SUNDAYS WITH CINDY

WE'RE MOVING!

2011-01-23T01:21:00.003-06:00

Sundays with Cindy is moving! We've been having technical problems here on Blogspot for more than a month now, so I decided to look around for a new blog site. Starting right now you will be able to find us at www.sundayswithcindy.wordpress.com . I'm so happy we were able to take all our archived blog posts with us as well! I still have a little work to do to get it set up the way I want it, but beginning today, Jamuary 23, 2011, you'll find our weekly devotion over there. Can't wait to welcome you there!

BORN AGAIN - AGAIN

2011-01-09T14:36:00.004-06:00

JANUARY 16, 2011

Oh, what a week it has been! Nice things happened, bad things happened, miracles happened—and through it all we are praising the Lord. I am so glad we walk with the Lord and can literally see His hand at work in our lives!

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Let’s start with the nice things: Our son-in-law Fernando is here with us for a couple days this week. Fernando is a missionary in his native land of Ecuador. He has some meetings to attend in Cleveland, OH and decided to fly into Chicago and spend a little time with us and then drive on to Cleveland tomorrow. Of course, not having Laurie and the kids here with him makes us sad, but we are enjoying these few hours with Fernando. He loves the Lord, and he loves to laugh, and he loves our daughter and grandchildren, and that makes the fellowship very sweet indeed! We are so looking forward to the time later this year when, the Lord willing, the whole family will be back for a short furlough.

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Nice thing #2: Julie broke some good news to me this week, as well. She and David have decided to bring the family up here from Alabama at the end of the month to celebrate Robbie’s birthday with him (a few days early.) It is also Benjamin’s 13th birthday so we will celebrate both birthdays together. How fun! We were just there at Christmas but we can never have too much time together! I’m so excited!

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Nice thing #3: Robbie will be going into the hospital sometime in the next month or so for some oral surgery. Because he is so severely handicapped, any dental work that is done on him has to be done in a hospital under general anesthesia. One of his seizure medicines causes his gums to overgrow his teeth and periodically he has to have the tissue cut back. At the same time they will do fillings or whatever else might be needed.

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Bob took Robbie to see the dentist the other day in preparation for this work. While they were there, he was dismayed to find out that neither the dentist or oral surgeon takes Medicaid any more, and that is Robbie’s insurance. What a nice surprise it was to find out that both of these kind men had decided they wanted to do the work on Robbie for free! In fact, the dentist still had the thank you note and pictures of Robbie we had sent him the last time on his bulletin board. We are very grateful for them both.

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Now the bad things: Something else that came out of the visit to the dentist was his recommendation to us that we allow him to pull all of Robbie’s teeth! He said, for the sake of Robbie’s health that this would be the best thing we could do. Robbie is tube-fed and no longer eats anything by mouth so he does not need his teeth. He has ground them terribly over the years and the dentist said he is susceptible to infection, which in Robbie’s case could be fatal. In his words, “You need to think of Robbie’s well-being above your own.”

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Well, that is all we have done all these years, but I understand what he meant. It is a gut-wrenching decision for me and I am really struggling with it. Of course, I don’t want to put Robbie at risk. We have lived with the reality of Robbie’s fragility for the last ten years, fighting to keep him alive at times; knowing that at any time the Lord could take him through seizures or asphyxiation or pneumonia. We know he has already lived out his life expectancy. We would give our lives for that boy.

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At the same time I think of his handsome little face and his sweet smile, and it tears me up to think of disfiguring it this way. Robbie has enough strikes against him as far as people accepting him the way he is without adding something else to possibly make others turn away. Maybe infection could happen—but maybe it won’t, either. If we were to do this, there is no un-doing it later. He can’t wear dentures, so his smile, which is such a precious part of him, will be ruined for the rest of his life.

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It may seem strange to some people to think that in my mind Robbie’s smile would be as important to me as preventing him from possible risk of infection. I can’t help it. At this moment that is how I am feeling. Please pray for me that the Lord will open my mind to whatever is the right thing to do and that if it is following the doctor’s recommendation, I will be able to accept it with peace and comfort. Bob is leaning that way, but as I said, I am really struggling. We will have to make the decision soon and are praying about it now.

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Bad thing #2: I got a call the other day from my mother, “Craig [my 54 year old brother] is having open-heart surgery in two hours!” What??? He had gone in for a test that morning, ended up with an angiogram and then was told by his doctor that they had to do surgery immediately. He had one blockage, but it was a bad one and in a very dangerous place. In fact this particular blockage is called the widow-maker. It is the kind that kills you suddenly with no signs or symptoms to forewarn. He had been feeling just fine and had no idea that there was a problem at all.

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That they caught this just in time is nothing short of miraculous. The doctor told Craig yesterday that he had, at the most, six months to live—maybe as little as six weeks. We are praising God for His intervention and for His healing! It was amazing to me to see how well Craig is recovering in just the first couple days. He’s far, far beyond where I was after a week! He was enjoying all the company yesterday and seemed his normal self.

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I am sure he is feeling a rush after realizing how close it had been and how the Lord had spared him. Craig told Bob and Fernando yesterday when they went to visit him, “I feel like I’ve been born again—not in the spiritual sense this time, but physically.” We don’t always get a second chance at life. How thankful we all are that we still have him with us! I know Craig is ready for Heaven whenever the Lord will take him, but still I know that he is glad to be around a little longer to be a grandpa to Isaac and the new grandbaby on its way.

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Our lives are filled with the blessings and challenges; the day-to-day routine and the unexpected. We say it so often—“Who knows what a day will bring forth?” Whatever it is, God is there. We see God performing miracles in our lives. We feel His peace and comfort and presence when we are burdened with care. When we trust Him we know He will lead and provide. That is what it is like to be His child.

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The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:6 to thank God for everything—good and bad. “Be anxious for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” It is easy to give thanks for the good things the Lord brings into our lives. It is more difficult sometimes when we are faced with hard trials to find something in them for which to praise Him—but there is always something. In this problem about Robbie’s teeth I can praise Him that we have had ten years longer already with Robbie than we had thought we would; that his smile—however it may appear—reflects the happiness, love and contentment that he is feeling inside, whether he can say it or not; and that no matter how Robbie is physically or mentally, God has blessed our lives with the gift of this precious child.

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Everyday we can thank Him for the good and the bad, but when we stand amazed in the face of the miraculous, we are humbly grateful for His watchcare, His intervention, His power and love—and yes, sometimes even the second chances He allows us.

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“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I Thessalonians 5:18)

A BLANK CANVAS UNFOLDS

2011-01-09T14:18:00.004-06:00

JANUARY 9, 2011

Happy New Year! We are off to a good start—better anyway than last year. I looked over Sundays with Cindy 2010 as I printed several copies of it to give as Christmas gifts. There were forty-six entries, 146 pages. The first entry in 2010 was called “A Fizzle and a Thud.” I was sick at the time I wrote it—too sick to write my usual devotion for the week. Well, Sundays with Cindy 2010 ended with a fizzle and a thud, as well! There were no entries for the last three weeks. I wrote a devotion for the first of those weeks but the website was having a problem and I could not post it. The following two Sundays we were traveling to and from Alabama. *Sigh.* I am sorry that it ended that way.
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But this is a new year and a new start! I am looking forward to what the Lord will do in our lives in 2010! The big question for me is, “I wonder if this is the year that Jesus comes back for His own?” I am so ready for that to happen! So ready for Heaven—but in the meantime life must go on here on earth.
The year unfolds as a blank canvas. We don’t get to know what will be revealed ahead of time. I am glad for that. I don’t want to know ahead of time the challenges and trials we may have to face. God gives strength for those things at the time we need it. If I knew too much too soon I would waste precious time and energy worrying about it. Better to walk by faith, trusting God for the path ahead and to lead me step by step through the hard times.
But isn’t it nice that He gives us glimpses ahead of time of some of the good things we have to anticipate? In our family we have the birth of a new baby to look forward to in a few weeks! Laurie will be delivering her baby girl sometime in February and we are all so excited about that! Julie and David are a few steps closer in their adoption than they were at this time a year ago. Will this be the year they finally get the children they have waited to welcome into their family for so long? Sometime this year we are expecting the Naranjos to return from Ecuador for a few months. Oh, happy day for this grandma! Having joys like these to look forward to makes the journey today easier.
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There will be changes in our family and in our home and I am anticipating the things I will have to do here to make way for those changes—or should I say make room? The Naranjo family—all eight of them—will probably be staying with us, at least for a while. We have the bedroom space, but not a lot of closet and drawer space. I am already thinking about the wardrobe cabinets and plastic dressers for the kids I can bring in and where I will put them.
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There will be changes in lifestyle as well. Gone will be the days of a quiet house where Robbie sleeps and I sit with my computer on my lap and write eight or ten hours a day. There will be life and noise and activity and fun! Grandma will help with home-schooling, play games with the kids, and rock the new baby. Robbie, hopefully, will wake up and enjoy the hustle and bustle and the sound of little kids’ voices and laughter. Gone will be the quiet suppers for two in front of the TV. Our table will be filled to overflowing and Grandma will have to start cooking for real again! Gone will be the privacy and peace of an older couple, but taking its place will be the love and joy of having family here again under our roof! And what will make it complete will be when the Sanchez family joins us for a visit and we squeeze in even closer! Can you see I am excited about those changes?
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There are other changes I am anticipating, as well—changes that may not be quite as exciting, but certainly challenging. These are the changes I have been praying about, and actually working on for the last few months—changes in me. It is natural when we stand on the threshold between the old year and the new, to take stock of our lives. Many people make resolutions (or at least they have in the past) to do better in the new year—to lose weight, or quit smoking or drinking, or control their temper, or spend more time with their families—whatever. I quit making resolutions a long time ago. They never lasted more than a few weeks and then I was right back to my old ways.

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Resolutions don’t work for me and I know why—they are dependent on my willpower and my strength. Unfortunately my willpower and strength aren’t what they used to be. I can’t do it on my own. And so I turn to the Source of power and strength—the Lord. I can’t change me, but He can.
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I have been praying that the Lord will change me (my mindset, my will, my obedience to Him, my priorities) in two basic areas—how I relate to others and how I relate to myself. I began to see a need in my life to put people first again. I have spent the last ten years alone much of the time as I stayed home and cared for Robbie. He was my first priority as his needs were so great. Gradually, though, I began to fill my life with projects to fill the empty hours and days as I sat by his bedside. Though they were good and often a ministry, I finally saw that they were hindering my relationships with other people—eating my time, keeping me isolated, becoming more important in my life than the people I loved the most.

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I asked the Lord to change me in this area—to help me see what I could completely cut out, and what I could cut down on, and to give me the strength to actually do it. I asked Him to give me the determination to step out as I could and do for others. I have always looked at writing as my ministry for the Lord and to others, but I began to realize all over again that our love and service ought to go beyond words and become action. I have always respected pastors who are not just scholars and orators hiding behind a desk and a pulpit, but who are real people-persons, out there showing their love in real ways for their flock. I am limited still in how often I can get out of the house, but not as much as before. I need to get out of my comfortable rut and out there meeting face-to-face the needs of family, friends and others to whom I can minister.

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I am asking the Lord also to change my attitudes about caring for myself. It is far easier for me to see and desire to care for the needs of others than it is to take care of my own needs. As I get older, though, I realize that if I want to continue to care for Robbie, Bob, my grandchildren and other loved ones, then I need to take better care of myself. For some reason my physical needs have always had a low priority in my mind. I don’t know if it is because I think of my spiritual well-being as having far more importance, or if it is because I have no fear of death, or if I am just so lazy that it is not a priority. To God it is important however, and if I am to be obedient to Him I ought to take it more seriously. This old body, He says, is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and as such ought to have the care and respect that the tabernacle in the Old Testament or Solomon’s temple received. “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” (I Corinthians 6:19, 20) No, I am not making resolutions to lose weight or manage my diabetes better, but I am asking God to change my mindset on this and to help me realize that this is not something I can slough off if I want to be obedient to Him—and I do want to be obedient to Him.

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I cannot change myself. I am weak, but I know that just as Christ changed me into a new creation through the power of His blood, He will continue to work in me and change me if I allow Him to do so. I leave you with some Scripture that reminds us of the good work He has done in us already, and His promises to finish that work:
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“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (II Corinthians 5:17)

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“And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:24)

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“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

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“Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” (Psalm 51:10)

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Just as the New Year unfolds before us as a blank canvas, so do the rest of our lives—ready to be created into the masterpieces only Christ can make of them when we allow Him to work in us.

ANGELS (?) WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH

2010-12-12T13:25:00.003-06:00

Every other year our church does a living nativity called Journey to Bethlehem as an outreach to our community. It is a huge event with more than 200-300 people from the church involved, and attracts thousands of people from around our area. I was able to go last night and tagged along with my sister Cheree and her husband and son.

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Actually, Journey to Bethlehem is much more than just the nativity scene. It starts in the church auditorium with a wonderful Christmas concert by some of our church’s very talented singers. This is where you wait for your journey to Bethlehem to begin. When it is time for your group of people to begin I could scarcely tear myself away from the beautiful music!

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A guide led us across from the church building to the family center. It is amazing to see as we step into the gym that it is no longer a gym, but is transformed into the village of Bethlehem, as well as Herod’s palace. Hundreds of people are in Biblical costume, sitting outside their homes and going about their daily chores, or selling their wares in the village market place. There are bakers and poultry, cheese, vegetables and grains vendors; sellers of leather, copper, jewelry, cloth, and flowers; tentmakers, dyers of cloth, and so on all trying to hawk their products as you walk by their booths. A well stands in the center of the village with a live goat tied nearby. I was amused as we passed the tentmakers’ booth. My sister Corinne and her husband Ray and youngest son Sam were supposed to be making and selling tents. As we walked by, Sam said, “Buy one, get one free!”
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Our tour guide took us to Mary’s house where we witnessed the angel of the Lord suddenly appearing to her, making the announcement that she was to be the mother of God’s only Son. We were then lead to Joseph’s carpenter shop. He told us of his thoughts when he heard that Mary was expecting a baby and it was not his, and how the angel appeared to him and told him not to be afraid to make Mary his wife. We were led to Herod’s palace and saw him questioning the wise men who came from the east searching for the newborn king of the Jews and heard Herod’s evil plans. (Another nephew, Lance, was one of the Roman guards. He played the part to the hilt, being as stern and authoritative as he could be—the complete opposite of the normally smiling and pleasant person he normally is!) We stopped at the tax collector’s booth where we registered for the census and paid our taxes, and then moved on to the inn in Bethlehem. We were informed there was no room and, in fact, the innkeeper had been forced to send one young couple out to the stable since she was about to give birth.
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From there our tour guide led us outside. It was pouring rain all day yesterday and didn’t let up at all for our Journey. All day I had thought about the poor shepherds (another nephew, Caleb, was one of them) standing out in the field and wondered how they would fare in the cold and wet. They had a big bonfire going, so I am sure that helped (although I wondered how that blaze kept going in the rain. It must have been a miracle!) There were live sheep there with them. Suddenly a bright spotlight shone down on them, and they hid their faces from the light. A voice boomed out of loudspeakers somewhere—the angel’s voice, obviously—and Cheree jumped! (Later, when I went to my mother’s condo which is about a mile from the church, I could hear the “angel” voices booming in her parking lot!) The angel told them about the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger, and the shepherds headed for the stable with us following through the rain.
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Mary and Joseph and the baby, as well as more sheep and a donkey, were at the stable, just as you would picture the scene. It does give you goosebumps as you look at the scene, and not just from the cold. You imagine how it must have been that night, bearing a baby all alone in such lowly circumstances.
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From there we were led to a barn where we were offered hot cider or coffee, and heard our pastor speak for five minutes about how the journey led from Bethlehem to the cross and an empty tomb and how we can be saved through that babe who became our Savior.
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Journey to Bethlehem is a beautiful experience and I can see why it is so popular in our community. It is one thing out of all the commercialism of Christmas that makes you stop and focus on the true reason for it all.
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I was thinking about those shepherds all day yesterday. Oh, not just those young guys playing a part at Journey last night—but about the actual shepherds who were out in the fields outside of Bethlehem that night more than two thousand years ago. Who were they? The Bible doesn’t give us their names. Most likely they were lads—sons of the owners of the sheep, or maybe hired to care for someone else’s sheep. I don’t know—maybe they were older adults. They were poor, I am sure, and probably had no expectations of being anything other than poor, lowly peasants all their lives.
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That night changed their lives. Here is the account as Luke 2:8-20 tells it:
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And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us. And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child. And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds. But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
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It was a night like any other night they had watched over the flocks. Can you imagine their fright when suddenly out of the darkness, the glory of the Lord shone ‘round about them and angels appeared before them? They wasted no time, however, once they had heard the message the angels brought. They hurried to Bethlehem and saw for themselves the Messiah, the Savior, Christ the Lord. They spread the word, not caring if others thought them crazy or not. And then they returned to their quiet, ordinary, lowly lives as shepherds out in the fields outside of Bethlehem.
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They returned with a difference, however. They returned praising and glorifying God for these glorious things they had heard and seen—the angels, the Christ-child—and for the fact that for some reason God had chosen them to be the first to hear the announcement of His birth! Who were they, that God would choose them above all people to hear it first? Just as God had chosen a lowly peasant girl to bear His Son, a poor carpenter to raise Him, and the humblest of places for his birth, He had chosen them.
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They returned changed. They would remember that night for the rest of their lives. I am sure often they would lie out in the fields, scanning the skies for a glimpse of the glory they had once seen and talking among themselves of that night they could never forget, remembering the sound of the angels’ voices and the glory too bright for their human eyes. They probably relived over and over in their memories how they had quickly sought for the stable and the baby lying in the manager. No, something like that they would never forget!
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We are ordinary people. I doubt that any of us sharing together here today have great wealth or position or power. We go about our ordinary lives, doing our ordinary jobs. But one day God chose us to show us a great miracle and a glorious message and to lead us to His Son, our Savior. He chose us, the lowly and humble and ordinary and yes, foolish and weak, as I Corinthians 1:26-28 puts it: For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen… We may not have heard the angels’ voices, but we heard and responded to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
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He changed us. When we truly meet the Savior we cannot forget it. Our very purpose in life is changed from living for self to living for God and bringing glory to Him. Our standing before God is changed from His enemy to His beloved child. Our lifestyle is changed from walking in darkness to walking in the light. Our desires are changed from earthly concerns to things that matter for eternity. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 5:17, Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

We are challenged as well to, like the shepherds, tell others of the Savior. Everything they had heard and seen that night they told to all they met. They spread the word in Bethlehem until the entire town was abuzz with the news. What?! The Messiah had come?! Not everyone believed, but some did, I am sure. They saw the change in the shepherds. Their words and their lives were witness to all that God had shown them and done within them. Like the shepherds we are chosen to be witnesses. Isaiah 43:10 says, Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen… Acts 1:8 talks about the change and the challenge: But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Christmas is the perfect time of the year to be witnesses to others, when they are more focused on the birth of Christ and perhaps more open to reason He came.

This Christmas I am praising God for choosing me, nobody special or great or wise, to be His child. I am thanking Him for changing me and praying that I might bring glory to Him. And I am challenged, especially now at this time of year when we are more open to others and they might be more open to hearing about why Jesus came, to be a better witness for Him.

THE CHALLENGE OF CHANGE

2010-12-05T12:59:00.002-06:00

I used to work with mentally handicapped children, ages preschool through high school, when we lived in Colorado Springs. Loved it, loved it, loved it! Most of them were fun and sweet and they made me smile and laugh every day. A few were ornery, and even a little violent. You didn’t want to get within pinching, biting, hitting, or head-butting distance. I loved them, too, but they were more challenging to work with. One thing I noticed that most of the kids—especially the higher-functioning ones—had in common was that they liked routine. They often did not handle change well. Robbie doesn’t seem to mind change so much, but he certainly seems to love his routine.
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Little ones often do not like change, either. Maybe it has something to do with the undeveloped brain—I don’t know. I remember when my grandson Benjamin was only two; he had a complete meltdown because Mommy moved Daddy’s underwear from one drawer to another! Oh, the trauma!
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Then there are some of us—and I won’t mention any names here—who may have more fully developed brains who still don’t handle change well. I will confess—I am one of them. I am a traditionalist. I don’t mind my quiet routine. I tend to be less than flexible, shall we say, when my “perfect” plans are suddenly changed by someone else. (Give me a few minutes to think about it, though, and I’ll usually come around.) I’m too lazy to change, sometimes.

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And then you have to admit, not all change is good. We’ve been seeing that in our politics and government the last few years. “Change” has been the byword and many have blindly jumped on the bandwagon for the sake of change, never asking themselves the question “But what kind of change?” There is change for the good, and then there is change for the bad. Some people seem not to care as long as there is change. They ought to care.
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I am facing a new change, and a new challenge—one that I hope will be for the good. I finally got that new laptop Bob gave me for my birthday (and as an early Christmas gift.) I am very happy with it except for one thing—it came with Windows 7 rather than the Windows XP that I am used to. All new computers now come with Windows 7, so there’s just no getting around it. I am also switching to a newer version of Office, which means I will have to learn the ins and outs of Word, Powerpoint and a host of other things all over again. *sigh* I think I will be happy with the changes, once I’ve figured it all out, but in the meantime, it’s a pain to have to switch. I guess I will have to look at it as a mental challenge.
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There are other issues, too, with the change to Windows 7. I discovered last night, to my dismay, that none of the software for programs that I use on a regular basis, like The Print Shop and my greeting cards program, is compatible with Windows 7 and I am going to have to go out and buy all new software for those programs. That is what I would call a financial challenge. I did, in fact, buy a new version of The Print Shop last night, since that is the one I really cannot work without, that is compatible with Windows 7. I figured it would be the same Print Shop I have used for over ten years (I update it every two years) but updated and compatible with my new computer. I was horrified to see it was a completely different version with about 1/20th of the capabilities of my old Print Shop. There’s no way I can use it to do the work I do. The problem is, once you open software, unless it is not working, you can’t return it. Now I am out the money I paid for it, and I still have to find and buy the correct version. My money and I are not easily parted and to think that I wasted $40 on it just galls me!
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Anyway, back to the challenge of change! Life is a series of changes every day, isn’t it? We begin life as helpless infants but gradually we grow from babyhood to little children; from little children to teenagers; from teens to adults; and someday down the road to seniors and then if we know Christ as Savior, on to Glory with new bodies! Mom and I were just talking about that yesterday—how we are so looking forward to our new bodies, and wondering what those new bodies might be like. We learn new things every day—how to walk and talk; how to count to ten and tie our shoes; how to drive a car, do our work, raise a family… New circumstances, experiences, challenges, blessings or trials crop up every day.
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God made us the way we are but He does want us to change! First of all He wants us to repent from that old sin nature and the sins we commit every day and turn to Him for salvation. The word “repent” means to make a 180 degree change in our hearts and in our behavior. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation … (II Corinthians 7:10) When we are sorry for our sin, we will accept the salvation Christ provided through his shed blood and become new, different, spiritual creatures in Him. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. (II Corinthians 5:17) This change is easy—He’s already done the hard part. All we have to do is believe and repent.

It gets more challenging, though. There are choices we must make, steps of obedience to take. As we go on to live our Christian lives, He wants us to grow and mature and be obedient to Him. We start out, just as in our physical lives, as newborn babies. We begin to grow through hearing and reading His Word. As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: (I Peter 2:2) As we begin to understand His Word, and learn from it, we become more mature in our faith and knowledgeable concerning doctrine and closer to Him in our walk. That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: (Ephesians 4:14, 15) He tells us, But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (II Peter 3:18)

We get past the babyhood stage, and maybe we’re more mature Christians, but it still is a challenge to be good children every day. We’re still fighting that old sin nature and the temptations of this world, and the devil himself. The Lord reminds us, For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light: (Ephesians 5:8) There’s been a change in us! Don’t look and act like the rest of the world! When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. (I Corinthians 13:11) Grow up and act like heirs, mature sons of God!
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The final change comes, then, when we join Him in the clouds. Behold, I shew you a mystery;

We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (I Corinthians 15:51, 52) Can’t wait to put away this weak, corruptible body, and that old nature, and change fully into the new Cindy who will live with Him forever! Now THAT’S a change I can believe in!
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One final word about change: Yes, there needs to be a change in us, but I am so glad God does not change! He says, For I am the LORD, I change not… (Malachi 3:6) The Bible tells us that He is faithful and that means unchanging, dependable and trustworthy, Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; (Deuteronomy 7:9) What a promise to rest upon! What a blessing for which to thank Him! I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 89:1)
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It’s a challenge sometimes for us to accept change or to change ourselves, but praise God –He’s done the hard part for us and if we trust Him to help us, we can grow and mature into followers of His who bring glory and honor to Him. And praise God for His everlasting, unchanging love and salvation and watchcare over us!

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever. (Hebrews 13:8)

TIME WELL SPENT

2010-11-28T13:36:00.004-06:00

It’s been a busy week. I’ve had the privilege of spending extra time with my mother this week as she’s been laid up with three compression fractures in her back. It’s so hard to see her hurting, and not able to eat because of the pain medications. I tried to make things that I knew were normally her favorites, to try to tempt her appetite, but until she could back off the pain meds a bit, it didn’t really work. The time spent with her was nice, though, as we talked and watched a few chick flicks together. I took my crocheting along and made some progress on the baby sweater, bonnet and blanket set I am making for Laurie’s baby. Bob was able to arrange his work schedule so that I could be with my mom. He travels a lot for his job, and of course I am always home with Robbie, so I appreciated his willingness to help out with that.

Then, of course, there was Thanksgiving, which also happened to be my birthday. I traditionally make the turkey, stuffing and gravy for our big family meal, so there are not a lot of early preparations I can do ahead of time. It’s all basically done on Thanksgiving morning, keeping an eye on the clock so that the turkey goes in the oven on time. As usual, everything tasted wonderful, but someone made the comment, “All that time making all of this and then it’s over in a matter of minutes!” We did take the time to thank the Lord for his abundant blessings in our lives and to share with one another some of the things for which we are most thankful.

Those were times well spent this week. Then there were the wasted times. Time I spent staring at a computer screen, struggling with writer’s block, I guess. Too much time spent in research for the book I am writing, and not enough time actually spent writing. Time worrying about the deadline that is looming and wondering if I will get it done in time. Time doodling as I waited for inspiration to come…

And what a waste of time my one attempt at snagging a Black Friday bargain was! Bob surprised me big-time with my birthday gift this week—the money to buy a new laptop for myself! And just in time for the Thanksgiving weekend sales, I thought! I poured over the ads until I found the perfect one for me—at a savings of $250 if I could get in on the doorbuster special! I went on Wednesday night to check it out and make sure they had it in stock. Yes, they had nine of them. Great! Even if there were twenty or thirty people ahead of me, they wouldn’t all be there for the exact same thing I was there for, would they? The chances of me getting the laptop I wanted seemed pretty good.

Not quite. I got up and out the door in the wee hours of the morning and pulled into the parking lot twenty-five minutes before the doors were to open. Call me naïve. I had only done the Black Friday, doorbuster thing once before with my sister many years ago, and then it had been a little crazy, maybe, but fun and not stressful at all. This time, when I got to the store ready to buy something I really, really wanted I was dismayed to see there were already 100-150 people ahead of me in a line that stretched from the doors clear around the side of the building. I went to the back of the line and started to shiver almost immediately. It was only about twenty degrees and I wasn’t dressed warm enough. Eventually a couple store employees came down the line handing out vouchers for the items people wanted, so they could go back to their cars and wait. The laptop I wanted was long-gone. I was disappointed of course, but grateful to get back to my car and go home and crawl back into bed.

As I lay there, trying to get back to sleep but still shivering, I thought about what a waste of time it had been, and that I would never, ever do that again, no matter how great the bargains sounded! I’m sure I would have felt differently if I had been able to get the computer, and then even the one or two hours I stood in line waiting to pay for the thing might not have seemed like a waste, but at that moment it all just seemed like a big waste of time. Oh, there will be other sales, probably almost as good, and if I am patient I will eventually get the laptop that is best for me.

Time is so precious to me, and I am sure, to you. Once those minutes tick by, they cannot be reclaimed. We are allotted in our lives so many years and months, weeks and days, minutes and seconds. Having a birthday this week made me think about time and wonder how many more years the Lord will allow me here on this earth. I am eager for Heaven, and yet, I want the time I have left here to matter. I go to bed sometimes thinking regretfully, “Well that was a wasted day!” On the other hand, on the days when I have really accomplished something I feel good when I go to bed, and grateful that I used my time wisely.

Robbie has had his days and nights mixed up again this week. He sleeps all day and evening and then, just about the time I am going to bed, he wakes up and wants to play all night. I feel badly that he is staring at the ceiling all night because Mom just can’t entertain him any longer. It’s hard to get him back on the right track because if he really wants to sleep there is nothing we can do to keep him awake, and if we do manage to wake him up before he is ready, he immediately goes right into seizures. I would love to convince him of a better way to use his time more wisely!

The Bible is clear that we are to use our time wisely. Romans 13:11 says, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (A good verse for Robbie, wouldn’t you say?) We do not know how many days are left to us individually, but the Lord says that our salvation—the time when He will take us out of this world, whether it be through death or the Rapture, to eternity with Him—is near! Until that time there is work for us to do for Him! Wake up and get to work!

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“See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:15-17) Using our time wisely means using it within the will of God. We sometimes are unsure of the next step in God’s will for our lives, but there can be no doubt in many instances of what is not God’s will. “Circumspectly” means not acting foolishly or sinfully as we did before we were saved, but being obedient. Our hearts know, our consciences know what is right or wrong; what brings glory to God and what does not; what is a waste of time and what is worthwhile. And “redeeming the time” ought to give us the sense of urgency, that because the days are evil we ought not to waste time.
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What is truly God’s will, and the whole purpose of the Gospel, is that men and women, boys and girls receive the salvation Christ has offered through His shed blood. It is our commission as believers to be witnesses to others of the Gospel. It is our sole purpose to bring glory to God through lives that are a testimony of that salvation. It is our responsibility to use our time toward that end. Our days are numbered here on earth and we are to “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving…Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:2, 5)

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God has promised blessings when we obey Him. Time is short. Time is precious. “Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.” (Revelation 1:3) The time is at hand. We waste so much time chasing the material things of this world, the foolish things, the selfish things. Anything that draws us away from what is of eternal value. Time spent helping others is never a waste. Time spent being a testimony or sharing the Gospel is never a waste. Time spent in prayer is never a waste. Time spent obediently and wisely following God’s will is never a waste.
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Redeem the time—time well spent.

LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

2010-11-21T23:37:00.006-06:00

It has been a long, arduous journey for Julie and David for the last three years in the world of international adoption. They had no idea in September of 2007 when they embarked upon this journey that the country they felt led to adopt from, El Salvador, was the slowest in the world to cut through the red tape and procrastination, and would allow its children to languish in orphanages for years rather than releasing them into good, loving families who were eagerly willing, ready and able to provide good homes for them. After three years they were still waiting on approval from the two agencies in El Salvador that handled international adoptions.

So many times they questioned if they should try a different country or quit altogether, but over and over as they fervently prayed, the answer always came back to them, “Be still, and know that I am God. Wait on the Lord.” They determined that until God closed the door on El Salvador completely, or showed them clearly some other direction, they would hang in there. Lately they had wondered if the door might actually be closing. Their adoption agency, fed up with dealing with El Salvador and seeing almost no movement over the last three years, was talking about pulling out if something didn’t start happening very soon. David and Julie started talking about their options if that happened and looking at different avenues. They must renew their application with Immigration again very soon and they were beginning to wonder if they even should.

This week the call finally came. They had been approved by both agencies! Oh, the joy! They were ecstatic! I was thrilled—more grandchildren! Whoo-Hoo! The good news didn’t stop there. Not only were they approved, but because they were willing to take a sibling group of up to three, they were promising to put their application aside for special processing in order to speed it up. (That remains to be seen. We’ve heard those kinds of promises before.)

Soon,, we hope, they will be matched up with the children God has for them. Who knows how long that will take, but perhaps now that they are fully approved, and with sibling groups so hard to place, it won't take months for it to happen. Even then, there is normally still a ten month (at least) waiting period after they are matched before the adoption is finalized and they can bring the children home. But at least there is light at the end of the tunnel now.

Please pray for Julie and David as they continue the rest of their quest to bring children out of orphanages and into a loving home. Please pray for wisdom to know God's will, patience and strength for the journey, and peace with decisions made. Pray for Benjamin, Joshua and Hannah, who are so willing to share their mommy and daddy and home. Pray for the children who are waiting for a family who will love and care for them and have no idea that Julie and David are waiting eargerly for them, too. And pray for the children in orphanages all around the world or out on the streets all alone. We cannot help all of them but we can help some, and if we cannot help some of them, perhaps we can help one.

The Bible says, “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress." (James 1:27) We generally hear very little in our churches about caring for orphans. My own church supports Compassion International and the Baptist Children's Home, but in my whole life I doubt I've heard more than one or two messages on the subject. Even if we are not called to actually adopt children or be foster parents, it is the duty of us all--churches and individuals--to in some way demonstrate our love and kindness to orphans, whether it is by supporting a child through Compassion International, or doing a Christmas shoebox for Samaritan’s Purse, or just taking an interest in the kids on our block who have no father in their home. We show our love for Jesus when we show our love for the “least of these."

POTPOURRI IV

2010-11-14T12:55:00.002-06:00

Plans, Preparations and Prayer -- It’s that time of year again. We start planning Thanksgiving dinner—who’s bringing what to my sister’s house. I always cook the turkey, and along with that, make the stuffing and gravy. It’s tradition, and in our family we are really BIG on tradition! Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year, right after Christmas. Not because of the meal, and certainly not for the parades or football games. I don’t really relish spending the whole morning in the kitchen. The gathering of the family is always wonderful, of course, but even more than that, I really take to heart the part about giving thanks.
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I try always, every day, to have an attitude of gratitude for all that God has done and is doing in our lives, and to be thankful for not only what He does, but for Who He is. I don’t really need a special day of the year to remind me to count my blessings and be grateful. I don’t know if it’s because I’m getting older and more introspective and reflective, or because I’m walking closer to the Lord, or that the last ten years have been so hard and yet so good and we have seen the hand of God sustaining us through it all—whatever the reason, I thank Him every day.

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I think something that opened my eyes to how rich we are was visiting Ecuador for the first time eleven years ago. I had the privilege of returning last year and celebrating Thanksgiving there. Once again I was struck with how much we have physically and how blessed we are compared to most of the rest of this world. Being truly grateful was especially brought home to me when I spoke to a group of ladies about the spiritual riches we have as daughters of the King, regardless of our economic situation, citizenship, class, or race. Thanksgiving last year was probably the most meaningful of my life.
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This year I have been putting together shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child. I have to turn them in at church tonight. I loved shopping for them and then trying to squeeze everything into the boxes. With every little gift I bought, I wondered about the child who would receive it. Where did he or she live? Would the shirts I bought fit them? Would the older girl like a little stuffed poodle or would she think it was too babyish? Which ball would the boy like better? Too bad a soccer ball won’t fit in the shoebox! Do they really want a toothbrush and toothpaste, wash cloth and soap for Christmas? Not my idea of a great gift, but apparently those things are precious to them. Into the shoebox they go, and with them the thought once more that things we take so for granted are of great value to those who cannot get them. It is hard to imagine that while our children and grandchildren have so much, these kids barely have the basics in life; that the yo-yo or harmonica or markers or jump rope in that shoebox will bring the same happiness to a poor child that a Wii or a IPod would bring to one of our kids.
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I have bathed each of those shoeboxes in prayer, that the child who receives it will know Jesus as his or her Savior and feel the love and watchcare of Christ throughout his/her life and follow Him faithfully. With each box, too, I have breathed a prayer of thanksgiving for the privilege of sharing with that child and for all that God has done in my own life.

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II Corinthians 9:7-13 reminds us to share with the poor for we are abundantly rich and have much for which to thank God. “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men.” Our giving brings thanksgiving to God both from the one who receives, and also from us, and glorifies God.

Pain – My mother is back in the hospital this week with terrible pain in her back. No one is sure what is causing it, for it is not in the usual places where you would think of back pain and seems to move around. Mom is a pretty stoic person. You seldom hear her mention when she is hurting or if she is sick, so when she does finally say something, you know it is pretty serious. When I called her Thursday morning and heard the almost panicky, excruciating pain in her voice, I knew it must be bad. She went to the emergency room that day, but they couldn’t find anything and sent her home with some pain pills. Later, after phone calls to several doctors, they decided to admit her, but for almost two days she waited for a hospital bed to open up.
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It is difficult to watch your mother, or any loved one, suffering. I had never heard such pain in my mother’s voice before. My sisters Cheree and Corinne had to watch her suffer, for they are the ones who could be with her and take her to the hospital. (Bob was in Michigan and I had to be home with Robbie.) The pain pills helped some, but it wasn’t until they got her in the hospital with painkillers delivered by IV that she got some real relief. We are praying that the doctors will get to the bottom of this and be able to fix whatever is wrong.
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As long as we are in our earthly bodies there will be pain and suffering, disease and injuries, and the inevitable aging. How wonderful for the believer to know, though, that these sufferings are but for a little while and we will have new, perfect bodies someday! No more pain, no suffering, no diets or contact lenses or hearing aids! Romans 8 says in verses 18-26, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.”

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I hate seeing my mother in pain, but I am so thankful that we can trust the Great Physician and know that He has His purposes in suffering, and her life in His hands. One thing is certain—we surely won’t take our new bodies for granted after all we have suffered through with these old carnal ones!

Pink, Pink, Pink! – I started crocheting a tiny baby sweater this week. I will also make a matching bonnet and blanket to go with the sweater. I love the yarn. It is so soft and a beautiful shade of lustrous pink. Just looking at that color makes me happy! I crocheted a “coming-home-from-the-hospital” sweater set for each of my grandbabies and it makes me happy to be doing this one now.
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Everything I have sent for the new baby so far has been pink, pink, pink! If little Amanda turns out to be little Michael instead, he is going to look mighty funny coming home from the hospital in all that pink! We certainly enjoyed having a boy, Matthew, the last time after his four big sisters, but it will be fun to have a precious little girl again, too.
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I don’t think you’ll find “Thank Heaven for little girls!” anywhere in the Bible. It’s not exactly Scripture, but I’ll still quote it and believe it! What is Scripture, though, is, “Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD…” (Psalm 127:3) and “Children's children are the crown of old men [and old women!]” (Proverbs 17:6.) The first time in my life that I truly felt I was leaving a heritage behind me was the day my first grandchild was born. It made me want to be a better person, a more faithful follower of Christ so that my grandchildren would have a godly example to follow. And every grandparent can tell you that there is no better reward or crown in this life than to have grandchildren!

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Thank you, Lord, for pink—and blue!

PRIORITIES, PROJECTS, PEOPLE AND PERSPECTIVE

2010-11-07T08:33:00.002-06:00

My life this year has consisted of moving from one big project to another. It has been crazy as sometimes I tried to juggle two or three projects at once, and always, as soon as I finished one, I would move on to the next.
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I’ve written six books this year so far. I helped out with the family reunion and my mother’s and aunt’s 80th birthday party. I started a new hobby of making jewelry and have made quite a number of pieces as gifts and for myself. I took on a two-month study of the book of Revelations and read the Bible in 90 days. I did many projects for our pastor and the church, including doing the pastor’s weekly Powerpoint outline of his message, as well as four other major Powerpoint presentations. I put together two booklets for special occasions for our church’s 50th anniversary (a prayer guide and a pictorial history of our church), ordered and organized 5000 prizes for the church’s Springapalooza, headed up the missions booth for our ministries fair and wrote/and or designed several other smaller projects for the church. I wrote a weekly devotion for my blog. I sent three suitcases off to the Naranjos with various travelers, and if you don’t think sending a suitcase to Ecuador is a project, think again!
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In the last week or two alone, I have shopped for and packed one of those suitcases with Christmas gifts, things for the new baby and a variety of other things the Naranjos needed. I have also made some of those gifts and finished writing one of the books. Our pastor is the one taking the suitcase to them as he stops in Ecuador to visit them on his way to Bolivia. He is speaking ten times at a pastor’s conference in Bolivia and asked me to research and write bullet points for six topics in his syllabus, design the cover and also to do Powerpoints for his messages down there. I also put together two Samaritan’s Purse shoeboxes this week. At this moment, I am printing, laminating and binding 34 of my books—a huge task in and of itself. I am speaking to a creative writing class on Monday and discovered of the 42 books I have written, I only had 8 left on my bookshelf.
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I have several more projects standing in line that must be finished before the end of the year. Two more books to finish. A baby sweater, bonnet and blanket to crochet. The narrative for our church’s Easter cantata to be written. And of course, all the preparations for Christmas.

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Trust me—I am not telling you all these things to toot my own horn. There are pros and cons to all this. Yes, it is nice to look back and see all the things that have been accomplished this year. I may have done a lot of sitting on my backside, but I certainly have not been lazy! I love it that, although I cannot get to church much because of caring for Robbie, I can still have a ministry in my church and in missions. I cherish the ministry I have to our precious Robbie, but I also love it that, after eight years of quietly sitting at home with him, in the last two years my outreach has once more extended beyond the walls of my home. I find happiness and satisfaction in having an outlet for my creativity.

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The cons? Time spent on all these projects robs me of time for relationships with the people who are important in my life. Bob and I still spend a lot of time just talking or being together when he is home, but I am sure he could use more of my undivided attention. He’s been very patient, and helpful, but I know it would please him if I would make a little more time to get some other things done, too, like housework and laundry! It is hard to prioritize things like vacuuming or scrubbing toilets when so many of my “projects” seem to be so much more worthy in terms of ministry or eternal value. Pleasing my husband, however, ought to have highest priority since that is the role to which God has called me. Scrubbing the floor is pretty low on my totem pole, but if it makes my husband happy…

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Time sitting under the computer takes away time I could be playing with Robbie when he is awake, or time spent with my mother when I am able to get out of the house. People ought to take the priority over projects. Someday, will I look back with regret for all the time I spent on my computer or working on other projects rather than being in the moment with my loved ones? The time we spend with the people we love is ministry, too, and has great eternal value. Love is an action word. Time spent encouraging, helping, acting out love and kindness is never wasted.

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I know I’m not alone in this. You’ve been there, too, haven’t you? Whether it is projects like mine that keep us too busy, or a job that has precedence, or some activity that’s become an obsession, we need to be mindful of our true priorities. Most of us know the pressure and guilt of feeling as if there is just not enough time to do everything we need to do and that we are neglecting relationships because of it. Something has to give. But what?

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I guess it’s a matter of balance. I know I tend to get obsessive about the projects I do. I am an overachiever, I suppose, living by the motto “If anything’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well” and by the verse, “…whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” (I Corinthians 10:31) Bob says I have tunnel vision when it comes to my work. Somehow I have to learn to balance the projects I am involved in with the rest of my responsibilities and with my relationships.

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It’s also a matter of perspective. If I could look at vacuuming and dusting as ministry to my husband, perhaps I’d be more eager to do them! If I bear in mind that every minute I spend with my mom or playing with Robbie is ministering to them, then my other areas of ministry will pale by comparison.

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I think of the story of Mary and Martha. Luke 10:38-42 tells us a little something about them. “Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”
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I’ve always had a bit of a problem with this story. We women all know that someone had to feed all those men! Martha invited them into her home and she felt responsible to serve them. We understand that, don’t we? I’m sure she wanted to do her best for Jesus. She probably thought of it as her ministry to Him. I can see myself in that, can’t you? I know Jesus was grateful for her efforts, but He had a gentle reminder for her. Two reminders, actually:

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The first was that our ministry must be done with the right heart attitude. If we are grumbling and complaining, stressing and fretting over it, we may as well not do it all. Serving Jesus should be done out of hearts of love, joy, gratefulness and generosity. The second thing he wanted Martha to see is that the spiritual and emotional relationship is more important to Him than the physical busyness, even if she was “ministering” to Him.

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I need to find that balance and perspective in my life, and get back to putting people before projects. It means I am going to have to cut back on some things; maybe even give up some things altogether. I may even have to learn to say “no” now and then! That’s so difficult for me because I love everything I’m doing. I need to balance my time better. Most of all, though, I need to prioritize what is truly important in my life and put them—the people I love—back at the top of the list. My mother is a good example to me of this. People are her projects! Her time and efforts and money are spent on doing for others.

I John 3:18 says, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.” Bob knows I love him. Robbie knows I love him. My mother knows I love her. I tell them all the time. But love is an action word. It’s time I set aside some of these other things and show them a little bit better.

ANTICIPATION!

2010-10-24T14:14:00.005-05:00

Laurie and I got to go shopping together this week! Well, sort of… I wish we could have actually been together, walking in and out of stores, stopping to get a bite to eat, spending some real girl-time together. Instead we were each in our pajamas, on the telephone and on our computers late at night surfing the internet together. It’s not quite the same as shopping in person with one another, but hey—it’s the best we could do and we had fun anyway!

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It’s not the first time I’ve done that with my girls. I’ve even gone house-hunting with both of them via the internet! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again—I sure love modern tecnology! It has made it possible for me to stay so much closer with my daughters and grandchildren who live hundreds and thousands of miles away than I ever could have twenty years ago.

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This time we were shopping for a going-home-from-the-hospital outfit for the new baby and a nursing gown and robe for Laurie. I had been out shopping earlier in the week in the stores here in town and could find not find a single newborn baby dress or nursing gown. (Yes, we are looking for a dress, for the baby finally decided to let them get a peek at her during the last ultrasound and it is confirmed—it’s a girl! Their fifth girl! Three-year-old Matthew will retain his position in the family as crown prince!) Laurie had not been able to find anything in Cuenca, either, that she could afford (prices down there are two, three, even four times higher there than they are in the States) so we resorted to the internet.

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Laurie, especially, had fun doing that! She told me she felt like she was actually shopping in the US again, and the prices looked good to her after seeing how much they charged down there. We found what we were looking for and they are being sent to my house. Our pastor is going to Ecuador in about nine days to visit them and he said he would take a suitcase for me with the kids’ Christmas gifts, some things they needed and a lot of new baby things in it!

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We are so looking forward to this new baby! Once they found out the sex of the baby, and could start thinking of baby names in earnest, it just seemed to make it so much more “real.” They are thinking of naming her Amanda Laura (Fernando was dead-set determined to name this fifth daughter after his wife! It is a cultural thing, and he had wanted to do it from the first daughter all the way to number five.)

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We had all kind of hoped at first that it would be a boy so Matthew could have a little brother, but of course, we all said we would be thrilled with either a boy or a girl. All except for Matthew. He was pretty determined that it would be a boy and kept saying “Hi, Baby Michael!” to his mommy’s tummy. He was there when they did the ultrasound, and when he heard it was a girl, he said, “But I wanted a brother!” They told him God had decided he should have another sister and he actually accepted it with grace. Now even he is excited to have a baby sister!
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Laurie has gone through her baby things to see what she still needs. She did not have a lot left of the baby girl clothes or her baby equipment. They had given a great deal away, not expecting to have six children. What she has and what I am sending down to her will probably suffice until she comes home next August for a few months. We will get whatever larger size clothes she needs then so she won’t have to bring a lot in their suitcases, and hopefully be able to borrow whatever equipment they need. I started looking through crochet patterns so that I can crochet a baby layette (sweater, bonnet, bootie and blanket) for Baby Amanda, just as I have for all my other grandchildren.

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Anticipation! We still have another four months to go before little Amanda’s arrival! It is hard to wait, but on the other hand we don’t want her to come any sooner than she should. Remember the old ketchup commercial with the ketchup slowly, slowly coming out of the bottle and Carly Simon’s song, “Anticipation” playing in the background? Like the old saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait!” Or the quote I’ve seen in a lot of baby cards – “Nine months? It takes time to create perfection!” We have to wait—no getting around it—but in the meantime, the excitement and anticipation is building!

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There is someone else whose arrival I am eagerly anticipating! It seems the older I get, and the more I see this old world turning away from God, the more I long for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus has promised that He is coming again and he tells us to comfort one another with these words. “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (I Thessalonians 4:16-18)

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I don’t know about you, but I get excited when I read those words! I can’t wait! We wonder sometimes why Jesus tarries, why He has not come already. We wonder how this world can get any worse. Oh, but it will, and when it does, He will come and take us out of it. He said in John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”

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It is so exciting to look forward to the birth of a new baby and to make preparations for her arrival. How much more exciting, though, is it to look forward to the coming of our Savior! No preparations needed to go with Him, other than trusting in His shed blood for my sins and your sins. He’s done all the work for us! All we have to do is accept it, but oh, the joy, when we share that good news and bring others along with us!

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These are my words of comfort and joy to you today—He is coming again! Look forward to it!

SWEET REUNION

2010-10-17T12:26:00.002-05:00

Our son-in-law David is in the air, on his way home from Iraq, right now! He left Baghdad Wednesday and went to Qatar. Yesterday he flew to Ireland and from there he will fly to Baltimore, MD today. Tomorrow Julie and the kids will pick him up at the airport in Montgomery, AL! What a day of rejoicing that will be! I wish I could be a fly on the wall to watch that sweet reunion!

So much has happened since he left. Many things have changed. I think David will be surprised at how much Julie and the kids have grown since he’s been gone—and I mean that more than physically. Benjamin and Joshua have both stepped right up to the plate and tried to fill their dad’s shoes as much as possible in order to help their mother. They’ve taken on chores they’d never done before, used their creativity to help to solve problems and been willing, encouraging supporters for their mom. Hannah, too, has been quite the little worker-bee, but she seems to have struggled the most emotionally without her daddy there. Believe me, though—tomorrow all will be right with her world again! Julie laughs when she says she has become an independent woman—learning how to mend fences, fix doorknobs, deal with car breakdowns, and drive across country on her own. She also says she can’t wait to hand it all back over to her husband again! It has left her with an even greater appreciation for those military wives whose husbands are gone for even longer and in more dangerous deployments.

David himself has changed. He was promoted to Lt. Colonel over there, but more than that, his training and time in Iraq brought difficult challenges and opened his eyes to real suffering and a different world. He spent the last six months in a spiritual wasteland, receiving very little in the way of spiritual refreshment or fellowship where he was, other than whatever family and friends sent from back home. David has always been one of the most godly men I know, but I am sure the Lord will use these things to make him even more grateful, even more burdened for the suffering and lost, and even more willing to be used by God.

There is so much for which to be thankful, as well. That David made it there and back again safely. That it was six months, not a year; Iraq, not Afghanistan; air-conditioned office and room, not a tent in the desert or hard duty in perilous areas. That they had Skype and cell phones with which to communicate twice a day. That although there were many challenges for all of them, none of them were life-threatening or so difficult that they could not make it through with the Lord’s help. Even little Pumpkin the pound puppy whom they adopted just days before David left to be a distraction for the kids presented them with one dramatic escapade after another and raised the stress level considerably, but she brought a lot of joy and they are so thankful for her.

There will be such joy tomorrow! There will be sheer bliss on David’s part as he enjoys being back in the center of his loving family and the comforts of home again. There will be relief on Julie’s part as she turns some of the responsibilities of home back over to David. There will be adjustments to be made in the coming weeks as they get back to normal again. There will be new challenges, but at least they will be able to face them together.

Julie and I have greatly admired my cousin Betty over the years. Her husband Brad is a Navy pilot and Commander. They have had many separations of months and even years, as Brad has been deployed, and through it all their family has prospered. Betty is a strong, compassionate woman who truly reaches out to others to help and encourage. Their children, whom she home-schooled, have grown into wonderful adults. Betty and Brad seem to have a close, sweet, loving (and fun!) marriage. I know Betty would be the first to say it is the Lord who made it possible.
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I Peter 1:6-7 says, “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” God takes us through the hard times to change us. To make us better, stronger, more mature. To make us come forth shining as gold. To prove to us and to others that our faith is real. To bring praise and honor and glory to God.

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The Lord has done all these things in David and Julie and their three children through this difficult time in their lives. And now comes the time of great rejoicing! Now comes the time of sweet reunion! Praise and honor and glory to God! Thank you, Jesus!

MY HERO!

2010-10-10T21:33:00.006-05:00

There’s a new hero in my life! He wears blue spandex, red shorts and a cape. A big yellow star is emblazoned across his chest and he stands with his hands on his hips in a heroic pose, joining forces with God to take action!

Who is this masked man, you might ask? Not a bird, not a plane—it’s Blastman! AKA my mild-mannered hubby, Bob! Yes, he’s finally given in to his alter ego after forty years and donned his Superhero persona to fight for truth, justice and the American way!

Oh, wait a minute! Actually, Bob has come out of the phone booth to promote the Ministry Fair our church is having on October 24th. The theme is “Be a Hero! Take Action! Join Forces with God!” They asked Bob to be Blastman since 1.) He’s one of the few who could fit in the costume and 2.) He’s willing to really ham it up and make a fool of himself in front of several hundred people for the sake of the ministry. Bless his heart…

I have to admit, he was a bit reluctant at first. “I need to lose two or three pounds before I put that thing on!” he declared. “The last time I wore tights [as part of a costume, I hasten to add] was thirty years ago! I’ve gained five pounds since then!” I wanted to smack him!

We’ve had a lot of fun with Blastman all week. Last Sunday Bob stayed after church and put the costume on so they could do a photo shoot of him posing as a superhero. Then a few days later I cropped the backgrounds out, put in the backgrounds I wanted, and put together a Powerpoint presentation of Blastman encouraging everyone to attend the Ministry Fair, and even more than that, to be a part of the ministries in and through our church.

The Powerpoint turned out really cool, if I do say so myself! The pictures and backgrounds were great, the animations were fun, and the music I set it to really added excitement and that Superhero flavor to it! I used the theme from Star Wars—you know, the one that starts out Daaa-Daaa-Da-Da-Da-Daaa-Daa-Da-Da-Da-Daaa-Daa-Da-Da-Da-Daaa… (You know that one, right?)

Blastman himself will be at the Ministry Fair, encouraging everyone to be a hero and take action for God! Knowing Bob, he’ll be a hit with the crowd, and he’ll have a lot of fun himself. Of course, I’ve always known my husband is a superhero—now everyone else will know it, too!

From the time we were kids, we’ve all enjoyed superheroes and fantasizing about the supernatural powers they might have—the ability to fly, x-ray vision, being able to leap tall buildings in a single bound and so on. As we grow up we’ve realized that although superheroes are imaginary, there really are heroes among us. They may not have supernatural powers, but they use what they do have in extraordinary ways to accomplish extraordinary feats. We saw it on September 11, 2001 when hundreds of firemen and rescue workers rushed into the Twin Towers while thousands of others fled, knowing full-well that they might not come out again. We see it every time a soldier braves the bullets to go back for a fallen comrade. We saw it this week when a few construction workers rushed a man who was shooting at a schoolyard full of little children, and took him down.

We see quiet heroes every day—people who will never do great things in the eyes of the world, but who steadfastly, courageously do what has to be done against all odds, with determination and all the strength that they have. People who give of themselves sacrificially for others. People who are willing to stand for what is right, even if they stand alone.

What does it take to be a hero? What does it take to be a hero of the faith? Courage probably comes to mind first. Courage is not the absence of fear. As human beings, we all experience fear. It is part of our survival instinct. Courage, rather, is the ability to overcome our fear—to function and do what is right and necessary despite our fear. If we had no fear, why would we need courage? I Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” Fear is part of our human nature, but God does not want us to be controlled by it, or held bondage by a spirit of fear.

Courage means having boldness and the confidence to say or do what is true and right and just in the sight of God. Over and over again the people of God are exhorted to be of good courage, to be strong, to not be afraid for God goes with us and will not leave us or forsake us. “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” (Joshua 1:9) “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” (Psalm 27:14)

Courage for the believer comes through faith. We cannot see the future. We cannot see what is coming at us next, and even when we do see the obstacle or trial coming our way, we cannot see how the Lord is going to handle it for us. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” God is at work, whether we see it or not.
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Scripture gives us one example after another of heroes of the faith. There is Noah who believed God and stood alone with his family for God when the rest of the world called them fools. That is faith, resulting in courage. There is Daniel who prayed at his window for all the world to see when he knew doing so could result in him being torn apart by lions. That, too, is faith, resulting in courage. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego obeyed God rather than man with a courage that was a result of their faith in God, and the Lord saved them from the fiery furnace. David faced a giant alone when the rest of the army hid. His courage came from his faith that God was with him when nobody else would stand with him.

Faith brings the courage to take the first step, but we need determination and strength to keep going. Faith gives us the courage to stand fast when necessary, but again, we need determination and strength to hang on. Determination is purposing to accomplish whatever it is God has called us to, regardless of the opposition. The book of Nehemiah gives an account of the courage and determination and strength of Nehemiah and a group of captives who returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city walls. “Then I told them of the hand of my God which was good upon me; as also the king's words that he had spoken unto me. And they said, Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work…So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work.” (Nehemiah 2:18, 4:6) They strengthened their hands for they had a mind to work.

The good news is that we do not need the strength of a superhero. God takes whatever little strength we have and multiplies it for the task that is at hand. He promises “…and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.” (Deuteronomy 33:25) Psalm 18:22 says, “The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.”
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Courage, faith, determination, strength—all these are traits of a hero. There is something else that is a mark of a hero, however, and that is sacrificial love. Our greatest example of this, of course, is Jesus Christ. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (I John 3:16) John 15:13 says, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” Sacrificial love is selfless, putting others before self. That is why those firemen could climb the Twin Towers. That is why a father works so hard to put food on the table for his children, why a mother stays up into the wee hours caring for her family, why a missionary leaves family and home to take the Gospel across the world. It is sacrificial love.

We’ve had a (dare I say it?) blast with Blastman this week! I teased Bob, asking him, “So where has Blastman been for the last forty years of our marriage?” The truth, though, is that I don’t want a superhero. My husband is a real-life hero to me. Bob’s life and faith have always been characterized by courage and boldness, determination, faith and strength. He has given of himself sacrificially for his family and for anyone else he sees in need. He goes through life, not looking for recognition or reward, but just quietly being a hero.

We can all be heroes for our families, heroes for the Lord, heroes of the faith.

MY GOD SINGS!

2010-10-03T13:11:00.003-05:00

I started the day with singing this morning! Before my feet even hit the floor we were on the phone singing Happy Birthday to our little Katie. She’s turning seven today! She’s always been such a tiny little thing; it’s hard to imagine her getting taller and older. She was soooo excited about her birthday this year! She called me every couple days the last few weeks to tell me what the countdown was to her birthday. Oh, how I miss those kids! I wish so much I could give Katie a big birthday hug and kiss.

I was just thinking the other day about how greatly our lives are touched by singing. We begin life with lullabies, and then our childhood years are filled with hundreds of little choruses and ditties by which we learn and play. Most of us continue our love affair with music—even if we cannot sing ourselves—into our teen years and beyond. And then we mark so many of the events of our lives with music, don’t we? There’s the birthday song, of course, year after year—after year. Many of our holidays have music attached to them—“The Old Rugged Cross” at Easter, “Stars and Stripes Forever” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” on the Fourth of July, and literally hundreds of Christmas carols and songs! We get married to Wagner’s Bridal Chorus (also known as “Here Comes the Bride”) and Mendelssohn’s Wedding March, and are buried to “Amazing Grace.” And throughout our lives, the great hymns of the faith and other Christian songs uplift us, comfort and encourage us and help us to worship our Lord.

I love to sing. I don’t have a great voice, but it’s good enough for me! I can carry a tune, at least. I sing all the time. I credit that to my mother. She wasn’t a great singer but she sang (or whistled or hummed) around the house as she did her housework or washed dishes as I was growing up—the old-time hymns mostly. I can’t hear “We’re Marching to Zion” or “Beulah Land” without thinking of my mother. Now I do the same thing.

My grandchildren tell me, “Grandma, you have a song for everything! We say something, and you break into song about it!” The girls have even challenged me from time to time while we’re driving in the car. “We’ll think of a word, and you have to sing a song with that word in it, Grandma.” They almost never stump me.

The brain is an amazing thing. I often start singing a song, word-perfect, that I haven’t heard in thirty or forty years and I wonder, where did that come from? I can’t remember where I put my glasses, keys or the telephone two minutes ago! Ah—the power of music!

