After the Fire

May 18, 2004

We rely on God who rescued us from so deadly a peril, will continue to rescue us; on Him we have set our hope and He will rescue us again. 2 Corinthians 1:9, 10

We are longing to go home. Our house is still in the process of reconstruction after a fire. The townhouse in which we live is fine. It’s just not home. Our senses don’t connect with it in the same way. The smell isn’t the same. We miss hearing the familiar creak of our hardwood floors, the touch of the shower flowing so easily with just the right temperature. We miss the sight of the trees and birds. We can almost taste home.

Do you have a spot in your home that feels just right? Maybe it’s a special place in your house; a recliner that fits like a glove, a reading spot made just for you. Maybe it is your childhood home and even as an adult you stop by for rejuvenation. Are you a a dancer and feel most at home on stage or are you a hiker most at home in the wilderness?

Nothing in this world, not the spot that feels the safest and most comfortable feels exactly right. Nothing will until we reach our final destination, until we are rescued for eternity with Jesus. Do you ever imagine what it will be like? I imagine a spot with palm trees and water. I know His presence will be with us constantly and forever. Our longings will all be satisfied and we will be home. It will fit like a glove.

In Scripture we are called Christ’s ambassadors. To represent another place, we have to understand it, be a part of it, be able to speak of it. Have you tasted the living water of Christ? Can you see a little bit of the heavenly light? Have you been lost in the sounds of worship and praise? Can you imagine touching the hem of His garment? Can you smell the incense of the heavenly prayers? Have you sensed HOME? God has rescued us from a deadly peril. We are His! We are redeemed and will live eternally.

Let’s challenge each other to grow closer to Christ. Let’s challenge each other to read and study and meditate on the Bible. Let’s pray together and pray alone and pray for each other and for our world. Let’s talk about Jesus in the halls of our church and within the walls of our work place and in the comfort of our own homes. Has your faith grown over the last year? Are you taking steps forward in your relationship with Christ? Is He most important? Let’s move together in upward motion to change our surroundings now, moving closer to Him, for He is our home. I can almost taste it. I long for it. Don’t you?

Dear Lord,

You have rescued us and we are Your ambassadors in this world. Let us grow closer and closer to You as we continue this journey until our final rescue. You are worthy of our praise and our love and our devotion. Keep us close in prayer and in Your Holy Word.

Amen

After the Fire

March 4, 2004

The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the Lord your God loved you. Deuteronomy 23:5

Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” Mark 5:34

Consumed. Engulfed. Damaged. These words not only describe our home after the fire; they describe life after the fire. These words also describe a life of sin.

Sin can consume, engulf and damage. The results of sin can echo on and on in our lives, moving from generation to generation. Our human nature causes us to repeat patterns we know are not healthy. We hurt others. We hurt ourselves. Our hearts are consumed, engulfed and damaged by the ravages of sin.

The inside of our home is now down to its basic frame. The smoke seeped in behind the walls and above the ceilings. Every nook and cranny is now exposed and will be cleaned, sealed and finally rebuilt and restored.

Jesus wants to see the inside of our hearts down to the basic frame. Just as we can now begin to imagine our home becoming something new and transformed, Jesus sees our hearts transformed and imagines what we can be as children of God. Only He can clean every nook and cranny, expose every dark and smoky corner to the light and help us to begin anew.

He will turn our curse into a blessing because He loves us. Lies into love. Jealousy into joy. Promiscuity into peace. Pity into patience. Gossip into gentleness. Greed into goodness. Faithlessness into faithfulness. Shame into self-control. Bitterness into beauty. Anger into adoration. Destruction into devotion.

Dare to come out of the smoke and look up into the light. Step around the debris and step on to smooth ground. Move from the place where you are afraid to breathe and take a deep cleansing breath. Remove the soot from your eyes and gaze into His. Disconnect the faulty wiring and connect to the Son. Tear down the damaged walls and let Him rebuild from the inside out. He knows where you’ve been and He wants to lead you out. The first step is up to you,.

Jesus will guide you from the smoke-filled darkness and bring you to new life. Go and believe! You can be healed of all that harms you.

Loving God,

Your Son covers our sin with His blood. Only through Him can we find You. He is the only way out of the darkness. He is the only way out of the smoke-filled areas of our hearts. We yearn for His love that restores us to new life.  Let Him guide our lives.

