Mixing Ideas

My grandson has been baking and cooking with me ever since he was old enough to stand on a chair and place frozen break-apart cookies on a cookie sheet.  We’ve stirred spaghetti sauce together and spilled chocolate chips from the bag on purpose so we could eat them.

This Christmas he is seven and baking Christmas cookies was more of an adventure.  He measured and poured and gingerly turned the mixer to the numbers I told him.  It was a cooperative and memorable Saturday afternoon.  I had left the butter out for a while to come to room temperature and I told him he could unwrap it and put it in the bowl.  “Don’t I need to cut it up, Gramma Jo?”  I assured him that it would blend without a problem.  Several minutes later as I continued to scrape and mix, he wondered what was the holdup.  I explained that I was having a little trouble getting the butter to mix in.  With the wisdom of an experienced chef, he said, “I told you we should have cut it up, Gramma.”

His mother and I chuckled over the story later.  I said they must have covered this question while baking cookies at home.  She assured me that they hadn’t, but that he is an intuitive kid and probably just reasoned it out.  I smirked.  I’ve been cooking for forty years; he’s a seven-year-old.  

I’ve got my ideas set in a lot of areas.  My faith is most important to me.  And I think I have it all figured out.  I’m so sure of it that I begin to feel proud, willing to tell anybody who wants (or doesn’t want) to listen how this world works.  Then someone older, or younger, a new Christian or one whose eyes have recently opened to the joys of the Word will make a statement that feels funny.  It doesn’t quite fit in with all the little blocks and pieces I’ve worked out for myself.  I have to tiptoe up to the creaky door of my mind and force it back open.  God wants me to be as excited about learning as I was when I started this journey.  He wants me to be willing to change my habits and continue to grow.  Today I baked cookies again.  I want you to know, I cut up the butter.

Proverbs 11:2, 1:5
When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom…let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance.

Forward Thinking

“Just do it” is a good one.  My favorite is from “Meet the Robinsons”, a very cool kids’ animated movie that is entertaining for grammas as well.  Mr. Robinson’s favorite phrase is “Keep moving forward.”  I’ve adopted it as a personal anti-procrastination motto.  It works great when I remember to use it…and when I then decide to listen to myself.

I’ve written blogs before about feeling the need to  write.  Aside from a couple of closets that need cleaning and some plastic boxes of old pictures and papers that need to be filed, sitting down to get thoughts out onto the screen is my hardest area of discipline.  (Let’s just agree we’re not considering food or exercise in this one, okay?)  There’s an old saying about writing, that the hardest thing about it is the “BIC” (butt in chair) time.  It does require a level of self-discipline, whether you have a lot or a little time.

At the end of most days, if you asked me what I got accomplished, aside from some laundry and a few chores, I usually wouldn’t have an answer.  I don’t spend time in front of the TV and my time on Facebook could more likely be counted in minutes rather than hours.  I usually spend some time in God’s Word and in having quiet time with Him.  But I get discouraged because I don’t seem to have anything “concrete” to show for my time.

But there is another side to this issue of putting off writing and I’ve said this before as well.  I believe it’s something God wants me to do.  I get frustrated because I don’t know where to start.  But mainly, I think I just lack the faith to begin.  And really, what’s the worst that can happen?  I might learn something?

I am just finishing up Mark in my personal study and a few verses hit me hard this afternoon.  It’s early Sunday morning after Jesus’ death and burial.  Mark 16:1-3 says, “When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, 'Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?'”

Are you wondering if I left off a verse or two?  My lesson was in verse 3 when it occurred to the women that Jesus’ tomb had a stone rolled in front of the entrance.  This stone would have been very large, round, flat and heavy.  It fit into a groove in front of the cave and was rolled down into place.  It would have taken several men to roll it back up.

The women realized this, they discussed it among themselves and still they “kept moving forward.”  God’s Word doesn’t address whether it was their level of faith that kept them going or whether they assumed someone (several men?) would be there to help them.  The point is they continued on to Jesus tomb.  And they were rewarded with being the first to know of His resurrection!  

So I’m going to make the writing a priority.  When you see me, keep me honest.  Go ahead and ask.  Or just remind me to keep moving forward.

All in God's Time

I don’t have much luck with Christmas cactus.  So when my friend gave me one at a Christmas party two years ago, I smiled and made a mental note to try extra hard.  I put the pot on a shelf in the den where it would get indirect light and watered it tentatively. It lived. Barely.  Occasionally it would drop a little branch and I would fuss over it when I watered.  We coexisted as wary friends, a little afraid of each other. 

In early spring I move my plants outside to do their spring and summer growing.  They get strong and healthy enough to survive the dryness of the winter and my apathetic attitude that sets in about mid-January.  This year I put the little cactus outside.  It thrived and grew to twice its size.  When I brought my plants inside this fall, I looked for a special place for the cactus.  I put it in the kitchen window to make me smile as I cleaned up supper dishes.

It has been enjoying its new inside spot for almost three weeks now.  For some, a blooming Christmas cactus is no big deal.  For me, a living Christmas cactus is something.  A blooming one is a blessing indeed.  Imagine my surprise when I saw little flowers at the end of every single branch!  I thought, “Why now?”  It’s been outside all summer with loads of sunshine and rain and fresh air. 