I don’t know too many people who don’t like music. Even if we can’t sing, most of us like to listen to it at least. Even Robbie sings! He’s always had a love for music, and actually has a very discerning ear for harmony and good music. Every now and then he tries to sing himself. It’s so sweet. Here is this person who can’t talk, but he gets a happy look on his face and sings out “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!” I call him Mr. Johnny One-Note because it is only that one word, sung in one note, and held out for as long as he can until he needs to take a breath, and then he starts again—usually upping the volume as he goes! I say, “Are you singing Robbie?” and he beams and nods his head and keeps going. Sometimes it is alone; sometimes he accompanies me when I’m playing the harmonica for him; sometimes I join him and we sing a duet. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

Music and singing are gifts from God. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights…” (James 1:17) What a blessing in our lives! They are also important to God. Singing is integral in our worship of Him and we are told over and over throughout Scripture to come before Him with singing. “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:2) “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.” (Psalm 98:4) “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;” (Ephesians 5:19) Even the earth itself sings praises unto God! Isaiah 49:13; 55:12 say, “Sing, O heavens; and be joyful, O earth; and break forth into singing, O mountains: for the LORD hath comforted his people, and will have mercy upon his afflicted…For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

Singing is so important in our lives—in my life—and to God! That is why it was a jaw-dropping shock when Bob came to me last night with a question that I had never heard before: Can you think of a place in the Bible where it says that God sings? In my fifty-eight years I had never wondered once if God Himself sings! We know we are made in the image of God. We know many of the attributes of God—He is holy, omnipotent, omniscient, just, gracious, merciful, loving and so on. We know He must love music for He made it and desires it. But I had never wondered before if God Himself ever breaks out in song, and I could not recall a verse that said He does. Bob handed me a card with a Scripture verse on it:

“The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”

(Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV)

What a beautiful verse! I instantly fell in love with it. Yes, I know in its context it is speaking of Jerusalem, but I believe it must be true for all whom He loves. God, the Almighty God, is right here in the midst of us and will save us. He rejoices over me! (What a blessed thought when I am feeling down on myself.) When I am in distress He quiets me with His love. (The peace that passes all understanding.) And He sings for joy over me! Isn’t that amazing! God sings! He sings for joy over those He loves! The picture I get in my mind is of a loving Father tucking his child into bed—protectively guarding His child; rejoicing in that child; covering him with His love and singing a lullaby of love and joy and peace. How can we not rest in that verse, and find comfort in His faithfulness and love and just that fact that He is singing for joy because we belong to Him?

I hope I will always be able to sing—or at least be able to make a joyful noise unto Him! It brings joy and blessing and comfort to my soul when I sing. “My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; and my soul, which thou hast redeemed.” (Psalm 71:23) It is a witness to the unsaved. Psalm 126:2 tells us, “Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.” It is a testimony to those who follow after us. “I will sing of the mercies of the LORD for ever: with my mouth will I make known thy faithfulness to all generations." (Psalm 89:1) It brings worship to God. Psalm 21:13 says, “Be thou exalted, LORD, in thine own strength: so will we sing and praise thy power.” As long as the Lord gives me life, I pray He will give me breath to sing unto Him! “I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.” (Psalm 104:33)

Today I am praising God for music and the ability to sing! And I am praising Him for helping me to realize for the first time that He Himself sings as well—and He’s singing over me!

AUTUMN MUSINGS

2010-09-26T11:59:00.002-05:00

It’s official, and it’s real. Fall has arrived. It doesn’t happen very often that the weather makes a dramatic shift right on time with the date on the calendar, but this year just as September 22nd, the first official day of autumn, crept upon us, the temperatures dropped and at last—ahhhh! Beautiful, cool autumn days are here again! At least here in my little corner of the world. It was still in the nineties down in Alabama, but take heart, Julie, this week your highs will drop ten degrees, too.

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I am so ready for fall! We had such a hot summer this year that the cooler temperatures are a welcome relief. It is wonderful to turn off the air conditioning and enjoy the cool breezes coming in through open doors and windows again! I’m sure I’ll be singing a different tune in February and March when we’re all ready for spring to spring but for now I’m enjoying cool.

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My favorite things about fall: The leaves changing colors. (They haven’t started yet around here but they will soon.) Making a big pot of homemade soup. (I made two different kinds this week.) Pumpkins. Apples. Pies made from pumpkins and apples and cinnamon and spice. Popcorn balls and caramel apples. (Are you beginning to see a pattern here?) Getting out the sweaters and sweatshirts and long-sleeved shirts. Bonfires. Hayrides. (Bob and I met on a hayride.) Thinking about Christmas coming soon and sneaking out the Christmas CD’s because I just can’t wait to start listening to them again. Thanksgiving. Kids going back to school. Watching (and hearing) Canadian geese and ducks flying in V-formation over my house as they head south. Seeing the little squirrels in my neighborhood getting fatter and fatter as they prepare for winter.

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I dream about living somewhere where the weather is “perfect” all year long, but really, I think I would miss the seasons if I didn’t have them. I love the beauty of God’s creation, but even more, I think, I love its variety. What an awesome God to have planned and created all this for us, and then to hold it all together by His power! “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible…all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.” (Colossians 1:16, 17) How some people can believe this all happened just by chance is beyond me. Only an omniscient and omnipotent Creator could have designed it all to work together so beautifully and actually brought it into being.

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He is not only our Creator, but he is our faithful Creator. When Noah came out of the ark and built an altar to the Lord after the flood, God promised “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22) As long as the earth exists, there will always be seasons; faithfully like clockwork He brings them about. Psalm 104:19 tells us, “He appointed the moon for seasons…” and Daniel 2:21 says, “And he changeth the times and the seasons…” He created them and He changes them.

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And though the Lord may change the seasons, He Himself does not change! “For I am the LORD, I change not.” (Malachi 3:6) More dependable than the sun, moon and stars, more dependable than the seasons or time or anything, because He created them, He is faithful. The Bible tells us in James 1:17, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” His love and kindness are forever. “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” (Jeremiah 31:3) His mercy and grace are eternal. “It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.” (Lamentations 3:22, 23) His promises are true. His salvation is secure and everlasting. “For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us. Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts.” (II Corinthians 1:20-22) “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” (I John 513)

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I chose this morning to simply reflect on the arrival of autumn, and to praise Him for it and for all the beauty and variety of His creation. I praise him for His faithfulness to us and all that that means—His steadfastness and dependability, His eternal truthfulness, His unfailing provision of salvation and every other blessing we have in this life or eternity. It’s a good thing to simply pause and praise.

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I’ve shared the words of one of my favorite hymns before, but I want to do it again today—Great is Thy Faithfulness. They are so true and such a blessing to me.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;

As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

JUGGLING

2010-09-19T13:56:00.003-05:00

Robbie never ceases to make me laugh. He can’t talk, but I can read the expressions on his face like a book (most of the time)—and he has a very expressive face.

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It’s been over three years, I think, since Robbie began his love affair with apples. He can’t eat them, but he loves to hold them. He is rarely without an apple in his hand during his waking hours, and I frequently have to try to sneak his apple away when he is asleep. I say try because his fingers clamp down like a vise if he senses someone is trying to steal his apples. He plays a mean game of Keep-Away with his apple, too, during playtime.

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Last fall I bought him one of those tiny pumpkins that are about the size of an apple. I wondered if he would accept it in place of his apple. Oh yes, he accepted it—in addition to his apple. There was no way he was giving up his beloved apple!

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Well, it’s that time of year again. Bob came home from one of his trips this week with a surprise for Robbie. “Robbie! Daddy has a present for you!” he sang as he shook a bag in the air. Robbie got so excited! He leaned forward eagerly and held his arms out. Bob gave him the bag and held it open so Robbie could reach inside. He pulled out a tiny pumpkin! Whoo-Hoo! Then he reached inside and pulled out something else—a small orange and yellow striped, pear-shaped gourd! Robbie was thrilled!

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There was just one problem. He had the pumpkin in one hand and the gourd in the other. His apple was in his lap. Three treasures. Two hands. What to do? He put down the pumpkin and picked up the apple. Ooo-but he really wanted that pumpkin! He set down the gourd and picked up the pumpkin. Wait a minute! I want that gourd, too! his face said. This went on for several minutes as Robbie tried to figure out how to hold three precious playthings in only two hands.
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Bob and I were cracking up. His eyebrows were going up and down. He was grinning and frowning all at the same time. We could just see the little wheels turning inside his head. And then Mama had to throw something else in the mix. “Robbie,” I said eagerly, “Mama’s going to buy you some more pretty gourds—all shapes and colors and textures—and another pumpkin, too, and you can have a whole basketful of fun things to play with!” (Can’t let Bob outdo me when it comes to pleasing our boy!)

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I’m not sure how much of that he really understood, but he turned and looked at me with such a look of dismay! “Mom!” his face seemed to say, “Can’t you see I only have two hands?”

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I laughed a few days later when I was sharing that with my ten-year-old granddaughter Melissa. Her response was, “So you’ve got Robbie juggling now! Maybe instead of more gourds, you should buy him more hands!” That tickled me. Robbie—juggling?

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Robbie could never juggle, but we’ve certainly all been there, haven’t we? Our hands are full, but we need to fit something else in somehow. We feel like we are doing a juggling act and something is going to fall at any moment—or maybe the whole thing will come crashing down! We are stressed out, dashing back and forth, trying to keep our eyes on the ball and everything going smoothly. We're overwhelmed and crying out, "But I only have two hands!"

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I don’t know how some of the women I know do it. They are working jobs, taking care of children or grandchildren, cleaning house, cooking, doing ministries outside the home, home-schooling, being a help to their husbands, and on and on. I live an easy life here at home compared to them, but it never really stops around here, either, with Robbie to care for, writing deadlines to meet, projects to do for our pastor and church, as well as caring for home and hubby. It is a fact of life in our modern American lives. We are too busy, too stressed, too exhausted.

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Let’s face it—juggling not only saps our strength, it also saps our joy. Our most precious treasures become liabilities; demands on us that wear us down and wear us out. Instead of enjoying our children to the fullest, we snap at them or push them away with, “Not right now! Mommy is busy!” Our husbands often get put on the back burner, the last to get our attention. And remember the old chorus, There is Joy in Serving Jesus? Where’s the joy when our ministry for the Lord turns into just one more duty I am obligated to perform?

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I think sometimes at the end of the day when we fall into bed exhausted, that we feel as Solomon did in Ecclesiastes 2:11, “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.” Well, I got through this day. Tomorrow it starts all over again.

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You may remember the old commercial, “Calgon—take me away!” David, in Psalm 55:6, said it like this—“Oh that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest.” Well, we don’t have wings to carry us away, and a Calgon bath will help for only a few minutes. What is the answer then?

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There are some things we simply must juggle—family, home, serving the Lord. Some of us simply have to work outside the home—not for the little extras, but just to put a roof over our heads and food on the table. Some things, like home schooling, are a conviction, and we know that it may not be right for all families, but it is God’s will for ours. All of these things are important; many of them are precious treasures. How do we juggle them and at the end of the day end up tired, maybe, but still joyful?

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There are four principles, I think, that can help us be successful, joyful jugglers! The first is so simple, and yet so hard to remember sometimes: Start the day, and continue all the way through, with the right attitude. Psalm 118:24 says, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” God gave us these treasures to be blessings in our lives, not burdens! Rejoice in the little ones clinging to your leg when you are trying to cook dinner; in the teenagers wanting a ride to the youth group activity; in the husband wanting his share of attention, too! Think how empty your life would be without them! Praise God for the home that has to be cleaned, the food that has to be cooked, the job you have to go to. Think how many millions of people in this world go without those very basic things. Thank the Lord for the opportunities you have to serve him with a heart of love and gratefulness for all that He has done for you. He gave you a new day! Praise Him for it! And keep the gratitude going all day long.

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The second principle goes along with the first: Do whatever it is that you have to do in God’s strength, not your own. I say it goes along with the first principle because both should be a matter of prayer before we hit the floor running. Colossians 1:10, 11 says, “That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness.” So many times I have failed when I have tried to take on something in my own strength! When we pause to read a portion of God’s word—even if it is only a verse or two—we are “increased in the knowledge of God.” When we first praise and thank Him, and then ask for His power to get through the day with patience and endurance and strength, He gives it to us and we come out at the other end of the day with joy at all that the Lord has given to us and done in us and through us.

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The third principle is this: Don’t try to be a Super-Woman! Wait a minute! you might be saying right now. What about the Proverbs 31 Virtuous Woman? She certainly had a lot on her plate to juggle! Look at this: “She seeketh wool, and flax, and worketh willingly with her hands. She is like the merchants' ships; she bringeth her food from afar. She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens. She considereth a field, and buyeth it: with the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard. She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms. She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: her candle goeth not out by night. She layeth her hands to the spindle, and her hands hold the distaff. She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household: for all her household are clothed with scarlet. She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; her clothing is silk and purple…She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; and delivereth girdles unto the merchant… She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness…Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.”

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Wow! Super-Woman? Maybe, but I think there are a few sub-principles that she can teach us. First: Don’t try to do it all alone—Delegate! It seems the woman of Proverbs 31 had maidens to help her. (vs. 15) Sure, the responsibility rested on her, and she jumped right in there with her own two hands and did her share, working from before dawn on into the night, but she had help. Second: Don’t try to do it all at once. I believe there are seasons to a woman’s life. When our children are young, they need us and we may have to postpone for a few years things that we would like to do in order to care for their needs. When we are old, we may not have the strength or physical capabilities that we once had, and we may have to give up things we once enjoyed. I cannot say for sure, but I doubt that the Virtuous Woman did all of this at the same time. She cared for her children when they were young, providing food and clothes for them. When they were older, perhaps, she entered the marketplace and helped the needy. Third: Whatever you do, do with strength and honor, wisdom and kindness, trusting and obeying the Lord. Verses 25-26, 30 say, “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come. She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised.” When our hearts are right with God, no matter what He has called us to do, we will rejoice in time to come.

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The fourth and last principle I want to mention is this: Be content with less. Ecclesiastes 4:6 says, “Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.” Part of our problem as modern American women is that we think we have to have more and better—a vacation or two every year, far more clothes than we could ever wear, a big nicely furnished and decorated house and so on and so on. We think we have to do more—run the kids to every activity imaginable, take on this project and that, have the perfect home and family. We add so much to our plate that it is no wonder we can’t keep up. If we could only realize that we can get along with far less, relax a little more when we demand less of ourselves—think what a burden that would lift!

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Psalm 90:17 says, “And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” Our hands are filled with treasures. We have to juggle sometimes, but we can do it with joy when we do it in the Lord—with praise and thankfulness, with contentment and in His strength.

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Oh, I’m still going to get Robbie that basketful of gourds, little pumpkins and apples, but I think I’ll give them to him just one or two at a time!

GREAT LADIES IN THEIR EIGHTIES

2010-09-12T02:44:00.006-05:00

It was a weekend to remember! In my mother’s words, no other weekend could ever surpass it. My aunt (my mother’s twin sister) told me it was her best birthday ever. “Bonnie and Connie’s 80th Birthday Party” at Spring Mill State Park in Indiana was a huge success, especially for the Birthday Girls. Almost all their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren were there to celebrate with them—over fifty of us altogether. We were happy for our mothers, and excited about spending the weekend with our siblings and cousins and their families.

It is a wonderful thing to see twin sisters make it to their eightieth birthday together. We’ve always enjoyed seeing them together (and yes, indeed, they fooled us sometimes as to who was who), but now they’re just downright cute as a pair! All weekend long we remarked at the likenesses and funny little traits they shared.

Sunday was their birthday and we had a special luncheon to honor them. The Lakeview Room looked out on a forest, rather than a lake, but it was pretty with its tables decked in pastels, a fully loaded gift table, and the cake with their pictures at age sixteen as the centerpiece. The food from the Inn’s special Sunday buffet was delicious and plentiful. The company was relaxed, and the fellowship was sweet, and both our Birthday Girls were beaming!

We could not let this special day go by without some spontaneous tributes given by their children, grandchildren and children-in-law. My brother called them the “grand matriarchs of the clan.” Their reputation as pranksters was mentioned. Their love, encouragement, help and generosity were appreciated. They were lauded as wonderful mothers, best friends, special grandmas, and over and over—the best mothers-in-law there ever were! I think what struck me most, however, about these heartfelt, sometimes-teary and sometimes-comical sentiments was how many times Mom and Aunt Bon were referred to as women of faith and prayer. The spiritual heritage they have laid down and their prayerful support of their children and grandchildren had made an impact in all our lives, and helped to make us the people we have become—for now and all eternity. They have been found faithful in the calling God has given them as wives and mothers, and we are all eternally grateful and love them deeply. Proverbs 31:28-31 fits them perfectly: "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her. Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all. Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the LORD, she shall be praised. Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates." (Proverbs 31:28-31)

It is hard to see our parents growing older. We see them slowing down, suffering from more and more physical ailments, sometimes even suffering mental disabilities. And always looming overhead is the knowledge that we may not have many more years left with them. For those who know Jesus Christ as our Savior, we know that the Separator called Death is but for a short time and then we will be reunited in Heaven some day, but still it is a grievous day when we have to say goodbye. We treasure the days we have left with our mothers and pray for many more years of good health to come.

The Bible tells us to honor our parents and those elderly people around us. Leviticus 19:32 says, “Rise in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord.” Ephesians 6:2-3 reminds us of one of the Ten Commandments: “Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou may live long on the earth.” Proverbs 23:22 tells us to “Hearken unto thy father that begot thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old.”

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Although it may not feel like it sometimes, old age is something to be proud of, and a blessing from the Lord. Many times the Scriptures speak of old age as “a good old age.” And although I have sworn to cover my gray hairs until the day I die (!) gray hair is a badge of honor! Proverbs 16:31 says, "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." and Proverbs 20:29 adds, “The glory of young men is their strength, gray hair the splendor of the old.” I still have my gray hair, of course, hidden somewhere—I just refuse to look older than my husband!

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With old age come many blessings. Mom and Aunt Bon would tell you (and I agree!) the greatest of these are our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. You just can’t comprehend how wonderful it is to be a grandma until you become one yourself! Someone has said that “being a grandmother is your reward for having been a mother.” Someone else has said, “Grandchildren are God's way of compensating us for growing old.” Whether or not we’ve earned them, the Bible says in Proverbs 17:6 "Children's children are the crown of old men [and old women!]"
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Hopefully, with old age comes wisdom. Job 12:12 tells us "With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding." and Job 32:7 adds "…days should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom." Old age also comes with promises. Isaiah 46:4 tells us that God does not forget us in our old age, but will carry us through: “And even to your old age I am he; and even to hoar hairs will I carry you: I have made, and I will bear; even I will carry, and will deliver you.” He is faithful in providing. "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread." (Psalms 37:25)

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God also tells us that He does not set us on a shelf in our old age but that there is still work for Him that we can do. Psalms 92:14 says, "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age ..." The elderly are to be examples of holy living and teachers. "That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience. The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things." (Titus 2:2, 3) Prayer and intercession are vital ministries the aged can have. 1 Timothy 5:5 says "Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day." The elderly are also a testimony to the generations that follow. Psalms 71:18 tells us, "Now also when I am old and greyheaded, O God, forsake me not; until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power to every one that is to come." Eunice and Lois are examples of the impact we can have on our children and grandchildren. "When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also." (2 Timothy 1:5)

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It is God who determines the length of our lives. Job 12:10 says, "In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind." Oftentimes he blesses the righteous and those who are obedient to Him with long life. He said of David in Psalms 91:14, 16, “Because he hath set his love upon me ... because he hath known my name.... With long life will I satisfy him...” 1 Kings 3:14 also says, "And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments ... I will lengthen thy days." Proverbs 3:1, 2 tells us to "... keep my commandments: For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee." and adds in Proverbs 9:10, 11, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased."

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Psalm 92:12-14 gives us a picture of the beauty of old age in those who love the Lord. It says, “The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree, He [or she] shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing.” I see beauty in my mother and Aunt Bon, and I know the Lord does, too. What a testimony they are to lives lived for Him and for their families! Many years ago I sent a poem to my grandmother—their mother. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but it bears repeating for it describes my mother and my dear aunt Bonnie—lovely in growing old. I hope I will follow in their footsteps.

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Let me grow lovely, growing old—

So many fine things do:

Laces, and ivory, and gold,

And silks need not be new;

And there is healing in old trees,

Old streets a glamour hold;

Why may not I, as well as these,

Grow lovely, growing old?

-Karle Wilson Baker-

KISS

2010-08-29T11:04:00.002-05:00

Julie and the kids arrived last night from Alabama!! Whoo-Hoo! What a fun week we have planned! Everything from taking tours of a dairy farm and a candy factory, to making jewelry and having a board game marathon, having a Girls’-Night-Out, and then going to Spring Mill State Park next weekend to celebrate my mother’s and her twin sister’s 80th birthday. It will be a full, fun and fabulous week!

It all starts with Grammy coming home from church with them today for lunch. I’ve already made the brownies (which I left in the oven waaaaay too long when I got distracted with the kids—good thing we’re having them with ice cream on top!) and the jello salad. I read aloud three chapters of the new book I wrote for Joshua to the kids. And now, while they are at church and before I start making the rest of the dinner, I must sit down and write my blog for this week.

I have less than two hours to write—and I normally spend anywhere from four to six hours writing my blog each week. What to write about? I spent the entire week working non-stop on Joshua’s book, trying to have it done before they came. Not much to talk about there. I spent some time working on the big birthday celebration, but I’ll write about that later. My kids have not been a lot of inspiration this week.

The only thing I can think of is KISS—an acronym I heard of back in the 80’s when Bob was in seminary preparing to be a preacher-boy. It stood for Keep It Short and Sweet. Or Keep It Short and Simple. Or Keep It Short, Sweetheart! (as the young seminary wives would say.) Or Keep It Short, Stupid! (as the rest of the congregation might say!)

And so I am going to KISS (and I have just used more than 300 words to tell you I am going to keep it short!) Sometimes that is not such a bad thing. My father used to like to quote Abraham Lincoln: “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt.” Before Lincoln, though, Solomon said it best—“Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” (Proverbs 17:28)

I’ve been reading in Proverbs this week and it is interesting to see how much that book has to say about keeping your words short and sweet. For instance, Proverbs 10:19 says, “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise.” Proverbs 13:3 goes on to say, “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.” and Proverbs 21:23 adds, “Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”

Proverbs talks a great deal about not just the quantity of our words, but the kinds of words we speak. We are told to put away lying, flattery, gossip, trouble-making, clamor, quarreling, perverseness and foolishness, and to speak with wisdom and kindness. Proverbs 31:26, in speaking of the virtuous woman, says, “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.”

I was thirty before I began to see the wisdom in keeping my mouth shut more often—to guard not only what I say, but how much I say. You may find that hard to believe, I know, considering how long-winded I can be when writing this blog! (Even trying to keep it short—I am over 600 words now!) I think that is why I prefer writing to speaking—I can weigh my words and backtrack—deleting what is a mistake, or awkwardly-said, or just should not have been said at all. When you are speaking, once those words are out there, they’re out there for good. You can’t take them back or delete. Whatever we say and whether we keep it short or long, we need to guard our mouths. James speaks of the tongue and the great damage it can do. “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! …And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity… the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil…" (James 3:5-8)

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Psalm 19:14 says, ”Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.” Let this be our thought for this week: Keep our words short and sweet and always glorifying to the Lord!

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(And I said it all in only 794 words!)

DOMINOES DIVAS

2010-08-22T12:02:00.003-05:00

I get together each month with several of my friends from church for an evening of fun and fellowship. And once every six or eight months it is my turn to host the group. It was my turn this week.

We jokingly call ourselves the Dominoes Divas. Dominoes because we play a game called Mexican Train with—what else—dominoes, and Divas because we are—what else—divas! Okay, I’m just kidding about the divas part. We are anything but divas! But we have a good time together and over the years have become a close-knit group.

I say over the years because we have been doing this for somewhere around eight years, I think. My friends began it way back then as a means to reach out to me at a time when I needed some friends and fellowship. Robbie had been sick for a year and I had pretty much been housebound the entire time. Even when I could leave the house, I had a hard time tearing myself away from him and had become somewhat of a recluse. Several of the women in the church decided I needed some friends and some fun and if I wouldn’t get out of the house to get it, they would bring it to me!

I didn’t even know some of them at the time! And I wasn’t even sure if I really wanted to be a part of this. It had been rather thrust upon me and at the time I was an emotional basket case. I didn’t want to leave Robbie’s side, but it made me nervous having them come to my house every month. I couldn’t come right out and say that, of course, but somehow fairly quickly we began rotating the hosting. The idea was to get me out of the house more often.

I think they knew that I was dragging my feet a bit. I made excuses once and a while not to go, but they stuck with me, and as time went by and Robbie’s condition became less critical, I became more comfortable about being a part of the group and began to appreciate even more how these friends had ministered to me with their persistent friendship and caring.

Over the years our group has changed a bit. One friend dropped out, out of necessity, while we added three new friends. The format has never changed, though. We all chip in $5 and order pizza. The hostess usually provides dessert and some snacks to munch on while we play. We play, laugh, joke, talk, encourage one another, and try not to gossip until 9:00 or 9:15 when everyone heads for home.

I must confess, I still dread it when it is my turn to host. I, who used to be Miss Hospitality and who would have large groups of people in my home every weekend for years—well, I am older and a lot lazier now! And it is not that I am nervous or uncomfortable about it anymore, either. Having people over means I have to clean my house! It’s always a good thing, though, when company is coming because it stirs me to do a bit more than just the basics. (You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?!) The second thing I dread is trying to figure out what toppings to order on the pizzas! Decisions, decisions, decisions! For some reason, that little chore always throws me for a loop!

My turn came around again this last Thursday. I had it licked this time, though! I decided to deviate from tradition and not do the pizza thing. Bob was supposed to be out of town and would not be around to pick up the pizza, and I didn’t want to ask the ladies to stop for it. I hate paying delivery charges and tips. I decided instead to make Italian beef and barbecued chicken sandwiches. I bought small French rolls so that if they couldn’t make up their minds which to have, they could have both. I made fruit kabobs on long bamboo skewers to go with the sandwiches, and had the usual assortment of snacks.

For dessert I decided to do something different, as well. How much fun would it be to have six or seven different kinds of ice cream and a couple different kinds of cones and have everyone make their own double, or even triple-dip ice cream cones! Lots of choices, lots of decisions—and it all started in the frozen food aisle at the grocery store! In the end, I had to have a stranger help me decide which flavors to buy! I told you—when there are too many choices, I am not good at making decisions!

It turns out my friends aren’t any better at that than I am! I think they all ended up trying both kinds of sandwiches. And I just had to laugh at my friends, who normally aren’t real big eaters, layer on three, four, even five different kinds of ice cream in a big waffle cone—and then go back for seconds to try the flavors they’d missed! It was crazy—and so much fun! And yes, we actually did get around to playing dominoes!

Choices. We make them every day, whether we like it or not. What to wear? What to make for dinner? What to do first from my to-do list? Which brand to buy? What to order off the menu? (I especially dislike that one—too many choices!)

My friends chose, years ago, to minister to me at a time when I really needed it. I’m sure they had plenty of other things they could have done with their time. They chose to hang in there when I was reluctant. It might have been a lot easier to say, well just forget her, then! and move on. There were others to whom they could have ministered, I am sure. Instead they continued to offer their friendship and fellowship and to show how much they cared. I had to eventually make the decision to step out of my isolation and choose what they were offering. I am so glad for the decisions we each made back then. Our little group has been a blessing, I think, to all of us.

There is so much more to ministry than preaching or teaching, soul-winning or discipling. Just being there for one another, sharing a burden, listening, showing kindness—those are things all of us in the body of Christ can do for one another. I have spent most of my adult Christian life teaching, leading, writing, and sharing the Word in one way or another. I have often had people tell me that my words meant a great deal to them. What my friends did for me, though, in just meeting my needs for friendship and fellowship, being there to share the burdens and to show they cared—well, their actions did far more for me than words could ever have done. I am so thankful they made the choice to share their lives with me.

We all have our part in the body of Christ. Let us each be faithful in whatever ministry the Lord has called us to do. Even when we are not especially or specifically given the spiritual gifts of giving or helping, however, we are all called to love our brothers and sisters in the Lord and to show kindness and share burdens. Let us make the right choices, even when it is not easy, to minister to one another.

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Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ…As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. (Galatians 6:2, 10)

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Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another…Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality…Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. (Romans 12:10, 13, 15)

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We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. (Romans 15:1, 2)

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And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. (II Peter 1:5-7)

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Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering… (Colossians 3:12)

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And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted… (Ephesians 4:32a)

PRECIOUS JEWELS

2010-08-15T09:59:00.005-05:00

Before you jump to any conclusions after seeing the title for today’s blog let me assure you—no, I did not receive any diamonds or emeralds, rubies or pearls this week. *Sigh* I’m a pretty plain girl. I don’t own a lot of gold or silver, and the only jewels I have are the diamond in my engagement ring, an opal and a blue sapphire, also in rings. I love pearls, and all my pearls are pretty—but fake.

Why then am I writing about jewels this week? I suppose what brought the topic to mind was the fact that I’ve been doing some window shopping on the internet—not buying, but just looking to see what was available if I could buy. And I wasn’t looking at diamonds or rubies or pearls. I’ve been searching for gemstones like beryl and jasper, sardonyx and chalcedony, chrysolite and jacinth.

Huh? Now why would I be interested in jewels like those? I mentioned last week that I had embarked on a new hobby of jewelry making. It occurred to me that it would be interesting to make a bracelet of the twelve precious stones that will be the foundation of the New Jerusalem that God is preparing for us someday; namely jasper, sapphire, chalcedony, emerald, sardonyx, sardius, chrysolite, beryl, topaz, chrysoprasus, jacinth, and amethyst.

I should probably back up here and tell you that I did a little research on those twelve precious stones a couple months ago as I was wrapping up my study in Revelations. I don’t know about you, but I had always been curious to know what beryl and jasper and some of those other less familiar stones looked like. We all recognize emeralds and sapphires, and even topaz and amethyst, but what is a jacinth or a sardius? As I read the description of the New Jerusalem I wondered about the foundation that God made for her, and what those twelve precious stones looked like all sandwiched together.

