John 13:5
"After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around Him."
For the past five years, I have taught preschool crafts during VBS at my church. I absolutely love it! I get to meet all of the preschoolers and get to know them just a little bit during the week. And I get to be messy with them!! When I say messy, I mean messy! We paint, and we glue. As you can imagine, it is a bit of a challenge to come up with crafts that are age-appropriate and that connect with the Biblical theme of the week. We end up making lots of crafts involving hand prints and foot prints.
The thing that I find so precious about footprints and hand prints is that they are as unique as people. And though they grow and change, they are still unique to their owner. This past week, I had the opportunity to see the body of Christ, or at least part of it, at work. We had between 60 and 65 preschoolers come through our craft room each day, and let me tell you, it took every adult involved to teach these children, though there were only four ladies with the title. Others were called helpers, and did they ever!! One of my children was in the preschool group, and I was amazed each day as he recounted the life of Peter. I mean he really learned! It wasn't just crowd control this week, but crowd control was so very important for the children to be able to learn all that they did.
A few "helpers" stand out in my mind. One lady had the sole responsibility of caring for a special needs child who had a tendency to escape. How often do parents of special needs children drop out of church because there are not any opportunities for their child? Without this lady, the teacher would have had to shift her focus to that child or worse, that child might not have been safe. Another lady (many of you know as Hadassah) took on the responsibilities of taking these children to the restroom, picking them up to wash hands, and even replacing shoes and socks when the children completed making their footprints. I don't even want to think about the chaos we might have had if she hadn't assumed that role!
Finally, we had a lady, who willingly and cheerfully washed every hand and every foot that we painted during the week. I did some math and that is roughly 124 feet and 248 hands. What is so precious to me, is that while it would seem that these children were herded in in huge numbers, each child had an individual encounter, each day, with this sweet woman. She loves Jesus and she loves His children, and while she washed their hands and feet, that love was so very obvious. One more thing that makes this so precious to me, is that this same sweet lady suffered from a childhood illness that kept her from learning to read or write. No doubt that there have been days in her life when she wondered about her purpose. I can not think of many things sweeter that watching her wash the feet and hands of Jesus' little children. What a special purpose she served this past week!
All of us were called to live as Christ, no matter who we are. We are uniquely special in our gifts and abilities and God wishes to use those gifts to further His kingdom. I am touched in the deepest place of my heart that He would use someone like me. And, I am humbled that my part was only a small one, in the big scheme of things. The body of Christ was truly at work. May I learn from Jesus' example and from the ones I saw this past week in Vacation Bible School!
Friday, June 19, 2009
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
In Memory...
Philippians 3:20
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies, so that they will be like His glorious body."
I write this post for the glory of God and in loving memory of my husband's brother, who went to be with Jesus on May 27, 2008. What a year it has been, and as I look back and reflect, I am touched all over again by God's amazing grace!
Last May, the Sunday night before Memorial Day, my brother in law "BIL" was in an ATV accident. His body was completely broken. We were warned before we saw him, of his brokenness. It was bad! At some point, the next day, one of the ICU nurses, believed that we didn't have a grip on the gravity of his condition, so she took ,what looked like a long piece of receipt paper, and listed his injuries. Eventually, in the hours to come, we began to see that it was more a matter of when, than if he would die. As a family, we agreed to take turns sleeping, showering, etc...
Never before have I seen a person leave their earthly body, and to this day, it still takes my breath away. My husband and his sister and I were called from the waiting room late in the night, as it was about to "happen". BIL's body was beginning to fail. I stood on one side of the bed with a hand on his head, the other on his chest. My husband was calling the family, and his sister held BIL's hands. She and I knew many moments of panic as we felt him leaving, and our own powerlessness to stop him. I remember whispering to him to please just wait, for just a little longer. I begged God to touch my heart, to calm it and to give me a song that would soothe my anxiousness. My father, did just that. The song He sang to my heart: "My Redeemer". Over and over, He spoke the words, "My redeemer is faithful, and true. Everything He has said, He will do, every morning His mercies are new. My redeemer is faithful and true." And then He drew this picture on my heart. I'll try to describe it for you.
Remember the scene in the movie Forrest Gump? Jenny was yelling for Forrest to run and he tried, with his crippled, braced legs, to run. And indeed he did! He ran until the braces broke and fell to the ground. He ran from danger, he ran from infirmity, he ran from rejection and from all that held him back. But what was he running to? BIL's heart raced under my hand and God showed me that, like Forrest, he was running. And while I begged him to stay in his broken body, he continued to run. I don't believe he ever even heard me calling him back. He had seen Jesus. He heard Jesus, say to "come."
Redeemer- one who buys back, repurchases; rescues with a ransom
Isaiah 43:1
But now, this is what the Lord says- He who created you, O, Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."
BIL heard Jesus call him by his name and he ran. He ran right out of his lowly, broken body and he has been made like Christ. He is at home in heaven. All of us will leave our lowly bodies at some point. It is a medical and biblical certainty. The question is, will you hear your Heavenly Father say, "come"? You can.
John 3:16-17 says
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."
