I've Got God's Approval...I Don't Need Yours!

Oftentimes we seek out and do whatever we think we need to do in order to meet the approval of others.  We worry about what they think, about how we look in their eyes.  We aim to make them happy, and we will do whatever we think it takes to make them happy, and to make them accept us.  We long for positive reinforcement from others...sometimes even at the expense of sacrificing our own true selves in order to obtain it.  When in reality, the only approval and acceptance we truly need to be seeking is God's. 

When we have a personal relationship with God, we have an identity in Him.  We come to know who we are in Christ.  We don't need others' acceptance or approval in order to be happy.  We shouldn't rely on others' happiness to make us happy.  We don't need any of that.  We only need to know that we are accepted and approved by God.  And if we have a personal relationship with Him that brings us to Him on a daily basis in order to maintain and strengthen that relationship, and we are living a life according to His will, we've already got His approval...we don't need it from anyone else.

That's right....not anyone.  Not our spouses or our friends or our family members.  Not our co-workers or our fellow church members or even our pastor.  Not our neighbors or our children or our parents.  There is no way we can ever make everyone happy anyway.  Someone is always going to disagree with us, judge us, disapprove of us, talk about us, reject us, criticize us, and not be willing to accept us, no matter what we do.  And you know what?  That's okay!  That's their problem, not ours!  As long as God accepts us, that's all we need.  And we'll find that when He does...when we receive God's approval...we'll begin to care less and less about what others think.  And soon all of those whose approval we sought for so long won't even matter anymore. 

"...for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." ~ I Samuel 16:7

"Obviously, I’m not trying to win the approval of people, but of God.  If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ’s servant."  ~ Galations 1:10  (New Living Translation)

Right On Time!

Ever have a day when you're running late?  Your alarm doesn't go off?  You oversleep?  You're late for work or school or an appointment?  And once you start the day late, doesn't it seem like everything else that can go wrong that day does?  Its like our bad timing messes up everything!  Our schedules may run amuck at times, but God's never does.  He is always on time...never late...His timing is perfect! 

Sure, it may not always seem like it.  We may be waiting on something from God and it seems like He's taking forever.  Or He's running late.  Sometimes it may seem like He's not showing up at all.  But we have to remember that just because we think we know what the timing of a particular situation should be, we do not always know what God's timing might look like.  And I don't know about you, but I'd much rather be on His schedule than to try to run everything according to my own timeline!

Of course there are times when we may become panicked and think that if something doesn't happen by a certain date or time that the world is just going to come to an end.  Don't we all have those moments?  But then we only have to stop and remember that while we may not know all the reasons behind His timing and His plan, we can rest assured that it is much better than anything that we could ever conceive. 

The timing of our situation may not seem to be what we think is best at the time, but that's what faith is all about.  While things may not look like what we think they should look like...when things aren't happening when we think they should happen, or the way in which we think they should happen...faith is not only believing, but KNOWING that God is in control and that His schedule and His timing and His plans are far greater and much better for us than ours could ever be. 


"Wait on the LORD; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the LORD!"  ~  Psalm 27:14

"Our soul waits for the LORD; He is our help and our shield." 
~  Psalm 33:20

 "I waited patiently for the LORD; and He turned to me and heard my cry."  ~  Psalm 40:1

"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint."  ~  Isaiah 40:31

You Only Need To Be Willing

Have you ever wanted to do something but didn't know how?  Perhaps you wanted to learn to water ski.  Or to knit.  Or to play the piano.  You didn't just sit down at the piano the first day and start playing.  And you surely didn't knit a sweater the first time you picked up the needles.  And what about water skiing?  Chances are you didn't get up on your first try, drop one ski along the way and start doing flips.  So how do you learn to do these things?  How do you learn to do anything?  Simple.  You first find someone that already knows how to do it, you let them teach you what they know, and you start trying.  Over and over and over you try.  You practice.  You won't get it just right the first time...or the third...or maybe even the fifteenth time.  But you don't quit...you keep at it...keep trying...and eventually you learn.  But you'll never learn if you never start.

The same is true with developing a prayer life and quiet time with God.  You may think, "I don't know how to start"  or "I don't know how to pray," or "I don't understand the Bible."  But just as we would seek out an instructor for piano lessons, God gives us an instructor for developing a personal relationship with Him.  Romans 8:26 tells us, "In the same way, the Holy Spirit helps us where we are weak. We do not know how to pray or what we should pray for, but the Holy Spirit prays to God for us..."

In other words, the Holy Spirit is our Helper.  Our Instructor. Our Guide.  When we don't know how to pray or how to spend one on one time with God, if we just show up...if we are just willing to try...the Holy Spirit will take over and guide us along the way, just as a piano teacher or a skiing instructor.  

I read a devotional recently that dealt with the topic of the Holy Spirit being our Helper.  It used the illustration of the little boy that disappeared from his parents at the concert of the world renowned pianist.  You've probably seen the commercial that has been made out of this story.  The little boy reappears on stage, sitting at the piano, playing chopsticks.  Just when he realizes he has made a mistake and probably isn't doing something right, the pianist comes alongside him, encourages him to keep going, and joins in playing with him.  In the same way, the Holy Spirit will come alongside us and encourage us and help us...as long as we're willing to try. 

There is no right or wrong way to spend time with God.  Yes, he is Holy and should be approached with respect, but that doesn't mean our words have to be flowery and ornate.  And we should never be like the hypocritical, arrogant Pharisee in Luke chapter 18.  Jesus says unless we come to Him as a little child, we will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven.  And only when we are humbled will we be exalted. 

And when we are willing to try...to humble ourselves and make time with God...the Holy Spirit will come alongside us and assist us.  Sometimes you may not need words at all.  Sometimes just quietness will suffice.  Or a simple "Please," or "Help," or "Thank You," is all that is necessary.  God knows our heart and He knows our motives.  A one-word prayer from a humble, spirit-seeking heart is far greater than a lengthy drawn-out prayer from an arrogant, self-serving one. 

So if you don't have an established prayer life...if you don't find one on one time to spend with God daily...what are you waiting for?  You'll never have one if you never get started.  The Holy Spirit will guide you, will teach you, will intercede for you...but you've got to be willing to try.

"And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you."  ~ John 14:16-17

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you."  ~ John 14:26

Do I Know You?

Who do you know?  Really know?  Your spouse/significant other.  Your friends.  Your family members.  Your co-workers.  Think about it...how many people do you truly know?  And how did you get to know them? 

If you're married or in a relationship, you got to know your significant other by spending time with them.  You talked, you courted, you dated.  You spent time together.  The same is true with your friends and family.  You've spent time together.  You make plans to do things and go places together.  You make time for each other.  And if you're blessed to be friends with your co-workers, its likely because you spend so much time with them every day.  The only way to really get to know someone is to spend time with them.  Talk to them.  Listen to them.  Share yourself with them.  Celebrate with them.  Cry with them.  Mourn with them.  Tell them your burdens and help them to carry theirs.  Regularly.  Consistently.  Unwavering.  Unconditionally. 

That's the only way to get to know God, too.  It has to be a consistent, unwavering effort on our part to carve out one-on-one time to spend with Him every day.  Not just when we're in crisis and need something.  How would your friends feel if they only heard from you when you wanted something?  How would your relationship with your spouse/significant other be affected if you woke up in the morning and decided you just didn't have time for them that day...and you told them you'd get to them later when it was more convenient?  Chances are you wouldn't have those friends or that spouse for very long. 

