Are you Prickly?

As I sat outside today on that old familiar “Prayer Chair” I tried to take in the scenery that I had missed seeing during winter. Surprisingly, only a few days into the “official” spring there were so many signs of new life. How I had missed these old friends! The breeze and the sun was warm as I prayed and meditated on God’s word. I marveled at how the bright sun and warm breezes made me even more thankful for God’s goodness. After I finished I sat and just breathed in the beauty. I remembered last spring how my granddaughter Riley asked me take her on one of our “tree lesson walks”. That was when I would take her to each kind of tree, show her the leaves, the bark and anything else that would help her remember the tree and it’s name. The older she has gotten the more names she has remembered. I remember a couple of years ago after a visit and a tree lesson, Riley and her Mom stopped at a McDonalds and Riley got up to the drive-up window and shrieked “My Mama and Papa have a Golden Rain tree and you ought to see it”. Needless to say the voice at the other end didn’t know what to think and quickly took their order. One of our favorite trees was the Sweet Gum tree. After looking at all the other trees she would want to see that one. One afternoon she came up to me as I worked in the yard and said “Where is the candy tree”? It took me awhile to know what she was talking about so she tried to clarify it by saying “you know…the gumball tree”! I laughed as I thought about the gumballs that she was talking about. Anyone who has seen a Sweet Gum tree knows that it’s gum balls are prickly little balls that can be quite a problem if you want a nice neat yard or if you step on one with your bare feet. So today as I looked at the “candy tree” I thought of my sweet Riley.

My Sweet Gum tree is a beautiful tree, with shiny green leaves that resemble the unusual shape of a maple tree. The thick, shiny leaves along with the trees overall shape makes a wonderful addition to any lawn except for what hides beneath the beautiful façade. They are what Riley refers to as the “gumballs”! These little things are usually considered a nuisance and some people even cut them down to get rid of the unwanted little balls.

Since this tree is one of the last to get leaves, today my tree is barren, with no signs of beauty only these prickly brown balls. I have met Christian people like my tree, on the outside they are stunning! They teach Sunday School, work in the nursery and even know that “church lingo”! They can praise the Lord with the best of them but when the cold winds blow there is nothing left but prickly balls of hate, unforgiveness, or pride. I don’t have to look to hard to find these prickly ball people, no farther than my mirror! I think all of us are susceptible to the devils tricks. He would like nothing better than for us to harbor bitterness, let pride grow unseen, or anything that would cause us to be separated from God. Anything to hurt our witness to those who watch our lives. The Lord says that the fruits of the spirit should not be prickly but beautiful, like LOVE, JOY, PEACE, LONGSUFFERING, KINDNESS, GOODNESS, FAITHFULNESS, MEEKNESS, SELF-CONTROL!

So when the winter of old age, or the winds of suffering blows away my façade I pray that instead of prickly gum balls, people will see the true fruits of the Spirit in me!

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control; against such there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23

If you squeeze an orange you should get orange juice! When I get in a “squeeze” what comes out of me?

Temple Restoration!

In the book of Haggai it is found that God was unhappy that His Temple was in such disarray! It seems that the Israelites were more interested in other things and so let things go in the Temple. Weeds were growing up around it, shutters were hanging half off and the steps were rickety. The people had a bad habit of procrastinating and said “it is not a good time to rebuild the temple, maybe tomorrow”. God said through Haggai the prophet: “you need to take a good look at your life and your priorities”. He wanted them to take their eyes off of themselves and look at him.

I myself am a procrastinator, especially if the job seems overwhelming. I’m sure, as the days went by and the Temple was more and more in disrepair, it seemed impossible to get done and after all they had more important things to do. Anyway, all that activity kept their mind off of this looming task that need to be done. They found though that none of the things thought to be important, satisfied them, not money, clothes or food and drink! They never felt fulfilled no matter what they bought or ate!

