It's Just Life: Encouragements Along the Way

Here I Go Again, Pt 2

2010-10-07T21:05:00.000-07:00

Continuing on the same theme as the prior post...God's ways are not our ways. And we are to be faithful no matter the difficulty of the road.

Think of the person who faces paralysis every day for the rest of their lives. Think of the person who loses a spouse or a child to death. There are people who struggle every day with a debilitating soul-numbing disease or illness - and they are not taken out of it. While on earth these pains never go away; they endure under them until death.

Boy is it ever hard to walk uprightly while packing along a deficit of some kind. We are sinners living in a sinful world carrying along a sinner's body of ills. We all suffer in that to one degree or another. Mine is hormonal. For someone else it is food and allergy issues. Some have headaches and migraines. Some have debilitating fatigue or body weakness or diabetes or obesity.

The crux of the matter is that none of us are off the hook spiritually as a result. Each and every one is still required by God to be an obedient, upright, faithful, holy follower of Christ. We are still required to be patient, kind, giving, forbearing, serving.... No matter the road. No matter the impediments. No matter the state of our bodies. We are to be faithful to the ----end. Stumbling and tripping and staggering along, but never falling to our ultimate ruin. Never facing utter defeat, for in Christ we are assured of victory and a home in heaven.

We cannot stand before God someday and say, 'Well, I wasn't faithful and obedient, because I had a really bad headache.' We are personally responsible to live for Christ and walk in faithful obedience no matter what. That is definitely hard and next to impossible in our own strength.

Don't compare your walk to someone else's walk. Don't think they've got it easier. Walk the path that is set before you, in confidence and faith in Christ, one trusting step at a time and this will glorify God.

View your deficit as a special gift from God to highlight your utter dependency on Him, a daily reminder of your weakness and His strength. It presses a question upon us: Will we trust God even here in this place of neediness and weakness? We should.

Here I Go Again, Part 1

2010-10-02T07:55:00.000-07:00

I've shared in previous posts about my past struggles with depression due to an hormonal imbalance. Well, the scales tipped again this summer, and I found myself back in the shadow lands. Not my favorite place to be.

This time around I already intimately knew the monster of depression, and I didn't want to walk with him again. It was disheartening and discouraging to find myself on a path I had already walked - a path I had already conquered.

I liken it to someone being diagnosed with cancer. They do the chemo, radiation, surgery thing, and then find themselves in years of good health. But then BAM. The cancer is back. I wonder, is it harder, then, to cope with, the second time around? This known monster? Does it feel like been-there done-that and I don't wanna do it again? Is it rather more disheartening to find yourself in the same place that not long ago you walked in courage and victory with special strength from the Lord?

Well, this idea got me to thinking.... The reality of life is this: we face the same trials and tribulations, sometimes over and over and over again. The Israelites faced lack of water and food over and over again; their enemies threatened their very lives dozens of times. And this is not purposeless fate or life bumblings. This is a purposeful path for our spiritual growth and good.

We are not now exempt from a particular trial because we've experienced it before. It would be nice to have a list, and just keep crossing things off. Okay, I've done depression. Check. I've done the lonely thing. Check. I've conquered impatience. Check. My needs have gone unmet. Check. I've embarrassed myself in public. Check. I've dealt with an impossible boss. Check.

On one hand, it can be disheartening to be in a trial again enduring under something you have already suffered. But on the other hand, God has supplied much in the way of tools for you to use this time around, you've learned to apply His word to this trial and temptation. You have prior knowledge and experience and it is meant to under gird you and and girdle-you-up to face it in strength. Not only do you have prior knowledge of this trial - but you have prior knowledge of God's sweet help.

We are not exempt from a particular trial because we have experienced it before. It can be disheartening to be in the same place again, but what do we do? The same - very same - thing as the first time around. We throw ourselves on our Savior. We look to Him as the hope and help of our countenance, as our soul's "uplifter." We read His word faithfully, diligently and regular. And we do not lose heart for the race we are involved in. We are in a race - it is not a fairytale cruise. Hard to remember.

So, you might feel like you got a decent passing grade on the first time this test came around - and why do I have to take it again, but remember that God's ways are not our ways. His ways are higher, deeper, richer. Beyond our ken. We don't have to "get it." We don't have to agree or understand - we just must continue to walk in truth and faithfulness no matter the difficulty of the road. We must be faithful to our task. To the end. That's all.

Genealogical Gem

2010-09-30T16:57:00.000-07:00

It has definitely been too long since the last post if I cannot even remember my user name and password. It took me three tries to remember just exactly WHO I am. Most decidedly a hint to post more often!

Remember back to the beginning of summer my goal and heart's desire was to study the gospels and get a closer look at my King's face? It has been a pleasure. Using a synoptic gospel guide that I downloaded from the internet, I have been reading the gospels in event-order, switching back and forth between them as the story and time line progress through Christ's life and mission on earth. And with each pocket-sized event, I take the time to stop and meditate and see what insights the Lord allows. My insights surely aren't 'gospel', but for me they have quickened my love for the word and my love for Jesus.

I want to share a tiny tidbit of my joys along the way - even the hidden treasure in a long genealogy. Matthew 1:1 says, "A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ..."

Jesus has a genealogy. He was born into humankind - became a man. That may seem obvious, but stop and really think about that. He entered history in a specific time and in a specific line of men, as foretold and promised by God to both King David and Abraham.

Jesus' family line has evil men and kings as well as good kings. It includes a murderer, a prostitute, faithful God-followers, worshipers of idols, the disobedient as well as the faithful - just like any human genealogy.

Just like prophesied, He came and entered history at just the right moment. At just the right point in that list of human beings. It was foretold. It was promised. It was looked forward to in faith and hope. And He came. He really did.

Isaiah predicted, "For to us a child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over His kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this."

What a Savior!

Randy Alcorn said this: Because the fall really happened in history, God's Son had to enter history (incarnation) and die in history (redemption) and rise from the grave in history (resurrection).

What an amazing redemptive plan unfolding...!

You Call THAT Summer?

2010-09-16T06:34:00.000-07:00

As short as this summer felt, we were able to squeeze in at least one high-adventure camping trip. We were camping at 6000 feet in late August and experienced just about all of the weather possibilities known to man: snow, hail, rain, high winds. Oh, and eventually some sun. It was loads of fun. In a tent.

I slept with three sleeping bags, three sweatshirts (hood up), two sweatpants, two socks, and gloves. And I still took hours to truly warm up. The snow accumulated so fast that we had to beat it off the sagging roof of the tent every 20 minutes, until we abandoned camp and huddled at the Lodge cafe for a couple of hours eating our way through pizza and cobbler and gallons of hot coffee while we played canasta. It was emotionally very hard returning to camp, as you might imagine, but I just went straight to bed again and huddled under the covers reading all day.

The night of the high winds, I was awakened by the tent collapsing over my face. Lovely feeling in the dark of night. Oh, and did I mention that we were camping in bear country? So you know I waited awake each night for the entrance of said bear into our tent through the broken zippered front. We were very careful not to have food or even bathroom supplies such as toothpaste in our tent to entice the bears to enter - but what about the Frito's stuck in my teeth?

Our beloved dog must have gotten car sick on the road trip to camp because that first night she vomited about ten times. Do you wanna know how much like a bear's growl her vomiting heaves sounded?? It was a lovely night. One daughter and I truly had the giggles. And Dad pulled his famous line for all time and all situations: This Is Ridiculous.

But yes - eventually we had three days of sunshine and spent all day on the lovely white pumice and sandy beach on East Lake right outside our tent door. Finally, it was warm, and only occasionally did an arctic breeze blow across our sunning backs. I read and read and read and devoted and drew and painted and ate more Frito's. Now THAT is my kind of camping.

A Beautiful New Journal

2010-09-13T09:43:00.000-07:00

In March of 2009 I began a beautiful new journal - a lime green whimsically floral one. This journal was a place for new beginnings, following on the heels as it did of various difficult trials in my life. Those trials at that time included: A severe long term family crisis, my hormonally induced depression, my oldest daughter's two years of crashed health, and my third daughter's week in the hospital.

I was ready to begin a new chapter. Here is what I wrote on the first page:

A beautiful new journal...a continued journey with my Lord through the hills and valleys and brambly paths of life. Brambles can be scritchy-scratchy-grabby, and they can cut you and make you bleed. They can catch and snag at your soul, ensnaring you in an off-the-beaten-path hazard.

But brambles can also smell rich with summer berries, be intertwined with lovely pale white morning glories, and full of bird-song. Comforting joy even in the snags.

I have walked with the Lord for 36 years now, and I have been on many various types of passageways and cobbled trails - and this I know:

God is faithful and good and Sovereign and in control and purposeful in all things. I have been tried in several life-furnaces, and though I may have come out the other side of them in various states of success spiritually - HE shines forth in glorious radiance, perfect holiness, in goodness and mercy.

I trust Him; I believe in Him. Even here in this new place and after this new traumatic testing. I am a work undone and unfinished; He is a faithful Refiner and Finisher, to build me up and not tear me down.

Purposeful trials and tribulations and deep waters.... Purposeful. Known. Planned. Orchestrated. Designed. Directed. Not to undo me or deconstruct me or de-edify me or tear me down, but to build me up. To establish me in the faith. To grow deep and broad and life-depending roots. To grow me into a steadfast woman who endures under and bears up under her trials. To eternally bless me in heaven.

So be it.

Love Intervenes

2010-09-08T10:58:00.000-07:00

Heavy on my heart has been this question, related to a loved one surrendering to deep sin: What am I to do?

Our culture - even our Christian culture - is so hands off, so timid, so afraid of coming across as judgmental, so afraid of being ineffective, that we leave a fellow-believer wallowing in the muck and mud of their sin.

Why confront, you might say? We can’t change them, can’t make them shed their sin and walk in righteousness. So why bother?

But how can we watch them on a path that is destructive for their very soul and not try to intervene? Rescue?

You intervene because you love them. You intervene because you love God. And you intervene because willful sin spits on Christ and His sacrifice for their sin.

Granted, you might not change them. It’s true, you might lose the relationship. But are you willing to be used of God as a tool for restoration, to bring them back to a right relationship with God and others?

Love intervenes. Love speaks out. Love speaks truth. We have the words of LIFE - are we ashamed of them? Shine the light of TRUTH into their life. Be a signpost in their headlong rush towards destruction that shouts NO. STOP. BEWARE.

A person caught in sin, especially sexual sin, is blind to their sin. They don’t see clearly, they rationalize their behavior. Who knows how God might use your words of God’s truth to bring them up short and cause them to stop and think. Trust God to be responsible to use His words as He sees fit. His word is a sharp sword, piercing, and able to get right at the heart.

“Brothers, if someone is caught (ensnared) in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently…. Carry each other’s burdens.” Gal 6:1-2

“Better is open rebuke than hidden love. Faithful (trustworthy) are the wounds of a friend…” Prov. 27:5-6

“If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him.” Luke 17: 3

“My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.” James 5:19-20

Key to this process is maintaining a loving attitude and a spirit of gentleness. Man’s anger does not accomplish the good work of God. Man’s anger interferes and clouds the water and does not bring about good fruit. Man’s anger shuts the door and plugs the ears. Keep your own frustration and anger out of it.

