It Will Be Okay!

New Normal”, is a phrase that is thrown around a lot these days and I cringe every time I hear it. I like many others, hate to have anyone messing with my normal. I was made painfully aware of this when my daughter. Missy, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and again when she relapsed a few months back. I remembered her saying that her life was forever different since cancer entered the picture, the security of her normal was replaced with a “new normal”. As much as I would love to tell her that her life would return to “normal”, I knew she was right. In the immediate would be enduring the terrifying treatments that would drain her life of wellness and health in an attempt to kill the cancer. Her days would be filled with nausea, dehydration, and low blood pressure. She would feel sick and isolated from the familiar and be plunged into the unknown. In the future, she will always wonder if the cancer has returned and once again disrupt her life, her “normal”. As I thought of this today, I thought about my granddaughter Evie, Missy’s daughter, who is seven years old. Since her mother will be going into the hospital for three weeks and will be isolated from everyone and of course including Evie, she has grown anxious about the separation. Her “normal” will be replaced by the “new normal”. Missy read a book to her entitled, “It Will Be Okay; Trusting God” by Lisa TerKeurst! In this cute little story we are introduced to Little Seed who lives on a cozy shelf in the kind farmer’s shed. He knows the farmer is kind and good but still doesn’t want to get out of the comfort of the shed. We, as Little Seed, are reluctant to look at a “new normal” because we are comfortable where we are. But sometimes we are forced by circumstance to leave the comfort of the normal and are sometimes, as Little Seed, plunged into the darkness of the ground and the unknown. Little Seed had to trust the farmer who had a plan for him, even when he could only see darkness. Slowly but surely, Little Seed began to grow and grow, and out of the darkness into the light of the “new normal” he became a beautiful tree giving shade to his friend Little Fox another character in the story. He realized that the Farmer was kind and good and loved him. By the end of this story, in typical Evie fashion, she announced that she felt better! When we are plunged into insecurity, uncertainty, and fear, it is difficult to remember that our Good God has a plan for us in the “New Normal”! I can’t wait to see what God does in the life of Missy and her sweet little family though I’m sure the shed looks pretty good right now. “It Will Be Okay”

! For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

What Shall We Do?

Being an early riser, it's not unusual for me to get up when it is still pitch dark outside.  I enjoy my time with the Lord in the quiet of those early hours but lately, I have been waking much earlier and usually with a sense of fear surrounding me.  Fear of what, I usually don't know.  While I fix my coffee, I mull over the things that it might be, all the while praying for God's peace to so permeate my soul in this time of fear.  I think about the fact that I'm not fearful of the COVID 19 for myself though sometimes for others.  I am not even afraid for my daughter who is being treated for cancer since I have given this entirely to the Lord.  I don't fear for my own life, though I sometimes have waves of fear of getting older and what that can bring.  So I ask the Lord to give me something to combat this feeling, scripture to ease my mind.  I came across a question in one of my devotions today that started my mind to processing this overwhelming feeling that encompasses me at times for no reason.  "What are you afraid of and what keeps you up at night?"  Perfect for me, right?  The devotion led me to one of my favorite scripture stories in the bible that is found in 2 Kings 6:8-17.  Elisha, a prophet, is being pursued by a wicked king, and one morning as Elisha's servant awakens he sees that the hills are full of horses and chariots of the enemy surrounding Elisha.  Being very frightened, the servant lets his master know what grave danger awaits them in the hills.  "What shall we do?" he shouts, but Elisha calmly told the servant that the one who is for us is more than those against us.  Elisha asked that the Lord would open the eyes of the servant and at that time the frightened servant was able to see a great army of the Lord surrounding Elisha ready to fight for this man of God.  So those living in fear of the future, look to the hills!  Those with the diagnosis of cancer, look at the light from the flaming chariots!  If anybody be broken-hearted or just broke listen to the rumble of chariot wheels.  For greater is He who is in you, than what fills your heart with fear or dread this day.

I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalms 121:1‭-‬2 NIV

You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
1 John 4:4 NIV

If God is for us, who can be against us?  Romans 8:31

These scripture verses ministered to my heart!  God is so much bigger than what makes me afraid today.  I only need to open my eyes to see that He is always working on my behalf.  Today, as every day, the army of the Lord surrounds us.

I Am His Masterpiece!