In Jesus Holy name,

Amen

After the Fire

:

February 16, 2004

They were constantly devoting themselves to prayer together with certain women including Mary the mother of Jesus as well as his brothers. Acts 1:14

It has been almost three weeks now. It seems like a year. The fire began in our family room and eventually destroyed most of the inside of our home with smoke. We have been through the usual emotions associated with grief and tragedy; shock, denial, sadness and finally acceptance. We have said goodbye to our kitty and other sentimental belongings. My daughters are sharing a room in our much smaller temporary home. Life is not normal.

We spend our time inventorying, salvaging and envisioning reconstruction. The details involved are enormous and overwhelming. It feels good to be sitting at church. Somehow I remembered signing up to write this devotion. I also remembered it had something to do with prayer. Profound and deep thoughts have been swirling through my head as the smoke begins to clear within me and within our home.

After I called 911 I called my husband. After I called my husband, I called my church. As I looked out my neighbor’s window at the five fire trucks in front of my house, I called Verla, the church office administrator, and asked her to begin praying. As so often happens in the Christian world, a seed became a harvest. The word spread as the days progressed. “Our church in Bloomington is praying for you.” “My Bible study at Grace Church is praying for you.” An Evangelical Church in Northern Minnesota, a Baptist church in Oregon, Immanuel Church in Eden Prairie and on and on. It is humbling and overpowering and we are so grateful. What a gift to be a Christian!

In the middle of the muddle there is Christ. In the chaos and confusion there is a deep peace. In the destruction and displacement there is hope. The power of prayer has been a part of my life for years now, but never in such a way have I felt it. I have physically felt lifted up. The prayers have strengthened us and comforted us.

Never underestimate the power of prayer. If you are worried today or scared for someone else or if you are grieving a loss, ask others to pray for you. Christ is waiting and ready to go to work for you. God works for the good in all things and good things will somehow come to pass. Let us constantly devote ourselves to prayer.

Dear and Awesome God,

I can’t imagine going through this life without Your Son. He is at work even in the most tragic events of life. I thank you today for our community of faith. The miraculous power of the prayers of Your people have lifted us up through this time. What a gift to us. It has been the single most important part of keeping us going day to day. Keep us hopeful. Keep us safe. Help our daughters to get through this time and please help them to gain insight and wisdom for life through this event. Amen

After the Fire

     You have suffered loss in your life. We all have. We grieve, we deny, we get angry. There are unanswered questions whether in the loss of a job, a loved one, a marriage, or a home. A little over ten years ago most of our home and belongings were lost from damaging black smoke swirling into every nook and cranny due to an electrical fire. We were devastated and lived away from home for seven months.

     At the time we said all of the right things like, “It is just material.” But those material items included treasured memories like homemade Christmas stockings and shelves and tables made by my father-in-law and the piano I played as a young girl. As with any other type of loss we went through the shock, devastating grief and finally acceptance and moving on. It was a difficult time for our family.

     Our temporary housing began with a week-long hotel stay after which we moved into a dated townhome not far from our house. That way I could walk back and forth to watch the progress of the construction and our daughters could get on the school bus and try to resume normal life.  They shared a bedroom for the first time in their lives at ages 13 and 15.

     A good friend of mine asked me this week if I had any thoughts, resources or emotions to share with her. Her cousin and family lost their business/home and two of their precious dogs recently due to a fire. I found three devotions I wrote just a few weeks and months after the fire and thought I would share them with you this week.

     Having Jesus and the family of Christ made a huge difference to us as we tried to cope. He always makes a difference when we go through the tragedies and sufferings in life. He carries the burden right along with us and guides us through. We can trust Him and hang on to Him through everything.

When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze. Isaiah 43:2

Father,

Thank You for Your protection and love. Thank You for being there through the floodwaters and the fires in our lives. We are moving from this earth right into eternity with You. You are with us, always, to the end of the age.

In Jesus name,

Amen

The Covering of Love

     Anger and bitterness out? Forgiveness in? Next step is love.

Jesus replied: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew 22:39-40

     Love conquers evil. Jesus tells us to put others first, to love our enemies, to seek peace. Without healing our own emotions and unforgiveness and deep wounds, it is impossible to love others in the way Jesus does. Remembering that others don’t know Jesus allows us to love them. After all, Jesus accepted us just the way we were when we first met Him. Love brings others to Him.

