairly. 

Jesus set the ultimate example of holding your tongue.

My husband recently shared a devotion with me. He claimed it meant a lot to him, but I think it was actually one of those moments where you show someone something under the guise that it was good for me, but the ulterior motive is…you really need this lady! You know what I mean? Well, it was good for me. He’s always right, that husband of mine.

The devotion talked about “Witnessing your thoughts”. In other words, taking the time to step aside of your thoughts and think about what they will sound like once they exit your brain and come off your tongue. Will they be helpful or harmful? Am I wanting to say this out of anger, retaliation, defense? Be a witness, first, to how those things you want to say will be received? Take the situation, the person you're speaking to and your emotions into account. Are these thoughts honey or vinegar? I know you’re thinking, “Well geez, by the time I do all that, the person is gone, or I’ve missed my opportunity to let them know what I’m thinking.” Well, then, point taken. Sometimes, things are better left unsaid. Silence often speaks louder than any words we can conjure up in the moment. However, taking the time to process doesn’t necessarily mean we won’t speak them. But, taking the time to witness our thoughts gives us the time to speak them in the way that they are intended, which should always be; to build each other up.

Jesus held his tongue at a time when, by any human standard, it would have been acceptable to speak.  He did not have to speak into his circumstances. He left his case in the hands of God who always judges fairly. And that, should be our goal, in any situation. How does God judge this? And then, allow him to handle it. If he wants you to speak into it, trust him to give you the wisdom of when and how to do so. How he judges me, in any situation, should be all I really care about. Jesus left it up to God to be the judge…and so should I. It’s easier said than done, I know. I’ll most likely stumble along the way…but I want to witness my thoughts and allow God to handle my situation fairly. 

 Jesus set the example on the cross for me – by his wounds I am set free!

Caught up in the air

 

2020 has wreaked havoc – worldwide, continent-wide, state-wide, county-wide and for me somedays, home-wide. I’m guessing many of you can relate.  About six weeks into the pandemic I found myself sitting on my front porch, just waiting for a trumpet to blow.  “Surely, Jesus is on his way to come get me,” I’d think, as I sat there in my weary state.

Seriously, I’ve never anticipated His return more than now. What a sweet reward, after all this suffering, to hear the melodious sound and be caught up in the air with him.  The pandemic, hate, violence, child trafficking and…. the list of evils that fill our headlines could go on for days. I may or may not have suggested to Jesus that this would be a good time for his return. What would he do without my suggestions?

I had the privilege lately to have a conversation with a young man who was feeling fear about worldwide issues. He told me that as a child, when things were scary in the world, his mom would quote Revelation to him. He was young then and the things she spoke of were scary to him. Now, as a grown man, seeing all the signs of the times around him, his mama’s voice and the scriptures of Revelation are replaying in his mind. From our conversation, I sensed that he was not a believer and had real fear. I had the opportunity to offer him some resources to help him understand these scriptures better and to deliver the good news that, Christians are promised a quick trip to paradise before all those scary things in Revelation take place. I hope he ponders this more and makes that very important decision to get aboard the glory train with me one day.

My conversation with him, put the “longing,” that was already in motion in my heart, into high gear. Talk of the End Times doesn’t scare me. I say simply…  “BRING IT”!  For the Christian (that’s me and please oh please, I hope it is you too) this rapture is our big moment. It’s the thing we’ve been standing in line for. You know that line, right? The one in the hot blazing sun, with a full bladder, dressed in a parka, for hours on end all while clutching a one-way ticket to paradise! The big show – the glorious moment we have waited and longed for.

1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 says: For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel… (now let’s just stop right there. The voice of an archangel? Surely, this must be the best sound in the world. Better than a baby’s giggle, the ping of a sealed canning jar or the whispered “I love you” from your soulmate. This must be a voice that will perk our ears like no other.) …and with the trumpet call of God. (first the melodious voice of the archangel and then a trumpet call – you just can’t make this stuff up) …. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together, with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up on the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.

Those that have died before us will have resurrected bodies – just as Jesus did when he rose on the third day. They will meet their soul in the sky alongside those believers who are still alive, who will be caught up, body and soul to meet the Lord! 

What an exciting moment that will be. To read this, you would think this would take a long time. I often wonder if we will be somewhat like balloons drifting slowly up to heaven, waving to each other as we go and marveling at how good so and so looks to have been dead for so long. But on the contrary, we won’t even have time to revel in the magnificence of the moment. We won’t have time to be frightened or excited or any other kind of an emotion. I know this because 1 Corinthians 15:52 says – It will happen in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye. Try to measure that. I double dog dare ya! You just can’t measure the twinkle of an eye. That is how quick our Savior will come back and rescue us from this corrupt world.

