This has been one heck of a week, thanks to my new need for crutches & what I call my "space boot". It's actually a funny story, if "funny" means "filled with pain, crying meltdowns, & frustrating dependence". Oh, yeah, & "family making fun of you hobbling along in your space boot". You may have heard about the storms that swept through our area last Saturday. We got lots of rain here, but the tornado warnings just danced around us without ever really twirling too close. Until late that evening. Michael had been at work for a couple of hours at this point, & according to the local stations, we were pretty much in the clear. Even so, I kept our weather radio next to me & the radar pulled up on the computer, just in case. Then, it happened. The radio blared that scary "emergency broadcasting system" noise that has never failed to unnerve me & started talking about a tornado warning for our area. I pulled up the radar &, sure enough, there it was - the first red block heading right for us. Heading right for us & supposed to be here in 15-20 minutes. Now, at this point, you wouldn't think that a girl who was raised in Tornado Alley would freak. But you'd be wrong. I freaked. I have yet to see a tornado, & I do not have any intention of disturbing this happy pattern. So, I ran around the house - frantically, I might add - gathering my things & ushering the dogs outside so I could stuff them in the car. 'Cause I ain't leavin' my babies. I would have taken the cat, too, but she had stubbornly hidden herself under the bed, & I didn't have time for a 20-minute furniture moving party. So, the dogs are waiting on the back patio, Ginger almost overcome with excitement because she somehow instinctively knows that she's about to go for a car-ride, one of her all-time favorite pastimes. Jake's not so sure about this whole thing, because he's the opposite of his sister. He's the only dog I've ever met who actually gets carsick. Literally. But we have to go. Michael & I have an agreement that I go to the hospital parking deck to wait out tornado warnings because he feels like concrete & steel are safer in that situation than wood on a crawlspace. Crazy man. Okay, so my sweeties are waiting on the patio while I run out to open the car doors so I can drag them over (I also couldn't find their leashes in my panic to flee from the wrath of the approaching tornado). Remember, it's been raining. Rain means mud. Mud that creeps over the edges of the carport & makes concrete slippery. Especially for flip-flops. Perfectly suited for those times when you're in panic rush-mode. The mud & my flip-flops became fast - though fleeting - friends. My left leg flew out to the side, & my right leg collapsed underneath me, sending me crashing to the slippery concrete, banging my knee really hard & twisting my ankle with a fabulous "pop" in the process. I'll spare you any further details about hobbling each of my darlings out to the car & driving to the hospital's deck while sobbing & shaking from the pain. I won't bore you with reminisces of my attempts to walk around my house later - attempts which ended with my collapse on the bed in complete emotional meltdowns because of the pain. Oh, & the tornado from which I so frantically fled? Yeah, it fizzled out before it ever reached us, before I even left the parking deck to drive home.
All sarcasm aside, as I was indulging myself in a moment of self-pity, I began to think of all the things I had to be thankful for in this situation. I'm a pretty optimistic person, & I do believe that there is always something good that comes from even the worst situations, always some lesson to learn. So that I wouldn't forget, I wrote them down & would like to share them with you. I want to give glory to God here for blessing me, even in this situation - which pales in comparison with those who were hit by tornados that night.
I'm thankful to God for:
-rain to water the grass & plants
-His protection from tornados
-a home that protects us from the weather
-radars & warning systems to alert us of bad weather
-Michael being able to sleep for work (due to lack of seriously severe weather)
-a safe place to go to during bad weather
-protection against possible danger in a public place
-the loving care of my husband
-medicine & bandages to kill & protect from germs & infection
-ice packs & Ace bandages
-a momentary reprieve from pain when I cried out to Him for help
-pillows to prop my foot up on
-my dogs' concern when I have a meltdown
-talking with a godly friend (right after one of my meltdowns) who shows sincere concern & points me to God
-Advil
-God's Word
-prayer
-sleep
I wrote all of these that night. Since then, I've found even more things to be thankful to God for:
-cooler weather that followed the storms
-thorough, caring doctors
-the continued loving care & help from my sweet husband
-crutches
-the workout my arms & back have gotten from the crutches
-a sprained, instead of broken, ankle
-my "space boot", which takes the pressure off so I can (oh so slowly) walk
-Advil (yes, I know I've already mentioned it. I'm very thankful for it!)
-take-out food (it's impossible to cook when you can't put weight on your foot)
-my foot is healing fairly quickly
-the care & concern of family & friends who have called to check up on me
*My most gracious heavenly Father, thank You for all of these things & so much more. Most of all, thank You for being my God & Savior. I love You. In Christ's holy name I pray, Amen.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
From a Ransomed Sinner, With Love
We are all sinners. Every single person on this planet is a sinner. All of us, including you & me, have sinned against God. We have chased after money & possessions, we have harbored anger & unforgiving attitudes, we have had sex outside of marriage, we have not been thankful to Him for His innumerable provisions, we have ignored Him, we've been prideful, & the list goes on. None of us should be self-righteous, because we're all equally guilty of these things - you, me, & everyone else in this world. The difference between true believers & the rest of the world is that we rely on Jesus Christ's righteousness as our own. I know you know the story, but please read it with fresh eyes, as though you didn't, & try to picture it in your head. God has existed from eternity past. He is holy, righteous, & just. He is our Creator. He created the earth in perfection, without sin. But, when Adam & Eve rejected His authority over them, they sinned against Him, & all of creation - including us - have been in bondage to sin ever since. And we can't get out. We are slaves to sin, dead in our sin, completely unable to free ourselves. In order for us to be free, we must have a Redeemer, someone to buy us back from the slave master that is sin. The whole Bible is the story of redemption, of God's plan to save mankind. Not because we are worthy (Scripture shows mankind's repeated rebellion against God, which we carry on today), but because He is merciful. He saves us because our salvation brings Him glory. Glory that is rightfully His, as our holy & just Creator. At just the right time, Jesus Christ became part of His creation in His incarnation. He became human, but He wasn't just any human. He was both fully God & fully man. Fully man to represent us & fully God to be a sinless sacrifice for us. Only God is sinless, & only a man can stand in the place of another man. Therefore, Jesus had to be - & was - both. He lived a perfectly sinless life. No unrighteous anger, no malice, no sexual impurity or immorality - perfectly sinless. He lived in perfect communion with God, day-in & day-out. His every word, thought, & deed was perfectly righteous & one with the Father. That's what makes His death for us so heart-wrenching & so beautiful at the same time. When He cried out in the garden for God to remove the cup from Him if it was His will, He wasn't focused on the beatings & crucifixion He was about to endure. He cried out in agony & sweat drops of blood because, for the first time in all of eternity, His oneness with the Father was about to be severed. God can have no part of sin, He can't even bear to look on it, because of His perfect holiness. Jesus was about to become sin for us. He was about to bear our sin & God's wrath toward that sin on the cross. For the first time in all of eternity, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was going to be utterly alone. Why did this have to be? Why did Jesus have to die? God shows all through the Scriptures that sin requires a sacrifice. Not because He's some sadistic deity, but because He is holy. He is righteous. The opposite of righteousness is evil, & evil must be punished. We all want that, too, don't we? We all want murderers punished. We all want child molesters, rapists, & thieves punished, for things to be set right. The only time we seem to have a problem with it is when we're the guilty ones. Then, we want mercy. But just as any judge who just let a rapist or murderer go with an apology is considered corrupt & unjust, so would be God if He simply let us go when we've sinned against him. Even more so, because while sin against another human is evil, sin against the only One who is perfectly holy & righteous is infinitely more evil. Sin has to be paid for, & the only One who could pay for our sin had to be both God & man. Only Jesus could ransom us from sin & exhaust God's wrath. How do we know that He accomplished this? Because after laying in the grave for 3 days, the Father raised Him from the dead. Some people don't think this is all that significant when you realize that other people were raised from the dead - Lazarus, for instance. The difference is that each of these other people died again. Only Jesus alone was resurrected & still lives. This is how we know that His sacrifice paid for our sins, exhausting God's wrath & justifying us.
My question at this point isn't, "Do you believe this?"; after all, an awful lot of people claim to believe this & they continue in their sin. My question is, "Do you see your sin as repugnant & worthy of damnation? Do you feel sorrow & grief over your sin?" If so, repent! Repentance is not just an apology for sin, it's a deliberate turning away from sin towards righteousness. Repentance also isn't a one-time thing - "I repented of my sin when God saved me, but never since." No, our problem isn't that we sin, it's that we've never done anything but sin. So, repentance is something we do over & over throughout our lives, as God convicts us of our sin. And repentance is His gift to us. Without His Spirit's work in us, we can't feel sorrow over our sin & be led to repentance. Without that understanding, it's easy at this point to begin a works-salvation practice, where I have to white-knuckle it to be good enough. But we can never be good enough. This isn't cause for despair, though, it's cause for celebration, because for the believer, Christ has already won the victory. We can't be good enough, we can't be holy enough, but Christ already is for us! When Christ lived His perfectly sinless life in complete oneness with the Father, it's as though the believer who truly trusts in His sacrifice, lived that life. God the Father sees His Son when He looks on us. His righteousness is credited to us! That's the other side of the coin: we repent & we rely on His righteousness in our stead & His strength to enable us to turn from our sin. I'm coming to realize that this is a life-long process, & I'll never be completely rid of my sin in this life. But a believer's life is characterized by a fighting against sin. We hate the sin in our lives, & we fight against it. Not in our own strength & power, but with the Word of God & with prayer. He helps us to overcome it, & little by little, we reflect Him more & more.
If you feel this sorrow over your sin, don't despair. Yes, our sin is reviling & we can sometimes feel hopeless that we will ever be rid of it. I certainly can feel this way at times. But, if you feel sorrow, you can take heart, because it's an indication that God is working in you, that He loves you & wants to redeem you. And God always accomplishes His will! Sin won't have the victory over a believer. Christ already won that victory, & now we can live from that victory!
I'm writing this letter to you for one reason: if you are not a true believer in Christ as your Lord & Savior, I pray God uses this letter to bring about conviction & sorrow over your sin, as well as hope & freedom in His saving grace. I pray that you come to know Him, love Him, cherish Him, & rejoice in Him with all of your heart, soul, mind, & strength. What joy, freedom, & love is to be found in Him! If you are a true believer, then I pray that you will take this time to evaluate yourself & your life. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says to "examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?---unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" We are all called to hold up our lives next to Scripture & examine to see if our lives reflect God & His Word. In any area that we do, we should praise God for His sanctification in our hearts that reflects itself in our lives. In any area that we don't reflect Him, we must conform our lives to His Word through His power. We conform to Him, we don't expect Him to conform to us. He is the standard. Matthew 7:17 reminds us that "every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down & thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." And Galatians 5:22-23 says that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." These are the characteristics that we are to aspire to, out of love for God. Remember, no one is ever able to do these things perfectly. You will never look at your life & see perfection. Not this side of heaven. The important thing is to rely on Christ's righteousness & His power to overcome your sinful desires as they rear their ugly heads. And to repent when you fail to overcome them, relying on His forgiveness.
