Are You Fulfilling Your Purpose?

"God made us to be worshipers. That was the purpose of God in bringing us into the world." - A. W. Tozer

Are you fulfilling your purpose today?

Or is "worship" something you think of as a Sunday-only activity?

Is "worship" equated only with music?

How do you define "worship"?

And if Tozer is right, and worship is the purpose for which God brought us into the world, how are you fulfilling that purpose?

Something to think about.

"God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth." 

(John 4:24 NASB)

 

"The LORD passed by in front of him and proclaimed, 'The LORD, the LORD God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth.....Moses made haste to bow low to the earth and worship."  (Exodus 34:6,8 NASB)

 

"Ascribe to the LORD the glory due His name; worship the LORD in holy array."  (Psalm 29:2 NASB)

 

"Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."  (Romans 12:1 NASB)

And Know

Pascal, the French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher of days gone by, said,  "Nearly all the ills of life spring from this simple source: that we are not able to sit still in a room."

God said, "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)

When we read that verse, we tend to focus on the first phrase.  Be still.  And of course, that's an important part of the verse.

Be still.  Or, as the NASB renders the verse, cease striving.  The Amplified Bible puts it this way:  Let be and be still.

But let's not forget the rest of the verse.  Just being still, as important as that is, is not enough. 

Be still, and know that I am God.

Don't forget the "and know" part of the verse.

Again, let's look to the Amplified Bible for clarification.  Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God.

Be still.  That's important.  Cease striving.  Stop worrying.  Be aware.

And know.  Not just give mental assent to.  Recognize and understand in the very core of your being.  Know.  Know that you know that you know. 

Recognize and understand who God is. 

Certainly He is a loving God.  He is also a just God.  A righteous God.  A providing God.  He is a Sovereign God. 

Be still and know that I am God. 

Whatever the circumstances of your life.  Whatever decisions you are facing.  Whatever emotional upheaval may encompass you today.  Whatever.  In every circumstance of life.  In the big things and in the little things.  Know this.  He is God.

There is nothing facing you or me today that He can't handle.  Because He is God.

Think about that today.  Ponder that.  Live in light of that.  Be still.  And know.

"Be still, and know that I am God.  I will be exalted among the nations.  I will be exalted among the earth!"  (Psalm 46:10 ESV)

Through

Perhaps one of the most familiar passages in all of Scripture is The Twenty-Third Psalm.  We learn it as children.  We hear it read at funerals.  Even people who don't regularly attend church or who don't spend a lot of time in the Bible have heard of this Psalm.

One of my favorite verses in that Psalm is the fourth verse which says "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me."   

As I have been thinking about that verse recently, a few words have stood out to me.  Even though.  Through.  With me.

"Even though" is an expression of certainty.  This tells me not to be surprised when tough times come.  It tells me they will come.  But in spite of the tough times.......no matter what happens.....even though.......there is no reason to fear.  The certainty is that tough times will come.  The certainty is also that I don't face them alone.

"With me".  I'm not alone.  No matter what happens.  "Thou art with me."  What a comfort!  Even though tough times come, even though I may feel alone, I'm not!  Over and over through the Scriptures this truth rings true!

Matthew 28:20....."I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

2 Chronicles 16:9....."The eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the whole earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His."

Psalm 3:3......"But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory and the One who lifts my head."

But I think my favorite word in this verse is the word "through".  "Through" tells me that no matter what I'm experiencing right now, what valley I'm in, what the difficulty is, it isn't permanent!  I won't be in this tough time forever, because this verse tells me that I walk through the valley.  I don't walk into it to stay!  And that, my friends, brings me great comfort!

The "into" comes later, in the last verse of the Psalm, when "I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:6b).

Until then, whatever I'm walking through is part of the "all things" that are working together for my good and His glory (see Romans 8:28-29).  So I walk through the valley with my eyes fixed on Jesus, not on my circumstances, because Jesus is with me.  As He promised He would be.  Even in the valley.


"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."  (Hebrews 12:1-2 NASB, emphasis mine)

Change of Plans. Or What to Do on a Snow Day.

We had a little more snow overnight.  And a little more early this morning.  And I won't be surprised if it snows some more before we see the sun again.  Right now the view out the window looks like this: 

 

 

 

 

Of course, it could be much worse.  It could look like this:

 

 

 

 

 

Or this:  

 

 

Or, even worse, I could be in New York or New England.

