Run to Win!

 

Running in Saturday’s 5K race was not about winning but about crossing the finish line.  For years I have dreamed of accomplishing this feat with my feet!  But winning had a deeper meaning….

I had two goals, one to finish and the other was to  not walk on any part of the course.  It wasn’t about time, or winning awards for me.  It was about finishing strong.

The Lord and I have been on this journey towards this place in my life for several years.  At times it has been grueling.  I have been defeated in my attempts.  I have been hindered by my health over and over again.  Discouragement has left me limping along. 

But on this day all of that changed.  The enemy sought to dissuade me….. my son came in from out of town, a sure distraction for I wanted to be at home.   It was pouring rain!  My running partner and friend fell into the duck pond at the park ten minutes before the race began. 

Looking around, I felt out of my league at all the trim fit people in their matching running clothes and expensive running shoes.   I was reminded of my two goals when the sound horn blew starting the race into action.

All the people quickly sped away, leaving me in a puddle of despair threatening to drown me.  But I prayed in the face of my fears.  My friend though soaked from the pond, along with my regular exercise partner, and I began running at a slow but steady clip. 

This was a spiritual journey I was on.  Though I had kept my goals to myself, the Lord knew them.  Oh it got so hard to keep pressing on.  But God through my friend kept pressing me on.  When I got out of breath, she praised God on my behalf.  When I felt like I could go no more….God carried me.

Somehow in the midst of the course, it just happened!  God made it happen.  I floated on the clouds Jesus sent my way.  I would not leave my regular running partner behind…..It was a joy to go back and run along side of her, taking my friend along with me. 

Call me crazy….but it wasn’t about the time, but the win….the win in God’s race.  The race He has for us is all about others and not self.  God honored my heart and efforts to stay with my partner and not leave her behind. 

I won both of my goals…..to finish and I ran the whole way without stopping.  Now that is a high that only God gives!  Grabbing the ladies in each hand we stepped across the finish line together!

Completely undone by my Jesus I walked on with my friend, praising God out loud as I cried.  He had empowered every step.  My joy could not be contained! 

So it is, with the spiritual race….God will empower you to run without stopping until you cross the finish line!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off

everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles,

and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,

who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down

at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

 

 

Write your Obituary ---Now!

If you are reading this, you are writing your obituary right now!  I know, your thinking…..how morbid!  But not really.  Because once you are gone, you no longer have the chance to write anything on the palette of your life. 

Right now, this very moment, the story of who you are is being quickly scribbled in the notebooks of all those that surround you.  How would they describe you,  What would be said about you?  How you lived your life?  What you thought was important?  What would your family and friends say you valued the most?

If only one sentence was allowed to describe you….what would it be?  This question stood out loud and clear to me as i was reading in the book of 1 Kings.  As i went down, King after King it says this one blurb.  “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord”  out of 10 to sometimes 40 years of their reign it was summed up in one sentence!  If all the things were boiled down that a king had done…..he was still known as….A King that did evil in the eyes of the Lord.

That gets my attention.  If all of your life were penned into say three paragraphs…..and one sentence was the summary…would it be ______ did evil in the eyes of the Lord.  OR _______ did what was right in the eyes of the Lord (as a very few Kings did)

You have today to write your own life history……

will it be yourstory or HIStory?

Even a child is known by his actions,

by whether his conduct is pure and right.

Proverbs 20:11

 

Ditto Calves

 

We often disregard the fact that our sin can have long lasting consequences.  Even after we have repented and turned away from a sin, it can come back to haunt us.  That is why it is so important to really focus on following God with all our heart. 

In the book of 1 Kings we see a ghost of Aaron’s sin come back to haunt him.  Though Aaron is long deceased, his sin carried on into many generations.

1 Kings 12:28-31 tells us that King Jeroboam built 2 golden calves.  He then told the Israelites to worship these calves that “brought them out of Egypt!” And then he appointed priest from every clan ignoring that only Levites were to hold that position. 

This shocked me.  Then it amazed me further to know that the Israelites did it!  Hook, line and sinker. Had they wondered so far from God that they did not know this was majorly wrong.  It is amazing how stupid we can be with it right there in front of you!

What you focus your time, energy and money will reveal your God.  I just think that if the Israelites had kept there hearts steadfast on God, they would have instantly known the calves to be idolatry.  And even when the king used the phrase, “brought you out of Egypt”that should have sounded off a big alarm.  But no, they had wondered so far away from the One True God, they didn’t even know what He looked like.

This is sad.  I can imagine that Aaron would be distraught had he been alive to know that his sin caused once again for Israel to stray into wicked idolatry.

This is a clear lesson to remember that our actions do matter.  What we do affects those around us now and possible for years to come.  Was Aaron forgiven, YES!  But the consequences of his sin was far reaching.

Remember, your actions, show what you worship.  Perhaps, your most worshiped idol is yourself and having your way.  May God melt your golden calves so that He is clearly known!

"You shall have no other gods before me.
"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
  You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. 