Pity them in their lost and dark place. They are caught in a web unable to extricate themselves. Ensnared. Trapped. Proverbs says that the unfaithful are trapped by their evil desires. (11:6) They might think they are in a place of great freedom and happiness. But that is a lie of the devil who is out to slay their soul. And we know better - we know what God’s word says.

Reach out with the hands of love to someone you know who is not walking uprightly with Christ, someone who is caught in a sinful lifestyle. Do not stay on the sidelines and watch their destruction.

We are our brother’s keeper. Real love, tough love, is willing to speak unwelcome truth - real love is willing to get down in the trenches and get dirty as we reach out to grasp a hold of their hand and pull them out.

Menacing Mail Attack

2010-08-23T14:02:00.000-07:00

Turning 50 has not only been relatively painless and less traumatizing than I projected, but actually a full-of-joy experience for me. Thanks to my hubby and dear friends and family, I had an absolute blast. I felt like I was gently carried over that half-a-century line and soothingly placed on the far side, upbeat and ready to face the-rest-of-my-life.

But then the attack began. It was insidious and sinister. And it started with AARP. Asking did I want to start my very own personal subscription to the OLD PEOPLE'S MAGAZINE?? I don't think so - thank you very much. But they are insistent, and not a month goes by when I don't receive another AARP reminder that the world at large considers me OLD.

But this week was the clincher. I received a LIPOLIFT 'Aesthetic Medicine' brochure in the mail, assuring me that I could laserlift myself right into new and improved! I could be reshaped, resized, rebuilt, lifted, tucked or suctioned. Wow. Doesn't that all just sound so fun? Right after our coffee date, how about if we gals go get worked over??

What is the matter with the me that I am? I mean, its not like I don't work on me quite enough as it is. I work out regularly; I wear deodorant; I shave my legs, apply lotion, paint my toenails, color my hair, wear make-up, and file my fingernails. This is about all the time I want to expend on this me. Oh, I guess I do like to dress myself in bright colors, capris, and black strappy sandals.

I stand HERE, strong and true, just over the 50 yard line, resistant to the AARP attack. I-will-not-subscribe. Are you with me?

A Girl's Perfect Day

2010-08-13T15:22:00.000-07:00

Blessed day with my girls....and two new blessings to add to my list.

(Okay three blessings, cause I love the humongous bouquet of roses with light blue and sagey green hydrangeas that my daugher arranged)

But first I scrubbed our back deck preparatory to staining it and gave two rhodies severe butch haircuts. Marauding blackberry vines stretched the rhododendron bushes out of proportion, hence the hacking back. I was very brave to tackle this, as this was the-very-area where I saw a snake a couple of weeks ago. I would have felt better in hip-waders; snakes are ungodly. (I think I need to share my snake poem with you. Future blog post.)

But then the siren song of Stratford Tea House called and off we girls went. Picture warm Italian villa colors with flowered tea pots. A perfect girly place. My tea cup was a luscious lime green with pink roses. I begged for that one - very grown up of me. Scones with jam and Devonshire cream, Hungarian mushroom soup, flowered pots of ginger-peach tea and Russian Caravan tea. We imbibed and indulged and giggled our way through the tasty treats. (Blessing number one)

Then the girls talked me into shopping at Old Navy. Why is shopping such a panacea for all that ails a girl? I once asked Chris if it was unchristianly to adore shopping. Thankfully he just chuckled and didn't give me any black and white answer. Don't YOU either. I bought a wild redish orangish top and a feminine lacy-edged peach cardigan. Who wouldn't feel better, I ask you. (Blessing number two)

I'm almost done reading "Holiness" by JC Ryle. There is a chapter near the very end called something like, "Understanding the Times." It has challenging and convicting words for us. Listen to this for starters:

"The man who is content to sit ignorantly by his own fireside, wrapped up in his own private affairs, and has no public eye for what is going on in the church and the world, is a miserable patriot, and a poor style of Christian. Next to our Bibles and our own hearts, our Lord would have us study our own times." (ouch)

The section that stood out to me was where he elucidated on the fact that the times require at our hands distinct and decided views of Christian doctrine. Listen to his eloquent and colorful language as he passionately speaks to this topic:

"...beware of this undecided state of mind in religion. It is a pestilence which walketh in darkness, and a destruction that killeth in noonday. It is a lazy, idle frame of soul which, doubtless, saves men the trouble of thought and investigation; but it is a frame of soul for which there is no warrant in the Bible...."

"For your own soul's sake dare to make up your mind what you believe, and dare to have positive distinct views of truth and error. Never, never be afraid to hold decided doctrinal opinions; and let no fear of man and no morbid dread of being thought party-spirited, narrow or controversial, make you rest contented with a bloodless, boneless, tasteless, colorless, lukewarm, undogmatic Christianity."

"Mark my words, if you want to do good in these times, you must throw aside indecision, and take up a distinct, sharply cut, doctrinal religion. If you believe little, those to whom you try to do good will believe nothing...."

"Christianity without distinct doctrine is a powerless thing. It may be beautiful to some minds, but it is childless and barren."

Oh, I love the solid truth of Scripture - the forever-settled-in-heaven truth that God has given us. And I love these old time authors who are passionate about truth and challenging to this generation where we are tempted to be wishy-washy and tolerant to all views, and can tend to be uncomfortable with dogmatism. Bible truths are worthy of a strong stance and firmly held beliefs.

Small Time Blessings

2010-08-11T16:10:00.000-07:00

What gives you joy? What warms your heart and nourishes your soul? What causes cozy snuggle down feelings of comfortableness and peace?

Open your eyes and heart to the small soul pleasures, those things that lighten your heart and lift your soul up in gratefulness to the Lord. Sometimes we need to look for them purposefully.

I tell my writing students to develop eyes that really SEE, to be astute observers of beauty and life. Be a detective pursuing clues of God's goodness-es to us in this life. They are there.

Remember one of my theme verses for this blog? "...I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living."

If there is one thing I know, you and I are surely in the land of the living. And another thing I know - the Lord is GOOD. So believe and look.

What truly is loads of fun is making your own list of blessings. You saw a partial list of mine yesterday. A couple of you friends mentioned doing that for yourself - I say go for it.

Here are a few more pleasures I love: color, girl friends, coffee dates, deep spiritual books, journaling, hugs, romantic (clean) movies, chocolate, a sweet conversation with one of my girls... and the list goes on, forever really.

You will see how many dozens of things come to mind when you really think about what gives you joy. Have fun.

When you are feeling down, stressed, burdened at work, exhausted with responsibilities, this is a wonderful time to purposefully surround yourself with as many little joy givers as you can. This may sound like total immersion in self, but believe me, looking for blessings lifts our eyes up out of the doldrums, out of the slough of despond, and helps us see more clearly how truly blessed we are. There are many 'feelings' that can pull us down - well, take your feelings in hand and speak truth to them. The truth that your life is actually full, absolutely cup-overflowingly full of many richness-es and goodness-es.

Cultivate eyes that see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Chutzpah

2010-08-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

Hi. My name is Laura. I have been remiss in my blogging. I have been bad. Very bad indeed.

I lost my 'oomph' for a bit - my chutzpah. ( I looked that cool word up. No definition to be found, but I'm still sure I LOST it.) Cause my get-up-and-go got up and went, too. Probably hand in hand with my chutzpah, and they are gallivanting and cavorting on some beach in the south of France. Without me.

I have been on a downward slippery slope into feelings of depression (again) over the last six months, but now I am clawing my way back up and out. Mainly via increased doses of the hormonal miracle drug progesterone.

I will be okay. Soon I hope.

You know what I've been doing besides regular wife-mother-house type thingies? I've been increasing my joy factor. I've been seriously dogging after collecting delights for my soul. Here is a short list of my personal favorites:

Driving in the car with the windows down letting the wind tussle with my hair, my arm straight out the window, country music blaring. This works best when driving alone.

Watching my little golden finches and red headed house finches gorge themselves on my bird feeder right out my living room window.

Squirting an extra blast of perfume on my neck.

Manicures and pedicures and toe rings.

Sitting in the sun absorbing its healing happy rays.

Reading a really good book.

Watercolor painting in my little travel journal where I chronicle almost every day of my summer. The sketching and painting have been a newly discovered pleasure for me.

Teaching dear friends to quilt. And learning lovely new layouts from them.

Laughter. Especially with family and good friends.

A slow road trip down the coast with my husband - enjoying Italian sodas, Mexican mochas, and hitting every cute little shop along the way. And every bathroom.

Walking through the fields in the early morning light, the hillsides warm in the golden glow of a day just beginning. Listening to the birds.

A buttery bowl of popcorn. (See how WAY down on the list that was??! Impressive!)

Lighting scented candles around the house.

There are so many little blessings from the Lord that increase our joy. I am grateful for every miniature delight that comes my way. So, thanks for listening. I'll be back soon....

PS Google says that Chutzpah means something like 'gutsy audacity.' That's not quite what I wanted it to mean. I wanted it to mean something like 'spit and vinegar,' because that's what I'm missing. But maybe I'm missing my gutsy audacity, too. ;O] I think I'm missing several things....

Where is Your Faith, Part 3

2010-06-24T16:04:00.000-07:00

In Exodus 14 the Lord culminates His mighty rescuing of His people from Egypt. The Hebrew people escaped - the Egyptians followed - and God stood in the gap to protect and fight for His people.

The Egyptian enemies boasted, "I will pursue...I will overtake...I will gorge myself on them...my sword will destroy them." But God intervened! He simply blew His breath on them - 'wooo' - and the sea covered them and they sank like lead into the mighty waters! No messing around.

"And when the Israelites saw the great power the Lord displayed against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and put their trust in Him and in Moses His servant." (14)

And they sang, "Who among the gods is like you, O Lord?
Who is like you --
Majestic in holiness,
Awesome in glory,
Working wonders?
You stretched out Your right hand
And the earth swallowed them.
In Your unfailing love You will lead
The people You have redeemed.
In Your strength You will guide them to
Your holy dwelling." (15:11-13)

Full of praise to God, the people were bursting with spiritual fervor and strengthened faith. This was a place of rich blessing. Imagine seeing God Almighty fight for them, and conquer their enemies.

They may have felt like - this is it! - I can do this life with such an awesome, mighty God in my camp. They felt strengthened in their inner man to stand against any foe with such a God. Victorious! Forever! Set free from slavery, set free to walk intimately with this God who walks so closely with His people. Hallelujah!

But the story does not stop there.

"Then Moses led Israel from the Red Sea and they went into the desert of Shur. For three days they traveled in the desert without finding water." (22)

"Then" - Next - What came right after, right on the heels of such great blessing and victorious triumphs? They were led into the desert and had no water for three days.

WHAT? What is the Lord doing? WHY? Why this NOW? We are His people. He has claimed us and fought for us and now we are suffering THIS? What could possibly be the meaning of this?

On the first day as they marched off, following Moses, they walked in full spiritual strength, confident in the Lord and in His ability to provide for them and take care of them. I'm sure they reminded themselves and their children to trust God and hold fast to Him in faith. I can see the beaming faces and the secure steps.

The second day was tougher. They awakened thirsty. A little foot-sore. The adults quieted the thirsty children with encouraging words, heard the lowing sounds of the miserable animals, but walked forth into the new day still holding onto the shirttails of the prior day's victories.