All of us, everyone in this world sins. Our sins make us slaves to death. Jesus is our ransom. He was perfect and He died for us. Do you believe that you sin? Do you believe that you deserve hell because of your sin? Do you believe that Jesus died for you? Do you believe that His death on the cross was and is enough to pay your ransom? Are you redeemed? I love you, my friends! I pray that the truth of God's love will touch your heart today.
"But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a saviour from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables Him to bring everything under His control, will transform our lowly bodies, so that they will be like His glorious body."
I write this post for the glory of God and in loving memory of my husband's brother, who went to be with Jesus on May 27, 2008. What a year it has been, and as I look back and reflect, I am touched all over again by God's amazing grace!
Last May, the Sunday night before Memorial Day, my brother in law "BIL" was in an ATV accident. His body was completely broken. We were warned before we saw him, of his brokenness. It was bad! At some point, the next day, one of the ICU nurses, believed that we didn't have a grip on the gravity of his condition, so she took ,what looked like a long piece of receipt paper, and listed his injuries. Eventually, in the hours to come, we began to see that it was more a matter of when, than if he would die. As a family, we agreed to take turns sleeping, showering, etc...
Never before have I seen a person leave their earthly body, and to this day, it still takes my breath away. My husband and his sister and I were called from the waiting room late in the night, as it was about to "happen". BIL's body was beginning to fail. I stood on one side of the bed with a hand on his head, the other on his chest. My husband was calling the family, and his sister held BIL's hands. She and I knew many moments of panic as we felt him leaving, and our own powerlessness to stop him. I remember whispering to him to please just wait, for just a little longer. I begged God to touch my heart, to calm it and to give me a song that would soothe my anxiousness. My father, did just that. The song He sang to my heart: "My Redeemer". Over and over, He spoke the words, "My redeemer is faithful, and true. Everything He has said, He will do, every morning His mercies are new. My redeemer is faithful and true." And then He drew this picture on my heart. I'll try to describe it for you.
Remember the scene in the movie Forrest Gump? Jenny was yelling for Forrest to run and he tried, with his crippled, braced legs, to run. And indeed he did! He ran until the braces broke and fell to the ground. He ran from danger, he ran from infirmity, he ran from rejection and from all that held him back. But what was he running to? BIL's heart raced under my hand and God showed me that, like Forrest, he was running. And while I begged him to stay in his broken body, he continued to run. I don't believe he ever even heard me calling him back. He had seen Jesus. He heard Jesus, say to "come."
Redeemer- one who buys back, repurchases; rescues with a ransom
Isaiah 43:1
But now, this is what the Lord says- He who created you, O, Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine."
BIL heard Jesus call him by his name and he ran. He ran right out of his lowly, broken body and he has been made like Christ. He is at home in heaven. All of us will leave our lowly bodies at some point. It is a medical and biblical certainty. The question is, will you hear your Heavenly Father say, "come"? You can.
John 3:16-17 says
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him."
All of us, everyone in this world sins. Our sins make us slaves to death. Jesus is our ransom. He was perfect and He died for us. Do you believe that you sin? Do you believe that you deserve hell because of your sin? Do you believe that Jesus died for you? Do you believe that His death on the cross was and is enough to pay your ransom? Are you redeemed? I love you, my friends! I pray that the truth of God's love will touch your heart today.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Maryland Crab
Matthew 5:6
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
I have missed posting lately as my life has been especially busy with "stuff". More about that later, but for now, it's crab, that I want to discuss!! If I seem weird, well I am, but I kinda can't help it. My mom is from Maryland, my dad is from California, I was born in England and brought to the states only to be raised in the south. Most summers as a child, my family traveled to Maryland to see relatives. Our excursion, however, always included the best of Baltimore: The Harbour, The Aquarium, The Science Center, Fort McHenry and the Orioles. But most importantly, our trips always included crabs-Maryland crabs, that is!
In Maryland, you eat the center, not the legs of the crab, because that is where all the meat is. And the crabs are covered in seasoning. It's a really big deal. You sit at a table covered in newspaper, with citronella candles all around. You get everything ready before you start; napkins, tools, a drink, everything. Because once you start, it gets messy, but you don't want to stop. Your hands get covered in Old Bay, and as you pull the shell off and expose the meat, the seasoning from your hands coats it. And you eat, and eat. It is a lengthy process, sometimes you get a big lump, but not always. Usually you get little bites along and along, and you don't really get overstuffed, because you are steadily working for the next bite, taking each morsel and savoring it. Do you see where I am going with this, yet?
Some people grill hamburgers and hot dogs to fill up on, and just eat one or two crabs. They either don't want to devote the time or patience to the process, or they just can't stand being messy for very long.
The other most popular way to eat Maryland crabs, is by going to a restaurant and ordering a lump crab cake. I have found myself sorely disappointed over the years, as I have tried many crab cakes that claim to be from Maryland, claim to be "real", and even boast of being "with real, lump crab meat". Here's the problem. In Maryland, the meat is fresh. It is rare to a season, and it is rich. Yes, someone else has done the work, and quite a bit of it, at that. The cakes are nothing but meat. There is some type of invisible, edible glue and maybe five bread crumbs holding it all together. There is no stuffing, no fluff. It is just rich meat, laboriously compiled, and expertly prepared. And only those who participate in crab picking feasts, can appreciate the delicacy of a real Maryland crab cake, for they know the time effort and dedication it took to make just one crab cake.