Exodus 20:3-6

 

Doing RIGHT when it’s WRONG!

If anyone had reason to do wrong it would be David. We find in the story of King Saul and David a deep dedication to God. Read the story. For no reason, King Saul tries to kill David several times until David has to flee to spare his own life. We see that King Saul continues his demented pursuit of David.

Twice David is given the opportunity to easily kill King Saul. What would you do? I mean the king had tried to spear David to the wall, (while David was playing the harp for him!) Then he relentlessly pursues David to where David had to leave the King’s home, his wife and family, his best friend and for years, live as an outcast, a fugitive on the run. All of this takes place after David was actually anointed king!

In 1 Samuel 24 and 26 we see very clearly that God did hand King Saul over to David to make a decision. What would you do? You can see in these passages that David struggles with his flesh. He is tried of being on the run, he had not done anything wrong to the King to deserve this horrific treatment.

And now…..he has the chance to end all his fugitive running. Twice he has the perfect opportunity to kill King Saul. David had to think…..perhaps this was the way God had intended for him to become king!

But in the moment of indecision, fighting his flesh to take “rightful” revenge into his own hands…..he stops and remembers….He said to his men, "The LORD forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the LORD's anointed, or lift my hand against him; for he is the anointed of the LORD." 1 Samuel 24:6

I find in my own life the hardest things to get through in my walk of Faith is when someone wrongs me. Especially for no apparent reason. It is hard to let it go and bless them back. BUT scripture talks about doing just that! But it is hard.

May we be reminded in the story of King Saul and David that God calls us to honor and obey Him in all situations.

Do what’s RIGHT even when you have been so WRONGed!

"But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.

If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak,

do not stop him from taking your tunic.

Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.

Do to others as you would have them do to you.”

Luke 6:27-31

Circumstance Christianity

 

Have you ever had those times of decision making that were confusing as to what God would have you do? Those situations can be difficult to see clearly what God’s direction is. Though I don’t claim to understand this fully, but wanted to share some insight from the book of 1 Samuel.

Let’s look at King Saul. Read with me 1 Samuel 13:7-12

Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear.

He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to

Gilgal, and Saul's men began to scatter.

So he said, "Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings."

And Saul offered up the burnt offering.

Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived,

and Saul went out to greet him.

"What have you done?" asked Samuel. Saul replied, "When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the

Philistines were assembling at Micmash,

I thought, 'Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the LORD's favor.' So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering."

"You acted foolishly," Samuel said. "You have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time.

But now your kingdom will not endure; the LORD has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him leader of his people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."

Right here we see that King Saul takes it into his own hands to make an offering to the Lord….that was NOT his place. But he thought it was OK to do wrong……with a “spiritual purpose”. You can’t “spiritualize” wrong doing…..no matter the reason or the excuse. He knew better, and he suffered great consequences for this.

It is hard to see at times what to do, especially since our hearts are wicked (Jeremiah 17:9). Our hearts are a master “twister” of things. It knows how to make the most ungodly decisions and “spiritualize” them. So, be careful! We do know that your decision will not go against scripture. So first always check it against scripture and the whole context of scripture. And PRAY until He answers you.

It is never RIGHT to do WRONG for the RIGHT reasons!

Together We Cry ~ Together We Celebrate!

Have you ever been in a situation where “body language” said it all? Where no words were uttered yet you got full understanding. A place where love for God and love for others didn’t have to be explained, you just saw it. For a moment in time, The Holy Spirit was so evident……..it left your speechless!

As a writer that does not happen to me very often, the speechless part, but Sunday July 28, 2013 did just that. I journeyed over 3 hours to a small town that had so inspired my book, A Season of Rebuilding. I had never been to this town before, and knew no one.

They were having a dedication to a new church building, as well as a celebration service of all the GREAT things God had done. I slipped in the new pew unnoticed. I was an observer. I needed not to tell folks who I was. Nor did anyone know I had written a book in attempt to express my grief and sorrow over the devastation that happened to so many on April 27^th, 2011.

As I drove around the small town and through the community….the evidence of the EF5 tornado, were still very visible to me. I shuddered as I saw foundation after foundation, with empty driveways going nowhere. My heart cried as I saw steps that used to lead up to homes and lives of Smithville residents, blown away two years ago. The markings of a town with thriving businesses, now have tall weeds growing where their buildings once stood.

How can I write about these things? When I began to write a few months after the tornados had hit, it was with fear and trepidation. I wanted to honor the people who had lost so much. I wanted to help in some way. Writing was my way of sharing in their grief. I purposed to write a fiction work, so as to not be offensive, but I longed to listen and weep with real lives and real stories.

Interestingly I never got that opportunity. So when I found out about this celebration day, I went to celebrate with them, as a silent visitor. I sat there in the midst of celebrating people. Their warm welcome and love spoke words of great faith. Their faces told me of the most important part of the story. They told me in their countenance that God gets the glory in all things. This church’s strength was in God’s faithfulness. In no way could I imagine their grief that day or the days that followed, but it welded an unshakable faith that cannot be explained.