It’s said that our bodies are “the Temple of God”. As far as temples go, mine is in total disarray! I have procrastinated when it comes to exercise or eating right. I have ignored the doctor’s warnings about my ever rising cholesterol level and the wear and tear that the added weight has on my joints. My energy level has hit bottom and I always feel tired. God said, “take a good hard look at yourself and think it over” (Wow that is powerful). I feel like it is time for me to restore this “temple” of mine. I want to be able to do more for God, I want to have lots of time to enjoy my kids and grandkids and I want to be the “temple” God designed me to be.

I love what God says to the people through Haggai the prophet:

Then God said: "Here's what I want you to do: Climb into the hills and cut some timber. Bring it down and rebuild the Temple. Do it just for me. Honor me. Haggai 1:8

I love it when he says, “Do it just for me”! Whether, like me, your body and health needs an overhaul or maybe your priorities could stand to have a clean up, think of it as doing it just for Him.

"LET GO"!

When I was about ten, and about this time of year, late February or early March, my dad took me fishing with him. It was cold, rainy and miserable which to my dad was perfect timing. After we started catching bull heads (catfish) which my dad described as pan sized we soon forgot the uncomfortable conditions. My dad’s bobber was the first to go down and up came the first catch of the day, a beautiful fish with a golden belly and horns that I was told not to touch. Feeling a little envious of his catch I watched my bobber or as my dad called it, my cork even closer. We didn’t sit there too long until dad and I both got a bite and I yanked for all I was worth. As my cane pole bent under the pulling of the whale on my hook, I told my dad who was busy with his own fish, “I think it’s a big one”. I pulled and pulled until my dad said something that astonished me, he said “let go”! With that I planted my little feet in firmly and pulled all the harder! Again he said “let go, you are pulling against me”! What was this? I finally get a bite and he says “let go”. He evidently doesn’t know what I know about the big fish pulling on my line. After much prompting he finally was laughing so hard he could hardly get the words out, “let go” you are pulling against me”. He was pulling one way and I the other! We had both hooked the same fish and we were both trying to pull him in. I heard that story told many times when fish stories were shared ,and it always made my dad laugh. He would always laugh and tell how I was determined that I was not going to let go and he couldn‘t convince me that in order to catch the little yellow bull head I needed to let go and let him take over! I don’t remember if he pulled it in or not, I only remember thinking that I knew best, and wondering why my Dad didn’t realize that.

Many times I hang on to things and situations while all the time my heavenly Father is saying “let go and let me take over”. And just as many times I dig my feet in and say no way this is all mine, I know best. When I have a problem I pull for all I am worth, God says give it to me “I‘ll take your burden” but I give it another yank until I am worn out from the struggle. “I’ve got this one God”, I say with my actions “thanks anyway”! Somehow I think if I worry, fret and use my own strength, I can pull it off, but finally I have to say “okay, God I give it to you. I am not accomplishing a thing with my worry, nor is my puny efforts getting me anywhere”. I will let go so you can accomplish what I cannot. Take over, Lord!

Do you have a burden so big that you are bent from the weight of it? Are you reluctant to let go for fear that God can’t really see how important it is or maybe wouldn‘t handle it the way you planned? I have been there and God still tells me LET GO, let me take over. Just as that little girl of many years ago, I some times dig my feet in and say “I want it my way and if I give it to you it might not turn out like I want”! I hear God say “it will turn out better, my child”!

May the Lord be praised! Day after day He bears our burdens; God is our salvation. Selah

