It's Official

Yesterday morning I had an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon.  He confirmed what I had been thinking and what my other doctors have said.  My right knee is shot.  Worn out.  Severe osteoarthritis of the right knee is the official diagnosis.  No remaining cartilage and bone grinding on bone is what that means.

The result of yesterday's visit is that I'll be getting a new knee sometime in March.  The doctor's office will call either today or next week with a definite surgery date.

This poor knee has had a rough week.  There was that experience with the extensionator on Tuesday.  Yesterday's x-rays included what is referred to as a "stress x-ray".  There were several of those, in fact, and stressed is what I felt while that was happening! To top it off, this has been one of those damp and cold weeks, which really doesn't help anything at all.

But the end is in sight. 

Meanwhile, my ice-pack and I will remain good friends!


"I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."  (Psalm 139:14 NASB)

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)

The Extensionator

You may have heard people refer to physical therapy (PT) by many names.  Among them, physical torture.  I have, in fact, used that term. 

Yesterday it was particularly appropriate.  Yesterday my physical therapist (professional torturer) brought out the extensionator.

You may be wondering just what an extensionator is.  Let me try to explain.  Imagine that you are lying on the table in the physical therapy room attached to a device from hip to foot.  This device only fits under one side of your body, which makes it not very comfortable.  But that's only the beginning.  Your ankle is in a cuff, to prevent any rotation, and then something like a blood pressure cuff is placed around your thigh, just above the knee, and inflated until it feels like an elephant is sitting on your leg.  Then you just lie there for ten minutes while this device stretches your leg muscles to get full extension.

Gloom, despair, and agony!

The point of all this physical therapy is to strengthen my leg muscles, both as a preparation for knee replacement surgery and to take some stress off my knee, in the hope of minimizing my pain.  I confess that when my rheumatologist first mentioned physical therapy as a way to deal with the knee pain, I was skeptical.  Very skeptical.  But she was right.  Therapy has made a difference, in my mobility and in my pain levels.  (I guess these doctors do know a little something after all!)  I've gained greater flexibility in my knee as well.  I can even put my own socks on and off now, a task that just wasn't possible a few weeks ago. 

I've made some good progress in every area but one.  I still don't have good extension in my leg.  In other words, it won't straighten completely, no matter how many stretching exercises we have done.  Therefore, the extensionator.

When Caitlin first mentioned the extensionator at the end of last week's session, I had no idea what it was.  And the more I thought about it all week, the more it sounded like something I wasn't really interested in!  In fact, I was hoping she had forgotten about it.  But no such luck.  It was one of the first things she mentioned when I walked in yesterday, and as soon as I had finished my warm-up, here she came with that device.

Ten minutes of misery.  Gloom, despair, and agony on me!

Lying on a therapy table unable to move for ten minutes while life goes on around you gives you plenty of thinking time.  Especially when it feels like there is an elephant sitting on your leg, that thinking time helps take your mind off the "elephant", particularly if, as I did, you focus your mind on something else.  Yesterday, just as I often do when I'm in the dentist's chair (another of my not-so-favorite places), I recited some favorite Bible passages.  Not out loud, but in my mind.

It certainly helped to pass the time.  And what better way to pass the time than by focusing on God's Word!

Here's one of the passages that got me through my time with the extensionator:

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to al without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind."  (James 1:2-6 NIV)

You may not have an extensionator to deal with.  But you probably have some "elephant" in your life.  We all have them.

My best advice to you for dealing with "elephants" is to have some Scriptures tucked away in your memory bank.  They can provide real comfort when there are "elephants" and "extensionators" to deal with.

"Thy word have I hid in my heart."  (Psalm 119:11)

Some Things I Just Can't Understand

I received this package in the mail yesterday:

 

I wondered what was inside, as I wasn't expecting anything that would come in such a large box.  When I opened the box, this is what I saw:

 

 

 

Layers and layers of bubble wrap, all very carefully packed by Subhas Patel, whoever he or she may be.