     Seeing beyond the flaws and the irritations and the mistakes of others to their deepest needs is what Jesus sees. Can we try to do the same?

Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.  Proverbs 10:12

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

Dear Lord,

Love covers sin. Love sees beyond sin. We remember the love You have first shown us. Let’s pay it forward.

In Jesus name

Amen

    

Release

     If you have been holding on to bitterness, anger and rage, is it time to let it go? Have you been ignoring the fact that it’s still there, simmering slowly, waiting for that boiling point? Think of the relief you will experience as you give it to God. Here is a verse to help.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you.  Ephesians 4:32

     Is there someone you need to forgive? You won’t forget, but God will handle it for you. Forgive the wrong, the hurt, the past. The forgiveness will heal that bitter root within. That anger you have been holding so tightly can be released, finally. God forgave us and we didn’t deserve it. Jesus took all of our sin, all of it and gave us grace. How can we do any less?

Dear Jesus,

We seek Your way to forgiveness. We release our anger and bittnerness to You. Help us to forgive others as you forgave us. You command us to do just that. Give us compassionate hearts and kindness.

Amen

A Bitter Root

See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15

    

     God’s grace destroys bitterness. I think all of us have experienced bitterness a time or two in our lives. Someone has hurt us or harmed us or turned against us. When the bitterness is not healed, it springs forth roots even to the point of affecting our health, and possibly leading to even more destructive emotions and actions. Read through this next verse with me:

Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.  Ephesians 4:31

     A common reaction to a bitter root against someone is to slander them. We want others to take our side, to understand. And we might seek revenge. What does God ask us to do? Get rid of it all, beginning with bitterness, the root of the rest of the list: anger, brawling, slander, and malice. Tomorrow the Bible will give us clues on how to do just that.

Dear Father,

We can’t do it without Your help. Teach us how to destroy the bitterness that grows within us. Your grace not only saves us, but others as well. We want to see others the way You do, with love and compassion.

In Jesus name

Amen

Dangerous Emotion

     Satisfying anger. Sustained anger. Sudden anger. God gave us emotions and feelings. Our adrenaline kicks in at the sights and sounds of danger. Tears flow in happiness and in grief. Jesus wept. He also became angry.

On reaching Jerusalem, Jesus entered the temple courts and began driving out those who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. Mark 11:15

     Righteous anger against the things God hates can be justified. But the Bible also warns us. Anger can be a way for Satan to find a way into our lives.

In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Ephesians 4:26-27

     When my daughter is upset with someone, she thinks to herself, “What if this is the last time I see them?”  Is there someone you need to forgive? Do you need someone to forgive you? Let the anger go and take a deep breath. Kick that devil out the door.

Dear Jesus,

Forgive us for our anger. Take it away unless we are angry at the things you hate. Do not let the sun go down another night before we let it go. Protect us from the evil one today and give us peace.

Amen

More Worry-free Scripture

    The blog will be back on Tuesday. Here is another worry-free Scripture to meditate on in the meantime! Enjoy a beautiful weekend.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 4:6-7

Worry-free Faith

     Is it possible to remove worry and anxiety from our lives? If we believe God’s Word, it is possible. He will take care of us through everything. Worry and anxiety have plagued me off and on for years. If you are a constant worry-wart or are filled with anxiety, pray for these powerful Words to give you the strength to truly believe them. It’s working for me and I pray God’s Word will overcome your worry, too.

  “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 anyone of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 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? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?;'For the pagans run after all these things and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to you as well.” Matthew 6:25-33

     What does Jesus tell us? Worry will not add a single hour to our lives. Worry takes away the joy of today. God knows we need food and clothing and He wants us to have them, of course. All He asks is that we seek Him first. Put Him first.

     It is a journey of faith, isn’t it? Let’s work on getting to know Him more and more, seeking His Word above all of the other voices around us, spending time in quiet prayer and in His Word. And all of these things will be added unto us.

Dear Father,

There is so much going on around us daily. Help us to place our priorities in Your hands, seeking You first. We need Your help as we give our worries to You. You can handle them all. Give us peace.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

Grace-filled Faith

     We need to constantly remind ourselves and others that Jesus did all of the work on the cross for our sins to be forgiven. He was fully God and fully man, the only perfect man to walk the earth and God poured out His holy wrath upon the one perfect man to take upon Himself all that we deserve.