Here—I’ll let you read John’s description of it for yourself: “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband...And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal; And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel: On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper: and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve gates were twelve pearls: every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.” (Revelation 21:1, 2, 10-21)

Pretty impressive, isn’t it? Actually, it will exceed far beyond what our human minds can even conceive when we try to imagine the beauty and magnificence of that holy city. I Corinthians 2:9 tells us, “But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”

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My curiosity was up, though, when it came to those precious gemstones. What were their colors? How would they look all sandwiched together? I knew I could not begin to imagine the scope of its beauty, but at least I wanted to get some glimpse of what it might appear to be. I mean, we can try to imagine the pearly gates, and even the streets of pure gold although the Bible says the pure gold will be like transparent glass, but the foundation of all those beautifully colored jewels? Ahh—how lovely to have the world at our fingertips via the Internet! In a matter of seconds, my curiosity about the precious gemstones of the foundation was satisfied!

More or less. I did run into a couple interesting side notes and one little glitch. For instance, the chrysolite of today is what is more commonly called peridot, and is a pale green color. The chrysolite of a couple thousand years ago, and probably what John described, is a translucent gold. And jasper? That was a problem. Revelation 21:11 says, “Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;" When I had researched the precious stones, the only jasper I could find is an opaque reddish-brown color and usually spotted or striped. It is not clear at all. I began to wonder then if the jasper of the Bible is different than the jasper we have today. I could find no pictures of clear jasper, but I did a little more research and found out that jasper is a microcrystalline variety of quartz. Because it contains up to 20% foreign material, the color and appearance of the stone is rarely uniform and does not have the appearance of a crystal quartz stone, although clear crystal-like inclusions are visible in different varieties of the stone. Could it be that the jasper of Revelation was pure crystal, with no impurities to cloud it or add color? I'm not a geologist, so I could be way off base, but the description in Revelation 21 seems to support that idea.

And why is all this important to us now and how do we apply it to our lives? Well, I suppose the answer to that question is that it is not terribly important to us right now. I just got off on a tangent and spent many more hours researching it than it deserved in light of all the other far more important issues we find in the book of Revelations. The Lord gave us this description of the New Jerusalem, however, so that we believers might have something to look forward to and to show us how much He loves us and is planning only the best for us both now and when He calls us home. This journey here on earth is hard sometimes, but no matter how poor we feel sometimes, or how tired or discouraged, we have all the riches and beauty of God to look forward to in the end. The journey is will be worth it all when we reach our destination!

I remember the pastor I grew up with would often say that we ought not to be so heavenly-minded that we were no earthly good. I understand what he was saying, and yet what a joy it is to think every now and then on all the glories of Heaven and what the Lord is preparing for His children! He wants us to live with Him for all eternity! He wants to reunite us with our loved ones and to have us share in fellowship and worship with all our brothers and sisters from every tribe and nation and age of this world! What a family reunion that will be! He wants to motivate us to work to bring others with us to Heaven. And for the believer, He wants us to understand that there is no fear in death. We have glory and peace and joy to look forward to someday. Hallelujah and Amen!

ONE BEAD, ONE DAY AT A TIME

2010-08-08T12:36:00.004-05:00

I’ve taken up a new hobby. When I will find the time to work on it, I don’t know, but I was inspired recently to try to learn how to make jewelry. Perhaps it was when I went to a jewelry party at my sister’s a couple months ago. I loved the pieces that were made of natural stone – so smooth and shiny and colorful. They were far too expensive for me, though. Or maybe my inspiration came from the “hippie market” in Cuenca, Ecuador when I was down there several months ago. There are no hippies there. I don’t know how it got its name, but Indians sit there and make jewelry all day and sell it from their booths in an open market. That jewelry was very inexpensive. I especially loved the pieces made from shells and again the natural stones, while my daughter Laurie preferred the pieces made from coffee beans, seeds and the like because of their uniqueness.

Anyway, I took it into my head that I wanted to try to make some jewelry, so finally when we went down to Julie’s in July we went to Hobby Lobby and I stood for an hour in the bead aisles trying to figure out which tools I needed and which beads I wanted to start with and what exactly I was going to try to make. I didn’t have a clue. Another lady approached me and just as I was about to ask her for some advice, she asked me for help! She didn’t have a clue, either! I didn’t want to spend very much until I knew what I was doing, and if I would stick with it, so when I found some pretty beads on clearance, a few tools at half-price, and some free leaflets with instructions and ideas, I finally made up my mind, made my purchases and took it all back to Julie’s.

That first night I made a bracelet in five minutes. I felt like a kindergartner stringing the simple beads on a piece of elasticized plastic cord. I even had to have Bob tie the knot for me. Then he got inspired and made a matching bracelet for little Hannah with the leftover beads. We proudly went off to church that night wearing our matching bracelets.

I didn’t have another opportunity then to try my hand again with it until yesterday. When we got back from Julie’s I had a lot of catching up to do, a lot of writing, and a big project for our church’s fiftieth anniversary to work on. Finally, last night when the project was finished, I’d been sitting under my computer for weeks and I just needed to do something that didn’t take a lot of concentration (other than housework!) I decided to get out my beads and tiny pliers and wire cutters and cord and try again.

This time I got more creative and took a little more time stringing the beads in pretty patterns. The first one I made was of natural turquoise stones, some flat and round, and some in irregular shapes, with tiny clear glass bead accents. It turned out beautiful and I was so thrilled! It was exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to make. The next three were pretty, too, and were designed to be worn separately or together as they were made in a variety of patterns but with some of the same beads and in the same general color scheme. Bob tied the knots the first couple times for me, but finally I learned to do that for myself, too, so I think I progressed from kindergarten to perhaps third grade in just one night! Whoo-hoo!

I am planning to move on to making earrings and necklaces and even watches, but just making simple little bracelets on stretchy cord brought me a lot of pleasure last night. There is something about designing a pattern with all those shiny and colorful beads and stones and then carrying it through one by one until the project is complete that is very relaxing, and then when you have something of beauty in the end—well, it satisfied my creative soul.

I discovered as I was working, though, that sometimes it was a little trickier than it first appeared. There were times when I made a mistake and had to take the beads off the cord until I came to the mistake and could fix it. Other times I had to basically start over in order to change the pattern a bit to adjust for size. Once, I was totally finished and had even tied the knot, and then decided I wasn’t satisfied with some of the stones I’d used. I cut the cord and started over again with different stones. In the end, I was so glad I did!

I thought about that later and thought how like our days that sometimes is! We wake up in the morning with a plan all set as to how that day is going to go. We have a schedule to keep, our daily routine, some special event to attend or we plan to work on some special project. Our pattern is set in our minds. Bead…bead…bead…special bead…bead…bead…bead… And then something happens. Something unexpected. Someone with a need. A mini-crisis. An argument with your husband. You’re running late. All of a sudden that pretty plan you had in mind is out the window.

Julie had a week like that this week. She had planned to start homeschool—a little early, but she wanted to get a head start since she knew down the road there would be some times when they would want to take off, like when David comes home from Iraq and when they come up here for a visit. Every day, though, something came up that prevented her from moving ahead with her plans. Each time they were opportunities to minister to someone.

“Please, could you watch our children for a few hours so my husband and I can go out on a date? We need it so badly and we can’t afford a babysitter.” This from the mom of the worse little terrors in the church.

“Please, could you watch our son every day this week? He’s having problems with bullies at his daycare and there’s only one week left before school starts and he doesn’t want to go back.” Turns out he was the bully!

“Could I come over today with my children?” from a young unsaved mom on one of the worse days with the young bully she was watching.

“My little girl is home from the hospital now, so you can come over with that balloon you mentioned. Oh, and why don’t you bring dinner with you, too, and we’ll eat together?” from another unsaved mom. Big surprise to Julie about making dinner for everyone – again on a day with the little bully.

Every day was a challenge, and she never could get to even the preparation for the start of homeschool, but the Lord had a plan for her week and in the end she was so glad she was open to that plan.

The little terrors from church were sweet and good for Julie and they had a good time with them. And Julie was able to do something nice for a mom who was often a little difficult to be around.

The little bully? On the last day he came through the door with a heartfelt apology to Julie and to Joshua, whom he had picked on all week, and he did his best all day to be on his best behavior. As he was leaving that evening, he said to Joshua, “Sorry again I was a butthead to you, Joshua.” The best thing, though, was that despite the problems they were having, Julie was able to show him and his parents, who were new Christians, genuine love and forgiveness and patience.

Julie had only met the young unsaved mother a couple weeks before at swimming lessons, but she had been praying for her and asking the Lord for some way to witness to her even after swimming lessons had ended. To her amazement, the first words out of the girl’s mouth when she came over were, “I was wondering if you could tell me how I could know for sure if I was going to heaven?” Praise the Lord! Julie was all prepared, too, to talk with her and to give her a tract about salvation and a list of verses she had written out for another lady she was witnessing to. The young mother has not made a decision yet, as far as we know, but she keeps calling Julie every day wanting to talk.

The other lady Julie had written the verses for was the lady who had called her and asked her to bring dinner over. She lives just two minutes away, and amazingly, her husband’s room in Iraq is right next door to David’s! Julie had only gotten to know her recently and had had one or two opportunities to witness to her. It was inconvenient that day to make dinner and take it over, but the door is wide open to the hearts of that mom and her kids as the friendship has been strengthened and Julie has ministered to them.

By Saturday, though, Julie and the kids were frazzled and she pleaded with the Lord, “Please, could we have a little rest today?” She told me later, though, that as the day went on the Lord began to convict her until she went back and said, “Okay, Lord, however you want my days to be, let me always set aside my own plans and be open to what You have planned.”

The Lord has our days numbered and our steps ordered. Psalm 37:18, 23 says, ”The LORD knoweth the days of the upright… The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” He will lead us step by step, day by day in the way He wants us to go when we are open to his leading and obedient in following. Psalm 25:4 says, “Shew me thy ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths.” When we are obedient in following the path He has for us Psalm 16:11 says, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore.”

I would much rather have the Lord set the pattern for my life than try to do it myself. I make mistakes. I don’t always get it right. The things I would choose are not always the best or the brightest or the prettiest. I can only make those bracelets or necklaces one bead at a time. So God patterns my life one day at a time. And when He orders my steps and sets the days of my life according to His plan, it turns into a pattern of beauty and glory to Him. Obedience… ministry… faithfulness… blessing… patience… love… kindness… joy… praise… worship… prayer… peace…

FOUR DECADES…AND COUNTING!

2010-08-01T10:41:00.002-05:00

Bob and I reached a real milestone today—our 40th wedding anniversary! I have to admit—I am very excited about this one, and proud of it, too! Not that we deserve all the credit, of course. It is the Lord who brought us through four decades of “for better or for worse” and despite our immaturity, hard-headedness and sinful natures at times, gave us the love, faithfulness, respect and forgiveness that it took to be able to live together as man and wife all this time.

We thank and praise Him for giving us to each other and for helping us through these last forty years. He gave me a man who has the just the right qualities in him that I need in a husband. Bob is dependable, faithful, generous and good, and my biggest supporter. He makes me laugh! He is the best father to my children that a man could be. I have in me the qualities that he needs in his helpmate, as well—a listener and encourager, a soft place to land when he comes home, a helper and someone who loves and understands him. We thank Him for helping us to grow in love for one another.

We thank and praise Him for the beautiful family that He has given us, as well, and that our home and family have been solidly planted on Him. Our children and their spouses know and love the Lord and are serving Him. Our grandchildren, so far as they have grown old enough to understand, have each accepted Jesus as their Savior and love Him. What could be better than that? Our family has been blessed with the precious gift of Robbie and the Lord has used him, as well, to mold us all into the people He wants us to be.

We thank Him for the joy and laughter that have echoed through the walls of our home, and for peace and comfort when our hearts were breaking. We thank Him for carrying us through the floods and fire of testing and trials, and for refining us and helping us to mature in Him. We thank Him for providing for us, for protecting and leading and blessing us all these years. There have been difficult times but He has always, always been there for us. Yes, God has been good to us these last forty years, and I look forward to whatever He has for us during the next however many years He gives us together!

Laurie’s family called this morning to wish us a happy anniversary. I told them how excited we were to reach our fortieth and I mentioned that my grandparents had only celebrated their forty-sixth anniversary before the Lord called Grandpa home. I said, you never know—we might not reach our fiftieth, either, so I am really rejoicing in this milestone. Melissa piped up, “Oh, you’ll reach your fiftieth, Grandma!” and Katie added, “You might even reach your sixtieth!” I laughed. “I don’t know, Katie! Sixty years married to one man? I don’t know if I can take it!” (Just kidding, of course!)

As much as I love Bob, though, I am glad there is only one of him! I’ve been reading about Solomon this week, and I have to tell you, I simply do not understand how the man who was blessed by God to be the wisest of all men could have had 700 wives and 300 concubines!!! “So King Solomon exceeded all the kings of the earth for riches and for wisdom. And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart… And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father…And Solomon did evil in the sight of the LORD, and went not fully after the LORD, as did David his father…And the LORD was angry with Solomon, because his heart was turned from the LORD God of Israel, which had appeared unto him twice, And had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods: but he kept not that which the LORD commanded.” (I Kings 10:23-24; 11:3-4, 6, 9-10)

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Seven hundred wives??? Even for that culture, it seems a bit—shall we say—excessive? Yuck! And then even worse, to allow those women to influence him to turn away from the Lord to false gods—after all he had seen God do. After the Lord had actually appeared to him twice. After God had blessed him so abundantly, more than any other man on earth. It is just incomprehensible to me. What happened to his wisdom? It doesn’t even take a wise man to see and understand what God had done for him and for Israel—any dolt would have realized how God and God alone had so abundantly blessed him and been grateful. Shouldn’t a wise man be able to think for himself and not allow his wives to draw him away?

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I simply cannot understand the extent of Solomon’s lack of wisdom and how he turned away from the Lord, but I know we have all allowed things or other people to come between us and the Lord from time to time. I may not have the great wisdom or riches of Solomon, and perhaps I have not forsaken the Lord to the same extent that he did, either, but that does not make me any better than him. Solomon’s story makes me so sad. When we allow other things to take priority in our lives it draws us away from God and obedience to Him, and He cannot bless that in our lives.

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I mentioned a number of qualities about Bob that bless me as his wife. There is another one that is perhaps the most important of all. Bob is a godly man who encourages me in my faith. I am so grateful for a Christian husband who puts the Lord first and foremost in his life. He may not have the wisdom of Solomon, but he tries his best to serve and honor and obey the Lord, and he has led me and his children to do likewise. He tries to encourage and teach us, and he sets a good example by the way he lives his life.

Thank You, Lord, for a godly husband! Thank You for forty years of marriage and for the beautiful family You have given us! We are not wise like Solomon was, but help us in our simplicity to simply love You above all else and follow you obediently all the days of our lives. May our children and grandchildren find us faithful in our love for one another and for You and may they follow behind us in love and faithfulness, as well. We love You, Lord. Thank You!

A CHIP OFF THE OLD BLOCK

2010-07-25T00:16:00.006-05:00

We had a great week in Alabama! Being with Julie and her family is always a blessing. She and David, and their children, too, are kind and thoughtful and a lot of fun to be with. Their family life is centered around the Lord and how He would have them live, and it really shows in how their children are growing up. I am sure He must be pleased.

It is so interesting to see how their personalities are developing. Benjamin is twelve and just hitting puberty. You know—the deep ((and sometimes cracking) voice, whiskers on the upper lip, suddenly shooting up in height, and all that. What a fine young man he has become! He so reminds us of David. He’s always had his father’s genes in appearance – darker skin and hair and those heavy eyebrows – but now we see his dad’s personality all over again in him. He’s quiet and laid back, always thoughtful and willing to help, very smart and yet humble, with a love for the Lord and a godly wisdom about him that is remarkable in a child that young.

Hannah is a cute mixture of prissy princess and tomboy following in her brothers’ footsteps. She wants to keep up with them, but at the same time flaunts her girly ways in their faces – mostly because she knows anything frilly and frou-frou annoys Joshua to no end! What a tease! She’s only six, but is as tall as an eight-year-old so sometimes you forget that she is still a little girl. The challenge this week was that she desperately wanted to jump off the diving board at swimming lessons but just couldn’t quite screw up her courage enough to do it. She went in there every day absolutely determined she was going to take the plunge, and then went away disappointed in herself that she couldn’t do it. In the end though, she learned to swim and on that last day swam the entire length of the pool! And learning to swim was what it was all about, so she came away proud of herself after all! We were proud of her, too! She reminds me of Julie when she was a little girl. She could be so stubborn, but in the end that stubbornness turned into strength and determination and has been a gift in becoming the woman she is today.

It is Joshua’s personality, though, that makes me laugh! He is such a chip off the old block – Boppa’s (Grandpa’s) block, that is! There is no volume switch on either one of them. Joshua and Boppa are both loud, loud, LOUD! They have the same sense of humor. They both love to roughhouse. They both would love to be out hunting or fishing. Boppa taught Joshua to make coffee when he was just a little guy so now Joshua can’t wait until he can be a coffee drinker like Boppa! (He got to have little bit for his birthday and declared up and down that he loved it--that is, after he shook the coffee creamer bottle and spilled it all over the kitchen!) He is a hard worker like Boppa and has a kind and generous heart – with a little bit of male ego thrown in to boot. He has a strong sense of what is right and wrong and is always ready to stand up for righteousness. We call him Mini-Boppa and it just makes me laugh!

It is wonderful to watch our children and grandchildren grow and to see that “little bit of me and that little bit of you” in them. We see them carrying on the heritage they’ve been handed and it makes us proud to see that little extension of ourselves and to know that someday when we are gone, a little of us will live on in them. I made a card to send to David in Iraq a few weeks ago that had a picture of the kids on the front. I had found a photo of each of them that really showed their personalities and cropped them out and then formed a new photo with the three of them together. I put “Personality Plus!” on the front of the card with the picture and then on the inside wrote this little poem:

God took the best of Julie,
He took the best of you,
A little bit of Boppa,
Grandma and Grandpa Sanchez, too,
Threw in a part of me --
The very BEST of all of us --
And made the very cutest kids
With personality PLUS, PLUS,
and PLUS!

As I watched the kids this week and thought about how Benjamin is so like his dad, or Joshua is another Boppa, or Hannah takes after her mommy when she was a little girl, I couldn’t help but think how we are to be so like Jesus.

We are made in His image, after all. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” (Genesis 1:26a) Sin has distorted that image, but when we are redeemed we are made new creatures. We have His Spirit and our lives are transformed—transformed to be like Him. “For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.” (Romans 8:29)

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To be like Jesus—what would that be? His life exemplified love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control—all the fruit of the Spirit. He wants us to produce that fruit and be like Him. (Galatians 5:22, 23) He became a humble servant and sacrificed Himself for us. “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8) He is holy and He wants us to be holy. “Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (I Peter 1:16)

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When others look at me, do they see Jesus in me? Does my life reflect Him? Do they know I am a Christian – a “little Christ”—by how I live my life? I always loved the chorus “Let the Beauty of Jesus Be seen in Me.” It goes like this:

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Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me--

All His wonderful passion and purity.

O my Savior divine, all my being refine

Till the beauty of Jesus be seen in me.

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It makes us happy when we see ourselves in our little ones. How much it must please God when He sees our lives reflecting Him!

WILLING AND WISE

2010-07-18T02:19:00.002-05:00

We are on our way to Alabama today. Whoo-Hoo! I’m so excited! Joshua’s tenth birthday is Wednesday and we’re going down to help celebrate and also to give Julie a hand in some of the little jobs that need to be done around the house that David would normally do. Well, I should rephrase that—Bob will be doing those jobs. I’m just going down to have fun! That’s a grandma’s job, after all!

When they found out David was being deployed Joshua had come to Julie with tears in his eyes asking, “Whose birthday is Daddy going to miss while he’s gone?” He knew, of course, but I suppose he needed to talk about it. When we heard about it, we made the decision right then that, if at all possible, we would go down there for his birthday, and hopefully make it a little easier for him.

I’ve been preparing for the trip all week. Oh, not packing. I got that done in a few hours last night. No, I’ve been typing my fingers to the bone all week, trying to finish a book I’ve been working on for months. It’s the sixth in the Noble Heart series, Valley of Valor, and it is a birthday gift. Uh, not for Joshua, though. It is for Benjamin whose birthday was in February. Um, it’s a little late… Joshua is getting a special little card (among other gifts) with a title and cover picture on it that says his book is coming—a little late. (It’s the next Noble Heart Mystery and will be called A Hero’s Heart. At least I have that much figured out!) I still have Sara’s book to finish (half-done, due last April) and then Melissa, Gabi, Katie and Hannah have birthdays one after another through the end of the year. Oh, yes—Matthew gets his first book for Christmas, as well. *Sigh*

Can I do it? I have to do it! I cannot bear to disappoint any of the kids. They love Grandma’s books and eagerly look forward to the next one. What I will do when the next little Naranjo comes along, and then if Julie and David’s adoption goes through and we have Grandchildren #10, #11 and #12—oh Lord, help!

Don’t get me wrong—I absolutely love writing for the kids. I am not normally late like I have been this year. I have had several other large projects that took a lot of my time, but to be honest, I’ve struggled this year a bit in the two books I was working on, as well. Writer’s block? Probably. I’ve never really had a problem with it before, but I just wasn’t happy with how they were going and inspiration just would not come. Finally there was a breakthrough, though, and the words began to flow. It meant scrapping most of what I had already written in Benjamin’s book and going back all the way to the middle of the first chapter and basically starting over, but I was so glad I did for it all fell into place easily then. In the end, I was excited about how it turned out and praising the Lord for His inspiration and help.

And that is how I feel about what I write—that it is the Lord who gives me the inspiration and creativity to use what I write as a ministry for Him, whether it be the kids’ books, my blog, a special project at church or a simple note of encouragement. I can feel Him helping me find the right words, putting my thoughts together, giving me the message He wants me to bring. Oh, I know it is not “inspired” in the way the Word of God is miraculously and totally inspired, but I do not have a single doubt that it is He who gives me inspiration and the gifts to be able to write for Him. Never have I felt so sure that this is the ministry He has for me now.

I was reading in Exodus this week when a passage of Scripture jumped out at me. Exodus 35 is the story of how the Israelites followed God’s direction in putting together the tabernacle while they were in the wilderness. "And they came, every one whose heart stirred him up, and every one whom his spirit made willing, and they brought the LORD's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation, and for all his service, and for the holy garments. And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the LORD…And all the women that were wise hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen…And all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair…The children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the LORD, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing to bring for all manner of work, which the LORD had commanded to be made by the hand of Moses. And Moses said unto the children of Israel, See, the LORD hath called by name Bezaleel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah; And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship…And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he, and Aholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan…Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in purple, in scarlet, and in fine linen, and of the weaver, even of them that do any work, and of those that devise cunning work." (Exodus 35:21-22, 25-26, 29-31, 34-35)
*

There were several things that made me take special notice of this passage. The first thing, obviously, was that the people gave their offerings freely and with willing hearts for the work of the Lord. They had been slaves in Egypt with nothing, but the Lord had instructed them to spoil their Egyptian neighbors of their gold and jewels and wealth as they left Egypt, and now they willingly gave back to Him the riches which God had provided.

The Lord also had prepared them for this work, giving them the knowledge, skills and wisdom to do the work. They worked with wise hearts, using the talents and skills that God had given them for His work. I loved the part where it said of Bezaleel that the Lord “hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship…And he hath put in his heart that he may teach…Them hath he filled with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work…” They had willing hearts first of all, and then He made their hearts wise.

And then we see that they worked as one—united, willing and wise—and so fulfilled the work to which the Lord had called them.

*
God will always provide for His work. He asks us to have willing hearts and to give from what He has provided freely and cheerfully for His work. We can give willingly by faith because He will provide. He will prepare us for the work to which He has called us, also. God gives us the talents, knowledge, skills, ability and inspiration–the wise hearts—to do whatever it is He wants us to do. Then He wants us to work together with united hearts to accomplish His will and His work.

*
I was praising God before I read this passage for the help He had given me this week in finishing my book. To read a confirmation that it is the Spirit of God indeed who gives us wisdom, understanding, and knowledge to accomplish beautiful workmanship for Him when we are willing to be used by Him was a blessing to me.

*
Lord, thank You for providing and preparing for Your work. When you call me to do something for You, I can step out in faith knowing that You will accomplish it through me if I willingly and cheerfully trust you and use that which You have already provided. I know You have called me to write, for I feel the inspiration and wisdom and words You give me, and see the skills which only You could have provided. I cannot do it without You. Thank You for allowing me this ministry which brings me so much joy. May it always be a blessing to You, Lord, as I seek to do it for Your glory and to reach others for You. May I never fear to step out and do whatever You have called me to, may I always trust that You will provide and may I always give back to You of my possessions, my talents and my life willingly and cheerfully.

SURPRISE, SURPRISE, SURPRISE!

2010-07-11T13:16:00.002-05:00

I wanted so badly last weekend to write a blog called “I Know a Secret!” or better yet, since it was the Fourth of July, “Red, White and…Pink or Blue?” Yep, that’s right—(sing-song) somebody’s having a baby! I’m free to tell it this week (they can’t keep a secret any better than I can!)

You could have knocked me over with a feather! Laurie and I were talking on the phone last Saturday and discussing their plans to celebrate this most American of all holidays down there in Ecuador with Fernando’s family. They were having a cookout, complete with hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, baked beans, s’mores and apple pie among other yummy treats. We talked about favorite family recipes she’d be using— Grandma’s potato salad and apple pie, my beans, her aunts’ pretzel salad—and then she casually said, “We’re not going to get the kids any sparklers or fireworks, though. We’ll have our fireworks in February.”

Huh? “Fireworks in February?” I was confused. “What are you talking—What?! No! You’re not saying what I think you’re saying, are you, Laurie? You’re not—you are! You’re pregnant!” I stammered. For a moment I was speechless. Laurie was laughing, and then I realized she had put me on speaker-phone because in the background I could hear the kids all laughing, too. “You’re having a baby?”

I hardly knew what to say at first. My first thought was concern for my daughter. This was baby number six, and she would be forty years old when it came. I’ve always been thrilled to welcome new grandbabies into the world, but I have to admit, I get scared for my daughters when it comes time for the delivery. And how would she handle six children now with all that she has to do—especially the home-schooling? It was already stressful. These thoughts raced through my head, but within moments I set them aside and said, “Well, praise the Lord! Babies are such a blessing!”

“Thanks, Mom,” I heard Fernando say quietly. “Thanks for saying that.”

I knew what he and Laurie were thinking. There would be criticism from some folks at this news. Large families are not in style—even in Ecuador--anymore. They’re expensive. How could a missionary family afford to have so many children? Why couldn’t they be satisfied with the children they already have and just stop?

I must confess—I had been less than enthusiastic with the news that babies number four and five were on the way. I had quickly seen, though, that Katie and Matthew were such special, precious, wonderful little gifts and had blessed our lives immeasurably. I could not imagine the pure joy we would have missed out on if they had not been sent by God to our family. Laurie and Fernando were just as surprised as we were that God had chosen to bless them again with another child. If He saw fit to bless this world with another precious little Naranjo, then who were we to question His wisdom? He has a special plan for that life! And you have to admit—He certainly makes beautiful little Naranjos, inside and out!

This time I would not question. I’d learned my lesson. The news of a new grandbaby deserves to be met with joy and excitement—and it was. Oh, I’m still concerned for Laurie, but I have to place those fears in the Lord’s hands for He knows what He is doing.

Of course, I was full of questions. When did you find out? How far along are you? Have you figured out the due date? Which would you rather have—a boy or a girl? Have you thought about names yet? And then, of course, I could not resist teasing Laurie and Fernando about having a baby in their old age—just like Abraham and Sarah! “Just think, Laurie—you’ll be almost as old as I was when I became a grandma!” I joked. By the time we were Fernando’s age, we had three grandchildren!

She laughed. “Don’t remind me! We’ve already been calling ourselves Abraham and Sarah!”

It was just by coincidence (???) that I happened to read the account of Abraham and Sarah this week in my Bible-reading. I’ve been reading in Genesis and I came to chapters 17 through 21 where it recounts the story of the announcement by the Lord that He would bless them with a son, despite their old age, and make of them a great nation and nations. The passage goes on to tell of the birth of Isaac and the fulfillment of God’s promise—and their reactions to it.

Genesis 17:1, 5, 6, 15-17, 19; 18:12-15; 21:6 tells the story: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear? And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him…Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also? And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old? Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son. Then Sarah denied, saying, I laughed not; for she was afraid. And he said, Nay; but thou didst laugh. …And Sarah said, God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.

Their reactions to this unexpected announcement and the miraculous birth of their baby boy? They laughed! But there is laughter—and then there is laughter. Abraham’s reaction to the Lord’s promise to him seemed to be one of wonderment! He was ninety-nine years old, but he would father this miraculous son! The Lord Himself had made the announcement to him—how could he doubt it?

Sarah, on the other hand, did doubt. For many years it had been her all-consuming desire to have a child until finally her body had gone through menopause and she knew with a bitter finality that it was not to be. She was old. When she laughed, it was in disbelief and bitterness. Then, to make matters worse, when the Lord asked why she had laughed, she denied it. She tried to lie to the Lord—the One who knew her heart better than she did herself. He, in his forgiveness and grace, however, kept His promise and a year later Sarah bore a son, despite her age and the fact that her body was long-past the capability of conceiving a child.

Sarah laughed again—this time in joy at the birth of her little miracle son. And she named him the name that God Himself had chosen—Isaac—“He will laugh.”

Reading the story all over again reminded me that God has a purpose for each life that He brings into this world, and that the birth of a baby is a blessing and a gift from God and should be met with rejoicing and wonder and thanksgiving—and yes, laughter!

I was reminded also of another truth—nothing is too hard for the Lord! Sarah had become discouraged and bitter and hopeless as the years went by and her greatest desire and prayer was not granted by the Lord. She could not see that the greater miracle was about to happen, not only in the fact that she would miraculously conceive, but also in the fact that through this son, all the world would someday be blessed, for Jesus’ humanity would come through the line of Abraham and Isaac and their descendents.