Relationships take work.  They require communication.  They require sacrifices.  They require one-on-one time and unwavering, unconditional dedication.  And just like this is true of our earthly relationships, its also true if we're ever going to have a real relationship with, and truly come to know God.  Day after day after day we must not only make time for Him, but we must make making time with Him a top priority.  By putting our personal, one-on-one time with God above all else, all of our other relationships will flourish and be blessed as well. 

And the great thing about spending time with God is that we don't have to get our calendars out and plan and schedule time together like we have to do with our family and friends.  We don't have to plan a date night like we may have to do with our spouse....or a vacation with our family...or a cookout with our friends.  We don't have to check our calendars and arrange our schedules so that they agree.  We just have to decide to show up....He is always there. 

So ask yourself who you know.  Then ask yourself how you got to know them, and what are you willing to do to keep knowing them.  Then ask yourself if you know God...and what you're willing to do to obtain or to keep a relationship with Him. 

"So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God."  ~  Romans 5:11  (New Living Translation)

“Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.”  ~  Luke 12:21  (New Living Translation)

Come On, Get Happy!

"The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."  ~  John 10:10

Notice the last word in this verse:  abundantly.  Dictionary.com offers the following synonyms for "abundantly":  affluently, amply, fulsomely, generously, handsomely, inexhaustibly, lavishly, luxuriantly, profusely, richly, satisfactorily, sufficiently

Other Bible translations provide these interpretations of this verse.  Again, pay attention to the last part of the verse. 

"The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life."  (New Living Translation)

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."   (New International Version)

"The robber comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy. I came so they might have life, a great full life."   (New Life Version)

An abundant life, a satisfying life, a life to the full, a great full life...however you choose to say it...whichever interpretation you like the best...the point is the same.  Jesus came so that we can have a wonderful, abundant, joy-filled life. 

But He didn't just come... He came and He suffered and He died.  So often we neglect to see the full impact of this statement.  Think about it with me for just a minute.

First of all, God had to send His son for Jesus to come.  Now I don't know about you, and I've never been to Heaven, but there is no way I would ever want to leave there to come to this earth...and I sure wouldn't want to make my children do it.  But Jesus did.  God sent Him and He came.  He left the splendor, the glory, the perfection of Heaven to come to this ugly, dark, sinful, mean world...knowing what would happen to Him.  And did it ever happen.  He was persecuted and teased and harassed and mocked and eventually killed in a very cruel and inhumane way...all so that we could have life. 

Think about that.  All of that was done for us.  For me.  For you.  So why in the world would we ever go through our lives grumbling and complaining and moaning and groaning?  Yet we do.  We let this ugly, dark, mean world steal our joy and rob us of the very reason Jesus came and died....so that we can have an abundant joyful life. 

You may say, "But I've got problems," or "You don't know my circumstances.  I've got a lot to complain about."  That may be true.  But there's not a person on this earth that doesn't have problems.  You may have a lot to complain about, but you've got a lot to rejoice about, too.  You just have to make up your mind to focus on one instead of the other.  It's all a mindset.

So what are you waiting for?  Make up your mind that no matter what your circumstance, no matter how deep the valley you may be in, no matter what happens in your life today...make up your mind that you're going to find some joy in every situation and start living that abundant, satisfying, great full life that Jesus died for you to live!  Come on, get happy!!

Not Guilty...Forgiven!

Do you carry a load of guilt around with you?  Are you so burdened by something you've done that it weighs you down more and more day after day?  Guilt is a feeling, not a life sentence.  We're not destined to a life of guilt, even if the things we've done, and the world around us, would seem to suggest so.

The Bible tells us that if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us of our sins.  Done. Over. Forgiven.  So if we've asked for forgiveness, and we've been granted that forgiveness, then why do we still carry the burden of that trespass with us?  The answer is simple.  Satan uses our feelings to try to control us.  He will use anything and everything he can to rob us of living a joy-filled life, and to make us doubt our forgiveness and our salvation.  And attacking our feelings is one way that he does this.

Just because we feel guilty, doesn't mean we are guilty.  Remember, if you've confessed your sins, God has forgiven you and the slate is wiped clean.  As far as the East is from the West...those sins have been removed from our lives.  But satan is such a master manipulator that he sneaks into our minds and reminds us of all the bad things we've done over and over and over again and we end up carrying a load of guilt that's too much for anyone to bear. 

But we don't have to.  We need only to reclaim the victory of our forgiveness.  Weekly. Daily. Hourly.  How ever often it takes for us to become assured...truly assured...that we have been forgiven and our feelings of guilt and shame do not have to control us anymore.  "Well surely there's something I have to do to make up for all the bad I've done," we may think.  NOPE.  Jesus did it all at the cross.  Your forgiveness and salvation do not come through works.  There's no amount of work you can do to earn your forgiveness.  Sure, you may feel better about yourself if you assign yourself some outrageous workload...but you won't be any more forgiven.  Letting our feelings and our thoughts run our lives and clog our minds is a surefire way satan uses to steal our joy.  And it works every time if we let it.
 
But Jesus died so that we can have an abundant, joyful life....not one filled with guilt and shame.  So what are you waiting for?  Whatever it is you're feeling guilty about today, if you haven't already asked for forgiveness then do so.  And if you have, let it go.  Cling to the promise that once God has forgiven you, you're forgiven forever.  Claim the blessed assurance that His forgiveness provides and remember that when that feeling of guilt sneaks up on you again...it's only a feeling.  The sin is gone.  You've been forgiven. 

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  ~ 1 John 1:9

 "As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."  ~ Psalm 103:12

The Power of Friendship

I seem to write a lot about friends.  Having friends.  Being a friend.  Important friendships.  It never ceases to amaze me the difference a friend can make in one's life.  And it seems they tend to show up just when we need them most, even though they may never realize it. 

I've been reminded lately that friendships are so vital to our lives.  I saw someone on Facebook recently post a quote that read, "I asked God to protect me from my enemies and I started losing friends."  How sad, but how true, that statement is.  And just yesterday I heard Joyce Meyer say that she started losing friends when she decided to enter the ministry.  Time and time again she found herself crying out to God, but as she went along and as her ministry grew she realized that having God and being in His will was better than having 1,000 mean-spirited, hypocritical people in her life that called themselves "friend." 

So when you have friends in your life - true genuine friends - treasure them.  Cherish them.  Thank God for them.  And do whatever it takes to maintain and nurture those friendships.  They are vital to our existence. 

This is what I've discovered the past few days about friendships:

A true friend is a forever friend.  I had the opportunity to spend Sunday with two friends that I made when I was 6 years old and they moved in next door to us.  And just like with my closest friends from high school, we instantly picked up right where we left off the last time we were together...even though it is sometimes months, or even years, between visits.  Never discount old friends...especially childhood friends.  They know where you've come from because they've come from the same place, and they can often relate to you much better than friends made later in life.  Those that have loved you the longest often love you the most.   

It's important to share yourself.  You may be going through something in your life and have no idea that your situation can impact someone else.  Just the willingness to share yourself, your thoughts, your ideas, can mean the world to a friend.  So be willing to open up a bit.  You never know who might need to hear what you have to say.  And if you read or hear something and you think, "Peggy might like to hear this," share it with Peggy.  Because if you're a Christian, that's most likely the Holy Spirit giving you that idea...and it's exactly what Peggy needs to hear.

Ask for help.  If you're dealing with a difficult situation in your life, tell a friend.  Get things off of your chest.  Maybe even get some feedback.  But most importantly, ask your friend to pray for you.  The power of prayer is life changing.  And while you may not want your situation shared with everyone, you should always have at least one or two close friends with whom you can share your struggles, ask for their help, and trust them to pray you through it.