 

It really isn't that bad.  We don't have a huge amount of snow.  Just enough to disrupt my plans for the day. 

 

There really is much to be thankful for on a day like this.  The snow, even though it disrupts my plans, is beautiful.  And even though it is very, very cold outside, I have a warm house and plenty of hot coffee.  I am toasty warm as I sit here in front of the fire.  So, it's all good.

 

The down side of the snow is that my plans are disrupted.  There will be no getting out and about today.  No trip to town for a pedicure.  That's a disappointment.  The appointment is rescheduled, and I now have an afternoon with nothing on my schedule.

 

But that gives me a large block of uninterrupted time to spend here: 

 

 

And that's a good thing.

 

"Make me know Your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths.  Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day."          (Psalm 25:4-5 NASB)





Thankful. Even When the Weather Is Crazy.

We've had some crazy weather around here lately.

There was ice on Friday. 

 

 

 

On Saturday morning we had a light dusting of snow.

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday afternoon brought bright sunshine and that snow became a distant memory.

 

Sunday was very spring-like with bright sun and light breezes.

 

This morning it's snowing again.  The ground is covered, and the snow continues to fall.  Of course it's nothing like what some parts of the country are experiencing.  We're not using the "B" word (blizzard) here.  We have very light winds and some gently falling snow.

 

Gentle.  Peaceful.  Serene.  Those are words that come to mind as I look out the window this morning.

 

In addition to the snow, we are fogged in.  Surrounded by gray.  Not much visibility.  There are days when that really drags me down.  When the gray is just gloomy.  Somehow that's not true this morning.

 

Today that fog feels more like the comforting presence of the Holy Spirit surrounding me with His presence.  This morning as I've spent time in the Word, as I have worshiped, as I have prayed and already experienced an answer to one of the things I was very specifically praying about, I am experiencing a very real sense of the Lord's presence.

 

And I am so thankful.

 

Thankful that His mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).

 

Thankful that "though [my] sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow."     (Isaiah 1:16).

 

Thankful that "as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty without accomplishing what I desire and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."  (Isaiah 55:10-11 NASB)

 

So thankful today.

 

Thankful for a new week.  Thankful for snow.  Thankful for a faithful God.

 

Just thankful.

 

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits."  (Psalm 103:1-2 NASB)

 





Happy Birthday, Christopher!

Today is a special day.  It's my grandson Christopher's 8th birthday.

From this first bonding moment, we've been best buddies!

We've had some great adventures together and made some wonderful memories.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's on special days like today that I really dislike living so far away from my grandchildren!  I would love to be there for big birthday hugs and lots of kisses and birthday cake and making more memories.  But since that can't happen, I'll treasure the memories already made even more, and look forward to making new ones.  Until then....

 

Happy Birthday, Christopher!  Nana and Opa love you so very much and can't wait to celebrate and make more memories with you next month in Orlando!

 

 

"Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged."  (Proverbs 17:6 NLT)

 



Still the Answer

Back in the 1970s we used to sing a song called Jesus Is Still the Answer.  And although that was a time long ago and far away, it's still a good song.  Because it's still true.  Jesus is still the answer.

For terrorism.

For the culture wars.

For the stresses of your life.

For the turmoil and unrest in the world.

For the longing in your soul.

Perhaps that seems too simplistic.  Or old-fashioned.  Or out of touch with reality.  But it's true nonetheless.

"There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus."  (Blaise Pascal, French mathematician, physicist, and philosopher, 1623-1662)

Jesus is still the answer.  It was true in the 17th century.  It was true in the 1970s.  And it's still true today.

Whatever you're facing today.  Whatever the longings of your soul.  Whatever your need.  Look to Jesus.  Jesus is still the answer.

"And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:19 NASB)


Listen to "Jesus Is Still the Answer" here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDMDrLGOt-w

Be On Guard

I only turned my back for a minute.  As I stripped the sheets off the bed to be washed, the pillows fell to the floor. 

I took the sheets to the laundry room, got them into the washing machine, and went back to pick up the pillows. 

And this is what I found.



Lesson learned.  Be alert.  And never leave your pillows on the floor when there's a dachshund around!

Be on guard!

And not just on guard against aging dachshunds who would like to steal your pillows.

There are numerous admonitions in Scripture to be on guard.  Consider these two from Peter's letters.

"Be on the alert.  Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour."  (1 Peter 5:8 NASB)

"Be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness."  (2 Peter 3:17 NASB)

Those are important warnings for us to remember as we're going about our tasks today.