How many times have I gone through spiritual renewal with prayer and Bible study taking new priority?   Faithful for a few weeks, when my life didn’t seem to be getting better, I would give it up.  I didn’t give God the time to draw me close, to allow me to get to know Him through his Word.  Occasionally He allows us to see a great change immediately or in a very short time.  But sometimes, He wants to see our commitment.  Are we willing to hang in there with Him over the rough and the good times?  Are we willing to commit the time it takes to bloom?

James 1:2-4
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.                                                                                            

No Fair!

It’s the time of year parents breathe that sigh of relief – the kids are settled back into a school routine!  And no sooner are the kids established into class than the recess bell rings and a well-known phrase is heard from schoolyard to gymnasium.  No fair!

The kid who doesn’t get picked for dodge ball thinks it.  The little girl who has been waiting for a swing gets pushed aside by a bigger older fourth-grader.  “No fair.”  The hard-working introverted young man is denied a promotion given instead to the bright, outgoing young woman.  His insides yell it.  Our neighbor drives by in yet another new car while we’re patting the dashboard of our old clunker begging it to just start today, please.  This is so unfair.

We heard the answer throughout our growing up.  We got tired of hearing it.  Yet when we became parents and our children ranted against the unfairness of it all, it came so easily to our lips.  “Life isn’t fair.”

The only thing that makes us more furious than injustice is our inability to fix it.  We stress over unfairness in the workplace, our relationships, possessions and the directions our lives are going.  Do we have any hope of ever seeing it made right?

Proverbs 29:26 says, “…but it is from the Lord that man gets justice.”  So what are our options?  When that driver cuts us off on the interstate, do we chase him down and get him told?  Do we instead pray that God will take care of him, make sure he gets a ticket? Is there any way other than stress and worry?

Why not approach life’s little injustices and indignities with God’s help?  Is the problem something we can fix by working harder or by dealing sensitively with another person?  If not, perhaps the best approach would be to know that God will make it right.

Know that, if He’s not willing to change circumstances this moment, in our next lives He will give us something better.  Or we will be so happy we simply won’t care anymore!

Is anger over some injustice done to you at work or to one of your children eating you up inside?  Are you dealing with envy over something someone has that you believe you deserve instead?  Has the unfairness of this life become a burden that you pick up and carry with you every morning?  Lay it down!  God knows you better than you know yourself.  He will make it right.  He’s aware of circumstances you can’t possibly know.  He may be protecting you.  Trust Him to do what He does.  What is in your bag of injustice that you are willing to lay at His feet?

Matthew 11:28-30
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Tunnel Vision

When my kids were little and watching TV, in order to get their attention I would go over and take their face in my hands and say, “Look at me in my eyes.” It sounds pretty mean, now that I say it, but I was very gentle and they understood. Because they had tunnel vision. They were so fixed on whatever they were watching, my words fell on deaf ears unless I could divert their attention.


I’ve been reading in Mark this morning about Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:22-24, 35-42). Jesus was with His disciples and a crowd of people. Jairus was a synagogue ruler, someone who would have been responsible for the physical management of the synagogue building and the worship services; and, therefore, someone who also would have been respected in the community. He came to Jesus, fell at His feet, and told Him that his little daughter was dying. Would He come and heal her?

Jesus began to walk with him, but was distracted by someone else who needed healing. By the time He had taken care of the situation, people came from Jairus’ house and told him that it was now too late, that his daughter was dead. From everything Jairus had seen and heard, his was a hopeless situation and he might as well have just gone on home in sorrow.

But Jesus had overheard. And he turned to Jairus and did the equivalent of taking Jairus’ face in His hands and saying, “Pay attention!” He said, “Do not be afraid; only believe” (verse 36).

These stories are great and all, but it’s easy to read them and say, “that’s nice” and just keep rolling. Truth is, I don’t know that I would have had the faith! Would I just have hung my head and said, “it’s too late”?

We all have areas in our lives where we have tunnel vision, where we just can’t see the thing turning out well. We go to church and hear it; we read it in God’s Word. "He’s in control and He has a plan." But when we rely only on what we can see and hear - our small slice of the picture - our faith skitters away.

The complete, trusting faith of a child requires that we listen to Jesus when He says, “Look at Me in My eyes. Do not be afraid; only believe.” Then, eyes on Him and not our circumstances, we can go our way in peace and confidence that He truly is in control and has a plan.

Proverbs 3:5,6
Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Perspective

My computer crooks its finger and invites me in. The wallpaper picture from Alaska whispers peace with deep teal water, dark purple mountains, and a frozen waterfall. At least I think they’re mountains! I can’t remember the landscape when we took this particular picture – we took hundreds.

So as I stared into it the other day, my imagination left the ship and began to climb up the deep gulley where the water started down. Then I realized I didn’t know if I could make the top in a few steps or whether it would take weeks! I looked at the evergreen mass and tried to decide whether I was looking at moss – in which case I’m up in a snap – or trees. If it’s trees, I’m giving up and climbing back on the cruise ship because there’s no way I’m going to make it.

I had no perspective. At least I thought that was the word. So I looked it up.