Make time for others.  You have no idea how much a simple quick, unexpected visit in the middle of the afternoon can affect someone's day.  Just stopping in to tell someone you love them and you're thinking of them and praying for them can make all the difference in the world for that person.  It did for me just yesterday. 

Share what you have.  No matter what it is, there's someone that you know that would appreciate your sharing what you have with them.  Whether your chicken is laying more eggs than you can eat or you've cooked too much food and have lots of leftovers....Share what you have.  Both you and the recipient will be blessed. 

Pay it forward.  Whenever you find yourself the recipient of a blessing, make a decision to be a blessing to someone else.  In whatever way...small or large...find a way to pay it forward.

A simple text message, email or FB post can go a long way.  Just taking time to quickly say, "I'm thinking of you."  or "I miss you." or "I love you."  can make a huge difference in someone's life.  And with the modern technologies of today, it takes almost no time to do.  You never know how lonely a person may be feeling and just a quick, simple message can make a world of difference.

Make plans.   It's so important to nurture our friendships, and one of the best ways to do this is to spend time together.  So make plans.  If a friend is a few hours away, meet half way one day.  Make reservations and meet up with friends for a mini vacation.  Take off to a land far far away.  Meet a friend for lunch.  Go shopping.  Go golfing.  Go walking.  Just GO!

Be grateful.  If you have true friends in your life, be grateful.  Appreciate them and tell them so.  Thank God for them.  Don't ever underestimate them or take them for granted.  Cherish them.  Treasure them.  Love them. 


"A man who has friends must himself be friendly, But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother."  ~ Proverbs 18:24
  

Just Keep Swimming...

Our church celebrated it's 100th Anniversary at our Homecoming Sunday yesterday.  What a glorious day it was remembering the past and looking to the future.  It was made evident through historical accounts that we have come a long way in 100 years.  Our church has been blessed over the years because of the dedication of our founders and because of the faithfulness of so many through the years. 

In order to continue to grow and prosper, it was pointed out that we need only to keep doing what we've been doing all those years.  To continue to reach others for Christ and to reach another milestone, we must keep following in the footsteps and traditions of those before us.  In the words of Dory the fish from the movie Finding Nemo, we must "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming..."

That advice rings true for many aspects of our lives.  When we know that we know that we know that we are doing what God has told us to do, we mustn't quit - not matter how bleak the horizon may seem to us.  We may not even know why we are doing what we're doing...but if God has told us to do it, that's all we need to know.

I'm sure there were several times over those 100 years that our forefathers sometimes became discouraged and wondered if they should even continue.  Especially in the early days when there were only a handful of people meeting together, when the pastor was paid with a hog, and the church members were asked to donate an acre's harvest as offering.  Chances are that someone somewhere down the line thought about giving up...throwing in the towel...calling it quits.  Well, I'm certainly glad they didn't quit; and I'm sure there are hundreds of others who have been touched by our church over the years who are also grateful that they never gave up.  Because of the dedication of others all those years ago, many have been blessed through the years.  Because they "just kept swimming," a wonderful heritage was formed and countless lives have been touched.  There is no way they could have known all those years ago what a lasting legacy they were creating...they were just doing what God had told them to do.

The same is true for us today.  We may not have any idea who we are affecting, who may be influenced in the future, or what the outcome of our actions may be.  Our present may even seem very dark, and we may be unable to find any clarity about our current situation.  But if we are walking on the path where God has placed us...and if we continue in that path, even though we may not can see more than a couple of steps ahead of us...the results can be phenomenal; even everlasting. 


"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. ¹³ Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴ I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. "  ~ Philippians 3: 12-14

Are You A Lily?

I recently discovered and watched for the first time an old Jimmy Stewart movie, "You Can't Take It With You."  Filmed in 1938 and filled with symbolism, the movie focuses on a family who has found ways to live life doing what they love.  Each has given up their individual rat races in society and instead chosen to use the talents with which God has blessed them to create a happier, more meaningful life for themselves.  They are each learning to live life in their sweet spot.  And while the "Home Sweet Home" sign falls off the wall each time someone passes or a door is slammed, it becomes obvious early in the film that this home is indeed a sweet, albeit somewhat unusual, place to live.

When invited to join them in their eccentric lifestyle, Mr. Poppins, an accountant by day/talented inventor by night, (and no relation to Mary) thinks as most of us would think.  He asks the question, "But how would I live?  Who takes care of you?"  To which Grandpa, the patriarch of the Vanderhoff family, responds in faith, "The same One that takes care of the lilies of the field."   Mr.Poppins soon decides that he will join them so that he can pursue life as a full-time inventor, and he declares as he leaves his accounting job, "The die is cast.  I'm a lily."  

While there is not an overwhelming presence of dialogue in the film concerning their faith, it's clear in the prayers Grandpa Vanderhoff offers at mealtime that he has a personal relationship with God.  And it's obviously this faith and trust in God from which he draws the strength and determination to live the life he feels God has called him to live. 

We could learn alot from Grandpa Vanderhoff and Mr. Poppins.  The faith that they demonstrate in their lives is remarkable.  Their belief that God will provide for their needs is unwavering.  And their literal translation of the scripture should be an example for all of us.  Jesus promised to take care of the needs of the crowd as He preached the sermon on the mount.  "Consider the lilies of the field and how they grow. They toil not; neither do they spin... and if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, He will certainly care for you."  

 Make no mistake, scripture is the same yesterday, today, and forever.   Just as His promise was true at the Sermon on the Mount, it was still true for Grandpa Vanderhoff and Mr. Poppins in 1938, and it still stands true for us today.  All we have to do is believe it as they did.  We need only to become a lily.


“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶ Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? ²⁷ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?
 ²⁸ “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, ²⁹ yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ³⁰ And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?
 ³¹ “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³² These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
 ³⁴ “So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today."  ~ Matthew 6:25-34

Just Wait Until Morning!

You know the old saying, "It's always darkest before the dawn."  And you know its true.  The darkest time of night is just before sunrise.  It's also the coldest time of night.  The meteorologists' low temperatures for the day most often occur just before sunrise.  I don't know about you, but I don't like the dark.  The only thing the dark is good for is sleeping.  And I most certainly don't like the cold.  Cool I can take.  Cold, no thank you.

So I'm extremely grateful that although it can get very dark and very cold some mornings, we have the promise that the sun is coming up, the air will become warmer, and a new day will be upon us.  The morning glow of the sun will start to beam down and it's radiant heat will cause the temperature to rise. 

Just as our every day begins this way, our lives can have this renewed beginning as well.  We often travel through dark and cold times in our lives.  And often just when we think they can't be any darker or any colder, our world seems to become totally pitch black and ice cold.  Unlike the nighttime, we often don't know how we got to these dark places in our lives.  We don't understand why we're in the midst of them.  But just like the nighttime, we have the same promise....morning is coming. 

If our faith is in Christ...if it is TRULY in Him...and we trust in Him, listen to Him, obey Him, and wait on Him...our morning will come.  It's not always an easy process.  Some nighttimes are much longer and much colder than others.  But if our focus remains on God's love for us and His unwavering promise to never leave us nor forsake us, we can rest assured that our morning will come.  And the light and the warmth that accompany it will be unlike any other. 


"For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning."  ~ Psalm 30:5

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  ~ James 1:2-4
  

What's On Your Agenda?

"In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  ~ Proverbs 3:6 (NKJV)

"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails."  ~ Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

"'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)

Do you have an agenda?  A "to do" list?  Perhaps you have a set of goals.  Some may be short-term. Others long term.  If you own or run a business, chances are you have a set business plan with a future outlook.  Where you want to be in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years. You may even have the same type of plan for your personal life. 