Be on guard.  For pillow-snatching dachshunds. But more importantly, be on guard against the enemy of your soul.

"Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil."           (Ephesians 6:10-11 NASB)

Who's Your Hero?

A hero can be defined as a person of distinguished courage or ability who is admired for brave deeds and noble qualities.  Or as a person, who in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed heroic acts.  Or as a person who is regarded as a role model or ideal.  These are just a few of the definitions for the word hero.

Recently over on Facebook I asked the question, "who's your hero?", and I got a number of responses.  Responses that included Jesus, parents (some said mom, others said dad), Winston Churchill, the Apostle Paul, and Sam Gamgee.  A varied list indeed!

If you haven't responded yet to that question, I would love to hear who your heroes are.  Perhaps your hero is on the list above, perhaps not.  Perhaps it's someone you know, or someone you've never met but have admired from a distance.  Perhaps it's a Biblical figure.  Or a fictional character.  Or someone from history.  No matter who your hero is, I would love to hear about it.  Who.  And why.  It would be a big help on my current writing project.

Today I'm thinking about one of the heroes of my life, my daddy.  Today is his birthday.  If he were still here with us, he would be 94 years old today.  Instead, he's celebrating his 5th birthday in heaven.

Like many other daughters, I was (and still am!) a daddy's girl!  I loved my daddy.  And I admired and respected him as well.

He really became a hero to me in the last ten years of my mother's life as I watched him care for her so lovingly through those years of illness.  As I watched him sacrifice what was best for him in order to do what was best for her.  As I observed how much he loved her and how tenderly he cared for her.  As I saw the toll taken on his own health in order to take care of the one he so deeply loved.  If he hadn't already been my hero, he would have become that in those years!

But Daddy was my hero long before that. 

For putting up my swingset in the back yard.
For teaching me to ride a bike.
For playing with blocks with me on the floor after a long day at work.
For reading bedtime stories to me.

And for so many other reasons that are a big deal to a little girl.

Of all the things I loved and admired about Daddy, I most admired his love for the Lord and for His Word, his godly character, and his great faith.

Like many others who had grown up during the Great Depression, Daddy had known hard times. Yet the hard times didn't define him; his faith in God defined him.

And that's what I admire most. 

"I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."  (Psalm 37:25 KJV, one of Daddy's favorite verses)

Listening to the Wind. Monday Morning Musings.

As a child, did you memorize that Christina Rosetti poem Who Has Seen the Wind?  I learned it many, many years ago, and can't get it out of my head this morning! 

 

 

Who has seen the wind?  Neither I nor you:

But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through.

 

Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I:

But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by.

I haven't seen the wind, but I've certainly been listening to it.  Up here on this mountaintop, windy days are a fairly common occurrence, but this has been an unusually windy weekend.  And the wind continues this morning.  So, although I can't see the wind, I can certainly hear it!

As I've listened to the sounds of the wind howling, I wonder if this might be what it sounded like as the Holy Spirit came down from heaven on the day of Pentecost.

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind."  (Acts 2:1-2 ESV)

I have often had occasion to wonder about that, since it is very often very windy up here!

As I listen to the wind continue to howl this morning,  I'm reminded of a song lyric and wondering if this might be how it would be to "hear the sound of a mighty rushing wind, and it's closer now than it's ever been...I can almost hear the trumpet....."

We're drawing ever closer to that day.  Will we hear the wind blow when that trumpet sounds?  I don't know.  But it's something to think about on a windy Monday morning.


"For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord."  (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 NASB)


Listen to The Midnight Cry here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaW9Z8Kfyh0

 

 

 

 

Fruit Inspection. And a Giveaway.

Jesus said, "The tree is known by its fruit."  (Matthew 12:33 NASB)
He also said, "You will know them by their fruits.  Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they?  So every good tree bears good fruit and the bad tree bears bad fruit.....So then, you will know them by their fruits."   (Matthew 7:17-18, 20 NASB)

He said, "I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain."  (John 15:16 NASB)

And He said, "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples."  (John 15:8 NASB)

So, here's the question of the day.  It's a "fruit inspection" question!  How much fruit are you bearing?  What kind of fruit are you bearing?

To help you answer that question, I'm giving away three copies of my book "How Does Your Garden Grow?".

 

You can be entered in the drawing to win one of those copies by leaving a comment below or on Facebook.  And if it happens that you already own a copy of the book, this will give you an extra to give away!