But the best part of that Thessalonians verse is…Then we will be with the Lord forever. Like an epic movie with no ending – we just keep on living in paradise. Never more to suffer. No evil. No pain. No disappointment. No tears. Bring it – I say – Bring it!

It’s easy to look at our world today and think that surely this must be the end of time. However, I’m sure those Christians who struggled through the Bubonic plague, World War 1, the Holocaust and so many other scary times in history, must have thought the same thing.

Jesus tells us himself in Matthew 24:42 – “So you, too, must keep watch. For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming.”

So, I remove myself from the porch and I keep watch. Like the old adage says; good things come to those who wait. I can’t think of a greater reward for our waiting. In the meantime, while we keep our ear attuned for the trumpet sound, we must keep our nose to the grindstone. There are a couple of things we must do and they both pertain to a four-letter word – L O V E.

First, we mustn’t fear. I must admit – the thought of losing the familiar and not experiencing the joys of this future life (like grandkids and witnessing the successes of my children) can get me a bit weepy and second guessing my suggestion to Jesus that he come back soon. But then…heaven. Paradise. Seriously, can it get any better than that? Surely heaven will be even better than grandkids. So, I need not be afraid. 1 John 4:18 says: There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. Perfect love is the love that happened on that day at Calvary, when he took my sins to the cross. The blood shed for me and you that day by our Savior is the perfect form of love taking the punishment for our sins. This kind of love drives out fear. When you feel fearful, remember that this perfect love – this gift given to us – protects us from fear.  What a relief. We are made complete because of this love. 1 John 4:4 says: Greater is He who is in you than he that is in the world.  If he is in us – who or what can be against us?  (Hint: no one/nothing/nadda/zilch/zero)

Secondly, walk in obedience. 2 John 6 says: This is love that we walk in obedience to His commands. He sets guidelines for us to live our best lives. Optimum living is his goal for us. The verse goes on to say; As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love. What a world it would be if we just followed this simple command – to walk in love. We wouldn’t long for a trumpet blast – that’s for sure. There wouldn’t be a need. Heaven would be here on earth. Unfortunately, we live in a world full of disobedience. So, as Christians, it’s our duty to show His love to others by walking in obedience to his command to love. He’s given us stuff to do, for his kingdom, while we wait for his return. That’s so “dad-ish” of him isn’t it?

His perfect love is for us all. If we respond to the wait by acting in love, we assist him in gathering his sheep for that glorious day ahead. In my Father’s house there are many rooms (I stole that line from Jesus –it’s true). He wants us all to be caught up with him on that day of rapture. There is much work to do while we wait. We walk in love, keep our ear attuned for the trumpet and our eyes ever watching; we remain busy!

Forgive my “punniness,” but I think it’s fair to say that if you get “caught up in his love” for you – you will one day get “caught up with his love” when he calls you home.  Have no fear friends. Keep watch and walk in his love!  See you after the twinkle!

 

Zacchaeus & Raccoons - they have a lot in common!

Zacchaeus was a wee little man, a wee little man was he…. Can you finish the rest of this old Bible school song? A song sang by children for years, based on the Luke 19 story of a short tax-collector named Zacchaeus who climbed up in a tree to see the Jesus.

Now that you’re humming that little tune in your head, let me divert your attention to another little story. I knew of a couple once who looked at a house that had been abandoned for a few years. From outside, the house seemed to be in good condition except for one minor thing; a tree in the front landscaping had grown up and over the deck with its branches stretching clear to the roof.  Once inside the home, they found everything to be in good condition. They were pleased with what they saw until they got to the basement, where there were clear signs that a creature of some sort had

inhabited the basement. Upon investigation, it was discovered that the overgrown tree had created a wonderful racoon bridge to the chimney. I suppose the raccoons innocently wandered upon the tree at some point. Inquisitive, as they are, they shimmied up the tree and found the roof and began to explore their new territory. Alas, their curiosity led them to a hole (chimney) and they dove in head first; free falling to the fireplace below. I wonder what a sight this must have been. Once they shook off the soot and shock of the fall, they found themselves in basement paradise! They settled in and started a family in their cozy little discovery. How clever they must have felt.

Now back to Zacchaeus. He had questionable character, was most likely hated because of his job and great wealth and was probably ridiculed for his short stature. I don’t mean to add insult to injury by comparing poor Zac to a raccoon, but they do have something in common here. They both climbed a tree and discovered security that they didn’t even know was available to them.