The closeness that the whole community had baffled my mind. I have never seen so much together in such a torn apart place! Only God can make that kind of together, and that kind of faith. I can see why they were celebrating!

A tornado can destroy lives, buildings and things……

….but it can never crush hearts that belong to God!

Thank you Smithville Baptist Church for showing me that truth!

I will sing of the LORD's great love forever; with my mouth I will make your

faithfulness known through all generations.

Psalm 89:1

Cutting out Sin!

I was peeling potatoes for dinner one night and God gave me a glimpse of just what sin can do to a potato…I mean a life!

I saw the spot but hoped that with one swoosh of the peeler it would be gone and I could go on to the next one.  But that is not what happened.  I peeled over and over the same spot and instead of it going away….it only got bigger.

I ended up cutting off the whole end. Then I had to take a knife and dig out the rest of the rotten.  I sighed when I looked at what was left of the now horrifically deformed potato. It was a mess, nothing of it resembled the potato I had started with.

You ask…why didn’t I just throw it away?……Because God doesn’t throw us away!  You bet sin destroys & deforms, sometimes permanently!  Yet as God helps you dig out the rotten (sin) in your life, though you may not be as you started, you are still loved and usable to Him. 

So I cut up the little part that remained of that potato and it was able to be used as it was intended, yet it was not able to give everything to the purpose (Yummy garlic mashed potatoes for company!)  However, it was still used!

In our lives, knowing how difficult sin is to cut out of our lives…..the best thing to do, it not let it come in and take up “residence” with us!  It will in no time spread and root itself and rot us from the inside out! 

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

Upside down Thinking

Upside down Thinking

 

The Lord showed me a picture of myself!  So get out your mirrors……I think you might see the same picture!  Driving down the back roads home I saw this pitiful sight.  In the middle of the road was a turtle, on it’s back, all four arms reaching up for help!

 

That is how we are!  Completely dependent on God for everything.  There was no way without someone intervening in that little turtle’s life to reach down and turn him over would he survive.  That is so true for us.  If God had not reached down when I was dead in my sins to save me…..I would be like that turtle without hope. 

The Same is true though for our everyday living as Christians.   We need to surrender everything and let God do with us what He has planned.  We need to reach out our hands and hearts up to God because we can’t live this life without His help in……”turning us over” to be more like HIM!…..

So get on your backs “spiritually speaking”

and let God do the rest! 

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.  Proverbs 16:9

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is Normal?

 

We think “our life” is normal

We live in a very self centered society and I am no different when it comes to the word normal! Of course I am normal…..everybody else is weird. Of course we wear normal clothes….everybody else is weird. Of course we do normal everyday living….anything different is just plain weird………

That is how we think. We live in the sphere of our world….more specifically our daily routine….and anything different well….becomes the oddity. I have traveled much in this country. I have lived in many different states, yet I find that wherever I am….becomes the new normal!

I thought living in California would have prepared me for anything…..but not New York City! Here are just a few things out of the norm:

We paid close to a hundred dollars in toll fees on our way to NY City! As much as $13 one time….$7.50 the next etc. They didn’t nickel and dime you to death…it was billed to death! Around here…..we don’t charge ya extra for driving down our roads….we are glad ya here!

I thought my husband drove a long distance to work in Huntsville (an hour and ten minutes) Well everyday in NY, we drove in Staten Island along with all the crazy---non following traffic rules---people to the Ferry parking. Then we pay, climb the stairs and walk to the huge waiting area………and wait, as long as 3o minutes depending on if we missed the last boat. Then ten minutes before the ferry boards….a couple thousand people begin moving to the big doors. As soon as the doors open, masses of people crowd and press in to try to get there first. Sitting among the hard faces of the people we travel 30 minutes across the water. Then we debark along with throngs of rushing people. We climbed down the stairs, wishing for some germ-X to the outdoors. Then you have to walk a short distance to the subway, buy tickets…..try to figure out what in the world you are doing, while people and trains whizz by. Then you wait for the right train in the dirty, strange hole in the ground for your correct train.

Suddenly your ears cringe as the screeching of your train comes in. You wait anxiously for the people in the subway car to get off, blocking your entrance. Finally you jump on knowing the doors will shut instantly leaving you behind. If you are lucky enough to find a seat you bounce and tussle, hoping not to touch the person sitting next to you. You don’t look anyone in the eye…….and you don’t smile or talk to anyone (it’s an unspoken rule I learned right away!) You ride and ride until you finally see your street name come up. Then you better stand and get close to the door….or you will be riding longer than you need to!

Then you climb the stairs again. Finally coming out of the hole in the ground, right into NY City. You have to get your bearing to see what direction you need to walk. As people squash around you quickly heading to their destinations. Then you wait at the corner for the “Walk” signal. Then you wait for the cars to stop…..then you wait for a signal again. The cars, taxis, and buses do NOT stop at red lights, so you have to walk out in front of them! Sheww! You get across (and you may have to cross several times before arriving at your destination!) Then you walk, walk, and walk some more. Trying to keep up with your group is no easy task! People weave in and out all around you. People cut in front of you….they are rude and determined. Horns are constantly blaring! You have to keep your eyes peeled or you will get run over! It could take almost two hours just to get where you need to be!