“The appearance of objects, buildings, etc., relative to each other, as determined by their distance from the viewer.” There were no birds, buildings or people to give me an idea of what I was looking at. And I realized that without a constant, something to count on, I was floundering.

“A visible scene, especially one extending to a distance; vista.” When I’m on a trip and driving long hours and distances, I make it through by fastening my attention on some sign or exit down the road. Without them, we’d all be sleeping drivers! When I was a child and the interstates had yet to be built, every trip was an adventure because there were interesting landmarks and bizarre “World’s Largest Egg Carton”-type stops with souvenir shops. Then the interstate came along and the drive no longer mattered. The trip was all about the destination. We had lost perspective.

“A view over some distance in space or time.” We all leap through days and months of our lives by fixing on the next vacation or event. Without that timemark life loses its perspective – one day blends into the next and boredom threatens. Or we run so fast that we wake up one day and another three years has gone. Young people think they’ll never die; old people seeing it coming faster and faster.

“A mental view or prospect.” Proper perspective puts us in our place, timewise. We are a breath that shows up on a cold wind. “You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Each man’s life is but a breath.” (Psalm 39:5) If I’m looking merely at my time here on earth, it’s gone so quickly I might as well not even have been here.

“The faculty of seeing all the relevant data in a meaningful relationship.” However…my life matters. I have important work to do here. “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10) Work that was planned for me before I even set foot on this earth. “All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be." (Psalm 139:16)

And I am a child of the King, the Creator of the Universe! “For He chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will….” (Ephesians 1:4-5)

My perspective? Peace for now; joy for later. Everlasting joy in the presence of my God!

(Definitions were taken from www.dictionary.com: Random House Dictionary, 2011; Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 10th Edition, 2009.)

Dry Season

Not sure why is doesn’t happen in the summer with the air conditioning. I guess there is enough moisture in the air already to balance out the humidity inside. But don’t you hate to wake up in the middle of the night in January with dry lips and a parched throat? And admit it, you sit there in the dark for a minute and think “Is this because I was breathing through my mouth and was I making awful noises?”

Truth is, it’s January and it’s DRY. My skin is dry and my throat is dry. Only thing I can be thankful for on this front is that my hair’s not frizzing.

And don’t we tend to dry out in other areas as well this time of year? Christmas is over and there’s that little let-down because we spent all our emotions in December. We’re trapped inside and looking out at what often appears to be an absolutely beautiful day…until we open the door. I’ve gotten to the point where I don’t look to find the sun first. I look at the trees – if they’re blowing, my door stays closed. Because the chill you get on a damp, windy January day cannot be warmed away. It takes up space in your bones for a bit.

I have to say that my spiritual life has been anything but dry over these last few weeks. God has blessed my life in so many ways and He has answered prayers. Right now, I’m speaking creatively. It’s just not there! I considered taking the blog down; but I do believe it’s something I’m supposed to continue to do.

And no, for you Julia Cameron fans, I have not been doing my morning pages. I think I will start them up again, though, because they work and keep me in balance as well. In case you don’t know, morning pages are three handwritten pages done every morning first thing – a brain dump, stream of consciousness, "what was that dream?"-type pages. They are supposed to empty your brain to prepare it to fill with new and exciting ideas. Just put your hand down. I’m not going to call on you because you just want to make everyone aware that my brain was pretty empty to begin with.

I was trying to figure out a way to tie this in to scripture, the lesson being that God’s Word is my only source of rejuvenating water, valued root-deep moisture on a dry day. But in truth I have been spending time there – that is why my spiritual life has been so abundant. So can God’s Word work in only one area of our lives and not another? I don’t believe so. I think sometimes it’s just a call to go deeper because the answers are all there.

So hang in there with me, my friends, and I will hopefully come out of this dry spell. And be encouraged if your life feels dry right now. It just takes time and water.

Ps 107:33, 35; Jeremiah 17:8
He turned rivers into a desert, flowing springs into thirsty ground…He turned the desert into pools of water and the parched ground into flowing springs…He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

The Mad Dash

I see ladybugs, fireflies and crickets as God’s toys of the insect world. He must have been smiling when He created them. Ladybugs have those pretty red polka-dotted wings. Lightning bugs have rear ends that light up! And cricket gentlemen pursue their lady friends by serenading them with their back wings rubbed together. I grew up believing that it was their back legs and that was a much funnier mental picture.

Those are the only “friendly bugs” that don’t intimidate me, the only ones I’d be willing to touch. So I didn’t panic on that first cold night of fall when I raised the garage door to take out the trash and so many crickets came hopping through. They must have felt the warmth coming from beneath the door.

And I had to think of that mad frenzy that must take them over. Winter is coming. A killing season for those left out in the cold. A short life span of only one year drives them to seek warmth and safety.

We’ve not been made aware of our own life spans or how long we have until Jesus returns. We do know He’s coming “in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet.” (1 Corinthians 15:52a) But we tend to put things off, delay telling our neighbor how Jesus has changed our life, ignore that damaged relationship with a family member. We don’t have a timeline to worry about, so we choose “tomorrow”.

Just like the crickets that make that frantic effort at the last minute to get into the warmth, so we would dash around trying to make up for lost time if we knew how little of it we have left. Why not take this day to begin to prepare for your long eternal life in this fleeting one?