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, thank You for Your salvation. Without Your sacrifice for us in the death of Your Son, Jesus Christ, we would be under Your wrath for our sin for all eternity. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, & adoption of us as Your sons. We love You! We praise You! We worship You! Lord, for anyone reading this who is not Your child, please reveal Yourself to them & save them. And please remind all those who are truly Yours to always examine ourselves by Your Word, so that we continue in the faith. In Christ's holy name we pray, Amen.
My question at this point isn't, "Do you believe this?"; after all, an awful lot of people claim to believe this & they continue in their sin. My question is, "Do you see your sin as repugnant & worthy of damnation? Do you feel sorrow & grief over your sin?" If so, repent! Repentance is not just an apology for sin, it's a deliberate turning away from sin towards righteousness. Repentance also isn't a one-time thing - "I repented of my sin when God saved me, but never since." No, our problem isn't that we sin, it's that we've never done anything but sin. So, repentance is something we do over & over throughout our lives, as God convicts us of our sin. And repentance is His gift to us. Without His Spirit's work in us, we can't feel sorrow over our sin & be led to repentance. Without that understanding, it's easy at this point to begin a works-salvation practice, where I have to white-knuckle it to be good enough. But we can never be good enough. This isn't cause for despair, though, it's cause for celebration, because for the believer, Christ has already won the victory. We can't be good enough, we can't be holy enough, but Christ already is for us! When Christ lived His perfectly sinless life in complete oneness with the Father, it's as though the believer who truly trusts in His sacrifice, lived that life. God the Father sees His Son when He looks on us. His righteousness is credited to us! That's the other side of the coin: we repent & we rely on His righteousness in our stead & His strength to enable us to turn from our sin. I'm coming to realize that this is a life-long process, & I'll never be completely rid of my sin in this life. But a believer's life is characterized by a fighting against sin. We hate the sin in our lives, & we fight against it. Not in our own strength & power, but with the Word of God & with prayer. He helps us to overcome it, & little by little, we reflect Him more & more.
If you feel this sorrow over your sin, don't despair. Yes, our sin is reviling & we can sometimes feel hopeless that we will ever be rid of it. I certainly can feel this way at times. But, if you feel sorrow, you can take heart, because it's an indication that God is working in you, that He loves you & wants to redeem you. And God always accomplishes His will! Sin won't have the victory over a believer. Christ already won that victory, & now we can live from that victory!
I'm writing this letter to you for one reason: if you are not a true believer in Christ as your Lord & Savior, I pray God uses this letter to bring about conviction & sorrow over your sin, as well as hope & freedom in His saving grace. I pray that you come to know Him, love Him, cherish Him, & rejoice in Him with all of your heart, soul, mind, & strength. What joy, freedom, & love is to be found in Him! If you are a true believer, then I pray that you will take this time to evaluate yourself & your life. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says to "examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?---unless indeed you fail to meet the test!" We are all called to hold up our lives next to Scripture & examine to see if our lives reflect God & His Word. In any area that we do, we should praise God for His sanctification in our hearts that reflects itself in our lives. In any area that we don't reflect Him, we must conform our lives to His Word through His power. We conform to Him, we don't expect Him to conform to us. He is the standard. Matthew 7:17 reminds us that "every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down & thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." And Galatians 5:22-23 says that "the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." These are the characteristics that we are to aspire to, out of love for God. Remember, no one is ever able to do these things perfectly. You will never look at your life & see perfection. Not this side of heaven. The important thing is to rely on Christ's righteousness & His power to overcome your sinful desires as they rear their ugly heads. And to repent when you fail to overcome them, relying on His forgiveness.
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, thank You for Your salvation. Without Your sacrifice for us in the death of Your Son, Jesus Christ, we would be under Your wrath for our sin for all eternity. Thank You for Your mercy, grace, & adoption of us as Your sons. We love You! We praise You! We worship You! Lord, for anyone reading this who is not Your child, please reveal Yourself to them & save them. And please remind all those who are truly Yours to always examine ourselves by Your Word, so that we continue in the faith. In Christ's holy name we pray, Amen.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Recipe of the "Week"
Michael & I LOVE this recipe! He loves it so much, he wants me to always have it on hand, which, the way we eat it, means making it every other day or so. It's such an easy recipe, though, that this is a request I am only too happy to grant. The original recipe comes from Slashfood, & I've made a few little changes to suit our tastes. Play with it yourself, or follow the recipe to the letter. Either way, I hope you enjoy it!
Ingredients:
-2 c. rolled oats (old-fashioned)
-1 c. almonds
-1 c. pecans
-1/2 c. sunflower seeds
-1/4 c. flax seeds
-1/4 c. wheat germ
-1/4 c. cooking oil
-1/2 c. honey
-1/2 c. each raisins & any other dried fruits you desire. I use craisins & apricots in addition to the raisins.
Directions:
-Mix oats, nuts, seeds, & wheat germ in a large bowl.
-Measure the oil into a measuring cup & swirl it around (this will aid the honey in exiting the cup), then add it to the granola.
-Measure the honey in the same unwashed cup & add it to the granola as well, stirring until the granola is evenly coated.
-Pour the granola into a 13"x9" baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
-Bake @ 300 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
-Remove from oven & add the raisins & other dried fruits, stirring gently several times to prevent clumping.
Granola
Ingredients:
-2 c. rolled oats (old-fashioned)
-1 c. almonds
-1 c. pecans
-1/2 c. sunflower seeds
-1/4 c. flax seeds
-1/4 c. wheat germ
-1/4 c. cooking oil
-1/2 c. honey
-1/2 c. each raisins & any other dried fruits you desire. I use craisins & apricots in addition to the raisins.
Directions:
-Mix oats, nuts, seeds, & wheat germ in a large bowl.
-Measure the oil into a measuring cup & swirl it around (this will aid the honey in exiting the cup), then add it to the granola.
-Measure the honey in the same unwashed cup & add it to the granola as well, stirring until the granola is evenly coated.
-Pour the granola into a 13"x9" baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
-Bake @ 300 degrees for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.
-Remove from oven & add the raisins & other dried fruits, stirring gently several times to prevent clumping.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire
The conversation went something like this:
Me - "So, they're just going to keep lying?"
Friend - "Oh, they're not lying."
Me - "Withholding information is lying."
Friend - "No-ho-ho! No it's not. I don't tell you everything."
Me - (jokingly) "What kind of unethical people are y'all?!"
After that point, I didn't give the conversation much thought until much later. Since then, though, I've been mulling the issue over. It's been ingrained in me my whole life that omission, not just fabrication, is lying. But my friend has a good point. Do you have to tell someone everything to keep from lying? If she doesn't tell me what she had for breakfast, who she talked to on the phone, & where she went after supper, does that mean she's lying? Not if I'm not entitled to that information. So then, what exactly constitutes a lie?
My first stop in resolving this issue for myself was Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language. It was a wedding gift from my brother- & sister-in-law. Upon giving it to us, they said that it's very important to have an accurate definition of words, for they do shape our lives & families. I heartily agree. So, what did Mr. Webster have to say about lies? Lies are an "intentional violation of truth"; their goal is "to exhibit a false representation; to say or do that which deceives another, when he has a right to know the truth, or when morality requires a just representation"; they are "a false statement or representation. . .intended to deceive, mislead, or injure". I think this speaks for itself, & makes it quite clear that omissions that fit these definitions are, in fact, lies.
To really drive the point home, though, I've come up with a few scenarios that, I hope, highlight how simple omissions can "deceive, mislead, or injure":
1) I pull up in Amanda's driveway & park my car next to hers, apparently a little too closely. When I open my door, it accidentally hits her passenger door & leaves a scratch. I don't tell her, though, because I don't want to upset her & possibly ruin our time together. A week later, she tells me that someone at the grocery store must have opened their door into her car, because she's just found a scratch on her passenger side door. Once again, I say nothing about the fault being mine. Now she has to pay to have it fixed.
2) Beverly knows she's not allowed to touch her mother's china. It was passed down to her from her grandmother & is very special to her. She only uses it on holidays or particularly meaningful occasions. But, she's only going to take one quick look while the plates are sitting out for tomorrow's dinner. Mom's out getting the mail; it'll only take a second & she'll never know. As she picks up a dinner plate, she accidentally drops it. It doesn't completely break, thankfully, but it does have a small chip on the back of the rim. She quickly picks it up, puts it on the bottom of the pile, & scampers off just as her mom comes in. She never says a word, even when she hears her mother lamenting over how she must have chipped it when she was washing it as she's cleaning up after dinner the next day.
3) Sarah is a 15-year-old girl from a loving, stable home. David is a 19-year-old boy who is nothing but trouble. Sarah's parents have met David & taken an instant dislike to his arrogance, rudeness, & over-all rebellious attitude. Not to mention he's almost a man, while she's barely a teenager. They can't fathom what has attracted Sarah to him. They tell her their concerns & forbid her to continue the relationship. She pretends to comply, & they believe her. They don't want to upset her - they know she really liked him - so they don't bring the subject up again. She lets them remain blissful in their ignorance, never telling them that she's continuing to talk to him on the phone after they're asleep at night & that he comes to see her at school before classes begin each day. After all, what they don't know won't hurt them.
The ultimate goal of a lie is to deceive someone, to lead them away from the truth. Fabrications do the job well, & so do omissions. When we have information that directly affects someone & we withhold it from them, that's a lie. If it was my car that got a scratch, I'd want to know that it was an accident caused by my friend. If it was my china that got a chip, I'd want to know that my daughter accidentally did it while admiring her future inheritance. And if my 15-year-old child was secretly dating a "bad boy", I'd want to know that, too, so I could nip it in the bud. I'm betting you would, too.
Stop, drop, & roll.
Me - "So, they're just going to keep lying?"
Friend - "Oh, they're not lying."
Me - "Withholding information is lying."
Friend - "No-ho-ho! No it's not. I don't tell you everything."
Me - (jokingly) "What kind of unethical people are y'all?!"
After that point, I didn't give the conversation much thought until much later. Since then, though, I've been mulling the issue over. It's been ingrained in me my whole life that omission, not just fabrication, is lying. But my friend has a good point. Do you have to tell someone everything to keep from lying? If she doesn't tell me what she had for breakfast, who she talked to on the phone, & where she went after supper, does that mean she's lying? Not if I'm not entitled to that information. So then, what exactly constitutes a lie?
My first stop in resolving this issue for myself was Webster's 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language. It was a wedding gift from my brother- & sister-in-law. Upon giving it to us, they said that it's very important to have an accurate definition of words, for they do shape our lives & families. I heartily agree. So, what did Mr. Webster have to say about lies? Lies are an "intentional violation of truth"; their goal is "to exhibit a false representation; to say or do that which deceives another, when he has a right to know the truth, or when morality requires a just representation"; they are "a false statement or representation. . .intended to deceive, mislead, or injure". I think this speaks for itself, & makes it quite clear that omissions that fit these definitions are, in fact, lies.
To really drive the point home, though, I've come up with a few scenarios that, I hope, highlight how simple omissions can "deceive, mislead, or injure":
1) I pull up in Amanda's driveway & park my car next to hers, apparently a little too closely. When I open my door, it accidentally hits her passenger door & leaves a scratch. I don't tell her, though, because I don't want to upset her & possibly ruin our time together. A week later, she tells me that someone at the grocery store must have opened their door into her car, because she's just found a scratch on her passenger side door. Once again, I say nothing about the fault being mine. Now she has to pay to have it fixed.