Then you walk around the attraction, then if you are doing more than one thing that day…you do all of that again and again except for the ferry which you have to do when you are ready to leave.

Now that is VERY different, than my normal of driving up, parking and going inside a business! I was so toast at the end of each day….my body hurt and my legs ached! New York City is not for the faint hearted, the handicapped, or the elderly.

My normal…a red light means stop, a stop sign means stop and wait your turn. My normal….let others go before yourself……NY folks have no such considerations. My normal….don’t honk just because they don’t go fast enough….their normal….they honk at you even if you are turning! My normal….help others….NY normal….do it yourself and be quiet. My normal…..look around and see how to be a blessing……NY normal…..argue and fight with your co-workers, be loud and heartless while waiting on customers. My normal….everyone is a person…….NY normal……you are just one of the mass cows going to market. My norm….pay a reasonable price for food…..NY normal…..$20 for 3 cups of coffee and two desserts! My norm…a nice quiet coffee shop with great coffee and a mocha motif….NY norm….no motif, the tables are dirty, most people stand to eat and they have terrible coffee. My norm…most every store has a bathroom, or there is a public one. NY norm….notta! Restrooms were nowhere to be found!

My Norm….a few sky rise buildings, smaller buildings for one of our “Big city” downtown areas, NY norm……….miles and miles of sky scrapers as far as the eye can see.

My norm….identifiable schools of all levels……….NY norm…never saw a single school. My norm….there is a Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian and a church of Christ on nearly every block. NY norm…I never saw a church of any kind.

My norm….A Wal-Mart in every town that has a McDonalds. NY norm…there is no wal-Mart in the entire state!

My norm, sky scrapers are for businesses and corporations. NY norm….sky scrapers are your Walgreens, your dry cleaners, your deli shops, McDonalds, apartments, specialty shops like Hershey’s chocolate store & M M candy store, shoe stores and TV Broadcast and corporations, stocks etc. We even made a purchase at a Walgreens in The Empire State Building!

My norm…the homeless really look like it and there are only a handful at any given place. NY norm…they are everywhere! Some will sing or do something with a bag for you to put change in. Almost every time we rode the subway there was someone different asking for money. It is much more in your face….but I am not sure what “poor” or “homeless” really means in NY! As soon as it rained someone was panhandling umbrellas at every door.

My norm….temp change means fog! NY norm….temp change mean smog! My norm at age 15 you are taking you are eager to take your drivers permit test and start driving asap. NY norm….I think there are thousands who live there all their lives and never learn to drive or own a vehicle!

Motel 6 does not exist in NY! Only sky rise VERY Expensive options! Our norm….is to obey the law to moved over for emergency vehicles. NY norm….doesn’t move or even flinch with emergency sirens and lights behind them!

Our norm….a few policemen protect our small little town, most of which I see drinking coffee with a person he might be writing a ticket for. NY police are everywhere! I have never seen so many! But I wonder what laws they enforce since so many are belligerently broken.

Our norm….to see families laughing at the park together, or shopping. NY norm….didn’t see many children (and those I saw I think were tourist) The word family to NY people is an unfamiliar term.

Our norm….several parks, with trees, squirrels, play equipment, and a few picnic tables, maybe an a pavilion. NY norm…one park, called Central Park…it was quit unique, I had hundreds of benches where I am sure on a nice sunny day they would be full (it was cold and rainy the day we were there), It had the most exquisite detailed sculptures, tiled pictured pavilions, ornate amphitheater, famous water fountains, a carousel, major landscaping with each area lined with flowers. It was over 800 acres. Just like everything else in NY…it seemed to be exquisite to the hilt, biggest, prettiest and best ever….yet the people the very things that matter most, seemed to matter the least!

Our Norm for a special event in a park would be…..a watermelon seed spitting contest of a hot dog chow down race. NY norm…is a movie or TV series being filmed….I had the chance to be on Law and Order. They simple cone off where they want to film, put up a sign that if you go in that area you are agreeing to be a volunteer non paid extra for that scene clip! There was a line…this seemed very in the ordinary for NY folks….for us…it was weird!

A Few NY abnormal signs: (1) NO standing anytime (They even had sharp pronged apparatus around the pipes and hydrants so people wouldn’t sit on them! (2)Rat Warning in the subway (3) Fresh Bagels sign instead of Fresh Donuts! (4) Lawn open hours 9am-6pm (this was in the park on a fence) All the grass areas were fenced off with ornate fencing to keep people off the plush grass except in certain areas!

Our norm to go to the top of a skyscraper…. Get in the elevator and go to the top and look out over the city. NY norm…to go to the top of The Empire State Bldg. was $45 per person! Then you had to weave through the ropes, get your picture made, weave through some more, get a pat down, check purse and backpack, weave some more, ride the elevator (which they CRAMED you into) to the top, stay in line to look around the top (we only paid to go to the 86^th floor!), take a quick picture before someone moves you on!