1 Peter 1:13, Philippians 1:6
Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed…being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

The Wave

Nope, let’s set aside the sports arenas and coliseums for the moment. I’m talking about the “hey, I see you, how you doin’?” greeting. Because here in South Carolina there are nuances I didn’t learn in northern Virginia. Shades not of meaning, but of identification, especially in boats and golf carts.

The wave tells a lot about the person. Pretty much everyone does it. The degree to which they do it tells you not how glad they are to see you, but how they are feeling about life at the moment.

Let’s start at the top, the hang-out-the-window (or side of the cart) full arm wave and open-mouthed grin. Okay, I may have been a little off on this one. This one could also mean, “hey! I haven’t seen you in forever! Let’s do lunch!” Or the waver could simply be in love with life, glad to be here, want to share some happiness.

Next level down (I say “down” because who doesn’t like to receive the hang-out-the-window greeting?), is the arm-bent-at-the-elbow full wave. It’s almost the beauty queen wave without the full rotation. That one, along with a smile, says, “I see and acknowledge you. Hope you’re having a great day!”

Not quite so enthusiastic is the hand-never-leaves-the-top-of-the-steering-wheel full four-finger wave. I’m also not quite so enthusiastic about receiving that one. If you can’t take the trouble to lift your hand, why even bother at all? Sometimes a small smile comes with it but at that point I really don’t care. That one says, I know the drill and I’m simply following the rules.

Last, (or so I thought until this morning) is the lifted index finger. To me that one says, I’m too cool to acknowledge you except with the use of as few muscles as possible. That one is rarely accompanied by any change in facial expression at all. I usually don’t even respond to that one if I’m the wavee. If I’ve waved first, I’ve been known to track the driver down and stick my tongue out behind his back.

This morning, I encountered the bottom level. I was coming back to my house in the golf cart and I passed a man on a big John Deere. I lifted my hand (always) and waved. He stared at me in stony, unrelenting silence. His eyes said, “I know the rules. I choose not to play. And I’m hoping you get the message. I’m having a lousy day and/or life.”

Don’t you think sometimes God sees us the same way?

“Good morning Father! I’m here because I love You and I know You love me. Let’s spend some time together!” (Full body wave, big grin.)

“I don’t have any time to be with You, but I’ll work for You. And I’ll be in church. Count on that!” (Arm-bent-at-the-elbow full wave with a possible smile, depending on how I feel at the time.)

“I’ll tell people I go to church and I’ll go when I feel like it. But I need my personal time without You crowding me.” (Four-finger acknowledgement, no grin.)

“Could you just leave me alone? I’ll get back to You when I need You.” (least effort of all)

“I’m silent and miserable. Somebody help me.”

Bathed

I have mentioned before that cardinals are special to me. For me they are a true icon. Wait, before you go shaking your head and “tsk”ing at me, look it up. An icon can be something that represents God or Christ – an image, picture or representation of some sort. But it is also anything that draws our minds toward God.

And I’m sure my thing about cardinals comes as no surprise to God. In fact He has often drawn me to Him through these beautiful birds. We have a pair that live somewhere just out our back door. They are constant companions to each other and friends to us. I raised my kitchen blinds one day and there was the male, tucked in the corner, looking at me and saying, “This is the day the Lord has made; I will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

I know their calls now and I look for them, as I seek Him as well. The funny thing is that, though the male is the really colorful and more beautiful of the pair (don’t get me started…), I have found myself drawn more and more to the female. She seems braver and more willing to visit with me. Of course, she also knows that the male is keeping a watchful eye on her.

Imagine my delight when I was sitting down to supper with Steve and I looked out and saw her on the crepe myrtle just outside the window. The sprinklers were spraying and she was in their direct path. And there she sat! Unmoving but quivering and shaking her feathers. She would relax until the next spray doused her. She was enjoying her bath but the flood was too much for her to take. She flew over to the gardenia and sat for a minute and then plunged back into the water.

Yeah, I know this one is too obvious. But that flood of cleansing water! And it’s so clean and so pure and so holy! And sometimes it’s just too much! Surely you’ve felt it. When you’ve been humble about something, and God Himself has lifted you up – you want to run and hide! It’s too much. When the pure joy of your salvation is overwhelming. It’s just too much and we’re torn between feeling inadequate and wanting to hide, and wanting to jump in and drown in it.

Acts 22:16; Psalm 51:7b; Isaiah 1:18
And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name… Wash me and I will be whiter than snow… “Come now, let us reason together,” says the LORD. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool….”

Futility Is Useless

I know of futility. According to the Random House Dictionary, it’s “the quality of being futile; ineffectiveness; uselessness.” American Heritage adds even more weight with “the quality of having no useful result, lack of importance of purpose.” I’m not preaching today. I’m trying to work out some issues in a public place. If you want to hang in, better grab a flyswatter.

As so often happens, I’m finding several sources combining to give me a message this week. You know how you study something in Sunday school and then the pastor preaches about it? Yeah, it’s like that. I’m preparing to lead a Bible study by Jennifer Rothschild called “Me, Myself & Lies”.