A friend of mine is flying to Maryland this weekend to receive a degree from a University there. She's never been, and I desperately want her to experience the whole "crab thing". It would just seem a waste if she went all the way there, and didn't get to. She would still think that the crab legs you get from the man with the yellow truck, or the stuffing cakes with a couple threads of "real lump crab" are good. She would still have no idea what she was missing. And I am so sure, that she would love the real thing, if she ever had it!
Lately, with all the "stuff" I've had consuming my days, I feel as if I have settled for filling up on burgers and hot dogs, while only sampling a bit of crab. Because walking with the Lord is a lengthy, involved, messy process, and it takes preparation. But when I commit to it, to seeking the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, the process is as good as the actual meat I consume. For along the way, I become focused, I experience the joy of the large lumps of meat, while being sustained by the smaller pieces. And I am spending some calories at the same time, so that I am not miserable. There is fellowship in the shared experience and encouragement in seeing others, as they come across those lumps of rich meat.
And Sundays, are like going to the restaurant for the crab cake. That is, if it is the real thing! I find that many churches serve a fluffy, stuffed service, with very little real meat. I am thrilled by God's provision in a church home, where each participant of the service has worked hard to serve the real thing. God's word, whether it is presented in music, sermon, prayer, offering, communion, or ministry, should always be rich and pure. I appreciate each aspect of the service, when I consider, the process it took to deliver it. Many people took time and effort to pick apart God's word. And then, with the help of God, they presented it for my consumption. The meat: Jesus body, broken and given for me.
Have I made you hungry for Maryland crab? That's not a bad thing, but I hope that today, you are hungry for God's rich word. And what's more, I hope that you long for the process of picking it apart and then feasting on it. Church is a wonderful part of God's plan. But if that was all you had, to nurture your spirit...you'd be missing all of the goodness of the process of walking with the Lord. May you hunger and thirst, today!!
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
I have missed posting lately as my life has been especially busy with "stuff". More about that later, but for now, it's crab, that I want to discuss!! If I seem weird, well I am, but I kinda can't help it. My mom is from Maryland, my dad is from California, I was born in England and brought to the states only to be raised in the south. Most summers as a child, my family traveled to Maryland to see relatives. Our excursion, however, always included the best of Baltimore: The Harbour, The Aquarium, The Science Center, Fort McHenry and the Orioles. But most importantly, our trips always included crabs-Maryland crabs, that is!
In Maryland, you eat the center, not the legs of the crab, because that is where all the meat is. And the crabs are covered in seasoning. It's a really big deal. You sit at a table covered in newspaper, with citronella candles all around. You get everything ready before you start; napkins, tools, a drink, everything. Because once you start, it gets messy, but you don't want to stop. Your hands get covered in Old Bay, and as you pull the shell off and expose the meat, the seasoning from your hands coats it. And you eat, and eat. It is a lengthy process, sometimes you get a big lump, but not always. Usually you get little bites along and along, and you don't really get overstuffed, because you are steadily working for the next bite, taking each morsel and savoring it. Do you see where I am going with this, yet?
Some people grill hamburgers and hot dogs to fill up on, and just eat one or two crabs. They either don't want to devote the time or patience to the process, or they just can't stand being messy for very long.
The other most popular way to eat Maryland crabs, is by going to a restaurant and ordering a lump crab cake. I have found myself sorely disappointed over the years, as I have tried many crab cakes that claim to be from Maryland, claim to be "real", and even boast of being "with real, lump crab meat". Here's the problem. In Maryland, the meat is fresh. It is rare to a season, and it is rich. Yes, someone else has done the work, and quite a bit of it, at that. The cakes are nothing but meat. There is some type of invisible, edible glue and maybe five bread crumbs holding it all together. There is no stuffing, no fluff. It is just rich meat, laboriously compiled, and expertly prepared. And only those who participate in crab picking feasts, can appreciate the delicacy of a real Maryland crab cake, for they know the time effort and dedication it took to make just one crab cake.
A friend of mine is flying to Maryland this weekend to receive a degree from a University there. She's never been, and I desperately want her to experience the whole "crab thing". It would just seem a waste if she went all the way there, and didn't get to. She would still think that the crab legs you get from the man with the yellow truck, or the stuffing cakes with a couple threads of "real lump crab" are good. She would still have no idea what she was missing. And I am so sure, that she would love the real thing, if she ever had it!
Lately, with all the "stuff" I've had consuming my days, I feel as if I have settled for filling up on burgers and hot dogs, while only sampling a bit of crab. Because walking with the Lord is a lengthy, involved, messy process, and it takes preparation. But when I commit to it, to seeking the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, the process is as good as the actual meat I consume. For along the way, I become focused, I experience the joy of the large lumps of meat, while being sustained by the smaller pieces. And I am spending some calories at the same time, so that I am not miserable. There is fellowship in the shared experience and encouragement in seeing others, as they come across those lumps of rich meat.