But the third day broke down any spiritual resolve to trust God or even to call upon Him for mercy! That almighty victorious God - He no longer felt near. So much for being God's special people; so much for His promise to guide them and bring them to the promised land. Their steadfastness staggered at this catastrophe.

The people grumbled and groused at Moses, "WHAT are we to drink?"

"...there He tested them." (25) This was a hand-carved test, created just for them.

"Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger...to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God." (Deut.8)

Life is comprised of tests, trials, challenges, crisis, and one of the things the Lord is after is our response: to reveal ourselves to ourselves, to expose ourselves to ourselves. He knows our hearts; He knows how we will respond to these tests and how we will handle them. He knows us intimately - but we are blind to ourselves.

He is also testing and proving, stretching and strengthening our faith. Where was the faith of the Israelites at this first test in the desert? It should have been there. Their faith should have undergirded them at this place of dire straits. At the very least, it should have reminded them to cry out to God for help.

He led them to a place where other needs screamed louder than their need and appetite for God, and they failed the test. In their thirst they forgot God. In the immediacy of the crisis - in the middle of acute distress, watching their children and animals suffer - their hearts were hardened toward God. They did not turn to Him in faith. They did not cry out to Him. They did not fall to their knees believing in this Almighty God who performs documented eye-witnessed miracles, beseeching Him to help them. Instead they fretted and sweated and sought human help.

Somehow there was a disconnect between that 'Wow' God of a few days prior, who dealt with the big stuff, and a God who cares today that they are thirsty, and stumbling with fatigue, and listening despairingly to the cries of their children. You don't get the feeling from this passage that this God who led them forth and rescued them was their personal God. You don't sense a heart cry of, 'This is MY God, MY Savior, MY hope and help.'

This was a test of their faith. Where was it?

Ashamed to be a Woman

2010-06-21T15:48:00.000-07:00

Today I was ashamed to be a woman. What is the matter with our sex?

I watched a woman shopping through Winco grocery store, berating her husband who was seated in a motorized wheelchair. "Why didn't you follow me?" "Get out of my way." "Move over." "Hurry up." "Come ON." He couldn't do anything right - and she lambasted him with full venom.

I wish I could post a picture of her pinched and angry face. I wish I could remember all of her words. I wish I'd been brave enough to confront her....

She disrespected her husband. She talked down to him. She belittled him. She acted exasperated, impatient, short, and clipped. She was a monster on a mission, and that mission did not include kindness and gentleness to the man she had chosen as her life-time partner and husband. The man she'd chosen to love, honor, and respect. Not.

As believers in Christ, there is no excuse for this kind of behavior. This is walking in the flesh personified. It is ugly. And we all do it - at one time or another, in one way or another. (If the shoe doesn't fit, feel no obligation to wear it; but I know for myself that there are times I can be just as ugly in my behavior.)

God has uniquely gifted men and women to fulfill their God-given roles in life. What is it with us women that we feel that our perspective, our 'way-of-seeing' is the only right way? The obviously for-sure only right perspective? We do not tend to value the male outlook. The male-ish angle on things. We should.

But, who made men, anyway? Who is it that fit them out and equipped them uniquely for their role as head of the family and leaders of churches and businesses? God did. And I just sorta think He probably knew what He was about. Or, are men just one big blooper by God Most HIgh and Glorious? I don't think so.

We have a different view of things - a feminine view of things. It is different - but not inherently 'right.' Remember that and give grace. Be kind. Be patient. And remember that walking in holiness and right-living includes how we treat our men.

And remember, too, that somebody could be watching and writing a blog post in their head as they follow you down the aisle. ;O] Beware....

That's all. I just had to get that off my chest. I feel better now.

Where Is Your Faith, Part 2

2010-06-18T08:44:00.000-07:00

God tested us through various trials by fire a few years ago, and one heavy-duty trial was our oldest daughter's health which crashed suddenly and severely during her study abroad program in Australia. She'd reacted strongly to mango just prior to leaving, and the ER doctor put her on one week of prednisone to control the allergic reaction. The prednisone crashed her health in a severe way that continued to escalate over the following weeks until suddenly she was allergic to most foods. Her first week in Australia she went to the emergency room two times with breathing difficulties and a swollen throat. In a nut shell, we were worried sick about her. And thankfully, we did not realise that this would be a 2-year-long agonizing road of multiple health issues.

One night in particular I remember laying awake fighting tooth and nail with worries and fears for her safety - and even for her very life. I prayed non-stop in the dark and on my bed and talked my way through the book of John reminding myself of WHO my Jesus is. He is my light. He is my bread. He is my gate and door and way. He is my very life. Until finally I was able to surrender to sleep.

I am so grateful that my God is every-where-present, and even though I could not be right there with her - as my mommy's heart was clamoring to be - I knew that I could trust Him to carry her and be her pillar of strength and support. Like He was my staunch support.

John 9:3, in talking about the man born blind, says, "...this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." God put Himself on display through this trial by fire in our lives, and through our active choice to trust and rely on Him in it.

That next morning while journaling in my devotions, God gave me the following thoughts on faith to encourage me and remind me of how He works in our lives to develop and grow-up our faith. In Psalm 119 the psalmist says that it is good for me to be afflicted, that I may learn His statutes. God uses various situations and trials, whatever their shape or form, and they are designed to make me, not break me or destroy me. It has been permitted by God to mold me into the image of His Son, not to disfigure me for life. He does it for the sake of proving my faith....

This concept of 'proving' my faith made me think of a bridge. A bridge is designed and built to certain specs, and stress tests are conducted on the structure. But the bridge span doesn't then just sit there, being strong and fully equipped, but in-active; it is actually pressed into service. It is used. It is proven - by cars and trucks in massive amounts driving across its structure, depending on its span to hold sturdy and strong and to support the vehicles from one point to the next. The bridge is made useful. It is not just ornamental or a bridge-in-theory; it is a bridge in practice and in truth. It is there when needed, not buckling under pressure or failing to be what it was created to be.

Our faith, like a bridge, is pressed into service, to be useful in life, not just a 'theory' or idea untested, untried. Our faith is proven when it holds up under use and pressure and under the ferocious daily 'commute' of life and its fiery trials! Faith is not just a lovely pearl in our necklace of Christian spiritual gifts, worn on special occasions, but it is hardy, and made to get down in the trenches of life with us and support us in our endeavor to walk the walk and live the life that God has set before us.

God gives us faith - and then He grows it up. He matures it; He tests it.

He directs life to give us pop-quizzes: How ya gonna do here? And here? He wants us to be proficient in our use of this tool of faith; to be quicker to bring it to bear on the problems at hand. Quicker to lift our eyes in faith to Jesus no matter the swirling and storming waters of life. We know the One who is in control of all things. So, Where is Your Faith?

Where Is Your Faith, Part 1

2010-06-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

[Excerpts from Martin-Lloyd Jones’ amazing book Spiritual Depression.]

There is a difference between the original gift of faith and the walk of faith, or the life of faith, which comes subsequently. God starts us off in the Christian life - and then we have to walk it. The faith He provides is part of our tool chest for life; He’s given us everything we need for life and godliness. (2 Pet.1:3)

Jesus and His disciples were at sea in a boat. Jesus fell asleep and a storm arose that frightened the disciples. They rushed to awaken Him - don’t you care that we are about to perish? Jesus rebukes the wind and raging water and calms the sea. And then, “He said unto them, ‘Where is your faith?’” (Lk.8:22-25)

He rebukes them for being in such a state of agitation and terror and alarm. It is very wrong for a Christian ever to be in such a condition. I do not care what the circumstances may be, the Christian should never be agitated, the Christian should never be beside himself like this, the Christian should never be at his wit’s end, the Christian should never be in a condition in which he has lost control of himself.

A Christian should never, like the worldly person without Christ, be frantic, alarmed, not knowing what to do. A Christian should not look like the world does when going through a trial - coming undone, falling apart, totally freaked out. We are not meant to be carried away by our feelings - whatever they are. These disciples were lacking in self-control. They needed to get a grip on themselves and their runaway feelings.

Anything that comes across our path and puts us in difficulty, at once shows whether we believe in Him and trust in Him, by our response and reaction to it. We must never allow ourselves to be agitated and disturbed whatever the circumstances because to do so implies a lack of faith, a lack of trust, a lack of confidence in our blessed Lord and God.

Scripture is full of examples of ‘the trial of faith.’ Take the eleventh chapter of Hebrews. Every one of them was ‘tried.’ God gives the gift of faith and then the faith is tried. Tested. “Though you are in heaviness for a season” because of certain circumstances, the object of that is “that the trial of your faith which is more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet.1:6-7) That is the theme of all the Scriptures.

Our faith will be tried. God permits storms, He permits difficulties, He permits the wind to blow and the billows to roll, and everything may seem to be going wrong and we ourselves to be in jeopardy. As His people we are not protected from all ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.’ Not at all. We are living in the same world as everybody else.

“In the world,” says our Lord, “you shall have tribulation but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” (Jn.16:33) “Be of good cheer” - yes, but remember that you will have tribulation. “…we must through much tribulation enter the Kingdom of God.” (Acts14:22)

You observe our Lord’s question: Where is your faith? It seems to imply that He knows perfectly well that they have faith. The question He asks them is, “Where is it?” You have got faith - but where is it at this moment? It ought to be here - where is it? That gives us a key to understanding the nature of faith.

Faith is not a mere matter of feeling. It couldn’t be, as one’s feelings in this kind of condition can be very changeable. Faith is also not something that acts automatically or magically. If it did, these men would never have been in trouble, would never have been agitated and alarmed. But faith is not like that.

Faith is an activity. It is something that has to be exercised. It does not come into operation by itself. Where is your faith means, “Why are you not taking your faith and applying it to this position? To this circumstance? To this trial?”

Faith is a refusal to be controlled by the situation. Faith is a refusal to panic, come what may. Browning’s definition of faith: Perpetual unbelief kept quiet. Faith is unbelief kept down, kept quiet. These men allowed the situation to grip them; they became panicky. Faith, however, is a refusal to allow that. It says - I am not going to be controlled by these circumstances - I am in control. So you take charge of yourself, pull yourself up; you control yourself. Then remind yourself of what you believe, what you know. Remind yourself of truth.

Faith says, okay - I see the billowing and raging storm - BUT. But what? But God! But the Lord Jesus Christ! All things may seem against me to drive me to despair, but I know this - I know that God loves me and sent His Son to die for me.

Where is your faith? - You have got it, why don’t you apply it, why don’t you bring all you know to bear on this situation, why don’t you focus it on this particular problem? Nothing can happen to you but what He allows. God permits that thing to happen to you because it is ultimately for your good.

Having applied your faith - you then hold on. You just refuse to be moved. The enemy will come and attack you, the water will seem to be pouring into the boat - but you say, let the worst come. You stand on your faith. You stand. You believe. You rest in God.

And in the midst of this, your faith is purified. It is established. It is stretched and strengthened and proven true.

Morning Walks

2010-06-05T11:36:00.000-07:00

My early morning walks take me through the blueberry fields surrounding our house in the country. The early morning crisp dew-wet grass and the tangy fresh smell of green things is so delightful and fragrant to my soul. Rounded, soft hills surround me, and red barns, distant secluded houses nestled in trees, and crops with their various colors of soft green and pale yellow create a patchwork of such lovely design.