Psalm 68:19

Calm Down

It was a beautiful day here in our neck-of-the-woods so I grabbed my bible, my study books, my coffee and a few of my critters to go out to my “prayer chair”. The sun was beautiful and a Cardinal cheerfully sang “birdie, birdie, birdie”. Ahh it was so good to be out to my prayer chair! I had been out there even in the bad weather and had even kneeled in the snow to pray a few times but to actually be able to sit comfortably was wonderful. I put my things down, moved the cat that wanted to be on my lap and opened my bible. The only problem was, the thin pages of my bible did not want to stay put because of the breeze that was blowing. I didn’t really have the nerve to ask God outright to stop the wind since it was such a small thing, but I just hinted at it. “Lord, it would sure be nice if that wind stopped for a little while so I could enjoy my time with you” hint, hint! The wind seemed to whistle even harder across the pages of the bible and I was cold! I pulled the collar of my thin coat up around my ears and neck to keep them warm. “Sure is uncomfortable here, Lord” I wish the wind would die down a bit”! I may have to cut this short, I am just not comfortable even with the beautiful sun shining on me, I complained. At that moment, it was as if the Lord said to me…. Just go get your heavy coat and maybe a hat! Duh, I thought. He would not stop the wind but he was telling me to go get the things that he had provided to shelter me from the wind. Sometimes He doesn’t stop the wind but instead gives us what we need to withstand the cold blast of life. He gives us his word to encourage us, he gives us brothers and sisters to come along side us and he gives us his presence as he hides us there. But rest assured even when we don’t feel Him, when we only feel the cold winds of life, he is there! You probably have heard the saying “sometimes he doesn’t calm the storm, he calms his child”, I love that. Many times I pray for the storms of life to pass me by but the Lord seems to say “my grace is sufficient for you even in the midst of the storm”. Calm down my child, I’ll hold your hand as you go get a coat! Praise God!

WHEN!

In my devotions today the question was asked “Do you feel inferior”. I had to think about that for awhile because there was a time in my youth that I can say, I felt inferior as most teenagers do at times. But as for now, I didn't think so but it didn't seem that I could get that out of my head.

Later as I read the parable of the ten virgins, I saw myself in a different light. If you remember, five virgins were wise and brought enough oil for the lamps so that it would be shining when the bridegroom came. The other five were foolish and had to go to Wal-Mart to buy more and while they were gone the bridegroom came and they were left in the dark. Guess who I identified with? You’re right if you said the five dumbbells. I started to reflect back on other things and what side I came down on. When Jesus took the disciples with him to pray, and when he returned they were sleeping, guess who was wiping the sleep from her eyes. Hey, I even understand the poor guy that was given just one talent, he, after all, was doing what he thought was best. Then I thought of poor Peter. He was quite the guy. When the soldiers came to get Jesus to crucify him, he cut the ear off of one of the soldiers, but later when people pointed to him and said “Isn’t he one of Jesus followers?” Peter denied Him three times just as the Lord had predicted. Hmmm, would that be something I would do? Like Peter, I would stand and say “Not me” but would I? Have I ever failed miserably after feeling so proud of myself? I certainly have. But what I like about Peter’s story is what I read in Luke 22:31-32. This is what Jesus told Peter at the Last Supper of our Lord.

Jesus said:

Simon, Simon Satan has asked to sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And WHEN you have turned back, strengthen your brothers. Luke 22:31-32

Hey, there is hope for me because every time WHEN I came back, my heart was softened toward my brothers and sisters. Then I could tell them, “I know what you mean” I forgotten to get oil for my lamp, I have been asleep as Satan sneaked up on me and I closed my eyes to the power of God. To be on the safe side, I have hidden my talent for fear of being rejected. It seemed right at the time! Dear Sisters and Brothers I have failed my Lord more times than I can count but he tells me that WHEN I turn back he has a job for me to do. May the Lord help us to strengthen our Brothers!

Mirror...Mirror...