And Sundays, are like going to the restaurant for the crab cake. That is, if it is the real thing! I find that many churches serve a fluffy, stuffed service, with very little real meat. I am thrilled by God's provision in a church home, where each participant of the service has worked hard to serve the real thing. God's word, whether it is presented in music, sermon, prayer, offering, communion, or ministry, should always be rich and pure. I appreciate each aspect of the service, when I consider, the process it took to deliver it. Many people took time and effort to pick apart God's word. And then, with the help of God, they presented it for my consumption. The meat: Jesus body, broken and given for me.
Have I made you hungry for Maryland crab? That's not a bad thing, but I hope that today, you are hungry for God's rich word. And what's more, I hope that you long for the process of picking it apart and then feasting on it. Church is a wonderful part of God's plan. But if that was all you had, to nurture your spirit...you'd be missing all of the goodness of the process of walking with the Lord. May you hunger and thirst, today!!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Inheritance and Education
Colossians 3:23-24
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
Psalm 127:3
"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him."
This particular post is meant, not to be a politically correct pat on the back, but to be an encouragement to parents for following the will of God in raising your children, particularly in the area of education. There are many options and God has one that is right for your child. So, what does inheritance have to do with education?
Immediately the story of the prodigal son comes to mind. I believe that the inheritance was given based on the love of a parent for his child, not based on the how deserving the child was. The inheritance was supposed to have come after the father died. As we all remember, the son asked for his inheritance early, and then he squandered it all, before coming home to his father, a broken and contrite man.
I think of the heritage we have as Christians, of the reward we will receive at the end of this life. I think of heaven and the promise, that it will one day be my home. My Father has already died and though I don't deserve heaven, my Father loved me and put it in His will for me. But before He hands it over, He means for me to live. I think of the two precious children God has given to me in this life. I am so very, very blessed. They are God's gift to me, regardless of what I choose to do with them. My inheritance is not just eternity but responsibility. I could squander the time I have with my children. I could waste the opportunities I have been given in them, and I would still be a Christian. I would still inherit eternity in Heaven.
But the question is whether or not I will return to my Father empty-handed. You see, what I do in this life does matter. Good works do matter. Many scriptures discuss doing good, to receive an eternal reward. Heaven has already been guaranteed for the Christian. But God poured His Holy Spirit into each Christian, and part of the fruit of the Spirit is "goodness". So just because we did not deserve our salvation or do anything to earn it, does not mean that God did not call us to do good works. He did!
He has called me to do good each day with the reward of my two children. He has called me to love and nurture, teach and train, encourage and correct. And being the complete God that He is, He also provided a manual to follow in raising them. They did, indeed, come with instructions! God's word (both written and implied) holds the answer to any parenting mystery I will ever face, AND it is perfect for my two children. Everything, even their education is addressed.
My husband and I believe very strongly that God instructed us to put our oldest child (the little one is too young) in a public school in our city. The decision was not an easy one for me, as I assumed His will would be very different. So I scoured the Bible looking for any proof that what God had whispered into my heart was true. My questions, one by one were answered. My fear dissolved and peace filled my heart.
Am I saying that public school is God's will for every child? Absolutely not! What I am saying, is that God calls us to work at raising our children as working for Him. That means that we have to start by asking Him what He wants us to do. Maybe His will is for us to home school our children. Maybe His will is for us to put our children in a christian school , or maybe His will is for us to enroll them in a public school. Whatever His will, He calls us to sacrifice. He calls us to stretch and grow. Whatever His will, you can be sure it will include love, instruction, correction and discipline. Whatever His will is for your children, you can be sure it is perfect.
God means for us to do our best for Him in what He has called us to do. I find that I can spend an amazing amount of time on my child's education, and I am not even his teacher. I can invest a great deal into relationships with his teachers, administrators, and classmates. I can invest in the quality of time I spend with him when he is at home. Because it is not about his education or even about how he turns out, but it is about working for the Lord in my roll as a mom. I pray that one day, when I enter into Heaven, what I have done "good" will include parenting my children with all my heart as unto the Lord. I pray that they will be the crown I lay at Jesus' feet.
What is your story?
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
Psalm 127:3
"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him."
This particular post is meant, not to be a politically correct pat on the back, but to be an encouragement to parents for following the will of God in raising your children, particularly in the area of education. There are many options and God has one that is right for your child. So, what does inheritance have to do with education?
Immediately the story of the prodigal son comes to mind. I believe that the inheritance was given based on the love of a parent for his child, not based on the how deserving the child was. The inheritance was supposed to have come after the father died. As we all remember, the son asked for his inheritance early, and then he squandered it all, before coming home to his father, a broken and contrite man.
I think of the heritage we have as Christians, of the reward we will receive at the end of this life. I think of heaven and the promise, that it will one day be my home. My Father has already died and though I don't deserve heaven, my Father loved me and put it in His will for me. But before He hands it over, He means for me to live. I think of the two precious children God has given to me in this life. I am so very, very blessed. They are God's gift to me, regardless of what I choose to do with them. My inheritance is not just eternity but responsibility. I could squander the time I have with my children. I could waste the opportunities I have been given in them, and I would still be a Christian. I would still inherit eternity in Heaven.