Whether your agenda is a long term one or just a list of things you need to get done today, ask yourself this:  "How did I go about making this list?"  Did you spend time in prayer before mapping it out?  Did you search God's Word for instruction and wisdom?  Perhaps not if your list seems trivial like getting a gallon of milk and dropping off the dry cleaning.  But did it ever occur to you to ask God's guidance for even the smallest of agendas?  Sure you might spend time in prayer before mapping out a 10-year plan, but do you think of talking to Him about your everyday errands? 

Think He doesn't care about your everyday, menial tasks?  Nothing could be further from the truth.  Go back to the top and look at the first scripture.  It says we are to acknowledge God in everything.  The Bible tells us that God cares about every minute of our every day, not just the major events in our lives.   He wants to be a part of our everyday lives, not just involved in the "important" stuff.  To Him, every day is important.

So the next time you make out a shopping list or write down a "to do" list or map out a long-term financial plan, invite God to be a part of the process.  Ask Him to show you what you need.  Ask Him what He would have you to do.  Ask Him to guide you and protect you along the way.  It's the only way to assure your agenda is in sync with His.

You Are What You...Hear??

We all know the saying, "You are what you eat."  In a lot of ways I guess it's true.  If you eat big, you will eventually be big.  And if you eat little, you'll become little.  If you eat healthy, you'll stay healthy.  But if your meals are filled with foods that are bad for you...not so much.  And what if the meaning was literal?  I'd be clucking around and scratching at the ground, because chicken is what I eat more than anything.  And at least one of my limbs would be pasta.  My kids would be chickens, too - but they'd be Chick-fil-A chickens...with waffle fries for feet. 

But what if we changed the last word of that phrase from 'eat' to 'hear.'  "You are what you hear."  Think about it.  What do you listen to?  Your kids screaming, "Mommy, Mommy!"  Your husband or significant other calling you, "Sweetie," or "Darling."  Both of these can be considered terms of endearment and can leave us feeling endeared and loved.  But what if you have to listen to your boss all day long in your ear telling you what to do, how to do it, and that that you're doing it all wrong.  Does that make you feel appreciated and respected?  Not so much.  Probably makes you feel more like a slave and leaves you wondering if you're good enough to do the job.  It's very interesting how the things we hear can affect us in such monumental ways.

No, you can't always choose what you hear.  You can't tell your boss to shutup, you don't want to listen to him anymore.  And you can't tell your husband and kids to only speak when they are going to use those endearing terms.  You can't control what others say or how they say it.  But there are alot of times when you can control what you hear.

The Bible reminds us over and over to listen to the truth, and follow it.  Seek out sound advice and obey it.  Listen to wisdom and gain understanding.  My last post was entitled, "Shut Up And Listen."  The only thing is, we have to be mindful of what it is we're listening to.  Just like with what we eat, if we're listening to junk, we're going to turn into junk.  If we're listening to bad advice, we're going to get into trouble.  But if we listen to wisdom, listen to the Truth, and listen to the very voice of God, we can never go wrong.

"Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise."  ~ Proverbs 19:20

"...Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." 
~  Psalm 95:7,8

"My dear brothers, take note of this:  Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.  Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.  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."  ~  James 1:19-25

Shut Up And Listen!

That's it for today - the title says it all.  I tried to write this morning.  I chose from one of several topics and ideas I have jotted down and gave it my best shot.  But it didn't happen.  It became very obvious very quickly that it wasn't meant to be.  It wasn't what God wanted me doing today. 

How do I know?  Because when I'm writing when and what He wants me to write, the words just flow.  I'm amazed every morning at how easily the words come and how quickly my thoughts are completed and laid out there on the page.  My fingers hit the keyboard and take off.  I'm not in control.  Literally.  It's Him doing the talking and the writing, He's just using my fingers to get the words across.

But this morning was different.  The words didn't come.  The paragraphs didn't flow.  I was laboring over what to say, how to say it and how I was going to make the connection between my earthly example and God's Heavenly meaning.  It became very obvious very quickly that today God was saying, "Just shut up and listen!"  So that's what I'm doing.  I'm listening and not writing.  My goal for today is to be still and be quiet and just listen.  Maybe it should be yours, too.


"Be still, and know that I am God..."  ~ Psalm 46:10

"... in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength..."  ~ Isaiah 30:15

On The Outside Looking In

Our dog and cat both like to sit outside on our back porch and look in through the french doors.  When they're both outside together, they are fine.  But when the cat is in but the dog is out, the dog gets a look on her face of jealousy and hurt.  Like she's saying, "Why does he get accepted in when I have to stay out?"  She will sit at the door and stare in and watch every move the cat makes.  She hates being all alone on the outside looking in. 

Don't we hate being left out, too?  Do you remember the days in elementary school when the team captains had to choose teams in P.E.?  Do you remember fearing that you wouldn't get chosen?  Or how about when a classmate was throwing a party, and it seemed like you were the last one to get an invitation.  It would stink to show up at school on Monday to hear all of your friends talking about what a great time they'd had together over the weekend, but you hadn't been invited to join in the fun.

As adults are we any better about ostracizing those around us?  Maybe we don't do it intentionally but aren't we prone to stay within our little groups?  Within our comfort zones?  Perhaps we're reluctant to reach out and include others we wouldn't normally include because we're afraid they'll reject us.  Or perhaps we just don't want to cause waves - its just easier to stick with those that we're comfortable with.  Or we tell ourselves we just don't have the time for one more friend.

But what if that one person you're not including, not inviting, not recognizing, is the one person that needs you the most?  What if they're the one that never got picked in P.E. or never got invited to the party that all of their classmates were attending?  As Christians we have to remember that we are the only Jesus that some people will ever see.  So ask yourself the popular question - What would Jesus do?  You know what He would do.  He'd reach out to them.  He'd invite them.  He'd include them.  He'd wrap His loving arms around them and leave them with no doubt that they'd never be left out again.

Is there someone you've been avoiding approaching?  Perhaps there is someone God has laid on your heart for you to reach out to and you've been putting it off?  If not, ask Him to show you someone.  Chances are there's someone closer than you think.  And you can be the difference they so desperately need.  You can be the one that puts an end to their being on the outside looking in.

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother."  ~ Proverbs 18:24

Do You Remember?

Coming off of a weekend full of memorial tributes to 9/11 got me to thinking about our memory and the things we remember.  It struck me Sunday morning as the new 9/11 Memorial was being dedicated and the Memorial Service was being held that September 11 will always be a day of remembrance.  And it should be.  But something else that struck me was when President Obama was reading from Psalm 46.  I was glad he was reading it, but I couldn't help but wonder how many other days a year he reads from the Bible.  While that particular scripture was very fitting and very appropriate for the activities of the day on Sunday, aren't other scriptures just as appropriate and applicable the other 364 days of the year? 

It's easy for us to turn to God when we need comfort in our healing.  We remember to cry to Him when we need rest from our pain and when we need peace in our sadness.  It's easy for us to remember that He died for us and rose again on Easter Sunday.  It's easy to remember that Jesus was born as a mortal man into a sinful world on Christmas.  It's easy to remember to be thankful for all of our blessings on Thanksgiving.  But what do we remember the rest of the year? 

Do we only reach for our Bibles when we need a certain passage for a special occasion?  Do we run to Psalm 23 only when someone is near death?  Do we recite John 3:16 only when we're doubting our salvation?  If so, we're missing out on all of the guidance and promises that God offers for each and every day.  Do we only pray when we're in dire need of something?  If we do we're missing out on a personal relationship with God and are neglecting ourselves the pleasure and joy that comes from truly knowing Him.  Do we fail to remember the sacrifices He made on our behalf?  If we do we're taking our salvation for granted. 