More than seventy-two years ago my life hung in the balance.  At that time my mother found herself pregnant at a time that people were many times ostracized for being an unwed mother.  She was encouraged to get an abortion and solve the "problem".  My mother would not hear of it and carried me to full term. Today many would say that babies are better off not to be born than to come into a difficult life as if difficulties somehow produce misfits if that were the criteria many would not have been spared and done great things in this world.  They sight poverty, child abuse, or poor living conditions as a reason to terminate a pregnancy.  Some now say it is best for the environment if they kill the unborn.  What kind of society kills their babies the most vulnerable among us?  My childhood was not ideal, some might think they could even say I would have been better off not to be born.  But, I beg to differ!  I think of my life and the lives of my children and grandchildren that would not have been born.  I think of the void that would have been left in this world without us or any human being that God has sent into this world.  I am not bragging of great accomplishments or fame but just the contributions that were made to mankind.  I think of Sunday School lessons that were taught where Christ was brought to hungry hearts, teen activities in the church that would have been minus one who loved them, and prayers said on behalf of a weary sojourner.  My mind tries to think of who would have led a dying alcoholic to the Lord?  I wonder if anyone would have held the hand of the elderly woman dying without anyone to comfort her.  Who would have adopted a little baby who's mother was a drug addict?  Who would have testified to the goodness of God even in the midst of fighting her own battle with cancer?   Many ease their consciences by believing that the world is a better place without unwanted children.  They believe this little life is a "choice" and not a human being.  Some might wonder why I am so passionate about the unborn, so now you know.  I have enjoyed a wonderful marriage of fifty years, my joy has been made complete with my children and grandchildren and even great-grandson.  I have been blessed to know Jesus and the peace that He brings.  I love my life and my mother for choosing life for me.  If we could ask these millions who have died at the hand of an abortionist, they would want the opportunity to contribute to the world.

“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations.”
Jeremiah 1:5 NLT

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
Ephesians 2:10 NLT

Scallywag or Saint?

Scallywag or Saint?

The more I search through the stories of my ancestry, the more I realize how the world hasn’t really changed all that much in the last 300 years or as far back as I can get information.  There were saints, sinners and scoundrels, and scallywags but all were human.

Today I looked at a man whose name was Thomas Gardner who was my 5th Great Grandfather on my mother’s side of the family.  He was born in 1724 and was 71 when he died.  The time before his death included some pretty impressive things.

I found one document that stated that he fought against the British in their efforts to take land from the settlers.  Most settlers held Indian titles which meant the Native Americans were actually the owners but these settlers were able to build on these lands until the British decided to confiscate the land from the colonists and the Indians.  The British passed a bill to extinguish these titles at the discretion of they themselves for themselves.  When the settlers would not give up the land they would be thrown into jail.  It is noted in one document that Thomas Gardner actually participated in several “jailbreaks” to free his neighbors.

I see Thomas Gardner as a hero, a courageous man who fought for what was right.  It is also noted that he was awarded a Patriots award for fighting gallantly in the Revolutionary War as a colonel.  What a heritage!  But I will tell you there were plenty of scallywags in our family history as well.

Most of us know what a scallywag is, at least in my age group,  but how many of us have a good understanding of saints?  A saint, according to the new testament, is one who accepts Christ as their Savior and is living a Christian life.

In 1 Corinthians we are called to be saints.

Unto the church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:
1 Corinthians 1:2 KJV

Throughout the New Testament, those who call on the Lord Jesus for salvation are all saints.  We are all fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.  Amazingly, the Apostle Paul, though highly used by God, was no more a saint than you and me.  This is not to be used in a prideful way but for us to see our value in God’s eyes.  I’m not expecting to be called Saint Jeanie anytime soon because in my mind, I fall closer to being a scallywag than the saint.  None the less, I have called on the Lord for my salvation I will be numbered with the saints when He comes for His church.

As I write about my 5th Great grandfather, I wondered if he would be numbered with the saints, if he had asked Jesus into his heart. I found a short paragraph at the end of his will that may have indicated that he was a believer.

My flesh shall slumber in the ground
Till the last trumpet’s joyful sound;
Then burst the chains with sweet surprise,
And in my Savior’s image rise.

See you on that day, Great Grandfather!

Habakkuk is Right On!

Habakkuk Is Right On!