     There is nothing we can do to earn it. As humans we think if we do good works, it is enough. “I am a good person,” is a common theme, but no one is good enough, no not one.

As it is written, “There is no one righteous, not even one.” Romans 3:10

     The gospel of Jesus makes no sense to the human mind. He finished the work when He cried out on the cross,

When He had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.  John 19:30

     It is only God’s grace that gives us this free gift of eternal life. What can we do? Receive it through faith; grace-filled faith. Yes, it is undeserved mercy, amazing grace. Once you say, “Yes!” to Jesus as your Savior, you, too, can believe His Words, “It is finished.” You are saved. Fall in love with Jesus today. He will transform your life as you place your grace-filled faith in Him.

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9

Dear Father,

How can we thank You for a gift such as this? Remind us daily to spread this good news to everyone we know. Jesus has finished the work we could not do for ourselves. He finished it all on the cross for each one of us.

Amen

See-through Faith

A true story, a bit long, written almost ten years ag

o.

The Cheerful Heart of Susie

        Susie was one of a handful of residents greeting visitors as they walked into the nursing home. The front foyer was small, just big enough for a few wheelchairs and an upholstered chair or two for guests. The two large windows were low enough for the residents to watch the comings and goings of cars, staff and friends.

        My trips to the nursing home were somewhat regular visits, usually on a Saturday afternoon.  My brother spent the final few years of his life there, living out the last days of a degenerative, Parkinson-like disease.

These nursing home visits could be discouraging, depressing and dark. The senses were put on alert almost immediately upon entering. On any given day there might be a low wail or moan escaping from a bed down the hall, the strong odor of urine filtering down a corridor or the sight of a weakened body no longer in control.

And there in the midst of it all was Susie

Susie once lived in Greece. I picture her in my mind’s eye as she might have been in her youth. I see her laughing and twirling in the dance of life. I’m sure she had a bountiful appetite for good food and a strong love for family and friends.

I never knew her in this previous life. Yet I believe my vision to be true. Let me describe Susie to you as she was on a Saturday afternoon not long ago.

Susie sits with this handful of greeters in their wheelchairs as we enter through the automatic front door. My eyes alight on the familiar group. One woman sits with her head on her chest, snoring softly. A man smiles weakly. I have never heard him speak, but his gaze meets mine clearly as he raises a hand in a slight wave. Another more active resident says, “Hello, how are you?” We chat for just a minute.

And then I spot Susie in her favorite spot just behind the large pillar in the front room. She leans forward in her wheelchair, curious to see who is behind the voices she hears. She peeks around the pole with a mischievous grin and a twinkle in her eye.

“Sophia! Hellooooo! Oh you look so beee…you…tee…ful today!” she expounds with a loud gust of cheerfulness.

For some reason I feel beautiful when seen through Susie’s eyes. She really doesn’t know me and my name isn’t Sophia, but she is convinced that I am she.

The Saturday just prior, she called out,

“Gloria! How WONNnnderful to see you! Come and sit for awhile!”

I have done just that on more than one occasion. She has regaled many an active listener with her stories. They are bold, vibrant stories of great adventure.

Her spellbound audience may hear tales of large weddings, dancing until the wee hours of the morning, stories filled with intrigue, stories of a life well lived. As she speaks, I can see the sparkling white of the homes and the beaches set against the brilliant turquoise of the sea.  She gushes out the words as a flowing river, rich in tone and full of nourishment for the soul.

And just as clearly as I picture the scenery around her, I see her through her stories, not as she appears today, but as she sees herself and those around her through the memories etched in her heart.

In place of the hay-like spikes of her short gray hair there would be an abundance of long reddish cascading curls. The now frail frame would be covered with a bronze tan over voluptuous curves. Instead of the plain and comfortable black pants and striped blouse with a washed-out stain or two, there would be flowing dresses in brilliant colors.  She would remove her shoes, now encased in the steel of her chair, in order to run barefoot through the white sand or to sway beneath the stars.

Susie’s reality is not as we see it, a life lived out in a wheelchair, a body frail with age, clothed in drab dress, with wrinkled brow and unkempt hair. Her life is lived in memory and it is undeniably real. You can see it in her exuberant smile and glowing eyes. The energy and cheerfulness of Susie are contagious and I eagerly searched her out at each visit.