 

As I dug deeper, this is what I found:

This is one of those books I receive from time to time, free of charge, in exchange for my honest review.  I'll read it and review it later.  That's for another day.  Today, I'm scratching my head trying to figure out why a paperback book, less than an inch thick, weighing only a few ounces, needed to be packed in a box 11" by 14" and 6" deep.

It's one of many things in life that I just can't understand.  And the longer I live, the more things I find that make no sense to me.

A few examples:

Why does your hair always look great on the day before you have an appointment to get it cut?

Why does your car never make that funny noise when you take it to the mechanic, but makes it again as soon as you are on your way back home?

Why is the hem out of all my pants at the same time?  Yep.  Every single pair.  All at the same time.

Why people don't like coffee.

How a person whose convictions are solidly pro-life can support a candidate who does not have that same conviction.

Why people don't listen.  And why they don't think.  And why they are so easily swayed by sound bites and rhetoric.

Why some people get cancer and others don't.  Why some people get Alzheimer's and others don't.

Why people text when they are driving.  Is that message really so important that it's worth their life?  Or someone else's life?

Just a few of the things I don't understand.

Yet in the midst of all the things in life I don't understand, I understand this truth:  God is in control.  I may not always understand circumstances and events in my life and in the world around me, but of this I am sure.

God is in control. 

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."  (Romans 8:28)

Happy Birthday, Christopher!

Saturday was a special day.  It was my grandson Christopher's 9th birthday.

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

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's on special days like these 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 week!

 

 

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

 

Be On Guard

You may have had a similar experience, if you have a dog or cat in the house.

It happened on the day I was doing laundry. 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 there she was.....one slightly overweight, aging dachshund had made herself at home on my pillows!

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.  Here's just one example:

"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)

That's an important warning for us to remember as we're going about our tasks today.

It's also an important warning for us in this season of presidential politics.  Be on guard.  Don't just blindly follow the one who talks the loudest or who has the most television ads or the one who is the most argumentative.  Don't blindly follow anyone!

Listen carefully!  Do your research.  Pay attention to the details.  Ask God to give you good discernment as you are making your decision.

Be on guard.  Pay attention.  Be aware.  Don't be deceived.  Be very careful.  No matter how you say it, the message is the same.

Be on guard. 

For pillow-snatching dachshunds.

Pay close attention to politicians.

Most importantly, be on guard against the enemy of your soul.

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

Your adversary is seeking someone to devour.  Don't let it be you!

Be on guard!

"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)

Whiter Than Snow

There's snow in the forecast.  Whether or not it will actually snow here in Spartanburg remains to be seen, but many of my friends are very excited at the prospect.  My friends in the mountains have already experienced some snow this week, and another 12-18" is forecast there.

A friend asked me this morning if I miss that.  My honest answer is, "no, I do not."

Snow is beautiful, but I have spent enough of my years living in very snowy places, with very cold temperatures, shoveling lots of snow.  I have had enough.  If I really want to see snow now, I can get out my photos and enjoy it that way!

 





It's interesting that there is snow in the forecast when I have had the words to the old hymn Whiter Than Snow on my mind so prominently this week.

Break down every idol, cast out every foe.  Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

That has been my prayer this week.  My prayer strategy.  I have been specifically praying that the Lord would reveal any "idols" in my life.

"Idols" to us here in 21st century America are rarely made of wood and stone.  They are electronic.  They are the time-stealers.  They are our pride and our sense of self-importance.  They are our ego.  They take the form of good, rather than best, choices.

And so I am praying that the Lord will reveal anything in my life that has become an "idol" to me.  Anything that takes His rightful place in my life.

We may or may not get snow here in Spartanburg, but I want my life to be as pure before the Lord as fresh-fallen snow.

Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole;

I want Thee forever to live in my soul;

Break down every idol, cast out every foe -

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

 

Whiter than snow, yes, whiter than snow.

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

 

Lord Jesus, let nothing unholy remain,

Apply Thine own blood and extract every stain;

To get this best cleansing, I all things forego -

Now wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

 

(-James L. Nicholson)

 

 

"Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me."