God’s timetable is not always what we would desire. He does not always work in our lives in the way that we would choose or expect, but never doubt that He is at work! I must not be discouraged when time slips away and it seems that God does not hear my prayers. I should never lose hope, even when things seem impossible in my finite, human wisdom. He is still the God of miracles, and when I trust Him, He brings unexpected joy and laughter into my life! Is anything too hard for the Lord?

I was sharing these thoughts with my other daughter Julie later that day. As I recognized the discouragement and hopelessness in Sarah over the years as she had begged God for a child, I could not help think of Julie and David’s long journey on the road to adoption. It was easy to get discouraged. At times it seemed hopeless—that it was never going to really happen. I wanted to encourage her. “Look at Sarah! After her despair and hopelessness, God worked a miracle and brought joy and laughter! “Is anything too hard for the Lord?”

“Mom, I read the exact same message this morning in my devotions! ” she exclaimed That must be our word from the Lord today—is anything too hard for God?

*
They are good words to remember. When things seem hopeless; when the desires of our hearts seem to go unfulfilled; when the years have slipped by and it does not seem that God hears or cares—He is working in our lives. The miracle may yet come—but if it does not, He can change the desires of our heart to be in line with His will. Be open to His timing and working in your life. Regardless of how He works, you just may be surprised with unexpected joy and laughter!

LIBERTY FOR YOU AND ME

2010-07-04T14:16:00.003-05:00

I spent several hours this week working on a Powerpoint presentation for our pastor’s message today. In keeping with the Fourth of July, he is speaking on “The Greatest Freedom of All.” He wanted a patriotic picture for the title slide. I searched for something that would be appropriate and came upon one that was both impressive and, more importantly, conveyed the message celebrating freedom. The picture was a close-up of the Statue of Liberty, with fireworks behind her lighting the night sky. As I looked at his outline, and worked on the Powerpoint, I couldn’t help thinking of a song I first heard thirty years ago, and wishing someone could sing it in conjunction with his message. Perhaps you remember it:

Statue of Liberty

In New York Harbor stands a lady

With a torch raised to the sky;

And all who see her know she stands for

Liberty for you and me

.
I’m so proud to be an American,

To be named with the brave and the free.

I will honor the flag and our trust in God,

And the Statue of Liberty.

On lonely Golgotha stood a cross,

With my Lord raised to the sky;

And all who kneel there live forever,

As all the saved can testify.

I’m so glad to be called a Christian,

To be named with the ransomed and whole.

As the Statue liberates the citizen,

So the Cross liberates the soul.

Oh, the Cross is my Statue of Liberty,

It was there that my soul was set free.

Unashamed I’ll proclaim that a rugged cross

Is my Statue of Liberty.

Proud to be called an American. In this house we are Red, White and True Patriots – yes, sir! Our flag flies every day from spring until winter. Americana t-shirts are the favorite everyday garb for Bob and Robbie. The political talking heads are on our television most nights, and Bob loves to talk politics. To this day, although he knows his steps were ordered by the Lord in a different direction, he still talks about how he would have loved to have gone into the military.

*
He received a gift on Father’s Day from Julie and David that was right up his alley and will always be something very special to him. David sent him an American flag from Iraq that was flown over one of Sadaam Hussein’s palaces in Baghdad. Wow – you couldn’t have pleased Bob more!

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We love our country, our flag, our great American pioneer heritage. We’re proud of our motto “In God We Trust;” proud to recite the Pledge of Allegiance; proud whenever we sing The Star-Spangled Banner. We still think we live in the greatest country in the world – or in the history of the world. Americans are the most generous people in the world and the most willing to defend and help those in need. We are thankful for all with which God has blessed us in this country – for our freedoms, and our opportunities, our prosperity and our beautiful land.

*
Our hearts are heavy when we see some of our cherished values and freedoms being eroded away and the path our country is on leading away from the traditional truths of our past and the godly principles upon which our nation was founded. We are saddened when we see the moral fiber of our people wearing thin. We are sickened at the horrible destruction in the Gulf, one of our country’s most beautiful resources. We pray daily for our land and its healing – spiritually, politically and physically.

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Yes, we are proud to be citizens of the United States of America. Our son-in-law Fernando became a citizen of this country a couple years ago, and he and all of his children hold dual citizenship in both the US and Ecuador. I, too, hold dual citizenship. As much as I hold dear my US Passport that proclaims to all the world that I am a US citizen, with all the authority, rights and protection of the US government behind me, I treasure my other citizenship far more.

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The Bible tells us that as followers of Christ our citizenship is in Heaven. Philippians 3:20 says, “For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” I am proud to be called an American. I am prouder still to bear His name – a Christian. As an American I love our motto “In God We Trust.” As a Christian I live by the motto, “In God I Trust.” I proudly say the Pledge. I am humbly grateful for His Promises. I love to sing The Star-Spangled Banner. It brings tears to my eyes to sing The Old Rugged Cross. We thrill to all the beauty of our land’s natural resources and bounty. We cannot even begin to imagine the beauty of our Heavenly homeland someday. We honor those who have shed their blood to insure the freedoms of our country. We love and serve and worship the One who shed His blood for our freedom from the power and penalty of sin.

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In New York harbor stands the symbol of our freedom – the Statue of Liberty. On Golgatha’s hill stood a cross that symbolizes true and eternal freedom. May we always be proud and grateful to wear the name American, which was bought with a price so dear. And may we who bear His name – Christian – be ever thankful, ever unashamed, ever bold and strong to stand proudly for the cross and the Savior who paid the most precious, sacrificial price of all, His blood, for our salvation.

POTPOURRI III

2010-06-27T15:02:00.005-05:00

A Challenge for Change -- I heard something on the radio program Haven Today a couple months ago that challenged me, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since. A blogger named Amy Gross was being interviewed. She has quite a large following at http://www.momstoolbox.com/ and promotes a program that definitely caught my interest. It is called The Bible in Ninety Days and is just what the name implies – a plan that encourages people to read the Bible from cover to cover in just ninety days.

The Bible in Ninety Days is not original to Amy Gross, however. A man by the name of Ted Cooper developed it. His is an interesting story, actually. He was an agnostic to begin with, but as his children began to grow and ask questions, he began to wonder. Wanting to settle the issue once and for all, and to do it quickly, he decided to read the Bible through. He divided the number of pages in a Bible by ninety so he could be done in three months time, and began to read. Halfway through the Old Testament he accepted Christ as his Savior. His life was changed and as he grew, he wanted to share what had happened to him with others. He began to develop study notes and a curriculum to go along with the Bible-reading.

Amy heard about this plan and did it for herself – several times – and then shared it on her blog. From there it has continued to grow as she has encouraged others to do The Bible in Ninety Days along with her. As I listened to her describe the plan a question immediately came to my mind – “But what good does racing through the Scriptures like that do? Can I get anything of value for my life from it, or is it just a notch in my belt to say I’ve done it?”

Amy answered my questions almost before I was through thinking them. First of all, she shared the study guide that she uses. It is called SOAP. After reading the Scripture passages for the day (which usually takes about an hour), she chooses the one thing she believes God might be telling her that day. Then with her Bible and journal she applies SOAP:

***S: Scripture – She chooses one small passage out of the reading – it might be only a

*****verse or two – that she believes the Lord is using to speak to her that day and writes
*****it in her journal.

***O: Observation – She asks herself the question, “What is God telling me here?”

***A: Application – Then she asks, “How can I apply it to my life?

***P: Prayer – She prays, asking God to show her how and to enable her to make that
*****application in her life.

There are other benefits from reading the Bible in this manner, Amy says. First, reading the whole Bible in just ninety days helped her to get an overall perspective on the Scriptures and to see how wonderfully and miraculously they fit together. Then, it answered many of the questions she had had over the years. And finally, it changed her. Her relationship with Christ grew as she read and listened to His Word. II Timothy 3:16, 17 says, after all, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”

*
Every few months Amy issues the challenge again to join her in reading the Bible in ninety days. The official Challenge begins again in a week, on July 5th. Of course, you don’t have to do it with her in the Challenge. I considered starting The Bible in Ninety Days on my own back in April when I first heard about it, but I had just begun the series of 43 messages on the book of Revelation by Dr. David Jeremiah called Escape the Coming Night and I was already spending two or three hours a day listening to them. The timing worked out just right that I will finish that series this week and be ready to begin The Bible in Ninety Days Challenge next week.

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If you’re interested in reading more about this yourself, check it out at on Amy Gross’ website at http://www.momstoolbox.com/. She’s got a lot of other interesting things there, too, as well as the link to the ninety-day reading schedule. An hour, or hour and a half, a day may seem like a lot to carve out of one’s day, but I think all of us can generally find the time to do what is really important to us. I may have to get up earlier in the morning, or cut out something else of less importance to get it done, but I want to challenge myself to accomplish this in full. I challenge you to do it, too!

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Hot, Hot, Hot! – It has been sooooo hot the last week or two! Hannibal, MO, where we had our family reunion last weekend, was so hot and humid that the first thing I did when I got to town was to go straight to WalMart to buy some cooler clothes than the ones I had brought with me. I could have dealt with it if the air conditioning had been working correctly at the hotel, but that first day, at least, it was nearly as miserable inside as it was outside. Bob doesn’t call it Missouri. He says “Hannibal, Misery.”

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It’s been nearly as hot and muggy here in NW Indiana, though, this week as it was there. Every time I e-mail my son-in-law David, however, and am tempted to complain about the heat I just feel foolish. He is stationed in Iraq and Julie told me last night that the temperature there lately has been 124 degrees! It is a dry heat, but David said it is like being in an oven, and when the wind is blowing, it is like a blast oven. It’s hard for us to imagine, isn’t it? He gladly told Julie of a little relief they had the other day. It only got up to 100 degrees that day. A virtual cold snap!

*
It’s all relative, isn’t it, and dependent on our perspective. I am sure when David gets back to steamy Alabama he’ll be thankful for the weather there! Somehow, we managed to live through these same hot, humid temperatures back before the days of central air conditioning. We now endure them only long enough to hustle from door to car to door and back again. I remember, as a kid, sitting in front of a fan with a tall glass of ice water to stay cool, or spending my days at the pool. Now if the electricity fails, or my air conditioner goes out it is a calamity! We are so spoiled… Nevertheless, I thank Him for modern technology once again in allowing us the luxury of central air!

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Imagine living your life in the blast furnace of heat in Iraq and Israel – the part of the world where this Scripture was given – in the days before electricity, and the feeling behind this verse becomes even clearer: “O Lord, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.” (Isaiah 25:1, 4) He is faithful to meet all our needs; a refuge to us from the storm and from the heat, a way through the floods and the fire. Praise His name!

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Pumpkin, the Prodigal Pup – Okay, I just can’t resist sharing another Pumpkin story with you.

*
Julie called the night before we left for Hannibal in tears. Pumpkin was lost. They’d been looking for hours and had not found her before night fell. Julie was broken-hearted and the kids were crying. Somehow (they think she was chasing a rabbit), she had found a loose board in the fence and in a matter of minutes disappeared out of their backyard. Julie especially was kicking herself because the dog didn’t have her collar on. She’d had a sore on her neck so Julie had removed the collar a day or two earlier to allow the cut to heal. Now, unless someone took her to a vet or the pound and they found the microchip identifying her, she might be gone for good. And what if she got hit by a car, or grabbed by a coyote? The precious, pampered little pound puppy who had only been with them two months had quickly worked her way into their hearts and home and now they were worried sick about her.

*
I was heartsick, too. I had to get up early to leave for Hannibal, but it was well after 3:00 AM before I finally fell asleep. I was praying that somehow the Lord would protect Pumpkin wherever she was during that night and bring her home. It was hard to imagine that the sweet blessing that Pumpkin had been to Julie and the kids since David left for Iraq was gone for good. I reminded the Lord (as if He needed reminding) of the lost sheep, the lost coin, and even the lost son of which Luke 15 speaks, and the rejoicing when they are found! (Okay, I know comparing a lost dog to a sinner who accepts the Lord doesn’t quite work, but still…) I asked Him to show those children who were praying with all their hearts His glory in miraculously returning their pet.

*
After her own sleepless night, Julie got up early and went out to hang up posters around the neighborhood. She gathered the phone numbers of all the vets, pounds, and police departments in the area to call and ask them to be on the lookout for Pumpkin. She was just about to start calling when the phone rang. Someone in the subdivision had found Pumpkin the night before and seen one of the posters!

*
They hurried over to get her. It was just as Julie had imagined – Pumpkin had ended up several streets over, just on the edge of the subdivision where she would have been out on the highway if she had gone any further, and seen a man out in his yard. She had run to him, flung herself over on her back with belly exposed, and begged for love and attention! The older couple, dog-lovers themselves with three dogs of their own, took her in for the night and were all set to take her in to their own vet the next morning to look for a microchip when they saw the poster.

*
The rejoicing over the prodigal pup was great! Julie called me as we were on our way to Hannibal and told me the good news. Oh, such relief – and thanksgiving to God! I could enjoy the reunion now without worrying about my grand-puppy (just kidding about the grand-puppy part!) “Rejoice with me; for I have found the [pup] which I had lost!” Julie laughingly told me later that Pumpkin’s overnight adventure had cost her another $50, as she took homemade cookies and a gift certificate to Cracker Barrel to the people who had found her later that evening.

*
Julie tells me every time she mentions Pumpkin, what a wonderful, sweet, smart, good little dog she is and how they feel so blessed by God to have her. She has helped them through a difficult time. Just last night, she said, Hannah was praying and thanked God for Pumpkin – her doggie-sister! It took Hannah a while to adjust to having a dog, and in fact, it seemed she was a little jealous of the attention Pumpkin received at first. To hear her call Pumpkin her “doggie-sister” was new and a step in the right direction! Of course, a little later last night when Julie stopped to pet Pumpkin and say (in baby-talk), “Oh, what a good girl you are, Pumpkin! Such a good girl!” she heard Hannah plaintively ask, “Aren‘t I a good girl, too, Mommy?” *Sigh.* It’s a good thing God gave her a doggie-sister to prepare her for when she gets her adopted siblings from El Salvador!

A LOVE LETTER FROM OUR FATHER

2010-06-20T23:37:00.005-05:00

My dad went home to be with the Lord seven years ago this week. The last Father’s Day we celebrated with him was just eight days before he had his massive attack. A year later we wondered how we would get through that first Father’s Day without him, but the Lord graciously had planned a diversion for us to make that day go by more easily – our biannual family reunion. There was a huge empty place at the reunion that year, but being with the big extended family of aunts, uncles and cousins, not to mention Mom and our siblings, for four laugh-filled days helped us to get through it.

*
This year our Ward Family Reunion falls on Father’s Day weekend again. We’ll be thinking about Dad, I am sure, but rejoicing once again at the thought of him enjoying the wonders of Heaven! We’ll be looking forward, too, to our Great Family Reunion someday with him and all the family of God! Isn’t it so awesome that God not only provided salvation for us, but also made us a part of His family? We’re not going to Heaven alone – it will be one big reunion for all eternity! And the best part is that God Himself is our Father! As much as I love and honor my dad, and thank the Lord for giving him to me, there is no comparison between the love and sacrifices of our earthly fathers to the love and sacrifice of our Heavenly Father.

*
Since I am at the reunion today, I’m going to take a pass on writing a full “Sundays with Cindy” this week and instead share something I’ve been saving for almost a year now for this day. It is not original to me (the author is unknown), and you may have even seen it before, but it is so exciting and heart-warming and humbling and – well, you’ll see if you read it and stop to think as you do about the great love our Heavenly Father has for us. It is a love letter to us from our Father, and I hope it means as much to you as it did to me when I first read it. If it doesn’t make you feel special and truly beloved, I don’t know what would…

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My Child,

You may not know me, but I know everything about you. (Psalm 139:1)

I know when you sit down and when you rise up. (Psalm 139:2)

I am familiar with all your ways. (Psalm 139:3)

Even the very hairs on your head are numbered, (Matthew 10:29-31)

For you were made in my image. (Genesis 1:27)

In me you live and move and have your being, (Acts 17:28)

For you are my offspring. (Acts 17:28)

I knew you even before you were conceived. (Jeremiah 1:4-5)

I chose you when I planned creation. (Ephesians 1:11-12)

You were not a mistake, for all your days are written in my book. (Psalm 139:15-16)

I determined the exact time of your birth and where you would live. (Acts 17:26)

You are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14)

I knit you together in your mother's womb (Psalm 139:13)

And brought you forth on the day you were born. (Psalm 71:6)

I have been misrepresented by those who don't know me. (John 8:41-44)

I am not distant and angry, but am the complete expression of love, (1 John 4:16)

And it is my desire to lavish my love on you (1 John 3:1)

Simply because you are my child and I am your Father. (1 John 3:1)

I offer you more than your earthly father ever could (Matthew 7:11)

For I am the perfect father. (Matthew 5:48)

Every good gift that you receive comes from my hand (James 1:17)

For I am your provider and I meet all your needs. (Matthew 6:31-33)

My plan for your future has always been filled with hope (Jeremiah 29:11)

Because I love you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah 31:3)

My thoughts toward you are countless as the sand on the seashore, (Psalms 139:17-18)

And I rejoice over you with singing. (Zephaniah 3:17)

I will never stop doing good to you (Jeremiah 32:40)

For you are my treasured possession. (Exodus 19:5)

I desire to establish you with all my heart and all my soul (Jeremiah 32:41)

And I want to show you great and marvelous things. (Jeremiah 33:3)

If you seek me with all your heart, you will find me. (Deuteronomy 4:29)

Delight in me and I will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4)

For it is I who gave you those desires. (Philippians 2:13)

I am able to do more for you than you could possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:20)

For I am your greatest encourager. (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

I am also the Father who comforts you in all your troubles. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

When you are brokenhearted, I am close to you. (Psalm 34:18)

As a shepherd carries a lamb, I have carried you close to my heart. (Isaiah 40:11)

One day I will wipe away every tear from your eyes (Revelation 21:3-4)

And I'll take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. (Revelation 21:3-4)

I am your Father, and I love you even as I love my son, Jesus, (John 17:23)

For in Jesus, my love for you is revealed. (John 17:26)

He is the exact representation of my being. (Hebrews 1:3)

He came to demonstrate that I am for you, not against you (Romans 8:31)

And to tell you that I am not counting your sins. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

Jesus died so that you could be reconciled. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)

His death was the ultimate expression of my love for you. (1 John 4:10)

I gave up everything I loved that I might gain your love. (Romans 8:31-32)

If you receive the gift of my son Jesus, you receive me (1 John 2:23)

And nothing will ever separate you from my love again. (Romans 8:38-39)

Come home and I'll throw the biggest party heaven has ever seen. (Luke 15:7)

I have always been Father, and will always be Father. (Ephesians 3:14-15)

My question is…Will you be my child? (John 1:12-13)

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I am waiting for you. (Luke 15:11-32)

Love, Your Dad,

ALMIGHTY GOD

IT'S ALL RELATIVE

2010-06-13T14:20:00.005-05:00

We’ll be heading for Hannibal, MO this coming Friday to attend the 2010 Ward Family Reunion. I’m excited about that! Our family reunion happens every other year, and I think I speak for most of the family – we look forward to it eagerly!

There are around 150 Wards, now, stemming from Grandpa and Grandma Ward (Harris and Gladys), and the number continues to grow every year through births and marriage and even adoption. I’ve lost track of the exact number again, but I’d say in the four generations that have followed them so far, Grandma and Grandpa have done pretty well for themselves! They are both in Heaven now, but I (the second of Generation 2) remember them both well and to this day still love and miss them. Grandpa died in 1973, and Grandma lived almost 21 years without him. My granddaughter Sara was the first of Generation 4 and she was only five months old when Grandma went home to be with the Lord. Generation 4 never knew Grandma and Grandpa, and now here we are—in a few years we will no doubt begin Generation 5. Time and their legacy march on.

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All eight of Grandma and Grandpa’s children are still alive and I so look forward to seeing my aunts and uncles at these reunions! Some of them are embarking into their eighties now. I dread the day when someone is missing from our reunion here on earth. We’ve already lost two of their spouses – my own dad and Uncle Sam. Praise God, we will have a grand reunion in Heaven, though, for most of my family knows the Lord as their Savior, and someday “the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (I Thessalonians 4:16, 17) For now, though, I will cherish the time I get to spend with them at our reunions and treasure the memories we have of good times together.

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And then there are the cousins. I have twenty-seven first cousins among the Wards. My cousin David went home to Heaven at the young age of 44. One of the regrets of my life has been that I never really got to know David as an adult. I have wonderful, funny memories of him as a little boy and young teen, but by the time he grew up we had gone our separate ways – he in the Air Force and me with my little family out to Colorado. That time in Colorado was where God wanted us, and I am glad for the years we spent there, but I didn’t have many opportunities to keep up with my extended family being so far away. I missed many weddings and reunions and other family gatherings during that time. We had returned to Indiana when David died, though, and I suddenly realized how precious my family was to me, and I never wanted to have regrets like that again. I wanted to really know my cousins. That is when the reunions really became important to me. Our family website and message board, called the Gab, which was begun the night after David’s funeral by his brother Reid, became an invaluable tool, also, in drawing us all closer together.

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Even the younger generations look forward to our reunions! I don’t know of too many teenagers who look forward to family reunions, but our kids have always been excited to pick up right where they left off two years before and share the excitement and fun of playing jokes on each other and especially on the aunts and uncles! There have been many a TP’d car – and even a few Saran-wrapped ones! Playing tag at midnight in an old cemetery, scavenger hunts, picnics and games, variety shows we put on ourselves, lots of time in the pool – all this and more kept them coming back for more.

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Bob’s family is having a mini-reunion this afternoon out at a cousin’s house. It’s not the big three-day, organized event that the Ward’s have biannually, but I am really happy Bob is going. His family is not close at all, and Bob has not seen most of these aunts and uncles and cousins in decades, but he has fond memories from his childhood of them. I hope he has a great time. It didn’t work out for Robbie and me to go because he has to leave for it straight from church this morning, but he went armed with pictures and I am sure, knowing Bob, he’ll be bragging on his kids and grandkids!

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Marriage and family was the first of God’s institutions here on earth. The Bible tells of many different family dynamics in the stories of the Old Testament, and teaches principles for living within our families in the New Testament. We see husband/wife relationships and parent/child relationships, of course, but then there are also stories of sibling rivalries (ie. Cain and Abel, Joseph and his brothers, Leah and Rachel), in-law relationships (bad—Laban and Jacob; good—Naomi and Ruth), and intergenerational bonds (Lois, Eunice and Timothy.) We see uncles mentioned (Saul’s and David’s) and even cousins (Mordecai and Esther, and Mary and Elizabeth.)

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Family is extremely important to God. Not only was it the first of His institutions, but it also is what he uses to illustrate our relationship with Him and with one another. He is our Father. ”After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.” (Matthew 6:9) Romans 8:14-17 says, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” What an amazing and awesome truth!

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As believers, we are brothers and sisters in the Lord and are to treat one another as family. “Rebuke not an elder, but treat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity.” (I Timothy 5:1, 2) The church’s relationship with Christ is likened to a bride and her groom and a marriage. “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.” (Revelation 19:7-9)

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I love my big earthly family and am so glad that death does not separate us forever when we know Christ as our Savior. How awesome to be part of an even larger family – the family of God! “For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,” (Ephesians 3:14, 15) Won’t that big family reunion in Heaven when we are all gathered at the marriage supper of the Lamb be wonderful! It thrills my heart here on earth to sing His praises at our little worship service at our family reunions. I can’t even imagine having all eternity to sing His praises with my brothers and sisters from every tribe and nation and people and era of this world when we are all together before His throne!

THE GOOD NEWS AND THE BAD NEWS

2010-06-06T14:42:00.002-05:00

It’s been one of those weeks. Good news for one daughter. Bad news coming from the other daughter. Which should I tell you first? Let’s start with the good news…

At last! After two years of jumping through hoops, cutting through red tape and shelling out nearly twenty thousand dollars—so far—there has been some real action in Julie and David’s adoption process! When they started this journey, they were approved to adopt up to three children up to age four. Over this last year, though, as they have prayed and learned more about the situation in El Salvador, the Lord has been laying on their hearts the plight of the older children who are languishing in that country’s orphanages.

The government agencies until now have been totally closed to international adoptions, and very seldom even allowed domestic adoptions to go through. Thousands upon thousands of children have spent their entire childhoods in overcrowded orphanages, therefore, only to be kicked out in their late teens into a world where they have no one who cares about them or who is willing to help them get their start in life. Julie and David had started praying fervently that somehow God would work a miracle in the hearts of those who control these policies and open up the orphanages so that at least some of these children could find real homes and loving families. (Their adoption was to go through a lawyer and be done privately, catching those little ones before they were lost in the orphanage system. Even these private adoptions were very few and far between and the last two years had stopped altogether.)

The miracle happened this week! Suddenly, the orphanages in El Salvador have been opened to international adoptions and Julie and David’s agency was given the names of several children, including one sibling group, who have been approved for adoption. For Julie and David, who all along were thinking they would adopt babies or toddlers, this was an exciting answer to prayer – and a challenge. Should they continue in their quest for little ones, or was the Lord calling them to open their hearts to these lost children who had little hope of ever having a home and family?

The sibling group caught their eyes—and captured their hearts. They were two sisters, Mirna and Karen, ages ten and six, and their little four-year-old brother Daniel. They knew nothing more than their names and ages, but somehow, as they prayed, the Lord began impressing these children upon them. They felt God’s leading to tell the agency that they were very interested in Mirna, Karen and Daniel and to ask for more information. They found out on Friday that the lawyer was given permission to go to the orphanage this coming week and talk to the children and take their pictures. He was also told by the government agency that if Julie and David decide they want to adopt them, that the agencies will do all they can to expedite the approvals and processes!

Now, we don’t know for sure yet if these are truly the children the Lord intends for them to have, or if they are another stepping stone to the Lord changing Julie and David’s hearts and direction, but it is encouraging and a joy to see what has come to pass this week, and at last to be able to pray for three little orphans by name. David and Julie are not naïve. They know that taking this huge step, if it is to be, won’t be easy. There will be many hurdles – emotional baggage, language barriers at first, new and different family dynamics, the logistical issues of doubling the size of their family, the expense of the adoption (it could be another $20,000 before they are all done) and so on. If anyone, with God’s help, can handle it, though, I know they can. They have felt for a long time that besides the adoption, the Lord may be leading them into some kind of orphan ministry. This would certainly be a first step in that direction! Regardless of how this turns out, praise the Lord for answered prayer!

That’s the good news. Now for the bad news…

Poor Laurie and Fernando. It is one spiritual battle, one trial after another in their lives. They are so worn out, and fighting discouragement as Satan hurls his arrows at them. The last week or two have been hard. Melissa’s broken wrist and surgery, being threatened with a $600 fine because Sara wouldn’t open the door to two truckloads of people demanding entrance and her signature on papers supposedly for the government when her parents weren’t there, and now this among other things…

They took an overnight trip to Guayaquil to pick up my niece Rachel at the airport. That evening they got a call from the alarm company that alarms were going off all over their house! Fernando had forgotten to leave keys to the new house with his family, but he called them and asked if they could at least drive over there and see if robbers were carting their things out the gate. They called back and said, no—there were no robbers but they could see water pouring out from under the back door! Fernando then called William, the fellow who had installed the alarm system, and asked if he would please go over there and try to get over the wall and into the house to see what was going on.

William called back a while later. He got over the wall (and was shocked by the electric fence on top of the wall in the process) and managed to get the door open and then let Fernando’s family in. A pipe had broken under the sink in one of the bathrooms upstairs and the entire second floor was running with water, the water was pouring down the stairs and covering the first floor with several inches of water, as well. To make matters worse, water was pouring through most of the ceiling on the first floor, also. The alarm control box had gotten wet, too, and shorted out, and was a loss.

They could not drive home over the mountains at night (Rachel didn’t get through customs until 2:30 AM anyway), but bless their hearts, Fernando’s parents and several of his siblings stayed for hours, wet-vacuuming out the water and cleaning up the mess the best they could. When they got home the next day, the laminate floors upstairs were already beginning to curl up and water was still dripping through the ceilings downstairs. None of their possessions seemed to be ruined, but they will have to replace the floor and repair the ceiling. They can’t ask their landlady to do it, even though it was her pipe that broke and not their fault, for fear that she will kick them out of the house.

Please pray for them as they deal with one more thing that is a strength-zapper, money-waster and time-robber—just the very things that Satan knows will hinder the ministry and discourage them. The more they see fruit for their labors, the more Satan fights them. They are counting their blessings that it wasn’t robbers, it wasn’t an accident driving through the mountains, no one got hurt or killed and so on. They know God is in control and for some reason allowed it. Still, after the last few months, they are exhausted and it is hard humanly-speaking to keep praising and thanking God even in the midst of yet another trial.

There’s good news and there’s bad news…

The bad news is that we fight against Satan and all his cohorts. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)

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The good news is that Satan and all his cohorts cannot separate us from the love of God. “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38)

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The bad news is that Satan is like a roaring lion, seeking to devour us. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” (I Peter 5:8)

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The good news is that God is greater than Satan and is here with us in the battle. “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4) “Whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.” (I Peter 5:9, 10)

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The bad news is Satan uses every trick and wile and lie and deceit and temptation and weakness to fight against us. “He [Satan] was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.” (John 8:44)

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The good news is God has given us resources to fight against Satan. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;” (Ephesians 6:10-18) Notice it is persevering prayer that enables us to use the armor of God.

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The bad news is Satan never gives up. “And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.” (Job 1:7) He is constantly, as long as he is the prince of darkness and this world, at work. “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” (Ephesians 2:2, 3)

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The good news is that the victory has already been won over Satan! “Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out.” (John 12:31) ”And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” (Revelation 20:2, 10)

I would say to Laurie and Fernando and all who are exhausted in the battle, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:9) We understand their weariness, and so does the Lord. Let us pray for strength and rest and comfort for them, and that they will feel the presence of God at their side and going before them as they face the battle against the adversary.

II Chronicles 20:15 says, “Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed…for the battle is not yours, but God's.” Satan will be defeated – he is defeated already! Victory is the Lord’s—and victory is ours! That’s the GOOD news!