Birds sing and flit about and watch me warily as I walk along past their nesting places. Killdeer, robins, cowbirds, yellow finches, red-tail hawks, starlings and sparrows all dance and hop around in the joy of fresh morning. Birds always fill my heart with singing.

I filled the bird feeders yesterday for the first time this spring. The incessant rain clouded over my realization that we are well into spring and even beginning early summer; you sure couldn't tell by the weather. Red house finches and yellow finches discovered the feeders by late morning. I'm always amazed by how quickly the news travels to the other birds. They must have quite a chatty system going.

This summer we have about 7 hanging baskets of flowers in the front and back yards. Ruby throated humming birds are prolific this year - yea.

Well, I really have nothing profound to say in this post except that I was so filled up with joy in the Lord as I beheld His beautiful creation this morning. I think part of the joy was seeing the sun for the first time in weeks. I generally do not mind the rain, but enough is enough already, and it is amazing what a little sunshine will do to lift one's heart aloft in happiness.

Godly Labor

2010-06-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Childbirth is attended with much preparation, focused attention, and purpose: to bring that new baby into the world and into your family. You take childbirth classes, learn a special way to breath (hee, hee, hee, hoo), eat well, exercise, read mother-baby books, assemble the nursery nest, dream, and wait, wait, wait.

And when you are laboring to push your baby out, every bone and sinew and muscle is involved - your whole heart and soul is involved - in that one high and holy intense purpose. You want that baby OUT. You are not merely a disinterested bystander but a totally all-there participant. I’m sure sometimes you wish you could disembody yourself and watch instead of doing the labor required to hatch your baby chick! But like it or not, you are totally immersed in the experience.

You are to have that same focused high and holy attention and purpose, naturally given to the delivery and birth of your baby, and you are to apply it to ‘forming Christ’ in them.

Paul says to the church in Galatia: “My dear children for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you…” (Gal.4:19)

Think about what Paul is saying. He is laboring, toiling, struggling, sweating, and striving industriously to bring them along in Christ, to grow them up in Christ, to make them like Christ!

You give such alert and all-there attention to bringing your little one into the world. In the same way, give your all to forming and shaping Christ in them, to raising them in the Lord and in His word. Apply that heart and energy to forming Christ in them throughout their babyhood, toddlerhood, childhood, adolescence, teen-hood and beyond.

This vital upbringing and training often falls to the wayside or is delegated to the scattered, occasional hit-and-miss. How then can Christ be formed in your children? I challenge all of us to evaluate our lives. Is the important, most important relationship with God squeezed out by the frantic, frenetic living of life?

We can be diligently faithful to get our kids to every sport practice and game, every music lesson and recital, but fail to diligently and faithfully bring them to God to feast on His word. Think about that. Evaluate. Eliminate.

If raising them in Christ and in His word is truly most important, then it should have daily precedence in our lives. Coming to God’s word with our children should be as daily and for-sure regular as sleeping, eating, and brushing our teeth.

To develop a love for God and His word demands taking time, coming to rest, and not just a quick slow-down, but a stopping. The years that your children are in your home - all the way through high school - are vital in establishing this vital routine and expectation in their lives. This diligence of coming to God is at the heart of knowing Him, of becoming like Him. Develop this habit and hunger in your children. God’s word speaks and works and they are never too young to benefit from the banquet available to them in the Bible.

Confessions of a Foodie Family

2010-06-03T13:35:00.001-07:00

We take our food seriously in this family - we are dedicated, passionate foodies (and drinkies).

Our lives spin and gyrate around food. Good food - snacky food - gourmet food - chocolate food - we really aren’t that picky. But we are religiously firm believers in the mantra: God-gave-us-all-things-to-enjoy. That’s a command, isn’t it? So we are busy about the enjoying of ‘all things’, which means we are diabolically good at coming up with reasons to celebrate something…anything.

We are really not all that picky about the pretext we come up with to justify our ritual imbibing. Birthdays help a lot; weeklong or month-long birthday revelries are respectable. Graduations are good. So are anniversaries. But then we are left to our own strategic devices; believe me, we can get imaginative. It’s the first Friday of the month; the last Friday of the month; the beginning of a new month; a favorite month. Get the idea?

Planning a car trip only partially entails motel reservations and planning the route on our map. Mainly it involves the gleeful discussion of what special snacks and drinks we’ll take along. Admit it, as soon as those wheels start rolling, you want a bright yellow peanut M&M, too, right along with your chai tea latte. Right? Now do you know why we like road trips?

Our holidays start and end with meal planning, dessert making, food consuming. Our advent celebrations are undergirded with special treats of cinnamon dolce twisted pastry sticks or Belgium chocolate or homemade coconut joys or garlic flavored Boursin cheese on crackers.

Hubby will ask - “Are you ready to start celebrating advent season?” He isn’t asking if I have researched special Bible passages or whether I have all the candles I need or whether I have the advent wreath unpacked and arranged - no - he’s asking if I have the FOOD we need to celebrate. Advent hardly goes forward without these things. Seriously.

We play games as a family and watch movies all together while propped on our bellies lies a luscious bowl of oiled and salted popcorn. Or we pass around a couple of deluxe chocolate bars. You gotta try the new coconut white chocolate bar or the blueberry chocolate bar. We’ve done research. Num.

I can hardly even read a book without eating. And I read a lot of books. I’ve always thought that if I gave up reading, I’d be skinny as a thin line notebook. But I love reading - I could read my life away - and that becomes much more plausible and excusable if not only am I engrossed in a catering mystery or a who-done-it book, but I am also eating breakfast. Or lunch. Or my afternoon pick-me-up snack. I read to eat. Or, do I eat to read? - One of life’s large and looming dilemmas.

It begins to look like we foodies may even play games and watch movies to eat. Even celebrate advent to eat. Go on road trips to eat.

One of life’s real joys is stumbling across a fellow foodie. Is that you?

Marinated Friendships

2010-06-01T07:31:00.000-07:00

Much interaction occurs in this day and age, but are we really corresponding? Are we really communicating? Email, Twitter, Face Book, Instant Messaging, Texting - etc. - all ways to instantly stay in close contact. You can twitter the world at large that you are eating broccoli, ironing a shirt, trimming your toenails, studying for a test, or petting your cat - and said world is very moved and stimulated. So we must think, because millions of such messages flood the wires and our email accounts and we flatter ourselves that we have ‘communicated.’ Really connected. Stayed. In. Touch.

But is this real communication? Have we really made a soul connection? Touched each other’s lives in a meaningful way? Encouraged each other in the midst of life and its upheavals and challenges? Is this correspondence time invested with a rich result?

We are reduced to correspondence in our relationships due to the fact that we are such a mobile society that today’s dear friend is tomorrows long-distance friend and next years distant memory. Our lives fill with dissolved, abandoned, and discarded friendships like so much dead wood stacked in the recesses of our minds and hearts.

We’ve lost the skill and time commitment and energy that is required to slowly marinate a friendship in meaningful, time-investing ways. The phrase ‘stay-in-touch’ implies a meaningful heart-to-heart sort of connection. But to maintain this requires time and special care, and it is just as much true for friends in close proximity as it is for long-distance friendships. We cannot afford to get sluggish or slothful with the meaningful efforts needed to maintain a relationship.

To stay in touch, you must see it as your personal responsibility. You cannot rely on the other to do the hard work of correspondence while you sit back in indolent ease. You must make the effort, or believe me, this friendship will die on the vine even full of the ripe fruit of possibility for a long-lasting bountiful and blessed friendship. Because people take love and care. They need nurturing. Negligence does not a beautiful friendship make. Negligence does not a beautiful friendship keep.

The King's Own Face, Pt 2

2010-06-01T06:45:00.000-07:00

"HOLINESS" by JC Ryle

As I continued reading, I came to Ryle's wonderful words about how Jesus treated His disciples, and I decided to add that to my search as I read through the gospels. Jesus is a lovely Savior - so perfect in how He lives and handles the people around Him. We have a perfect example to follow, a perfect spiritual Mentor in Christ. Be encouraged, not only in the kind of Savior YOU have, but in following the example He sets of how we should treat one another.

"The whole of our Lord's conduct towards His disciples on earth deserves close consideration. It throws a beautiful light on the compassion and longsuffering that there is in Him. No master surely ever had scholars so slow to learn their lessons as Jesus had in the apostles. No scholars surely ever had so patient and forbearing a teacher as the apostles had in Christ. "

"At no time of our Lord's ministry did they seem to comprehend fully the object of His coming into the world. The plainest words and clearest warnings from their Master of what was going to befall Him seemed to have had no effect on their minds.... But what do you see in our Lord's behavior towards these disciples all through His ministry? You see nothing but unchanging pity, compassion, kindness, gentleness, patience, longsuffering and love. He does not cast them off for their stupidity. He does not reject them for their unbelief. He does not dismiss them for ever for cowardice. He teaches them as they are able to bear. He leads them step by step, as a nurse does an infant when it first begins to walk."

"He cares for the least member of His body, as well as for the greatest. He cares for the babes of His family as well as the grown-up men. All are in His book of life, and all are under His charge. All are given to Him in an everlasting covenant, and He has undertaken, in spite of all weaknesses, to bring every one safe home. Only let a sinner lay hold on Christ by faith, and then, however feeble, Christ's word is pledged to him: 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.' He may correct him occasionally in love. He may gently reprove him at times. But He will never, never give him up."

"That same Lord and Savior who bore with the disciples is ready and willing to bear with you. If you stumble, He will raise you. If you err, He will gently bring you back. If you faint, He will revive you."

Wow. Again, what a beautiful Savior we have in Christ. So, as I venture forth to study the gospels, I want to have eyes to see deeply how Christ loved and walked with His little beloved flock. It will be comforting to see, on my own behalf, and inspiring to be challenged onward in my love for the flock of God that I personally rub shoulders with in life. Onward.

The King's Own Face

2010-05-28T12:41:00.001-07:00

"HOLINESS" by JC Ryle

"It would be well if professing Christians studied the four gospels more than they do. No doubt all Scripture is profitable - But I think it would be good for some who are very familiar with the Epistles, if they knew a little more about the Gospels....Because I want Christians to know more about Christ. It is well to be acquainted with all the doctrines and principles of Christianity. It is better to be acquainted with Christ Himself...to be familiar with Jesus Himself, to see the King's own face, to behold His beauty."

"Four different inspired hands have drawn the picture of the Savior: His ways, His manners, His feelings, His wisdom, His grace, His patience, His love, His power, are graciously unfolded to us by four different witnesses! Surely we cannot know this Christ too well! Surely there is not a word, nor a deed, nor a day, nor a step, nor a thought in the record of His life, which ought not to be precious to us. We should labor to be familiar with every line that is written about Jesus. Come now, and let us study a page in our Master's history!"

So, herein lies my heart's desire to read the gospels again starting right now - a lovely way to begin my summer. And in doing that, I like to have a particular 'way' to read through the gospels; a particular plan. The last time, I wrote down everything I observed about Jesus and who He is and how He acted and treated sinners He rubbed shoulders with on His life journey. I wanted to keenly and carefully see, with eyes of faith, my precious Savior. That was much fun.