I'm grateful that scripture reading and prayer were a part of the 9/11 ceremonies.  This country needs prayer and needs to hear the Word of God now more than ever before.  But what about the rest of the year?  Did you pray for the families of the victims in a special church service on Sunday, but forgot to make time for God yesterday?  Do you offer up a prayer of Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November but are too busy rushing to all the Christmas sales or watching football games the day after to make time for God?  Do you read the Christmas Story from Luke every year because it's family tradition, but by the New Year your Bible - like alot of your Christmas presents - is already gathering dust?  Do you remember God on special occasions but forget Him the rest of the time?

Some prayer and some time in the Word is better than nothing, but daily prayer and daily time in the Word is life changing.

"Give us day by day our daily bread."  ~ Luke 11:3

"Pray without ceasing."  ~ I Thessalonians 5:17

20/20

The old saying that hindsight is 20/20 is so true.  How easy it is to look back at something you may not have understood at the time it was happening and see the meaning later down the road.  Or haven't you been able to realize why something happened the way that it happened once it was all over?  You may not have understood why you were going through the circumstances you were faced with at the time, but they may become very clear later on.  And haven't you said, "If I had known then what I know now, I would have done that differently, or I would have said this instead of that, or I wouldn't have gone there at all."

While it's true that our hindsight can become much more clear later down the road, it's also true that our foresight can have clarity as well.  No, I'm not necessarily saying that you can develop a clear picture of what your future will be.  Nor am I saying that you can develop the gift of prophesy like Isaiah.  But I am saying that with God at the center of your life, you can have the peace of knowing that your future is secure.  You can have the foresight to know that all things will be worked together for good.

No, you may not know every detail.  You may not know where your next job will come from or how many grandchildren you are going to have.  You may not can know what hardships you may face in the coming years or what successes you may achieve.  But you can know that your needs will be met, your salvation is secured, and your life will be filled with blessings untold.  

The old hymn, " I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" sums it up nicely: 

I don't know about tomorrow;
I just live from day to day.
I don't borrow from its sunshine
For its skies may turn to grey.
I don't worry o'er the future,
For I know what Jesus said.
And today I'll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand.

I don't know about tomorrow;
It may bring me poverty.
But the one who feeds the sparrow,
Is the one who stands by me.
And the path that is my portion
May be through the flame or flood;
But His presence goes before me
And I'm covered with His blood.
Many things about tomorrow
I don't seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand...

Jeremiah tells us that God knows the plans He has for us.  He knows everything about us.  Past, present and future.  He knows how every second of our every day will be played out before we ever wake up.  He knows how many grandchildren we're going to have.  He knows the kinds of hardships and successes we'll encounter.  He has the plans for our future laid out already.  He knows tomorrow.  And our foresight into those tomorrows can be 20/20 if only we'll give them to Him.

"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

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? ²⁶ Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? ²⁷ Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?  ²⁸ “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. ²⁹ Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. ³⁰ If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? ³¹ So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. ³³ But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. ³⁴ Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  ~ Matthew 6:25-34


"I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" - Alison Krauss and The Cox Family
http://youtu.be/PWKZVbG9egQ

It is Well With My Soul

One of my most favorite women in the world, my Aunt Janice, had a video posted on her Facebook wall yesterday of a group singing "It is Well With My Soul."  I've included the link at the end of the blog for you to watch if you want.  I encourage you to do so.  The harmony in these young voices is incredible.

We've all heard the song.  If you've been in church most of your life, you've sang it literally hundreds of times.  Probably most of the time without even giving thought to the true meaning behind the words.  But I'm going to ask you to stop for just a moment and think about those words.  Specifically the title.  It is Well With My Soul.  What is the definition of 'well'?  And what does it mean to be well - truly well - with your soul?

Dictionary.com's definition of the word 'well' used as an adjective as it is in the title is this:
 1. in good health; sound in body and mind: 
2. satisfactory, pleasing, or good: 
3. proper, fitting, or gratifying:
4. in a satisfactory position; well-off:

My son's student dictionary gives the adjective definition as:  "Healthy, strong, fit."

And good old Merriam-Webster offers the following:
1a : prosperous, well-off
  b : being in satisfactory condition or circumstances
2: being in good standing or favor
3: satisfactory, pleasing 
4: advisable, desirable 
5a : free or recovered from infirmity or disease : healthy
  b : completely cured or healed
6: pleasing or satisfactory in appearance 
7: being a cause for thankfulness : fortunate

Wanting to dig a little deeper, I went to Dictionary.com's thesaurus - a site that I enjoy and put to use on a regular basis.  It suggests these synonyms for 'well':   able-bodied, alive and kicking, blooming, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, chipper, fine, fit, flourishing, fresh, great, hale, hardy, hearty, husky, in good health, in the pink, right, right as rain, robust, sane, solid as a rock, sound, strong, strong as an ox, together, trim, up to par, vigorous, whole, wholesome, wrapped tight 

Stop for a moment and think about these definitions.  Then interject some of the definitions and synonyms in place of the word 'well' in the title.  You might come up with:
It is pleasing with my soul, it is healthy with my soul, or it is great with my soul.

But let's take it one step further.  Replace 'my' with your name.  So you'll come up with something like this:
It is right as rain with Monica's soul.  WHOA!  That's quite a statement, huh?  Or what about this one...I think it's my favorite:  It is solid as a rock with Monica's soul.  Man, what a proclamation!  What an incredible declaration that makes.  But it's true.  As long as I lean on God's promises and rely on His Word every single day, I can humbly proclaim that my soul is as solid as a rock. Unwavering, unfailing, solid. 

No matter how you choose to say it, the end result is the same.  With Jesus Christ as our Rock and our Foundation for life, no matter what happens to us...no matter what trials and tribulations we may face...no matter how discouraged, disheartened or displeased we may be...we can stand firmly on His Word and say, "It is well with my soul." 

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.  “All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.  Though you search for your enemies, you will not find them. Those who wage war against you will be as nothing at all.  For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you."  ~ Isaiah 41:10-13 

"God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."  ~ Psalm 46:1

"In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God."  ~ Psalm 62:7


It is Well With My Soul by Daves Highway:
http://www.godvine.com/Daves-Highway-Sings-It-Is-Well-With-My-Soul-441.html

A Penny For Your Thoughts

Okay, so it's true -  I'm not going to give you a penny.  But still - what are you thinking about?  Why are you thinking that?  How does what you think affect your spirit?  Your attitude?  Your day?  Those around you?

You've heard the old saying, "Watch your thoughts; they become words. Watch your words; they become actions. Watch your actions; they become habits. Watch your habits; they become your character. Watch your character; it becomes your destiny."

How true that is. And how true it is that our lives could be different - oh so different - if only we changed our thoughts.  A Bible study I was involved in a few years ago stressed the importance of taking every thought captive for Christ.  The goal is to give consideration to every single thought that comes into your mind and decide what to do with it before just acting on it.  Some of us just spit out whatever we think.  If we think it, we say it.  Like the broken lemonade machine, we need a better filter!

Do you think it would make a difference if we would take every thought captive, mull over it, consider it and if it's not a good thought, reject it?  You bet it would!  If it's something that needs to be rejected, we shouldn't let it stay on our mind.  We shouldn't give it another second's thought.  And we certainly shouldn't allow it the opportunity to become words.