(Psalm 51:10)

 



Tune My Heart

Come, Thou Fount of ev'ry blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy praise.

Our laundry room is in the process of getting a makeover.  When completed, it will be a much more functional room.  And it will be neater, as well, which will make me very happy!  There was a long wire shelf over the washer and dryer, which has now been removed.

 

 In place of the shelf, there will be nice white cabinets.  It's currently a work in progress, which will hopefully be finished today.  Then I can begin filling all those cabinets with stuff!

In my previous career as a beauty consultant, I did a lot of makeovers, helping women choose the right skin care products and the right eye shadow and the right lip color.  It was a lot of fun, and I enjoyed helping women feel better about how themselves.  For me, that career was about more than lipstick; it was an opportunity to encourage other women, to get to know them better, and to bring some joy and sunshine into their daily lives.

Have you ever felt you needed a makeover?  Maybe a new hair color, a different hair style, a different eye shadow, or perhaps a new wardrobe?

While each of us may from time to time need an update to our hair style or our wardrobe, far more often we need a makeover on the inside. A spiritual makeover.

In the spiritual sense, it's much like tuning a musical instrument.  You can polish the piano or the violin or the flute, or any other instrument, all day long, but if that instrument is out of tune, all the polish in the world won't help.  It will still be out of tune, no matter how much the exterior of the instrument shines.

That's true for us as well. No matter how good we look on the outside, it's what's inside that counts.  I think that's why David prayed, in Psalm 51:10, "Create in me a clean heart, O God."

When we place our faith in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are given a clean heart.  But too often that heart gets "dirtied" by our thoughts and our attitudes, our prejudices and our resentments, our bitterness and our worry.....by all those things that are the sins of our lives.

We get that cleaned up when we pray as David did, "Against You, and You only, have I sinned.....Create in me a clean heart."  (Psalm 51:4, 10)

That's the first step in our spiritual makeover:  confession of sin.  Before you get a makeover, whether at a party or at the cosmetic counter or in the privacy of your own bathroom, you have to wash your face.  You have to clean the old makeup away.  That's what confession of sin does. 

In the letter to the Colossians, Paul gets specific about some of the things we need to have washed away in our spiritual makeover.

"But now you must put them all away:  anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth."  (Colossians 3:8 ESV)

And then comes the makeover.  This spiritual makeover is much more than a new lip gloss.  Much more than an external change.  A spiritual makeover involves attitudes of the heart.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."  (Colossians 3:12-14 ESV)

Do you need a makeover today?

Come, Thou Fount of ev'ry blessing,

Tune my heart to sing Thy praise.

Streams of mercy, never ceasing,

Call for songs of loudest praise.

Teach me some melodious sonnet,

Sung by flaming tongues above.

Praise the mount!  I'm fixed upon it,

Mount of Thy redeeming love.

 

O to grace how great a debtor

Daily I'm constrained to be.

Let Thy grace, Lord, like a fetter,

Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee.

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it.

Prone to leave the God I love.

Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it.

Seal it for Thy courts above.

 

(words:Robert Robinson; traditional American melody, John Wyeth)

Filled with Wonder

I read a number of blogs on a fairly regular basis, some written by friends and acquaintances, and some written by people I have never met.  Often the posts I read trigger a thought for this blog.  What someone else has written might inspire me to write on a similar topic.  Or to write something on a parallel theme.  Quite often, what I read triggers a thought on a completely unrelated topic.  The brain is a mysterious thing; I can't explain it.

Yesterday, as I was reading my friend Melanie's post about one of God's grace-gifts in her life, I had one of those experiences.  You can read her post here:  http://pleasuresforevermoreps1611.blogspot.com/2016/01/a-whisper-and-smile.html

After I had read Melanie's post, the phrase filled with wonder kept reverberating in my mind, so I stopped what I was doing and began to think about that phrase.  To ponder it.  The list of things that fill me with wonder is quite lengthy.

Allow me to share just a few.