This time the Lord has laid on my heart to take chunks of the gospel as I come to them in my chronological reading and s-l-o-w way down and meditate on what is revealed therein about Christ. Lately I've been convicted and challenged by the Lord to take the time to meditate and to chew over the Word. Usually I read, read, read, covering ground, rather than taking that precious time. My goal is to take a passage that highlights an event or story in the life of Jesus, and, like the great Puritan writers, I aim to carefully mine the treasures, digging deep.

Wanna join me?

Standing for Truth

2010-05-16T07:28:00.000-07:00

During our family devotions we are reading out loud through “A Body of Divinity” by Thomas Watson, who was a Puritan writer. This book was written in 1692. What I love about the Puritan writers is their broad, sweeping grasp of the Word as well as how they can dissect verses, mining and digging out precious treasures, bringing gems to the surface for all to admire for their beauty.

This book takes the Westminster Shorter Catechism, “in which the main principles of Christianity that lie scattered in the Scriptures are brought together and set forth…” Practically devotional, the expounded truths are so lovely and draws one inexorably towards Christ. A book to feast on….

Where we are currently reading, Watson is expounding on the umpteen ways we glorify God, and I loved this one about truth. It related so beautifully to my last blog post.

Enjoy.

“We glorify God, by standing up for His truths. Much of God’s glory lies in His truth. God has entrusted us with His truth, as a master entrusts His servant with his purse to keep. We have not a richer jewel to trust God with than our souls, nor has God a richer jewel to trust us with than His truth. Truth is a beam that shines from God. Much of His glory lies in His truth. When we are advocates for truth we glorify God. Jude 3, “…contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints.” The Greek word to contend signifies great contending, as one would contend for his land, and not suffer his right to be taken from him; so we should contend for the truth.”

Girdle Up!

2010-05-12T22:33:00.000-07:00

Truth matters. Truth is what we stand on. And truth expressed in Scripture is called theology. You could say that theology is our ‘girdle’ - it holds us all together so we don’t pop out in all directions...a little untruth bulging out here, and a little untruth bulging out there. We are to have tight, taut truth. Girdled up.

Hold God’s word and His truth dear. Don’t make light of it; don’t carelessly toss it overboard when it comes up against the false teachings of this age and generation. God cared to communicate with us; He gave us His perspective. I believe the huge conflict of our day is an all out attack against truth, against doctrine, against theology. (You know - who needs it? - just love one another….) Not only is God dead in this modern age, but also His Word is obsolete - sadly even in the midst of much of the church of today.

Many books are written that carve away at various truths of the Bible. Genesis is attacked. Revelation is attacked. The sovereign all-knowing God of Scripture is pulled down to man-size and His foreknowledge is taken away. His ability to control the events of history is ridiculed, His rule is considered passive and reactive and under the influence and power of evil.

Yuk. That is not MY God. That is not the God revealed in the doctrinal truths of Holy Scripture. THAT God is a God of all-knowledge, fully Sovereign over all of history in all of its minute aspects, and THAT God is a God who has spoken Words of truth and has breathed them into The Book. Believe it and stand on it.

Without truth we flounder and flop around in confusion and ride the waves of pain and doubt up and down and all around. But WITH truth we stand - and although buffeted and wind tossed - we stand. Plant your feet firmly on God’s truth; that truth ‘forever settled in heaven.’

Be careful of the modern Christian literature of today - fiction and non-fiction. Be discerning. Hold it up against the light of God’s word and don’t play with books that mess around and twist important truths of Scripture. There are popular books spreading falsehoods about God and His Word out there that your spirit should recoil from. Run from man rearranging God’s eternal truths. Be alert and watchful - GUARD these precious truths. They are words of life to us.

(I & II Timothy)

“They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.”

“…brought up in the truths of the faith...the good teaching that you have followed.”

“…the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth.”

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them…”’

“If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing.”

“Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge…”

“What you heard from me (Paul), keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you - guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.”

“…correctly handle the word of truth.”

“…from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness…”

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine…. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

So - GIRDLE UP my friends!

Biblical Self Talk

2010-05-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

Are you in control of yourself? Or are you driven along by feelings, emotions, fears, worries and concerns? It is actually an indulgence to allow yourself to sit down at the table of your own private pity party…looking only to the doldrums and to your own discouraging circumstances.

There are times in our lives when we would do well not to listen to the messages we are telling ourselves. In times of depression or fear or worry we can have lies roiling and boiling around in our heads. Or maybe we have temperament tendencies that lead us into negativity, pessimism, doubt, despair, and over the years have built quite a repertoire of broken record messages that we fall into and allow to lead us around by the nose.

I want to share an amazing truth that has significantly made a difference in my life and walk with the Lord, and I learned it from the book 'Spiritual Depression' by Martin Lloyd Jones.

The truth is this: Learn to take yourself in hand. Don’t be content to lie there and commiserate with yourself, but do something about it, like the Psalmist in Psalm 42:

“Why are you downcast, Oh my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
For I will yet praise Him,
Who is the health of my countenance
And my God.” Vs 5,11

He talks to himself. He turns to himself and says, ‘Self - why are you downcast? Why are you so disquieted?’ We must talk to ourselves instead of allowing ‘ourselves’ to talk to us! Much of our unhappiness in life is due to the fact that we listen to ourselves instead of talking to ourselves.

This man’s soul has been depressing him, crushing him. Self will always drag you down if it is in control; don’t placidly listen. So the Psalm writer stands up and says: ‘Self, listen for a moment, I will speak to you.’

Lloyd-Jones says that the main art of spiritual living is to know how to handle yourself. You have to take yourself in hand, you have to address yourself, preach to yourself, exhort yourself, upbraid yourself and say, ‘Hope in God!’ - instead of huddling down in a puddle of misery.

Instead lift your eyes and your face to the face of Christ and feast on Him by speaking truth TO yourself. Remind yourself of what you know to be true:

He is the sure anchor of my soul.
Jesus loves me.
He works all things for good - bar none.
All His ways are lovingkindness and truth.
I have a secure future hope.
His Word is true no matter how I feel.
In my weakness He is strong.
He purchased and sealed me in salvation.
I am a precious child of God.
He is the Way the Truth the Life.
He is the anchor for my soul in the storms of life.
He is able.

Turning 50

2010-05-11T08:55:00.000-07:00

I'm back! The last weeks have been filled with fun and meaningful events to celebrate. I've missed the time to write and hope to blog my little heart out in the coming weeks.

I turned 50 - and boy did we celebrate! I have to say that becoming 50 turned out to be a blast beyond belief!! From a surprise breakfast out with a special girlfriend, to a hot-pink manicure, to a surprise lunch with my parents, to shopping at the mall with mall bucks, to a huge surprise party with many girlfriends at a sweet cafe. Our table overlooked a pond surrounded by weeping willows - absolutely gorgeous. Sigh. I have never felt so loved and cared for and so spoiled. Their gifts were way over-the-top abundant with many red dishes and bowls and pitchers and such for my kitchen. They all know how much I love color!!

The evening was wrapped up at my home with my special family. The girls decorated the table with my new birthday dishes, pink balloons, and pink, peach, and yellow tulips. They made homemade cauliflower soup, homemade garlic-rosemary bread, salad, and to top it off, a world-class Russian creme with raspberries. Num. Food centers large in any family event in our home! Did you notice I ate my way through the whole day? ;O] And I opened my traditional family gifts - perfume and candles. Ahhhh. Supplies replenished.

Then my oldest daughter graduated from nursing school. Wow! What fun celebrations!! There was the award breakfast, the pinning ceremony, and finally the graduation itself. She was the one down front with the huge grin on her face! We were the crowd at the very back hooting and hollering and waving with all arms and blowing kisses. All graduation weekend I felt overwhelmed with gratefulness to the Lord for His faithful mercy and grace as He carried her through four years of the most trying and painful trials of her life. Most of that time she struggled with seriously debilitating health issues that made us wonder if she'd even be able to make it. God is so good - and He sure has been good to her. Because of Him she is now a graduated nursing student! We know exactly Who to thank! Next comes her nursing board exam - one week away.

To continue the graduation theme, we celebrated with an open house this weekend. The Lord gave sunshine and blooming flowers. It was a fun time with very special family and friends. Thank you all!

Oh, and one weekend in the midst of all this hoopla, several of us in the family headed to the coast where my daughter shot a wedding. Since I grew up in this town and still have family and friends there, I piggybacked along. I had a blast with a wonderfully special girlfriend - we've been friends since the 8th grade. (You do the math.) Our birthdays are only one day apart and we found out early in our friendship that we had been born in the same hospital as consecutive babies. Then didn't meet for 13 years. AND, I actually reconnected with another friend I'd grown up with and hadn't seen since 7th grade. Such joys.

So I'm done gallivanting around for a wee bit. I intend to stay around and chat. I look forward to it. See ya -

Depression #2

2010-04-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

I want to write several blog posts on the topic of depression. It is such a devastating thing and I’ve learned just how widespread it is among women; it’s huge. There is comfort available from our Lord; there are truths that will under-gird and strengthen us as we walk that path. I want to share how He personally helped me through those years of darkness, and let me say this: learning to walk in the dark strengthened my faith and my ability to undergo other difficulties and trials in life. He prepared me in a very real sense for even darker future trials, and because I’d learned so much, I was not toppled over or crushed, but met them with faith and trust and hope. And yes, with pain even still, but not pain that smeared me dead across the path of life.

While feelings of depression may result from organic malfunctioning that can be medically diagnosed and treated, a variety of other factors may contribute to this situation as well. In spite of any contributing factor, in spite of there being a medical cause, you must come before the Lord and ask HIM to what purpose He is trying you in this valley of depression. Because believe me, He has a purpose. And this is sovereignly brought about and allowed by Him for our spiritual shaping and molding and maturing. He’s growing us up; and I don’t know about you, but I pay much greater attention when times are tough.

So, there I was, in the middle of a depression, and for three years I struggled along knowing nothing about causes. I knew I had God’s word as my light and guide, and I knew that I was to discipline myself even here for the purpose of godliness. That meant I was to obey Scripture even here, as in all circumstances. God’s word isn’t just for the good days when you feel all pumped up and spiffy.

So this gave me a path - a way to point my feet - a direction to aim my face. When all is dark and you don’t know what to do, when feelings of being overwhelmed or inadequate flood you, this is when you fall back on the truths of God’s word. He speaks from His word what He desires for us. His word sheds light on our way. He illumines the path by this precious beacon of truth. Don’t neglect it.

And depression is not dealt with in isolation, its tentacles are far-reaching and its effects are broad across all relationships and areas of our life, but this is a God-given opportunity to biblically address it all.

I never asked “why” the Lord had me in this state. My question was “WHAT?” “WHAT ARE YOU SAYING TO ME?” “WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO?” I was desperate to DO it and then move on. I wanted OUT. Its so interesting that my Lord kept me there, but I know on this day looking back to those days, that it had a very, very good purpose in my life. I know my Lord better. I love Him more. I trust Him more. And I have more stamina and strength for the trials of life as they come. I was humbled, and in that humbling I was softened.

You know, God could have easily revealed to me in my very first year of depression that it was caused by my hormones being all catawampous. He didn’t. He was able to; that news didn’t catch Him by surprise; He knew, but He had a much higher purpose and good work to do in me. This is good to remember and to comfort ourselves with, because we will find ourselves in the midst of various difficulties in life, and the truth that He knows right where we are is a comforting one. We are not lost and wandering, but walking a path pre-ordained for us to walk in.

