Father's Day...Do You Cringe at the Words

   

  It is Father's Day.  To some of us this is a fantastic day full many things we can appreciate about our dads.  It is a day that is looked forward to and we spend much time thinking about how to honor our fathers in the most special way.

     But for some of us this day stinks.  It is more of a day to think about what we missed out on in life.  It is a haunting reminder a vacant place in our hearts.  Maybe we knew our dad, but life was terrible with him.  Unfortunately some of our dads were and are abusive and it is safer to stay away from them than it is to be around them.  Some of us never knew our dad.  Some of us wish we never knew him. This day may be a day full of dread and hurt.  Hallmark doesn't sell the cards that you would need...ones that say, "Just a card to say you were a horrible dad and I really have nothing to celebrate about you." Or  this is just a note to say, "What were you thinking being such a terrible Dad?"

     We have to know that we are not alone.  There are many who wish above all wishes that this part of our story was different.  There are many little girls who have waited countless hours for dads who never showed.  There are many girls who hid in the deepest darkest places just hoping to never been seen.  And there are many others who don't even know their dads name.  So what is all this celebrating about then?

     Well I have really good news! This news applies to us all, but I want to make it personal.  You have the very best of Dad if you will receive him.  He sees you.  He loves you.  He treasures you. You are his princess and his desire is to walk with you through every single day of your life.  He will always show up and he will never let you down.

     Oh do not be deceived by the great Deceiver.  The enemy would love for you to think that if God was your "Good Father" then all of these terrible things would not have happened to you.  His greatest tactic is to cause havoc on our lives and persuade us to blame it all on God.  He wants to permanently separate us from God the Father because he knows that we will never be the same again if we know we are His children.  The terrible things that happen in our lives originate with the enemy and are fueled by hurt and wounded (or lost) people who get to make choices in this life.

     But our Good Father loves us so much that He gave his one and only Son so that we could live our lives in a relationship with him.  God invites us to let Him love us dearly and wants to show us how much we are cared for.  The challenge for today is to take these hurting places and give them to God.  Life is too hard to keep carrying these painful wounds from our past around.  He is trustworthy and he wants to lighten our load.  If we will hand these hurts to Him, our Good Dad will hand us something precious in return.  Maybe we need to sense Him with us in dark places so that we do not fear.  Or maybe He will show us something in a new light.  The possibilities are endless.  And whatever we receive will be unique to each of us.  This could be the best Father's Day ever.  And this Father's Day could become a turning point in our lives where we actually look forward to celebrating the Best of All Fathers on this day every year!

A Day For Celebrating!

   

     Today is my forty-second birthday!
And birthdays have always been a big deal
in our family.  We grew up (even though we
did not have a lot of money) celebrating each other well.   Birthdays were important.  I have some wonderful memories of taking friends
and going to Chickasaw State Park! One year there was a sleepover with friends.  My sisters have birthdays four days apart, just before Halloween, and they had a yearly birthday celebration where everybody they knew came
to our yard on Halloween and had the biggest shaving cream fight ever! And every single year we had a party with relatives and a birthday cake.  Our grandmother would make our favorite cake for us. Candles were always hilarious.  Inevitably we would get to the cake time and have forgotten the candles (or lost them) and so someone would show up with some big fat candle or taper candle lit for the birthday person to blow out. We would sing and laugh and blow out the candle.
 
      I think, as a culture we do pretty well celebrating others.  We have-for the most part-become considerate of others and how we can let them know we care.  There are special holidays for every single person, place or thing on the planet.  Hallmark has a card for everything.

     But I am concerned that we have missed one person in all of our celebrating. Today is a day to celebrate you!  We have become more comfortable, as a culture, celebrating one another.  You have a close friend-you spend time thinking about how you can show them how much you appreciate them.  It is not hard to think of things or ways to show your love.  You have a spouse-you may always be on the lookout for ways to bless them and celebrate them.  But today is a new day!  It is your day!
 
     Growing up in the Bible Belt, I do not even know when I learned the scripture that says, "This is the first and greatest command, love the Lord you God with all you heart and soul and mind and the second is like it.  Love your neighbor as yourself."  But it hasn't been until recently that part of that verse has been pointed out to me.  We know we are to love the Lord.  We understand the "love our neighbor" part, although we don't always like it.  But the very last part has been overlooked.  It says we are to "Love our neighbor AS OURSELVES."  This presupposes that we love ourselves.  In fact we are supposed to love ourselves first so that we CAN love our neighbor. Amazing!
   
     The fact is God made each and everyone of us.  We were not thrown on a conveyor belt in a factory to come out just like everyone else.  God considered what He had in mind for us when He fashioned us with his own hands.  It says He "knew us in our mother's womb." The Bible says that he dearly loves each one of us.  He has "plans to prosper us and not to harm us, plans to give us a hope and a future."  We are so loved by God that he gave his Son on our behalf so that we could be in a relationship with Him.  We have become his children and not only that but he has made us "joint-heirs" with Jesus Christ.  That is crazy-good news.
   
     So why do we have a hard time celebrating ourselves?  We cringe when we look in the mirror.  We say the harshest things about ourselves-or at the very least think them.  We beat ourselves up for past mistakes (and current ones). We hide behind false humility and somehow thing better of ourselves for   slamming ourselves and wallowing in the mud. All that false humility does is call more attention to ourselves and gives us pride that we are thinking less of ourselves and more of others.
   
     The fact is God our Father did not do all that He did so that we can abuse what He bought at such a high price.  He loves you!  He loves YOU!  He says that YOU are the apple of his eye.  I say "you" when I could say "we" because sometimes we understand God loves those around us but we miss the part that He sees us individually too.   And He wants us to begin to see ourselves as He sees us.  It is ok to believe what He says about us.  He told Joshua that he was "strong and courageous" when Joshua probably felt weak, incapable, and afraid.  But we can trust Him to speak the truth. And we can believe what He says.