The lesson I was studying yesterday talks about “fact labels”. Some of the labels we give ourselves are subjective and may be true or not, e.g. friendly, funny, unlikable, popular, depending on who’s applying them. But we also have fact labels that are as they are and will probably not change, e.g. mom, daughter, senior, retired. It’s those last two that have been giving me fits over the past year and a few months. You see, even though they are facts, how we interpret them and apply them to our attitudes can change the way we face day-to-day life.

As most of you know (and many of you probably wish I’d finally be quiet about), I’ve struggled with layers of depression during this time. And if there was one word that I would apply, it would be “futility”. I don’t think I recognized that until recently. All I know is I worked and studied and worked some more, all the while feeling useless and without purpose. And I saw that also as laziness.

So yesterday afternoon, my lazy self is sitting down to study my Sunday school lesson. It’s about acting on faith and I’m planning to cruise right through since I know so much about faith, right? Yeah. God is so very patient with me. This week’s lesson was actually about acting on faith.

I’m “acting” in several ways. After much prayer, I have felt God’s leading in several areas including leading Bible studies and starting a mentoring ministry. I believe those are in His will for me and I am excited to do them. So why was I still feeling useless and lazy?

The lesson referred to Psalms 78:12-39 and discussed how the Lord had led the Israelites out of Egypt and rained down miracle after miracle on them to provide for their needs, often in response to their complaints. Finally “the wrath of God came against them, and slew the stoutest of them, and struck down the choice men of Israel (v. 31).” And still they sinned and did not believe.

Then I read verse 33 and God pulled out His highlighter and showed it to me again, big-time. “Therefore their days He consumed in futility, and their years in fear.” I wouldn’t say I have lived my last year in fear, but there has definitely been an element of hopelessness there. In this beautiful place, with these sweet and wonderful people, how is that even possible?

God has dealt with me over the last two days with that verse alone. Because you see, there is an element in my life where I have refused to believe Him. I say He wants me to write, He has even given me writing, and yet I have not moved forward in this area. The author of our study book talked about a decision she and her husband could not seem to make even though they had prayed over it for a while. They finally realized that God was asking them to step out in faith. I believe that is what He is asking of me.

I don’t know yet what that looks like. Perhaps I will push to get the things I have written published or perhaps I will get back into a project or two. I just know He intends for me to show Him that I believe He will deliver what I need to do this.

And just for my added amusement (I so love God’s sense of humor), I woke up yesterday morning with a crick in my neck, a slight twinge that worsened as the day progressed. By this morning, it was sore to the point that I could barely turn my head to the right. You guessed it. I had literally become a stiff-necked person.

Look! No Hands!

Know what I do when my mood starts to drop? I check my email! Because something in me always thinks that outside circumstances will intervene to save my day, will steer my life in the right direction without my even having to drive. Even when I’ve prayed about something and asked for help, first thing I usually do is go check the mail, check my email, or go look on Facebook. Not that I haven’t had miracle answers that came by email or snail mail. But usually my answer is to wait, keep hoping, keep praying, read scripture, get busy or some other process that involves me and not circumstances.

A new flip phone ad I saw the other day so completely plays into this. A guy is incredibly happy with his life because of his new girlfriend that he met at some store that he found on Facebook or some other networking site that he plugged into via his new flip phone. He now has this perfect life and all he had to do was buy the right phone!

Isn’t the thought of “fate” stepping in and changing our world an exciting prospect? It’s why so many movies are made with that story line. Look at “Serendipity”, “Sleepless in Seattle”, even – no especially – , “An Affair to Remember”. They all have a plotline, some element or key scene that depends on fate intervening in the characters' lives. That moment when eyes lock, a check arrives, an accident occurs, or a stranger approaches and lives change.

Sometimes it actually works! For years I surfed and looked for houses on my laptop, all over the place, not just in northern Virginia. And one day I decided to pursue lakes in South Carolina. I fell in love with a little house with lot of built-in bookshelves. And destiny - GOD - intervened and led us to that very house. Steve and I both know for certain that it was where we were meant to be. Every day just proves it more.

Here’s the flip side of all this. The way God wants us to live is exactly as I’ve described. No, not compulsively checking email every ten minutes or looking for our life changes on the internet. But giving up complete control. To Him.

He’s bigger, richer, smarter, more loving, and knows us better than we know ourselves! Plus He has these really great plans for our lives. Why then is it so hard to just let Him have control? It’s hard not to think of Him as too big (“Why would He care about my little worries and plans?”) or too small (“Sure, I believe, He will provide my needs today but this is my whole LIFE we’re talking about.”).

Truth is, He’s both big enough to handle our futures and caring enough to want to help us with every small detail. He loves to step in and turn our shoulders in the direction that is best for us. And because He adores and delights in us, we can trust Him completely. Plus He sees the big picture that we can’t see! Hands off the wheel and watch for the excitement of living life out of control!

Psalm 20:4; Psalm 33:10, 11, 13-15; Proverbs 16:9; Jeremiah 29:11
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed…The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations…From heaven the LORD looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth—he who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do…In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps…For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Cool, Clear Water

Summer heat brings it on, that always thirsty feeling. I’m trying to monitor what I spend those hot summer afternoons guzzling. The morning is pretty well set – two really huge cups of coffee with cream and sometimes sugary flavoring syrups. And we’re not messing with that, okay?