Joyce Meyer wrote a book a few years ago called, "Battlefield of the Mind."  In it, she makes the statement, ""You cannot have a positive life and a negative mind."  Basically saying that if our thoughts are negative, our words, our attitude and our entire demeanor will become negative.  That darkness will seep into every portion of our life.  But if we do away with those negative thoughts and think on good things, on positive things, it can change our life as well - but for the better.     

If we would stop and think about what we're thinking about, it could make a huge impact on our lives - and probably someone else's life, too. 


"Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."  ~ Philippians 4:8

My Pleasure

A certain fast food chain enforces customer service more than any other it seems.  With certain terminology as referring to diners as guests instead of customers, and saying "My Pleasure" instead of "You're welcome, " they have the market cornered on customer service.  They stress to their employees the importance of making a guest feel welcomed and going the extra mile to make their dining experience a pleasant one, in the hopes that they'll remember it and return.  And it works!  It's not surprising that this restaurant was founded on Christian principles by a devout Christian man who instilled a certain work ethic and attitude of service in all of his employees.  The chain has grown substantially since its humble beginning in 1946, but that work ethic and the keen eye for service still remains.  If you live in the South, I'm sure by now you've figured out that I'm talking about Chick-fil-A. 

My teenage daughter has been blessed by being able to begin her working career at Chick-fil-A.  I can think of no other establishment - fast food or otherwise - that would teach and instill in her the morals and values of work ethic and service that Chick-fil-A provides.  And being closed every Sunday to allow their employees time to worship and spend with their families is yet another example of their Godly foundation.  She loves her job - as much as any teenager can love a job anyway!  And she's worked there long enough now that the high standards that are required at work have become second nature to her.  The term, "My pleasure" is established in her vocabulary.  It's become habit, and she says it all the time without even realizing it. So much so that she often gets teased about it.  But what a wonderful habit to have!

How different would our lives be if we genuinely took pleasure in serving others?  When someone asks for a favor, don't we often mumble and complain about having to take time out of our schedules to do it?  When we are asked to serve at church, don't we sometimes feel more inconvenienced than blessed?  Or when we see a certain number pop up on our caller ID, don't we think, "Oh no, not her again!  Wonder what she wants this time!"  Doing for others, giving of our time, serving others, and especially serving Christ should be a pleasure, not a chore. 

The great thing is that when we serve with the right attitude, with the mindset that we are going to enjoy what we're doing for others, in the end we will be blessed just as much if not more so than the person we're doing for.  Being able to give of our time and talents to serve should be a blessing to us as well, and if we're doing it with the right approach, it will be. Sure we all get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life and wonder sometimes if we've put too much on our plates.  Maybe we've signed our name on one volunteer sheet too many.  We've said "yes," too many times.  It can be very easy to get stressed by all we've got to do sometimes.  But if we remember why we're doing what we're doing in the first place, and especially Who we're doing for, the joy will come and those tasks will soon turn into blessings.

And when someone offers or tries to do something for you - let them.  If you don't you're robbing them of their blessing by not allowing them to serve you.  Sometimes we get too proud and say, "I don't need them to do that.  I don't need anyone taking care of me or doing me any favors.  I can do it myself."  Well maybe you can do it all by yourself.  Maybe you're the very first person in the history of the world to go through life without needing anything from anyone else.  What a sad life that must be!  But maybe, just maybe, you're like the rest of us who can't do it all on our own.  We need people.  We need each other.  We need help.  Even if we don't need exactly what someone is offering at the exact time they are offering it, if we accept it with a grateful and humble heart, we will be blessed and will in turn allow them the opportunity to be blessed as well.  And when are we ever not in need of a blessing?

So the next time you offer to do something for someone, or the next time you add your name to that infamous volunteer sign-up sheet, smile and say, "My pleasure."  And if it truly is, get ready for a blessing!

"Serve the Lord with gladness..."  Psalm 100:2a (KJV)

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.  Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work."  ~ 2 Corinthians 9:6-8 (NIV)

Just Enough

My son Tucker is a drummer.  He's always shown some musical interest and he's always had rhythm; he even won a county-wide rhythm competition in the 4th grade.  So I wasn't really surprised a few years ago when he decided he wanted to play the drums.  And still today, at 14 years old, he absolutely loves it.  Even more so than when he first showed an interest.  And he is constantly drumming.  With drum sticks, with pencils, with his hands...on his legs, on the table, on the dashboard in the car...everywhere he goes he drums.

Since yesterday was a holiday,  Tucker was invited to go to Tallahassee with a friend and his family.  He slept over at his friend's house Sunday night and they took off for Tallahassee sometime yesterday morning.  Not knowing exactly what they were going to be doing in Tallahassee, he only took $30 of his cash stash "just in case."  Tucker doesn't like to spend money, but you just never know what might come up.  He knew they were going to Tallahassee and he had an idea they were going shopping.  What he didn't know is that they would be going to a music store, which would have the exact items he needed for his percussion class - a practice pad and a new set of drum sticks.  (Note:  Hereafter I will attempt to sound cool like Tucker and refer to his drumsticks as merely "sticks.")

This is where my knowledge grows dim.  I can call them "sticks," because that's what he does - but that's about it.  I'm drum ignorant.  Give me a piano keyboard and I'm good to go, but I know absolutely nothing about drums.  The two things I do know is that 1. Tucker loves them, and 2. They are loud!  So much so that he has his own "man cave" in our backyard, thanks to his wonderful PaPa!  He can go down there and drum and bang to his heart's content without disturbing the rest of our household. 

So when he said he needed new sticks for his percussion class, I was confused.  He already had sticks.  Lots of sticks.  But unbeknownst to me, there are all different types and sizes of sticks.  And none of the ones he already had were the certain size and type he needed for percussion class.  He also needed a practice pad.  Again, I was clueless.  I had no idea what a practice pad was, but I was excited when I found out that it's a rubber pad that he can beat with the sticks during practice instead of actually beating on the drum.  Or the desk.  Or the kitchen counter.  Or the dashboard in the car.  Or the coffee table.  Or the ..... you get my point.  The rubber on the practice pad muffles the sound of the drum sticks.  That practice pad might just be my new best friend!

And there they were - in that music store in Tallahassee that he didn't know he was going to.  There were the size sticks he needed and there was the practice pad he needed.  And there Tucker was, with his $30, "just in case."  This is where it gets good - because I almost let him leave with $27.  I know that's an odd amount, but it's what he had in his pocket at the time.  But on the way to drop him off at his friend's house Sunday night, I made him trade me two $1 bills for a five so he'd have an even $30.  He thought that was a pretty good trade!  I now know that it was a God thing.  God told me to send him with $30, not $27.  We didn't know he'd be going to the music store, but God knew.  We didn't know he'd find just what he needed, but God knew.  And we didn't know that three dollars would make a lot of difference, but the sticks and the practice pad he needed came to a grand total of $29 with tax.  He would have been short had he went with his original $27.  He wouldn't have had enough.  We didn't know that taking three dollars more would make such a difference.  But God knew.  And since he took $30 and not $27, he had just enough. 

Isn't it awesome that God is always that way with us, no matter what it is?  Isn't it incredible that He allows us just enough at just the time we need it?  Hasn't He promised time and time again that He will always meet our needs if we let Him? 

Just enough mercy.
Just enough grace.
Just enough forgiveness.
Just enough. 
It's all we need. 

 "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"  ~ 2Corinthians 12:9

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail.  they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for Him."  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in Him, to the one who seeks Him."  ~ Lamentations 3:22-25

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"  ~ Matthew 6:25-27

Does This Attitude Make My Butt Look Big?

