Senior Blessings

I’m fifty-something years old; I am officially allowed to park in the “Seniors” spaces in the church parking lot (though my pride won’t allow me to do so); I have five grandchildren I adore; but I’m still blessed with the youth to call my Daddy’s house every morning and ask, “How’s Grandmother doing today?”

At ninety-five, her body is failing her. But her mind and spirit are strong. I think of her when I read, “...the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” Titus 2:3-5.

All of my life, my Grandmother has been reverent in her behavior, a teacher of good things, chaste, and she still honors the memory of her husband, as she honored him in life. What a blessing it has been to have had her in my life all of these years.

I am grateful for each day that God blesses us with her continued presence. But I’m even more grateful for the time in eternity God has already granted us to be with Him and each other forever!

Love Or Lie?

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar...
1 John 4:20

I recently learned that a brother in Christ, who had broken trust with me and caused hurt to many others, had finally been found guilty of his crime and imprisoned...literally hand-cuffed and hauled off to jail. Can you guess how I responded to the news? I was happy! A feeling of self-righteous vindication welled up in me.

Then God reminded me of the many times I had broken trust with Him and caused hurt to others. The fact that my failures were not illegal doesn’t change the fact that I’m still reaping the consequences. Neither does it mean that I need God’s grace and forgiveness any less than my incarcerated brother.

Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you...Luke 6:28

Lord, please help me to bless rather than curse, and pray rather than gloat over this fallen brother, so I can say “I love God,” and not be found a liar.

My God-Given Task

I’ve always been a very task-oriented person. Give me a job, and by George I’ll get it done! Give me a deadline, and I’ll mark it down and meet it! Got something that needs doing? Ask me! I’ll say yes! Am I over-committing my time and energies? Absolutely! Does that matter? Absolutely not! People need me, and I need to fill their needs.

But after fifty-some-odd years of all that “task-i-ness,” I still wonder, “What unique ‘task’ does God have in mind for me...have I come anywhere near accomplishing it yet...what is my specific purpose in service to him?”

With no real answer in view, I just continued to go and go and go, and do and do and do. Then recently, God finally said, “WHOA!” My body caved to exhaustion, and I went down for the count for a few days. I couldn’t complete the simplest task. I had to say “no” to commitments I had made in good faith to people who were counting on me.

So in my distress, I turned to God’s word, and he relieved me with these truths:

“I have seen the God-given task with which the sons of men are to be occupied...I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives.” Ecclesiastes 3:10 & 12.

“Offer right sacrifices, and trust in the Lord.” Psalm 4:5

Rejoice...do good...offer right sacrifices...trust in the Lord. Those are difficult challenges for a task-oriented person—so general—so intangible—no specific deadline to meet. But I’m beginning to realize that if I fail in these God-given tasks, all my other “task-i-ness” will only be “grasping for the wind.”

So, thank you Lord, for defining my tasks. I’m trusting you for the grace to complete them.

A Good Work

Philippians 1:6. He who has begun a good work in you will complete it...

When I started this Blog, it was in response to a strong sense from the Lord that I needed to write. I wasn't sure what he wanted me to write...I wasn't sure where he wanted me to write. He just said, WRITE!

And now, it's been months since I've added a post. But rather than beat myself up, I've decided to pick myself up, and begin again with an obedient heart.

Thank you, Lord, for this good work you began in me, and for the promise that YOU will be the one to complete it.

He Loves You, Yeah--Yeah--Yeah!

I love the oldies. But my “oldies” are different from my parents’ “oldies.” My Daddy gets all reminiscent and sentimental when he hears Bing Crosby sing White Christmas. I get all excited and nostalgic over the Beatles’ She Loves You, Yeah—Yeah—Yeah!

So, it’s no wonder that the Bible says, Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth...Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things...Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, burst into jubilant song with music...

As the Lord does marvelous new things in each of our lives, from generation to generation, we burst into jubilant new songs of gratitude and praise!

So I’ll continue to cherish the old hymns of worship and songs of praise that have spoken to my heart for years. And as the next generation bursts into jubilant new song, I will shout for joy to the Lord, “...He loves you, yeah—yeah—yeah—yeah!”

Psalm 96:1-2; Psalm 98:1-6

Well, Shut My Mouth!

Jesus said, “He who has ears, let him hear...” (Matthew 11:15; Matthew 13:9; Matthew 13:43, Mark 4:9, Luke 8:8, Luke 14:35—for example)

He didn’t say, “He who has a mouth, let him speak...”

Rather, we are told, “My dear brothers, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak...” (James 1:19)

I like the age-old maxim, "It is better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open it and remove all doubt." Oh that I could learn to live by that!

Lord, please put wisdom in my words; and help me to know when it’s time to let them out of my mouth.

Celebrate!

Happy Life Day, Mother! I love you.

(See February 16, 2009 post.)

I Forgive You

“Forgiveness is giving up my right to hurt you because you have hurt me.”