And so Susie reminded me to see beyond the sights and smells of reality at the nursing home. She reminded me to see the hearts and souls of each person young or old. And just as Susie sees each visitor through another lens, and welcomes each one with open arms and a sincere expectation of good things from all, so God looks upon each of us through a different lens.

He turns the smelliest corners of our lives, the darkest corridors and the weakest parts of us into something we can’t even imagine. He looks beyond it all and sees only His beautiful and beloved children.

And when God and Susie see us this way, we begin to feel bee…you…tee…ful! And as we accept this uncompromising vision for ourselves, we can turn and look through a different lens and view those around us with the eyes of an open and loving heart, the love of Christ.

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consier his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord, looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7

Child-like Faith

Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

     I had the privilege of spending a full day with my seven-year-old great-niece, Emily. It has been some time since I spent a whole day with a child. It was exhilarating, joy-filled and exhausting! There is always a new adventure waiting to happen in the life of a child and an eagerness for every single one. Some of her conversation:

“Can I make a jumbo doughnut for myself?”

“Do you know how to play hopscotch?”

“We need a huge heart on the driveway!” (This was after drawing hopscotch, tracing around our bodies lying on the hard surface, and drawing suns, smiley faces and stars)

“Let’s jump over the sprinkler.”

“Let’s play catch!”

“Can you do a cartwheel?” (Turns out I can’t and I found out the hard way)

“When can we walk to the park?”

     I loved every minute of it and I went to bed a bit early that nightJ

     Could we try to live our lives with a child-like faith? Can we see every day as a brand new opportunity to expect, create and appreciate each experience? Jesus will give us the deep joy and peace of a child if we let Him.

     Emily is a beloved daughter, granddaughter, niece, cousin and friend. She is secure in that love. Are you secure in the arms of your loving Father? I want to see the world like Emily does.

Dear Jesus,

Keep us child-like in our faith and in the miracles of everyday life. We are loved and secure and filled with the Holy Spirit. Help us to be contagious in our hopeful and expectant lives.

Amen

     

Remember

Honor your father and your mother as the Lord your God has commanded you that your days may be long and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 5:16A

A Little Behind, a Little Below

I’m not sure when it happened; when my dad and I traded spaces. He taught me everything I know. He taught me how to hold a hammer, how to fix a leaky pipe, how to tape, mud  and sand sheetrock, how to swing a golf club and how to value family. I always stood just a little behind and a little below him for most of my life.

He’s 90 now and I’m not sure when it happened. He came out to help me dismantle a fort in our backyard. My kids are grown now, too. The wood can be used for a more useful purpose. Reuse and recycle came naturally to my dad even before they became common place.

As we worked, he stood a little behind me, a little below me. He held the wood as I hammered. He stood apart as I did the physical labor. I’m not sure when it happened; when we traded spaces, he and I.  I don’t think I’m ready.

Dear Lord,

I am not ready to see my parents growing old. Walk with me through this season as I learn to come to their assistance as they have always been there for me. I thank you for every gift they have given me and for the life lessons they have taught me along the way. I honor them.

Amen

Remember

Even with our different personalities and minor differences, my husband is my true love, my best friend, my protector and provider. I wrote this as we grieved the loss of his mom.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 2 Corinthians 1: 3 – 4

My hands moved in frustration as we sorted through the bills yesterday. We spoke of high cell-phone bills, too-high shopping bills for me and our teenage daughters and a vacation coming soon. My hands gestured as I spoke, justifying the shopping as his moved in slow motion fingering each page with tightly clenched fingers.

This morning his hand reached to shut yet another cupboard door and flip another light switch off in response to some of my most annoying habits. My hands are flighty and unfocused, ready for the next distraction. His hands move in focused concentration finishing one project accurately at a time.

Focused on a project, switching on a light, moving to a new room, clenched in frustration or gesturing to prove a point, our hands can point to a myriad of differences in our style and outlook. Yet, as I reach for his hand tonight, I feel comfort. There is union. There is recognition. There is comfort and deep love. We reach for each other as we grieve the loss of his mom. We reach for each other as we have for almost twenty years.

These hands have found each other and held each other through so much.  These same hands have lovingly held each other deep into the night. These hands have clasped simply a thousand times as we watch TV or go for a walk. These hands have cooked meals together, painted and stained wood together. They once held two candles that merged into one. These hands held joy as we welcomed our daughters into the world. These hands will find each other, as they always do, as we sorrow through this long night.