     So how will you start today?  How will you celebrate you? God is celebrating you right now. Why don't you just join Him.  He is proud of you and He believes that you can do far more that you even think you are capable of doing. Some workaholics may need to celebrate by resting. Maybe today is hard and it seems impossible to carve out time.  Do not be discouraged.  Start with baby steps if you need to.  Choose a special mug for your coffee and enjoy a little time.  How about complimenting yourself to yourself.  Tell the enemy who is spitting out lies about you to go away and shut up. Refuse to listen to him anymore because he is a loser.  Count your blessings.  Sing your favorite song.   Go to a place you really enjoy.  Wherever you are just know that it is ok to celebrate you because you are a beautiful creation and you are truly are worth celebrating!

From Flying to Soaring!

   

     Have you ever been scared?  I mean really scared?  This weekend I was scared.  My husband and I were given a trip, from our dear friends, to get away for our upcoming birthdays.  Included in that gift were two plane tickets that flew out of our town and directly to our destination.  What a blessing!  What none of us knew was that our flight would be in a very small plane.  There was a whole new level of adventure added to our gift.  (OH, MY!)

     Our flight to St. Louis was fairly pleasant.  We hit one air pocket that led me to pray out loud for the entire group of 8 (including the two pilots) and after that it was smooth sailing.  We made a friend on the flight who was more scared than I was and she really appreciated the prayer.  And our landing was exceptional.  I was so relieved and so thankful.  We headed into our vacation and had a restful and peaceful time.  Each time a bit of fear about our returning flight popped up I would kick it to the curb and focus on having a great time with Taylor.

     The truth is, I used to be scared most of the time. From the time I was a child until about 10 years ago, I lived in fear.  I was scared of all kinds of things.  I would list all of them but I probably could not remember them all.  Even as an adult I would check every crook and crevice to make sure that we were safe.  If Taylor had a dime for every time I would wake him up in the middle of the night because of a sound in the house he would be wealthy.  The fear could not be pinpointed to specific things that I was scared of-I was afraid of most things.  It was a miserable way to live.

     Then the Great Shift happened.  To put into words, I think I began to know God as bigger.  Instead of a history book about a good man, I began to realize that God is real and that he not only cares about my life but that He choses to be apart of my life.  In that I realized that I didn't have to be scared, because I am never alone and the King of Angel Armies is with me.  I knew things had changed one night when we really did have a prowler on our street.  Neighbors were looking and watching and one of my greatest fears was practically knocking at the door.  The song "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" came to mind.  I stood at my window and sang through the song.  And then, I laid down in the bed and went fast asleep.  The next day I was totally amazed.  I have not been the same again.

     And THEN we boarded the plane to head back home.  The pilot announced we would have a bumpy flight before we ever took off.  I immediately began refuting those words--aloud.  I just knew that that flight was going to be smooth.  Guess what?  It was the roughest, bumpiest flight I have ever been on (including one broken down African plane that looked like it flew in World War II). To say that I prayed is truly an understatement.  If I had videoed myself I could have gotten a million hits on Youtube.  My whole body was shaking in fear and my husband said he needed prayer because I squeezed his fingers so hard.  I was down right afraid.  But this time I leaned into the Lord.  About mid-flight we settled down to a smoother flight and Taylor pried my fingers off his hand.  As I relaxed I began to watch the river.  And then I began to write notes about rivers.

 Rivers bring life and provide life.  

They transport goods and necessities.

They nourish the land for the crops.

They are fun and provide entertainment.

They provide substance and beauty.

People come to rivers,

build near rivers,

plant near rivers,

and play in rivers.

Rivers are mighty and powerful.

      I then I was reminded that the Bible says, "Whoever believes in me, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water." John 7:8  This river that I was seeing was a picture of what is flowing through us as believers. Amazing! 

     And I would like to say the descent was better, the clouds parted and we floated effortless to the runway.  But we did not.  We bumped and jumped around all the way down.  In fact, the descent was worse than the ascent.  But my thoughts had a new focus.  I was considering the river that flows through us.  It changed my prayers.  I actually became aware of other scared people on board and began to pray for them as well.  

      Because of Whose we are, we Christians are like that river.  We bring life and provide life.  We bring things that people want and need.  We nourish.  We are fun.  We bring sustenance and beauty into this world.  People come to us.  We are mighty and powerful. 

     Thinking back, it is not surprising that these thoughts changed my prayers.  God became bigger and our flight became smaller.  It did not become more pleasant a flight--but my perspective changed.

I do not desire to ever return to a life of fear. God does not desire us to be bound to anything other than himself.  And life with Him brings freedom.  So if there is something that is standing in our way, causing us to live a life less than the best option, we need to  think about the river that is flowing through us.  One children's song says, " I have a river of life flowing out of me.  Makes the lame to walk and the blind to see.  Opens prison doors and sets the captives free.  I've got a river of life flowing out of me." Our lives can and do make a difference.  And it is when we walk in the identity that we have been given that we go from flying to soaring!

God Knits Us Into a Beautiful Creation

 

 I have learned a second knitting stitch!  It has taken me over two years of doing the pearl stitch and making MANY dishrags.  Some of these dishrags had flaws and some did not.  There was no rationale as far as which ones were good.  I might make two great ones and one with 3 holes.  My confidence would grow as I would produce a good one and it would plummet when I would make a bad one.  And so I stayed stuck in my pearl stitch. Over and over and over.

     

     I few weeks ago my knitting teacher shook it all up.  She, in a kind but firm voice, told me to finish the dishrag I was making and get ready because I was about to learn another stitch.  It was the kind of voice that left no room for conversation.  I wasn't sure she knew what she was getting into.

    

   But you must know that this teacher and I have a history.  She has been teaching me for over 20 years.  We met when Taylor and I had started dating and I immediately knew there was something special about this woman.  After we married some of my friends and I asked (begged) her to begin to teach us.  We were young and stupid (not exaggerating).  If any of those women are reading this now they are agreeing.  We were wearing some very distorted rose-colored glasses.  I mean, wasn't it our husband's job to make sure that our wants as well as our needs were fulfilled?  Didn't they need to drop everything for our "Honey Do" list,  just waiting to do the next project we deemed necessary?