Depression

2010-04-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

A quagmire of quicksand for our feet…raging waters knocking us flat…darkness complete and smothering…loss of hope and peace. Soul-robbery…groaning night and day…joyless, hopeless…minds without anchor roving through dark wastes and barren places. Hands that fall limply into laps and sapped strength and a spirit of heaviness. No margin, no elasticity, no resilience, no bounce-back ability, no stretching - just crumbling, crashing, soul-crouching misery.

Depression.

I dwelt in that dark barren land for a long three years of my life. It marked me and changed me, but in the end taught me deep and precious truths about God and His ways with His children.

Each of us faces a sobering variety of painful, faith-trying, gut-wrenching circumstances that take us beyond our own human ability to cope. What do we do then? With what truths of Scripture do we comfort ourselves?

I learned to throw myself upon my Savior - the One who ordained and chose these trials for me, who shaped and molded them, and gently placed them in my midst.

This Savior is a God of love, He is good, and He is all knowing - so that ultimately we can rejoice in all things - because behind all of our trials and tribulations stands the Lord and His eternal kind-intentioned will and good purpose.

Boy - I went screaming to His door with all of my might. Over and over. And He met me and helped me. Not how I would have asked Him to, not by any means as quickly as I would have desired, and not by pulling me out of the dark trial by the scruff of the neck and placing me in the light again. No.

But He walked with me, beside me, and taught me to rely on the truth of His word even when I couldn’t see it or feel it. He did not take me out of the raging waters; He actually kept me under them to a higher purpose.

In the dark I clung tightly to His word, and one verse in particular was a comforting help to me.

“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of His servant?...that walks in darkness and has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord and rely on His God.” Isaiah 50:10

Several times throughout that chapter in Isaiah it declares, “It’s the Sovereign Lord who helps me.”

Let me tell you, all I could do sometimes was reach my hand up and hold tight to Him - clinging to Him with all my might.

Suffering in the land of depression surely strips away any self-confidence and everything else we might depend upon but Him. And this is HIS work! He gives us no promises for a life of ease; He never tells us we will have perfect health or even draw another breath. He does not always stay the awful things that can happen in this life.

But they are tools in His hands to shape and mold us and chip away at us until we are perfect in His sight. And the work that He began on our day of salvation He will complete; He will continue to ‘carpenter’ us. That was like THE good news to me. He had not thrown in the towel or given me over as too hard a nut to crack. This was His specific assigned portion for me - His beloved, precious, imperfect child.

Do not lose hope. Look up.

"Holiness" by J.C. Ryle

2010-04-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

One of my desires with this blog is to encourage the reading of deep spiritual books. We can benefit so much from investing time and effort in many of the older authors, especially. They had a rich walk with God and a devotion to Him that sparks my own affections for God to grow. And boy do they know the Word. May these authors whet your appetite to grow and to fall more deeply in love with your Savior and may you be encouraged to live and walk in a more holy manner as a result.

First published in 1879, J.C. Ryle laments a lack of practical holiness in his day. He says this: "I have had a deep conviction for many years that practical holiness and entire self-consecration to God are not sufficiently attended to by modern Christians in this country. Politics, or controversy, or party spirit, or worldliness, have eaten out the heart of lively piety in too many of us. The subject of personal godliness has fallen sadly into the background. The standard of living has become painfully low in many quarters. The immense importance of 'adorning the doctrine of God our Savior' and making it lovely and beautiful by our daily habits and tempers has been far too much overlooked.... Sound doctrine is useless if it is not accompanied by a holy life. It is worse than useless: it does positive harm...it is my firm impression that we want a thorough revival about scriptural holiness."

He assures us that justification and regeneration are the works of God in our life, but where there is no sanctification, there is no regeneration, and "where there is no holy life there is no new birth. Sanctification is the only certain evidence of that indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is essential to salvation."

So, it matters how we live. How we live demonstrates who we are. You have to DO certain things to be a certain kind of person. Conversely, you have to BE a certain kind of person to do certain things. So as new creatures in Christ, as believers, there is a way of living, of holiness, that results because of WHO we are. He says, "I fear it is sometimes forgotten that God has married together justification and sanctification...one is never found without the other." And this book thoroughly addresses that topic in a deep and spiritually uplifting manner.

I feel utterly inadequate at this book review thing. How can I attempt in a small paragraph or two to indicate the rich and rewarding words of truth and encouragement that await you? I find myself unable to do this book justice without just flat quoting the whole thing. So here is a wee bit more....

He presses on all converted people the possibility of continual growth in grace, and the absolute necessity of going forward, increasing more and more, and every year dedicating and consecrating ourselves more, in spirit, soul and body, to Christ. He says that true holiness "does not consist merely of believing and feeling but of doing and bearing.... Our tongues, our tempers, our natural passions and inclinations; our conduct as parents and children, masters and servants, husbands and wives, rulers and subjects; our dress, our employment of time, our behavior in business, our demeanor in sickness and health..." all of these things are minutely treated in Scripture with regard to our holiness.

I wasn't up very many hours the other morning before I blew it with my mouth. Words came out that 'stinketh' to high heaven. I felt wounded and offended - and out flew words that revealed my fleshly heart. A little later I read my Bible, and God took a big yellow highlighter and underscored a verse for me. (Isn't that sweet?)

"Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees." (Ps.119:5) Steadfast. Sigh. Verse 6 says, "Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands."

Lord, make me steadfast in obedience, holy in all my behavior, bearing fruit in every good work, increasing in the knowledge of God, steadfast in pursuing You. May it be said of me like verse 3, "They do nothing wrong; they walk in His ways."

It is because I am weak and falter and fail that I run, not only to God's holy Word, but to deep spiritual books, to feed and nurture my soul and draw me higher in my walk with Him. Praise God that the work He began in me He promises to continue and perfect. That gives me great comfort and hope. So, in the reading of this book 'Holiness', I hope to do due diligence in my pursuit of Him. Come join me.

A Helper Suitable

2010-04-11T14:23:00.000-07:00

Genesis 2:18 says, “It is not good for man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him.” ‘Helper suitable’ is not just a man’s idea of how to get everything he wants out of a woman - this is the role God has given wives! You might say we are God’s special gift to our husbands.

If you are a wife, God has already determined your primary ministry and role in life - above the church, above the children, above your work, above your to-do list, above home schooling, above your leisure activities. And apart from our own personal relationship with Christ, ladies, nothing else should have greater priority in our lives.

Our husbands should be the primary benefactors of our time and energy - not just getting our leftovers at the end of the day. It has been a struggle for me not to develop a child-centered home in a way that neglects my marriage; instead, I want a marriage-centered home with my husband at its hub. God has created good works for me to do; the greatest work I have is in being a helper suitable in my ministry to my husband.

Thinking of my husband as my greatest ministry took a subtle shift in my thinking and perspective. Many marriage books focus on the woman and her needs; I was much more focused on what he needed to be for me than God’s order of things, which is that I am created for him.

Of course we know there is a lovely mutual benefit in marriage, and thankfully our husbands’ heavenly orders are to love us - but our focus and goal and desire is to be for our husbands, to be their helpers.

Society and culture battles against this idea on every front. And demands of life - our children, home schooling, job/career, and hobbies - all deplete our resources and energies so that our husbands are either out of the energy loop or at the bottom of the priority list. Maybe your schedule can’t change, maybe life’s demands can’t change - but I’ve found that a change in my thinking makes a difference.

The Amplified Bible expounds on Genesis 2:18, “See to it that the wife respect and reverence her husband…that she notice him, regard him, honor him, prefer him, venerate and esteem him, and that she defer to him, praise him, and love and admire him exceedingly.”

Proverbs 31 says that the heart of her husband trusts in her. His well-being is in her hands; she has the power to bless him and to be truly kind…and I have found that respecting, loving, and honoring him begins in my thought life.

A silly story illustrates this idea. Just a few years ago I got a phone call from my wonderful mother. As our conversation progressed, I detected anger and irritableness in her voice. Finally I asked her what was wrong. She told me about a dream she’d had the night before, that she’d caught me smoking and that I wouldn’t stop. She was so mad at me in the dream, and that frustration spilled out in the phone call with me. I thought this was hysterical - Mom, its just a dream!! We both chuckled about it.

But what I want to illustrate with this silly story, is that out of her negative thoughts spilled negative words and attitudes toward me. Ladies, we’ve already dangerously compromised the battle to respect and love and honor our husbands if we allow ourselves to indulge in negative or bitter thoughts - because it will spill out and it will affect how we treat them.

Controlling our minds and our thoughts is a very necessary part of loving and respecting our husbands, and though unseen, this inner battle has a great impact on our attitudes. It makes it almost impossible to honor and respect if inside we are roiling and boiling with negative, bitter thoughts of our man.

I do not want to be a wife that tears down her house with her own hands. And how do we do that as women? When we disrespect them with our words and attitudes - because disrespect robs our husbands of the inner-man strength to be what God wants them to be.

Do you tear down your husband with words? Batter him with your superior speech and witticisms? Do you empower your husband - or weaken and shame him? Do you put him down in front of other people, by words or tone of voice? Do you jest and joke at his expense, making him look the fool in front of others? Do you correct him in front of others?

Do you build him up, shore him up, help him stand tall, or do you pull the rug out from under him with your sharp sword-piercing words? What kind of a picture do you paint of your husband for your children and friends to see? Slightly foolish and bumbling? Not quite as all together as you? Out-to-lunch when it comes to the practicalities of life?

Love does not act unbecomingly. Do whatever you can to make your man look good to others. Always speak of him in a positive light; never slander him. Build him up. Make your conversation full of grace. Bless him. Be kind and tenderhearted to him. Remember, the hearts of our husbands trust in us. Be trustworthy. Be his cheerleader - not the annoying faucet that drips acidic words that erode away his confidence and character and manhood.

Remember your marriage vows? To love, honor, and obey? You can dishonor your vows not only with your body, but also with your mind and thoughts. Be a woman that keeps the spirit of her vows as well as the letter.

“See to it that you respect your husband.” (Eph.5:33). I wish this verse ended with, ‘that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life.’ It doesn’t. We are just commanded to respect! But we know that our well-being as women is found in obedience to the plan that God has set before us of how we are to live as helpers suitable to our husbands.

Sisterhood

2010-04-06T09:49:00.000-07:00

I have always felt so blessed - so gifted by God - to have you four girls. Not just one or two, but four. Just how amazing is that! And you ladies are so lucky to have each other, too. I pray you realize that and even grow in further appreciation of each other over the years. May you find solace in one another, friendship that deepens and abides, understanding and compassion that binds you heart and soul.

Do not lightly hold this gift of God in one another. See clearly how special you are to each other. You will have other very special girlfriends, you may have husbands and families - but what you find in each other as sisters is an abiding for-the-long-haul and through-the-years blessing.

You have had many years in the home here together, even several of your college years. I regard that as a special bonus for my mother’s heart! We have enjoyable, wonderful, crazy family times, lots of laughter, deep talks. You girls have had extra years to live in close contact. Redeem this time; make use of it to love one another more dearly, to grow in your understanding and sensitivities to one another.