Leave your comment here or on Facebook.  The drawing will be held next week.  And until then, bear much fruit!

A Favorite Picture. A Favorite Place. A Favorite Memory. And a Lesson Learned.

 

 

This is one of my favorite pictures.  There we are, Al and I, just walking along with our group, yet completely oblivious to those around us.  Strolling along, hand in hand, having a chat.  No clue that a friend with a camera was snapping this photo.

 

It's one of my favorite pictures.  And taken in one of my favorite places on earth, Jerusalem.  We're just outside the Temple Mount, on the southern side.  And as we walk through the arches just ahead, and then make a left turn, we will be at one of my favorite places in that favorite city, the southern steps to the Temple Mount.

 



This photo below, taken from the Mount of Olives, can put that into context for you.  The walled area in the center of the photo is the Temple Mount.  The Dome of the Rock is just out of the photo, to the far right just beyond the trees.  The Southern Steps are there in the center, just outside the wall of the Temple Mount, just above a small clump of trees.

On each of our trips to Jerusalem, we have had opportunity to sit on those steps and worship.  What precious memories I have of those times.  Being in that place, very near where Peter preached on Pentecost and 3000 souls were saved (Acts 2:14-41).  Hearing the Word proclaimed to us by our pastor in that same place.  Praying there on those steps.  Worshiping.  Those are favorite memories indeed.

There's an important lesson to be learned from those Southern Steps up to the Temple Mount.  You see, the interesting thing to me about these steps is that they are uneven.  Some are wide, some are narrow, some are in-between.  The result is that there would have been no casual skipping up the steps to worship at the Temple.  The nature of the steps requires that the approach be slow and deliberate.

And therein lies the lesson.  Have we become too casual in our approach to worship? 

Consider this quote from Oswald Chambers:  "If we have never had the experience of taking our casual, religious shoes off our casual, religious feet - getting rid of the excessive informality with which we approach God - it is questionable whether we have ever stood in His presence."

May we - may I - never be too casual in our approach to a holy God!  This is the lesson of the Southern Steps.

"Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD?  And who may stand in His holy place?  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully.  He shall receive a blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation."  (Psalm 24:4-5 NASB)


"Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts."  (Isaiah 6:3 NASB)

What Kind of Listener Are You?

"Are your listening ears on?"

When our sons and grandsons were younger, that question was frequently asked around here.  And I often wondered then, and I continue to wonder, if God might not want to ask that same question of us!

When God is speaking to us, are we listening?  Are our listening ears on?

"Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I.  Send me!'" (Isaiah 6:8 NASB, emphasis mine)

Oswald Chambers, in My Utmost for His Highest, had this to say about that verse:  Whether I hear God's call or not depends on the condition of my ears, and exactly what I hear depends on my spiritual attitude.

And so I ask the question again.  Are your listening ears on?  Are my listening ears on?

Or are we so busy talking that we aren't listening?  Are we so busy telling God what we want or what we think we need that we can't hear what He is saying to us?

I've heard it said that your mouth and your ears can't work at the same time.  Whether or not that is actually, physically, true is not really the point.  The point is that it is impossible for us to focus on listening and on talking at the same time. 

If our focus is on telling God what we want or what we need or what our problems are, then it will be very difficult to focus on hearing what He has to say to us. 

It is also true that what He has to say to us may, in fact, be completely unrelated to what we wanted to talk about!

And so I ask the question yet again.  Are your listening ears on?


"If we will allow the Holy Spirit to bring us face to face with God, we too will hear what Isaiah heard - "the voice of the Lord."  (Oswald Chambers)

Rain, Rain, and More Rain

Yesterday was a rainy, dreary day.  It rained all day, quite hard at times.  Today looks to be more of the same.  And then tonight we have the promise of the dreaded "wintry mix".

None of that gets me terribly excited.  I'm not one of those people who is thrilled at the prospect of another day of rain.

Until I read these verses this morning:

"For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater, So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; it will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."  (Isaiah 55:10-11 NASB)

That puts a different perspective on all this rain.

Instead of something to be dreaded or to be complained about, the rain is a reminder of this truth.  That God's Word always accomplishes His purpose.  That His Word is an anchor in times of storm.  That His Word is something I can trust and depend on, no matter what my circumstances might be.

And that's something to be thankful for on this rainy Tuesday!