2) Beverly knows she's not allowed to touch her mother's china. It was passed down to her from her grandmother & is very special to her. She only uses it on holidays or particularly meaningful occasions. But, she's only going to take one quick look while the plates are sitting out for tomorrow's dinner. Mom's out getting the mail; it'll only take a second & she'll never know. As she picks up a dinner plate, she accidentally drops it. It doesn't completely break, thankfully, but it does have a small chip on the back of the rim. She quickly picks it up, puts it on the bottom of the pile, & scampers off just as her mom comes in. She never says a word, even when she hears her mother lamenting over how she must have chipped it when she was washing it as she's cleaning up after dinner the next day.
3) Sarah is a 15-year-old girl from a loving, stable home. David is a 19-year-old boy who is nothing but trouble. Sarah's parents have met David & taken an instant dislike to his arrogance, rudeness, & over-all rebellious attitude. Not to mention he's almost a man, while she's barely a teenager. They can't fathom what has attracted Sarah to him. They tell her their concerns & forbid her to continue the relationship. She pretends to comply, & they believe her. They don't want to upset her - they know she really liked him - so they don't bring the subject up again. She lets them remain blissful in their ignorance, never telling them that she's continuing to talk to him on the phone after they're asleep at night & that he comes to see her at school before classes begin each day. After all, what they don't know won't hurt them.
The ultimate goal of a lie is to deceive someone, to lead them away from the truth. Fabrications do the job well, & so do omissions. When we have information that directly affects someone & we withhold it from them, that's a lie. If it was my car that got a scratch, I'd want to know that it was an accident caused by my friend. If it was my china that got a chip, I'd want to know that my daughter accidentally did it while admiring her future inheritance. And if my 15-year-old child was secretly dating a "bad boy", I'd want to know that, too, so I could nip it in the bud. I'm betting you would, too.
Stop, drop, & roll.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Recipe of the "Week"
I remember eating this meal sitting at my Granny's table in her eat-in kitchen in Ringgold, LA when I was a little girl. There's nothing I like better than recipes passed down from my Mama & Granny! Michael heartily agrees; his favorite recipes from our kitchen originated (at least for me) in Granny's & Mama's!
Ingredients:
-1 small onion, chopped
-1 small bell pepper, chopped (I use 1/2 of a large bell pepper, as I can never find a small one!)
-1 1/2 to 2 lbs. ground meat
-salt & pepper to taste
-1 T beef bouillon granules (2-3 cubes)
-1 c. water
-1 T flour
Sauce:
-cream of mushroom soup (if you despise mushrooms, as I do, you can easily pick them out before digging into the biscuit roll.)
-milk (start with 1/4 c. & add to as needed for desired consistency.)
-any left-over meat mixture
Directions:
-Brown ground meat in large skillet, then drain, rinse, & return to skillet.
-Add onion & bell pepper & sauté until onion is clear.
-Add beef bouillon & water & stir until bouillon is dissolved.
-Add flour to thicken mixture & simmer to spreading consistency.
-Cool completely.
-While meat is cooling, prepare biscuit dough (use your favorite recipe).
-Roll dough into a rectangle on a floured surface & spread cooled meat mixture over dough, minus about 1/2 to 1 inch of edges.
-Roll into jelly roll & slice into 1-inch thick slices with large bread knife.
Biscuit Roll
-1 small onion, chopped
-1 small bell pepper, chopped (I use 1/2 of a large bell pepper, as I can never find a small one!)
-1 1/2 to 2 lbs. ground meat
-salt & pepper to taste
-1 T beef bouillon granules (2-3 cubes)
-1 c. water
-1 T flour
Sauce:
-cream of mushroom soup (if you despise mushrooms, as I do, you can easily pick them out before digging into the biscuit roll.)
-milk (start with 1/4 c. & add to as needed for desired consistency.)
-any left-over meat mixture
Directions:
-Brown ground meat in large skillet, then drain, rinse, & return to skillet.
-Add onion & bell pepper & sauté until onion is clear.
-Add beef bouillon & water & stir until bouillon is dissolved.
-Add flour to thicken mixture & simmer to spreading consistency.
-Cool completely.
-While meat is cooling, prepare biscuit dough (use your favorite recipe).
-Roll dough into a rectangle on a floured surface & spread cooled meat mixture over dough, minus about 1/2 to 1 inch of edges.
-Roll into jelly roll & slice into 1-inch thick slices with large bread knife.
-Place slices meat side up on foil-covered & greased cookie sheet.
-Bake @ 375 degrees until golden brown.
-Top with sauce & serve with a side of English peas, carrots, & a fruit salad.
-Top with sauce & serve with a side of English peas, carrots, & a fruit salad.
ENJOY!
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Uncertainty Made Certain
Sometimes, life just makes sense. Everything falls into place easily, without so much as a hint of uncertainty. Meeting & marrying Michael was like this. We had a whirlwind courtship lasting just 4 months from meeting to marriage. And neither of us doubted for one second that our union was God-ordained & -blessed. However, uncertainty absolutely preceded our meeting - where was my future husband, when would he come along, would he come along, what was God's plan - all of this swirled through my head & heart for years before that glorious day that God brought Michael to me. But then, on that day, all my years of waiting suddenly made sense. All that time was not just idle waiting. Even when I was in the throes of despair that I would always be alone, God was working out His plan for my life. There were times, too, when I knew that. Times when I had faith that God was perfectly in control & knew what He was doing. I couldn't see that, but because I know Him, I knew it to be true. My single years were preparation for me. God used that time to prepare me for marriage, for being a good wife. How? Mainly by showing me how great of a sinner I am. He showed me my selfishness, pride, & independence - things that have no place in a godly marriage. But He didn't leave me there. He showed me my need for Him. He brought me to repentance & sanctified me, an ongoing process that He continues in me today. He also used that time to strengthen my faith in & love for Him, to the point that I knew that if I never married, He would be enough. So, those uncertain years weren't wasted, & in one fell swoop, God made all things clear.
Right now is another uncertain time for Michael & me. We are barren, childless. For some people, this might be a wonderful thing, but for us, it's sorrowful. We love children, we dream of & plan for children, we pray & cry for children. We have names picked out & even outfits bought for children. But we don't have children. Our arms are empty & our home devoid of the laughter & playing of children. Just a few months shy of a year ago now, we began a journey of adoption. We began this journey full of joy & anticipation, sure that this was God's will & plan for us to become parents. Now, we're not so sure. We still want to adopt, that hasn't changed. But circumstances have. We've had the money required to complete our home study twice now, & both times, that money's had to be spent on necessities. That the money was there for those necessities was a gift from God, there's no doubt about that, & we are very thankful for His graciousness in providing for us. But, at the same time, we were so sad that it meant a set-back in our adoption process. To be honest, "sad" doesn't quite cover it. Heart-breaking grief comes closer. When I realized that our adoption was going to have to be put on hold, maybe stopped altogether, I went off alone & sobbed out all of my longings & my grief. I cried out to God, begging Him to either bless us with the children I so desperately want or to take away this down-in-my-very-bones longing for them. So far, He hasn't done either, but He has granted me peace, for which I'm thankful. Not being allowed to move forward has led us to doubt our certainty that our adoption is God's will, too. Months have gone by since we were able to save up that money, & I wish I could say that we have it all figured out now, but we don't. We don't know what God's plan is. Although we hope & pray that our future includes children of our own - both biological & adopted - we don't know that it does. We're so uncertain of the future. But we are certain of God. He is working everything out according to His marvelous plan, which will be for our good & His glory. This uncertain time, even if it be years long, is not wasted time. He is preparing us for the future, for the fulfillment of His plan. And I know, with ever fiber of my being, that once His plan has come to fruition, we will know that it was worth the wait.
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, oh! how we love You! Thank You, thank You for being our God! For being sovereign over our lives & for not giving us the control. You work all things out in the best way. In all things, You receive glory, but - amazingly - You also love to work things out for our good! You are loving & merciful, & we praise Your holy name! Thank You for Your assurance that, even when we don't understand the events of our lives, You are in control. Michael & I both pray for children. We so long to love them, hold them, play with them, & tell them about You! But we know that Your plan is better than ours. If You give us children, we will praise You. And if You don't give us children, we will praise You. Please, Lord, please give us such a love for You, that even if our heart's desire for children is not fulfilled, that You will be enough. We love you, Lord, but - as always - give us more love for You. Fill us up to overflowing with love for You, & we will have all we will ever need. In Christ's holy name we pray, Amen.
Right now is another uncertain time for Michael & me. We are barren, childless. For some people, this might be a wonderful thing, but for us, it's sorrowful. We love children, we dream of & plan for children, we pray & cry for children. We have names picked out & even outfits bought for children. But we don't have children. Our arms are empty & our home devoid of the laughter & playing of children. Just a few months shy of a year ago now, we began a journey of adoption. We began this journey full of joy & anticipation, sure that this was God's will & plan for us to become parents. Now, we're not so sure. We still want to adopt, that hasn't changed. But circumstances have. We've had the money required to complete our home study twice now, & both times, that money's had to be spent on necessities. That the money was there for those necessities was a gift from God, there's no doubt about that, & we are very thankful for His graciousness in providing for us. But, at the same time, we were so sad that it meant a set-back in our adoption process. To be honest, "sad" doesn't quite cover it. Heart-breaking grief comes closer. When I realized that our adoption was going to have to be put on hold, maybe stopped altogether, I went off alone & sobbed out all of my longings & my grief. I cried out to God, begging Him to either bless us with the children I so desperately want or to take away this down-in-my-very-bones longing for them. So far, He hasn't done either, but He has granted me peace, for which I'm thankful. Not being allowed to move forward has led us to doubt our certainty that our adoption is God's will, too. Months have gone by since we were able to save up that money, & I wish I could say that we have it all figured out now, but we don't. We don't know what God's plan is. Although we hope & pray that our future includes children of our own - both biological & adopted - we don't know that it does. We're so uncertain of the future. But we are certain of God. He is working everything out according to His marvelous plan, which will be for our good & His glory. This uncertain time, even if it be years long, is not wasted time. He is preparing us for the future, for the fulfillment of His plan. And I know, with ever fiber of my being, that once His plan has come to fruition, we will know that it was worth the wait.
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, oh! how we love You! Thank You, thank You for being our God! For being sovereign over our lives & for not giving us the control. You work all things out in the best way. In all things, You receive glory, but - amazingly - You also love to work things out for our good! You are loving & merciful, & we praise Your holy name! Thank You for Your assurance that, even when we don't understand the events of our lives, You are in control. Michael & I both pray for children. We so long to love them, hold them, play with them, & tell them about You! But we know that Your plan is better than ours. If You give us children, we will praise You. And if You don't give us children, we will praise You. Please, Lord, please give us such a love for You, that even if our heart's desire for children is not fulfilled, that You will be enough. We love you, Lord, but - as always - give us more love for You. Fill us up to overflowing with love for You, & we will have all we will ever need. In Christ's holy name we pray, Amen.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Recipe of the "Week"
Before I met & married the love of my life, pretty much the only thing I knew how to cook was frozen dinners. Cooking for one is just not all that fun to me. Then, Michael came along, & all of a sudden, I had a passion for cooking! There are very few things that thrill me more than hearing my sweet husband "ooh" & "ahh" over something I've fixed while his eyes roll back in his head in delight. In a spirit of sharing the love, I've decided to include a "Recipe of the Week" segment here on our blog. Hopefully, our favorite recipes will become some of y'all's favorite recipes, complete with the adoring utterances & eye-rolling rapture. Now, if you've kept up with our blog, you know that we don't actually update this thing every week. So, this might actually turn into more of a "Recipe of the Month" venture. Okay, without further ado, I present to y'all our inaugural recipe. . .