Your home is your first real training ground for making you Spirit-filled and fruit-filled and God-dependent. Be a good soldier and athlete in training. Stay the course. Buffet your body, do the hard work of getting into spiritual shape by exercising your muscles of longsuffering and fervent love that covers over the sins of others, of forgiveness, repentance, kindness and thoughtfulness. Bear one another's burdens. Here is a real opportunity to put the needs of another before your own in a very real and practical sense.

Do you see how all of this practice - all of this spiritual discipline applied to life in the home - deepens your character and makes you a lovely young woman of God? The spiritual growth and maturity you attain here, you take with you into life beyond your beginning years and on into eternity. Don’t waste and squander these years. Don’t settle down and squat in a state of ‘just-maintaining’ until you are able to leave and get out on your own. Redeem the time. Make use of the allotted time God has given you here.

If God is truly Sovereign over all, then He is also Sovereign over these years at home and has a plan even here for your spiritual growth and development, beyond the time we spend in the Bible as a family. Don’t throw over the tough lessons of home life relationships and family and sibling struggles because it is just too hard and you cannot wait to move on. While you are here - be all here. Be attentive to the work God is doing in your life, painful or frustrating or revealing and discouraging as it may be.

It is a whole lot easier to put on a façade of godliness outside the home with the public and friends ‘out there’, but our in-house relationships are most often used by God to expose us and lay us bare and uncover ugly sin tendencies. God uses these closer relationships in our lives to shape us up and scrub us clean. Take those challenging, irritating sibling moments that occasionally occur and use that opportunity to grow in grace and Christ-like love for one another. So listen. Heed. Hear. Obey. Do.

Don’t ignore the voice of the Holy Spirit and His urgings. Be quick to make things right. Learn to talk and do the hard, hard work of patching up and mending things in your sibling relationships. Don’t judge harshly and don’t assume you can read your sister’s heart and motives. It is tough to take the time to really listen and hear one another. We are certainly more affectionate with our own perspectives - but we must be aware that the perspective of others is just as valid and real to them. You have needs. Your sisters have needs. Learn to care about their needs, nurture them, and look for opportunities to fill their empty cup.

Living in close proximity with other human beings, we see not only their strengths, but also their foibles and weaknesses and tendencies towards sin. They see yours, too. Give grace to one another. Be tenderhearted. Here is an opportunity to gain insights into human nature - into your own and into the very hearts of others. God says that His people are known by their love. Redeem the opportunity to truly love right here in your own home, with those sometimes the most difficult to love, because we rub and scrape against each other in such daily close proximity. As iron sharpens iron, may you girls sharpen and buff one another to a lovely shine. May you step forth from your home-ground mature and exquisite gems that reflect God’s chiseling and shaping work on your life.

“…brought up in the truth of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed…train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (I Tim.4:7-8)

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.” (Col.3:12-14)

It Matters How We Live

2010-03-27T16:25:00.000-07:00

Let me just say this straight out with boldness: It matters how we live as Christians. Believing is not enough, at least not the kind of believing that has no effect on our lives. The kind of faith or belief that is apart from a changed life is not only wrong but clearly in contradiction to the teachings of Scripture.

This has been on my heart for a few years; this whole idea that is lived out in many lives of so-called believers - a life of ‘faith’ that does not result in a progressive walk of holiness. That is abhorrent to God and detestable to Him.

I started to collect verses that spoke of a changed life due to our salvation in Christ, but I soon stopped, because the Bible is chock full of millions of verses that illustrate and highlight this truth of a sanctified life - a life that is progressively growing in truth and holiness. This is the only path for true believers; there is no other way therein to walk. If this is not true of you, if there is no ongoing proof of your walk with Christ, I beg you to examine not only the Scriptures, but your own life and heart. Because once Christ takes up residence in our lives, we change. There is no exception.

There are those out there who want to live in blatant, defiant sin who still want to claim the mantel of Christianity. This is utterly false.

A believer can fall. Yes. A believer can fall badly. Yes. But if the pattern of years is unfruitfulness and willful sin and an unchanged life, then the Scriptures tell us to examine their fruit. We will know them by their fruit, and a good tree does not produce bad fruit.

We believe - God rescues us and we believe with the God-given gift of faith - and the result is a new life in Christ; we are now new creatures. We walk in newness of life, “so that in every way we will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive.” (Tit.2:10) We ‘adorn the gospel of God….’ How? We adorn it with a godly and upright life.

We are told to "put our religion into practice" (I Tim 5:4/8); to "pursue righteousness and godliness" (6:11); to "fight the good fight of faith" (6:12). The fight of faith is the fight for holy living. Admittedly it is a fight.

We are "called to a holy life" (2 Tim.1:9). “The Lord knows those who are His…everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from sin.” A life of faith and real belief results in a turning away from sin and wickedness. “Flee evil desires…and pursue righteousness…” (2:22). I see no room for cozy co-habitation with sin. It should repel and horrify us.

Titus 1 tells us that "knowledge of the truth leads to godliness." In verse 16 Paul says that "there are those who claim to know God, but by their actions they deny Him" Ouch. Actions and behavior tell the real story, right out there plain for all to see. And God above has access to our hearts, too; what kind of ugliness is revealed there?

“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope - the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority…” (Tit. 2:11-15)

"Learn to devote yourselves to doing what is good" (Tit.3:14); “purify yourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of a reverence for God.” (2 Cor.7:1) “But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you - but you must master it.” (Gen. 4:7)

I could go on and on. I feel so strongly against the ‘easy-believism’ of the current Christian pop culture. What an affront this slap-stick religion is to God Most High and Holy. Such a life holds Him in utter contempt and spits on the blood sacrifice of His Son. For shame.

So examine your life and heart. I will examine mine. Where do I fall short? Where am I cozy and comfortable with sin? Where have I gotten too lazy to fight the good fight and have slid down into murkiness? The downward slope is slick and easy; no fight involved there.

Lets get more serious about our walk with God. Sober up. Pursue Him; follow hard after Him. Evaluate your walk and bump it up; raise your walk with God to a new level. Why? Because He loves us, sacrificed His Son on our behalf, and made a way for us to live in heaven with Him. He transferred us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. We owe Him. We owe Him our very lives.

R.C. Sproul says this: “God first sets us apart as holy - and then He commands us to live up to this reality.”

Christmas Tree Adventure

2010-03-25T17:03:00.000-07:00

We got our Christmas tree in early December, on my oldest daughter's 21st birthday, per her request. Otherwise, we would have been bartering with Daddy for weeks to please, please, please be able to get our tree early!!! The Christmas tree tradition he was indoctrinated in during his childhood, espoused that the parents got the tree, decorated said tree and the whole living room behind closed doors, and 'ta da', on Christmas Eve the whole magical room was unveiled. Hmmm. Special tradition. Nice and all - but definitely not appealing to the women of this household.

Every year he wants to wait that long and - poor guy - every year he loses out to the female horde in his home and graciously gives in to our wishes. For of course we girls want the tree up as soon as possible, otherwise how could we fully enter into the joy of the season? How could we properly get into the lit-candle mood of advent? Without a tree, how could we sing Christmas carols during family devotions? How could we munch on holiday cookies and candy canes outside of the proper atmosphere of a glittering and ribbon bedecked tree?! Makes no sense.

So, we usually get our tree early - give or take a couple of weekends - depending on our persuasiveness that particular year.

We loaded up the Suburban in the pouring down rain with tarp and rope and gloves and handsaw and drove past all of the signs advertising Christmas tree farms practically right in our backyard and drove miles away to discover a new - cheap - tree farm. We found one with a sign that advertised selected red ribbon trees for only $10. That would qualify as cheap.

We started our tramp through the trees, spreading out like frost on a cold window, each exclaiming over the perfect tree - over here! I quickly surmised why they were cheap, for the trees had such expanded girths they had outgrown most houses. But year after year we are tempted by giant trees, so that was not a deterrent for us. We chose our tree, sawed it down, and carried it to the waiting Suburban. It didn't fit inside. It barely fit on the roof of the car though we tied it down and drove off with our arms out the windows holding it in place. I'm sure we looked like the Beverly Hillbillies.

We hung blankets to protect our new front door as we shoved and heaved the tree into our living room. Ahhh. The hard work was behind us - let the fun begin! I warmly contemplated how early in the season we'd managed to whine our way to a tree!

I've never been so deceived in my smug complacency.

For now the second yearly debate began...where to place the Christmas tree! Daddy wants the tree in the middle of the room - I kid you not - for clearly that way everybody gets a good view of the twinkly lights. Every year he wants this. Every year we girls trample all over his fanciful fantasy with derision and scorn and passive aggressive behavior, for the tree clearly must go in its proper place in front of the window. Clearly.

This year something came over me and I said - I really did - I said go ahead and try it where you would like it. Then I hid in the kitchen doing clean-up while he and the girls dismantled and disarranged the whole living room to experiment with his tree fantasy.

To properly set the scene, you must know that my oldest daughter had assisted me in thoroughly decorating the large living room just the day before. Displays of snowmen, creches and candles, our large Christmas book collection, holiday villages, bowls of sparkly colored balls nestled in green moss covered every surface, and it was beautiful. And it was almost all dismantled as couches and chairs and trunks and coffee tables and end tables were all moved around to accommodate the intruding fat tree.

Well, he got it to its imagined place of triumph. From the kitchen I heard him say: "Hmmm, it doesn't quite work there." I was still in the kitchen, yes. I sometimes find it easier to maintain a godly, gracious demeanor - facade - if I am not directly tempted by watching. It is a whole lot less painful than biting my tongue.

After about an hour of finagling, back the tree went to its properly designated-before-creation place of triumph and beauty in front of the window. I came out of the kitchen, and we girls all heaved a sigh of relief. I consoled myself with the knowledge that surely, now, this temptation to dilly dally around with the tree will be forever nipped in the nappies and we'll not have to deal with this particular trial again in future. At least I have a whole year to be free of this particular worry.

Onward to the decorating. We left the tree out a bit from the window for ease of decorating,
added a bit of water for the thirsty tree, and began the tradition of winding the white lights about the tree while we sipped our hot spiced cider. Until we ran out of lights. This also is a yearly family tradition. Once back from the store, we finished up the lights, added wide red ribbon wrapped around the tree, and gold, red, and white ornaments. It was gorgeous. My eldest daughter kept a tight rein on the wilder, less beautiful ornaments, for she was to be the hostess of her Bible study's Christmas party this year. Any ragged ornament outside her theme was snatched off the tree and we were informed it could go back on after the party. This whole decorating thing with her has been quite fun as she is a minimalist - and I - well, I am a 'maximalist.'

The tree is now all decorated and it is time to move it back into its place against the window. We had the heavy metal stand placed on a three foot piece of plywood to protect our new floors and as we slid the tree home - you guessed it - the water sloshed out onto the board, swam to the edges and leaked under the board. Oh Oh. Of course we could not leave the water under the board for the whole month of December. (Although tempting)

Now the fun really began. Hubby had a plan. Remember the large girth of this tree - and imagine its weight. He marshaled his troops, we all had our assignments: one hold the tree, one slide the plastic under the board, one dry the floor and the board, and he would tilt the board to accommodate all. You know what happened. We did dry the floor, we did get the plastic under the board, but the tree fell over, twice, in the process and all of our decorating came undone. About fifteen ornaments crashed onto the bare floor and broke and the lovely red ribbon hung in bedraggled rows reminiscent of a harlot after a long night.