Even on Dreary Monday Mornings

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me,
bless His holy name."        (Psalm 103:1 NASB)

For another day of life, bless the Lord, O my soul.

For a good night of rest, bless the Lord, O my soul.

For a comfortable chair and a good cup of coffee, bless the Lord, O my soul.

For the blessing of worship with my church family yesterday, bless the Lord, O my soul.

For the encouragement of the Scriptures, bless the Lord, O my soul.

For my family, bless the Lord, O my soul.

For my friends, near and far, bless the Lord, O my soul.

For the privilege of prayer, bless the Lord, O my soul.

For a roof over my head and all the comforts of my home, bless the Lord, O my soul.

For all the blessings of my life, and they are many indeed, bless the Lord, O my soul.

Even on a dreary Monday morning, bless the Lord, O my soul.


"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget none of His benefits; who pardons all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases; who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion; who satisfies your years with good things."  (Psalm 103:2-5a NASB)

Standing Still - Updated

Have you ever tried to stand absolutely still?  Did you find yourself wobbling maybe just a little bit?  Or tempted to fidget?

Have you ever told a child to "just be still"?  And how successful was that?  Not very, would be my guess!!

Several years ago, in the torture of physical therapy (PT stands for "pure torture") following a broken ankle, one of the tasks I was assigned by my therapist was standing still, on one foot no less! And on top of one of those squishy half-balls!  I think it was supposed to improve my balance or something like that.  But since balance was never my strong suit, I did not excel at the task.  And standing absolutely still (or trying to!) on one foot was misery for me! 

While standing still, in a physical sense, is a challenge, I think standing still in the spiritual sense may be even more difficult.  Waiting is hard.  I've written about this often, because it's something I really struggle with. 

It was hard for us as children to wait for birthdays and Christmas.  We wanted to open those packages.  We wanted to celebrate!

It was hard for us as children, and still is for us as adults, to wait for a special event or a long-anticipated vacation.

We're conditioned to be an instant-gratification society.  We have our instant-on TVs and our microwaves and instant coffee, instant oatmeal, instant grits (and I say a resounding YUCK to all those "instants").  We have 24 hour news channels and the internet and Facebook and all the know-all-about-it-as-soon-as-it-happens media.

All that makes it hard for us to wait for anything.  When we read the words of Psalm 46, "Be still and know that I am God," that is a foreign concept to us in our culture.  Literally, that verse says "cease striving".  In other words, we need to stop our worrying and let God be God.

But that's hard for us, isn't it?  We want what we want when we want it.  We're conditioned in our culture to believe that we have a right to expect that.  But do we really have that right?  As I search the Scriptures, I find nothing that leads me to believe that to be true.  And I find nothing that promises living life God's way will be easy.  In spite of what the prosperity-gospel proponents would lead us to believe, the Scripture does not promise health and wealth and happiness and that every day will be Friday or that every day will be our best day.  In fact, a careful reading of the Scriptures will point you in a different direction altogether.  There may be tough times.  And there may be times when we cry out to God for answers, but we have to wait.  Which leads me back to standing still.

Perhaps you are in a "waiting" period.  I understand.  I'm right there with you.  Asking questions for which I have no answer yet.  Wondering why not.  Still waiting.  And it's hard.  And as I look back through my journals and back through previous blog posts, I see that this is not a new occurrence in my life.  I originally wrote this post more than three years ago, when I was waiting.  I've pulled it back out today, because once again, I'm waiting.  And it's challenging.

In many ways, I'm a patient person.  Like with my grandchildren (see me smile).  In other ways, not so much.  Maybe it's a personality "flaw".  Or it's my personality "type".  Whatever.  I typically am not good at dragging things out.  I want to make a decision, based on the best information I have available at the time, and move on.  Often, when in conversation with someone, or when sitting in a class or some type of training, my thought (which I hope I don't actually verbalize!) is "will you get to the point?"  So, while I'm patient with my grandchildren, I probably wouldn't be described as patient otherwise!

In a spiritual sense, that is a real problem for me.  I want to know everything I'm supposed to know right now.  I want answers to my questions right now.  I have trouble "standing still".  Sometimes it's hard for me to wait and just let God be God.  It's hard for me to be a good student and let God teach me what He wants to teach me in His time.  It's just hard. I would be less than honest if I said otherwise.

So today, as I'm confessing that to God (and to you!), I reminded of the words of a song by The Isaacs (written by Sonja and Becky).  You can check it out on YouTube if you aren't familiar with it.  It's a great song.  And it encapsulates just how hard it is to wait.  To be still.  Standing still is hard to do. 