Recently my husband had a biopsy.  Even as we waited for results, he and I were both surprisingly calm.  The peace of God was very present, and I am filled with wonder by that.  I am so very thankful that the biopsy was negative.  No cancer!  I am filled with wonder and with gratitude!

Sunday evening after church we stopped to grab a bite of dinner before we came home.  As we were eating, we were talking about how wonderful it is to be able to do such a simple thing.  Stop after church for a leisurely meal and then drive about ten minutes to be home.  No more two hour drives home on Sunday night after church.  After four years, those Sunday night drives were getting harder and harder.  And just when we were wondering how much longer we could keep that up, God sent a buyer for our house and we were able to finally move to Spartanburg. What a blessing!  When I think back on those years, and on those drives to and from Spartanburg each week, and on God's perfect timing, I am filled with wonder!

Recently we saw the movie War Room.  (Finally!)  And then we watched it again with friends.  It's a great movie!  If you haven't seen it yet, I urge you.....I beg you....to see it!  Thinking about that movie, and about the privilege and the power of prayer, I am filled with wonder!

The beauty of a sunrise.  Or a sunset.  Ocean waves as they come to the shore.  The laughter of children.  Each new day of life.  I am filled with wonder.

Just to think about who God is!  That He desires to have a relationship with us.  That He provided a way for that relationship through the Person of Jesus Christ.  That He offers us relationship, for now and for all eternity, because of His grace.  That His mercies are new every morning.  I am overwhelmed.  And filled with wonder.

I've begun keeping a list of all the things that fill me with wonder.  It's already quite a long list!

What fills you with wonder?  You might like to start a list, too.


"Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples.  Sing to Him, sing praises to Him; Speak of all His wonders. Remember His wonders which He has done."  (Psalm 105:1-2, 5a NASB)

Even on Monday Morning

"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 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)

Social Media. The Blessing and the Curse.

We are familiar with the many forms of social media available to us today.  Most of us use at least one, if not more, of these social media as a means to communicate, or to keep up with what's current, or to stay in touch with friends.  Those are all wonderful, and part of the "blessings" of social media.

But there's a downside.

For starters, can we agree that everything you read on the internet isn't true just because you read it on the internet.  Just because you gained a certain tidbit from Google, or from Facebook, or from Twitter, doesn't mean it's factual. 

Here's just one example.  I recently read, on Facebook, the following quote, which according to the post I read, was said by Adrian Rodgers in 1931.

"You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is about the end of any nation. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it."

Adrian Rodgers may very well have said that.  I cannot prove that he did or didn't, and that isn't my purpose here.  But what I am certain of is that he did not say it in 1931.

If you are not familiar with Adrian Rodgers, he was a well-known Southern Baptist pastor, who for many years prior to his death pastored Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee.

Adrian Rodgers said many wise things in his lifetime, and he may well have said what I have quoted above.  But I am certain he did not say it in 1931, since Adrian Rodgers was born in 1931!   (I checked multiple sources to confirm that.)

My point here is that, in spite of all the good things about social media, there is a down side.

As in the case of this quote, we need to check more than one source before we blindly accept something as fact.

Another downside of social media is the lack of accountability.  We can use our various social media outlets to encourage one another, to share Scriptures with friends, and to send out uplifting messages, but there are just as many people doing the exact opposite.  Particularly in this election season, the vitriol is spewing forth, and people feel free to say whatever they want without being held accountable for it at all.  Political pundits feel free to overanalyze every phrase uttered.  Political watchers feel free to criticize a candidate's wardrobe or makeup or hairstyle or children, with no repercussions and no fact-check and without even a pretense of accuracy.  It has become acceptable to say whatever you think whenever you think it, with no filter for accuracy or courtesy or even common decency.  That's the world of social media.

And in this political season, that's a dangerous thing.

We are about to make very serious decisions about who will be the next President of the United States.  We are living in perilous times.  We face serious issues.  And we need to be serious and deliberate and thoughtful in our decision-making.  This is not the time to let the tweeters and the pundits make our decisions for us. 