I just have to share with you a traumatic occurrence in my life! I had put off confronting it for many months but last week I finally had to do it. I went shopping for clothes. The sales were great so I picked out a few things that I liked from the sales rack. The pleasant lady in the store took my selection and asked if she could "start a room" for me. I handed the clothes over to her and after a few more picks I went into the dressing room that she had “started”. First off I noticed that my hair was a mess and why did I wear those shoes and black socks of all things? I began to undress so I could try on the new duds and that is when I noticed that the store had replaced ordinary mirrors with distorted ones, you know, the kind that makes you laugh at the county fair. I appeared much shorter and much wider, my legs “appeared” to have a bad case of cellulite and I was sure I saw the map of Illinois on one of my thighs. I contributed it all to really, really bad lighting and went ahead to try on my first item. The slacks that hung so beautifully on the “dummy” would only go to my knees, I quickly checked the size. After seeing it was indeed my size, I was sure that someone had put the wrong size or perhaps it was just the cut of the trousers. Okay next item! Ohhhhh, I didn’t know I had age spots on my back that would dwarf a good size saucer or maybe that too was the lighting! I dressed in the next outfit and decided that I should try another mirror so I went out to the three-way mirror outside the dressing rooms, I was sure the lighting was better out there! To my horror, both mirrors were really bad I thought. “Can I help you find another size, the now “so getting on my nerves” pleasant lady asked. As she was standing beside me in the distorted mirror, amazingly looking normal, I had to come to grips with the truth. I had gained weight in all the wrong places! Almost in tears, I carried my larger clothing to the check out, pledging to lose weight. I reasoned it would be a healthy thing for the new year and would probably help my cholesterol numbers, which seemed to be higher on every trip to the doctor. I even took a run through the exercise clothes section but decided that my ego could not stand trying on the spandex outfits.

After paying for my items, I found my husband who I am sure wondered about my quietness on the way home. In an effort to cheer me up, he announced that what we needed was an ice cream from the DQ and at that I forgot about the awful images that I had just witnessed in the distorted store mirrors. He was right, I cheered up and ordered myself a hot fudge sundae, if I could have super sized it I would have. As the creamy delight slid down my throat, the images quickly faded from my memory.

I find myself doing this same thing when I read the word of God sometimes. I see truth that makes me uncomfortable or seems too hard to apply to my life and I want to turn away and forget what I saw. It seems too hard because I forget who the image in the mirror is to God and how he will help me do anything he asks me to do. That’s when I need to reread James and what he says about not merely listening to the word of God but doing it.

James 1:22-25

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it---he will be blessed in what he does.

Memories of that awful event are fading and are nothing that DQ can’t fix but I never want to read His word and turn away. I want to devour his words and do what they say. I want to remember that the mirrors at the clothing store can give me a wake up call but I also want to remember that the person in the mirror is a Child of the King and loved so much that he died for my sins and I can do all things through Him who gave himself for me. Hallelujah!

Take A Number

Have you ever apologized to God for bringing your “small” requests? I know I have! When you hear of such suffering how can you ask God to take away your headache? How can I ask for trivial things when the people of Haiti are dealing with starvation and plagues? There is always someone who needs the Lord’s attention more than I do so I am glad that I am not put on a waiting list. I don’t hear Him say, “Go ahead take a number and I will get to you after I take care of the really big stuff”. Where would, even my most desperate, prayers place in importance in light of the worlds problems? Can you imagine if he said “take a number” and it read “123,536,785,3098”? Wow, I can get shook up if I have ten ahead of me at the driving license facility.


As I read my bible, there are all kinds of requests for help and healing by Jesus. I see the woman who could only touch the edge of his robe for healing because there were so many people ahead of her but that was all it took. She was healed! I see Jairus plead for the life of his twelve year old daughter only to get news that she had died. At this announcement Jesus told this grieving father, “don’t be afraid, just believe and she will be healed”. She was healed! We read of the blind that had their sight restored, lepers who were cleansed and the demon possessed who were rescued from their tormentors. All healed! How can some of my requests even compare to problems of this magnitude? Don’t get me wrong, I have some “Jairus” sized requests and long for answers but I also have those “not so big” requests as well! Fortunately I have a God that cares about them all. There are no lines when we try to get to the Lord, we don’t have to take a number and wait for Him to listen, we don’t have to apologize for talking to our Father about anything, even small things.


As a mother, I am blessed to have my children come to me, even as adults, asking me to pray for their needs. Sometimes their problems are small and some times they are huge. Sometimes they are in need of healing and covet my prayers but sometimes encouragement is all they need. I want them to see that my arms are always opened as well as my heart because I am their Mom and there is no higher privilege. Our heavenly Father also waits with open arms and a loving heart. He hears His children and is anxious to talk with us. He longs to put us first on the list with no waiting!


Luke 11:9
So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will