But isn't that what God is telling us to do in Psalm 46?  Be still.  Cease striving.  Just stand still.  I've got this.

The Father has a plan,

 Though it's hard to see it now.

You feel you're walking all alone,

 But He is there, no doubt.

When the storm around you rages,

And you're tossed to and fro,

When you're faced with life's decisions,

Not sure which way to go,

Stand still and let God move.

Standing still is hard to do.

When you feel you have reached the end,

 He'll make a way for you.

Stand still and let God move.

(Rebecca and Sonja Isaacs, David Marshall)

 

 

 

"Cease striving and know that I am God."  (Psalm 46:10 NASB)

Multitasking

A few days ago I was multitasking (translation:  watching Jeopardy and trolling through Pinterest at the same time), and I came across this photo of the Bookmobile in Spartanburg County.  It seems the county bookmobile had been given a facelift (aka, a new paint job).  Although this bookmobile doesn't look exactly like the one I remember from my childhood, this photo did trigger a flood of memories.

How I looked forward to those trips to the bookmobile!  It parked on the corner of our street, in a location that interestingly became home to an actual bricks-and-mortar library building many decades later.  Ours was the third house from the corner, and out the front door we would go, Mother and I, to walk up to the bookmobile.  And then we would walk back home, my arms loaded with all the books I could carry.  It was an absolute delight!

Eventually we got our own branch of the Spartanburg County Library.  It was a very small building, not much larger than an average bedroom, and was open two afternoons a week.....Tuesday and Saturday.  Mrs. Christopher was the Librarian.  She sat behind a table by the door and stamped due dates onto that little white flap glued into the back of the book.  The Children's Section was just to the right of the front door.  It was there that I formed friendships with Nancy Drew and Trixie Belden and the Bobbsey Twins.  Where I got to know people like Florence Nightingale and George Washington Carver and Julie Lowe and Clara Barton and Benjamin Franklin.  Where Louisa May Alcott became a favorite author.  It is quite likely that  I read every book on those shelves at least once! 

I also spent some time in Mysteries and Westerns.  These were for my granddaddy, who lived with us part of the year.  He was confined to his room as a result of multiple strokes, but he loved to read mysteries and westerns.  Twice a week I went to the library and got our books.  If I ever made the mistake of getting him a book he had already read, I was in big trouble!  The town now has a beautiful library building, full of wonderful books and magazines and computers.  But my memories of the Landrum Library always go to that little building from my childhood, and even earlier to those trips to the bookmobile.

Over the years I have had opportunity to spend time in many libraries.  When I was a little girl I often visited my second cousin Anne Sevier, who taught English at Winthrop College (now Winthrop University).  While Anne was teaching, she would drop me off at the college library and leave me in the care of Miss Schinn, the College Librarian.  That library has moved from building to building over the years, but my memories take me back to what I think is now known as the Rutledge Building......to quiet whispers, big library tables with uncomfortable wooden chairs, and to a children's section on the first floor, back corner on the right, with more books than were housed in the entire Landrum Library!  I remember sitting in the floor, surrounded by books, complete oblivious to anything that might be going on around me.  That continues to happen to this day when there's a good book in my hand!

One of my favorite things about libraries, and book stores as well, other than the obvious - books! - is the smell.  I love the smell of that many books all in the same confined space.  Call me crazy, but there it is.......I love the smell of books!  I love the feel of a book in my hand.  I love the sound of pages turning - quietly, mind you.  I don't like the sound of pages being "flipped"!  It seems disrespectful to the book.  (Again, go ahead, call me crazy!)  But the smell is my favorite......I love that!

The thing I love even more is the combination of smells at Barnes and Noble.  Books and coffee together.  Two of my very favorite things.  An absolute delight to my senses.

Today is a very cold day here in these mountains.  Across much of the country, in fact.
Not a good day for being out and about, but definitely a good day for some multitasking.  With two of my favorite things.  Coffee and a good book.

This one came in the mail yesterday.  I had it on pre-order from Amazon.  This is how I plan to spend my day.  Multitasking.  Good coffee.  A good book.

If you need me, you'll know where to find me!





"I cannot live without books." - Thomas Jefferson

To Everything There Is a Season. Or, Sometimes There Are Disappointments.

"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." 

So said the writer of the Old Testament book of Ecclesiastes, in the first verse of chapter 3.