Dry Ingredients:
-1 3/4 c. flour
-1 1/2 c. sugar
-1/4 tsp. cinnamon
-1/8 tsp. nutmeg
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1/2 tsp. salt
Wet Ingredients:
-3 ripe bananas, mashed
-1/2 c. oil
-1 tsp. vanilla
-1 c. buttermilk (I make sour milk with lemon juice & milk)
-2 eggs
-1 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped (not "wet", I know, but it still goes here)
Directions:
-Thoroughly sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl & make a well in the center.
-Combine bananas & wet ingredients (minus walnuts) in a medium bowl.
-Add banana mixture to the dry ingredients & mix together thoroughly.
-Fold in walnuts.
-Line a 9"x5" loaf pan with foil & spray with cooking spray.
-Pour batter into loaf pan & sprinkle with Streusel-Nut Topping (optional).
-Bake @ 325 degrees for 1 hour, then cover with foil to prevent burning & cook an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown & a fork comes out clean when inserted into the center.
Streusel-Nut Topping
-Combine 1/4 c. brown sugar & 3 T flour in a small bowl. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in 2 T butter (not too soft) until coarse crumbs form. Stir in 1/3 c. chopped walnuts.
*Of course, it's wonderful warmed up, with a little butter & a tall glass of cold milk. I hope y'all enjoy it as much as we do!
Best Ever Banana Nut Bread
Dry Ingredients:
-1 3/4 c. flour
-1 1/2 c. sugar
-1/4 tsp. cinnamon
-1/8 tsp. nutmeg
-1 tsp. baking soda
-1/2 tsp. salt
Wet Ingredients:
-3 ripe bananas, mashed
-1/2 c. oil
-1 tsp. vanilla
-1 c. buttermilk (I make sour milk with lemon juice & milk)
-2 eggs
-1 c. walnuts, coarsely chopped (not "wet", I know, but it still goes here)
Directions:
-Thoroughly sift together dry ingredients in a large bowl & make a well in the center.
-Combine bananas & wet ingredients (minus walnuts) in a medium bowl.
-Add banana mixture to the dry ingredients & mix together thoroughly.
-Fold in walnuts.
-Line a 9"x5" loaf pan with foil & spray with cooking spray.
-Pour batter into loaf pan & sprinkle with Streusel-Nut Topping (optional).
-Bake @ 325 degrees for 1 hour, then cover with foil to prevent burning & cook an additional 20 minutes or until golden brown & a fork comes out clean when inserted into the center.
Streusel-Nut Topping
-Combine 1/4 c. brown sugar & 3 T flour in a small bowl. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut in 2 T butter (not too soft) until coarse crumbs form. Stir in 1/3 c. chopped walnuts.
*Of course, it's wonderful warmed up, with a little butter & a tall glass of cold milk. I hope y'all enjoy it as much as we do!
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Transforming Love
When we started this blog, my first post was about a difficult person that I have to deal with. I have no choice in the matter; she's in my life whether I like it or not. Thing is, I didn't like it. As a matter of fact, I hated it & wished with all of my might that the situation was such that somebody else had her role in my life. Somebody sweet & kind, who would love me & be always pleasing to deal with. Like Kate Mortimer (Stepping Heavenward), I'm not always the easiest person to get along with. My temper flares up easily enough without an intentionally belligerent person pushing my buttons, thank you very much! Therefore, I need to be surrounded by pleasant people who will not draw out my flaws & tempt me to sin, people who will make my path to glory easy. . .or so went my thinking at the time.
Well! God gave me a rude awakening when He placed this person in my life. And yes, I do believe that her role in my life is the work of His all-knowing, all-merciful hand. He knew what I didn't, that this person would be a refining fire for me. That He ordained her verbal jabs & tiresome behaviors to push my patience & temper to the brink, forcing my sanctification in both of these areas. He knew that she would grate on my nerves so badly that those rough edges would eventually be filed smooth. I didn't see it - or appreciate it - then, but I do now.
In just a moment, when He allowed me to see this person through His eyes that one evening, God transformed my heart from one of begrudging acceptance to one of love. I wondered if it would last, if my feelings would flee at the next trying interaction with her, but they didn't & still haven't. Amazingly, thankfully, I now have a true, heart-stirring, compassionate, merciful, forgiving, God-given love for her! The way this love has worked itself out practically is even more amazing. I no longer shy away from hugging her, & I even tell her I love her each time I leave her presence. . .& I mean it. Now, it truly gladdens my heart to help her. In the name of honesty, I have to admit that's not always the case; there are still times when I view helping her as an inconvenience. However, on those occasions - rather than justifying my sinful response as I used to - God's hand is heavy on me until I face my sin & repent. My view used to be that her hurtful actions had certain consequences, that if she was going to be malicious, then she could just do for herself rather than expecting us to do for her. By & large, God has cured me of this sin. Of course, by no means have my "rough edges" been completely worn smooth; no, we still have quite a ways to go! There are still times when I allow her words & behaviors to offend & anger me. However, God has begun to work in me so that I no longer hold onto my hurts & nurse a grudge. He shows me, each time, how my thoughts, feelings, attitudes, words, & deeds are sin. Then He brings me to repentance & I bask in His forgiveness, knowing that one day He will fully separate me from the sin that His death on the cross has already cancelled. This process is not easy, but it is done by Him in love & is healing.
By no means is His work done, as I am not nearly fully sanctified! My love for her is not a perfect love; no earthly love is. But it is genuine. It is truly a miracle that He has done this for me. I asked Him for this love, & He granted my request. Not only that, but I also know that He will continue to grow His love in me until I am completely transformed into His image. And for that, I'm truly thankful.
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, thank You for showing me my sin, not just in dealing with this person, but each sin that I commit day in & day out. I know that each sin that I commit, while affecting others, is ultimately against You. I am sorry for my unloving, unforgiving, angry attitudes toward this person. Please forgive me. I thank You so very much for changing my heart, for giving me a love for her. I know this love comes from You, for it was definitely impossible for me to love her on my own. Thank You for this! Thank You for freeing me! And thank You for Your continuing work in me, for continuing to sanctify me so that one day my love for You & for all people will be perfect. I love You, Lord. Make me love You more. In Christ's holy name I pray, Amen.
Well! God gave me a rude awakening when He placed this person in my life. And yes, I do believe that her role in my life is the work of His all-knowing, all-merciful hand. He knew what I didn't, that this person would be a refining fire for me. That He ordained her verbal jabs & tiresome behaviors to push my patience & temper to the brink, forcing my sanctification in both of these areas. He knew that she would grate on my nerves so badly that those rough edges would eventually be filed smooth. I didn't see it - or appreciate it - then, but I do now.
In just a moment, when He allowed me to see this person through His eyes that one evening, God transformed my heart from one of begrudging acceptance to one of love. I wondered if it would last, if my feelings would flee at the next trying interaction with her, but they didn't & still haven't. Amazingly, thankfully, I now have a true, heart-stirring, compassionate, merciful, forgiving, God-given love for her! The way this love has worked itself out practically is even more amazing. I no longer shy away from hugging her, & I even tell her I love her each time I leave her presence. . .& I mean it. Now, it truly gladdens my heart to help her. In the name of honesty, I have to admit that's not always the case; there are still times when I view helping her as an inconvenience. However, on those occasions - rather than justifying my sinful response as I used to - God's hand is heavy on me until I face my sin & repent. My view used to be that her hurtful actions had certain consequences, that if she was going to be malicious, then she could just do for herself rather than expecting us to do for her. By & large, God has cured me of this sin. Of course, by no means have my "rough edges" been completely worn smooth; no, we still have quite a ways to go! There are still times when I allow her words & behaviors to offend & anger me. However, God has begun to work in me so that I no longer hold onto my hurts & nurse a grudge. He shows me, each time, how my thoughts, feelings, attitudes, words, & deeds are sin. Then He brings me to repentance & I bask in His forgiveness, knowing that one day He will fully separate me from the sin that His death on the cross has already cancelled. This process is not easy, but it is done by Him in love & is healing.
By no means is His work done, as I am not nearly fully sanctified! My love for her is not a perfect love; no earthly love is. But it is genuine. It is truly a miracle that He has done this for me. I asked Him for this love, & He granted my request. Not only that, but I also know that He will continue to grow His love in me until I am completely transformed into His image. And for that, I'm truly thankful.
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, thank You for showing me my sin, not just in dealing with this person, but each sin that I commit day in & day out. I know that each sin that I commit, while affecting others, is ultimately against You. I am sorry for my unloving, unforgiving, angry attitudes toward this person. Please forgive me. I thank You so very much for changing my heart, for giving me a love for her. I know this love comes from You, for it was definitely impossible for me to love her on my own. Thank You for this! Thank You for freeing me! And thank You for Your continuing work in me, for continuing to sanctify me so that one day my love for You & for all people will be perfect. I love You, Lord. Make me love You more. In Christ's holy name I pray, Amen.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Are We Really Any Different?
This is the story of two adorable eight-year-old boys. One lives in a large, ornate house with his parents, sister, & a host of servants while the other lives in a squalid hut with more people than will fit. One is privileged to at least three meals a day with a variety of foods to choose from, while the other is always hungry because of the scarcity of food. One dresses in a different clean & pressed outfit daily, while the other dresses in the same dirty, oversized, & thin rags every day. Both live in Germany, but one's father is a Nazi commandant, while the other's father was a Jewish watchmaker before they were imprisoned in the "work camp".
I am emotionally devastated after watching "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". Devastated because of the truth behind this fictional story. There was a time when some men were thought of as not really human - evil vermin worthy of eradication simply because they were Jews (you could insert "Native Americans" or "African" here as well). As I raged at this injustice, it struck me that things aren't really any different now. The evil that lurked in the hearts of the Nazis is no different from the evil that dwells in our hearts as well. Evil is evil, & because of the sin that is innate within us, we are all capable of heinous acts. It is only by God's grace that we are no longer debtors to our sin & have freedom in Christ. In the midst of my sobbing over the shared fate of these two boys, & the fate of millions of Jews in reality, I also wondered something. There were Nazis that were guilty of mass murder because they actually pulled the trigger, or administered the gas, or performed any number of other unspeakable crimes against their fellow man. But. . . what about the ones who stood by, fully cognizant of what was happening, but too afraid to take a stand against these evils - were they any less guilty?
Are we? All over the world right now, there are thousands of people dying every day. Thousands. Every. Single. Day. They're dying from starvation while we gorge ourselves at our dining tables or at fast-food restaurants. They're dying from diseases that could be prevented or treated while we have multiple pharmacies in practically every town & overflowing medicine cabinets. Children - both boys & girls - are being sold into slavery, some for labor, some for sex. And what do we do with this knowledge? Change the channel. Flip the newspaper page. Put such unpleasant thoughts out of our minds & focus on our own comfort.