As I have said before, generally I try to steer clear of politics in this blog.  It is not my intention to use this as a platform to persuade you to a particular candidate, nor will I use this as a platform to sing the praises of my chosen candidate. In fact, the jury's still out on that one! If you want to have a personal conversation about politics outside this blog, I'll be happy to have that discussion with you.  This blog is not the place for that.

However, as we begin this long, arduous journey toward November, there is one caution I would like to bring before you, particularly as we consider this in the context of social media.  We need more than a sound bite President.  The current occupant of the Oval Office was elected, at least in part, because he is good at sound bites.  But we need more than that.

We need more than sound bites.  We need more than tweets.  We need leadership.  These are difficult times in our country.  Regardless of your political persuasion, surely we can agree on that.  We have big challenges before us in areas of national security and the economy, and in many other areas as well.  Because these are challenging times, we need to think carefully about how we are going to cast our vote.  We need to listen carefully to everything the candidates are saying.  We need to go beyond the sound bites and the tweets, and beyond the opinions of political pundits and Facebookers.  We need to be a thinking people.  We need not only to listen to the candidates, but then to think carefully and analyze for ourselves what is being said.  We need to understand the principles by which each of these candidates can be expected to govern.

As we are listening, and as we are thinking, we need also to be praying.  Praying for God's blessing on our nation.  Praying for wisdom as we make our choices.  Praying for this nation to turn back to God.  And praying for discernment.

We need to hear more than just the sound bites and tweets.  We need to hear and understand the principles that guide these candidates in their decisions and their positions.

We need wisdom.  We need understanding.  We need discernment.

Don't be deceived by rhetoric and hyperbole and sound bites.

Don't get caught up in the social media circus.

We need more than that.

Let's do things the old-fashioned way.  Let's be a people who listen carefully, to what is said and to what isn't.  Let's be a people who think. 

And as we are using social media for our own purposes, whether political or to stay in touch with friends or for whatever reason, let's choose our words and our posts and our tweets wisely. 

Think before you share a post or a tweet. 

Is it true?  Is it honorable?  Is it right?  Is it pure?  Is it lovely?  Is it of good repute?
Is it excellent?  Is it worthy of praise?  (See Philippians 4:8)

Social media can be a wonderful thing.  Use it wisely.

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."  (Ephesians 4:29 NASB)


And as you are evaluating all the candidates and making your choice, keep this instruction in mind:

"Furthermore, you select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place them as leaders....." (Exodus 18:21 NASB)

Don't Be Afraid

One of the core principles of learning how to study the Bible is learning to look for repeated words or phrases.  It is one of the first disciplines we learn as we are learning to study.

This morning as I was reading my Bible, I was reminded of that principle, as a repeated phrase kept jumping off the page at me.

This year I am following a Bible-reading plan designed by 19th Century Scottish minister, Robert Murray M’Cheyne.  The M'Cheyne plan has me reading in four different sections of Scripture each day.  Currently I am reading in Genesis, Nehemiah, Matthew, and Acts.  In addition to Bible reading, I receive several devotionals in my e-mail box each day.  And there's a devotional book on my desk that I often read from.

In each of these readings today, I came across the same phrase.

Don't be afraid.

That's a good phrase to remember, isn't it?

In every circumstance of life.

When you are anxious.

When you are facing financial stress.

When there are health concerns.

When the economy is good.  And when it isn't.

When you see turmoil all around you.

When you listen to politicians and their blustering.

When you wonder what is happening to our country.

When you have concerns about presidential elections.

Or about paying your bills.

Or about the condition of your marriage.

When you're worried about your children.

Or your grandchildren.

In every situation of life.

Don't be afraid.

God is in control

And He is working all these things together for our good and for His glory.

Don't be afraid.


Jesus said to them, "It is I. Do not be afraid." (Matthew 14:27 ESV)

What Do Your Knees Look Like?