One of the most frustrating things about trying to sell a house is the waiting.  Waiting for a showing.  Waiting for the "lookers" to make a decision.  Waiting to find out what that decision is.

And one of the most difficult things about trying to sell a house is the disappointment when that decision doesn't turn out to be the one you were hoping for.

In our case, the prospective buyers of our house have not been able to reach an agreement with the owners of the property adjacent to ours, which means they have decided not to pursue our property any further.  And that brings us back to square one.  In a sense, starting over.

There is a time for everything.  A time for this house to be sold.  And apparently, we're not at that time yet.

So it's time to get this place cleaned up again after the holiday chaos and begin the waiting game again. 

It's frustrating.  It's disappointing.

But God is in control.  He has a plan. His plan is perfect.  His timing is perfect.  Even when we have to wait a little longer.  Even when His timing doesn't match up with what we would desire.  Even when things don't go the way we hoped they would.  Even when there are disappointments.  Even then.

Perhaps especially then.

"He hath made everything beautiful in his time."  (Ecclesiastes 3:11 KJV, emphasis mine)

Not Quite Back to Normal

Almost two weeks have passed since I pulled that muscle in my back.  Two weeks of pain and frustration.  Of sitting and waiting for it to heal.

I'm doing much better.  I was able to go to church on Sunday and teach the lesson.  I sat on a stool instead of standing, but it worked.

And yesterday I managed to put on my own socks and shoes!

I'm still moving a little a lot more slowly than normal.  I'm still very careful as I get up and down out of a chair.  I still pause to think about things like whether or not I should try to pick up the pen I just dropped, or whether I should just leave it down there for somebody else to deal with.

I managed to do a load of laundry yesterday.  Putting the towels into the washing machine was no problem, nor was taking them slowly, one at a time, out of the washing machine and putting them into the dryer.  Those towels are still in the dryer, clean and dry.  Bending over to get them out is as task for another person or another day.

Because I'm still not quite back to normal.

One of the lessons from this experience is just how much I take for granted.

Things like being able to walk.  To get up and down out of a chair without assistance.  Putting on my own shoes.  Picking up something I dropped.  Reaching into the dryer.  Reaching up into a kitchen cabinet to get a coffee mug.  Hanging up my own clothes.

Today I'm focusing on those things.  The things I take for granted.

I'm not thinking about the not-exactly-as-I-would-like-them-to-be things. 

I'm thinking about these little grace gifts.  Being able to move around.  Being able to tie my shoes.  Being able to put on my own socks.  Having socks to keep my feet warm.

And as I think about all these things, I'm thankful.

Even thankful that things aren't quite back to normal.  Because it's for that very reason that I'm thinking about all these other things.  These little things.

And it's these little things that remind me just how very much I have to be thankful for.

"Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above."  (James 1:17 NASB)

Back to Normal

The holidays are over.  School is back in session.  And today things get back to normal.

Whatever that means.

I think it was Patsy Clairmont who once said "Normal is just a setting on the dryer."  And she's right.

Normal may mean different things to different people.  What is normal for me in this season of life certainly isn't normal for young mothers of preschoolers.

But for those of us who belong to Jesus, there are certain things that should be normal, no matter what our season of life.

Things like love.  And joy.  And peace.  (See Galatians 5:22 for the rest of that list.)

Yesterday our life group lesson came from the Old Testament book of Ezra.  As I was preparing to teach that lesson, I spent a lot of time with Ezra 7:10. 

"For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel."

I read that verse, over and over.  I thought about that verse.  I pondered that verse.  I prayed over that verse. 

And it occurs to me that what Ezra had set his heart to do is what should be normal for each of us who belong to Jesus.

To study. To make a diligent effort to know the Word of God, what it says and what it means.

To do.  To obey God's law.  To do what God expects of us.

To teach.  To be talking about the things of God, sharing them with others, leading others to join us in being obedient to God.

If that isn't our normal, perhaps we need to ask ourselves why it isn't.


"I will meditate on Your precepts and regard Your ways.  I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget your word."  (Psalm 119:15-16 NASB)

Keeping Christmas in My Heart

“I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all year.”

 

That quote from Charles Dickens is one of my favorites.  And it's a philosophy I wish more people would embrace.

 

Today, for most people, Christmas is over.  The entire holiday season has been filed away in their memory banks.  All that remains for many is finishing off the last of the Christmas cookies, putting away the last of the decorations, getting the house back in order, and moving on to the next thing.