But the question is whether or not I will return to my Father empty-handed. You see, what I do in this life does matter. Good works do matter. Many scriptures discuss doing good, to receive an eternal reward. Heaven has already been guaranteed for the Christian. But God poured His Holy Spirit into each Christian, and part of the fruit of the Spirit is "goodness". So just because we did not deserve our salvation or do anything to earn it, does not mean that God did not call us to do good works. He did!
He has called me to do good each day with the reward of my two children. He has called me to love and nurture, teach and train, encourage and correct. And being the complete God that He is, He also provided a manual to follow in raising them. They did, indeed, come with instructions! God's word (both written and implied) holds the answer to any parenting mystery I will ever face, AND it is perfect for my two children. Everything, even their education is addressed.
My husband and I believe very strongly that God instructed us to put our oldest child (the little one is too young) in a public school in our city. The decision was not an easy one for me, as I assumed His will would be very different. So I scoured the Bible looking for any proof that what God had whispered into my heart was true. My questions, one by one were answered. My fear dissolved and peace filled my heart.
Am I saying that public school is God's will for every child? Absolutely not! What I am saying, is that God calls us to work at raising our children as working for Him. That means that we have to start by asking Him what He wants us to do. Maybe His will is for us to home school our children. Maybe His will is for us to put our children in a christian school , or maybe His will is for us to enroll them in a public school. Whatever His will, He calls us to sacrifice. He calls us to stretch and grow. Whatever His will, you can be sure it will include love, instruction, correction and discipline. Whatever His will is for your children, you can be sure it is perfect.
God means for us to do our best for Him in what He has called us to do. I find that I can spend an amazing amount of time on my child's education, and I am not even his teacher. I can invest a great deal into relationships with his teachers, administrators, and classmates. I can invest in the quality of time I spend with him when he is at home. Because it is not about his education or even about how he turns out, but it is about working for the Lord in my roll as a mom. I pray that one day, when I enter into Heaven, what I have done "good" will include parenting my children with all my heart as unto the Lord. I pray that they will be the crown I lay at Jesus' feet.
What is your story?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Death is at Work in Me
2 Corinthians 4:11
"For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."
One of the tools God is using to teach me lately, is a Beth Moore Bible study that I participate in. Those of you who have been through her study on the Fruit of the Spirit- Living Beyond Yourself, will likely remember the video lesson on patience. It went something like this.
There are two kinds of patience. One concerns persevering in a difficult circumstance and is inspired by hope. The other, concerns being patient with difficult people and is motivated by mercy. The one that is a part of the Fruit of the Spirit is- you know it- the one dealing with people. We all have at least one tricky relationship, and you can bet mine has been put to the test lately. Because you see, I am alive, in that I have received God's gift of His son, Jesus, and I have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit-ALL OF IT!!! He has put patience within me, but it must be worked out.
How??? Well, one thing about the Holy Spirit is that we have need in Him because we were called to live this life, in this imperfect, flesh-loving body, in a way that brings glory to God. That is what we were called for. That is why we were saved.
Beth talked about having a relationship that just always seems to bring out the worst in us, and I can SO identify. The relationship I am speaking of is one that I can not avoid. It is necessary, and oh, how Satan uses it to remind me of what is still left of my "old, unsaved, mortal self". I can talk to this person and find a defensiveness and pride, that I thought had long ago been destroyed. I can feel the desire for vengeance and the temptation to hold a grudge. One conversation can consume so much of my mind that I can barely hear my Father's voice.
The good news? Having my sin masked by pleasant, easy relationships, does not keep it from existing. Yet, when it is revealed, when it comes up and out, God can deal with it. I don't know if that blesses you the way it does me, but the idea that along and along, God is changing me, not by taking me out of this sinful world, but by taking the sin out of me, whew!!! I just can't get over it!
One day, because of the presence of this person in my life, God will put to death, the sinful nature that is still very much a part of me. And just think, God may be bringing something to life in that person, at the very same time He is working death in me. Oh what a blessing it is to be a child of God, to have been called for the purpose of bringing Him glory, and to have been given all I need (through His Spirit), to do so.
"For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."
One of the tools God is using to teach me lately, is a Beth Moore Bible study that I participate in. Those of you who have been through her study on the Fruit of the Spirit- Living Beyond Yourself, will likely remember the video lesson on patience. It went something like this.
There are two kinds of patience. One concerns persevering in a difficult circumstance and is inspired by hope. The other, concerns being patient with difficult people and is motivated by mercy. The one that is a part of the Fruit of the Spirit is- you know it- the one dealing with people. We all have at least one tricky relationship, and you can bet mine has been put to the test lately. Because you see, I am alive, in that I have received God's gift of His son, Jesus, and I have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit-ALL OF IT!!! He has put patience within me, but it must be worked out.
How??? Well, one thing about the Holy Spirit is that we have need in Him because we were called to live this life, in this imperfect, flesh-loving body, in a way that brings glory to God. That is what we were called for. That is why we were saved.