I haven't given a lot of thought lately to what my knees look like.  Actually, I'm more in tune with how my knees feel (not too good) and how they sound (not too good) than how they look.  My right knee in particular is in very bad shape and a knee replacement is in my near future.  Right now it sounds a lot like a bowl of Rice Krispies.....snap, crackle, pop!  But enough about that.

The Apostle James has often been referred to as "Old Camel Knees" because of his devotion to prayer.

Have you ever really looked at a camel's knees?  I snapped this photo on the Mount of Olives on our last trip to Israel.

This camel doesn't have very attractive knees, does he?  This particular camel spends his days giving rides to tourists there on the Mount of Olives.  He spends a lot of his time kneeling down to let the tourists get into the saddle. 

He spends a lot of time on his knees.

 

 

Apparently the Apostle James spent a lot of time on his knees to have earned the nickname "Old Camel Knees".  What a wonderful example to follow!

 

Yesterday's post was about the when of prayer.  Today let's think not only about the when, but also about the what.  What are you praying about today?  How much time and energy are you devoting to praying about those things?  What do your knees look like?

 

Today I'm praying as I begin preparing to teach our Life Group lesson this Sunday.  In the weeks when it isn't my turn to teach, I pray for my co-teachers, Mike and Max, as they prepare, just as I hope they are doing for me.

 

I'm praying for my family.  For my husband and my sons and my grandsons and my daughters-in-love.   They are always in my prayers.  And I pray for my extended family as well.

 

I'm praying for friends who are dealing with various health issues, as well as for those who were mentioned in our Life Group on Sunday who are in need of prayer.

 

I'm praying for guidance and directions for some writing projects that are in their early stages.  And I'm praying for wisdom and discipline to finish other projects that are begun but not yet finished.

 

I'm praying for my country.  For the elections this year.  That God would send us a Hezekiah.  (See last Friday's post for more about that.)

 

I have quite a long list.

 

What about you?   What are you praying about? 

 

How can I pray with you and for you?


"God answers our prayers not because we are good, but because He is good." (A.W. Tozer)

"Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice." (Psalm 55:17 NKJV)











When. Not If.

Yesterday our Life Group continued our journey through the Gospel of Matthew.  We were in chapter 6, specifically in the first part of that chapter, and our focus was on prayer as we studied that portion of Scripture we refer to as the Lord's Prayer.

As we were studying together, a word jumped off the page at me.  It's a word that has been there all along.  A word that I have called attention to often when I have taught this passage.  A word that Max mentioned yesterday as he was leading our discussion.

Four little letters.

When......

The first part of Matthew 6 mentions more than prayer.  It talks about fasting.  And about giving.  And in each case, there's that word.  When. 

Every translation of the Bible that I have checked this morning uses that word.

When.

Not a single translation that I could find uses the word if.

When makes an assumption.  It assumes that you will fast.  That you will give.  That you will pray.

When you pray assumes you will pray.

When you pray....

What if we rearranged that sentence a little bit?  (And I mean no disrespect to the Scriptures when I do this; I only wish to make a point.)

What if we thought of it this way:  you pray when.....

When you are hurting.

When you are sorrowful.

When you are happy.

When you are thankful.

When you are facing a difficult health situation.

When you are anxious.

When you are concerned about your children or your grandchildren or your spouse.

When you are grieving.

When you have been misunderstood.

When someone twists your words to mean something you didn't say or intend.

When you are in pain.

When you are stressed financially.

When......

You can finish the sentence with whatever situations you are facing today.

When......

It's an important word to remember.  Because Jesus intended our praying to be not if, but when.

The hymn writer Joseph Scriven said it well when he wrote these words: 

Oh, what peace we often forfeit,

Oh, what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry

Everything to God in prayer.

 

 

"Pray without ceasing."  (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

 

"Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."  (1 Peter 5:7 ESV)

Where's Hezekiah?

You may be wondering who Hezekiah is.  We'll get to that in a minute.

But before we talk about Hezekiah, let's have a little chat about our country and about the presidential election to be held later this year.  We have been inundated for several months now with political ads.  There have been debates.  There has been almost incessant chatter across all social media concerning the elections and particular candidates.  You may already have grown weary of it all.