Dear God,

Thank you for the life of my mother-in-law, for her hands of love, creating quilts and food and kindness for all of us. And now I thank you for the hands of my husband. Let us draw comfort from one another, as we first draw comfort from You.

Amen

  

Remember

I was blessed to have wonderful in-laws. I wrote this from my father-in-law's perspective when he made the tough decision to move his loving wife into a nursing home.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28

My Wife of 50 Years

I can’t find her in the place where she lives, my wife of 50 years, even though I try. I bring her clothes, make sure she’s clean and listen to the words I no longer understand. I can’t stay away and I can’t stay long.

I return to the home we shared, she and I, and there I find her, my wife of fifty years. I find her in the scent of the vanilla perfume sitting on the mirrored tray. I find her under the quilt she made, and I find her in the brush that I use on my fine white hair; the brush she used each day trying to manage the hair that never stayed just right.

Her hair is the one thing that brings a rare smile as I say, “Mama, your hair looks so pretty today.”  I guess when you worry and fuss about something your entire life you never forget, even in a mind almost gone. And so I chuckle a little and I sniff, and I snuggle and I brush trying to find her, my wife of 50 years.

Dear Father in Heaven,

Comfort me in this time.  Help me today to remember all of the wonderful years spent with my spouse.  I know you understand her and you understand me. Keep  us both safe in your care. Amen

Remember

     We are honoring our parents this week as I share some writings from the past. If you weren’t lucky enough to have a loving home growing up, I pray you will find forgiveness and peace. Jesus can be the perfect and most loving parent and allow you to move on with healing and hope.

For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. 2 Corinthians 1:5

A Mother’s Grace

It is March of 1970. My dad died last week in his sleep of a heart attack. I miss him and I’m scared. The death is unexpected, as death always is. I snuggle close to my mom. It is just the two of us now. She falls asleep, an exhausted widow with a young teenager to raise. My voice echoes in my ears, in the emptiness, “Mom, I say, and then “Mom!” and finally, “MOM!” so afraid that she, too, will leave me in her sleep. Rising instantly, she takes me in her arms, and says, “It’s ok, honey, I’m here and I love you.”

It is May of 1987. My mom is dying. I cling to these moments, bold-faced, underlined moments, final moments. Most of the time I believe she is in the next world; a world she longs for and now prefers. Yet, in my selfish need, just as it was in 1970, I bring her back. “Mom,” I say, and then, “Mom!” and finally, “MOM!” Just as it was then, even now, she returns to me and says, “It’s ok honey, I’m here and I love you.”

It is June of 2002. I am the mom today. No one is dying. I am caught somewhere in the ordinary details of this extraordinary life. My daughter calls, “Mom!” and again, “Mom!” and finally, “MOM!”  I return as, of course, I must and say, "It’s ok honey, I’m here and I love you.”

And it is grace.

Dear Father,

Thank You for the gift of parents. When they go home to be with You, let us continue their legacy on earth. As we raise our own children, give us courage to raise them with wisdom and honor. And help us to comfort one another as You comfort us.

Amen

Remember

     I remember my mom mentioning how the years seemed to move faster as you get older. Now I understand. We spent time with my husband’s college buddies over the last two weeks. Remembering old times brings smiles and an acknowledgement that time is moving too fast.

     We continue to build memories. Our youngest daughter will be getting married in less than a year. Again, we have been reliving memories of babies and toddlerhood, the teenage years and watching our amazing girls move into adulthood. I wouldn’t have believed it could move this fast and I didn’t believe my mom when she told me it would. Remember to capture the memories each day. Today will be the yesterday of your memories.

     Love in marriage, love in parenthood, love in friendship all hold a special place in our hearts. Allow Jesus to take center stage through it all. As you make memories today, He will be there with you. He will be there when you say hello to that first baby, when you say goodbye for a time or until eternity. He wants you to live life to the full. This week I want to share some memories as we all continue to make new ones, both remembering and looking ahead.

Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. Deuteronomy 12:7

Dear Father,

We praise You today for our lives, and we thank You for our precious memories. Remind us everyday to take in each moment, to savor the sweet time with our loved ones and to look forward to each breath you give us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

We Are The Body Of Christ

     We bring Jesus wherever we go, however we serve, with our family of believers, our families of origin, our workplace and our neighborhoods. Using our gifts and talents and finding our place can be an adventure filled with trial and error, discovering gifts we never knew existed, or allowing God to work through our sufferings and our weaknesses. Listen for the prompting of the Holy Spirit within you and relax in the peace and joy of knowing your Savior is always there, ready to speak through your words, and give a helping hand with His love.