    I remember one lesson very specifically.  One of us (could have been all of us) was asking a question.  There was a very IMPORTANT job that needed to be done at her house that she could not do herself.  She had asked and asked and asked but her husband had not prioritized that particular project.  Even as she talked the blood pressure of the collective group went up.  We were all identifying with her predicament.  The nerve of that man!  How dare he!  And the response we heard that day has stuck with me all these years.  Our teacher said, in the sweetest most gentle way, "Honey, that is just the devil."  We were shaking our heads in agreement.  It was the devil manipulating the husband! Teach it sister, we were all agreeing!  That is until she continued.  She taught a whole new lesson that day.  She taught us how we were thinking only of ourselves.  She explained how we are called to love and care for our husbands and not fight against them.  We learned that day that we were placing our attention on things to do, instead of people to love.  Wether that job ever got done or not, we were called to love our spouse, like Jesus loves us.  The room fell silent as we all saw the junk in our lives and realized it really was the enemy trying to manipulate us. 

     The question was posed, "What are we supposed to do then?", still thinking about the unfinished job that just HAD to be done.  Her response was, "Take that to the Lord and trust Him for it."  Again silence.  This was brand new to us.  We had some thinking to do.  She encouraged us that day to begin to place our focus on loving our husbands well and laying these other things down in faith.  

But we trusted her and we tried. 

     The next week the room was a buzz.  The young lady who had been so fired up the week before jumped right in when we started.  She was grinning from ear to ear as she told her story about how she had done just what our teacher had suggested.  She just quit thinking about that job and started thinking about her husband.  She just loved her husband and moved on. She was so excited as she shared that her husband had ended up doing the job after all.  She wasn't advocating being nice in order to get what you want.  She was marveling at how she found that loving others well was our number one priority and that God was more than capable of handling the details. 

     As I sat with my knitting this week I realized that I never should have questioned my teacher's encouragement.  We have had way to much water under the bridge, in over two decades, for me to wonder if she knows what she is talking about.  That is why tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at the beautiful (to me) scarf that was in my lap.  I have not only learned another stitch but I am following a pattern to make the scarf!  I would never have believed I could have done it and I would not have done it if it had not been for my dear teacher.  It has 3 holes in it that I will need to take to my next lesson to get her to pull together for me...but isn't that the way it is supposed to happen.  I have run to her with "holes" many times.  Some of them are the fault of others and some of them mine.  And she will look at me lovingly and honestly in both cases.  She will encourage me to quickly forgive and generously love when I have been wronged.  And she will lovingly and honestly call me out when I have fallen short.  The years have taught me to eat humble pie and realize that we all fall short at sometime or another. 

     To look back and realize where we were keeps us real.  To look at today and know where we are is  humbling.  But to look forward and to know where we are going is empowering!  We aren't meant to do one stitch over and over for the rest of our lives, only making dishrags. Who even likes to do the dishes?  And we aren't meant to remain in that place of always expecting life to be what we want it to be and to expecting people to do what we want them to do.  It just isn't all about us.  This life is short and we have been promised a banquet feast with our Beloved at the end of our journey.  It is time to embrace the journey between today and eternity.  Let's love those God has put around us, realizing that He has the details right in the palm of His hand.

Do You Hear the Orchestra Playing?

   

 Some days are just purely melodic.  When we step back and look at the whole of the day we can see the Grand Orchestra Conductor directing it from start to finish.  These days do not happen often, but when they do we have to relish each harmonious note.  Sunday was just such a day.
   
     It all began by going to see some of our dear friends become the new pastors of a church.  They are a young couple just getting started and truly radiant in all aspects of the word.  They are beautiful people, inside and out.  Excited and enthusiastic about their new roles in the body of Christ, they step out on a journey that holds daring adventures of the bravest kind.  They jump wholeheartedly into the vast unknown, clinging for dear life to the Hand of the One who is the only one who can lead them well on this path.  God will be faithful and they trust Him.  It will be an honor to watch and encourage.  Many lives will be changed from their bravery.
   
     And the day continued with the passing of a dear man.  My dad was asked to do the eulogy at the funeral.  To hear the story about a life well lived held some of the deepest most melodic notes.  Knowing that you have walked for more than eighty decades of life and have headed away from this earth, to be with you Heavenly Father, with people eager to speak of the impact that you made for the Lord must be the greatest of all accomplishments. His story left a prayer in my heart that the young men growing up in our house would grow up to be mighty men such as he. But what I gathered, in the harmonies of his life's story, was that he cared more for others than he did himself.  He loved life but not too much.  He loved the law and the work of justice, but not as much as he loved God and his family.  It was an honor to watch and I was encouraged.  Many live were changed by his faithfulness.
 
      It all drew to a close with a group of close friends in our living room, studying the Bible.  They are warriors in the thick of the battle.  They are passionate. They think the journey is taking a long time and that little progress is being made--if they could only see.  It is amazing to watch!  They are training up their children in the way they should go, although it sometimes feels fruitless and frustrating with little ones.  But they are relentless.  They are "love with clothes on" going out into high schools as teachers and missionaries reaching teenagers and changing lives.  They are Service Men who are willing to lay down their lives to protect our freedom.  They are laborers and business men reaching the bruised and wounded at their jobs and showing them the Lord. They are moms doing the nasty jobs of diapers and dishes and all the while rejoicing and honestly sharing with moms who are floundering. They are office workers who bring much more to the office than just papers and demonstrate the love of God to everyone who comes through their door. They are computer experts who use technology to further the Kingdom.  They are deliverers who delivers so much more than drinks to lost people everyday-touching the lost and hurting who would never come to a church.  They are farmers who are sowing, reaping and harvesting in a lot more ways than just in the fields.  They are lovers of the Lord who look for people to encourage everywhere they go. They are workout instructors who not only helping others become healthy outside but inside as well,  praying with the people they meet and speaking truth into the darkness.  They are students who go to school not only to learn but to reach out to classmates who need encouragement and care.  It is a honor to do life with these people.  Many lives are changing because of their persistence.

     When life is hard and sounds more like the tuning of the instruments before the orchestra begins, it's imperative we remember these beautiful days when the music sounds better than it ever has sounded before.  We have to take time, on those hard days to be still a recall the loveliness of beginnings, the peacefulness of endings, and the joy in the middle that life can be.  We have to choose to hold onto to those places when the rise and fall of the tempo of life seems incomprehensibly hard.  We can not be afraid to jump into the unknown.  We must remember to love life, but not too much.  And know that we can make a difference wherever we are on the journey!