Beth talked about having a relationship that just always seems to bring out the worst in us, and I can SO identify. The relationship I am speaking of is one that I can not avoid. It is necessary, and oh, how Satan uses it to remind me of what is still left of my "old, unsaved, mortal self". I can talk to this person and find a defensiveness and pride, that I thought had long ago been destroyed. I can feel the desire for vengeance and the temptation to hold a grudge. One conversation can consume so much of my mind that I can barely hear my Father's voice.
The good news? Having my sin masked by pleasant, easy relationships, does not keep it from existing. Yet, when it is revealed, when it comes up and out, God can deal with it. I don't know if that blesses you the way it does me, but the idea that along and along, God is changing me, not by taking me out of this sinful world, but by taking the sin out of me, whew!!! I just can't get over it!
One day, because of the presence of this person in my life, God will put to death, the sinful nature that is still very much a part of me. And just think, God may be bringing something to life in that person, at the very same time He is working death in me. Oh what a blessing it is to be a child of God, to have been called for the purpose of bringing Him glory, and to have been given all I need (through His Spirit), to do so.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Snobby about my Chocolate
Isaiah 55:2
"Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare."
Last week, I was incredibly busy. You know the kind of "busy" I am talking about. Each day I had several things scheduled back to back, for which, I had several lists. As I was checking through the lists, I had this feeling like I was forgetting something. Not that I could have squeezed in anything else, but at least I could have rescheduled,right? And sure enough, I did forget something on Tuesday. I was so frustrated, because, I really wanted to get everything done, and I wanted to please the Lord in the process. So, Tuesday night, I made a complete list of everything for the week, committed it to prayer, and asked God to help me to have wisdom and discernment, energy and a cheerful spirit for each day.
I went to bed, fully trusting that the days would go by in pleasant haste, and that I would be astounded by God's ability to accomplish so many things through me. I woke up around 3:00 a.m. with kidney stone pain and was up for the rest of the night. I was hurting so badly that I opted to take Aleeve, which makes me very groggy. Then some time around 6:30ish, I dozed and had these little weird "mini-dreams". The one that I woke up thinking about involved Starburst candy and its' point value in Weight Watchers. I joined a few years ago, and was very suprised to find that every little thing that goes into our bodies counts. And if you can only consume 20 points in a day, a handful of M&M's and a couple of Starburst hardly seem worth the points. After all, they don't leave much room for food with actual value. I learned to become quite the snob about what I consume. I just cannot be bothered with cheap chocolate!
As I went through Wednesday and the remainder of the week, I began to weigh each activity as worthy or not worthy of my time. I began to see that little indulgences, such as watching other people's drama on T.V. is a bit wasteful, when all around me there are people hurting, people I can actually help with a kind word or a card, a meal, or a listening ear. I began to see that having my garage spotless is a bit of a waste of my time, when my children are hurting and need some "Mommy time". I could go on and on, but you get the point. We have so many opportunities each day to do good things, and sometimes, we have to choose a couple and let the others go. Because there is nothing wrong with watching the Biggest Looser or cleaning the garage. Sometimes, it just isn't God's best for that day.
"Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare."
Last week, I was incredibly busy. You know the kind of "busy" I am talking about. Each day I had several things scheduled back to back, for which, I had several lists. As I was checking through the lists, I had this feeling like I was forgetting something. Not that I could have squeezed in anything else, but at least I could have rescheduled,right? And sure enough, I did forget something on Tuesday. I was so frustrated, because, I really wanted to get everything done, and I wanted to please the Lord in the process. So, Tuesday night, I made a complete list of everything for the week, committed it to prayer, and asked God to help me to have wisdom and discernment, energy and a cheerful spirit for each day.
I went to bed, fully trusting that the days would go by in pleasant haste, and that I would be astounded by God's ability to accomplish so many things through me. I woke up around 3:00 a.m. with kidney stone pain and was up for the rest of the night. I was hurting so badly that I opted to take Aleeve, which makes me very groggy. Then some time around 6:30ish, I dozed and had these little weird "mini-dreams". The one that I woke up thinking about involved Starburst candy and its' point value in Weight Watchers. I joined a few years ago, and was very suprised to find that every little thing that goes into our bodies counts. And if you can only consume 20 points in a day, a handful of M&M's and a couple of Starburst hardly seem worth the points. After all, they don't leave much room for food with actual value. I learned to become quite the snob about what I consume. I just cannot be bothered with cheap chocolate!
As I went through Wednesday and the remainder of the week, I began to weigh each activity as worthy or not worthy of my time. I began to see that little indulgences, such as watching other people's drama on T.V. is a bit wasteful, when all around me there are people hurting, people I can actually help with a kind word or a card, a meal, or a listening ear. I began to see that having my garage spotless is a bit of a waste of my time, when my children are hurting and need some "Mommy time". I could go on and on, but you get the point. We have so many opportunities each day to do good things, and sometimes, we have to choose a couple and let the others go. Because there is nothing wrong with watching the Biggest Looser or cleaning the garage. Sometimes, it just isn't God's best for that day.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Peace in Provision
Matthew 14:24, 32
(24)"but the boat was already a considerable distance form land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it."