Our norm…to see advertisements on billboards along the hwy. NY norm to have gigantic electronic screens for advertising. Sometimes a whole building face was the electronic screen!

Our norm for taxi’s….we don’t have any! We would call from a bigger city to come fetch us. NY norm….more taxis then cars by far!

Our norm…Iced tea with lemon is common in any restaurant. NY norm….canned tea or nothing.

Our norm…to talk to or maybe even go to lunch with someone you meet at a gas station. NY they are not friendly at all…and I don’t recall seeing any gas stations either!

Our norm….wear comfortable shoes or just good ole flip flops. NY norm to see woman of all types wearing high heels on the subways and walking down the streets.

I learned a lot through our differences, but I was so thankful to return home…the trip caused a great contentment to wash over me!

When we left I shook my head and wondered how someone from NY would manage in our small southern town!

I agree with Dorothy……There is no place like home

Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 7:23

The Smileless City

 

The Power of a Smile

As I prepared for our vacation I made sure I had a variety of different gospel tracts and of course my favorites. We made several stops before actually arriving in New York city. We arrived on day 4 of our ten day adventure. We had visited friends in which I did not need to share tracts with. Then our first day after leaving our friends home we stopped in Philadelphia PA for a history lesson. This was a little taste of what was to come. It had a lot of people and there were lines. We took a carriage ride and after I got off I realized what an opportunity I missed by not giving our driver a tract. So I vowed to not miss another opportunity.

Right away in NY on the Ferry I tried to look for opportunities, but the faces never really looked my way, or people just seemed occupied, and I had not yet learned the “be quiet and mind your own business” unspoken rule! So when it was time to leave I gave an older man who seemed sad a tract. He was reluctant to take it (you would think I was handing them a loaded grenade!).

I watched for opportunities on the subway to give away my favorite tract…but everyone was so rushed I knew that tract would be useless in this fast paced city. I prayed and really was broken by the thought I could not even pass out tracts….these people were so closed.

So, I had to go back to the basics……………A SMILE! I ended up giving away LOTS of SMILES! I made it my goal to get as many people to look my way and when they did….i gave them a winning smile ear to ear. My eyes resonated caring. My heart reached out with all the tenderness my body language could say.

I ended up giving a couple of tracts away to the hotel clerk and to waitresses. I was able to give away a tract to every beggar when I gave them money. I prayed they would hunger and thirst for Righteousness as much as they wanted to fill their bellies.

I have never felt so helpless, so constrained and yet so burdened for a people as the three days we were in the smileless city. One thing is for sure….they were not used to seeing a smile…occasionally I caught one smiling back!

Never underestimate the power of a SMILE!

A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Proverbs 15:13

The BIG Apple - The Fruit of Sin

For decades people have associated the apple with Adam and Eve, the first people on earth and the sin that caused all of us to live in a sinful, fallen world. Though there is no real description of the forbidden fruit and I am not sure how the apple got such a raw deal as becoming “the poster” for the first sin, but it did. Most movies, pictures and story books put an apple in Eve’s hands.

I am not sure the origin of New York City’s nick name, The Big Apple, but I could help but think of the apple, sin and the garden, when seeing The BIG Apple mentioned on the streets of NY City and on memorabilia and keepsakes. After spending three very full days in the city I am convinced there is a connection!

The biggest sin I saw in New York City was selfishness……isn’t that the same reason Eve reached for the forbidden apple? She wanted it, she took it, she ate it. Her yearning to satisfy her own desire over obedience to God was the root of the first sin.

The reason the NYC drivers honked, ran lights and drove crazy was selfishness…their desire to get where they wanted to be ruled over their desire to obey the laws of the city.

The reason there is an ocean of elaborate sky scrapers is their desire to build bigger, better, more expensive, fancier than anyone else………pride rules their hearts instead of humility and generosity.

The reason there were no visible signs of churches….is obvious there were no hearts desire to gather with the redeemed to celebrate New life is a low priority.

The reason people shoved in the Ferry line and crammed into over full subway cars is their selfish desires ruled over putting others first.

The reason people argued and yelled at each other is obvious…they want their “rights” that too is selfish…..

People were plagued by fear. You could see it on their faces….that too is selfishness. The opposite would be putting your trust in God to care for you. Or at the very least, one could say that a self centered life….hardens the heart toward others….a hard heart never smiles.

Perhaps the reason people didn’t smile…..is purely selfishness in not wanting to bless others with even the upturn of their lips. Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit and it very quickly drives selfishness away.

The people of NYC seemed driven by the lust and pleasure of this world to indulge their own flesh. I am burdened for these people…they need to know LOVE!

Love is to be the root of all our thoughts words and actions!

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world,

the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world-- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-- comes not from the Father but from the world.