Thinking of Malawi

   

     I was reminded afresh this week just how much I have to be thankful for.  A dear friend sent me a video that was about Africa and photos from a worship session where a group from Africa were singing praise songs.  Realizing the differences in our cultures, she was surprised and humored by a line in the song that compared caring children on their backs to God carrying us.
     This took me back 7 to our trip to Africa.  I would take much longer than a blog to talk about how and why we ended up on a mission trip to Malawi, Africa but that is not for today.  No matter where life takes Taylor and I we are never very far away from that trip to Africa.  It was crazy, but crazy good.
     I was reminded this week of the women in Malawi.  I began to consider how they carried their children on their backs.  In the good ole U.S.A. we typically carry our children on our hips or in a sling on the front of our bodies.  I haven't really thought about this much.  But when I saw that video this week it hit me...they have to carry their children like this.  Those dear women carry their children on their backs out of necessity.  They work very hard to scratch out an existence.  I do not say "living" because most of them are barely staying alive.  They do not have childcare and they do not have other options.  Everyone who can, is working in some shape, form or fashion.   In America we have things to do.  And, yes, as moms we often multitask by carrying our babies in a sling while we work.  But often times its more helpful to place them in a sling because those precious little ones like being snuggled up to Mom and they tend to sleep or enjoy looking around while they are close to Mom.  But in Africa they have to put those little ones in their slings on their back because they have to have both hands free to thresh grain or carry extremely heavy water jugs on their heads that have to occasionally be balanced by their hands.  They have to wash clothes by hand and build fires for meal.   But actually taking time to compare how and why we carry our children astounded me.  All those years of raising our little ones, a dozen years of toddlers,  I took for granted carrying my babies.  And to be honest I sometimes resented being busy and needing to toss a toddler on my hip.  But the truth is I had a privilege instead of a responsibility.  It was luxury (isn't that ironic) to be able to carry my little ones around on my hip!
     The other memory I had was one with the women in the bush.  Most of the people at the "conference"  we held had walked hours in order to come and learn.  They had brought all their children and everything they would need to stay as long as needed to.  When asked how long we should teach they said for us to talk as long as we would. We literally tagged teamed the entire day for several days and these hungry people soaked up every word we shared like it was there first meal in weeks.  But the memory that stirs me today is one where the women and men had separated into groups.  We had a question and answer time allowing the women to ask about those things that were weighing on their hearts.  A lady stood that day to ask me a question.  I was scared to death.  They were so hungry and I felt so inadequate. She, through the translator, asked, "I am a Christian and my husband is not.  I can not read.  How do I know how to follow the Lord?"  There she stood, hoping that I held the answer to her question.  I would like to tell you I had a brilliant response, but honestly I can not remember what I even said that day.
      From that place of complete honestly and desperate need, there rises up in me a fountain of thankfulness.  The honest truth is we have so much to be thankful for.  If you are reading this blog today you are doing better than 785 million people in this world.  If you are married and your spouse is a Christian you are in a vast minority by a long shot and that is cause to exceedingly rejoice!  I can't remember thinking God for being able to read-EVER.  But I am today!  I have thanked him for my husband and for his faith but I have never really appreciated how rare our situation really is.
     Where ever this find you today, we have so much to rejoice about.  We have so many things to be thankful for.  In spite of what is happening today there are things to appreciate.  So let's start this week out counting our blessings and asking God to show us as we go throughout this week more of those things we have never stopped to be grateful for.  An hymn is playing in my heart, "Come thou fount of every blessing.  Tune my heart to sing thy praise."  It is going to be a great week!

Is Your Blood Pressure Rising? Is Everything Getting on Your Nerves?

 

 It is ok to admit you might need to put yourself in time-out.  It happened to me this morning.  Sometimes taking a time-out is the best thing ever!

     I got my feelings hurt yesterday.  That should have been my first red flag.  At that very moment I should have stopped and allowed the Lord to speak into it but NOOOOO.  It sat there and festered.  That little crack in the door was just enough for the enemy to slip through, in the middle of the night, and really begin to mess with me.  By this morning I was ticked.  I had not slept nearly enough and all that fuming came pouring out on my dear husband...who had absolutely nothing to do with it in the first place.

   Let it be said that the enemy is working overtime this season to try and steal our love and joy (which is what makes us stand out from the world) and wants us to focus on ourselves.  I just jumped right on in his plan and gave him permission.  It was not fun.  I really didn't want to stay there.

     All this is what led to my time-out.  Immediately I knew this couldn't go on anymore and I went right to my war room.  It only took a few minutes of reading from Psalm, praying and listening and the Lord brought peace--He is the Prince of Peace!  It's just crazy how a moment with Him can change my whole outlook.  That mess could have hung around all day and even into tomorrow!

     So this is just a quick encouragement to you.  If you feel your blood pressure rising and everything that it happening is getting on your nerves--it might be your time to go in a quiet place and shut the door.  He will meet you there!  Love, joy and peace are waiting on you!

     It is going to be a great Christmas! Blessing to all of you! "Peace on earth and goodwill to men."  It is a promise!

Mary Did You Know?

     The other day I was talking with the kids and the subject of their births came up.  Out came the unique stories that made each birth special. One child was a surprisingly BIG baby. One of our babies came out sunny side up (which is indicative of his behavior). One birth was a very fast.  One was the most peaceful birth experience.  They have heard these stories over and over.  However, some details have been blurred over the years.  Am I the only one?  One question was "What day of the week was I born on?   In the lineup of four children there are a few details that have become mixed up.

     I have spent a lot of time thinking about Mary this Christmas.  We sang the beautiful song, "Mary Did You Know?" this Sunday and a whole new layer of thoughts began.  The scriptures tell us, regarding Jesus' birth, she "pondered all these things and treasured each memory in her heart." Really?  That has to be one of the great understatements of all times.  Here is a woman who had to have been accused of being a slut.  No one would really believe that story.  And for good reason...who was expecting a baby to come as the Savior of the world (although there were prophecies).  They were under the Roman rule and forced to travel in order to take a census to decide how much they would pay the Roman government in taxes.  They lived in daily fear of what could happen to them a the hand of Roman soldiers.  They were all looking for and expecting a Man to become the King,  And yet here was Mary with a baby.  She had to have played the supernatural experiences over and over and over in her mind.  The way the angel showed up to her and first spoke of Jesus.  The announcement of Elizabeth's pregnancy and then Mary's arrival at Elizabeth's home and the greeting she received there.  How Elizabeth knew just what was going on! Amazing!  That had to be the Lord. And then Joseph was visited by the angel Gabriel as well...and Zachariah.  How could this NOT be God? And after the trauma of traveling so very pregnant and going into labor, the Lord graciously sent the shepherds with that amazing announcement of seeing the heavenly host proclaiming the birth of the Savior.  They showed up in the stable!  It just could not seem clearer. Regardless of what the world said she was holding the Savior in her arms.