That’s not my original thought...far from it. But when I read this in one of my favorite books recently, the Holy Spirit highlighted it for me.

This little phrase goes against everything that human fairness demands...you hit me, I hit you back; you yell at me, I yell back; you hold a grudge against me, I hold one against you. Nobody is willing to “give” in these fruitless tug-of-wars.

But “giving” is exactly what is required.

Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. Colossians 3:13

God expects me to give up my perceived right to fairness, in humble obedience to his command to forgive. After all, look at what he gave up for me.

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Thank you, Lord for giving up your right to hurt me, in spite of all the times I have hurt you. Help me to obediently forgive others, even when the world tells me I have the right not to.

If I Had A Hammer

Do you remember that old Peter, Paul, and Mary song? The fact that I’m even asking the question gives away my age! The lyrics begin:

If I had a hammer,
I’d hammer in the morning
I’d hammer in the evening
All over this land!
I’d hammer out danger
I’d hammer out a warning,
I’d hammer out love between my brothers and my sisters,
All over this land!

For these lyrics to have meaning, you can’t visualize an actual hammer, of course. Instead, consider Webster’s take on the word, “...to keep emphasizing; to develop by careful thought or repeated effort; to drive, force, or shape as with hammer blows.”

Unfortunately, we’re often tempted to pick up our own “hammers” and hit people over the head with them. Rather, we must be a willing hammer in the hand of God, who uses us to strike—whether gently or sharply—with HIS truth...HIS agenda...HIS purpose. HE is the carpenter. WE are the tool.

When we allow God to use us in his service, we must remember that both hammer and nail feel the impact. So let us pray for the strength and grace to endure whatever pain comes with the process.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

Take Heart

Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord...Psalm 31:24.

'Nuff said.

My Pride and Joy

My Pride and Joy...That phrase suddenly hit me as odd today. I’ve often introduced my children and/or grandchildren as my “pride and joy.” But today, the connection of these two words has an oxymoron feel—a contradiction in terms.

I guess this new insight could be attributed to the fact that I had a little run-in with my pride this week, which knocked my joy right on its backside!

The obvious truth is that there is good pride, and there is bad pride. The good kind brings us joy. The bad kind drives joy away.

The pride we feel in others makes our hearts joyful. Our own selfish pride causes joy to flee from our hearts. And seeing that Joy has moved out, Anger and Resentment move in...Unwelcome guests indeed!

Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Proverbs 16:18.

My Pride and Joy...Thank you, Lord, for knocking me in the “pride” to make room for more joy!

What a disappointment!

Are you feeling disappointed in someone or something today? If not today, then surely at some point you have felt so in the past. And most assuredly you will feel so in the future.

Webster defines “disappoint” like this..."to fail to satisfy the hopes or expectations of.”

When someone or something disappoints us, our hopes and/or expectations of that person or situation has failed to satisfy. The secret to getting over disappointment is in how to determine who is really responsible for it.

Hopes and expectations are good things that spur us on, and give us goals to stretch toward. Sometimes people and/or circumstances fail us, and we are rightfully disappointed. But on the other hand, if we set our hopes and expectations too high, we can bring disappointment upon ourselves.

Think about how we have come to depend upon the central heating systems in our homes. Our expectation is to be warmed and comforted by that system on cold, blustery days—a reasonable expectation. However, if in our haste to “get warm,” we set the thermostat too high, we’ll eventually begin feeling uncomfortable. So is our discomfort the fault of the central heating system? No...it’s the fault of the bonehead who set the thermostat!

So how do we learn to “set the thermostat” to the proper temperature, for our hopes and expectations—both for ourselves and for others—in our struggle to become more like Christ? The Apostle Paul himself admitted that he still didn’t have a grip on that, in his letter to the Philippians:

Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me Heavenward in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14

Forgetting what is behind...straining toward what is ahead...press on!

Dear Father, please set my heart at the correct temperature, and thank you for forgiving me for all the times I’ve been a disappointment to you.

Look Up!

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2

Trust in him at all times, oh people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Psalm 62:8

...though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them. Psalm 62:10b

Psalm 62...there’s an awful lot packed into that little chapter that I needed this morning. I’ve been feeling really restless. (My soul finds rest in God alone.)

I’ve been feeling shaken up...like my foundations have been pulled out from under me. (He alone is my rock and my salvation...I will never be shaken.)

I’ve been feeling like crying. (Pour out your hearts to him...)

I’ve been feeling nervous about our economy, and my own economic stability. (...though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.)

Obviously, I’ve leveled my eyes on the wrong things. A horizontal gaze at the people and things around me often makes me feel restless, shaken up, nervous, and tearful. Thank you, Lord, for reminding me to look UP.

Then I will ever sing praise to your name, and fulfill my vows day after day. Psalm 61:8

Happy LifeDay!

It’s February 16, 2009...my mother’s birthday. She would have been 77 years old today, if she hadn’t gone home to Heaven on April 1, 1996. So, I called my Daddy, like I do every year on her birthday...feeling the need to acknowledge the day with someone.