The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

I John 2:15-17

Playing Dress-Up

As a little girl I often played dress-up. Putting on my mommas dresses and high heels.  Pretending to be somebody I wasn’t.  No matter how much make up I put on, or how fancy the clothes….I was still just me!  No matter how many jangle bracelets I slipped on my arm or rings on my fingers…..I was still just me.  Though it was wonderful to play…..like I was someone else…..in all reality….I was still just me!

And we still do that as adults don’t we?  We play “dress-up” when we put on our pretty clothes and make-up and pretend everything is going great, when our worlds might be falling apart.  We think if we just pretend the situation will go away.  We run away from our problems when we play dress-up instead of facing them in faith and prayer.

BUT who we are is still there when we take off all our “dress-up clothes and make-up”.   When we crawl in bed, and there is no one to impress we find we are still the same person as always.

Moses knew he was a Hebrew, yet he played “dress-up”everyday, pretending to be someone he wasn’t.  And no matter how much he wore, how much he tried to look like an Egyptian, he was still a Hebrew underneath and in his heart. 

He runs away from God, not realizing that is impossible and hides out where no one will know his true identity.  Or so he thinks.  Even his wife Zipporah calls him an Egyptian when she first meets him.  But though he may have fooled his wife for a time…….he never fooled God. 

If we are a believer then we need not to play “dress-Up” with the worlds wardrobe, trying to be someone we are not.  But to clothe ourselves with righteousness so that the world will know…..who we really are!

Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

   Romans 13:14

Forgotten Cries

One day last week i was burdened by an old familiar feeling.  From a time in my life i don’t often look back too.  A time of great darkness and pain.  As years have gone by the pain and suffering are a mere distant memory.  But the scars….are there to remind me of God’s greatness and the blessing of just being His.

Earlier in the  week I stopped by the church to talk with the secretary about a mission trip.  As I looked into her face, it told me…..all was not well.  She had to cancel our meeting because her daughter had just miscarried…..again.

With my hand to my chest, my heart broke for this woman.  Suddenly the overwhelming pain came flooding back.  How I wish I could go to her and ease her pain…..but I knew there is no remedy, no words, no tonic that can take the pain away….The loss, the empty arms can only be filled by Christ and Him alone. 

The next day as I strolled along our country road lined with big oak trees I took in the Spring freshness.  The breeze on my face was perfect.  It was green all around.  The trees had started their resilient coming out. 

Suddenly I stopped.  At my feet was a tiny leaf.  This leaf was perfectly formed, fresh and bright green.  I wondered why such a perfectly formed leaf was discarded, left alone on the side of the road.  It had no blemish or deformity, yet it was dropped by The Master.  Then the Lord showed me…..it is through the leaves that have fallen that give the tree it’s nutrients and makes it grow even stronger.

I thought of the lady who had lost her baby.  I remember being in her shoes, and now some 23 years later, though I still remember it vividly…..i don’t focus on the loss so much as how God grew my faith stronger than ever through it.  Though at the time, i could not comprehend how anything good could ever comes of such suffering….But God did and He was patient as He changed me through it.  It made the “rich soil” that my faith needed to follow after God no matter what storms come my way.

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God,

to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

 

Fall into Perspective

 

I love this time of year when the leaves change colors and brilliance dazzles the countryside with grandeur! It truly is God’s Canvas come alive!

That is……..

If you have the right perspective! My teenage son and I were driving home this week and we live in the country and take the ridge ling to and fro our home in the Hollow. It was early morning and the views were just magnificent! I just let the colors soak in and praised the God who splashed them up there. Really pictures do an injustice but I have attempted to include some.

As I pointed out over and over again to my son, he was not so enamored! Now it could be a boy thing that he just didn’t get as mushy over leaves as his mother or it was his perspective. He said he didn’t like them because that just meant it was going to be a mess. Then he pointed to the ground in someone’s yard that was already blanketed in what I called beauty, what my son called mess!

If you looked down I could see a bit of his point. BUT if you looked up……….. it was some of the most brilliant blend of colors I have ever seen! So it is in our lives! If we find ourselves in a mess we just need to look up, look up to the Heaven and remember where our help comes from! Taking our eyes off our mess and looking up in the eyes of Jesus makes everything beautiful!

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1

                                               

Invisible Rainbows

 

      One of the most amazing sights are rainbows! The are scientifically complex yet spiritually simple.  They are the zodiac of a stormy sky!  Their brilliance immeasurable.  They have an aurora of mystery surrounding them that still baffles people today.   For those who are not Christians….it is just a gathering of colors displayed for their observance. 

    But to the children of God….they have much meaning. It is a sign, a message if you will, from God!  It tells us that God remembers us, He loves us and he is watching over us! Isn’t that magnificent!  Yes indeed it also means that God will never again flood the earth but it means so much more!

      This year has been a very difficult year….It seems as though it has been one storm after another.  The dark clouds of uncertainty lingered over my head along with storms of suffering and trials of great magnitude.  How I longed to see the “Rainbows” in the darkest of days.

      This is what I learned……that the rainbows are always there….it’s just takes the stormy dark clouds to display them!  The harder the storm the brighter the rainbow after it passes!  So it is in our journey.  The harder the suffering and trials…the more beautiful the “rainbows” of refinement.  