     Could she have known what that meant? What could it have felt like to know that you were swaddling your Deliverer?  Did she understand the prophecies of old and could she believe that this baby that she was holding would fulfill them?  Don't you know she pursued the prophecies with a whole new passion to try and understand what they said about Jesus. Her ears had to perk up anytime someone mentioned what the scriptures said about the Savior.  These were puzzle pieces, when they were put together,  that made the picture of her Son's destiny.

      Did she feel pressure to do an extra good job raising this child?  Kings were raised to be kings. They were shaped and molded and taught all they needed to know about politics and government.  They had the best of educations and knew more than most people.  Joseph and Mary had absolutely no way to provide these privileges.  Not only could they not teach him these things but they could have anyone else do it either.  He received the same education that boys of his social standing and background received.  Only he did seem to shine out among them in his education.  Was it enough? Could they or should they do more?  Jesus wasn't their only child.  He grew up with brothers and sisters.  Should he be treated differently?  I mean He IS the Son of God!

     Fast forward 30ish years.  As the years passed, how clear did all of these details remain? As Jesus began His ministry on this earth did she remember what was said to her and to those around her.  How many times did she push rewind? What I am wondering is this: When she was watching Jesus on that cross what was she thinking?  Were these amazing details surrounding His birth get blurred by the tears?  Could she even recall what the angel Gabriel looked like?  Did she remember the shepherds and their amazing story.  Where was John now?  Where was Joseph?  Elizabeth and Zachariah?  Not one of those who walked with her in the beginning was left to watch this horrific death.  Did she blame herself for dropping the ball?  Did they fail to do all they should have done?  Was the mission was aborted?

     I wish I could have been there with her when she first realized 3 days later that it was not as it all seemed.  He had risen, her baby boy really had "come to make us new." Only the details looked very different than what they had all assumed.  I bet it was in this place that the memories came rolling back.  I think she was, for a time, transported in her thoughts back to his birth.  All of those words spoken about Him came back AND THEY MADE SENSE.  Don't you know she began to see the puzzle in its completion for the first time!

     Isn't it awesome that we get to see the puzzle as well.  As we soak in the story of His birth we get to see it from the perspective of the empty tomb back to the stable!  There isn't a greater privilege! And doesn't the stable look beautiful from our view!

Interruptions...

   

      I don't know about you, but I am not always good at interruptions.  It is ironic that I am not, because my life consists of interruption after interruption.  Rarely do I complete one single thought-in its entirety-that I am not interrupted. (What does that do to a person's brain over long periods of time?)  I am even noting: I interrupt myself.  Homeschooling 4 children, one high schooler, one middle schooler,  a fourth grader and one kindergartener is not a neat and tidy job.  Even as hard as I have tried, through the years, I can not make it fit into a neat box that has everyone doing a particular thing during an exact time and changing when the bell rings.  I gave up trying years ago.  The Kindergartener is distracted.. gotta get her back on track.  The 4th grader needs me to administer a spelling test.  The 8th grader is trying to complete his pre-Algebra but is stumped on a problem and the high schooler is waiting to discuss geometry.  Traffic congestion happens on the road and sometimes school congestion happens in our home, these are the problems that can arise in a typical day.  But the interruptions I am talking about today are those things that pop up out of the blue.  These interruptions are life jolts that you did not anticipate.

   

     One time I was on this path (in the photo) one evening at Lake Junaluska,  North Carolina.  I was super sad because my granddaddy had died recently.  I was walking and thinking, beside the lake.  I only saw one other person out at that time that night.  I saw him across the lake as he jogged around.  He was an older man and was trying to get his run in before it was totally dark.  I had seen him a long time before he got to me.  It wasn't a short run.  It was such a God moment.  Although there was nothing about my demeanor that would have given my attitude away...he stopped for me.  I even remember smiling at him and saying hello as he passed in front of me.  But he wasn't fooled.  He still stopped.  He didn't stay long, in fact it probably was just a few moments.  But he told me that life wasn't that bad.  He didn't use deep theological jargon.  What he said was a very simple-which was perfect for my high school brain.  But his words jarred me out of that sadness and shined light into my heart.

     The Bible is also full of interruptions...Moses did not anticipate the burning bush.  Gideon was trying to hide and thresh some grain when the angel showed up to him.  Noah "build a boat!" Totally unexpected to say the least.  Joshua was nearly knocked off his feet when God interrupted his nice, neat, large army and totally changed the plans.  David was just taking care of the sheep and his entire life was thrown upside down with one interruption from Samuel.

     And then there is Jesus.  His entire life was one huge interruption.  Even His arrival was not expected.  All the people expected a powerful King of great wealth and influence.  An innocent, vulnerable baby...NEVER.  Totally off the radar.  He didn't come to fit nicely into the plans of humans, He came to settle a score.  

     One of my favorite interruptions of all was the one where "there were shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night."  It is just another night.  It was dark except for maybe a campfire.  They may have been eating or dozing.  Maybe they were telling stories or singing songs.  But what happened in that field that night was one of world's BIGGEST interruptions.  "An angel of the Lord appeared among them and the glory of the Lord shown around them." It had been over 500 years since God's presence left the temple, the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies, and now it appeared to some nobodies out in a field.  The last time someone had been in the vicinity of the Holy Spirit they had a rope tied around their leg so that if they died in the presence of the Lord they could be pulled out by their leg.  Who would have ever expected the glory of the Lord to show up in this way.