Today I read a post from a nurse’s perspective and I have so much respect for those who are out there doing their job during the current situation.  She railed against people who want to get out from under the “lockdown” and buy garden plants or run in the park.  She pointed out that she had lost two patients on that particular day.  As a retired Respiratory Therapist, I have seen many people die and yes maybe more than one might pass on one particular shift.  Many times on this kind of day, I formed a perception in my mind that was not always correct.  I saw the world through this tragedy and  I resented the normalcy of the world around me.  I mistakenly felt, at times, that other things were not important.  This view makes me think of the Indian parable about several blind men who were asked to describe this animal by feeling the various parts of an elephant.  Each man described the animal by their own perspective.  The man, for instance, who felt the trunk thought one thing while the one who felt the huge leg thought another.  In this Covid 19 crisis, all of us have a different view of it.  If you are on the front lines, working in the hospital you see it one way, while the man who can’t make a living for his family has an entirely different perspective.  Small businessmen and women who can see the doors closing permanently on the business they put blood, sweat, and tears into, views the crisis even more differently.  One who has been given a diagnosis of cancer with 60% chance of survival for 5 years, might look at 98% recovery rate as pretty positive.  “Perspective”, it seems, is what is missing in this crisis.  Fear has been rampant as fear mongers perpetuate and sell the chaos.  Truth is hard to find as each one spews whatever view that suits them.  The only hope, the only peace that I find is in the Lord, who is not confused or surprised by all this.  I found a verse from the bible that I loved today from a book with the funny name of Habakkuk.

Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord ! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
Habakkuk 3:17‭-‬18 NLT

At a time when there seems to be no peace or joy, I rejoice in the Lord for my salvation and His constant care.  Praise You, O Lord, that YOU see the whole picture not just part.

Hang On!

As I watched out the back door I noticed her.  She stood nervously with a mouth full of twigs and dried grass, so I watched to see where she might be planning to start her family.  She jumped up on the grill and was out of sight for a few minutes but alas she jumped up on the porch rail and was gone again.  As soon as she was gone I went out to inspect her work and found that she had tried to make a nest on the grill where there was was large crack and all of her work had fallen in a pile on the floor.  Laughing, I went in to tell Larry about our misguided feathered friend. In the next few days we noticed the flurry of activity and again the pile of twigs and dried grass sitting under the place she tried hopelessly to build a nest.  Thinking our friend was a freak of nature, we watched her work.

One day Larry looked in the grill and discovered that our industrious little bird had gathered enough twigs and dry grass to fill the entire grill on the inside.  As we observed her handy work we found that in the middle of her grand display was a perfectly formed nest.

Sometimes as we observe God we can't see that our prayers are being answered and we plead again and again for his attention to our problem.  All we can see is a pile of twigs heaped on the floor. But unbeknownst to us he is working diligently to answer our prayer in his own time and way.

Just when we think, all is lost, we open up a new chapter and find that Our Father has been working all the time and has built us a mansion instead of just a nest.  He has answered more than we could think or ask.

The bible tells us that he is able to do immeasurably more than we can even comprehend.

“so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us,”
Ephesians 3:17-20 NIV

Father God you are so good!  Praise your Holy Name!

 Our new neighbor is still working away and we expect her eggs will be laid any day now.  May her children know how much they are loved as we, God's children, know how much we are loved!

Annoyin’?

Jesus looked at him and loved him.  Mark 10:21

You're annoyin', Uncle Shane, I'm doing my make up" my 2 year old granddaughter, Harper, said as her uncle peered into the little house she was playing in.  As "Uncle" persisted she became more and more annoyed.  I laughed at the video of this whole conversation and wondered how many times we have, in a way, told God that, as he looks into our world.  Do we find other things that we make more important than he is to us?  
Today as I read in Mark, I read about the rich young man who inquired of Jesus "What must I do to inherit eternal life?"  The man explained to Jesus that he had kept all the laws since he was a boy and then the bible says Jesus looked at him and loved him.  Don't you love that?  He looked at him and loved him.
This morning I felt his eyes looking on me as I read this story in Mark in His glorious word?  I had just read the verse that says that Jesus looked at the rich young man and loved him.
Jesus looked at him and loved him.  Mark 10:21
I thought about how many times I have felt unloveable and wondered how a Holy God could love me. Sometimes, as Jesus peers into our lives,  we say with our attitude, "That's annoyin'", but he continues to love us anyway.  In the account in Mark the young man went away, sad, because Jesus asked him to give all of his money to the poor and follow him.  He put his money ahead of following Jesus, just like Harper put "Doing her makeup" ahead of her Uncle Shane and his love for her.
Thank you for loving us!

Ya Ain’t All That!