(32)"And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down."
Matthew 14: 22-32 are verses that have penetrated my heart more than once and in many different circumstances, but this most recent time is the one I want to share today. For it was peace in God's provision that I prayed, and these are the verses that He lead me to. I find it interesting at times, that though I grew up with a strong knowledge of basic Bible stories, I am very deficient in the chronology of the events. And just now, as I was looking in my Bible to refer to these verses, I noticed that the section just previous, is the story of the five loaves and two fish. And the section, just before that, was when the disciples buried John the Baptist. All of this in chapter 14 of Matthew! I am so blown away by how even the sequence of events in history have purpose in my life. All of scripture has meaning and purpose, and even the order of the events recorded has meaning today.
My focus will still be on the part of chapter 14 when Jesus walked on water, but I will refer to the events of the entire chapter. I recommend reading it. I said in the last post, that I was going to tell you more about the illness I have experienced for the past several weeks. It started at the end of October when I had the mumps, then after one day of normalcy, I began to get sick again. For a week, I had symptoms that seemed like appendicitis or maybe a kidney stone, and I became concerned when I didn't get any better. Finally, one night, I became overwhelmed by the pain and the nagging feeling that it might be something requiring medical help. I hated to go to the hospital and pick up lots of germs, if it was just a kidney stone. I figured I could just pass it at home. Plus, the expense concerned me. In fact, that was the main reason for my hesitation. I asked a friend to pray for me to have wisdom about whether or not to go. She did pray with me and later called me back to say that, as she continued to pray on her own, she felt that God was telling her that I should go to the emergency room. She asked me a question that really gave me the courage to go. She asked, "If you had as much money as _________ (a friend with a very good income), would you go?" Then she reminded me that my Father in Heaven owns everything and that He would provide.
For as long as I can remember, I have had to trust God with my finances. At some point, I believed that a college degree would help me to provide for myself, but that was short lived. I became a "stay-home mom" and my husband took a job that pays him only commission. Over the years, many people have questioned our decisions, but God has confirmed time after time that we are doing what He called us to do and that He is our "reliable income".
I did go to the emergency room and learned that I had developed a bacterial infection from having the mumps, and that I had at least 25 kidney stones. Long story short, I went to a specialist, and he scheduled me for surgery to crush the two largest stones. The day before the surgery, after learning the cost, I became very frightened. For six weeks, I had hung on to the promise that My father, who loves me, would provide. I even stepped out in faith and went to a specialist, something I had asked God to provide for the past twelve years. And I marveled that,in my time of great need, He could provide a physician, new to town, amazing in his skill, and with an admirable bedside manner. So what in the mess made me take my eyes off of Jesus and look down at my circumstance? What made me doubt that a father, who could call me out during a storm, toward the refuge of His arms, and give me the ability to walk toward Him, would provide for a surgery bill?
Not what, but who. And he is the same "who" that caused Peter to look at the wind and doubt Jesus. Satan. What is interesting to me is that the wind was always there. Scripture does not say that the disciples were frightened by the wind, but by Jesus. They believed He was a ghost. But Peter, desperately wanted to believe it was indeed, Jesus. He wanted to believe so badly, that he was willing to risk death for Jesus to prove Himself. If Jesus was not who He said he was, Peter would have surely died. But if He was who He said He was..., Oh how Peter needed Him to be!
Verse 24 says that the boat was buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Buffeted means to strike and comes from the Greek word: kolaphizo-of the base of kolazo; to curtail, to chastise (or reserve for infliction):-punish; to rap with the fist. Isn't that just what the disciples had been through that day? They had been through great tragedy and loss over John the Baptist and on the tail of that, came the miraculous, yet exhausting sermon on the mount and all that it entailed. And then the storm?!?
I have always been able to see myself in Peter. He is so passionate in his love for Jesus and yet, he is just so darn human! The guy had had enough! He kept the faith through so much and then, in an instant, he shifted his gaze, and began to sink. I can identify. It's not that Jesus hasn't proved Himself over and over. It is just that I am human. And Satan is as real as Jesus. And he strikes over and over. And if faith in Jesus is what sustains me in the storm, Satan will strike my faith.
Verse 32, says that when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
When Jesus got into the middle of Peter's circumstance, it ceased to punish him. I found myself saying many times in the past year, "The hits just keep coming." My family experienced tragedy and loss and in spite of our grief, we had to continue facing life. Through it all, I clung to Jesus. But I am human. And it only took a surgery bill to make me doubt. I took my eyes off of Jesus, but He never took His eyes off of me. I cried out for Him to restore my faith and He gave me these verses. He climbed right into the source of my fear and made it stop beating me. He returned my peace-peace in His provision. Scripture shows us that He restored Peter's faith. He provided safety for Peter. He has provided a physician for me and daily, I witness His provision in my finances. He provided forgiveness when Peter doubted and failed, and He does the same for me, for all of us. Most of all, He provided for Peter's salvation and for yours and mine, through Jesus. If He never provided in this life, eternity would be more than enough. But He does provide for us here, as we walk this walk. To God be the glory!!!