FEAR NOT, ONLY BELIEVE

2010-05-30T12:31:00.002-05:00

One of a parent’s greatest fears is that their child will become seriously ill or injured, or that they might even die. I’ve been through that trial many times. Whenever I hear of a parent facing a situation like that I can truly empathize. No matter how great one’s faith, or how spiritually mature a Christian parent may be, it is traumatic to see your child suffering and know that you are helpless to take the pain away. Grief and fear are natural. I’ve struggled with it, even though I knew in my mind and believed with all my heart that God is in control, and that He loves us and wants only the best for us. Guilt then mingles with the other emotions running rampant through you, for you wonder, If I am truly trusting God, why am I so afraid?

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My cousin and her husband were suddenly faced with that kind of situation this week when their not-quite-six year old ended up in surgery for a ruptured appendix. Gangrene had already set in, and if they had not gotten him in when they did, he could have easily died. I have not talked to Wendy yet, but I am sure she and Rick went through all the emotions I have described. Disbelief at first that this is actually happening, fear, worry, grief, helplessness, guilt -- the emotions lead to tremendous stress, and the stress leads to exhaustion. Praise God, little Dima is going to be just fine, but I am sure it will take Wendy and Rick just as long to recover from this ordeal as it will Dima!

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We got a phone call yesterday from Ecuador that our nine year old granddaughter Melissa had been injured and was in surgery. I’ve been dreading a phone call like that, hearing that one of our children or grandchildren had been hurt or was seriously ill and we were so far away that we could not go to them. Praise the Lord, though, it turned out to be only a badly broken wrist, and although the recovery may be long and painful, she will recover very nicely in the end.

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Both of these heart-wrenching events this week will be short-lived and in a few months they will simply be distant memories. For the parent of a severely handicapped or chronically ill child, though, the battle goes on – and on and on. For the parent of a terminally ill child, or even the bereaved parent, it can be a nightmare that seems to have no end.

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The Bible tells of a man named Jairus who came to Jesus when his twelve year old daughter was lying at death’s door. “And, behold, there cometh one of the rulers of the synagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw him, he fell at his feet, And besought him greatly, saying, My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray thee, come and lay thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live. And Jesus went with him; and much people followed him, and thronged him…While he yet spake, there came from the ruler of the synagogue's house certain which said, Thy daughter is dead: why troublest thou the Master any further? As soon as Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith unto the ruler of the synagogue, Be not afraid, only believe. And he suffered no man to follow him, save Peter, and James, and John the brother of James. And he cometh to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and seeth the tumult, and them that wept and wailed greatly. And when he was come in, he saith unto them, Why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when he had put them all out, he taketh the father and the mother of the damsel, and them that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying. And he took the damsel by the hand, and said unto her, Talitha cumi; which is, being interpreted, Damsel, I say unto thee, arise. And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment.” (Mark 5:22-24; 35-42)

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Jairus was terrified. His daughter was his only child. He was a ruler in the synagogue, and you may recall, those men down at the synagogue weren’t too happy with Jesus – in fact, they were seeking a way to get rid of Him. Jairus, though, believed in Jesus. He may have kept that belief a secret from the other rulers, but still, when it came to his child’s life, he did not hesitate to confess his belief. What were Jesus words to Jairus? “Be not afraid, only believe.”

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Jairus had already realized who Jesus was, and trusted Him enough to come to Him in his moment of great need, but still he was afraid. Jesus recognized that Jairus would naturally be afraid. He did not reprimand him for that fear, but instead was telling him to set aside that fear and cling to his belief in Christ.

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In this account of Jairus’ daughter, and again in the story of the nobleman’s son (John 4:46-53), we see parents who are torn apart with grief and fear at the illness of a child, and whose children did, in fact, die. Again, in the story of Lazarus of Bethany we see a beloved brother who is sick and dies. (John 11:1-45) In each of these cases that daughter, son and brother is raised from the dead because of the belief of those who loved them, and also as Jesus said in John 11:4 “for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby.” These were miracles that would shine a light on Who Jesus really was for the people of that day and show them that truly, He was the Son of God.

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We still see miracles of God these days even though Jesus no longer walks this earth. Children, and adults, too, recover from their deathbeds, or are even miraculously resuscitated. Why does not God answer our prayers every time, when a believer calls unto Him for the miraculous healing of a loved one? The simple answer is, I don’t know. I do know, though, that He is working in the lives of that one and all those around him or her in His own way and for His own purpose. I do know that He loves us with an everlasting love and hears those prayers and always answers – although sometimes the answer is no. I do know that He knows what is best for us and that He is in control.

It is not wrong to be afraid. It is wrong to cling to that fear. There comes a time when we must set it aside and cling instead to our belief in Christ and His love for us, regardless of the outcome. Trust Him. Fear not, only believe.

THE STUPIDS STEP OUT

2010-05-23T12:41:00.006-05:00

Many, many years ago someone in our family brought home a ridiculous little children’s book called The Stupids Step Out. It was the first in a series about the Stupid Family and their confusion in accomplishing the simplest of tasks and understanding the simplest of concepts. We laughed at the Stupids’ idiosyncrasies and well, stupidity, but unfortunately, we also recognized there is an awful lot of the Stupids in us from time to time! Now whenever we have one of those foolish moments when we are caught in public doing something ridiculous, we laugh and say, “Well, the Stupids step out!”

My sister Cheree and I somehow tend to feed off each other and promote public stupidity when we are together. We also call them our “Lucy and Ethel moments.” It’s hard to say which one of us is Lucy and which is Ethel, but one of us will usually lead the other into trouble and the other sister will blindly follow. Then we laugh our heads off at ourselves – and continue to giggle at the memories of those moments for years to come.

For instance, there was the time we were in a department store and Cheree asked, “Which way do we go?” We were standing next to the escalator and I answered, “Up there.” No sooner had she put her foot on the first step, though, when I said, “No wait! It’s that way!” Too late – one of Cheree’s feet continued to go up the escalator while the rest of her was planted firmly at the bottom, struggling to pull back and go the other way. Somehow she was stuck, and I was laughing so hard I was no help to her whatsoever.

I give Cheree a lot of credit for doing most of the driving when we travel, but we have had several “Stupids Step Out” moments on the road – like the time we got confused about which way to go and she ended up driving ‘round and around the little island upon which a traffic light stood, to the amusement, or perhaps the disgust, of all the other drivers around us. Then there was the time we were trying to go through a toll booth when the man ahead of us apparently lost part of the change he was throwing into the basket. He pulled up to the gate but the gate refused to go up. We were stuck then, too, so I suggested, “Just throw our money in and maybe the gate will lift.” Cheree did as I said, and sure enough, the gate went up. The other driver went through, but as we tried to scooch through, too, right behind him, the gate came crashing down on the roof of Cheree’s car, leaving a yellow paint streak down the roof as we went on through! Oops!

As the older sister, there have been several times when I have had to point out her “Stupid” moments. Fast food places tend to confuse her, I think. For instance, I have very sweetly (and loudly) announced to her several times, “Cheree! You threw the basket (or the whole tray) away! You’re not supposed to throw the basket (or tray) away!” Everyone in the place turns to stare. We wouldn’t want anyone to miss out on your “Stupid” moment, would we, Cheree? The best time, though, was when she paused to talk to a man as we were leaving a fast food place. “Get in, boys!” she said several times to her sons during the course of the conversation with the man. “Get in!” It suddenly dawned on me what she was doing. “Uh, Cheree,” I interrupted and gently pointed out, “look what you’re doing.” In her mind, I suppose, she was holding open the car door. In reality she was holding open the flap of the trash can and ordering Brian and Steven to get in!

I have plenty of “Stupid” moments, too, as she would be happy to share with you. There was the time we went down to Spring Mill State Park and Inn to finalize the plans for our upcoming family reunion with the director of sales. I hadn’t had much success in getting her to return my calls. “Why are you getting dressed up for this meeting?” Cheree asked. It was also supposed to be a relaxing little getaway. “I want to look professional! I want her to take me seriously this time!” I stated strongly.

Unfortunately, we didn’t look very professional when a little while later we had another one of those Lucy and Ethel moments. We were trying to take a huge luggage cart out to the car to bring in our suitcases and cooler when we went through a wrong door. What we had taken for an exit turned out to be a stairwell, and somehow we got the cart stuck, unable to move forwards or backwards. “Do you ladies need some help?” a voice behind us asked. “Oh, no! We’ll get it,” we answered with only a harried, hot and sweaty glance at the speaker. We were sure people were wondering why anyone would try to take a cart up the stairs, rather than the elevator. We struggled for a bit longer, laughing at ourselves in this ridiculous situation, until finally a man came along and we gave into his offer of help.

A little later, as we waited in the lobby for our appointment, a lady walked by and Cheree said, “I think that’s the woman who caught us stuck in the stairwell! I’ll bet anything she’s the woman we’re supposed to be meeting!” My heart sank, but I said, “No way! That can’t be her! Oh, my goodness – if it is her, I hope she doesn’t recognize us!” A couple minutes later she came back and asked, “Are you Cynthia and Cheryl? I’m Tanya! We have an appointment, don’t we? And aren’t you the two ladies who were stuck in the stairwell?” She started to laugh. So much for professionalism and being taken seriously! What could we do, but laugh with her – and then Cheree tattled on me and my earlier remarks!

To make matters worse, a couple days later I had to call Tanya and ask her if she could see if I’d left my phone charger there. “Just a minute,” she laughed. “I have your sister on the other line asking if I can look for her glasses she left behind!” Lucy and Ethel!

I could go on and on with our “Stupids Step Out” stories – some of which are just too gross to share! We come by it naturally, I suppose. My mother has those moments from time with her friends or daughters, and I have them with my girls, too. We’re certainly not the only Stupids stepping out, though! Julie just told me the other day of a story she heard at the post office, which is what started me thinking about this whole thing to begin with…

She was standing in line behind a woman who was chatting with the clerk, and Julie and the other customers couldn’t help hearing their conversation. “I was just at WalMart,” the woman confessed, “and I was standing in a food aisle. The only other person in the aisle was a man. Suddenly he asked, 'What’s for supper?' I turned around to see who he was talking to, and since there was no one else there, I timidly replied, 'Macaroni and cheese.' He asked, 'What?' I spoke up a little louder, 'Macaroni and cheese!' He looked at me strangely, and again said, 'What?' Thinking perhaps he was deaf or maybe mentally challenged, I moved right into his personal space and repeated very loudly, 'I said – Macaroni and cheese!!' The man said, 'Uh, just a minute, Mike! I'll have to get back to you. There’s a handicapped woman here who seems desperate for some macaroni and cheese!' It was then that I noticed he had a Bluetooth in his ear and he wasn’t speaking to me at all! I was mortified, but he disappeared around the corner of the aisle and a moment later was back, shoving a box of macaroni and cheese into my hands! Feeling too foolish to even try to explain, I quickly took the box of macaroni and cheese to the checkout and paid for it, even though I really didn’t need it at all!”

By this time, all the customers and clerks in the post office were practically rolling on the floor laughing. It was after she left that the clerk told them all, “This is the same lady who last week told me she had accidentally barged into a funeral procession and was so embarrassed that she turned on her lights and followed the other cars all the way to the cemetery!” Julie said she couldn’t help giggling about it every time she thought about it, and that night as she relayed the story to me we were both laughing till we cried.

Ahh, the Stupids! Perhaps you know one or two – or perhaps you are one, yourself! We all have those moments, and we can’t always blame them on getting old, either! It certainly helps if you can laugh at yourself! And why not? If everyone around us is laughing, we might as well join them! I’ve always considered myself a fairly intelligent person – until the Lord has His ways of keeping me humble!

God has a sense of humor, I just know it! Look at the humor in His creation – all His funny-looking creatures on land and sea, and their funny behavior, both instinctual and practical. And then there are humans. The Bible tells us that God created us in His image. If He did not have a sense of humor, neither would we! The Bible tells us that happiness, joy and merriment are good things! “A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance…” (Psalm 15:13) “…he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.” (Proverbs 15:15) “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine…” (Proverbs 17:22)

We can laugh at the Stupids, both fictional and those who walk among us, but let us not confuse these occasional moments of silliness with what God calls foolishness. There are Stupids, and then there are Fools. God calls one a Fool who:

Does not believe He exists. The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. (Psalm
14:1)
Blasphemes His name. …the foolish people have blasphemed thy name. (Psalm 74:18)
Despises wisdom. …fools despise wisdom and instruction. (Proverbs 1:7)
Is shameful. …shame shall be the promotion of fools. (Proverbs 3:35)
Lies and slanders. He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander,
is a fool. (Proverbs 10:18)
Thinks he is above God’s standards. The way of a fool is right in his own eyes…
(Proverbs 12:15)
Makes a mockery of sin. Fools make a mock at sin… (Proverbs 14:9)
Is quick to anger. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly… (Proverbs 14:17)
Speaks foolishly. A fool's mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul.
(Proverbs 18:7)
Causes trouble. It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be
meddling. (Proverbs 20:3)
Loves his sin. As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly.
(Proverbs 26:11)
Turns away from God. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as
God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish
heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. (Romans
1:21, 22)

These are just some of the traits of a Fool in God’s eyes. The Bible goes on to tell us that the carnal man, in all his worldly “wisdom,” human strength and might thinks that the things of God, His word and His people are foolishness and weakness. I Corinthians 1:18-31 says, “For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.”

God, though, tells us that it is the worldly man who is foolish. “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain. Therefore let no man glory in men.” (I Corinthians 3:18-21)

The apostle Paul called himself a fool for Christ’s sake. (I Corinthians 4:10). I may be a Stupid sometimes, but if I must be a Fool, may it always be a fool for Christ’s sake!

OUR HUMBLE HOME

2010-05-16T14:05:00.002-05:00

This has been a week of little unexpected blessings for me. I haven’t done anything special, or gone anywhere, but it makes me happy and grateful when the Lord just drops little joy-fillers into our lives to uplift and bless us.

The series of messages I told you about a few weeks ago by Dr. David Jeremiah on the book of Revelations continues to encourage and exhort as I’ve delved into the study each day. You wouldn’t think that a book on prophecy would have so much practical and personal application for our lives here and now, but I have gleaned so much already that has drawn me closer to the Lord and made me love and praise Him all the more, and made me want to serve Him better.

I have been excited, too, as Bob put in some new flowers and plants in front of our house, and have enjoyed the color and variety as they began to flourish – a sure sign that despite the chilly weather we’ve been experiencing, spring is here! We put out a new American flag (we usually swap out the old one every year or two when they start to look a little grubby) and it was then that I noticed the colors of our new flowers were the red, white and blue of the flag. The colors really popped against one another! Just looking at them gives me a happy heart!

Then there are the DVDs I borrowed from my mother last week. The sound of old-time Southern Gospel music has filled our home this week as Robbie and I, and Bob when he is around, have listened over and over to five or six Gaither Homecoming DVDs. The music is sometimes energetic and catchy, sometimes quiet and peaceful, but always uplifting and glorifying to the Lord and a blessing to me.

The true highlight of our week turned out to be something very different, however. We don’t have company very often, and when we do, it is usually family or people who know us, and the way we live, very well. Where for many years our home was a busy hub of activity and we had large groups of people in weekly, since Robbie’s illness we have grown accustomed to living quietly and to ourselves. This week, though, Bob’s boss and his wife were coming to visit – and I have to admit, the thought made me a little nervous.

I had met Ray and April briefly several years ago in Canada, but to tell the truth, I was rather nervous then, too – probably more because I was out of my element then. I knew they were very nice people and had done a great deal already for Bob as he has worked for them, but as I prepared for their visit I kept wondering what they would think of our home and Robbie – and me. Bob told me several times, “Cindy, quit worrying about it! Ray and April are very kind, down-to-earth people. It will be fine!”

I hoped most of all they would like and appreciate Robbie, looking beyond the disabilities and drool and seeing him for the very special, sweet person he is. We see him through eyes of love and know all the funny, loving, gentle qualities of his personality, but others just meeting him might not recognize the special gift that Robbie is. Anyone who knows us knows how much we cherish that boy, and they had certainly heard enough about Robbie from Bob. Now I hoped as they met him in person for the first time, they would understand why we love him so much and why we thank God for blessing our lives with him.

I worried most of all, though, about what they would think of our house and the way we live. I knew they have a summer home in Canada and a winter home in Florida, and a motor home, as well. Our house is old and in a transitioning neighborhood. It is clean and neat, but there’s nothing fancy or updated about it. Our list of to-do’s (paint the living and dining rooms and hall, put in new flooring and cabinets in the kitchen, refinish some of the interior doors, redo the bathroom downstairs, etc) is long, but somehow we never seem to have the time or money at the same time to get these jobs done. Robbie’s bed is in the middle of our living room. Despite all the HGTV I watch, our favorite décor is comfort over fashion, and family photos over current trends.

Bob was absolutely right! I wasted a lot of worry over what Ray and April would think. They were lovely, kind people and I enjoyed having them here immensely. “Down-to-earth” was the right term to describe them. They seemed to really like Robbie, and of course, he was smitten with them! They actually seemed to love our house, and even our neighborhood, as well! It turns out, they are renovating an old farmhouse in Canada that was built in the 1800’s, and then added to in 1932. (Our house was built in 1928.) They could appreciate the age and character of our house, and the fact that it wasn’t updated.

The thing I had worried about all week turned out to be a wonderful blessing. I think we all enjoyed a good time of fellowship, and a strengthening of our relationship and friendship. What’s more, the Lord used these two sweet people to remind me once again of lessons I thought I had learned long ago:

When will I ever learn to focus on the more important, spiritual things, rather than on the earthly, temporal concerns of this life? Rather than worrying about how people might judge our house, I ought to be more concerned with how they see our home. I get caught up with cleaning, rearranging, putting out the best dishes and candles on the table, serving a delicious meal – all to make a good impression. It is nice when guests appreciate our house and the meal, but am I as concerned that their spirits are nurtured and fed, as well, when they enter our home? The focus ought not to be on the impression I make of myself or my home, but on them and how we can minister to them.

Does love live here? When people enter our home will they feel the love of Christ and the love we have for one another? Will they know that we love them, too? There is no fireplace in this house, but will they feel the warmth of our love? I Corinthians 13 tells us that love is self-sacrificing, patient, kind, truthful, pure, unfailing…”Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth:…And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13) The Bible also says, “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” (I John 4:7, 8) Our love is a testimony to others that He lives within us.
*

Can they feel the joy of the Lord? The walls may be drab and need a coat or two of paint, but may the joy of the Lord color our home! Do others see joy in our faces and hear rejoicing in our words when they come into our home? Do they receive a warm welcome and feel that we are truly glad to have them here? The Bible tells us that the joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10), our light (Psalm 89:15), our prosperity (Psalm 35:27) and a crown (I Thessalonians 2:19.) “Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.” (Psalm 32:11) What a testimony when we can rejoice in adversity; when we can glorify God for victories and praise Him in all things!

Can they feel the peace of God? Is our home tension-filled – a place of strife and anger, or do others feel comfort and peace when they enter? When we live at peace with one another, when we are patient, when we live harmoniously and in unity, it shows. The décor of my house may not always be harmonious (Bob’s mounted trophy deer hangs just above my palm trees and sea shells) but I hope our lives are, and that they are a testimony to the peace that passes all understanding when others come into our home. Ephesians 4:2-3, 31-32 says, “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.”

Do they sense that Christ is the center of our home? Do they feel His presence here? Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” (Matthew 18:20) If our home is filled with His love, joy, and peace they will know that He is present in our home. There is a plaque by our front door that reads, “…Choose you this day whom ye will serve… but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15) We have chosen to follow the Lord and make Him the head of our home. There is an old saying that goes, “Christ is the head of this house, the unseen guest at every meal, the silent listener to every conversation.” I pray that our conduct and our conversation, our lifestyle and our lives will be a steadfast testimony always that Christ dwells here in our hearts and in our home.

I’ve been praising God for the little unexpected blessings He’s sent me this week, including the blessing of having guests here this week. I hope their visit here was a blessing to them, too!

NOTHIN' SAYS LOVIN'

2010-05-09T14:04:00.001-05:00

I was talking to my six year old granddaughter Katie on the telephone one day last week. We were talking about what we want to do when they come back from Ecuador next year for a few months. I mentioned that they would probably stay with us and we could have one long sleepover every night! “Yes, I can’t wait!” Katie agreed, “but the first thing I’m going to do is rush right over to Grammy’s apartment and have a sleepover with her! You can come, too,” she graciously invited. Grammy is my mother – Katie’s great-grandmother.

“Well, since you’ll be having a sleepover with me most of the time, then I’ll probably stay home and you can have one with Grammy, just the two of you.”

“Well, then we’ll have a tea party at Grammy’s house and you can come to that!” she suggested. “Grammy will bake lots of good things. Grammy likes to bake things for people. She has lots of time to bake. My mommy doesn’t have that much time to bake, but Grammy has lots and lots of time to bake and read books, and things like that!” She chattered on and on about how she just couldn’t wait to “rush right over to Grammy’s!”

It was a delightful conversation and I wasted no time in sharing it with my mother. There is a special relationship somehow between Katie and her Grammy. I don’t know if it is because Katie has my mother’s name – Connie – for her middle name, or if it is because she came shortly after my father went home to be with the Lord and Mom took special joy in that new baby, but for some reason they share some sort of special connection. Katie just adores her Grammy and misses her the most, and I, her grandma, try to be understanding and not get my nose bent out of shape over it! Unfortunately, although Mom tries hard not to have “favorites” among her grandchildren, Katie recognizes the uniqueness of their relationship, too, and likes to flaunt it in front of her sisters!

Katie hit the nail on the head when she extolled the virtues of Grammy’s baking. My mother has always liked to bake, and she has earned quite the reputation with her pies and cookies. Nobody, but nobody, bakes pies better than my mom’s! Sadly, that talent skipped a generation because neither I, nor any of my siblings that I am aware of, inherited her pie-baking skills. My two daughters, however, went to Grandma for lessons years ago on how to make an apple pie, and now they (and their husbands!) can make a pie almost as good as hers. And cookies! You never saw such a mouth-watering array of yummy cookies like my mom makes for Christmas every year. For years she would make double and triple batches of twelve or thirteen different kinds and give them away by the platterful – still keeping plenty for us, of course! One of my favorite childhood memories is of literally running home from school on a cold winter’s day and coming into a house that smelled deliciously of mom’s homemade cookies!

Mom and I were remembering recently a Mother-Daughter banquet we helped with over thirty years ago at Hessville Baptist Church. The theme was “Nothin’ Says Lovin’ Like Somethin’ from the Oven – and Mother Says It Best!” Mom was never crafty. She baked and cooked and kept the cleanest house and kids you ever saw, so she never had time or (she would tell you) the talent to do crafts. The one craft she ever did was the centerpieces for that banquet – and it was right up her alley! She made dozens of beautiful homemade rolls in all sorts of varieties and shapes and then we shellacked them until they were glistening. (*sigh* It was the first time we couldn’t eat her yummy baked goods!) We glued them together and put them in baskets lined with red-checked material. They looked fantastic on the tables and so realistic (well, because they were!) that it was difficult not to want to bite right into one of those yummy rolls! People talked about those centerpieces for years and when we sold some at a yard sale years later they were snatched right up.

There are two things about my mother that have influenced me more than anything else. The first is that my mom is a woman of faith. Katie is too little to understand what that means right now, but someday she will look back on her spiritual heritage and realize that her precious Grammy had a lot to do with the fact that she accepted Jesus as her Savior, too. My mother was a godly example to her children of faith and faithfulness, praise and prayer. Each of her children accepted Christ as their Savior at young ages. I, in turn, taught my children the things my mother had taught me, and they, too, became believers, and now are teaching their own children.

I heard something just this week that I had never thought of before. Do you know why we believers are not judged immediately upon entering Heaven for our faithfulness and service for Christ, but will wait until the Judgment Seat of Christ after the Rapture has taken place to be judged? It is because even after we leave this earth, our influence and work for Him lives on. The seeds I have planted in my children’s lives, or the lives of others around me, will continue to grow and reproduce into fruit for Him over and over again, even into the generations to follow. I pray that my life will be a spiritual heritage for my children and grandchildren, just as my mother’s has been for me.

The Bible tells us of several women, among others, whose faith influenced their children, and through them went on to influence countless millions through the ages. Moses’ mother Jochebed only had the early years of his life in which to influence him, for after only four or five years she could no longer play the nursemaid for Pharoah’s daughter. What he learned in those early years in his mother’s lap and at her knee had a tremendous influence on his life for not only did he turn to the God of Israel, though he was later brought up in the palaces of Egypt, but he went on to be the Hebrews’ great leader. Hebrews 11:24-27 tells us, “By faith, Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; choosing rather to share ill-treatment with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; accounting the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt, for he looked unto the recompense of reward.” What his mother had taught him in those early years was never forgotten.

In the New Testament we see Timothy the great Christian evangelist and pastor. With a pagan father, and growing up in a pagan city, the chances of Timothy following the Lord Jesus Christ were slim, indeed. A godly Christian grandmother and mother, however, had their influence, and it was from their teaching and example that Timothy grew up to accept and know and follow the Lord, as well. Paul wrote to him from prison, “I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers in a pure conscience, how unceasing is my remembrance of thee in my supplications, night and day, longing to see thee, remembering thy tears, that I may be filled with joy; having been reminded of the unfeigned faith that is in thee; which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice… From a babe thou hast known the sacred writings which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” (II Timothy 1:3-5; 3:15) As a leader in the early church, Timothy went on to influence millions of others down through the centuries for Christ.

We see the powerful influence of a godly mother-in-law, as well, in Scripture. The book of Ruth tells us the story of Naomi and Ruth, her young Moabitish daughter-in-law. The love and godly faithfulness of Naomi had caused Ruth to forsake her pagan gods and follow after the one, true God of Israel. Now when Naomi planned to return to her own land and people, Ruth begged her, “Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God, where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried. Jehovah do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me.” (Ruth 1:16-17). We continue on to see in Scripture that in due time Ruth married Boaz, father of Obed, father of Jesse, father of David the king, and ultimately became an ancestress of our Lord Jesus Christ, thanks to the faithful witness, love and influence of Naomi.

God placed these women in strategic places and times in the history of the world to be an influence on their children and through them on millions who would follow in their footsteps. That is still the role of Christian mothers today. It is still our privilege and sacred duty.

The second thing that Katie did recognize is that Grammy cares for others and does all she can to be a helper and encourager. “Grammy likes to bake for other people,” she said, but she has seen first hand many of the other things Grammy likes to do for others, as well. My mother’s kindness and care; her generosity in giving of herself, her time and her finances; and her words of encouragement are a blessing and inspiration in the lives of family, friends and even many strangers around the world. I am sure she herself does not realize the influence her spiritual gifts of encouragement, ministry and giving have had. They have certainly had an influence on me as I have strived to be a woman like my mother. Scripture tells us to add “to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.” (II Peter 1:7) The Bible says “Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another…Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.” (Romans 12:10, 13) Paul said of believers who encouraged and helped one another, “We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; So that we ourselves glory in you” (II Thessalonians 1:3,4)

Someday when my mother stands before the Judgment Seat of Christ I am sure she will hear the words, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. The influence of her faith has led, and will continue to lead, many to accept Jesus Christ as their Savior. The influence of her service for Him has blessed and encouraged countless people both near and dear to her, and around the world. The influence of her life will never make the headlines, or cause her to win great awards or fame here on earth, but someday Jesus Himself will recognize her influence before all Heaven and reward her with a crown.

Thank you, Mom. Your influence is clear, even among the smallest of your great-grandchildren. We love you. Happy Mother’s Day!

CONQUERING THE MOUSE

2010-05-02T21:31:00.003-05:00

We took my mother out for lunch today at a very pretty Mexican restaurant called Abuelo’s. It was our early Mother’s Day celebration. Last year, we girls (sisters and sister-in-law) had done the same thing and enjoyed it so much we decided to make it an annual event. This year my brother (“She’s my mom, too, so I should be allowed to come!”) and some of the other guys wanted in on it, so we were a larger bunch. We went a week early to avoid the Mother’s Day crush that you always see in restaurants. I was excited about it and eagerly looked forward to the day, even planning our trip to Alabama around it so I could be here for it. We were giving my mother a special Mother’s Day gift this year and I didn’t want to miss out on that!

This year we brought Mom into the twenty-first century and got her a laptop computer! She’s been using WebTV for the last twelve or thirteen years for her e-mail and the little bit of internet browsing that she could do on it. They don’t even sell WebTV anymore, and it is so limited that we felt it was about time she moved on. She was starting to feel a little left out, too, when her sisters and kids and grandkids could get on Facebook, and see photos that she couldn’t see and go to other websites she couldn’t access. She had resisted getting a computer for a long time, but now that her twin sister had one and was doing fine with it, I think she felt more confident that she could handle it, too.

I broached the subject to her a couple months ago and she seemed excited about it. I relayed the information to my siblings and kids and we decided to go together and get her a laptop, and get her all set up. When Mom opened the laptop at the restaurant, though, I think suddenly she felt a little intimidated. Uh-oh.

My brother-in-law Brian had set everything up for her, except for getting it hooked up to the internet, which we will do this week. When we left Abuelo’s I went home with Mom for a little while to see where she would like to use her laptop and to take another look at it. I suggested we have lesson #1 – turning on the computer and using the mouse.

Mom got out her paper and pen to take notes. Turning the computer on, she got down pat. Using the mouse was a little more difficult. Every time she clicked it would jerk out of place. Sometimes she couldn’t see where the cursor was. The icons were a little small so we enlarged them. (Good thing we didn’t get the smaller netbook we first considered!) I could see she was a little nervous about the whole thing. “Mom,” I tried to encourage her, “little, little children learn to do this, and if they can, so can you! Everyone has the same problem at first until they practice a little and get the feel for it. I promise – in no time you’ll be doing just fine!” And I know she will. I am sure she will conquer that mouse, and by the end of this week she will have moved on and conquered even bigger and better things! Bye-bye WebTV!