But after lunch is when the real thirst starts. I got an interesting email about Coke™ vs water. You may have seen it and the facts are startling:

75% of Americans are chronically dehydrated.

Even mild dehydration will slow down one’s metabolism as much as 3%.

Lack of water is the #1 trigger of daytime fatigue.

Preliminary research indicates that 8-10 glasses of water a day could significantly ease back and joint pain for up to 80% of sufferers.

A mere 2% drop in body water can trigger fuzzy short-term memory, trouble with basic math, and difficulty focusing on the computer screen or on a printed page.

Drinking 5 glasses of water daily decreases the risk of colon cancer by 45%, plus it can slash the risk of breast cancer by 79%., and one is 50% less likely to develop bladder cancer.

There were also a number of pretty gross facts about Coke™, but I checked them out on Snopes and, thankfully, they were exaggerated. I’m glad because sometimes nothing but a cold Coke will do the trick, am I right? While I did not research each of the water facts, I did enough reading to know that they make sense.

When we’re thirsty, really thirsty, only water gets into our bodies and does its good work. I don’t think any of us will argue that fact. But what about drinking all the water we need to keep operating at an optimum level?

I’m sitting on the porch and I’m thinking, how will I do this? I could buy some Perrier™ or some flavored seltzer. But the bubbles are a whole other thing and not so good for me. I could buy some of those little flavor packets to put into my bottle of water.

Why not just drink the straight stuff, the pure, clean water? Isn’t this how we approach church and Bible study? “I wasn’t crazy about that message – why can the preacher not shake in a packet of ‘feel good’ and ‘abundant living’. I don’t want to just read the Bible – it’s boring. Why not add some sugar Bible study to liven it up?”

Not that there’s anything wrong with that! I love “feel good” and “abundant living” and a good Bible study energizes me and gets me moving in the right direction. But the water – the living water, the Good News – is just fine on its own. It gives me all the energy and peace I need when I remember to get my full amount every day.

Jeremiah 2:13; John 4:13, 14
My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water…Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Sometimes Faith Is about Nothing

I believe that God intends for me to write. And when I seriously consider the question (and seriously consider actually sitting down and spending time at the laptop), He usually confirms that for me. He did that again through a sweet friend this morning.

Actually opening a blank Word document when I have absolutely nothing, no thoughts, ideas or creativity at the front of my mind is a scary prospect. I say that I believe He wants me to write. But that means also that I must believe He will provide. I have nothing to offer here. Never did.

A couple of years ago, a friend and I felt led to write a devotional book together. While we didn’t finish it, we did each write about forty or so devotions as we were working toward that goal. It was an exciting time for each of us because it was such an exercise in faith and trust. Neither of us had written devotionals before and we had no thoughts out of the gate. We were literally just waiting each few days for God to give us something.

And He was so faithful to do just that. One of us would call the other one and say, “Guess what just happened? I found some crickets in my garage!” And out of those strange circumstances, God would give us some kind of message to share.

So here I sit with you. Waiting and trusting that He will provide. I am determined to post today, so grab some sweet tea because this may take a while. It is the first time I’ve done this with utterly nothing to go on. Usually I have at least seen a field of daisies or something to get me started. Well, Travis killed a spider this morning, but I’m not feeling any messages there.

But isn’t that sometimes the point? We have an issue or a relationship that requires what only God can give. We don’t have what it takes to fix it – we know this. So we read the Bible and we pray and we confer with friends. We say we will trust – we will have faith and be strong.

But the weeks stretching ahead – sometimes even the long hours of a single day – tell us by their very lack of activity, that this thing isn’t going to get solved soon. And we’re frustrated by the lack of control. If we could just DO something.

Wow. I left to go get a sandwich. And you, friends that you are, stuck with me. I looked throughout the house for some small token that would trigger something to help me bring this one home. And here I stand, hands still empty.

The process of writing (and life) sometimes requires that we toss the worries out the back door, settle into the rocker with a cup of coffee, and trust that this long, dry spell is God’s way of forcing us to get quiet and do some listening.

If this is your first trip to the back porch, welcome and believe me when I tell you this is a first. I don’t usually hang my empty screen out to dry in front of everyone. But today I feel like this “nothing” is the message. That the waiting is something we all do and the confident expectation that God will deliver is more important than the field of daisies.

Psalm 5:3; 27:14
In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.

I Want It Now!

I belong to a certain generation. You know us. We’re the ones who walked to school in the snow – uphill – both ways. We love to comment on how our kids are behaving, how the government is going to the dogs and how disciplined we were as kids growing up.

Seriously, if we wanted something, we earned the money or saved our allowance. Nothing came easily; more important nothing came quick! We planned and we waited and we yearned. When we finally got the treasure, we appreciated it for a good little while.

This will not be a sermon about how young people today don’t appreciate what they have. Or how easy it is to get it. The desire to have it now affects each one of us. Immediacy is the name of the game. We missed that movie? On demand! Oh, I loved that song. Itunes! (Okay, this one is a particular issue for me these days. I have a new ipod and I’m concerned for our retirement income.) Food on the run? We’ll get you through the drive-thru in less than five minutes.

But what about the burdens we’ve been carrying for weeks, for months? Where is the answer?