I can identify with Zac and Rac! I can’t tell you how many times I have walked blindly into unchartered territory, fearful and uncertain – seeking security and rest. In case you’re unfamiliar with Zacchaeus’ story or you just need a refresher – once in the tree Jesus called up to him from the crowd. He looked him in the eye and told him to come down because he was going to his house. Zac shimmied down the tree, eager to host this Master that so many had talked about. This man had piqued his curiosity so much that he climbed a tree just to get a gander at him. The crowd murmured about Jesus spending the day with the likes of a sinner. Zacchaeus, so taken by the Lord’s affection repented that day and promised to repay, in excess, to those he had cheated. His heart had been softened to right all his wrongs. Jesus said to him “Today, salvation has come to this house.” Now that is security at its finest. Salvation – eternal security!


Friend, I don’t know why the Lord gave me this word this morning. Perhaps, because like the short man and the forest friend, I need to climb into the unknown with faith – so I can see the hope of the future.


Do you need to find security? Are there unknowns where you need to step out into faith and trust God for the paradise that waits on the other side? I don’t recommend the tree method but there is something you can “leaf” through to find what you’re looking for. Dive head long into His word and see what promise awaits you. You won’t be disappointed. Verse 10 of Luke 19 says “For the Son of Man, came to seek and to save the lost.” Be lost no more – find your security in the promises of the one who rescues you EVERY TIME!

A Month of Sundays - What if?

When I was a kid growing up in the south, I recall going to the grocery store with my dad and bumping into an old friend of his. My dad caught glimpse of him first, there in the Kroger aisle, and called out his name. When his friend turned around and saw my dad, his whole face lit up with joy. He extended his hand and said, “Well my goodness, if it ain’t my ol’ buddy Bill - why I haven’t seen you in a month of Sundays!”


Now, his friend was using an expression that means a seemingly endless length of time, but for this young girl who was most content in the confines of her own home, surrounded by those she loved the most, a “month of Sundays” sounded like bliss. Afterall, Sunday was, and still is my favorite day. Growing up in the 70’s, Sundays were sacred in my home. We awoke to the sounds of the Happy Goodman Family album blaring from the record player inside our big console stereo system and the smell of bacon frying. We cut and pasted pictures of Jesus in Sunday school, sang old hymns with only the accompaniment of the piano, heard a challenging message and hugged everybody’s neck.


After church, my mom always made a big meal and my sister, and her family joined us. There was no peanut butter and jelly happening on Sunday. This was the south, people! There was always, always mashed potatoes and roast beef or fried chicken and my sister and I fought over who would make the deviled eggs. We rested. Truly rested. We went for walks, played games, sat on the porch swing and listened to music or watched the big box t.v. in the living room. In the evening we went to church again. Before bed, we watched Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom or the Wonderful World of Disney (remember those?) together, as a family. There was worship happening in every nook and cranny of the day. Worship when we woke up to mama’s gospel albums playing, worship at church (not once but twice) and worship in our obedience to rest, as God has commanded us to do. It was simple and wonderful and the idea of a whole month of doing that every day seemed dreamy to me in my young mind.


The COVID19 quarantine these last few weeks has been a struggle for me. I’ve mostly been disappointed for my Senior daughter and the events and dreams of hers that keep getting cancelled or postponed. I don’t like unknowns and sometimes fear looms over my faith instead of vice versa. But God keeps placing that phrase in my mind – “A month of Sundays”. What if?

What if, those of us who are healthy, treated this time as a real “month of Sundays”? What if we consciously made the effort to see each of these days as a day of worship? What if we woke up to Praise and Worship Music, hugged our loved ones and “virtually” hugged those we cannot physically reach through easily accessible technology? What if we were intentional about our study of God’s word, hit our knees in prayer, made Jesus crafts with our little ones and made mealtimes a family event again? On days where the monotony can get the best of us and we feel we might go insane, what if we earnestly sought out ways to draw closer to HIM?


Instead of complaining and succumbing to disappointment and bitterness, what if we chose to call out His attributes bringing praise onto Him and taking the focus off us? When fear swells and faith seems to take a back seat, what if we went to His word and sought comfort from His promises?


What would it be like if we made the decision to treat this month of quarantine like a literal “month of Sundays” instead of a figurative “month of Sundays”?  What if we chose to spend each day in Worship to the One, whose journey to rescue us from sin is celebrated during this Lenten season, instead of viewing this as a seemingly endless length of time?  Just…what if?