Sometimes it is the little things that really get to us, isn’t it? The baby steps we have to take in learning something new – like learning to use a mouse before we can learn to use a computer. Or the small details that seem to slow us down as we work on a bigger task. Or the background noises that grate on our nerves; the ingredient we find we are missing; spilling juice on the freshly-scrubbed floor. And then there is Murphy’s Law – everything that could go wrong, goes wrong whenever we try to accomplish things. I find myself constantly shaking my head and sighing, “Nothing is ever easy!”

There’s a saying that’s been around for a number of years now – Don’t sweat the small stuff. In other words, don’t let little things get to you – just focus on what is important. Mom’s payoff in learning how to use the mouse will be in being able to e-mail and web-browse so much more quickly and easily, and that is the important thing for her. Once she loses her inhibitions with the mouse, she can focus on that important goal.

We all face those little things that sometimes stand in the way of us being able to accomplish the big things. Song of Solomon 2:15 says that it is the little foxes that spoil the grapes. “Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines.” (Song of Solomon 2:15) It is the little things that hinder our spiritual growth and our walk with the Lord. For instance:

A little laziness stands in the way of success. “Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:10, 11)

A little folly can ruin a reputation. “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.” (Ecclesiastes 10:1)

Little faith brings about worry and displeases God. “Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?” (Matthew 6:30)

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Little love for our Lord, or our brothers and sisters in Him show where our heart is. I John 3:11, 14, 16-18 says, “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.”

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A little leaven or sin ruins our work and our testimony for Him. “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (I Corinthians 5:6)

The little tongue can do a huge amount of damage. “Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.” (James 3:5, 6)

Little gratitude hurts the Lord when we are given so much and yet we still grumble and complain and are not thankful. I Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” In everything – even the little things, even the difficult things, even the so-called bad things.

Let us not focus our attention on the little things that cause us to stumble, but rather thank Him for the little things. When they are obstacles, remember that ”I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13) When they are irritations remember Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” When they are little sins that hinder our spiritual growth remember that is the little foxes that spoil the vines and determine that we will face them with His help.

Mom will conquer that mouse yet, and we all can conquer those little foxes!

SILLY GOOSE!

2010-04-25T23:10:00.004-05:00

We are at Julie's house in Alabama today. We traveled yesterday through pouring rain most of the way, but praise the Lord, arrived safely. The grandkids were thrilled to see us and Julie was, too, of course. In fact, she said she was thankful we were there last night. David had just arrived in Qatar and was supposed to be on his way to Baghdad yesterday or today, although she had not heard from him. She had not been able to sleep much the night before, and when she finally did sleep, she had nightmares. It was good to have company right now, she said.

We also got to meet Pumpkin the Perfect Pooch and Pampered Pet in Person. What a sweet little dog she is! So well-behaved and good -- just like all my other grandchildren! She sure loves her new grandma, too! (Ok, just kidding -- and I promise this is the last time I will talk about Pumpkin -- at least for a while!)

I love animals. There is something truly unique about dogs, especially. They really connect with humans on an emotional level, and live simply to please their owners. All of God's creation is so beautiful, though. What an amazing God we have that coukl create a world so interesting and varied and yes, even funny! I often say we see God's sense of humor in the animals He's made. Whether it is just the way some of them look, or their natural instincts, or their creative behavior, animals often amaze or intrigue us, or simply make us laugh. I got a good laugh from one of His creatures just the other day when I was driving down the road.

I had been to my hairdresser's house which is a good forty-five minute drive from home. Most of that is city driving, but one part is past open fields and a little bit of "country." I noticed several geese swimming in a little pond on my way there. As I was coming back I saw one of those geese standing by the side of the road with her neck stretched up to its fullest length and her head swiveling back and forth as she watched the cars whizzing by in both directions. I noticed the other two geese had already made it to the other side and were waiting for her, but there she was -- stuck by the heavy traffic. I laughed at how funny she looked with her head turning back and forth on that long neck and thought to myself, "Silly goose! Why don't you just fly across?"

Well, first of all, I had to give her credit -- she did look both ways before crossing. But then I couldn't help thinking what a silly goose she was in ignoring the obvious and not going for what should have come so easily and naturally to her, and what would have been a perfectly safe way for her to cross. Use what God gave you, Silly Goose, and fly!

My third thought was how like that silly goose we are sometimes! How often has the Lord called us to follow Him or asked us to do a special task for Him and we have hesitated or even refused to obey? We think we do not have what it takes, or we are fearful, or perhaps sometimes we are just too lazy! We do not realize that when God requires anything of us or asks us to do some work for Him, that He has already given us all that we need to accomplish His will. Need strength? It is there -- just enough to see you through. Need courage? He will provide. Need wisdom, talent, ability, skills? He does not ask us to do anything for which He has not equipped us. It is up to us to trust and be obedient to His call and to use what God has given us. Sometimes we do not even know that we have what it takes until we take that first step of faith and try.

II Timothy 1:9 has been a favorite verse of mine for many years. It says, "Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." It has been a blessing to me to know that before the world even began He had a plan for me based not upon my abilities, but upon His purpose for me and His grace. Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." He created me, His perfect workmanship, to do the work that He ordained for me. And then it is through His great power that He accomplishes that work through me, exceeding far above what I could even dream of. "Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us." (Ephesians 3:20)

All of that should certainly give me all the confidence I need to do whatever God wants me to do! His will for my life and the work He has called me to do is all according to His plan and for His purpose, and done by His creation through His power. All I need to do is trust and then use what God has given me to fly, Silly Goose, fly!

A POTPOURRI OF P’S – PLUS!

2010-04-18T22:36:00.005-05:00

(Another Week of a Little Bit of This and That)

Paring Off the Pounds – Our family reunion is exactly two months from this weekend! I have two reactions to that. The first (and predominant) one is WHOO-HOO! The Ward Family definitely looks forward to our family reunion every two years and I am one of its biggest fans. I love my big extended family and this opportunity to spend a little time with my aunts and uncles, cousins and all their kids, and my own family, as well, relaxing and having fun is always a highlight of my year. My sister Cheree and I spent a lot of years kind of heading them up and organizing the reunions, but for the first time in a long time we get to go and just SIT (more or less) thanks to my Uncle Paul and some of the others in that branch of the family tree. I say again, WHOO-HOO!

My other reaction to the thought of the reunion’s approach is – YIKES! I’ve gained about fifteen pounds in the last year (on top of all the extra weight I already had) and I really need to lose some weight. Oh, not because I don’t want anyone to see me with some extra pounds on. Goodness knows, they’ve all seen me this way before. *Sigh.* It’s just that I have plenty of nice clothes to wear and I don’t want to go out and buy any more. They still fit me, thank goodness, but if I could just lose ten or fifteen pounds they would look better on me. Let’s face it – no one wants to see my midriff bulge – er, bulging, or my middle-aged spread spreading. A little more room in my clothes might cover a multitude of sins (so to speak.)

Cheree gave me an excellent tip last week that really motivated me to get to work and gave me some hope that I might actually be able to lose some weight and keep it off – and not only that, but to do it almost painlessly! What is this wonder tip? you might ask. Actually it’s so simple I don’t know why I never did it before. Cheree has started setting herself just five pound goals with reasonable amounts of time between goals. She’s lost almost twenty pounds that way and looks great! When she told me what she was doing, something struck a chord within me.

I can do that! I immediately thought. No long-term goal that seems impossible in scope and in duration. None of the drudgery and deprivation of dieting that almost guarantees that when I give up and go back to eating “normally” any pounds I have lost will come galloping back – and then some. Keeping only that small five pound goal ahead of me and taking it slow and easy gives me a feeling of hope that I can do this! Then when I reach that little goal, I’ll set another one and gradually work toward it without all the angst that has always come with dieting.

A verse came to me as I thought about it this week. Proverbs 6:6, 9 says, “Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise…How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?” An ant is a tiny little creature. It can’t take huge steps or do great things. It does get up and get going, though, and in the end it accomplishes much. It is time to get to work, and even if I’m taking little tiny ant-size steps, at least I’m moving in the right direction.

There are so many areas of our lives in which we could apply this principle. The Bible also says, “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17) We need to be wise as the ant. Get up, get going, do what we know is right. No more being sluggards!

And by the way, I’ve already lost four pounds!

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Pumpkin, the Pampered Pet – I wrote last week about Julie and David’s new little dog, Pumpkin, the Perfect Pooch. Well, Pumpkin isn’t quite so perfect these days. She fell off her pedestal shortly after David left for San Antonio and has done a few naughty things now and then. She likes to dig holes and bury her treasures. She chewed one of Hannah’s play shoes. She nipped at Hannah when they were playing. And she did the ultimate crime – she peed on the new carpet once or twice. She is still almost perfect, though, in their eyes, so when they were faced with a decision about her last week it turned out to be an emotional dilemma.

David was supposed to leave for Iraq immediately after training in San Antonio, but somehow they managed to mess up his travel plans and he ended up having four or five days at the end of his training to just sit around and wait. He was not allowed to go home, but Julie and the kids could come to see him, if they could make the long trip.

Of course Julie and the kids wanted to go – but what about the dog? Suddenly, after only a couple weeks with the newest member of their family they were going to have to leave her. She couldn’t stay with them on the Air Force base, and they had no friends in Alabama who could take her. The thought of putting her in a kennel after having just rescued her from an animal shelter was upsetting to all of them, and who knew how upsetting it would be to Pumpkin? Julie had to choose between David and the dog, and of course we all know who won that one! Whew! She started looking for a kennel.

There was one called Noah’s Ark nearby. It was run by Christians, so Julie called and made a reservation. The next day she and the kids went over to check it out. It was awful. Wire cages on cold cement floors. The dogs were only taken out twice a day for fifteen minutes. The people were cold. Julie left in tears, and the kids were upset saying, “Mommy, we just can’t leave her there!” They all feared Pumpkin would think she had been abandoned again.

Julie started looking for someplace else. There was another kennel in a neighboring town that sounded hopeful. It was a pet “resort” and the difference between the two places was night and day. It was clean and bright and each dog got its own little room with windows looking inside and out, some down at doggie level. Each room had a different mural painted on the walls – one of Paris, and others of Venice, London, or Rome and so on. (Of course the murals were for the owners’ benefit, not the dogs’, but still it was a fun idea.) Each room had a TV (so the dogs would feel that human connection) and a little cot. They were taken out to the play yard four times a day, and often played with by the large staff in between times, as well. They were bathed and pampered throughout their stay. The place was very nice, to say the least, and everyone was friendly. They could see with their own eyes that these were not just empty promises as they watched the staff interact with the dogs that were there, and saw that the animals seemed to be happy and well-adjusted. Of, course, this all came at a price. The first place was $17 a day, and the “resort” was $37.50 a day! Ouch! It was a lot, but Julie just couldn’t leave Pumpkin at Noah’s Ark. She made a new reservation at the doggy spa.

The morning came for their trip to San Antonio. They planned to drop the dog off at the kennel with some of her favorite toys and blanket. On the way over Joshua said, “I sure hope Pumpkin’s room looks out on the play yard instead of the parking lot!” Julie laughed and asked, “Oh, so now she needs a room with a view?” Sure enough – Pumpkin got the “Isle of Capri” room, with a window that overlooked the play yard. Pumpkin went off happily to her luxury suite and Julie and the kids drove off happily toward Texas.

Later Julie was telling me that the TLF (Temporary Living Facility) they got on base in San Antonio was a cracker box, without even a table where they could sit down as a family to eat or play games. “In other words,” I laughed, “you all are staying at Motel 6 while the dog stays at the Marriott?” The good thing was that the TLF ended up only costing them $2.50 a night, which made up for the exorbitant rate they are paying for the dog’s spa.

Is there something wrong with this picture? We have laughed over it all week, and honestly, I would have done the same thing. Hopefully Pumpkin will suffer no harm to her psyche and will come home to them a happy, secure little pup.

The difference in their accommodations made me think of the difference between our earthly home and the one we will have in Heaven someday. We invest a lot of time and money on our earthly homes, but no matter how comfortable or pretty or even grand we make our homes down here, they cannot begin to compare to the home Christ is preparing for us in Heaven. Jesus said, “In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (John 14:2, 3)

The word “mansion” is better translated “apartment.” I remember the first time I heard that, back when I was a teenager, I thought, “Ew, I’m disappointed! I‘d rather have a mansion than an apartment.” Since then, though, I have realized how much better that “apartment” in the Father’s house will be than a mere mansion! We will be with the Lord, in His own home, rather than living here and there in this corner or that of Heaven. After our separation from Him, He wants us right there with Him, never to be separated again for all eternity. And after reading the descriptions of Heaven we find in Revelation, I can guarantee you that even an apartment in the Father’s home will be far grander than any mansion or castle we could have enjoyed here on earth!

I don’t know that we will be pampered in Heaven. It appears in Scripture that we will spend our time worshipping Him, ruling with Him and doing some sort of work for Him. Whatever He has in store for us, though, will be wonderful! Who needs pampering in Heaven anyway? Everything is perfect there, so we won’t need stress or pain relievers! Ahhh – I’ll be a happy pup!

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Preaching on Prophecy – Speaking of heaven and eternity -- I have been enjoying an extra-special blessing this week. I happened to catch a program called Turning Point on WMBI (Moody Bible Institute’s radio station) on my way home from church last Sunday night. It is with Dr. David Jeremiah, a well-know pastor. I enjoy hearing his preaching whenever I get a chance. On this particular night he was preaching the second of a three-part message called “A Glimpse into Heaven,” taken from Revelation 4. This message was a part of a larger series called “Escape the Coming Night”, a study on the entire book of Revelation. The twenty-five minutes or so I heard that night on the radio whetted my appetite to hear the entire message, so Monday morning I decided to check on the internet to see if I could find the other two parts.

Sure enough – I found it in a couple different places. The radio program is archived at www.oneplace.com/ministries/Turning_Point just as it is heard on the radio, with the announcer and everything, and divided into the half-hour segments. I found the entire message, though, without interruption at Dr. David Jeremiah’s own website, www.davidjeremiah.org/radio. And to my delight, the entire series of forty-three messages was there as well!

All week long I have spent every morning listening to three or four messages at a time, trying to catch up to where they are now in the series (it started on March 4th, I think.) What a blessing it has been! The messages have been so good that as I finish each one, I can’t bear to stop listening. I’ll think, “I need to stop here and get to work,” but then I say to myself, “Oh just one more!”

It is interesting and exciting to hear what God has planned for this earth and our future in Heaven, but even beyond that, it is awe-inspiring! Revelation is a hard book to understand sometimes, but if you study it carefully, you will see that oftentimes the Bible itself tells you how to interpret the symbols used, either right there in the passage itself, or elsewhere in Scripture. For instance, the first chapter of Revelation is giving us a description of Jesus as He is now in Heaven. Verses 12, 13, 16 say, “And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the breasts with a golden girdle. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.” Then a few verses down it tells us exactly what the candlesticks and stars are: “The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches.” (Revelation 1:20)

The biggest blessing to me so far in this study has not been the intrigue of seeing the future, but of seeing Jesus as He really is right now in Heaven, and how He will be when He returns to this earth again someday soon. We have a picture in our minds of how we imagine Jesus was when he walked in Palestine 2000 years ago. What we see is Revelation, though is far different than our usual perception of Him.

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It has been a great study so far, and I am eagerly looking forward to hearing the rest of the messages. I just wanted to pass this information on to you, in case you would be interested in receiving this blessing, too. If you are, go to the Turning Point website at www.davidjeremiah.org/radio and click on the interactive map to Revelation. All forty-three messages are there. Enjoy!

A PERFECT POTPOURRI OF P’s

2010-04-11T14:33:00.019-05:00

( A Little Bit of This and That from the Last Week or Two)

Picture Perfect – We finally received our family portraits last week, and I must say, I am very pleased with them. I wrote a few weeks ago about the trouble we had in getting Robbie to cooperate during the photo session. In the end, though, we finally did get a couple of good pictures of him and now that they have arrived, I am so glad! I will treasure them for a long time, I am sure. Robbie looks so sweet in them. You can see that the past few years have taken a toll on him, but the pictures show his personality as it is now – just plain sweet.

And speaking of personality – my husband’s personality came through loud and clear, as well! I got so tickled with his antics during the shoot, and in the end we bought extra pictures because I just couldn’t resist the photos that so exhibited the fun side of him that I cherish. At one point, the photographer wanted him to put his fist under his chin. No way! That was too girly, he proclaimed. Instead he crossed his arms across his chest and stood sideways (kind of like Mr. Clean) in a “manly” pose. I laughed – but he was right. It’s my favorite photo of him – ever. Then while the photographer was getting us set up to take a picture of us as a couple, he spontaneously turned his head to kiss me on the cheek and she just happened to catch it. He was acting silly and so like himself!

Of course, I hate the way I look in the photos, but what else is new? I always hate the way I look. Most women do, I suppose – but the camera doesn’t lie. *Sigh.* It could be worse, I guess…

Precious blessings from the Lord – a husband who still makes me laugh after almost forty years of marriage, a beloved son who will always be one of God’s greatest gifts to us, and now perfect pictures to remember these precious times. God has been so gracious and loving to us, and blessed us so completely. Psalm 111:4 says, “He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the LORD is gracious and full of compassion.” I don’t really need pictures to help me remember that. My heart is filled with thanksgiving and praise to Him.

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Pumpkin, the Perfect Pooch – A few days before David was to leave for Iraq Julie had an inspiration. She was praying that the Lord would show them some way to make it easier for the kids to handle Daddy’s upcoming departure. Already their eyes would fill with tears when they thought of it, and she hated to think of them coming home to a house without him when they finally took him to the airport, and in the days and weeks to follow.

Suddenly, as if a voice whispered in her ear, the answer came. Get a dog. Julie was shocked. For years the kids had been begging for a dog. David, she knew, would love to have one, too, but since their last dog had died almost ten years before, they had agreed that they couldn’t go through again all the trouble, expense and eventual heartbreak when their pet died. She had resisted the very idea of it for so long, that she couldn’t believe it when she heard that little whisper in her ear.

Neither could David. He was surprised, to say the least, when Julie suggested it to him. A few months before, when they were still in their house in the country, a little beagle had shown up at their door and hung around for several days. The family had fallen in love with the stray, fed her and petted her, but still Julie had held out saying No Dog. She was about to cave that Sunday morning, though, and had said if the dog was still there when they got home from church, they would take her in. The kids were devastated when they got home and discovered the little dog was gone. They even went as far as checking the pounds for her, but she had disappeared, never to be seen again. Once again they went into their No Dog mode and that was that.

Now, here she was, suggesting that maybe this would help the kids during the difficult days ahead. A new dog would certainly be a diversion, and although it could never be a substitute for Daddy, it would a little being upon which to shower love, and which would give love back. Instead of walking into a house that suddenly seemed empty and lonely, there would be a faithful little companion welcoming them home.

They decided not to say anything to the kids, but checked online at the closest animal shelter. After their experience with the little stray beagle almost six months before, they really wanted a female beagle – not a puppy, but still young. What were the chances that the small country pound would have exactly what they wanted, but there she was – a pretty little one year old female beagle. They dropped the kids off at a friend’s house and went to investigate.

She was quiet. The rest of the dogs were jumping and barking, but the little beagle looked up at them silently with those big puppy-dog eyes and their hearts melted. They knew right away she was meant for them. They didn’t want a hyper, yappy dog and she seemed to be the perfect fit. They quickly adopted her and took her home to surprise the kids.

That little whisper in Julie’s ear had been right. The days leading up to David’s departure were filled with getting adjusted to the new member of the family and meeting her needs, rather on dwelling on their upcoming separation. The morning they took him to the airport was tearful, and the ride home was hard, but when they walked in the door and Pumpkin (her new name) was there to greet them with overwhelming joy they all rallied and got on with the day in peace.

Julie has told me every day since they got her what a perfect dog, she is, and what a perfect decision it was to get her. She didn’t bark for days, until finally one day the neighbor’s dogs came out and Pumpkin gave a quick, deep woof-woof, just to let them know this was her yard and not to think of coming over that fence! She treed a cat and then chased it out of the yard, caught a squirrel (but let it go when the kids yelled) and seems to regard the yard as her territory. Added benefit – security alarm if someone comes nosing around while David is gone.

Julie has told me day after day, what a good little dog she is and how happy they are they decided to get her. She says Pumpkin is a mama’s girl, and barrels through the kids to get to Mama when they come home, adoring her in the way only dogs can do. Truth be told, I think Julie’s pretty smitten with the pup herself. I’m sure she is companionship in the evenings after the kids go to bed and the house is lonely without David there.

Isn’t it nice when the Lord sends little blessings our way – unlooked for, even undreamed of, but just what we need? I know that this sounds fanciful, and maybe even a little crazy, but the thought occurred to me the other day that maybe the little stray beagle back in Hope Hull last fall was an “angel unaware.” Without her visit they would never have looked for a young female beagle or maybe even thought of getting a dog at all. Julie says Pumpkin is a godsend, and the perfect pet for them. Did the Lord send an angel to them to point the way for what He knew would be a blessing to them just when they needed it? Okay, so call me crazy – but the Bible says “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.” (Hebrews 13:2) I’m just sayin’ – unlooked for, undreamed of, angels unawares…

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The Perfect Place – Laurie and Fernando and family are moving into their new house this weekend. I am so happy for them! They will have room to spread out a bit. They will get a good night’s sleep in a quiet neighborhood. They will have a little more security when the kids are outside or at home alone when Laurie and Fernando have to leave them. They’ll have so much more room for Bible studies, fellowship gatherings or overnight guests.

They spent eight months looking for a place. Many times the search was discouraging, although they tried not to let it get to them. With their needs, their tight budget and the lack of available places it seemed almost impossible at times. When the right house was finally available, though, the Lord led them to it.

Our timetable is not always God’s timetable. It is hard sometimes to be patient and simply wait without becoming anxious or discouraged. It is difficult not to take the situation into our own hands and force the issue or run ahead of God. How easy it is to step out of His will when we become impatient! It was a trial going through the long house-hunt but His Word tells us, “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope.” (Romans 5:3, 4) and also, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” (James 1:3, 4)

We could all use more patience! That is where faith comes in – trusting that God will do things for our best in His way and His time. Our faith is deepened and strengthened when we wait patiently on Him – and then see what great things He hath wrought!

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(Not-So-Perfect) Pipsqueak on the Phone – I called Laurie the other day and the phone rang and rang. I was just about to hang up, thinking no one was at home, when suddenly someone picked it up. There was silence, though, and after a few seconds I finally said, “Hello? Hello?” A few more seconds of silence. “Matthew, is that you?” I ventured to guess.

“Yes!” a little voice piped up.

“Well, hi, Matthew! This is Grandma!”

“Hi, Grandma!” And off he went on a long spiel telling me all about the video he was watching and who knows what else. I could only figure out half of what he was saying, but he sounded so excited and happy to be talking to Grandma that I didn’t care. Just the sound of his little voice was enough for me!

At last I heard Laurie coming up behind him and a moment later she took the phone away from him. She had been in the bathroom and no one else had picked up the telephone, she explained She had thought of calling to Matthew to pick up the phone, but had decided she didn’t want him to get any big ideas and start something. Well, Matthew didn’t need her to give him any big ideas – he had them on his own, obviously.

What a little pistol he is! We have said since the day they heard they were having a boy after all those girls that he would either be spoiled rotten or henpecked. Truth be told, I don’t think he is either. He’s sure not henpecked. The girls may try to boss him around, but he is his own little character and stands up to them. If anything, he tries to boss them around! On the other hand, I don’t think he’s spoiled rotten, either. Well, okay, maybe a little tiny bit spoiled, but as the youngest of five kids and the only boy, it’s almost unavoidable. But he is a charmer, with adorable dimples and a smile that would knock you out, and as cute as cute could possibly be, so although Laurie and Fernando do a good job of disciplining, it is hard to resist his charms.

Although they all adore him, Matthew has been the typical pesty little brother since the moment he could walk, to all four of the girls. He is frequently into mischief and should wear a t-shirt that says “Here Comes Trouble!” Actually, Katie has a t-shirt that has a monkey on it and says “It’s All My Brother’s Fault!” – and usually it is. Put a toy sword in his hand and he is after his sisters – and if a toy sword isn’t handy, he’s been know to chase them with a real knife! Yikes!

Matthew’s birthday was two days ago. He turned three (although he keeps telling everyone he is four.) He is the last of our grandbabies for now and it is hard to believe he is already three. We called him to sing “Happy Birthday” to him, and he was the perfect little gentleman thanking us for each of the gifts we sent him. Hearing that little voice on the phone made me want to cry. I wish we could have been there for his birthday.

Proverbs 17:6 tells us that “Children's children are the crown of old men” [and old women.] The previous chapter also says, “Gray hair is a crown of glory…” (Proverbs 16:31) Do you think there might be some correlation, there? I guess I can’t blame any of my gray hairs on Matthew since I am not around him enough, but Laurie tells me she is finding more and more gray hairs!

Grandchildren – a gift from God and His reward for getting old! They may not be perfect, but they are a perfect blessing!

PURE AND SIMPLE

2010-04-04T00:50:00.002-05:00

I went out to run errands yesterday. It was a rather cool spring day, but it was nice to be out in the sunshine nevertheless. The most important thing on my list was to get all the fresh fruit I would need for the fruit salad I was taking to Easter dinner at my sister’s house. Everything else on the list was pretty boring – paper towels, toilet paper, vitamins, toothpaste and so on. But, ooh – maybe I would find a pretty new blouse, too, to wear tomorrow. Hmm… (Got the fruit, but nothing new to wear.)

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As I drove I had the radio tuned to WMBI, the radio station of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago. I enjoy much of the Christian programming that comes out of WMBI, whether it is music, teaching, preaching or just talk. Saturday afternoons are devoted to music, and not surprisingly, yesterday the program was all Easter music. It was a nice blend of old hymns, favorite popular Christian songs that I have enjoyed for decades, and some of the newer beautiful songs that are currently being played on the radio.

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As I listened to the lyrics about the cross, the empty tomb, a risen Savior, love, grace and victory, a deep feeling of contentment and joy came over me. This is what Easter is all about, I thought – the Gospel, pure and simple. That Christ died for our sin, was buried and rose again. I thought of I Corinthians 15: 1-4. “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; by which also ye are saved… For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.”

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The Gospel – pure. The plan of Father, Son and Holy Spirit since before the foundations of the world that the sinless and beloved Son of God would take upon Himself the sin of the world and pay the penalty of our sin – the redemption of blood. “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.” (Ephesians 1:7-11) The plan that included victory over death and sin and Satan for all eternity. “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (I Corinthians 15:55, 57)

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The Gospel – simple. So simple that there is nothing left for the sinner to do to receive that redemption but to believe. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” (Romans 10:9) So simple that even a little child can believe. So simple that we have only to become as little children and open up our hearts – and simply believe. “Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.” (Luke 18:17)

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The beauty of Easter is not in a pretty spring day. It is not in a church filled with lilies or tulips or daffodils. It is not in lovely spring dresses or new shoes. It is not in a basket full of colored eggs and chocolate bunnies. It is not in a table filled with ham and fruit salad and cheesecake, and not even in the family and friends gathered ‘round that table. The beauty of Easter is in an old rugged, blood-stained cross, and a rough-hewn stone rolled away from an empty tomb. The beauty of Easter is in the love of a Father who gave His beloved Son, and the love of a Savior who gave His everything.

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It is as pure and simple as that.

MAY I ASK YOU TO PRAY?

2010-04-04T00:48:00.001-05:00

Our son-in-law David left early this morning for Iraq. He has a few weeks of training, traveling and sitting around and waiting before he actually arrives at his destination, but he left his family behind for the next seven months or so this morning. He has no idea, really, what lies ahead. No one seems to know what his assignment will be, or if they do, they are not telling him.

Please pray for David as he goes through this new experience in his life. Pray for strength and comfort in this time of separation from his beloved family. Pray for safety as he travels and throughout his time in Iraq. Pray for wisdom as he leads the men below him, and serves the officers above him. Pray for good health in a new environment. Pray that he will find plenty to do and some good Christian fellowship to help pass the time and keep loneliness from setting in. Most of all, pray that he will be used by the Lord in the lives around him, and be a good testimony to all. Pray, too, that this will bring him even closer to the Lord and that God will use this time to refine him into an even more godly man than he already is.

Please pray for Julie as she tries to take up the empty role that David leaves behind him. Most of all, that she will have wisdom in helping the kids through this time, but also that she will have the strength and knowledge to handle all the responsibilities that David always did. Pray for her to have peace and comfort while her husband is away and possibly in harm’s way. Pray for safety for her and the kids while they are alone and that hopefully they will not have any big health issues or car problems (two things that always seem to be popping up in their family.) Pray that she will lean on the Lord and feel His arms around her in the hard times.

Please pray for Benjamin, Joshua and Hannah while Daddy is gone. They are extremely close to their daddy and have never been separated from him more than a few days at a time, and then they could always at least talk to him on the phone. There may be days or even weeks, now, that they will have no communication. Pray that this will be a character-building experience for them, and that they will learn to trust and love the Lord even more. I know they will help their mother all they can and be good kids, but there may be things going on inside their hearts and minds, and I would ask you to pray that if there are fears or anger or whatever, that the Lord will help them overcome them.

And finally, please pray for us as we seek to support and encourage them all. We will do all we can to communicate with David whenever we are allowed to, and we have planned at least three times while he is gone to get together with Julie and the kids either in Alabama or here. I know hundreds of thousands of families have gone through this before, and most for longer than six months, or even multiple times. This is our first time to go through this, though. We praise the Lord it is not for long, and hopefully David will return safe and sound. In the meantime, will you pray?

Thank you.

CHILDISH THINGS

2010-03-28T23:19:00.006-05:00

This year is the 50th anniversary of our church, Lake Hills Baptist Church of Schererville, IN. We have a number of special events planned throughout the year to celebrate the occasion, as well as to encourage our folks and to reach out to the community around us. One of those outreach events is “Springapalooza.” On May 1st we are inviting the community to join us for a fun day which will include a fun fair, classic car show, 5K run, food, bouncy inflatables and so on. It is totally free to all who attend. We are expecting at least a thousand people and are hoping that this will result in some of those folks taking a look at our church, and maybe ultimately someday coming to know the Lord

I volunteered to help out with the fun fair by ordering the prizes since that is something I could do from home. It turned out to be a much bigger job than I expected. I’ve spent a good portion of this week pouring over catalogs and websites in pursuit of five thousand prizes for the fun fair. The church people are donating candy to be used as consolation prizes, but we still needed little toys and gee-gaws for the dozen or so games – multiplied by hundreds of kids. Our budget sounded like a lot, but I quickly discovered buying five thousand prizes with $500 wasn’t going to be easy. I’ve had experience buying these cheapie little trinkets before and have learned the hard way that some of them are so cheap they’re not worth even the few pennies they cost. I was determined to get the best value for the money, but all week long all I could think was junk, junk, junk!