We want what we want yesterday. Why is it not in our hands now? Why do I have to wait? This year, the message I’ve been getting loud and clear is that, if it is an issue that we have to deal with, Jesus has probably experienced it.

I heard an author/speaker, Lisa Harper, with whom I was unfamiliar at the Charleston Women of Joy conference this year. And what a pleasure to get to know her! I am reading her book, “untamed”, and getting to know the wild side of Jesus. She is one of those people to whom I particularly relate – seemingly slightly irreverent, but not really when you read the whole message. A little rebellious and totally in-your-face honest. She has a refreshing take on scripture and one of her chapters deals with Jesus’ temptation in the desert.

And as I read about it, it occurred to me that His final temptation was right down my alley. I’ve always thought, no big deal. Satan offered Him the world and He refused. Well certainly He did! He knew that He would get it anyway! But let’s break it apart a bit. Take a look at Matthew 4:8-10:

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’”

Jesus knew the end of the story. He knew what He was facing. And here Satan was saying, “Listen, I’ll give it to you now. Just worship me. No death, no suffering, everything you want NOW.”

He knows what it feels like for us to wait – how hard it is when He asks us to just believe that He has it under control. We don’t know the end of the story; we don’t know the answer. But we do know that, even when Jesus knew, He waited. He’s been there and He doesn’t ask us to do anything He hasn’t done Himself.

Three Little Words

Well this could be about anything! Going green, save the planet – “Paper or plastic?” It’s not an emotion; it’s a verb! – “I love you.” Dress to impress on that interview – “We’re hiring you!” Don’t forget to live in the moment – “Be here now.” You can be anything you want to be – “Act as if!”

"Thank you, God." Three simple words that have the power to change our attitudes and set our lives on the right road. Before you dismiss this one as a simple, gratitude-is-expected devotional, give some thought to a way of life that could be a great challenge.

You got that promotion? Thank you, God! The medical test came back negative? Thank you, Father! The report card isn’t quite as good as you expected. Thank you, God. Someone cuts you off in traffic? Thank you, God. It’s strep, after all, and you’ll have to cancel that vacation. Thank you? Your husband has been transferred to the west coast and you have to leave your life as you know and love it. Father? The call comes in the middle of the night. Thank…you…God.

Getting the idea? It’s easy when it’s easy. But what if we could make it a way of life? And I don’t mean a rote mantra we say because it’s habit. I mean an honest gratitude for each and every blessing and challenge that comes our way. Because when our first impulse is to turn a grateful face to God, the results continue to increase our faith.

Satan begins to realize we’re not an easy target. Our reliance on God is our only strength and we put our complete trust in Him. We aren’t going to let life’s little bumps run us to the shoulder of the road in defeat.

When we are thanking Him, we are put in a position of seeing the possibilities in every trial, the potential for growth. “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope (Romans 5:3,4).”

Finally, our immediate gratitude acknowledges that we know that He has a plan and He is in control. And isn’t His complete control the idea after all? Life is just better when the One who loves us most and knows us best is driving the car.

Eph 5:20
Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Greater Is He

Perhaps I am an attention hog. I try to be a quiet attention hog. I’ve always been hopeful that no one knows this, though now you all do. I need love, positive reinforcement, warm fuzzies.

The entertainment business has never intrigued me in the least. I have far too many flocks of butterflies in my innards for it to appeal. But I so love the lyrics to Chris Sligh’s “Empty Me” because they absolutely represent the lesson I most need to learn:

“Empty me of the selfishness inside, every vain ambition and the poison of my pride and any foolish thing my heart holds to, Lord, empty me of me so I can be filled with you.”

I’ve read my Bible and I’ve heard the Sunday school teacher. My intellect knows the lesson: God wants to be my source of all – every need, want and desire – and He will provide. He does His best work in my life when I am desperately seeking Him.

So why does my heart crave what I get from people? Why do I need to hear good things from my friends? Why do I forget to just keep taking it to Jesus for His loving attention?

This morning I was feeling particularly “needy”. And I was talking to Jesus about this very thing and asking His forgiveness for being so stubborn. And I sat down at the computer and I hit “send and receive” and I received a precious email that gave me what I needed and so much more.

This time at least I had the good sense to first of all thank and praise God for it. And I sat for a while and basked in the glow of feeling good. Then, guess what I did?

Of course. I began to think “who can I tell?” Because it wasn’t enough for me to feel good. I needed for someone else, not to feel good with me, but to reinforce and tell me how I deserved that email.

I struggle with pride. I’m quite open about it, but I always add “not that I think I’m better than anyone else! I just like attention.” But isn’t it all the same thing? Doesn’t it all boil down to putting me first? Doesn’t matter at that point whether I put Jesus or other people second because I’ve already messed up the order!

Two sweet friends shared a scripture with me this past weekend and, because God’s Word never returns void, it took! (I kept my email to myself) And for that same reason, I’ll share it with you.

John 3:30
He must become greater; I must become less.