We decorated again. And we put the living room back in order again. The amazing truth is that all of this happened in just one afternoon and evening. We kept our humor - you must agree, it was all really quite laughable, and it has been fun sharing with you our tree trimming escapade. Debacle. Adventure!

The Secret

2010-03-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want." (Phil.4:12)

This verse implies crazy whirling circumstances and conditions of all kinds:
In any and every situation - in the death or serious injury of a loved one; in the heartache of a struggling marriage or divorce; in failure at work or school; in the midst of dark depression or spiritual oppression; in ill health or cancer or debilitating migraines and bodily pain; in loneliness and loss of friendship; in the midst of being misjudged and the topic of gossip; in a rape or sexual assault; in lack of purpose or aimlessness; in times of waiting and not knowing - I have learned the secret.

The secret is God Himself. In any and every situation the one constant is God. I have God right here where I am residing at this very moment. Nothing can remove Him from me; nothing can separate Him from me. Other losses I may suffer, but this loss I shall never be asked to endure. I am His and He is mine.

"My flesh and my heart may fail,
But God is the strength of my heart
And my portion forever." (Ps.73:26)

My portion. My cup. My inheritance. My all.

So - I can lose everything - my family, my friends, my home and things, my job and career, my safety, my comfort and ease, my money, my sustenance, my health, my pleasures in this life, my purity, my dreams - and I would not have lost the most important thing in all of my life, for I still have my precious God and Savior.

Now one thing that is true for all of us in our spiritual sojourn is that we know these truths, but then God takes that head knowledge and makes it real, real, real. And He makes Himself the very thing that matters most. How? He presses these truths out in the wine press and pressures of life and He shows us over and over again the utter necessity of trusting Him 'even here' and 'even here' and 'even here.' Hasn't that been true for you? It surely has been true for me.

I am not the same woman I was even 10 years ago. God has been at work and it has been a good work even though my life has had its painful, tortuous times. Over and over He has said, I am your all-in-all. You could lose this - whatever - and you would still have Me, and my soul has been comforted with that precious reassurance. Not until we have suffered in various ways and seen Him prove Himself to us personally can we say with confidence that yes, He is all I need, though I lose all else. This, then, is the secret of being content in all circumstances.

That secret is not learned in a moment. That secret cannot be taught in a book or a class. It is borne out of a faith pressed into service in the high heat of trials beyond our own capability to endure. We are taught to run to our Savior, to our Jesus. And right there is where that truth becomes our own. Yes, I have my God. I will never lose Him.

We cannot just take in the facts from our eyes and think this is the only truth - this is 'real' truth. For the Bible says, "We live by faith not by sight..." (II Cor.5:7) There is an unseen truth. The data from our eyes may say this is chaos happening in my life, uncontrolled chaos, working against my comfort and peace and joy. But as believers in the God of the universe, we look beyond what is seen with our eyes and we look to the unseen. Our faith grabs hold of the assurances in scripture that God is in control and holds on tight. Always. Nothing can remotely touch our lives without, not only His divine permission, but also His good and sovereign purpose. And in believing, we cling to His beloved hand.

"Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, 'It is well, it is well, with my soul.'"
"I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord..." (Phil.3:8)
"I say to myself, 'The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him.'" (Lam.3:24)
"You are my portion, O Lord..." (Ps.119:57)
"God has said, 'Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (Heb.13:5)

Active Voice Obsessions

2010-03-18T07:16:00.000-07:00

I am obsessed with popcorn. To obsess: to haunt or trouble the mind; harass; preoccupy; usually in the passive voice.... My obsession has an active voice. A loud voice.

My teeth bare in defense of my own private bowl and before I ever make my own batch of popcorn, I carefully question the crowd to ascertain if there is somebody else who wants popcorn. Because if so, I'll make their batches first - all in premeditated protection of my own buttered and salted bowl of ambrosia. You see my motives. They are to be sated with their own popcorn so that by the time I have my own, they'll not come near me with grubby groping fists.

And I'm not talking about a cereal bowl, but a mixing bowl sized batch and I eat the whole thing. Myself.

Prior to owning an air popper we indulged in microwave popcorn. Awhile back in my up and down weight history, I decided to kick the popcorn habit. I threw into the garbage can my remaining three bags of microwave popcorn. You might ask, what is wrong with low-fat, low calorie popcorn? Nothing. Except that I add fat and calories by pouring on the butter. Otherwise, I ask you, what is the point?

By mid-afternoon of that same day, my resolve crashed and burned, enduring under as I had, the clarion call of my precious popcorn bags from the garbage can under the kitchen sink. I sneaked back and surreptitiously fingered through the detritus remains of various kitchen activities, like a bag lady plowing through a dumpster, but I could not find my three precious plastic wrapped bags of microwave popcorn!

"GIRLS!!" Looking at them with narrowed eyes as they sat eating lunch together in the dining room. Hands on my hips, I interrogated, "WHAT have you done with my popcorn?!" My eldest spoke up and assured me with mischievously snapping eyes, that she'd HIDDEN them and that I'd never find them.

Bent on imbibing in a bowl of buttered popcorn, I charged upstairs to begin the search. Her confidence that I'd never find them told me that it had to be someplace special. In hindsight, I believe that the three packages of plastic wrapped microwave popcorn wanted me just as much as I wanted them, because they subliminally drew me right to them.

I pulled out one drawer in her captain's bed to explore the space behind - something I'd never remembered was there in all the years we'd owned the beds - and there they were. I snatched them up, hugged them tightly to my chest, and triumphantly descended upon the girls with a "HA! I found them!"

With grim satisfaction I plopped one into the microwave, melted several teaspoons of butter and salted the life out of my precious white kernels. Never again would I so blithely abandon this obsession of mine. This irresistible impulse. This bewitchment. I fully intend to regularly indulge myself in the future and the one concession I may make for health's sake is that I will sometimes use olive oil in place of butter. Sometimes. But I am making no foolish rash promises as such.

Nourishment for our Souls, Part II

2010-03-16T12:53:00.000-07:00

My youngest daughter and I had a great talk awhile ago. She shared with me that sometimes she doesn't feel fed when she reads her Bible. We've all experienced that at one time or another - the discouragement of coming to the Bible, being hungry and needy, and nothing doth seem to satisfy. Nothing speaks. Right?

I encouraged her that as believers our job is to come to the table and eat. Just like she comes to the dinner table to eat the food her mother has prepared for her, she is to come and sit at the banqueting table that God has prepared for her in His Word. Her job is to eat. To shovel it in, scoop it up, partake. As her mother I provide her with a variety of nourishing and delicious foods at the table and expect her to sit down and eat, fork it in, chew it and swallow it down. God has an even more bountiful banqueting table full of good spiritual eats to nourish and satisfy the soul. So we are to come, come, come to His table, and He promises to feed us and provide our souls with the richest of fare. We come. He feeds. Our responsibility is to come to the table and delve in with knife and fork and with eager abandon. His responsibility is to feed us and provide us with the sustenance for our very life. The table is set. Come and eat.

We all know the story of Mary and Martha in the Bible. (Lk. 10:38-42) Martha was busy and distracted, Mary sat at the Lord's feet listening to what He said. Martha is the spiritual nibbler and Mary is the gourmand. Martha is dashing around doing busy deeds, and I can visualize her sticking her head in the doorway of the room where Mary sat at Jesus' feet. She'd listen for a brief moment and catch a good spiritual tidbit, a little nibble to momentarily dim her spiritual hungers, and off she'd go again. Mary on the other hand sat. She came to rest, settled in. She scooted herself right up to the bountiful banqueting table and ingested solid spiritual food.

How would we characterize ourselves? Are we the Christian nibbler ever on a strict diet of low calorie spiritual eats? Or are we the Christian gourmand who settles in for a fine feast? Feeding our souls on the richest of fares takes time and effort and energy and commitment. It is not the work of a moment in passing.

The only soul satisfying arm-around-you comfort in this life comes from the precious Words of our sweet God and Savior. He has communicated truth to us - words of life. His Word is truth. It applies. It matters. It speaks. It works. It suits each and every ache and pain and weariness and agony and speaks life directly into our souls.

Devotion - a steadfast looking to Him to hear the words of life. We have our 'devotions', but are we devoted to knowing Him? Loving Him? Then come, come, come and eat. Why spend your labor on what does not satisfy and your money on what is not bread?

Nourishment for our Souls

2010-03-15T20:57:00.000-07:00

"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters...come buy and eat. Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to Me and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare....As the rain and snow come down from heaven...watering the earth and making it bud and flourish - so is My WORD...it will not return empty...but will accomplish what i desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it..." (Is.55)

These verses mix it all up in a delectable concoction - our coming to His Word, with our coming to the Person of Christ (known as the 'Word' Himself) - to feed and water our souls.

His Word is bread for the hungry and nourishment for the soul. Sustenance. Provision. Satisfaction.

His Word is water for the parched and thirst quenching for the dehydrated, pinched, and shriveled soul. Revitalizing. Refreshing. Clear as crystal.

Jesus says about Himself, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty." He is our perfect food source.

The Bible does not say He is our wine and chocolate - two tasty treats but fundamentally nonessential. (Really) He is the essential Bread and Water that is the foundation of our eating. Not just a weekly treat; not just a rich delicacy for occasional nibbling. Not just empty calories devoid of real nourishment. But He is our life sustaining re-energizing Bread and Water. We can live without wine and chocolate - but we cannot live without bread and water. We eat wine and chocolate and we end up still hungry, still thirsty, whereas bread and water fills and satisfies and meets the true needs of our soul.

Bread and water - two life sustaining requirements. Jesus is that to us. Taste and see that He is good. May your soul delight in the richest of fare.

"Thy Words were found and i ate them,
And Thy Words became for me a joy
And the delight of my heart;
For i have been called by Thy name,
O Lord God of hosts." (Jer.15:16)

My Purpose in Starting a Blog

2010-03-12T16:38:00.000-08:00

I want to talk to YOU - woman to woman, nose to nose, heart to heart. My purpose in writing, my deepest hope regarding this blog, is twofold: to encourage women that God’s word has meaning and truth for today in the very midst of this post-modern world in which we live; and to remind and rejuvenate and rekindle our hearts; to fan into flame our love for God and His Word. Because -

God is worthy of all of our trust. His Word applies to today. God and God alone strengthens weak and feeble knees of trembling faith - He props up the lame and makes straight paths for our feet. We have to truly believe down through our socks that this God who saved us is our complete ALL in ALL. That if we have Him, we have everything.

So lets talk. Come along with me shoulder to shoulder and lets walk together, strengthening each other, providing support and truth for the way.

“I would have despaired

Unless I had believed

I would see the goodness of the Lord

In the land of the living.

Wait for the Lord;

Be strong;

And let your heart take courage.” (Ps. 27)

All of our lives - every moment of every day - occur right here in the ‘land of the living’ - and right there is where God’s goodness dwells with us. Right there is where we do not walk alone through this desperate, dear life, because we have an ever-present Help-er in times of trouble. He is worthy of all of our hopes because He is able to provide all of our helps.