Spending $500 on a bunch of junk goes against my grain. I suppose if you look at it like the money isn’t really being spent on those bits and pieces of plastic and paper, but on the fun and excitement all those little kids will get out of playing the games and winning a prize (WHOO-HOO!), then you can justify it a bit more. What looks like junk to us, though, are treasures to the kids. They love those little prizes. They can have a whole room of expensive toys at home, but they are still thrilled when they win a whistle or a play tattoo, a bottle of bubbles or a few stickers. They’ll stand forever in front of the prize displays at Chuck E. Cheese’s with a fistful of tickets, deliberating which treasures they can trade for. They’re delighted when they come home from a party with a goody bag filled with plastic prizes.

As adults, we don’t understand the attraction of these little pieces of junk. We know they’re worthless. We know they’re not going to last. We know they’re going to end up lost in the bottom of the toy box – if they don’t end up in the garbage first. But we ooh and ahh, nevertheless, when our children or grandkids come running up with their newest prize, and then shake our heads as they run off to win another treasure.

I wonder how often our Heavenly Father shakes His head as His children go running after worthless pieces of junk? That new house or new car in which we have so much pride has no value in His eyes. The great bargain I’m so excited about is nothing but ashes to Him. A fancy vacation, a closet full of new clothes, tickets to the big game or popular concert are all just junk, junk, junk to Him. Does He shake His head when we spend 99.9% of our time pursuing more, bigger, better earthly junk? Does He wonder why His children cannot see that these things have no Heavenly value at all?

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We expect as our children grow and mature, they will begin to understand the true value of these cheap little prizes. They will begin to put away childish things eventually. Our Heavenly Father wants us to mature, as well, and begin to realize that this life and all the earthly things we so treasure are not all there is. “When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (I Corinthians 13:11)

Of course, there is nothing wrong with having a new house or car, going on vacation, etc. but when material things and earthly experiences are our major focus in life, with little thought to what the Lord may have us do for Him or give for Him or even give up for Him, then we need to adjust our thinking and grow up. Some Christians never grow beyond the baby Christian stage. The Lord wants us to grow in Him and mature. “Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a mature man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ.” (Ephesians 4:13-15)

Where am I in my Christian life? Have I grown beyond the baby stage, able to go beyond the milk of the Word and dig further into the meat of His Word? Am I past the little child stage where I am still more interested in playing with the pleasures of the world than I am in spiritual things? Or have I finally begun to mature and experience God’s work in my life refining me and molding me into the person He wants me to be who brings glory to Him and points others to Him as well? “Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as be mature, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.” (Philippians 3:13-15)

It’s time to put away childish things and grow up!

A STEP UP

2010-03-21T13:22:00.005-05:00

We’ve been rejoicing this week in several things the Lord has provided lately for our family. I mentioned a couple weeks ago that we had ordered a Sleep Comfort adjustable bed for Robbie. It came this week and we are truly enjoying it. It is everything we had hoped it would be for him and is certainly a big step up from the mattress and air mattress we had on the floor. The first time I raised the head and foot of the bed and turned on the massager for Robbie his head whipped around and he got a look of wonder on his face. He grinned from ear to ear. He still gets tickled every time I raise or lower the bed as if he were going on some carnival ride! It is going to work out just fine. I was afraid it would look obtrusive in the living room since it is a little bigger than his old bed, but it doesn’t at all. In fact, I got a beautiful new quilt for it and it looks even prettier. So Robbie is happy, and Mama is happy, and when Robbie and Mama are happy, Daddy is happy, too! What a happy little family we are!

Something else happened this week, also, that brought a smile to Bob’s face. He got a call from his former place of employment asking if he would come back to work for them. He was laid off from his job last October and was unemployed for three and a half months before a different former employer called him and offered him a job at a quite substantially higher rate of pay. Although he loved the people and had enjoyed his job there, he was able to tell them “no thanks” since this new job is going well and is a step up for us. What a blessing to even have another job fairly quickly in this market, to be making quite a bit more money, and to be wanted by both companies because of his strong work ethic, integrity and good people skills. It makes him feel good to see that many times his testimony has made an impression on his co-workers and employers even years after they have parted ways. It is so nice, too, to be able to pay our bills each month without wondering how we can possibly stretch that paycheck to cover everything. We are truly thanking the Lord for giving us a little step up financially after many years of barely being able to make it.

Laurie and Fernando got a step up this week, too! They have been house-hunting since last July when their landlord told them he was planning to sell the house despite the fact that they had more than a year and a half left on their lease with him. They had put a lot of money, blood, sweat and tears into that house making it livable and a cozy home for their large family and although it certainly wasn’t fancy, it fit them perfectly. Moreover, the rent they were paying was a bargain – only $300 a month. Where would they find as good a price for rent as that?

The truth was – they wouldn’t. For the last seven or eight months they have diligently kept up the house hunt, looking at two or three houses almost every week. Everything they looked at that fit the size, condition and area they needed was $800 - $1000 a month. If the price was under $500 a month, the house was either a tiny cracker box, trashed, too far out of the city, in a bad area of town or something that made it unworkable for them and their special needs. They weren’t being picky but they had to have a study for Fernando, a place to do home-schooling, space for having people over in their ministry, bedrooms for seven people, etc. A tiny patch of yard or patio where the kids could get outside a bit would be a plus. A safe neighborhood was essential, and not having to sink a lot of money, time and energy into just making a house habitable for them was important now that their ministry was growing and demanded so much of them.

They finally found the house this week! It is in a nice, quiet neighborhood and is certainly a big step up from the house they are living in now! It is beautiful, and so much more than they had asked the Lord for. It is large, with all the space they needed – and far more space than they have now for having people over – beautifully finished and move-in ready. They had looked at several other houses of that size and quality and they all were around $1000 a month. This one was $500. That was $200 more than they are spending now, but after looking at more than a hundred other houses they knew they would not find anything for even close to what they now pay that would work. If they were going to have to spend a minimum of $460 or $480 for something that needed a lot of work and money poured into it before they could even move in, than they would rather just spend the $20 or $40 a month more and get this “perfect” house.

They are all thrilled, and after seeing the pictures Fernando sent, we are all delighted for them. They will make the move in April. Laurie says it will be the nicest house they’ve ever lived in and so much more than she would have ever asked the Lord for. He has provided far above what they ever dreamed of!

Isn’t that just like our Father to do, though? One of His names is Jehovah Jireh—which literally means The Lord Will Provide. Our Father supplies all our needs—what we need for our daily lives, as well as what we need to carry out His work. But even more than providing all our basic needs as He promises in Matthew 6:25-34 and Philippians 4:19 (“But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”), He is able to do far more than we ask or could even think! Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.” I am always happy and grateful when the Lord supplies the very basics, and when He goes so much further and provides so many of our wants, too – well, what an extra special blessing that is! And then when He steps it up even a notch further and gives beyond what we could even dream of, it is an amazing and humbling experience!

I have never asked God for great riches or a fancy house or all the material things that so many Americans enjoy. I have tried to take Paul’s words in Philippians 4:11, 12 to heart: “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.” We need to be content no matter what our circumstances, and to set our hearts and minds on heavenly values rather than earthly gain or material goods. Someday we’ll enjoy our mansion in Heaven and this house here on earth, no matter how grand, will seem pitiful in comparison. In the meantime, though, when God does surprise us with that little something extra from time to time, we can enjoy it and be grateful, and pray that we will be just as content the next time He allows us to “be abased.” A nice house, a bigger paycheck – even a comfortable bed – are only temporary and can easily be lost. Let us, as the old chorus says, keep eternity’s values in view and be grateful to God no matter what our earthly circumstances!

“With eternity's values in view, Lord, with eternity's values in view...
May I do each day's work for Jesus, with eternity's values in view!”

PICTURE THIS

2010-03-14T13:49:00.002-05:00

We had our family picture taken yesterday. Our church is doing a new church directory and each family was asked to schedule a time with the photographer over the past three days and come in for a sitting. I always feel like our family portrait is a little pathetic with only the three of us in it. “Family” to me is the Naranjos, Sanchezes, Robbie, Bob and I, so we’ll be missing a huge chunk of the family in this picture. We did have a family portrait done of all fifteen of us in July of 2008 before the Naranjos left. It’s a tight squeeze getting us all in, and quite the trick getting everyone looking at the camera and smiling at the same time, but it is fun and a fond memory of family time spent together.

This wouldn’t be the same, but I did the best I could to prepare us for the big day. We always do the color-coordination thing, and this time the colors were black and red. Robbie was excited about his new red shirt. I tried to prepare him, as well, for the sitting by telling him over and over, “Now Robbie, when the photographer tells you to smile, you have to smile real big, okay?” and I would flash a big grin to show him what I meant. I doubt if he had a clue what I was talking about, but he understood the word smile and that Mom was acting goofy, so he’d grin back and then try to hug my head.

The best laid plans, though… I had scheduled our appointment for around two o’clock because that is normally Robbie’s best time of day. He usually sleeps all morning because of all the seizure medicine he takes and then is awake in the afternoon. Wouldn’t you know it, though – Robbie stayed awake all morning and then about the time we wanted to get him ready, he fell asleep. We tried everything to perk him up and get him excited to go, but he pretty much ignored us and tried to go back to sleep. By the time we were loading him into the car I was getting worried. “This is going to be a big bust,” I fretted to Bob.

“He’ll probably perk up when we get there and he sees other people,” Bob replied hopefully.

He was right. Robbie did perk up a bit, but his smile wasn’t as quick and easy as normal, and he was having trouble sitting up in his wheelchair. It was obvious he was very tired and not too excited about being there. There were a few people ahead of us and I hoped he could hang in there until our turn arrived. At last the photographer called us over and our sitting began.

Robbie would not smile. No way, no how. In fact, he pretty much glared at the pretty young photographer, which is so unlike him. Normally, Robbie is so smiley and loves meeting new people – especially pretty young girls! He kept trying to slump in his chair and Bob and I discreetly tried to hold him up and lift his face to look at the camera. The whole thing was becoming a disaster. She took five or six photos of the three of us anyway, and I resigned myself to having to settle for picking the best of the worst for the picture that would go in the directory and be our free 8 x 10.

Finally she asked if we would like to try to get a picture of Robbie by himself. I had hoped for that, but the way it was going, a good outcome looked doubtful. Well, maybe with us standing in front of him, we thought, instead of behind him we could get him to smile. We moved behind the camera and then did everything we could think of, other than stand on our heads, to make that boy smile. Nothing worked until finally Bob got right in his face and started in with his little play routines that he does with Robbie. At last! Robbie’s face lit up and a big smile broke out. Bob jumped out of the way of the camera and success! After that, Robbie continued to smile and we got several good shots.

“Quick! While the mood lasts let’s try to get another one of the three of you!” the photographer said. We hurried back to our positions behind Robbie and we finally got a nice family portrait of the three of us. Whew! She took a few more of Bob and me as a couple and individually and at last our session ended.

Of course, there is a down side to all that. I ended up spending too much money on those nice photos, whereas if Robbie had never smiled we would have probably walked away with only our complimentary 8 x 10. I am happy, though, with how it turned out and I know we will enjoy our new portraits and the memories of that day for many years to come.

Dealing with Robbie sometimes is like dealing with a one-year-old. You can explain something until you’re blue in the face, but he’s just not going to get it. Like a toddler, he wants what he wants now, and nothing else will do. In this case, he just wanted every one to leave him alone and let him to go to sleep. I knew once he saw the pictures he would love them. One of his favorite things to do is to look at family photos, and we have several hanging near his bed and recliner so that he can look at them whenever he wants to. I catch him looking at them all the time, and smiling and nodding his head, and even “talking” to them. Yesterday, though, he just wasn’t getting it that if he just went along with what Mommy and Daddy wanted him to do, he would be so happy in the end with a new family photo to enjoy.

We’re a lot like that sometimes when the Lord is working in our life and we don’t understand what He is doing. We get upset when things don’t go the way we had planned or hoped for. We can’t see the big picture, as He does, and so we don’t know the good things that lie ahead of us if we would simply trust Him and obey. Like a little one, we fuss and complain, and maybe even throw a little temper tantrum because we can’t have it our way.

I can be pretty inflexible sometimes when I have something all planned out and someone else tries to come along and change my “perfect” plans. I have had to learn to step back and think about it and maybe even let go of some of the control that I have so tightly grasped. I egotistically wonder how anyone could have a better plan than me! Ha! I have learned that there are better ways of doing things than my way. Other people are just as smart or creative or talented or skilled as me – or more! And another shocker is that even if my way is the best way, it’s not the only way. It doesn’t hurt me to step aside and let someone else shine. It’s taken a long time for me to learn to surrender control and I have had to go through some humbling experiences at times to learn it.

It took me a long time to learn that I could trust other people with control of my little projects, but thank goodness I learned at a much younger age that I could trust God with control of my life. Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” I can’t see the big picture, but He does and if I can trust Him enough to faithfully and obediently follow Him even when I don’t understand what He is doing, I know He will never lead me wrong and that a better future lies ahead of me than I could ever dream.

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The Bible tells us, “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.” (Ephesians 5:17) Wisdom begins with understanding, and understanding His will begins with knowing His Word. The principles of how He wants us to live our lives are all there. True wisdom also includes obedience. “Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me…Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding…” (Deuteronomy 4:5, 6) If we understand but do not obey, the Bible tells us we are simply fools. “The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.” (Proverbs 10:8)

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We may not understand the specifics of our Father’s will in our lives, but as trusting and obedient little ones, we need to simply take His hand and walk along side, step by step. He will lead us into a better future. Robbie was having a problem understanding and cooperating with his parents yesterday. Robbie is retarded. What’s our excuse?

SLEEP COMFORT

2010-03-07T15:22:00.001-06:00

We ordered a new bed for Robbie this week. It is one of those adjustable beds, where the head and/or feet can be raised or lowered. It was horribly expensive and I dragged my feet about ordering it, but the time has come when it is pretty much a necessity for him – and us. He is getting progressively weaker as far as his ability to hold up his own weight. When he is in a drug-induced sleep, he is a dead weight and I am having trouble moving him at all then. Bob picks him up like a rag doll, but I am getting older and am not as strong as I once was, and with my heart history I really shouldn’t be trying to lift him like that. Even Bob, as strong as he is, has to be careful about hurting his back. He’s had a muscle strain the last few days from lifting Robbie. We would be in a real pickle if one of us threw out our back or had a heart attack while lifting Robbie.

Robbie’s world since he became so sick has shrunk for the most part to one or two rooms in our house. We have his bed in the living room, primarily so that he can always feel a part of everything. Robbie is tube-fed, and must be sitting, or at least reclining, for an hour after each feeding. His bed is right next to the recliner and every four hours we move him back and forth from bed to Lazy-Boy, which besides preventing reflux, also helps to prevent bed sores. He has always had perfect skin and we want to keep it that way. The new adjustable Sleep Comfort bed will solve the problem of lifting him when he is asleep, but we will still move him as much as possible when he is awake.

Robbie’s bed the last nine years has been a full-size mattress on top of an air mattress. One of us must sleep with him at night so that we will know if he has a seizure in the middle of the night and can take care of him. I’ve never been thrilled about having the bed in the middle of our living room but, as they say, ya gotta do what ya gotta do, and Robbie’s needs have to come first. The new bed will be here in a couple weeks and I am holding my breath and praying that it will not seem even more obtrusive in the living room than his old one does. On the other hand, it certainly will be nice to have a really comfortable bed to sleep in after all these years. It even has a three-way massager (at no extra cost) which will be good for Robbie – and really, really nice for me!

It was hard to spend that much money on a bed, and yet we are happy that we can do something to make life a little better for Robbie. He spends a lot of time in his bed and if it makes his body rest easier and be more comfortable then, even beyond all the other considerations, it will be worth it. One of the things we do with him before he goes to sleep at night, or sometimes in the morning when he first wakes up, is sing songs to him in bed, or play the harmonica for him. I was tickled when I recently came upon this verse and shared it with Robbie: “Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.” (Psalm 149:5.) That’s us – singing aloud upon our bed! I can’t wait for Robbie to experience his new bed – or to see the look on his face when we turn the massager on!

Yes, it will be wonderful to make life more comfortable for Robbie, and a little easier for us. God, in His grace, has made it possible for us to care for Robbie all these years, and has cared for our needs, as well. And just as He has provided the physical things, including at this point a new bed to comfort Robbie and help lift him up physically, even so He promises to provide all we need spiritually to comfort and lift our hearts. Jesus said in John 14:16, 27 “And I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever…Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” He is there to comfort us in all things. “Who comforteth us in all our tribulation,” (II Corinthians 1:4) Jesus also said, “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) When we need Him most, He lifts us up. “The Lord upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down.” (Psalm 145:14) and “The LORD lifteth up the meek.” (Psalm 147:6) And far better than that adjustable Sleep Comfort bed – “But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head…I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.” (Psalm 3:3, 5)

Someday Jesus will say to Robbie, as He did to others in the New Testament, “Arise! Take up thy bed and walk!” I am sure Robbie will not only walk, but jump and run and dance for joy, as well! He’ll no longer need a bed of any kind. Praise the Lord! And the older I get, the more I look forward to having a new, perfect body of my own, too! Until we come to that day, however, when all our earthly cares and pain are gone forever, we can rest in Him and be lifted up and comforted in the here and now. I say again – praise the Lord!

SPACED OUT, STRESSED OUT

2010-02-28T12:36:00.003-06:00

I am once again packing a suitcase for Ecuador. No, not because I am going again (wish I was!), but because I have an opportunity to send some things down to the Naranjos with friends who are going to visit them. You might be wondering how I could possibly have another full suitcase for them when I was just there a few months ago and took everything but the kitchen sink with me at that time. I look at that suitcase myself and am a little amazed, too!

Most of that large bag is filled with clothes for Fernando. A friend had a huge stack of clothes that were brand new and never worn and, miraculously, just Fernando’s size! The friends going to Ecuador were more than happy to take whatever we needed to send and told us to go ahead and fill up the suitcase as long as it didn’t go overweight. So, there are nice hand-me-down clothes for Matthew that I couldn’t fit in the last time I went, birthday gifts for Sara and Matthew (b-days coming up in April), wireless microphones for the church, matzo bread for the Biblical dinners Fernando does, and cans of cherry and blueberry pie filling, chocolate chips and Hershey kisses for Laurie. And of course, this Grandma can’t send a suitcase down there without throwing in a little surprise for each of the kids!

I started packing the bag last night and finally realized there was no way it would all fit in without using space bags for the clothes again. Those new-fangled little contraptions are quite the thing. Well, I suppose they aren’t so new-fangled anymore. They’ve been around for several years, but my first experience at using them was when I went to Ecuador in November. You’ve probably seen them advertised on TV. You put the clothes or blankets or whatever in a space bag, seal it, attach a vacuum hose and suck all the air out of the bag. It totally flattens the bag, making an almost flat, hard and wrinkly package. They worked great for me the last time. I was a little worried the clothes would be all wrinkled when I took them out of the space bags, but actually they weren’t too bad. Of course, you still have to be careful about the weight when you’re flying, but it sure helps to get a little more into a suitcase.

They say those space bags are handy for storage in the home, as well. Closet space is at a premium in my house. This is an old house (over eighty years old) and they just didn’t make closets back then the way they do now. The closets in our bedrooms upstairs are narrow – barely a hangar width – and although they are somewhat deep, it is difficult to reach the back of the closet. The small door is at one end and once there are clothes in the front of the closet, it is almost impossible to reach past them to the things in the back. A walk-in closet would be a huge luxury for me! Never fear, though. I have a huge closet downstairs called a basement. I pity my daughters if we die before I get around to cleaning it out!

I suppose space bags are a sign of the times, as are all the other space-saving gadgets and gizmos we see for sale these days. There are whole aisles in the stores devoted to plastic bins and totes, organizer systems, cabinets, wardrobes and so on. I recently bought a box of Wonder Hangers – another “As Seen on TV” gadget that holds five garments in the closet space that would normally hold only one – in an effort to maximize my closet space. Builders keep building bigger homes with huge closets and even bigger garages, and still we need a great big storage shed on top of that! When we get all those spaces filled up, back to the store we go for more storage bins!

Does it seem to you that maybe we just have too much stuff? There is a reason closets were small eighty years ago when our house was built. People did not have all that stuff! The only things they had in their closets were the clothes they wore. When they outgrew something, they passed it on; otherwise, they wore their clothes until they wore out. They weren’t shopping for new things every other week. Even if I fit into everything in my closet (which I don’t), I could never wear everything in it if I tried! My basement is filled with forty years worth of books, memorabilia, equipment, and things for which I’ve barely spared a passing glance in decades. It’s time to clear out!

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Why are we so consumed with material things, anyway? If I spent less at Wal-Mart on things I don’t really need, I would have more to give to those who do have needs, or for things that have real eternal value. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. (Matthew 6:19-21) Why fill up my earthly home with worthless stuff, when Christ is preparing a mansion for me in heaven?

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Those humble little space bags are a picture to me, as well, of another characteristic of our modern, American lifestyles. Not only do we have a space management problem, but we also have stress management problems. I look at those hard, flat, wrinkly vacuum-sealed packages and am reminded of how the demands of family, work, extra-curricular activities and the general busy-ness of life can suck the energy, passion and joy right out of our lives. Staying home with Robbie allows me a more relaxed lifestyle, but I feel for some of the women who are closest to me. Between caring for little ones, home-schooling several ages at once, babysitting grandchildren after working a demanding job all day, running kids from one sport or youth activity to another, helping friends, working in the church, being a wife, cooking, cleaning, and all the other things it takes to run a home and family, it is no wonder they are totally drained at the end of the day.

There is not a lot we can do sometimes to alleviate some of the stresses of life – other than to just say “No” to some of the extras that really aren’t necessary, that is. Our families need us, our homes must be cared for, and being a Christian woman just means giving of ourselves. We need to learn to set priorities in our lives, however. I have resolved in my life this year to strive toward making the things of the Lord a greater priority in my life, beginning with a better prayer life and more time spent in the Word. If I put those things first, I am filled and life cannot so easily overwhelm and drain me. I don’t want my life to be hard and flat and wrinkly like those space bags when the vacuum has sucked out all the air. Jesus went on to say in Matthew 6:33, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” When we make Him the priority in our life, He helps us through all these other concerns and challenges. We are not drained, but filled as He blesses us with all that we need.

Our lives in twenty-first century America are vastly different than life was in Jesus’ time in Galilee two thousand years ago, but His principles and promises are just as relevant for us today as they were back then. No need to be spaced out and stressed out when our eyes and values are on Him!

TO WIN THE GOLD

2010-02-21T14:29:00.002-06:00

Have you been watching the Winter Olympics this week? We very seldom watch sports on television. Bob is more an outdoorsman, preferring hunting, fishing and hiking to organized sports. I am so glad I am not a football, baseball, basketball or golf “widow.” I know there are some women who will sit down and enjoy a game on television with their husbands, but I doubt very much if I would be one of them. Superbowl Sunday and the World Series come and go with scarcely a glance around here. When Bob watches television it is almost always cowboy movies or news programs. I’ll admit – I’m as much a news junkie as he is, but when it comes to watching “Dances with Wolves” or “Rio Bravo” for the fortieth time, I draw the line there, also!

Every couple years, though, when the winter or summer Olympics occur, we get sucked in to this amazing world showcase of youthful athleticism. Who can resist the grace and beauty of the figure skaters, the strength and endurance of decathlon racers, or the mind-boggling courage and skill of the snow boarders? Suddenly we become “expert” armchair judges of quadruple salchow jumps and triple backflips. From the opening ceremonies to the closing ones, we are fascinated by the pageantry, competition and, frequently, the drama that is played out right here in our living room. Ever the patriots, we are moved by and take pride in Team USA, as if we had a personal stake in each of young American athlete’s well-being and success.

I have never been an athlete. At this age, I will never be one. I probably would keel over if I had to run a block! I remember as a young girl, though, watching the figure skaters and dreaming of being able to glide on ice as beautifully as they. Now I see my granddaughters having the same dreams. Before they left for Ecuador the last time, Sara and Gabi asked me to make posters for them on my computer of figure skaters and gymnasts to hang in their room. A few, like the young athletes in Vancouver, have those dreams and act upon them. The rest of us merely dream.

The apostle Paul often used the picture of running a race as a symbol of our Christian life. Hebrews 12:1 says, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us.” He goes on to say in I Corinthians 9:24-27 that it takes discipline and self-control to run the race well and achieve the prize. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

I know I do not have the discipline or strength that is needed to run a physical race. I have several family members who are runners, though, and I admire them not only for their discipline, but also for the perseverance they have shown as they have battled injuries and even age and still continue to run. My cousin Jon runs marathons regularly. It is his goal to run a marathon in every state of the Union, and I know he is getting close to achieving that goal. Good for him!

I am in for the marathon, however, in this race that we call life! When we read these passages that speak to what we must do in our spiritual life to finish the course we see several things that will help us to persevere.

First, we are to “lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us.” Sin weighs us down and stands between us and our goal. Although we, as believers, are ultimately saved from our sins, we still, as long as we live in this mortal body, will struggle with that old sin nature. That is why we need to daily confess our sins to Him and keep our lines of communication and fellowship with the Lord clear. What good is a coach if there is no communication between him and the athlete? How can we run a good race when we are weighted down?

Then we are to “run with patience.” I am sure my cousin Jon would tell us that it takes a great deal of patience to persevere through all the training and the long miles of the marathon itself. I doubt I would have the patience even if I could hang in there physically! I just want to get there! Life’s race, though, is full of obstacles and detours, and only God Himself knows “the race that is set before us.” We don’t have a choice in the course – we must persevere through it nevertheless.

Paul talks about the athlete keeping his body under subjection in order to obtain the prize. So too must we be disciplined in our spiritual lives -- obedient to the Lord in all things and following His will for us. That includes those very basic areas where it is so often difficult for us to be disciplined –reading His word daily, having a consistent and fervent prayer life; fellowshipping with other believers regularly and so on. If I cannot be disciplined in those simple things, how can I hope to run to my utmost ability?

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II Timothy 4:7-8 says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” At the end of the race is the prize! It is not Olympic gold but something far greater – a crown of righteousness from the hand of our Lord Himself. To receive my reward from Him for a race well-run, and to hear His words “Well, done, thou good and faithful servant!”— now that is a prize worth running for!

BETWEEN IRAQ AND A HARD PLACE

2010-02-14T16:08:00.002-06:00

Our son-in-law David received word this week that he will be going to Iraq in April. He has been in the Air Force for over fifteen years and is a major – soon to be a lt. colonel when he pins on in a few months. He has never been deployed overseas before. That might seem unusual for a career officer, but considering the field he is in – space and missiles – perhaps it is not so unusual, after all. He is more a “rocket scientist” than a soldier and even now is working in a sort of think tank, doing research.

Julie and David have known all along that when you are in the military, being deployed comes with the territory and that it could actually happen someday. You have to be prepared and willing to go wherever they want to send you. After all these years, though, and doing the kind of work he does, it seemed unlikely, perhaps, that it ever would happen. It came as a shock when out of the blue the other day he got his orders.

Their initial reaction was just that – shock. Julie cried. David was dismayed. He was about to start colonel school. And the worst was that they are so close as a couple, and their family is so very close as well, that the thought of being separated was awful. When Julie told the children, they cried and cried and cried. They didn’t know much about Iraq since their parents never have the news on in front of them, but they had heard other people ask for prayer for so-and-so who was going to Iraq, or talk about someone who had been killed in Iraq. Their worst fear was that Daddy might have to go to Iraq, and now it was happening.

Joshua, who is nine, was mad – mad at the military. “Why can’t he just tell them no?” he asked, sobbing.

“He has to go, Joshua,” Julie tried to explain to him. “If he tells them no, they would put him in prison – military prison.”

Joshua continued to cry, but slowly stopped. Julie could see the wheels turning in his head. “How long would he have to stay in prison?” he asked hopefully.

Julie couldn’t help it. She burst out laughing. “Joshua, your daddy is not going to prison! He’s going to go do his duty and we will all get through it just fine!” Joshua had the grace to look a little sheepish, and after that the worst seemed to be over.

They went to meet David for lunch, and when she told him what Joshua had said, he, too, laughed. “Hmm,” he said, “let me see – six months in Iraq – or 50 years of hard time in prison, a dishonorable discharge and losing my retirement? I think I’ll go to Iraq!”

Within a few hours the whole family was doing just fine. They spent time together reading some of the promises of God and praying. They counted their blessings and thanked God for the good they could see in the situation – David would be gone only six months instead of a year; he was going to Iraq instead of Afghanistan; they were settled in their new house and would be fine here at home; maybe the Lord had a special mission for David to accomplish, some life to touch while he was gone. In the meantime, they would simply trust God to take care of them all and bring them back together soon.

There are times when we are between a rock and a hard place and there is absolutely nothing we can do to help ourselves. We feel helpless to control the situation. How we handle those times makes all the difference in the amount of pain or suffering we will experience. If we are bitter or fearful or angry, we make it so much harder for ourselves. There is a lack of trust on our part in believing that God always works in our lives for our best. That lack of trust robs us of the strength, peace and comfort that the Lord is so ready to give us in those troubled times.

An attitude of gratitude, on the other hand, helps us to see the bigger picture as we count the blessings of God in our lives. Taking the focus off the problem and putting it on our Problem-Solver who tells us to cast all our cares upon Him for He cares for us strengthens our faith. (I Peter 5:7) As we remember the great things He has done in the past and thank and praise Him for those things, we can trust that He will uphold, provide and protect in the future, as well. “The Lord hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” (Psalm 126:3)

I know Julie’s family will come through this time of testing just fine. They live by faith, and have taught their children well to do the same. They thank Him in the good times, and they thank Him in the bad times, as well. “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (I Thessalonians 5:18)