Treasure

Revelation 21:18-21
The wall was made of jasper (green or red), and the city of pure gold, as pure as glass. The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire (dark blue), the third chalcedony (light blue), the fourth emerald (green), the fifth sardonyx (brown or black striped), the sixth carnelian (orange red), the seventh chrysolite (light green), the eighth beryl (aqua), the ninth topaz (green), the tenth chrysoprase (apple green), the eleventh jacinth (dark blue-gray), and the twelfth amethyst (purple). The twelve gates were twelve pearls, each gate made of a single pearl. The great street of the city was of pure gold, like transparent glass.
(Above parentheses are added to further describe precious stones. Resource: http://www.revelationcreation.com/html/GemsOfTheNewJerusalem.html )

On the surface, it does sound pretty – I’ll give you that. Truth is, I can’t really imagine the sheer opulence of it. Some things my mind likes to try to describe; this one I prefer to just smile and anticipate.

I will tell you though, that in general, jewels are not so much my thing. I do have some really beautiful pieces that Steve bought me several years ago when they were more important to me. And I do treasure them because he gave them to me.

But something Beth Moore said in one of her videos pulled out an old argument that I have had with myself in the past. She said that if she could just have five minutes with Jesus when she gets to heaven, she has some things to ask Him.

Let me lay some groundwork. I have wondered about this in the past. There are so many believers and only one Jesus. And I do not believe that He will appear to many of us at once, yet separately like so many copies. I may be wrong; but to me He is unique and truly “The One and Only” (again, courtesy of Beth Moore).

So let me throw out a thought to you. I have absolutely no Biblical basis for this. This is totally just my mind wondering, wishing. But perhaps it will motivate you the way it has me ever since it occurred to me.

Matthew 6:21 says, “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” At this stage of my life, Jesus is my treasure – there is no other. Listen to what Matthew 10:41 and 42 have to say:

Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.

So let’s say I visit a woman who is widowed and lonely. And I do it with a true and pure heart, simply out of love for Jesus. And I earn a reward in heaven for it. If my Jesus handed me a beautiful gem, a reward He had kept just for me, I would certainly and absolutely treasure it. But what if…what if a visit to a lonely person earned me a visit from Jesus in heaven? No Biblical basis for my question – only me, thinking and wondering.

Would a visit from Jesus not be a powerful incentive to do His work here? I will tell you, the simple idea makes me want to leap out of my chair and get busy! A reward earned here on earth and spent sitting at the feet of Jesus in heaven where my Treasure is.

Matthew 25:37-40
Then the righteous will answer him, “Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?” The King will reply, “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

Bloom!

We are all straining forward – looking around the corner, checking the 10-day forecast on weather.com, opening the door at night to lean out and look at the stars. Spring…it’s so close and we’re so ready! We’ve begun hearing frogs and crickets across the lake and the birds know it’s the first day of spring.

Driving home from church today, I happened to glance at one of the many fields that we pass, as yet unplanted. And there in the middle of one brown, hay-strewn field were several bunches of daffodils, waving in the wind and cheering me.

The bumper stickers and little wooden plaques hang in Stuckeys and Cracker Barrel General Stores. “Grow where you are planted.” It occurs to me that many of us are planted right now in brown, hay-strewn fields. Or we have family or friends that live there.

To the person in the checkout line at Safeway or Walmart, we may be the only breath of spring, bunch of daffodils she will see today. We don’t have to be governed by our surroundings, circumstances or the people we meet. We have the freedom to reach out and take hold of the joy, love and peace that is available from the Holy Spirit. And to pass it on. Bloom where you are planted!

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

Active Waiting

I have no control over my life. I know this. This is not a “self-control” issue discussion. I’m talking about external situations in my life that frustrate me or that I want to manage.

That’s not so unusual, is it? It’s always easier to accept a part of our life if we can do something to "keep moving forward" if you've seen Meet the Robinsons, to feel a little bit proactive. But in truth, we mainly have one option – prayer. Sometimes God opens doors that allow us to act or to advise. But sometimes, He doesn’t. And that’s where I am in several areas of my life.

I get a daily scripture on igoogle. Some days it really speaks to me; other days I think yeah, I know. I’ve read this one hundreds of times. This morning’s verse was nice, but I didn’t catch my breath in amazement at the message.

So I went on over to Comcast where my old email account remains. Every day there I get a devotional from Today’s Christian Woman and the same story goes there. Some days it feels right; some days I think, yeah? Okay, so?

This morning before I read my devotional, I asked God to speak to me through the words or the scripture. I read the scripture from Isaiah, the one about mounting on wings like eagles? And I thought, that’s a nice scripture. I like that one but I know it. I’m not getting chill bumps. And I went to take my shower and get dressed.

I was going over the verse in my mind when I was stopped in my tracks. And I began to smile and shake my head. How many times have I read or quoted that verse? And where it says, “those who wait on the Lord”, I’ve just mentally glossed over and replaced the phrase with “those who love God,” “those who do their Bible study,” “those who pray,” etc.

And today God tapped me on the shoulder with that little word “wait”! Because that’s what He’s been asking me to do. So I looked up the meaning in Strong’s. And you know what? It doesn’t say “pray and then worry about it” or “sigh and resign yourself to discouragement.” It says, “to wait, look for, hope, expect, look eagerly for.”

I’ve heard “wait” from Him. But today, He let me know that if I continue to pray and to WAIT, He will strengthen me and keep me energized to continue believing He has a plan and He is in control. And I can be joyful and soar with the eagles!

Isaiah 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.