Even so, this is an important election, as all elections are.  This is a pivotal time in our country's history.  Will we continue our downward spiral, or is there any hope?

Many will say that if we only had a different President, everything would be OK.  Others will say that the solution to the challenges facing our country is not to be found in the White House.  On some level, there is probably truth in both those statements.

I'm not here to argue that point.  Nor am I here to convince you of the merits of any particular candidate, or to ask if you are Republican or Democrat or Libertarian or Independent.

I'm not even here to ask if you have decided which of the many candidates you support.  If you have already made that decision, I would ask you what is the basis of that decision and why you have chosen that particular candidate.

My primary purpose today is to ask you to pray.  And that's where Hezekiah comes into the conversation.

If you are not familiar with King Hezekiah, get your Bible and turn to the Old Testament book of 2 Kings.  You'll find Hezekiah in chapters 18 and 19.

Before we get to Hezekiah specifically, let's do a quick review of history.  The first three kings of Israel were Saul, David, and Solomon, in that order.  Following the death of King Solomon, the kingdom was divided into two kingdoms, each with its own king.  All the kings in the Northern Kingdom (Israel) were bad kings.  In the Southern Kingdom (Judah), there was a mix of good kings and bad kings.  You can read all about that in the Bible.

Prior to Hezekiah, Ahaz was the ruler of Judah.  The Bible has this to say about Ahaz: "He reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem; and he did not do what was right in the sight of God." (2 Kings 16:2 NASB)

Following the death of Ahaz, Hezekiah became king.  The Bible has this to say about Hezekiah:  "He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done.  He trusted in the LORD......he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments."  (2 Kings 18:3,5a,6 NASB)

When Hezekiah's nation was in trouble, he turned to the Lord.  You can read his prayer in 2 Kings 19:14-19.  "O LORD, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth........O LORD our God, I pray, deliver us."  (2 Kings 19:15, 19a NASB)

No matter your political persuasion, can we agree that our country is in serious trouble on many levels?  We may not agree on a particular solution, but I think we can agree that we have some real problems to deal with.

It is my opinion that the root cause of much of our trouble lies in the fact that we have turned away from God.  And that brings me to the purpose of this post and why I have written today about Hezekiah.

I'm asking you to join me in prayer. Prayer that God will heal our land.  Prayer for the coming presidential election.  Prayer that God will raise up a Hezekiah among us. 

Will you join me?


"If My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek M face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land."  (2 Chronicles 7:14 NASB)

Memories. And Perspective.

It's another cold morning here in Spartanburg.  As I looked at my Facebook memories for this date, I was greeted by this photo:

 



That photo reminded me just how cold winters in the mountains could be.  It put this morning's 30 degrees into perspective. Yes, 30 degrees is cold for South Carolinians.  But it could be a lot colder.  A lot!

Al usually takes Molly for her first morning walk.  I appreciate that he does that, since I'm really not much of a morning person.  It takes a while to get my brain and my bones moving every day.  But since Al had to be out of town this morning, it was my duty joy to walk her.  Thankfully, she slept a little later than she sometimes does.  Even so, being out with her so early gave me a chance to see this:

 



That's the kind of view I usually miss.  It's the kind of view that makes it worth getting up and out a little earlier!

For the last two weeks, my pastor has been leading a group through the Holy Land.  We made our last visit to Israel two years ago, and I long to go again.  Today is the group's last day in Jerusalem before they fly back home.  As I have been thinking about them this morning, I'm remembering previous trips.  I'm particularly remembering previous "last days" in Jerusalem.  The last day of our trip typically begins with prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane.  We walk through the Kidron Valley and go to the House of Caiphas.  We walk the Via Dolorosa and we end the day at the Garden Tomb.

Those are precious memories indeed!  I came across this photo this morning.  Al snapped it near the Garden Tomb on our last trip.