So, are we really any different? We may not be killing people in gas chambers or firing squads, but are we any less guilty of their deaths if we turn a blind eye to their well-known plight? Now, before anyone gets their hackles up, please understand that I'm not drawing parallels between us & the Nazis. No, in fact, I'm comparing us to those Germans who just kept their heads down while millions were slaughtered. Truth be told, I actually find their silence more understandable than ours (although no less guilt-ridden), because their silence preserved their own lives & the lives of those they loved. We cannot say the same. No, our silence does nothing but preserve our own comfort & ease. We'd love to help, really we would, but surely we're not expected to go without cable or that nicer car or more clothes or a larger house or...the list goes on. There were people in Nazi Germany who risked everything to save some. They put their own lives & the lives of their loved ones on the line to hide or transport Jews away from the danger. They realized that more was at stake than their own comfort, & they stood in the gap to protect innocent people from annihilation. There are those today who are doing the same; people who are giving up everything, eschewing all modern comforts that this life affords us, even risking danger & death to be Christ's hands & feet. However, these people are rare, with the majority of us not doing nearly what we are capable of doing. Some of us are doing nothing at all. So I wonder: would we be so nonchalant about their deaths if they were our spouse? Our parent? Our child? Would that cable TV, nicer car, & bigger house be more important then? Aren't we, by our very indifference & inaction, proclaiming loudly that their lives are not as significant or worthy as ours? We can't claim not to know, because we do know. We can't say we don't see them, because we do see them. And because we know & see, if we choose to do nothing - or even just enough to assuage our consciences - we shouldn't be so foolish as to claim to be Christians. But don't take my word for that. Take God's.
"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed & lacking in daily food, & one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed & filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 1:14-17
"Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil & his angels. For I was hungry & you gave me no food, I was thirsty & you gave me no drink, I was a stranger & you did not welcome me, naked & you did not clothe me, sick & in prison & you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, & did not minister to you?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:41-46
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, bring us to repentance for neglecting Your Word. Some of us have never had our eyes opened to the truths seen in these Scriptures; some of us have seen these truths, but have chosen not to heed them. Forgive us our sins. Please open our eyes to Your commands & soften our hearts to joyfully minister to those around us, both near & far, out of loving obedience to You. Help us to be ever-mindful that our works don't save us, but that they do show our profession of Christ to be true. Please remind us that we can't have true works apart from faith any more than we can have true faith apart from works. Sanctify us & strengthen our faith so that our love for You & for others will overflow into works that benefit others & glorify You. Equip us to be Your hands & feet to this dying world, forsaking our own comfort & ease in favor of sharing with them not only bread to feed their bodies, but the Bread of Life to save their souls. Help us to realize that these are not options, but commands that all true followers of Christ are to joyfully obey. Thank You for being our God, for leading us, disciplining us, forgiving us, & saving us. We love You. Please help us love You more. In Christ's holy name, Amen.
I am emotionally devastated after watching "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas". Devastated because of the truth behind this fictional story. There was a time when some men were thought of as not really human - evil vermin worthy of eradication simply because they were Jews (you could insert "Native Americans" or "African" here as well). As I raged at this injustice, it struck me that things aren't really any different now. The evil that lurked in the hearts of the Nazis is no different from the evil that dwells in our hearts as well. Evil is evil, & because of the sin that is innate within us, we are all capable of heinous acts. It is only by God's grace that we are no longer debtors to our sin & have freedom in Christ. In the midst of my sobbing over the shared fate of these two boys, & the fate of millions of Jews in reality, I also wondered something. There were Nazis that were guilty of mass murder because they actually pulled the trigger, or administered the gas, or performed any number of other unspeakable crimes against their fellow man. But. . . what about the ones who stood by, fully cognizant of what was happening, but too afraid to take a stand against these evils - were they any less guilty?
Are we? All over the world right now, there are thousands of people dying every day. Thousands. Every. Single. Day. They're dying from starvation while we gorge ourselves at our dining tables or at fast-food restaurants. They're dying from diseases that could be prevented or treated while we have multiple pharmacies in practically every town & overflowing medicine cabinets. Children - both boys & girls - are being sold into slavery, some for labor, some for sex. And what do we do with this knowledge? Change the channel. Flip the newspaper page. Put such unpleasant thoughts out of our minds & focus on our own comfort.
So, are we really any different? We may not be killing people in gas chambers or firing squads, but are we any less guilty of their deaths if we turn a blind eye to their well-known plight? Now, before anyone gets their hackles up, please understand that I'm not drawing parallels between us & the Nazis. No, in fact, I'm comparing us to those Germans who just kept their heads down while millions were slaughtered. Truth be told, I actually find their silence more understandable than ours (although no less guilt-ridden), because their silence preserved their own lives & the lives of those they loved. We cannot say the same. No, our silence does nothing but preserve our own comfort & ease. We'd love to help, really we would, but surely we're not expected to go without cable or that nicer car or more clothes or a larger house or...the list goes on. There were people in Nazi Germany who risked everything to save some. They put their own lives & the lives of their loved ones on the line to hide or transport Jews away from the danger. They realized that more was at stake than their own comfort, & they stood in the gap to protect innocent people from annihilation. There are those today who are doing the same; people who are giving up everything, eschewing all modern comforts that this life affords us, even risking danger & death to be Christ's hands & feet. However, these people are rare, with the majority of us not doing nearly what we are capable of doing. Some of us are doing nothing at all. So I wonder: would we be so nonchalant about their deaths if they were our spouse? Our parent? Our child? Would that cable TV, nicer car, & bigger house be more important then? Aren't we, by our very indifference & inaction, proclaiming loudly that their lives are not as significant or worthy as ours? We can't claim not to know, because we do know. We can't say we don't see them, because we do see them. And because we know & see, if we choose to do nothing - or even just enough to assuage our consciences - we shouldn't be so foolish as to claim to be Christians. But don't take my word for that. Take God's.
"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed & lacking in daily food, & one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed & filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead." James 1:14-17
"Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil & his angels. For I was hungry & you gave me no food, I was thirsty & you gave me no drink, I was a stranger & you did not welcome me, naked & you did not clothe me, sick & in prison & you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, & did not minister to you?' Then He will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." Matthew 25:41-46
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, bring us to repentance for neglecting Your Word. Some of us have never had our eyes opened to the truths seen in these Scriptures; some of us have seen these truths, but have chosen not to heed them. Forgive us our sins. Please open our eyes to Your commands & soften our hearts to joyfully minister to those around us, both near & far, out of loving obedience to You. Help us to be ever-mindful that our works don't save us, but that they do show our profession of Christ to be true. Please remind us that we can't have true works apart from faith any more than we can have true faith apart from works. Sanctify us & strengthen our faith so that our love for You & for others will overflow into works that benefit others & glorify You. Equip us to be Your hands & feet to this dying world, forsaking our own comfort & ease in favor of sharing with them not only bread to feed their bodies, but the Bread of Life to save their souls. Help us to realize that these are not options, but commands that all true followers of Christ are to joyfully obey. Thank You for being our God, for leading us, disciplining us, forgiving us, & saving us. We love You. Please help us love You more. In Christ's holy name, Amen.
Friday, January 29, 2010
Wisdom Cries Aloud
Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: "How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing & fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called & you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand & no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel & would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm & your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress & anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge & did not choose the fear of the Lord, would have none of my counsel & despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, & have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, & the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure & will be at ease, without dread of disaster. Proverbs 1:20-33
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. Proverbs 12:15
"For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are 'wise'--in doing evil! But how to do good they know not." Jeremiah 4:22
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:17
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, Your Word "is living & active, sharper than any two-edged sword". Please use this Word to "pierce the division of soul & of spirit, of joints & of marrow, & discern the thoughts & intentions of our hearts". We want so much to be sanctified by Your truth, by Your wisdom, as found in Your Word. Please continue to instruct us, so that we will be wise people who follow hard after You, seeking to do Your will & walk in Your ways in all of our thoughts, words, & deeds to the glory of Your holy name. Show us the areas in our lives where we are being foolish, & then give us the strength to conform our lives to Your Word. We love You so much, please help us to love you more. In Christ's holy name, Amen.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7
The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man listens to advice. Proverbs 12:15
"For my people are foolish; they know me not; they are stupid children; they have no understanding. They are 'wise'--in doing evil! But how to do good they know not." Jeremiah 4:22
Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. Ephesians 5:17
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, Your Word "is living & active, sharper than any two-edged sword". Please use this Word to "pierce the division of soul & of spirit, of joints & of marrow, & discern the thoughts & intentions of our hearts". We want so much to be sanctified by Your truth, by Your wisdom, as found in Your Word. Please continue to instruct us, so that we will be wise people who follow hard after You, seeking to do Your will & walk in Your ways in all of our thoughts, words, & deeds to the glory of Your holy name. Show us the areas in our lives where we are being foolish, & then give us the strength to conform our lives to Your Word. We love You so much, please help us to love you more. In Christ's holy name, Amen.
Sunday, December 27, 2009
A Few of My Favorite Things
I was just thinking about some of my favorite things for this year & thought I'd share them. I figure if Oprah can do it, then I can, too...even if I'm not a fan of hers & even though my "readership" is far less than her viewership! You may find you like some of them, too.
Favorite Things:
*Revlon blackhead remover: This cleans pores out better than anything I've ever used, including the pore strips. Kind of a gross thing to post, but it needed to be said.
*The Regimen from Acne.org: I've always had issues with acne & this is the best thing I've ever found. I use the cleanser, treatment, & moisturizer (the moisturizer only at night, replacing it with Oil of Olay's moisturizer for the daytime), & as long as I use it twice a day, every day, I never break out anymore!
*Portable dishwasher: We don't have room in our kitchen for a built-in dishwasher, & washing dishes by hand can be overwhelming, so this thing has been wonderful! Now, instead of spending hours cleaning the kitchen, I can be done in a fraction of the time!
*Adirondack chairs: Sturdy, comfortable, beachy...must I say more?
Favorite Events:
*Starting the adoption process: We are so excited to be going through the process to adopt 2 children from Ethiopia. You can see our progress on the side of this blog & read our reasons for adopting in our 2 adoption posts from September (here & here).
*Keeping Holiday: This one is going to be a Christmas tradition for me. I read it last year, & loved it so much that I just had to read it again this year. It is a fictional story, quite short, about a boy & his cousin trying to find the "real Holiday". At first, it's symbolic of the differences between the trappings of the secular Christmas & the real meaning behind Christmas that so few of us truly seek out. The story quickly turns to symbolize the journey of salvation. It's charming, biblical, & simply wonderful!
*Broken-Down House: I'm only a few chapters into this one, but I simply love it! I was gripped from page 1. This is a book about how we all live in a "broken-down house" (this sin-filled world) that doesn't work like the "builder" (God) created it to work. We have to live here, though, & we're called to live our lives in the power of God & His Word. It's an awesome book filled with excellent illustrations. I can hardly put it down...even at 5 in the morning!
