Thursday, July 28, 2011

Coming Apart At The Seams?


This is my "Grand-Dog" and "Grand-Cat, Summer and Miles! I think they are resting in the Lord, or at least resting without a care! I have to admit that after Mendy told me that Summer didn't come home, I worried but I also prayed. Summer came home last night and I am so glad God cares even for those things we care about! Summer, you are grounded!





I watched Larry as he took the plastic pipes and snapped them together like a puzzle. With all the turns and angles he was trying to reach a drain that would carry water from our sump pump out away from the house. When they were all in place he took glue, made just for this purpose, and connected the winding pipe. With confidence left them there to came in to eat. After eating lunch, he went back to find that all the pipes had broke loose instead of holding tight as he had counted on. He tried again only to find the same thing. He finally realized that there was so much stress on them that they came apart at the seams. It seems things had to be adjusted, because the drain that was there to catch the water was in the wrong place causing the stress.


Just like the winding pipe, I sometimes come apart at the seams! I put my goals and priorities in the wrong place and find the stress I put on myself, causing me to worry! If worry could accomplish anything, I think we would all agree there would be no problems in our life. But the bible says that worry changes nothing, accept we grow weaker as a result of it. I read a saying that said; worry does not prevent tomorrow’s sorrows but steals today’s strength! How true! And I might add it steals our joy also! The bible says: an anxious heart weights a man down. As Larry tried again to reach the same destination that had caused the stress, he found the same predicament. The stress was not relieved until he changed where he placed the drain. Sometimes we could relieve a lot of stress if we adjusted our goals and our priorities! Sometimes we need to remember that we can’t fix everything or even most things! Worry sometimes gives a small thing a big shadow that follows us everywhere, how often I have found this true. Those are the things we need to give to the Lord. In fact he says to give it all to Him! Why? Because he cares for us!


“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7


“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.” Psalm:139:23


“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”


Jesus says “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in Me.” John 14:1



Sunday, July 17, 2011

T-O-T-A-L-L-Y ME!

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Psalm 139:13-14

This is my new grandson, who God knitted together in his mother's womb! We will meet him in November and I can't wait to see this unique creation!

This picture and baby provided by Mendy and Dan Smith

I was captivated last night by reading the introduction to the book "Captivating" written by John and Stasi Elldredge! I was interested in reading this book because my daughter in New York is using this book as a study guide for she and some women in her church. As I thought about the unveiling of a woman's heart, I was taken back to a time in my life when I was a young wife, mother as well as a new Christian. I searched for my identity as a Christian woman. Of course, through the many self improvement books, I was lead to read about the Proverbs 31 woman. The perfect woman, right? I poured over these verses and in my mind I could see me being like this woman! But in time I came to the conclusion that this was an impossible thing for me, so I promptly decided that I was not spiritual enough! I failed daily as I tried to be this woman. Years later, I would realize that the description of the "perfect woman" was written by a mother to her son, as to how to find a perfect wife! Don't you pity the poor bride that would run into this mother-in-law? Then came the real clincher! In the seventies a woman wrote a book called "Total Woman" and as I practically memorized each page, I set out to be the "total woman" (minus the plastic wrap)! Again, daily failure as I tried to be someone else's idea of who and what I should be. Since I tend to be an all-or-nothing person, these daily failures paralyzed me but one day I found hope in Psalm 139!

O Lord, you have searched me and you know me.
Psalm 139:1

As I read this beautiful chapter in Psalms that tells of God's unfathomable love and interest in who I am, there was not a note in parentheses that tells me to refer to Proverbs 31, no footnote directing me to read "Total Woman" or no instructions to find another person to pattern my life after. He tells me that he knows me and he loves me just the way he made me! He made me to be me!If I was to write a book I would have to entitle it "total mess" or "just barely adequate" most of time but at the same time, I could always write a book entitled "Totally Known by My Father" with a subtitle "And Totally Loved Just the Way I Am"!

Do I find myself still feeling guilty for not being "perfect"? Does it snow in Illinois in the winter? Certainly I do, but that is when I go back to scripture that tells me of God's unfathomable, unfailing and unconditional love!

Now excuse me while I read how to be captivating!

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Smell the Blossoms, Eat the Almonds

Aaron was the brother of Moses, you might remember. In fact when God asked Moses to speak to pharaoh, he told the Lord that he was unable to speak well, so God appointed Aaron to speak for his brother. The bible does not say what problem Moses had with speaking, we don't know if he had a speech impediment or was just not a public speaker but we do know Aaron was chosen to be Moses' mouth piece. Maybe Aaron just had a gift for gab and the bible tells us he did indeed speak and pharaoh did let God's people go.

But as we pick up the account later, when Moses went up the mountain to talk to God and left Aaron in charge he didn't do so well. While Moses was gone, the people got inpatient and Aaron agreed to make a golden calf for them to worship. Now, the once mouth piece of Moses was just a "mouth" who bent to the pressure of the people and their desire to worship idols. Failure we would say, scoundrel would befit such a man but High Priest, who'd a thought it? We find in Exodus that even after his great failure, God indeed made him High Priest and in fact we find that the Lord went to great measure to consecrate him in great style right down to the clothing he wore. Wouldn't you think that someone more worthy would have been chosen for this grand position? Actually there were some who apparently thought they were more suited to be priests, they went against Aaron and so went against the will of God. In order to prove that Aaron was His chosen one, God caused his staff to bloom, bud and even to produce almonds! I love this! Have you ever failed? Have you ever fallen way short of God's will? Have you ever made for yourself a "golden calf" and let God down? I would have to raise my hand as one who has failed God! But through Jesus, he hands us the blooming staff as a reminder of our worth and value even after we have failed. Scripture is full of such people who fail God! I am amazed that as Aaron, I smell the blooming staff and eat almonds as I rest in His grace! Praise God for his amazing love!

