Are You Salt or Tofu?

I don't consider myself a salt-aholic but there are certain things I have to have salt on, like tomatoes and chicken. It wasn't until I was put on a “no salt” diet in the hospital that I began to grasp the importance of salt! The diet technitians brought me beautiful menus with scruptious sounding meals on them but they were all missing one important ingredient....you guessed it, salt! No matter how much I tried to force the food down, it was still tasteless!

The bible calls “us” “Christians” the salt of the earth. In other words, our message is what gives the world its flavor. Have you ever thought of yourself as the seasoning to the world around you? The bible says we should be, just that. But all too often, instead of a good taste, I am afraid we leave a sour taste in the mouth of people we want to win to the Lord or even worse, no flavor at all.

I am told that tofu is tasteless and bland but takes on the flavor of whatever foods it is cooked with. Am I tofu instead of salt? Do I become so bland that I take on the flavors of the world around me instead of my own unique flavor?

We should be people of integrity and depth, compassion and generosity. We should not be gossiper or liars, or cheat on our taxes.  We should not be rude or unkind.  In Matthew 5 we are told that salt that has lost its flavor is useless.

You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. Matthew 5:13

As I live my life I don't want to be useless or worthless in God's economy. I want to spread His love and flavor my surroundings with His wonderful Grace. But can I do this in my own strength? No! It is only God working in me that could ever dare to make a difference in our world.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  2 Corinthians 12:9

As you crunch on a salty chip or take a bite of a salty pickle think of how we are supposed to enhance the flavor of our world. Are we the salt of the earth or are we the tofu of the world taking on the flavors around us?  But don't be overwhelmed by such a task, remember from whom we receive our “saltiness”!

Pray Without Ceasing!

How often do most people pray? Do we pray weekly at church, when a crisis rears its ugly head, or maybe daily? The bible tells us to pray continually! We read in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to“pray without ceasing”. In other versions it says “pray continually”, “pray constantly” and “never stop praying”.

Ephesians 6:18 tells us to pray on all occassions with all kinds of requests, to be alert and always keep praying. We are told that all the disciples prayed constantly in Acts 1 and Philippians 4:6, one of my favorite verses, emplores us not to be anxious about anything but in every situation by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present our requests to God! And Romans 8:26 tells us if we are weak and do not know what to pray, the Spirit HIMSELF will pray for us. He understands our groans.

I found so many that there is not time nor space to write all the scripture here that pertained to prayer.

So because of all the scripture that makes it abundantly clear that prayer is important, if not vital to a relationship with the Lord, I thought it was definitely worth considering. Is having my prayer time in the morning not enough? According to scripture, our prayers are to be continual even after we rise from our knees in the morning. More than morning and night, more than Sunday or even Wednesday night prayer meeting we are to carry on a conversation as if He were right beside you. For He is but a breath away He lives within us.

If you thought He was that close;

Would you praise Him for the smell of fresh cut grass, the perfection of a rose or the coo of a mourning dove?

Would you whisper a quick thank you at hearing a child giggle or praise him for the softness of a baby's face?

Would you raise your hand in gratitude for the cool breeze on a hot summer day or the smell of rain in the air?

Would you share with Him how thrilled you were to hear your grandbaby call you Gramma?

Would you ask him what he thought of the rudeness of the waitress and would you feel checked to pray for her?

Would you praise him for the way a cool drink of water quinches your thirst or how homemade ice cream delightfully slides down your throat giving you a “brain freeze”?

Would you thank him for the love you felt when you heard your husbands voice? And praise Him for your years together?

Would you breath in the Word of God like it was an expensive perfume and quietly say with tears in your eyes, “Thank you precious Lord”?

Would you lift up that child you passed on the street with the ragged clothes and mussed up hair? Would you pray for his soul?

Would you ask God to comfort the old man who rambles the halls of the nursing home mumbling to himself?

Would you pray for your enemies?

We must learn to talk with Him continually as if He were a breath away because He is! It might take practice but start today!

PRAY WITHOUT CEASING! 1 Thessalonians 5:17

"See Ya at the House"!

I have been painting our house room by room for the last few weeks. As I proceeded mindlessly at my task I have had various media to keep me company. Last night I turned on my old VCR to play some Southern Gospel music. Okay, I have been found out! I love the old hymns they sing with the southern flavor.  I love the songs that belong uniquely to that genre. I have my favorite singers as well as my favorite songs. As I looked through my collection of videos, I found one entitled "Heaven". Many people in the video described what they thought heaven would be like, mostly based on scripture but some based their opinion on what a "perfect" place would look like in their mind.

One said it would be a "complete" place that included the beauty of all the seasons at once. One who sat in a wheel chair, instead of dreaming of walking, dreamed of a place of "freedom" and perfect peace.

Several thought that it was a place where, maybe after a rest, God would put us to work. I suppose if you were a carpenter you would never hit your finger with a hammer or have to recut a board. If you were a painter of pictures every color would blend together perfectly or a painter of houses would not need to clean the brushes or the spatters you accidentally dropped on the floor. Cakes would always turn our moist and rise to perfection, musicians would never hit a flat note, and gardens would have no weeds.