*A Wife After God's Own Heart: I've only just started this one, too (I've picked up Michael's penchant for reading more than one book at a time), but my highlighter's already thrown up all over it! In just 1 chapter, I've highlighted & starred quite a bit! I've taken a pause to work on the applications/homework at the end of the chapter, & am really looking forward to doing them! I definitely want to be "a wife after God's own heart", & I'm excited about the challenge this book will be to me!
Favorite Music
*"To Be Like Jesus": The new kids' CD from Sovereign Grace. I can't say enough good about this CD! Solidly biblical words, great music, applicable to children & adults alike...it's an all-around fabulous CD!
*"Wake Thy Slumbering Children": The 5th volume of music from Indelible Grace. Michael & I listen to this one over & over! We both love how these folks put both well-known & sometimes forgotten hymns to new music. I didn't think I'd like the concept of this, but hearing a song with new music really makes you pay attention to the words.
*Kate Rusby: I don't have any of her CDs, but a friend posted one of her songs on FB, & I was immediately hooked. She's an English folk singer, & I love the songs as well as her lilting voice. From what I can tell, she's got a really bubbly personality, too, which adds to her likability as far as I'm concerned.
*Lecrae & Shai Linne: Yes, this is an odd entry for me, as I am no fan of rap/hip hop. Not in the least. Truthfully, I rather detest the stuff. However, I can't say enough about how much I love Lecrae's song "Don't Waste Your Life". Oh, my goodness, the thoroughly biblical words give me chills. Seriously. Chills. And Shai Linne? I haven't heard a song that isn't chock full of Scripture! These fellas singing rap music know more theology than a lot of seminary-trained pastors! (And yes, I did mean to write that.)
I hope you enjoyed this post! If you try any of my favorite things, let me know what you think. I hope you like them as much as I do!
Favorite Things:
*Revlon blackhead remover: This cleans pores out better than anything I've ever used, including the pore strips. Kind of a gross thing to post, but it needed to be said.
*The Regimen from Acne.org: I've always had issues with acne & this is the best thing I've ever found. I use the cleanser, treatment, & moisturizer (the moisturizer only at night, replacing it with Oil of Olay's moisturizer for the daytime), & as long as I use it twice a day, every day, I never break out anymore!
*Portable dishwasher: We don't have room in our kitchen for a built-in dishwasher, & washing dishes by hand can be overwhelming, so this thing has been wonderful! Now, instead of spending hours cleaning the kitchen, I can be done in a fraction of the time!
*Adirondack chairs: Sturdy, comfortable, beachy...must I say more?
Favorite Events:
*Starting the adoption process: We are so excited to be going through the process to adopt 2 children from Ethiopia. You can see our progress on the side of this blog & read our reasons for adopting in our 2 adoption posts from September (here & here).
*Getting Jake: I love this dog! He's got a wonderful disposition & personality, & is just so darn cute! I think he's been good for Ginger, too.
*Ginger going into remission: We got the diagnosis of cancer for my baby girl last Christmas Eve, found an excellent vet who started her on chemo in January, & she went into remission. Her lymph nodes swelled up again in the summer & we did another round of chemo, & she's still in remission! Praise God!
*Camping in TN: Michael took me camping in TN the first time in '07 & we went back this past year in late October again. I LOVE The Smoky Mountains & Cade's Cove! The picture below shows a view from a remote backwoods trail overlooking the Cove. I literally cried when I saw it because of how God's creation reflects His glory. This picture doesn't do it justice!
*Seeing the beach for the 1st time: Yep, I'm now 32 & only saw the beach for the first time this past summer. I was so awed by God's majesty that I cried (yes, I do that a lot) - I mean, if the ocean is that big, & He cups all the waters of the entire world in the palm of His hand, how big & awesome must He be?!
Favorite Books:
*There's No Me Without You: This is my number 1 favorite book of this year, which struck Michael as odd since I cried & raged my way through it. That's because of the truth regarding the injustice in this world done to those who are helpless by those who are corrupted by power. Seeing the devastation especially to the children - devastation that could be prevented & corrected even now - was horrifying. But as emotionally drained as it left me, I will read it again & again & I recommend it to each & every person I know.
*Desiring God: Anyone who knows me, knows John Piper is my favorite preacher. I can have a difficult time reading him, though; he's much more intellectual than I, so I have to put in some effort to follow him. But because of the time he's spent in God's Word & the exposition that follows, he's SO worth that effort! This book was an excellent work in showing that our greatest joy should be found in Christ. Another book that I think everyone should read.*Keeping Holiday: This one is going to be a Christmas tradition for me. I read it last year, & loved it so much that I just had to read it again this year. It is a fictional story, quite short, about a boy & his cousin trying to find the "real Holiday". At first, it's symbolic of the differences between the trappings of the secular Christmas & the real meaning behind Christmas that so few of us truly seek out. The story quickly turns to symbolize the journey of salvation. It's charming, biblical, & simply wonderful!
*Broken-Down House: I'm only a few chapters into this one, but I simply love it! I was gripped from page 1. This is a book about how we all live in a "broken-down house" (this sin-filled world) that doesn't work like the "builder" (God) created it to work. We have to live here, though, & we're called to live our lives in the power of God & His Word. It's an awesome book filled with excellent illustrations. I can hardly put it down...even at 5 in the morning!
*A Wife After God's Own Heart: I've only just started this one, too (I've picked up Michael's penchant for reading more than one book at a time), but my highlighter's already thrown up all over it! In just 1 chapter, I've highlighted & starred quite a bit! I've taken a pause to work on the applications/homework at the end of the chapter, & am really looking forward to doing them! I definitely want to be "a wife after God's own heart", & I'm excited about the challenge this book will be to me!
Favorite Music
*"To Be Like Jesus": The new kids' CD from Sovereign Grace. I can't say enough good about this CD! Solidly biblical words, great music, applicable to children & adults alike...it's an all-around fabulous CD!
*"Wake Thy Slumbering Children": The 5th volume of music from Indelible Grace. Michael & I listen to this one over & over! We both love how these folks put both well-known & sometimes forgotten hymns to new music. I didn't think I'd like the concept of this, but hearing a song with new music really makes you pay attention to the words.
*Kate Rusby: I don't have any of her CDs, but a friend posted one of her songs on FB, & I was immediately hooked. She's an English folk singer, & I love the songs as well as her lilting voice. From what I can tell, she's got a really bubbly personality, too, which adds to her likability as far as I'm concerned.
*Lecrae & Shai Linne: Yes, this is an odd entry for me, as I am no fan of rap/hip hop. Not in the least. Truthfully, I rather detest the stuff. However, I can't say enough about how much I love Lecrae's song "Don't Waste Your Life". Oh, my goodness, the thoroughly biblical words give me chills. Seriously. Chills. And Shai Linne? I haven't heard a song that isn't chock full of Scripture! These fellas singing rap music know more theology than a lot of seminary-trained pastors! (And yes, I did mean to write that.)
I hope you enjoyed this post! If you try any of my favorite things, let me know what you think. I hope you like them as much as I do!
Monday, December 21, 2009
A Blessed Life
I turned 32 today. I'm not sure how that happened...well, I am, but you know what I mean. One day I was 20, & then overnight it seems, I was able to say things like "I haven't seen so-&-so since we graduated 13 years ago." Regardless of what my brother says (who is a mere 2 years younger than I), I realize I'm not old. A fact that my sweet niece confirmed when she called today. But then I don't think you're truly old until you act like it. Sometimes, people who are in their late 80s who think & act younger aren't even old yet! So, anyways, looking back over my life, I see God's fingerprints everywhere. Of course, I see them in His choosing me before the foundation of the world as His child, to be saved from my sin & His wrath by His Son's atoning death. I see them in His blessing me with my family. I see them in His blessing me with my sweet Michael, our pets, & our home. I also see Him in the trying times:
*My parents' divorce, which He used to drive me to His Word that shows me how to be a godly wife, what a godly husband will be like, & that marriage is from Him & I should rely on Him if hard times come.
*My molestation, which He used to drive me to reliance on Him for forgiveness toward those who wounded me & gave me a righteously fierce protection over others, as well as intense empathy for others' pain. (As an aside, He also used Mark Driscoll's sermon on expiation to show me that not only did Jesus' death in my stead cleanse me of my own sin, but it cleansed me from the sins committed against me. How freeing!)
*My infertility (although reversible), which He still uses to show me that He is enough, whether He gives me children or not.
*The years-long rift between a loved one & me, which He used to show me that while others will fail me, He will not; that He has always been & will always be right there with me, loving me, guiding me, & sanctifying me until I reflect Christ perfectly.
That's the purpose of trials in the life of a child of God -- they are instruments lovingly used by our wise & sovereign heavenly Father to mold us into the image of Christ for His glory. Everywhere in my life, I see proof of God, proof of His love, proof of His guidance, proof that He will work out His plan for my good & His glory. He is an infinitely holy God who is infinitely worthy of all of my praise! Without Him, I am nothing. Because of Him, I've led - & continue to lead, regardless of what trials may come my way - a truly blessed life.
*My gracious Father in heaven, thank you. Thank you for my life & all of the blessings that you have bestowed upon me. Thank you for this wonderful birthday spent with my precious husband. Thank you, most of all, for giving me You. For being my God, my Father. For saving me from my sin. You never fail me, You always love me & do what's best for me, even when it hurts. Please continue to draw me to You & sanctify me so that I reflect Your Son to the world. Glorify Yourself through my life. I love You, Lord; help me to love You supremely. In Christ's holy name, Amen.
*My parents' divorce, which He used to drive me to His Word that shows me how to be a godly wife, what a godly husband will be like, & that marriage is from Him & I should rely on Him if hard times come.
*My molestation, which He used to drive me to reliance on Him for forgiveness toward those who wounded me & gave me a righteously fierce protection over others, as well as intense empathy for others' pain. (As an aside, He also used Mark Driscoll's sermon on expiation to show me that not only did Jesus' death in my stead cleanse me of my own sin, but it cleansed me from the sins committed against me. How freeing!)
*My infertility (although reversible), which He still uses to show me that He is enough, whether He gives me children or not.
*The years-long rift between a loved one & me, which He used to show me that while others will fail me, He will not; that He has always been & will always be right there with me, loving me, guiding me, & sanctifying me until I reflect Christ perfectly.
That's the purpose of trials in the life of a child of God -- they are instruments lovingly used by our wise & sovereign heavenly Father to mold us into the image of Christ for His glory. Everywhere in my life, I see proof of God, proof of His love, proof of His guidance, proof that He will work out His plan for my good & His glory. He is an infinitely holy God who is infinitely worthy of all of my praise! Without Him, I am nothing. Because of Him, I've led - & continue to lead, regardless of what trials may come my way - a truly blessed life.
*My gracious Father in heaven, thank you. Thank you for my life & all of the blessings that you have bestowed upon me. Thank you for this wonderful birthday spent with my precious husband. Thank you, most of all, for giving me You. For being my God, my Father. For saving me from my sin. You never fail me, You always love me & do what's best for me, even when it hurts. Please continue to draw me to You & sanctify me so that I reflect Your Son to the world. Glorify Yourself through my life. I love You, Lord; help me to love You supremely. In Christ's holy name, Amen.