Tuesday, July 12, 2011

PURPOSEFUL!





Having just come from the mirror that was much too honest with me and very unkind, I went to answer the phone! As happens many times the caller asked “what cha doin’?”! Through my bitterness and agitation I was so tempted to say “just sitting here growing facial hair”! Why, Lord do “ladies of advancing age” grow hair on our faces? If we were like men, a hair on our face would not be such a big deal! But this is disturbing!


Some days I feel as if that is all I do, is sit and grow facial hair! Retirement can seem like that on occasion. Days when if seems you do nothing important! In my reading I came across a word that I like very much, it is PURPOSEFUL! The dictionary says it means “determined, focused on a goal”. Often, I have to re-evaluate my purpose in life! I long to be purposeful when it comes the Lord!


1 Thessalonians 5:16-17


Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.


In the scripture I read today, there is purposeful words like BE joyful, PRAY continually, and GIVE thanks. Sometimes instead of being purposeful I wait until the notion strikes, the weather is right or maybe when I am in a better mood! I am a procrastinator by nature so it is easy to wait for a better time to do something so I think that is why that this word stands out to me! If we are purposeful, if we live life with purpose He tells in verses 23-24 of that same chapter what He will do.


I like this from Message


May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together spirit, soul, and body and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he’ll do it!


I love it that GOD HIMSELF will make us holy! If my God is willing to do so many things for me and has called me, shouldn’t I be just as purposeful in doing his will? I want to be a do-er of his word not just a hear-er. This is my prayer for all of us who need to refocus and be purposeful in all we do!


Get back facial hair I have important things to do!





 





 

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Are You a Hoarder?


Photo by National Geographic




Psalm 139:23-24
Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.



One night a few weeks ago, I stayed up watching “Hoarders” with two of my daughters! I could not pull myself away. I would watch one episode then another one would come on with even more bazaar behavior. I sat thinking about how people could gather so much stuff to the point of it being unsafe and unhealthy. Wow, there was a man who had a couple thousand pet rats, another was going to loose her kids because there was no place for them to eat, sleep or play. Every nook and cranny was filled with garbage and these people were helpless to fix their problem. I was also amazed that these people lived with putrid smells because they could not find what was rotten or dead under their stuff. They had become unaware of the smell after awhile. I patted myself on the back as I climbed into bed thankful that I was not a "hoarder". I felt pretty smug that my closets were cleaned regularly and ridded of junk and if I sniffed the air to see if my nose could detect anything stinking feeling satisfied I went to bed happy with myself.






This morning, as I thought about those “Hoarders”, I was led to think about my own hoarding. What kind of junk do I hide in my heart? Is their a putrid smell that I have become used to living with? Unresolved sin maybe? Unforgiveness perhaps? How many layers of junk do I need to go through to find what is rotten or dead? I always liked the phrase “stinkin’ thinkin’” and none of us are immune to this kind of thinking. As I reflected on this I thought of someone who hurt my feelings more than forty years ago and I realized I was still mad. Talk about the memory of an elephant! I can “smell” those times when I tried to pluck the splinter from someone’s eye while I should have seen the log in my own eye. I asked the Lord to forgive me of my pride in thinking I was (as the kids say) “all that”! Judging can be pretty stinky you know! Had I covered the stink with religious stuff like praying, reading the bible and attending church? Maybe something has died in my heart that leaves a stench, like compassion or love of neighbor or , even more, love of my enemies! Hatred has a smell all it’s own!






I am not ready to call in those people who help hoarders but I am ready to call in my Savior to help me clean up the areas in my heart that need the cleansing. He not only takes out the junk, he shines his light on our “stinkin’ thinkin’”. His blood is the only thing that can clean the heart, his light is the only thing that can shine into those crevices to find those things that are unseen and rotting.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Back Deck

This is the deck with my favorite carpenter!
It started out cool today with some rain but it has gotten hotter through the day!





Saturday, July 2, 2011

Right Out of the Middle!

The 90 degree weather has not kept the grass from growing or my husband from cutting it. Since my mower is out of commission, he mowed by himself today and of course it took him longer. I took tea out to him to keep him from getting dehydrated but when he came in I knew he needed refreshment. He passed on the water but said yes to the cold watermelon waiting in the frig. As I cut and cracked open the striped melon, the aroma was such that I knew it had to be a good one. I took out a big bowl and dug right out of the middle of one half and plopped big scoops into the bowl again and again until it was heaping. I was glad to give him the best part of that delicious delight until...I grabbed a piece that was calling my name! Oh, so delicious, and for just a second I questioned giving him the best part, because I knew that what was left on the sides would probably not be as good.

Sometimes, I hesitate to give God his portion out of the middle, the best part of what I have or even the best part of me because somehow I don't trust that what is left will be good enough. To be honest, sometimes I leave Him to scrape up what is left. After all, I don't have very much money so if I give it away I might not have enough or my time is precious since I'm getting older now and what would be left if I gave my best right out of the middle? Doesn't He deserve the best!

I scraped the sides to find that the melon was sweet even on the sides and what was even sweeter was the oohs and aahs I heard from my tired, hot husband who very definitely enjoyed "the right out of the middle" watermelon! And guess what! The Lord always provides for us if we are obedient to Him! So even if the sides of your watermelon isn't as sweet as what you have given away, in obedience, remember that there is the other half that is even more heavenly!