     Take these words with you over the 4^th of July weekend, remembering who you are and in whose hands you rest.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:12-15

Jesus,

Clothe us in Your love. We are thankful for our freedom, for our country, for each other. We pray for our nation to be one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.

Amen

The Body of Christ Has Many Parts

     The combinations are endless. Each of us, with our different gifts, personalities and passions can find our spot to serve. Let me give you an example of one small working part of the body of Christ. It is time for Vacation Bible School. Almost 300 children from our surrounding community will attend. Putting on this week-long adventure offers opportunities for a variety of gifts and talents.

     Let’s take a snapshot of four members of this team. All four have a passion for Jesus and for children. One has the gift of administration along with a natural ability to organize. This woman heads up the week, deciding on a curriculum, recruiting staff, ordering supplies and finding volunteers to design the sets and finding others to set up and take down decorations.

     This particular person may not want to be involved with the Vacation Bible School program on Wednesday evening. Seeing the kids out of step or unorganized would not sit well with her need for order. Our second volunteer is a teacher. She can use her natural gift of creativity to put crafts together for each day’s lesson, using her spiritual gift of teaching to share Jesus. She is thankful for the administrative gifts of her sister above, as administration is not her gift.

     Our third person with this shared passion to reach children loves to build. It has always been a natural talent and he volunteers to do the set design. He has the spiritual gift of shepherding and watches over a group of youths, guiding them in construction as He fills in the time with stories from the Bible. A structured setting is not comfortable for him and he works outside on the church grounds with his small group.

     Our fourth gifted believer loves to cook and to welcome new families to church. Preparing food and decorating have always come easily and she volunteers to set up the food for the family night of Vacation Bible School. Table decorations and food presentation are set just right and she stands behind the serving table as she welcomes each family using her spiritual gift of hospitality. She is in awe of the set design, the number of teachers and how organized the whole week has been. Luckily for her, others with those gifts have stepped up and she can be right where she belongs, one of the body, doing her part.

All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He distributes them to each one, just as He determines. Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:11-12

Lord,

The Holy Spirit distributes the gifts as He chooses. We will take our part with joy in doing the works You have planned for us. Show us where and how and teach us to work together as one. We are the body of Christ and it is in His name we pray.

Amen

The Body of Christ/Extraordinary Life

     Sunday night, after a road trip several hours away, to attend a weekend wedding, I turned on the food channel to watch Chopped. Two of the commercials over the hour-long show struck me. One shows a man squeezed into a dishwasher, reminding us, that it is the inside that counts, not the shiny exterior.

     The other commercial appeared to be about the ordinary radish. Typically they are not the center of attention on the dinner plate. There is no black market for the radish.Turns out they are not so ordinary when dipped or soaked in a zesty Italian dressing. What about us, as ordinary humans? We, too, remain ordinary without the spice and flavor of the Holy Spirit within us.

   Meeting Jesus and accepting Him as Savior, immediately seals us with His Holy Spirit. We are changed from the inside out and as the appliance man reminds us, the inside is important. We ordinary humans immediately have exposure to the extraordinary gifts and power of God! With the salt and light of Christ Himself, (see Matthew 5) we offer the flavor and fragrance of Christ and expose darkness to light.

     No longer are we alone, fending for ourselves. We are connected to our Creator to do marvelous things with the gifts He provides. Do you have zeal and passion for this life? Have you felt the power of the risen Lord? Are you sealed with the Holy Spirit? If not, why not ask Jesus to become Lord of your life right now?

     Ordinary exchanged for extraordinary, heart soaked with love and the longer you live, the closer you will be to heaven. A worthy goal, a path filled with adventure, a peace and joy unlike any other. Allow the Holy Spirit to wash over you and give you a zest and taste for the extraordinary life.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

     And, you will find your place in the body of the believers, your new family of brothers and sisters. Welcome home.

Dear Jesus,

We are Your body on earth. Fill us with Your passion to be different and to take our place. You long for each of us to be Yours. Your family is ready to be about Your business; saving the lost and lifting up the weary. Let Your love abound!

Amen