 

For many, today is a work today; back to business as usual.  Christmas is but a memory.  Gifts have been put away.  Gift cards are in wallets, ready to be used, if they haven't been already.  The unwanted gifts have been returned, exchanged, or put away to be regifted later.  The decorations have returned to their storage bins.  Even the tree is gone. 

 

None of that has happened here.  The tree and decorations are still in place.  Partly because I would like to enjoy them a little longer.  And partly (mostly) because having a still-not-completely-healed back is not conducive to the bending and stretching that would be part of taking down the decorations.  In any event, the tree and all the trimmings will be enjoyed for at least one more week.

 

Still being surrounded by decorations is one way to keep Christmas in my heart.  Remembering the joy of having family here.  The memories that come with so many of our decorations.  Like the nativity we purchased in Bethlehem.  The Little Drummer Boy music box that once belonged to my mother and now is mine.  Keeping the memories close is one way to keep Christmas in my heart.

 

Pondering is another.

 

Ponder:  to consider something deeply and thoroughly; to weigh carefully in the mind; to consider thoughtfully.

 

The word ponder is not one that we regularly use in conversation, but we can find it in the Biblical account of Christmas.

 

"And coming in, [the angel Gabriel] said to her, 'Greetings, favored one!  The  Lord is with you.' But [Mary] was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was."  (Luke 1:28-29 NASB)

 

"But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart."  (Luke 2:19 NASB)

 

Perhaps we need to follow Mary's example and do some pondering.  We need to treasure Christmas in our hearts.  Not just for a few weeks in December.  But into January.  And throughout the year.  We need to ponder Christmas.  We need to think on it deeply and often.  That Christ left heaven for us to become one of us so that He could pay our sin debt.  A debt He didn't owe.  A debt we could never pay.

 

That's something worth pondering!  And when we ponder that truth, we'll keep our Christmas spirit!

 

As 2013 came to a close and 2014 began, I was focused on that word.  Ponder.  And as 2014 has ended, and we begin 2015, I'm once again drawn to it.

 

Ponder.

 

Ponder all that Christ has done.  Ponder His first advent and look forward to the second.

 

And, in the words of the hymn writer, ponder anew what the Almighty can do.

 

It's a good way to begin the year.  Pondering.

 

It's a good way to keep Christmas in my heart all year.

 

Praise to the Lord, Who doth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

(from "Praise to the Lord, the Almighty" - Joachim Neander)

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Prayer for the New Year

Happy New Year!  Welcome to 2015!  Do you remember when that sounded so strange?  When any year beginning with 20.. sounded odd?  Yet here we are, already fifteen years into this millennium. 

When I began blogging on New Year's Eve 2008, I really had no idea what I was getting myself into.  In the beginning, in many ways, it was a lot like talking to myself, or perhaps talking to an imaginary friend across the table!  Along the way it has become a vehicle for me to share what God is teaching me.  Through everyday life experiences.  Through what I read, whether in Scripture or elsewhere.  It has become a place to sit and think, to reflect on life lessons.  And a place to share these life experiences and life lessons with others.  Along the way, I've tried to share honestly from my heart and it has been my hope that in some small way, the words I write will be an encouragement to someone somewhere.

When I began, I had no idea that I would still be writing some six years later.  Or that I would publish a book.  Or that other books would be in the works.  I had no idea how many people would read the words I have written.  No idea how hearing from those who read my words would encourage me.

I had no idea.  But God did. 

And as this blogging journey continues in to this new year, I have no idea where it will take me.  But God does.

"Commit your works to the LORD, and your plans will be established."   
  (Proverbs 16:3 NASB)


As one year ends and another begins, I want to thank you for stopping by.  And I want to offer my very best wishes for a Happy New Year, a year of joy and peace and our Father's bountiful blessings!  As we begin this new year, this is my prayer for each of us:



Another year is dawning! Dear Father, let it be,

In working or in waiting, Another year with Thee;

Another year of leaning Upon Thy loving breast;
Another year of trusting, Of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of mercies,Of faithfulness and grace;

Another year of gladness In the shining of Thy face;
Another year of progress, Another year of praise;

Another year of proving Thy presence all the days.

Another year of service, Of witness for Thy love;

Another year of training For holier work above.

Another year is dawning! Dear Father, let it be

On earth, or else in heaven, Another year for Thee.

 -Frances R. Havergal