(24)"but the boat was already a considerable distance form land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it."
(32)"And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down."
Matthew 14: 22-32 are verses that have penetrated my heart more than once and in many different circumstances, but this most recent time is the one I want to share today. For it was peace in God's provision that I prayed, and these are the verses that He lead me to. I find it interesting at times, that though I grew up with a strong knowledge of basic Bible stories, I am very deficient in the chronology of the events. And just now, as I was looking in my Bible to refer to these verses, I noticed that the section just previous, is the story of the five loaves and two fish. And the section, just before that, was when the disciples buried John the Baptist. All of this in chapter 14 of Matthew! I am so blown away by how even the sequence of events in history have purpose in my life. All of scripture has meaning and purpose, and even the order of the events recorded has meaning today.
My focus will still be on the part of chapter 14 when Jesus walked on water, but I will refer to the events of the entire chapter. I recommend reading it. I said in the last post, that I was going to tell you more about the illness I have experienced for the past several weeks. It started at the end of October when I had the mumps, then after one day of normalcy, I began to get sick again. For a week, I had symptoms that seemed like appendicitis or maybe a kidney stone, and I became concerned when I didn't get any better. Finally, one night, I became overwhelmed by the pain and the nagging feeling that it might be something requiring medical help. I hated to go to the hospital and pick up lots of germs, if it was just a kidney stone. I figured I could just pass it at home. Plus, the expense concerned me. In fact, that was the main reason for my hesitation. I asked a friend to pray for me to have wisdom about whether or not to go. She did pray with me and later called me back to say that, as she continued to pray on her own, she felt that God was telling her that I should go to the emergency room. She asked me a question that really gave me the courage to go. She asked, "If you had as much money as _________ (a friend with a very good income), would you go?" Then she reminded me that my Father in Heaven owns everything and that He would provide.
For as long as I can remember, I have had to trust God with my finances. At some point, I believed that a college degree would help me to provide for myself, but that was short lived. I became a "stay-home mom" and my husband took a job that pays him only commission. Over the years, many people have questioned our decisions, but God has confirmed time after time that we are doing what He called us to do and that He is our "reliable income".
I did go to the emergency room and learned that I had developed a bacterial infection from having the mumps, and that I had at least 25 kidney stones. Long story short, I went to a specialist, and he scheduled me for surgery to crush the two largest stones. The day before the surgery, after learning the cost, I became very frightened. For six weeks, I had hung on to the promise that My father, who loves me, would provide. I even stepped out in faith and went to a specialist, something I had asked God to provide for the past twelve years. And I marveled that,in my time of great need, He could provide a physician, new to town, amazing in his skill, and with an admirable bedside manner. So what in the mess made me take my eyes off of Jesus and look down at my circumstance? What made me doubt that a father, who could call me out during a storm, toward the refuge of His arms, and give me the ability to walk toward Him, would provide for a surgery bill?
Not what, but who. And he is the same "who" that caused Peter to look at the wind and doubt Jesus. Satan. What is interesting to me is that the wind was always there. Scripture does not say that the disciples were frightened by the wind, but by Jesus. They believed He was a ghost. But Peter, desperately wanted to believe it was indeed, Jesus. He wanted to believe so badly, that he was willing to risk death for Jesus to prove Himself. If Jesus was not who He said he was, Peter would have surely died. But if He was who He said He was..., Oh how Peter needed Him to be!
Verse 24 says that the boat was buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Buffeted means to strike and comes from the Greek word: kolaphizo-of the base of kolazo; to curtail, to chastise (or reserve for infliction):-punish; to rap with the fist. Isn't that just what the disciples had been through that day? They had been through great tragedy and loss over John the Baptist and on the tail of that, came the miraculous, yet exhausting sermon on the mount and all that it entailed. And then the storm?!?
I have always been able to see myself in Peter. He is so passionate in his love for Jesus and yet, he is just so darn human! The guy had had enough! He kept the faith through so much and then, in an instant, he shifted his gaze, and began to sink. I can identify. It's not that Jesus hasn't proved Himself over and over. It is just that I am human. And Satan is as real as Jesus. And he strikes over and over. And if faith in Jesus is what sustains me in the storm, Satan will strike my faith.
Verse 32, says that when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
When Jesus got into the middle of Peter's circumstance, it ceased to punish him. I found myself saying many times in the past year, "The hits just keep coming." My family experienced tragedy and loss and in spite of our grief, we had to continue facing life. Through it all, I clung to Jesus. But I am human. And it only took a surgery bill to make me doubt. I took my eyes off of Jesus, but He never took His eyes off of me. I cried out for Him to restore my faith and He gave me these verses. He climbed right into the source of my fear and made it stop beating me. He returned my peace-peace in His provision. Scripture shows us that He restored Peter's faith. He provided safety for Peter. He has provided a physician for me and daily, I witness His provision in my finances. He provided forgiveness when Peter doubted and failed, and He does the same for me, for all of us. Most of all, He provided for Peter's salvation and for yours and mine, through Jesus. If He never provided in this life, eternity would be more than enough. But He does provide for us here, as we walk this walk. To God be the glory!!!
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