     Jesus continued interrupting people for the rest of his time on earth.  His water-to-wine miracle was a welcomed interruption.  He busted up a fishing trip to call James and John.  He stormed into the temple and interrupted the people who were ripping off his children and misrepresenting Him.  He interrupted funerals and raised the dead.  He walking unexpectedly to the Pool of Bethesda and started healing people.  Even his death was an interruption.  The disciples anticipated Him taking the throne and setting the Jewish people free from the Roman rule.  What they did not anticipate was that He had is eye on The Throne where he would sit at the right hand of God the Father and that his position there could not only set the Jewish people free but ALL the people in the entire world who come to believe.  

    Jesus understood interruptions.  He actually welcomed them. When the little children wanted to come to Him, He stopped what He was doing and called them to Himself.  When the lame man was lowered through the ceiling (talk about breaking line) Jesus didn't lecture him about waiting his turn.  He welcomed the interruption.  When he was talking and eating at a meal Mary interrupted, wanting to wash his feet with her expensive perfume.  He praised her interruption. People would yell at him while he was walking down the road and He would stop.  He was mourning the loss of his cousin, John the Baptist, and the people were interrupting.  For pete's sake He could not get anything done without an interruption.  I bet I am not the only one who is interrupted while going to the bathroom...I BET HE WAS INTERRUPTED TOO.  If they had doors I bet fingers would have been coming under the door while he was trying to go.  

     So how did He do it?  He was full of compassion for people and their needs.  He was here to change lives and not to complete an agenda.  He saw the bigger picture and was about greater good.  And He was the expert on loving the one in front of Him, even if they dropped in through the roof in the middle of a lesson.   Maybe He wanted you and me to see that even in His hardest times He was willing to love people and welcome their interruptions because He came to represent His Father who is full of love for us.  And He didn't just welcome interruptions while he was on earth He still does it today.  He sits beside the Father now,  as our advocate.  When we need Him, He is "ever ready to make intercession on our behalf."   

     I am really nervous now!  I have Christmas shopping to do and food to bake.  I have plans and appointments.  Am I willing?  Do I trust Him enough to be open to interruptions?  Ok, that is not the right question at all.  Maybe the right question is this: Does God trust me enough to place interruptions in front of me?  Does He think I am the perfect person to represent Him in this hurting world? I am feeling braver...if He trusts me enough to represent Him (He calls me an ambassador) then surely I am prepared and equipped for whatever He may place in my way! And congratulations friend, you are too!  These interruptions may end up being the greatest thing that ever happened in the lives of the ones we meet.  And we may be surprised to find they are some of the best things that happen to us as well.

Lifting Up Our Eyes

 

    This morning,  as I looked out the school room window at the thick fog,  I began considering why so many people become hopeless at the holidays.  In Isaiah 60 it says, "See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples. "  That is what I have been seeing..."thick darkness" over people.  But why?
   
     We get so sidetracked and distracted.  Even this morning I was feeling extremely tired and overwhelmed by all the things to do.   The thick darkness, like a cloud, rolled in and I had begun to look at myself and my stuff more than on the One who bigger than me.

     Charles Swindoll puts it like this, "But take away our hope, and we are plunged into deepest darkness...stopped dead in our tracks, paralyzed.  Wondering. "Why?" Asking, "How much longer? Will this darkness ever end? Does He know where I am?"

     I had begun to be distracted by my responsibilities, thinking of them as chores instead of gifts.  It's a privilege to teach...a gift I have been given.  I GET to be with my children all day and that is a gift.  God has blessed our lives with lots of people around us to love and to be loved by...gift again.

     It is interesting that the enemy tries to turn our eyes inward and on ourselves during a time when the world is primed for considering the arrival of the Savior.  But if we are distracted with our lists and disappointed with our lot in life then who will tell them that the "glory of the Lord" appeared to the shepherds in a field and God put on flesh and came to this earth on our behalf. Of course He sees us and knows right where we are...he cared so much He came to live among us so that we could know Him.  He cares so much He lived and died so that we could be free and so that we would never have to live without Him.

      Isaiah goes on to say that "the Lord rises upon you and His glory appears over you."  It is the truth!  His light is in us and we have the opportunity to share it with those around us.  "Lift up your eyes and look around you...Then you will look and be radiant, your heart will throb and swell with joy."  That is what I believe happens to us when we turn our focus to the Lord, when we pry our eyes from ourselves and place them on bigger things. JOY COMES.  It is when we look up that that thick darkness rolls away and His light shines through.  He transforms us into a representation of Himself.  We radiate His light and people begin to see something different in us.  They want to know the reason for our joy and hope.  So as we go out this Christmas, finishing the things we have before us to do, let us ask the Lord to help us look up and to be ready and willing to share the reason for the our joy.

Just look at you!  You are so radiant!!

 

Sharing Stories

   My grandfather was a storyteller.  He was a teacher/principal/superintendent by trade.  Throughout his years of work he accumulated many great stories.  I would ask him to tell me them over and over again.  (Note to self: you are probably a good teller of stories if others ask you to tell your stories over and over again.)  The story that stands out above the rest is the one that happened in his first year or two of teaching in Hornsby, TN, in a one room schoolhouse.

     Times were MUCH different then than they are now.  Regardless of grade, all students were in one room together.  The teacher had charge of little bitty kindergarteners all the way up to big burly high schoolers.  Somehow they had to manage all of them well.  One of Granddaddy's rules was no tobacco at school.  Chewing tobacco was the rage for the older boys and they devised a plan to be able to get their "fix" and keep Mr. Ross from knowing.  In all of their wise planning they some how decided that the only place he wouldn't get suspicious of was the outhouse.  So they hid a pouch of tobacco in the designated place and every time one of them went to the outhouse they got themselves some tobacco.  Unfortunately, there was an angle they didn't consider.

     When all of the other fellows found out that their buddy had accidentally dropped the pouch down into the hole they were furious.  They were so mad, in fact, that at recess these guys decided that they were going to punish their buddy by lowering him by his feet into that hot mess (literally) and make him retrieve the pouch.  All was going well...until they dropped him!  Granddaddy was a believer in the punishment had to fit the crime.  His punishment that day was for those fellows to clean their buddy up from the nasty poop they dropped him into.