When my grandson Caleb, a college Sophomore, was asked some time back, what he thought heaven would be like, he told of a childhood notion that in heaven there would be a Bob Evans restaurant on every corner. When asked why he would think such a thing, he didn't really know, but when I heard this I recalled that as a little boy he called the "favorite" restaurant of Larry and I "Bob Heavens". I laughed as my granddaughter Cati told him that at least he could imagine a Starbucks on every corner instead of the big red barn that was not at all a place where teenagers would hang out.

When saying goodbye to someone he might not see again, one man would always say "See ya at the house" referring to his heavenly home. I like that! Though many varied about the details of heaven most referred to it as going home. I think that while we are young, we give heaven little thought but as we age there is a seed of homesickness that begins to grow inside each of us. Heaven becomes sweeter and the thought of death loses it's sting.

I plan to see all my grandchildren, from the oldest to the youngest, marry, have children of their own and find their place in this world as followers of Jesus. I plan to have pancakes at Bob Evans every chance I get and kiss baby heads as long as my children keep having new ones. I want to listen to Southern Gospel music until my VCR breaks down and raise my hands to "Amazing Grace" for the next thirty years but if perhaps God wants me sooner "See ya at the house"!

Taken from an earlier writing in this blog.


Sent from Jeanie!

Big Lap!

Today I trudged out to my prayer chair even though it was wet because of the rain the night before. I positioned my coffee, my bible, my journal and was ready for my devotions. I held my coffee in one hand my books on my lap and a pen handy so I could write my thoughts. Before long Lucy climbed up on my lap and tried to slip between my books and my body, making paw prints on me, my books and my bible. I adjusted all these things and finally gave up my coffee to hold my books and Lucy. It wasn't long before two cats joined Lucy and that meant that something had to go. Oh, how sweet they were, all trying to get my time and attention. I love each one of them including Daisy who lays at my feet groaning every so often. How could I decide who to get rid of? After all hadn't I come out there to be with God? I had even thanked God for these same lap invaders just a few minutes before they came. I tried to juggle everything, holding my bible up over their heads. I tried to write with my journal placed on their backs but they didn't hold still. My thoughts had been taken over by my precious friends. Finally I decided that my time with God was too valuble to spend it trying to fit him in so we adjusted things. My lap was off limits for the time being so Lucy found her place beside me. The cats grew tired of the constant maneuvering so they were content sitting on the table beside me. I again could focus on God and what he had for me today. I find myself so occupied with my surroundings, my problems, my hurts and conflicts that my lap isn't big enough for God. I sit, holding my pain, instead of setting it aside to let God come closer. While I try to concentrate on his truths other things crowd in, even good things. Lord, I clear my heart, life and lap to let you come and sit with me.

Over three years ago, I posted this, as one of my first writings.  From that day on, the Lord brought so many things to my mind that I would scrawl out and eventually post on my blog.  But lately, it seems, I have to strain to even write a word.  I have gone through "writers block" before but I have felt utterly dry in my spirit for the last few months.  I have at times written three post a week but it is very hard to squeeze just one out a week as of late. 

I love writing!  I love telling what the Lord is doing in my life as well as others but I seemed to just run out of "me"!  I have asked for forgiveness if I have been prideful or offensive in any way but found no relief.  I have asked God why, when I had more "reads" than ever would He stop the flow of my words?  Not only was I not able to write but my eyesight has declined and my ability to focus on what I am reading has diminished. 

As I went to my journal today, I came across a scripture that I had written there.  Phil 1:6.

Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ.  Phil 1:6

I rejoiced over His words to me today!  No matter in what manner I will serve Him, He has promised to see me through.  I don't know if it is writing this blog or maybe something else but He will be with me forever.  Amen

I ask you, my faithful readers, to pray for me and for what the Lord has for me to do for Him because He wants to "carry me on to completion until the day of Jesus Christ"!

The Mountain List

Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, Move from here to there, and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. Matthew 17:20-21 NKJV

When Jesus spoke these words, he was actually rebuking his disciples for their lack of faith in the healing of a man with seizures. When the disciples were alone with Jesus, they asked why their prayers were not answered. Jesus' answer came “because of your unbelief”. Oh my, how often I pray without faith that it will happen.

Then Jesus uses the mustard seed as an example of how much faith is needed to have our prayers answered. He went on to say that we can tell a mountain to move from here to there and it will happen if only we have faith.

Wow, I got excited and decided move the “mountains” on my prayer list to what I would call “The Mountain List”. First I thought of all those I pray for who are in need of salvation, as I did I remembered how, at times, I find myself doubting that they will ever find the Lord. So much time has passed, do I still believe that relationships can be mended? How about broken marriages? But Lord....they seem so far from one another! Do I have a “mustard seed” of faith to give? Healing? But Lord, they are so sick! Lord, forgive me, I am like the disciples?

As I began to scrawl those “mountain” sized needs on to my new list I found that nearly everything I pray for on a daily basis were too big! Too big for God I asked myself? Did Jesus not say that I could ask a mountain to move from here to there and it would happen if I had just a small amount of faith? Many times I, like the disciples, have not even the faith the size of a mustard seed!

Jesus did not leave the disciples or us without hope. He went on to say that with prayer and fasting we can see our prayers answered. What would happen to our world if only we had faith? Jesus didn't say we need faith as big as a mountain to move a mustard seed but the other way around.

Jesus help my unbelief! Please give me faith to move the “mountains” on my list!