What do you think would happen if we spent as much time checking our attitude as we spend checking out ourselves in the mirror?  How would our days be different if we worked on our attitude and outlook as much as we work on our hair, makeup and wardrobe before leaving the house each day?

We (especially we women) spend so much time, effort and money on our outward physical appearance.  Getting our hair cut, colored, curled, straightened.  Having our nails filed, painted, tipped.  Choosing just the right shade of lipstick, lipgloss, lipbalm.  And forget trying to pick out an outfit.  The amount of time some of us spend on our appearance each day is ridiculous.  And for what?  So we can "impress" someone?  So we can be attractive?  And for whom? 

Yes, it's true that man looks - and more often than not judges - our outer appearance.  Trust me, I know.  If I'm ever in shorts or a skirt, it's quickly obvious to anyone who sees me that I'm wearing a prosthesis.  For 36 years I've gotten the looks and the stares.  I've heard the whispers and I've seen the pointing fingers.  Our outward appearance is what people see first and often use to sum us up before they've ever even met us.  And yes, that's why we spend so much time and money on our physical appearance. We want to look good. 

But while man sees our outward appearance, God sees our heart.  He looks beyond our hairstyle and makeup and sees what's on our heart and in our minds.  He sees so much more than our cosmetics and prosthetics.  He sees the real us.  So why then don't we spend as much time primping our attitude and manicuring our mindset as we spend picking out our outfit?  We don't have time for that, we tell ourselves.  Well, no - not after we've spent an hour trying to get our lip pencil line perfectly straight and assuring that our mascara isn't smeared!  But time with God shouldnt' come after we've completed all of our other tasks.  It should be first and foremost in our minds and on our schedules.

God's opinion of us is the only opinion that truly matters.  We shouldn't care if someone thinks our haircut isn't flattering, or if a certain skirt makes our hips look wider than they really are.  Yet we spend so much time on these physical matters and are often slack when it comes to spending time with God working on our attitude.  I'm not saying you should go out without makeup.  And I'm not saying you shouldn't wear nice clothes.  The Bible teaches us to adorn ourselves.  Wives should make themselves beautiful for their husbands.  But all the more so we should make our minds beautiful for Christ.  What good does it do us (or those around us) if we're impeccably dressed, our hair and makeup are perfect, our jewelry is sparkling, but our attitude stinks?  We can be absolutely gorgeous on the outside, but if we're dark and dirty and ugly on the inside what are we accomplishing? 

Remember, man looks on the outer appearance but God looks on the heart.  So the next time you start to ask, "How do I look?" or "Does this dress make my butt look big?", ask yourself first how your attitude is making you look.  And remember which one matters the most. 

"The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”  ~ I Samuel 16:7

"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; ²³ to be made new in the attitude of your minds; ²⁴ and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."  ~ Ephesians 4:22-24 

Have You Lost Your Voice?

Both of my kids have been fighting summer colds over the past week.  Coughing, snorting, sneezing, sore throats, low grade fevers...it's been pretty miserable around our house.  Yesterday my daughter's body finally succumbed to the strain and her voice decided to make a quick departure.  Sometime yesterday morning her voice packed up and left.  She was silenced...straining to make even the slightest peep.  No singing for her for the next few days!  We're just grateful for the upcoming long holiday weekend which will hopefully give her time to recover. 

Emilee's sudden bout of silence got me to thinking about what makes us lose our voice.  Sure, her vocal chords have been strained these past few weeks since school started. She's singing more than she's ever sang before, she's tired, and I'm sure her immune system is low.  All of this combined with the nasty cold that showed up at our house this week apparently created the perfect combination for a bout of laryngitis.  Her voice has checked out.  Her physical voice at least.  But what about our spiritual voices? What keeps us silent?  What causes us to develop spiritual laryngitis?

Is it fear of what others will think?  Perhaps.  Do we want to 'fit in?' Probably.  Do we worry about how taking a stand for what we believe will make us look?  Most likely.  We all want to be accepted by those around us.  But we should be more concerned with being accepted by God.  We need to be cautious of what we don't say as much as what we do say.  And in the same manner, we should be aware of not only what we say, but also how we say it. 

A good friend recently cited a quote that I think is quite fitting here.  She teaches first grade and its a motto she strives to live up to in her classroom.  "Children may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel."  I think this is true of all people, not just children.  We may not remember the specific words that broke our heart, but we remember the broken heart.  And on the flip side, we may not remember verbatim what was said that made us feel so very loved and important in someone's life, but we remember the feeling.  Alot of time the manner in which we speak is so much more important than the words coming out of our mouth. 

Proverbs 18:21 says that the tongue has the power of life and death.  It can heal or destroy.  Used in the wrong way it can cause great harm and destruction.  It is definitely a powerful thing.  But we shouldn't be afraid of using it, as long as we're doing so in the right way.  Proverbs 12:18 states that the tongue of the wise brings healing.  That's the kind of tongue waving we need to be doing.  We need to tame it - bite it if you have to - in order to keep it from doing harm. But we should never be so concerned with what others' think that we become silent and miss an opportunity to share God's love. 

Watch what you say.  Watch how you say it.  Shut up when you need to.  But don't be afraid to shout at the appropriate time, either.  Just don't develop a case of spiritual laryngitis.


"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer"  ~ Psalm 19:14

Great To See You Again!

Have you seen all of the reunion shows that are on television these days?  One guy, called The Locator, searches to find lost loved ones and reunites them on the show.  Another show called Searching For... does the same thing, but with a woman conducting the search.  They are so interesting to me and I get so wrapped up in those programs.  I have a weird affection for seeing people's reactions in different types of situations and the reactions of the people on these shows when they find their lost loved ones are so intriguing to me.  If I see one of the shows coming on, I can't help but grab a box of kleenex and sit back to watch.  I love a good reaction, but I especially love a good reunion. 

Next weekend our local high school choir will be hosting an alumni reunion.  As an alumni of the choir, and also as the mother of a current choir member, I'm really looking forward to the gathering.  It's going to be fun to see old choir buddies and it will great to see the former choir director from my high school days as well.  An added bonus to the reunion is that the alumni, along with the current choir, will be singing the National Anthem at our high school's homecoming football game.  The reunion is going to be great, but getting to sing next to my daughter will be icing on the cake!  Reuniting with old friends and making new memories at the same time - that's what a reunion is all about, right?

This year our church celebrates it's centennial anniversary.  100 years of family, history and service will be observed on our annual Homecoming Sunday in October.  We've been making preparations all year and have undergone a massive sanctuary remodel as a part of the celebration.  Former pastors, prior members, family and friends will gather to celebrate this milestone in our church's history.  It's going to be a great big reunion and we're all so excited to see everyone and have everyone reunited and back with us. 

And remember when you first discovered Facebook?  MAN!  Talk about a reunion!  There were new names and faces popping up every day.  People you hadn't thought of in years.  Decades even.  And suddenly you were reunited with them all.  Remember how exciting it was to be able to find friends you hadn't heard from in ages?   

Family reunions, class reunions, alumni associations, Homecoming Sundays, Facebook...we all love a good reunion, don't we?  It's wonderful to see friends and family we haven't seen in a long time and it's fun to visit with and catch up with those we don't get to see very often. 

As great as these reunions on earth are, can you imagine what it's going to be like to be reunited with our loved ones in Heaven?  Tomorrow will be 38 years since my grandfather passed away.  I was 2 years old.  I have no memory of him and have only seen a few pictures of him through the years.  But I have no doubt that I will recognize him in Heaven, and I eagerly look forward to being reunited with him, along with the rest of my grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends who are already there as well.  What a reunion that will be!  What a wonderful promise God has given us to be able to be reunited with our loved ones in Heaven.  What a Glad Reunion Day!