Ya ain't all that

As I read from Luke chapter 7 about the woman who anointed Jesus’ feet, I began to take issue with part of it.  It had to do with the “immoral woman” who began to anoint the feet of Jesus while he was at the house of a pharisee named Simon.  As they sat down to eat, this woman began crying and wiping her tears from his feet with her hair and anointing him with expensive perfume.  Simon, in his mind, thought “why is he letting this sinful woman even touch him”?  Jesus, being able to read his thoughts, asked him a question..  Jesus began to tell a story of two men both owed money to a certain man but neither could pay.  One man owed 500 pieces of silver the other only 50 pieces of silver.  The man who had loaned the money pardoned them both from the loans.  Jesus then asked Simon, which man would love him most?  Simon answered, “I suppose the one who owed the most”.  That’s right, Jesus said.  Then He said to the immoral woman, “You are forgiven”.

Many times as I tell “my story” as to how I came to Jesus I would say things like, “I was not deep in sin or I wasn’t into drugs, alcohol or wild living”.  While that is true, I still didn’t want to believe that I didn’t love Jesus as much as some who owed a greater debt.  The other day while I was pondering this, I felt a nudging from the Holy Spirit.  I was reminded of many of the sins that I had in my life before I was a believer and even now I continually have to work on my spiritual life and fight, as we all do, the temptations the devil throws at us.  And then I was reminded of the pride that was present in my life as I proclaimed my, according to myself, somewhat sinless past.  I had a “Ya ain’t all that” moment.  My eyes were opened to the scripture and realized that my sins, and they are many, have been forgiven.  As we come to the Good Friday, the day Jesus hung on the cross, I see my sins there as they pounded the nails.  I feel the shame as they mocked him,  It was my transgressions that plunged the sword into His side.  I deserve to be there not the sinless Son of God!

 My forgiven debt has given me great love for my Jesus!

Bunny Cake

Bunny Cake

In our family, the Easter Bunny cake is a treasured tradition that continues even today. I found the cut-out pattern in the Sunday paper insert and tried it out on my family. In those days for our family the Bunny cake was made the night before, after the kids went to bed so that when they woke up Easter morning the cake, decorated with jelly bean nose, coconut fur, and licorice whiskers would greet the sleepy crew. After that the egg hunt would ensure. Nowadays I don’t make the Bunny Cake, but my kids still do and even my granddaughter made it for my great-grandson Oliver this year. They even post pictures of them in a contest to see who’s is the prettiest. You might ask what this has to do with the real meaning of Easter. If our Easter Sunday consisted only of this sweet tradition I would pack it up along with new homemade Easter dresses, egg hunts and peeps. But with these traditions came a very important tradition of going to church to worship Jesus of the cross. Miraculously, after the cake is eaten, the plastic eggs and annoying Easter grass are put away we still have the glorious reality of a Risen Savior! I miss those days of the Easter Bunny Cake and the wide eyes that were convinced that the Easter bunny had baked it just for them. But hopefully, across this country in South Carolina, New York, California, Oregon Florida, North Carolina and here in Illinois where the Nihiser children and grandchildren are gathered, they go back in time to the decorated cake that was a backdrop for many Easter pictures and remember the love in our home but more so to remember the Savior who dwelt there also.

Happy Good Friday to my family! I love you!

Leafy but Barren?

I was intrigued by the account in the Gospel of Mark and also in Matthew that many believe was on Monday after the Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem.   It was about the cursing of the fig tree. At first glance you would wonder why this is even in the bible but as usual you need to look into the background of this story.  For centuries the fig tree was a symbol of Israel and the story represents the turning away from God and the bareness of the souls of the Jewish people.  

As the account is depicted in the two gospels, Jesus was hungry and from far off He noticed a fig tree with all of its leaves which could be assumed that the fruit was there also.  But as He approached the tree, He found that there were no figs. The beautiful leaves were covering the fruitlessness of tree.

Early in the morning, as Jesus was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” Immediately the tree withered.

Matthew 21:18‭-‬19 NIV

One of my fears in life is that at the end of my life I would regret things that I did or didn’t do.  The fig tree represents a life that appeared fruitful but in fact was barren. We can have all the right things in place, like the fig tree.  Our leaves may be beautiful but there is no fruit. We can look like a Christian with our churchy words, church attendance or tithe giving but we can be barren in our souls.  While the fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control we are also instructed by the Lord himself to go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.  Before He ascended into heaven, He said “Make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”, this is commonly called the Great Commission. Am I fulfilling this command the commission from the Lord?  Am I telling others about Jesus? If I am not, I am no better than the barren fig tree and I will wither in my soul. May I tell of the Good News of Jesus’ salvation! Lord, help me as I endeavor to bring the Good News to many!

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

Isaiah 52:7 NIV