Birthdays were special to Mother, and she always did her best to make sure ours were special too. Have you ever noticed that people make the biggest fuss over others on the occasions that mean the most to themselves? For instance, if someone doesn’t really care about Valentine’s Day, they will be more likely to forget to buy a Valentine for their loved one. It doesn’t mean they love their “Valentine” any less...it’s only the celebration of the day that fails to hit the top of their priority list.

I think Mother would appreciate the fact that we still remember her birthday. But I imagine the day has slid down her priority list a bit by now. For Christians, our “death-day” should be even more worthy of celebration than our “birth-day.” Maybe we should actually call it our “life-day,” since that’s the day we begin celebrating eternal life in Heaven.

Think about it...the only celebration that Jesus installed in memory of himself was the Lord’s Supper—in remembrance of his death. Although we all enjoy celebrating Jesus’ birth at Christmas, that celebration was actually OUR idea...not his.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints...Psalm 116:15

I don’t think that means that the Lord takes pleasure in the death process, which is often painful and full of suffering. I think the Lord just knows that death is the doorway through which his saints walk to get to indescribable joy and reward on the other side.

So...I’m going to allow myself to remember Mother’s birthday each year, because it’s a day worth remembering—just like Christmas is a day worth remembering. But I’m also going to try and CELEBRATE my mother’s “lifeday” every April 1st. After all, I believe that’s the day that means the most to her now.

Sore Muscles

After several weeks away from the gym, I recently returned to my workout...and my body is mad. It had gotten accustomed to sleeping late and functioning more or less from a sedentary position again. The muscles that were showing signs of definition had once more slid behind layers of soft, comfy cellulite. How dare I require them to rise from their slumber and train to be fit!

After any length of time away from my spiritual training...quiet time, Bible study, prayer...my spirit gets mad too. My sedentary spirit slides behind layers of peevishness and self-service. How dare the Lord require me to endure some test or other that will cause me to stretch and grow!

Thank God for sore spiritual muscles. Keep me on my toes, dear Lord, so I can see above myself.

...train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. I Timothy 4:7b-8

Perfection!

Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you will revive me. You will stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies (worry, confrontation, anxiety, fear), and your right hand will save me. The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Your mercy, oh Lord, endures forever. Psalm 138-7-8 (parenthesis mine)

“That which concerns me.” The things that cause me concern...worry over the safety and health of my loved ones; confrontations with others; anxiety over finances; fear of the future. Name your own enemies—they’re all the same, robbing us of our peace.

“That which concerns me.” Things about me, personally...my spiritual condition, my health, my direction in life.

The Lord will “perfect,” or “make perfect” all of those things. Not me....the LORD. Now that’s what I call perfection!

Amazing Grace

Not long ago, I was asked to give a short talk at a church gathering about how thankful I am for my salvation. If I had been asked to do that when I was 20, I would have said all the right words, but they would have come from a completely different heart.

I was raised in a Christian home, by Christian parents, who had me in church every time the doors were open. Daddy was a minister of music for many of my growing-up years, and Mother always sang in the choir and taught Sunday School. Being a Christian was just part of who we were. At the age of 20, I would have given thanks for salvation much like saying a "blessing" over a meal—thanking God for the food, but not really feeling like He actually gave it to me.

So, if you had told me when I was 20 that by the time I was 40, I would be divorced, and that my children would be bouncing back and forth between their Dad and me, and that we would all be dealing with the painful issues that come with that situation, I would have said you were crazy! That was not the life intended for me.

When my life took that unexpected turn, I suddenly didn’t know who I was. For the first time in my life, I actually FELT lost! And in the midst of feeling lost, I learned how very much I needed to be found.

When I was going through the worst of that time in my life, I asked a very wise and trusted Christian friend, “What if I'm not able do the right thing and pull this all back together?" He said simply, “Well…you just may have to be saved by grace like the rest of us after all!”

What a slap in my self-sufficient face! Ever since, I have been so grateful for God’s amazing grace! How sweet the sound! That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now I'm found...blind, but now I see.

Thank you, Lord, for your amazing grace!

All I know is...

All I know is...that I really don’t know much.

I used to think everyone liked me...that I was a very likeable person. Then I got married and discovered how unlikeable I can be.

I used to think I could make anyone “see the light.” Then I turned fifty and discovered that I’m the one who needs enlightenment.

I used to think I was pretty wise. People often appeared to value my opinion. Then a young mother died and left her husband to raise two little boys alone. I had no words.

I used to think I had all the answers. I have learned I have none.

All I know is...that I really don’t know much.

Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. (I Corinthians 3:18-19, The Holy Bible-New King James Version)

Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning. (Proverbs 1:7; The Message)

Grace Alone

I'm thankful. I'm in awe. I'm humbled. I'm a grandmother again. I'm grateful, oh Lord, for this undeserved reward...through your grace alone!

Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him....Psalm 127.5