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Packing an Umbrella
We've all heard the old adage "If you pray for rain, you'd better pack an umbrella". Mama sent me an email just this morning with a story about a couple married 5 years who prayed for children & proved this adage true as God blessed them with 4 children in as many years. At the top, she told me that this would be me in a couple of years, realizing my heart's desire in a house full of children. I pray so. My heart has really been aching the last few days for my children. My arms have felt so empty. I asked Michael today through tears, "How can I miss someone so much that I've never met?" We were standing in Costco, looking at the children's clothes, which I was affectionately stroking, wishing for the babies that I'm trusting God to give us. I decided then to "pack an umbrella". So, in faith that God is working to bring our children to us, Michael & I bought 6 outfits -- 3 girls' & 3 boys'. These are closeup shots of the coordinating bibs that came with the outfits. They're so cute!
We know that God has called us to this adoption, & because that's true, we also know that He will complete the adoption & unite us with our babies when the time is right. Sometimes it can be hard to hold on to this assurance, though, especially as more time goes by & we still don't have the funds to move on. Although I have these weak moments (thankfully few) where I wonder how it's all going to happen - if it's all going to happen - knowing that it will happen in God's time is comforting to me in my waiting. It's also comforting to know that our family & friends who love us are supporting & praying with us for peace, patience, & for the safety & well-being of our babies until God brings them to us. So, as we wait, we also prepare for God to bring the rain. I hope it's a deluge!
Monday, December 14, 2009
Jesus is the reason for the season...or is He?
"Jesus is the reason for the season". At least, that's what we say. But - like my mama always taught me - actions speak louder than words. Lately, I've been looking around - at others & at myself - & wondering how true this sentiment really is. Is Jesus really "the reason for the season"?
I've always loved Christmas, always been a bit of a fanatic, in fact. There was a time when I started playing Christmas music in July. (Seriously, you can ask my mama.) When I was growing up, I decorated my room, complete with my own little Christmas tree. Santas & snowmen, colored lights & snowglobes...the whole deal. I've always loved the idyllic Christmas. You know, the one with old-fashioned dresses, sleigh rides, church bells, snow. Of course, growing up in Louisiana, I never got that. Except the year we went to Wisconsin for Christmas, but I digress.
Do you see what's missing here? I (& I would suspect, a lot of other people, possibly even you) have thrown out the little rhyme above, along with a sprinkling of "Happy birthday, Jesus" throughout the years, but the main event involved the tree & the food & the company & the presents & looking at lights &...you get the idea. Oh, I would have never said that, but my actions did. We all, Christians & unbelievers alike, scurry around all in a flutter about what we're going to buy for our spouse & children, extended family, & friends. Where's dinner going to be? Are we going to have turkey or ham, dressing or stuffing? After Christmas, the customary query is "What did you get?" I could go on, but surely you see where I'm going. If Jesus is really "the reason for the season", then why don't we focus more on Him? Why is it that we can go even to Christian homes & see Santa & Frosty displayed prominently en masse & one little nativity scene set on the mantle or coffee table? And I'm not just pointing fingers here; I've been guilty of the very same thing for years! It seems to me that this sends a mixed message. Especially to children & unbelievers. If Christmas is about Jesus, then why does Santa have such a prominent role? How does opening presents for ourselves celebrate Jesus' birth? I mean, be honest, as you take your children to see Santa, are you thinking about how much Christ is glorified in that? As you shop for & open presents, are you thinking, "This is for You, Jesus!"? Hardly.
Christmas is not about presents or any of the other things that we, along with the world, strive so hard to make it about. Christmas is about Jesus. He came down from heaven & became incarnate for our sake. Think about this! He, the Lord of glory, chose to be born to an unwed teenage mother in a stable filled with animals...for us! So that He could live the one & only perfect life & die the one & only sin-atoning death in our place to save us from the deserved wrath of God! How could we, who claim to love Him & be His disciples, possibly make Christmas about anything less than this? Does this mean we throw out all of our Santas & snowmen, don't decorate a tree or the house, & don't buy presents? I can't answer that for you, because it's a heart issue. I think the question we need to ask ourselves is, "How does this make me focus on & glorify Christ?" If it doesn't, it should go. And again, we should ask, "How does this show others that I value Christ supremely?" As much of a kick as I get out of my "Jingle Bell Rock" Santa, for the life of me, I can't figure how he helps me glorify Christ or how he shows others that I love Christ supremely.
I guess the main question I'm asking myself this year is, what are my actions saying about my heart? What are yours?
I've always loved Christmas, always been a bit of a fanatic, in fact. There was a time when I started playing Christmas music in July. (Seriously, you can ask my mama.) When I was growing up, I decorated my room, complete with my own little Christmas tree. Santas & snowmen, colored lights & snowglobes...the whole deal. I've always loved the idyllic Christmas. You know, the one with old-fashioned dresses, sleigh rides, church bells, snow. Of course, growing up in Louisiana, I never got that. Except the year we went to Wisconsin for Christmas, but I digress.
Do you see what's missing here? I (& I would suspect, a lot of other people, possibly even you) have thrown out the little rhyme above, along with a sprinkling of "Happy birthday, Jesus" throughout the years, but the main event involved the tree & the food & the company & the presents & looking at lights &...you get the idea. Oh, I would have never said that, but my actions did. We all, Christians & unbelievers alike, scurry around all in a flutter about what we're going to buy for our spouse & children, extended family, & friends. Where's dinner going to be? Are we going to have turkey or ham, dressing or stuffing? After Christmas, the customary query is "What did you get?" I could go on, but surely you see where I'm going. If Jesus is really "the reason for the season", then why don't we focus more on Him? Why is it that we can go even to Christian homes & see Santa & Frosty displayed prominently en masse & one little nativity scene set on the mantle or coffee table? And I'm not just pointing fingers here; I've been guilty of the very same thing for years! It seems to me that this sends a mixed message. Especially to children & unbelievers. If Christmas is about Jesus, then why does Santa have such a prominent role? How does opening presents for ourselves celebrate Jesus' birth? I mean, be honest, as you take your children to see Santa, are you thinking about how much Christ is glorified in that? As you shop for & open presents, are you thinking, "This is for You, Jesus!"? Hardly.
Christmas is not about presents or any of the other things that we, along with the world, strive so hard to make it about. Christmas is about Jesus. He came down from heaven & became incarnate for our sake. Think about this! He, the Lord of glory, chose to be born to an unwed teenage mother in a stable filled with animals...for us! So that He could live the one & only perfect life & die the one & only sin-atoning death in our place to save us from the deserved wrath of God! How could we, who claim to love Him & be His disciples, possibly make Christmas about anything less than this? Does this mean we throw out all of our Santas & snowmen, don't decorate a tree or the house, & don't buy presents? I can't answer that for you, because it's a heart issue. I think the question we need to ask ourselves is, "How does this make me focus on & glorify Christ?" If it doesn't, it should go. And again, we should ask, "How does this show others that I value Christ supremely?" As much of a kick as I get out of my "Jingle Bell Rock" Santa, for the life of me, I can't figure how he helps me glorify Christ or how he shows others that I love Christ supremely.
I guess the main question I'm asking myself this year is, what are my actions saying about my heart? What are yours?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Do Not Be Anxious Fools
My Bible has a separation in Luke 12 between verses 21 & 22, but I (Michael) was struck today that these actually go together. Verses 13-21 tell us about the man who wants Jesus to tell his brother to divide the inheritance with him, followed by Jesus telling the parable of the rich fool who wanted to build bigger barns to store his plentiful crops. Jesus' hearers (including us) are warned that the person who "lays up treasure for himself & is not rich toward God" will meet the same fate as this rich fool. If your Bible is like mine, there is now a separation. All too often, we see the separation, which was not there in the original, & fail to see how the passages are connected. But these are very connected! Jesus issues the warning in verse 21 & then flows right into an admonishment in verse 22 not to be anxious about our lives, even the very basic aspects of what we will eat or wear. But we are, aren't we? Aren't we concerned about meeting our basic needs, especially when money is tight? How will I pay this bill? Will there be enough money to cover groceries? This even spills over into bigger issues. The truck needs new tires & brakes. The house needs a new roof. We need to save for retirement. For us, we can sometimes be overwhelmed by how we're going to afford to pay for this adoption. How in the world are we going to come up with $28,000?! On one income! Then, I read Jesus' words in this passage: do not be anxious, God cares for us more than the birds & lilies. I also see His indictment: "O you of little faith!" Choosing to be anxious - & it is a choice - means that I don't trust that God is in control of my life, that He loves me enough to take care of me. Choosing to accumulate possessions & wealth so that I don't have any worries means that I'm choosing not to rely on God. It also means that my treasure is in my "stuff" rather than in God. But, as believers, we're called to higher & better things. "Instead, seek His kingdom first, & these things will be added to you," remembering that "one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions". If we are seeking after Him, He will give us what we need. So, we have no cause for worry! Then, look where this leads us! God is providing for us, we have no need to worry about our needs, & that opens us up to "sell your possessions & give to the needy". We can do this because we have "a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches & no moth destroys"! We show ourselves to be true disciples of Christ by our outward actions, which demonstrate what we value most & show where our heart is. If our heart is with Christ, then we can easily lay aside our possessions for the sake of meeting others' needs. However, if our heart is with our possessions, then we will cling to, & even increase, them because we can't bear to be without them. And when we are seeking after the world's riches ("the good American life") at all costs - even going into debt & ignoring the plight of the poor to do so - we cannot lay up treasure in heaven. As believers, we have to intentionally & deliberately be counter-cultural in all ways, including how we use our possessions. We can choose to be slaves to the ungodly ways of our culture & lay up no treasure in heaven, but then we must clearly understand that this is "friendship with the world" & "enmity with God". If we choose this, we must be aware that we will have our reward here & our eternity will be hell. Our other choice is to break the chains of our slavery to "things", so that we're free to give to the advancement of the Gospel & to the care of the poor & helpless all over the world. But we can't have both, we can't serve both God & money. So, "choose you this day whom ye will serve...as for me & my house, we will serve the Lord"!
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, we thank You with all that we are for providing for us each day! We realize that everything we have - our food, clean water, clothing, home, jobs, & so much more - come straight from Your hand. So often, we forget to thank You, even forget that these things do indeed come from You. Please forgive us & continue to sanctify us through Your Word. Help us to realize that our possessions are not lasting & have not been given to us for ourselves. Help us to use our possessions as they are meant to be in the advance of Your kingdom. Convict us of the millions who are dying each day without the very things we take for granted...& without You. Ignite a passion in us to spread Your Gospel to the very corners of the Earth, showing people Christ's love in our actions. We love You & worship You, for You alone are worthy of all honor & praise! In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, we thank You with all that we are for providing for us each day! We realize that everything we have - our food, clean water, clothing, home, jobs, & so much more - come straight from Your hand. So often, we forget to thank You, even forget that these things do indeed come from You. Please forgive us & continue to sanctify us through Your Word. Help us to realize that our possessions are not lasting & have not been given to us for ourselves. Help us to use our possessions as they are meant to be in the advance of Your kingdom. Convict us of the millions who are dying each day without the very things we take for granted...& without You. Ignite a passion in us to spread Your Gospel to the very corners of the Earth, showing people Christ's love in our actions. We love You & worship You, for You alone are worthy of all honor & praise! In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Why adopt? Why Ethiopia? Part 2
Yesterday, we explained why we're adopting as opposed to attempting to conceive through fertility treatments & such. Today, we'd like to deal with why we're adopting from Ethiopia rather than domestically.