     One night I was visiting at Austin's Restaurant with Mr. and  Mrs. Carnell Breeden.  For some reason this story came to mind, and I began telling it to Mr. Carnell.  As I was at the climax of the story Mr. Carnell was literally crying he was laughing so hard.  I finally stopped.  I knew it was a funny story but I just didn't think my storytelling skills were to the level of hilarity he was experiencing.  I said, "Mr. Carnell, this is a funny story, but it is not THAT funny."  To which he responded, "It is if you were holding his feet."

     We all have stories that are archives of the past.  They can all contain treasures, little nuggets of truth that can touch us and impact others.  The people around us have their stories as well.  It would bless us to have them share their treasures with us.  But here is the key...LISTEN.  Really take time to listen to what they are saying and how they are saying it.  I would give a lot to be able to sit with relatives that have gone ahead of us and hear their stories a few more times.  If you have a relative that tells the same stories a thousand times in a row, ask him or her to tell it one more time.  And really pay attention.  A storyteller couldn't be honored more than to be asked to tell a favorite story again.  And I promise you that no matter how many times you have heard them there will come a day when you can't hear them anymore that you will wish you could.  Remember they are priceless treasures to be held onto and valued.

     And remember that there are story tellers all around you.  Look for them.  You will love an elderly person more that you could ever ever imagine by asking them to share their stories with you.  If you want to participate in giving and receiving a blessing, find someone who feels no one cares about their stories anymore and ask them to tell them to you.  What was the funniest thing that ever happened to them?  What is their favorite memory of raising children or from their marriage?  What was the nicest thing anyone ever did for them?  (Just a few of the many leading questions to get them started.) They will pull out their bag of most valuable ones to share with you and they will be blessed...but so will you.

     What are your stories?  What are the events that have shaped and molded your life.  What are the funny ones that make you laugh just to think about them.  Or the ones that make your face blush with embarrassment as they come to mind? Or the ones that make you cry in only a moment?  These are your treasures. I would love to sit with you, sharing a cup of coffee, while listening to your stories.  We would laugh and cry.  So just do it today...find somebody and start asking and start sharing.  Its going to be great!

   

Feeling So Thankful

 

     The older I get the more nostalgic I become.  Thanksgiving, this year, is bringing a wave of wonderful memories rolling in from the past.
These are sweet waves to ride.

     One wave of memories includes the uniqueness of our family.  We lived in a small rural West Tennessee town where we never locked our doors and folks knew they were welcomed at any time.  Even as a young child, our home was the gathering place.  People were in and out constantly.  People came so often that my Mom just continued her daily rituals regardless of who was around.  That may be one of the reasons they felt so welcomed.  Life didn't stop just because they came in.  They could come in and jump into life with us.  One of our friends was from out of town, with no family around and he happened in one year just when we needed him to help us get our contrary Christmas tree into the stand.  He ended up staying and helping decorate.  I think that these people felt like family because they were treated like family.

     Our town had a unique quality of its own that added to our uniqueness as a family.  It had an international flight school.  So men and women of all ages and nationalities came to learn to fly in our town.  You might not think that growing up in West Tennessee would include going to the local grocery story where you would hear several different languages being spoken as you shopped--but it did.   And several of those young men gravitated to our home.  (It probably had something to do with the fact that I have two beautiful sisters.) But come they did.  Most of these men were far from home and were so excited to get to visit in a home that wasn't a bachelor's apartment.

     One of my favorite memories is Thanksgiving with the pilots.  We had our family all come to eat and sitting right in the middle of all the family were some of our pilot friends.  It was a delightful time and it was so fun seeing our great aunts and grandparents visiting with these young men.  And it was a super cool feeling, as a child, knowing that people who didn't have anywhere to go and celebrate Thanksgiving were welcomed at our table.  But they didn't just stay for lunch.  There were some football games played and some football games watched.  Everyone took naps and about dinner time we all raided the refrigerator. The funniest story of all was how my step-father returned from hunting with his mind on the leftovers in the fridge--only to find that the pilots had eaten the last of the oyster dressing.  He began considering revoking all "refrigerator rights" at that point, but he never did.

     Rarely a Thanksgiving (or Christmas) is had, in our family, that someone is not invited in.  There are people all around us that have no one with which to spend the holidays. My sister Missy realized that her elderly neighbor was going to be alone on Christmas, year before last.  She brought her along to Christmas breakfast.  That sweet woman cried because she was so thankful to have been welcomed.  She is now a part of Christmas breakfast.  I just saw her a few weeks ago and she talked about how she is looking forward to coming this year.


     So as you head toward Thanksgivng turn your attention to those the Lord places before your path.  Take time to check in with them and see if they have plans for the holidays.  Those leftovers do taste really good...but to a lonely person they will definitely taste better at your dinner table the first time around.  Maybe you are thinking that your family is too messy--your visitor will be so thankful they won't even notice.  Or maybe your culinary skills aren't that great--give yourself room to laugh about burnt turkey (or frozen) and let them laugh with you.  All that is required is love.  Just have them in, whatever your situation, and love them well.  Love never fails.

   

Colorful Seasons

     Isn't it interesting how our personal life has seasons just like nature does?  We have just come from our fall break and we got to see part of the Appalacian Mountains as they were beginning to change colors.  Every day we were there the colors became more vibrant.  It was like a beautiful present God was unwrapping before us.
   
     But you know what?  In order for those gorgeous fall colors to happen there are other things that have to take place.  In the Spring and the Summer there have to be some rainy days.   I heard my Mom comment the other day that we just haven't had enough rain for our trees to be colorful.  We need the rainy days.

   Some seasons are wins.  Things are all going the right way and situations fall in to place with little or no trouble at all.  And other seasons are totally different.  It seems like whatever we do we can't seem to get it right.  The harder we try the messier it gets.  I have had a period of messing things up.  It is not a fun place to be.  As I was talking with God about it this morning He blessed me with some insight that truly touched my heart.  Here it is...maybe it will bless you too.  Life is full of mistakes.  We will make them.  It is what we do with them that makes the difference.  Own the mistakes, learn from them, and move forward.  Beating myself up and receiving condemnation is not from God.

