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!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Thursday, February 19, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
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
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
Monday, February 16, 2009
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.
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.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
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
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
Friday, February 6, 2009
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!
“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!
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
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!
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!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
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)
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)
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