Glad Reunion Day
http://youtu.be/E_NmQfZ86lI

To Write or Not To Write

To write or not to write.  That was the question this morning.  Not that I didn't want to, I always want to.  It's in my blood.  I just didn't know what I would write about.  To be honest I still don't know.  Usually ideas will come to me and I'll have a chat with God about them and tuck them away in my head and by the time I sit down at the keyboard in the morning, I have some sense of where God is leading me and what I'm going to say.  Not true today.

Several things came to mind yesterday and last night but nothing ever seemed to come together right.  I thought about places I had been and things that had been going on around me the last few days and tried to make a spiritual connection to something but for the life of me I couldn't do it.  It was like I hit a brick wall.  You've heard of writer's block?  I think I just experienced it.  I was awake at 4:30 this morning trying to figure out what I was going to write, but I couldn't put two sensible thoughts together for anything in the world.  So for a brief moment I thought about skipping out and not writing at all this morning.  But that wasn't what I wanted to do.  And it obviously wasn't what God wanted me to do either, because finally He told me, "You don't have to know what you're writing, just write."  So here I am.

You know its really a shame we're not like that in more areas of our lives.  We think we have to know all the answers ahead of time.  We want the who, what, where, when and why before we agree to anything.  We want all the answers about everything going on in our lives.  Yes, I'll admit, it would help a great deal if I knew what I was going to write before I sat down at the keyboard, but this morning I didn't.  And as it turns out - that's okay.  God knew.  He knew the words and thoughts that needed to come out even if I didn't know. 

What a great reminder that He's in charge.  Even when we don't have the details we think we need, He has them.  Truth is, my thoughts have become clearer and clearer with each sentence.  Even when I had no clue what I was going to say, its suddenly one of the easiest blog posts I've submitted.  I didn't know where this was going or even what the subject was going to be, but God knew. You may not have all the answers either, but you can know the One who does.

 "'For I know the plans I have for you,'" declares the LORD..."
  ~ Jeremiah 29:11

"When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who watch over my way..."  ~ Psalm 142:3 

"When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto thee..."  ~ Jonah 2:7

Sing...Sing A Song

My daughter loves to sing.  She always has.  Singing and dancing.  It's how she's spent a great portion of her 17 years.  Singing and dancing through life.  Both physically and mentally.  She has an incredibly happy, carefree spirit 99% of the time, just singing and dancing along.  Nothing gets her down very often.  She always has a smile on her face.  At a recent high school football pep rally, a few fellow classmen pointed out that a typically shy and quiet friend of my daughter's was showing an unusual amount of spirit during the rally.  This timid, quiet, soft spoken girl was hooping and hollering it up.  And people noticed.  "Well, what about me?" my daughter asked.  Their response was no surprise.  "Emilee, you always have spirit!"  These friends know her well!

She sings and hums around the house all the time.  And forget about being in the car with her.  I'll admit, I'm guilty of singing along with the radio too - just not at the same decibel level as her!  And because she's in three different choral groups at school this year, there's always a new piece of music to be learned.  I often hear her in her room at the keyboard, playing and singing the music she's so eager to absorb.  She absolutely loves it.  Enough even to get up at 5:30 two mornings a week for choral practice.  Singing makes her happy. 

You may not love music and singing as much as my daughter.  You may not like it at all.  Maybe you can't carry a tune in a 5-gallon bucket.  It doesn't matter.  You can still have a song in your heart.  Over and over the Bible talks about God putting a song in our heart.  He can, you know.  It may not be an actual sing-out-loud, stomp-your-feet kind of song.  But it can make you happy.  A song in your heart can change your entire outlook.  Your whole attitude can turn completely around. 

And don't even try to say you don't have anything to sing about.  Look around you.  Your blessings far outweigh your problems.  Don't believe me?  Make a list.  I dare you.  Make two columns - like a Pros & Cons list.  Go ahead.  Do it.  If you're honest with your list, you'll be amazed at how much longer the column of blessings is!  So find something to sing about and go for it.  At least in your head and in your heart - the people beside you at work might wonder what's up if you start belting out show tunes in the middle of the day!  But when you're alone in the car or in the shower, sing to the top of your lungs.  Who cares if the people next to you at the red light think you're nuts.  Go for it.  Get happy.  Shout for joy.  Your whole outlook will change.  It's impossible to have a song in your heart and a scowl on your face at the same time. 

^"I waited patiently for the LORD; He turned to me and heard my cry.  ² He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.  ³ He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God."  ~ Psalm 40:1-3

^"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. ² Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs."  ~ Psalm 100:1,2

"Sing to Him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy."  ~ Psalm 33:3

In Our Own Backyard

Let me be the first to say that I'm proud to live in a country where we are anxious and eager to send aide to nations around the world in need.  I believe it's one of the very few Christian principles that's still on display in our nation's capital today.  And it's thrilling to see churches and denominations organize and implement missions trips to foreign lands in order to provide aide and share God's love.  Even celebrities seem to be eager these days to lend a hand to raise awareness of the various crises facing nations across the globe. 

Assisting to implement a desperately needed water supply system.  Aid in delivering meals on a daily basis to starving children.  School systems being built.  Homes and churches being erected and maintained.  Desperately needed medical care being delivered.  Blessings that the majority of us take for granted are the very things that, without outside help coming in, are impossibilities in these poverty stricken nations.  And I agree that we all need to do what we can to help.

But while we're so anxious to jump on board with the next mission trip overseas or send a donation to the latest celebrity-endorsed aid relief plea that comes across our television screens, do we exhibit the same  eagerness when it comes to helping our own neighbor?  While it's true that needs are great around the world, it's also true that they're great right next door.  Sure, your neighbor may not be starving for food but they may be starving for love.  The sweet little widow lady down the street may not be in need of medical care, but she may be in need of some company. She may need an ear to listen or a shoulder to cry on.  The neighbors on the corner may not need water, but they may need God.   

And what about the ones that are in physical need in our communities?  We don't have to travel to the Horn of Africa to find someone in need of a meal.  It's not just those in Honduras that need medical care or assistance with building and maintaining their homes and churches. Last year a group of students from the University of Tennessee came to my hometown on a mission trip.  They spent their Spring Break working in homes, yards and churches in our community.  For a week they sawed, hammered, painted, cleared overgrown landscapes, built wheelchair ramps, and shared God's love.  Our community was thrilled to have them here, local churches hosted them and threw a block party in their honor.  But I couldn't help but feel somewhat embarrassed.  I couldn't help but wonder why it took a missions group to travel here from 8 hours away to fulfill the needs in our own backyard.  Why weren't we as a community taking care of our own? 

Oh sure, we have Make A Difference Day once a year where it's fun to team up with others in the community in an effort to help others in need.  But what about the other 364 days of the year?  What are we doing for others on those days? 

We are commanded to share God's love in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.  Our Jerusalem is our immediate locale.  Where we live.  Where we work.  People we pass on the street every day.  I don't think it's by chance that Jesus mentions Jerusalem first. He wants and expects us to begin at home.  Judea, Samaria, and to the ends of the earth are also included, clearly showing that He expects us to share His love everywhere.  Around the globe.  To the ends of the earth.  But not without first beginning at home. 

We should keep going on the missions trips, or supporting the ones who do go.  We need to keep sending donations to assist in relief efforts around the world.  But we should not be overlooking needs in our own neighborhoods in the process.  We should start at home. 

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”   ~  Acts 1:8