      God’s promises are true whether or not a rainbow shows up!  It’s just occasionally we need a reminder that God is wise, right, and good in all He does.  And that He loves us and all His promises are true!

      Rainbows are God’s hugs to us!  The next time it storms in your life….wrap yourself up in His Rainbow!

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. 

Genesis 9:16

 

Eating Humble Pie

 

      I consider myself fairly generous.  I tend to think of myself as the person that would give you the shirt off her back.  I love hospitality!  Encouragement is my gifting coupled with hospitality.  Having people over for dinner, a cup of tea, or dessert, is time well spent. 

      Occasionally God needs to grow us in these areas, but it is painful when He does!  I had a recent lesson and thought I would share it with you.  It was humorous…..but I got the point!  I found out I am not as generous as I thought I was!

     We had some major plumbing problems and so we called the plumber out.  He came and checked things out…..and sure enough it was gonna be a big mess (excuse the pun).  He situated things for the night and planned to return and work on it the next day. 

       The next day I left early with my youngest son to go to our home school co-op and returned at about 1:00 pm.  I was famished upon arrival, having not eating at all that day.  I rushed in and began some fried bologna sandwiches.  Zech unloaded the car and went up to his room.

      Eventually I made it outside to check on the plumber.  He began to tell me in the most hickified accent you ever did hear!  He was covered in ……you know…but he was smiling real big!  He was a nice friendly guy.  sure enough I had several problems and he went on to tell me in great detail the issues….

      And he told me that he had lost traction while hooking up his trailer with his backhoe and it had gone all the way down to the road in front of my house (just missing my electric pole by inches!).  A tree stopped it from going into the road.  He apologized about the nic in the tree.  He showed me the damage to his equipment but was real happy that it was stopped by the tree.  He followed me into the house yakking…..

      I had told him he could help himself to get something to drink while I was gone.  So he proceeded to do so.  My mouth hit the floor as he wiped his hands on his pants, opened the freezer door and got ice out of the ice bucket….talking the whole time….popped open the tea lid and poured himself a drink. (Sorry but even with having only boys…that is just too nasty!!!)

      Remember before I went out I had made the two sandwiches.  While I sat down to write his check he asked, “You ain’t gonna eat both these sandwiches are ya?” My son was still upstairs.  And I was extremely hungry by now….

      I gulped down (way down!) my pride and replied….. “Ummm, well, umm, Have you and your partner had lunch?

      “Nope, we been workin’ real hard for ya.  Cut ya a deal on the labor i did.”  He smiled real proud like.   “Probably about a couple sandwiches worth and some more ice tea!”  the man said.

       I gulped…..”Here let me help you get those sandwiches and tea out to your truck!”  And so there went my lunch!

       Humble pie in the face!  Never before have I been so “ungenerous hearted” but I was famished…..But God needed to show me my selfish heart!

       I was a very humbled lady fixing my second fried bologna sandwich!  God sometimes has very humorous ways to get our attention!  If you had been there you would have been on the floor laughing at the whole ordeal!

    I thought the sewer was bad until I looked at my greedy heart!             

A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others

will himself be refreshed. 

Proverbs 11:25

Answering your own Question

 

How many times has your child asked you a question,…… while doing the answer (the answer he wanted you to say)?  For example:  “Mom may i have a cookie?”…..while his hand is in the cookie jar…his fat fingers around a cookie!  Did really wait for an answer.  It was apparent what he wanted the answer to be.  Why ask…..if you have already set your mind in a direction of movement.

Here is another example….”Mom can we watch a movie?…… while you are already have the TV on, the movie in, and are past the preview!  Why ask, it is apparent your intentions.

We do that too.  I was reading this week about the last days of Jesus when this particular problem was shown to me….that it is nothing new…..we have been doing our own thing.  Asking permission….while in the process of the action.

Read with me……

When Jesus' followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?"
And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man's ear and healed him.

Luke 22:49-51

 

Do you like how this guy asked as he was doing his answer!!!  He did not really wait for an answer. He wanted to do it!  As it turned out……the he had the wrong answer! 

How often do we do that???

For example:   “Lord you want me to eat right….so you eat out at a restaurant without waiting for His answer….because you already had an answer in mind??

“Wow Lord, you want me to save money…..”Cha-ching…..you buy a great deal on a hand bag…..saving $45!  Somehow the other nine purses you have did not come into the question picture??

“Lord, if you don’t want me to buy this car…then send fire from heaven.  You look up in two nano seconds….see a clear sky….you turn to the car salesman and say….I’ll take it!”  You totally ignore the fact that your old car runs, though it is outdated and the clear coat is coming off.  You ignore the fact that the note will be making things tight.   You ignore every thing else that might have given you a different answer then the one in you head!

“Thank you Lord, for giving us a bonus….You must mean for us to get that boat i have been looking at….