So...why Ethiopia? There are so many reasons I can give! The most important reason is that we simply feel God leading us there. We could have gone the domestic route - we thought about it & may do so in the future - but we simply feel that for now, God is leading us to Ethiopia. We believe our God is sovereign & that He ordained that all of our children - birth & adopted - be ours from before the foundation of the world. The most basic reason that we're adopting from Ethiopia is that our children are in Ethiopia, just as God has willed. Like I said, we've always wanted to adopt (seriously, like from the time I was 12 & Michael was a teenager), but we thought we would wait until after we had "our own" children. (As an aside, I detest that phrase now; they won't be our biological children, but they will be "our own" children.) Then, my sister- & brother-in-law started the process; we were over at their house one night this past January & spent literally hours watching You Tube videos showing adoption stories, a lot of them from Ethiopia. Watching all of these children who had no one suddenly becoming part of a family was simply extraordinary! I cried the whole time & was completely drained by the end of the day. Michael & I drove home talking about how we didn't have to wait; we could adopt now. One reason we chose Ethiopia is because of how speedy their process is compared to other nations. But the main reason, other than God's leading, is that as we began researching Ethiopia to get a better feel of the culture, we discovered the dire situation facing these beautiful people. For Ethiopia's orphans, many of whom are living on the streets, life is a daily struggle to survive. There are between 4 & 6 million orphans in Ethiopia alone, & most of them don't live to see their 5th birthday; they're dying from starvation, preventable diseases, & subhuman conditions. More than 26,000 children around the world die every single day from these conditions! That's 1,080+ every hour, 18+ every minute! Imagine if our church were representative of these statistics. In a matter of minutes, not one child would be left alive. Learning this, we simply couldn't turn our backs on the situation. We have to save these children.
One of the "flagship" verses of adoption is James 1:27. As Christ's church, we are all called to "visit orphans & widows in their distress". We just recently heard a sermon explaining that "visit" means save, as in all the times that God "visited" His people in distress. He didn't just comfort them & then leave them in their situations; He rescued them from the situations. We are all called to rescue orphans, whether by means of adoption or by means of facilitating adoption. You know what's been amazing in this for me personally? I've never met my children - they may not even be born yet - but I know that before creation, God planned them to be mine, & I love them to the very bottom of my soul. I may not have them in my arms yet, but they are firmly planted in my heart.
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, please help us, as Your adopted children, to reflect your heart by adopting orphans from all over the world. These children are so precious, & they need us to rescue them from poverty, disease, & death. We can't do it without You, though. Please make Your people - Your bride - burn with a passion for adoption for Your glory! In Christ's holy name, Amen.
So...why Ethiopia? There are so many reasons I can give! The most important reason is that we simply feel God leading us there. We could have gone the domestic route - we thought about it & may do so in the future - but we simply feel that for now, God is leading us to Ethiopia. We believe our God is sovereign & that He ordained that all of our children - birth & adopted - be ours from before the foundation of the world. The most basic reason that we're adopting from Ethiopia is that our children are in Ethiopia, just as God has willed. Like I said, we've always wanted to adopt (seriously, like from the time I was 12 & Michael was a teenager), but we thought we would wait until after we had "our own" children. (As an aside, I detest that phrase now; they won't be our biological children, but they will be "our own" children.) Then, my sister- & brother-in-law started the process; we were over at their house one night this past January & spent literally hours watching You Tube videos showing adoption stories, a lot of them from Ethiopia. Watching all of these children who had no one suddenly becoming part of a family was simply extraordinary! I cried the whole time & was completely drained by the end of the day. Michael & I drove home talking about how we didn't have to wait; we could adopt now. One reason we chose Ethiopia is because of how speedy their process is compared to other nations. But the main reason, other than God's leading, is that as we began researching Ethiopia to get a better feel of the culture, we discovered the dire situation facing these beautiful people. For Ethiopia's orphans, many of whom are living on the streets, life is a daily struggle to survive. There are between 4 & 6 million orphans in Ethiopia alone, & most of them don't live to see their 5th birthday; they're dying from starvation, preventable diseases, & subhuman conditions. More than 26,000 children around the world die every single day from these conditions! That's 1,080+ every hour, 18+ every minute! Imagine if our church were representative of these statistics. In a matter of minutes, not one child would be left alive. Learning this, we simply couldn't turn our backs on the situation. We have to save these children.
One of the "flagship" verses of adoption is James 1:27. As Christ's church, we are all called to "visit orphans & widows in their distress". We just recently heard a sermon explaining that "visit" means save, as in all the times that God "visited" His people in distress. He didn't just comfort them & then leave them in their situations; He rescued them from the situations. We are all called to rescue orphans, whether by means of adoption or by means of facilitating adoption. You know what's been amazing in this for me personally? I've never met my children - they may not even be born yet - but I know that before creation, God planned them to be mine, & I love them to the very bottom of my soul. I may not have them in my arms yet, but they are firmly planted in my heart.
*Our most gracious heavenly Father, please help us, as Your adopted children, to reflect your heart by adopting orphans from all over the world. These children are so precious, & they need us to rescue them from poverty, disease, & death. We can't do it without You, though. Please make Your people - Your bride - burn with a passion for adoption for Your glory! In Christ's holy name, Amen.
Friday, September 18, 2009
Why adopt? Why Ethiopia? Part 1
Michael & I have been asked more than once now 2 questions in particular regarding our adoption: Why are you adopting rather than trying to conceive on your own or with a doctor's help? Why are you adopting from Ethiopia rather than domestically? I recently corresponded with a dear friend concerning these 2 issues, & I figure that for every person brave enough to ask these questions out loud, there are a few more who are wondering. So, I would like to share our reasons here.
It's probably easier to start with why we're adopting at all. First of all, it "just so happens" that we have both always wanted to adopt transracially, specifically African. We are not able to conceive right now due to my PCOS, but weight loss will clear that up (which we are working on), & Lord willing, one day we will be "bellied up" (an awesome expression that's new to me!). Regardless of if we ever have biological children or not, we will adopt. We want to adopt in addition to having biological children, not in lieu of. Adoption is costly, & we could spend that money on fertility treatments instead. However, God has chosen not to create a child in my womb right now, while He has chosen to create all of the many children around the world who have become orphans through no fault of their own. We believe our money is better spent rescuing these children rather than bucking against God's plan for us in our barrenness. God is concerned with orphans, as He testifies in His Word, & we as His children should reflect His heart. In adoption, we show the world God's love for & adoption of us. He is, after all, an adoptive Father Himself. Because we have been adopted "vertically" by Him, we have a desire to adopt "horizontally" the orphans in this world. These are children who have no one to love them; no one to protect, support, or comfort them; no place to call home. They are worthy of all of these things, & by adopting them, we show the world who God is. Isn't that beautiful?! We also fulfill the Great Commission in adoption. We are taking children who, if left as orphans, will most likely never hear the gospel of Jesus Christ & are training them in the admonition of the Lord. We are discipling them in Christ! Again, it's just beautiful!
I'll cover why we feel led to adopt from Ethiopia rather than domestically in the next post.
It's probably easier to start with why we're adopting at all. First of all, it "just so happens" that we have both always wanted to adopt transracially, specifically African. We are not able to conceive right now due to my PCOS, but weight loss will clear that up (which we are working on), & Lord willing, one day we will be "bellied up" (an awesome expression that's new to me!). Regardless of if we ever have biological children or not, we will adopt. We want to adopt in addition to having biological children, not in lieu of. Adoption is costly, & we could spend that money on fertility treatments instead. However, God has chosen not to create a child in my womb right now, while He has chosen to create all of the many children around the world who have become orphans through no fault of their own. We believe our money is better spent rescuing these children rather than bucking against God's plan for us in our barrenness. God is concerned with orphans, as He testifies in His Word, & we as His children should reflect His heart. In adoption, we show the world God's love for & adoption of us. He is, after all, an adoptive Father Himself. Because we have been adopted "vertically" by Him, we have a desire to adopt "horizontally" the orphans in this world. These are children who have no one to love them; no one to protect, support, or comfort them; no place to call home. They are worthy of all of these things, & by adopting them, we show the world who God is. Isn't that beautiful?! We also fulfill the Great Commission in adoption. We are taking children who, if left as orphans, will most likely never hear the gospel of Jesus Christ & are training them in the admonition of the Lord. We are discipling them in Christ! Again, it's just beautiful!
I'll cover why we feel led to adopt from Ethiopia rather than domestically in the next post.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
God Provides
Okay, so the most amazing thing happened yesterday! But before I tell you that, I have to give some background. As most of you probably know, Michael & I are a one-income family. He's an RN on a cardiac surgical unit, & I - though once an elementary school teacher - am now a housewife. (Much to both of our satisfaction, I might add, though that's probably another post!) In our desire to add "parent" to our job descriptions, we've embarked upon a journey to adopt 2 children from Ethiopia. Being a one-income family, & not having a spare $27,000 laying around - shocking, I know - we're sometimes unsure how we are ever going to afford this adoption. Two days ago, we were reminded of how truly daunting this venture may be. You see, we had our first home study meeting with our fabulous social worker, Claire, who proceeded to lay out the next few steps that we will need to fund. We've paid around $2,000 into the process up to this point, and our next few steps will cost almost $2,400. Wow! Never mind not having $27,000 laying around; we don't even have this much! Here's where God steps in. He knows our need. He's placed this desire in our hearts & this call on our lives. We've both reminded each other a few times already - & will no doubt do so many more times in this journey - that because He's given us this desire & call, that He will provide the way for us to fulfill it. We know this to the bottom of our souls, & He has proven faithful. You see, on the way home from our meeting, we discussed our new dilemma. How are we going to come up with this amount of money? We are definitely going to have to sacrifice; that's part of being a parent, after all, not to mention being a Christian. (Although, it doesn't really feel like we're sacrificing anything when the end result in both instances is so rewarding!) Extra shifts at Michael's work are scarce, almost nonexistent. I can sew & sell some things, but probably not $2,400 worth. The money from our paychecks mostly goes toward bills & necessities with some left over to put back in savings. So, where are we going to get the money? Turns out, from God. We just got our paycheck & somehow, in some truly inexplicable way, NONE of that money is needed for bills. Seriously -- NONE! Amazingly, the large bulk of this paycheck can go into savings toward our adoption! So, whereas we were a couple thousand dollars short of paying for these next few steps, now we only lack a couple hundred!
*God, You are so faithful to us, & we are so grateful to You! Thank You for giving us this desire to rescue orphans & give them an everlasting family who will love, nurture, protect, & disciple them. Thank You for giving us this opportunity to reflect Your love for us & to reflect Your adoption of us as Your children, by loving & adopting these children. And, thank You for providing the way to fulfill Your calling. We love You! In Christ's holy name, Amen.
*God, You are so faithful to us, & we are so grateful to You! Thank You for giving us this desire to rescue orphans & give them an everlasting family who will love, nurture, protect, & disciple them. Thank You for giving us this opportunity to reflect Your love for us & to reflect Your adoption of us as Your children, by loving & adopting these children. And, thank You for providing the way to fulfill Your calling. We love You! In Christ's holy name, Amen.
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