     Ironically, it is beginning to rain outside as I type.  When I look back on this time I think it will look a lot like a rainy day.  But I wonder if life is like the trees.  Maybe its when we haven't had enough of these personal challenges that our colors don't develop the way they should.  Maybe we need to look at this in a different way.  When we fall short or mess up we should view it like the rain. We need to realize that this is just growing us, so that in the next season we will show those deep rich colors we were created to demonstrate.  This rainey season is only making us more beautiful.

Fervent is a Blessing!

     Taylor and I went to see the movie War Room a few days ago. I knew from the previews that I had to see this movie.  I was so encouraged by it that when a friend sent me a picture of the book Pricilla Shirer (leading lady as well as Christian speaker/minister) had written to go with the movie,  I went the next day to purchase it. The name of her book is Fervent.  If you haven't seen the movie yet RUN RUN RUN to the theatre and stop by the bookstore for the book on the way home.  The movie is excellent and the book is life-changing.  If you notice, I had to hold down the cover because the book is already so used the cover is bent.

    I am going to step out on a limb here and publish the first prayer I wrote in response to Shirer's "Strategy 1" chapter.  It was so encouraging to me to write this prayer and pray it out loud that I want to share it with you in hopes that it may be a blessing to you as well.  May your passion be fueled by this prayer as mine was.

 Dear Father, 
     I thank you that your lovingkindness will never cease and your compassions never fail-in fact they are new every morning! Great is your faithfulness.  I am so grateful that we get to start fresh and new, continually.  You truly are our good Father.  You not only love us and care for us but you have gone ahead of us and hove made the victory sure and certain.  We already know the winner and we get to be apart of the wining team. 
     
     God I ask you to forgive me for the places where I have failed to trust you.  I repent for loosing sight of the point and for placing anything at all before you, in my life.  May I desire nothing but those things that are important to you.  My life is your Lord.

     Thank you, God, that you give me a heart to know you.  You are my Lord and and I am yours.  You are my God and I give you my whole heart.  Thank you that you listen to me.  Thank you that I get to know and find you when I seek for you with all my heart (the heart that you gave me).  Cut those things off that aren't of you.  I give you all of my heart, soul, and strength.  You are the greatest of all treasures available, Lord--may I always know and believe that with all that I am.  Thank you for a new heart and a new Spirit.  Thank you that you don't leave me where I was and that even now you are giving me the much more abundant life.  Fill me from head to foot with a renewed passion and fervor for the things of you!  Amen
     

Oaks of Righteousness

                               “They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord 

                                               for the display of his splendor.” Isaiah 61:3

This is exactly who you are created to be—an oak of righteousness.  You actually “display” the splendor of the Lord.  You may be struggling with the thought that you were created for such a divine purpose, thinking that you feel far from “righteous” and definitely not a reflection of the Lord demonstrating his splendor.  My friend, you have been hearing from the enemy and today is the day to know the truth.

Knowing an Oak tree is one of the largest trees might not seem important to this picture unless you think about the canopy that a large tree provides.  God made you to shield, shelter and protect many.  Your “branches” or influence can reach a wide range of people and have an impact you may not even realize. Ask God to show you those that He has placed under your canopy and encourage them today.  

For some of you, being compared to a hard wood may not seem the least bit flattering.  But when you know that hard woods tend to be disease and insect resistant it might feel more like a complement.  You are called (by God) an ‘oak of righteousness”.  So not only are you able, through Jesus Christ, to resist attacks, but because of HIs blood you get to be his very righteousness.  “Not by works that any man should boast.” The deck is stacked in your favor.  

So why is it so hard to walk in all that we were created to be?  It is because there is an enemy and his desire is to destroy you and anything good that could come through you.  But we are stronger than whatever he can throw at us.  Why? Because we serve a risen Savior who is in the world TODAY.  It is not just a neat saying, we really can do ALL things through Christ who gives us strength. Our challenge is to not give up.  When life is hard, when people are mean, when all seems impossible we are going to keep stepping.  

This blog is going to be a reminder that you are not alone.  There is hope.  You were created with an identity and a voice. And there is a purpose for your life.  God loves you so much He sent his only Son for YOU.  If He loves you this much, you must be amazing! 

          

Out Home

        Isn’t it interesting what memories were seared in your memory? The smell of a place, the taste of a food, the sound of a voice.  I am certain that memories are flooding forth for you.  It would be fun to hear your memories.  

Some that seem foremost in my brain are the thoughts I have about going “Out Home.”  That was the endearing term we used for the home that my great-aunts lived. It was their family home. Aunt Helen and Aunt Wade opened their doors wide to so many people as a respite in this dark world and it truly was a home to so many.  And it smelled like home. 

Even though Aunt Wade had a step-son neither of the wonderful women had birth children, but that did not stop them from parenting. Aunt Helen practically raised her brothers and sister and then went into teaching, which she did for decades before she retired.  But so many people felt like their children.  Grown men, particularly pastors, in our little town would show up at their kitchen table for coffee and dessert knowing that they would be cared for and encouraged.  Hurting people, wounded people, lonely people would show up.  I can not tell you the amount of times I would hear the Aunts say who had shown up and I would be so surprised that “that” person had come.  I now wonder how many others came that we never knew about.  One youth minister was given his own key with an open door policy that if he ever needed a place to come he was always welcomed. Peoples’ lives were different as a result of their care.  My life is blessed because of their lives.

They kept loving too. My parents divorced after a fairly long but challenging marriage.  My dad had moved to our town from Pennsylvania.  His family lived a long way away.  Aunt Helen and Aunt Wade made it a point to regularly have Dad out for dinner.  He always felt loved and welcomed there.  And my Mom never complained.  She was so secure in their love for her that she knew they had enough to pour into others as well.  Way to go Mom!

       
        As I think about their example I consider our table and our home.  May we never forget how important hospitality is.  It is a gift to be able to invite others in to eat with us.  It does not have to be a gourmet meal and our home does not have to be perfect to love people.  We often ate leftovers when we went to Aunts’ house.  But I can not tell you how blessed we are for having gotten to go. I just know that when I get to heaven God will have given them a round kitchen table and a coffee pot so that we can all sit around and visit.  

So let us all brew a fresh pot today and grab some cookies.  Take a chance and reach out to an older neighbor who may need conversation.  Or maybe their is a younger one who needs an older person to encourage them.  It is amazing what God can do with two little women and a kitchen table. Just imagine what he has in store for you.