There are a million examples that could fit this equation.  Many times they are personalized questions about different areas of your life or family decisions.  But how many times do we ask the question and NOT wait for the answer.  Just like this guy….that basically means you are taking things into your own hands sprinkled with spiritual fairy dust. 

Not only are we impatient to wait for the answers, but we are notorious for twisting the facts into a scriptural pretzel and selling it to ourselves with hot mustard dip!

I think the reason i saw this for what it was….is i have done it!  My challenge to you…..wait upon the Lord, look into His Word, & Listen to wisdom….. really…wait until you get HIs answer….it’s always best…then you won’t be cutting off people people ears by mistake!!

The more you seek Him and wait and listen…the less filling in the blanks you will do….Then you will be where you need to be waiting or answered…in the middle of His Will!

Don’t ask if you don’t want the answer!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Invisible Sin

Growing up we did not have a dishwasher!  I know that sorta “dates” me but that’s okay, because at the present moment…..i don’t have a dishwasher! So for the past four years i have returned to my childhood sudsy sink washing and rinsing old fashioned way of doing dishes.  I will say though i enjoy it so much more now than i did then!

The Lord gave me a Spiritual lesson the other day while doing the dishes…..i thought i would share it with you!  if you have never washed dishes by hand or had a “drain tray” as i call it, then you will be lost in this story. But don’t pull the stopper yet!

After so many years of doing dishes by hand, i have a routine down. First i put away the dry dishes if there are any sitting in the drain tray.  Then i empty the drain tray that is usually full of water by the time i finish all my dishes.  then i clean the sinks, stack the dishes in the way i want them in the water..plates first,then silverware, then glasses bowls etc.

When i was growing up we had the jumbo “drain tray”. I did a lot of dishes.  I could pile them high and tight without them falling.  But one thing i hated was cleaning the drain tray.  Because of constant use, it was always full of water.  Thus it got molded and nasty often.  It was gross to clean it….it was so bad eventually it was stained.  But i detested cleaning it.

Sooo, when I got married…..we lived in places that had dishwashers! Just imagine how thrilled i was!  Believe me…..i used it!  No more dishes by hand and nasty drain trays!  Well, many years have past, and in the house we have been in for the past four years does NOT have a dishwasher……so back to the old fashioned way.  But when i went to the store to buy the dreaded “drain tray” i decided two things, i would get a small one, and the tray part i wanted clear.  That way it would never get nasty…..or so i thought!

One day i was emptying the water out of the drain tray when i noticed the white knob “feet” of the cute blue thing that held the dishes…. were black!  How can this be?  The “drain tray” did not have mold…so how could there be mold on the feet of the dish rack that sat above it?

What i couldn’t see was the “clear slim” that had collected on the drain tray full of murky germs, though clearly invisible!  I got out the old ajax and cleaned the slim off and the black off the feet of the dish rack. 

Though i saw no mold on the drain tray itself, the evidence of it was on the feet that sat in it.  Though the slim was clear…it was still as deadly. So it is with sin.  I thought that just because i could not see the ugly black stuff that it was not there.  But it was there.. only disguised, but  it had left it’s nasty mark on the dish rack’s feet.

Just because you think your sin is invisible….it is leaving it’s ugly mark somewhere!  Your sin will find you out!  The enemy tries to make you think you are in the “clear” when really he is “sliming” you!  Before you know you it  your feet are nasty black with sin’s mold!

So, i encourage you today to look carefully at your life, be sure you don’t got your feet standing in “clear”…… “slime”! 

Check your feet to see if they are black!

Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin,

when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

James 1:15

Do You LOVE me?

 

Would you love me is i dyed my hair purple?

Would  you love me if i pierced something besides my ears?

Would you love me is i took a smoke?

Would you love me if i took a different view than you?

Would you love me if you found me dancing to the newest rock song?

Would you love me if you found me with a beer in my hand?

Would you love me is i let a colorful word loose?

Would you love me if i came home pregnant?

                                         Jesus did!

True love has NO limits, NO boundaries and NO lists!

                                 I Corinthians 13

a NOT Dave Ramsey Principal

 

It seems the big rage these days is Dave Ramsey this and Dave Ramsey that,… get out of debt at all costs.  Forget everyone and get out of debt.  While i have my own opinions about this modern craze…..I want to challenge you with a whole new thought……….

G E T    I N T O    D E B T !

The Bible actually says GET INTO DEBT!  I want to be so far in debt that i bust the bank!  We are actually supposed to be heavily in debt…..that is the debt of LOVE for one another!

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to LOVE one another,

for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

Romans 13:8

Mail your “LOVE” notes (payments of indebtedness) daily.

The “heavenly interest” will keep racking up!

A missed payment is a missed opportunity

A Promissory Note means….more LOVE is comin’!

A missed payment is a missed opportunity!

The Bible is the ATM where you get more LOVE  to spend

A Collection Agency is the devil…….he wants to take all the LOVE from you, so you don’t spill out on others.

----never talk to The Collection Agency!

Spiritual debt  IS  Financial Freedom!

The only way to get out of debt is to DIE!

LOVE everyone to death!