I remember that day well.  I was tired.  My feet hurt.  It was the first day of what would end up as a very serious cold/sinus infection/ear infection.  At the time, I was feeling pretty miserable.  Even so, I would do it all again!  There is something so special and so precious about being there.  About walking where Jesus walked.  About celebrating the Lord's Supper there in the Garden near the empty tomb.

Those are wonderful memories.  I know that my friends who are there in Israel today have made wonderful, lasting memories.  I'm so glad they have had this opportunity.  But I confess that I'm just a wee bit envious!

Memories are wonderful things.  I'm so thankful that God has given us the gift of remembering. And for photographs that capture the memories!

On this "Throwback Thursday", here are a few of my favorites:

 

 

Back to Normal

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

Whatever that means.

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.)

Have you spent any time in the Old Testament book of Ezra lately?  Ezra has something to teach us about normal. 

"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."  (Ezra 7:10 ESV)

I read that verse this morning, 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)

Waiting for Morning. A Book Review.

Have you ever read a book you wanted to like but just couldn't?  That was my experience with Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury.

This book was originally published in 1999, but has apparently been rereleased.  Since I hadn't read anything by Karen Kingsbury lately, and since I had previously enjoyed works by Karen Kingsbury, I decided to give it a try.  I was prepared to enjoy it, as I had previous Kingsbury books.  But I didn't.

The problem may have been the subject.  This is the story of a drunk driver and a deadly traffic accident.  Drunk driving and its consequences are hard to read about.

But I think the problem for me was more that I just didn't like the main character.  Hannah Ryan is a hard person to like. When I'm reading fiction, I enjoy a character I can relate to.  And if I can't relate to the character, I want to admire them, or at the very least, to like them.  Hannah Ryan is not one of those characters.  Following the tragic accident that opens the story, an accident that claimed the life of her husband and daughter, she is consumed with bitterness and a desire for revenge that takes over her life to the exclusion of all else, including her surviving daughter.

Waiting for Morning was a hard read for me.  In typical Kingsbury fashion, the story is well written and the characters well developed.  Even so, I struggled to finish it.  Long-time fans of Karen Kingsbury will likely enjoy this book, but in my opinion, it is not one of her best.

I received a free copy of Waiting for Morning from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Saturated

I'm happy to see the sun shining this morning.  We haven't seen very much sunshine around here lately.  In fact, we have had a lot of rain here in South Carolina in recent weeks. Quite a lot. And last week we had even more.

During last week's rain, the ditches on either side of the main road outside our neighborhood were full of water.  That water was funneled into the creek behind our house. The field behind us was filled with water, and that water found its way into our creek, creating a new gulley on the creek bank in the process.

For the past several months, South Carolina has seen more than its share of rain. As a result, the ground is saturated with water. 

In our life group we are studying the Gospel of Matthew.  We ended the year 2015 by studying the passage in chapter 4 which gives us the account of Jesus in the wilderness, being tempted by the devil.  How did Jesus deal with those temptations?  He answered each of them by quoting directly from the Scripture.

What does that have to do with being saturated?  Just as the ground around here is saturated with water, so do we need to be saturated, not with rain water but with the Word of God. 

Jesus faced temptation in the wilderness and answered each temptation with the Word.  We, too, face temptations, and we need to answer them just as Jesus did.  With the Word.  And the only way we can do that is if we know the Word.  If we have saturated ourselves with the Word of God.

Being saturated takes time.  The ground did not become saturated with water by a five minute sprinkle of rain.  It became saturated by a downpour over time.

How much time are you willing to commit to the Word of God this year?

Here at the beginning of a new year, why not make a decision, a fresh commitment, to being saturated in the Word of God?

"The law of the LORD is perfect,

reviving the soul;

the testimony of the LORD is sure,

making wise the simple;

the precepts of the LORD are right,

rejoicing the heart;

the commandment of the LORD is pure,

enlightening the eyes;

the fear of the LORD is clean,

enduring forever;

the rules of the LORD are true,

and righteous altogether.

More to be desired are they than gold,

even much fine gold;

sweeter also than honey

and drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them is your servant warned;

in keeping them there is great reward."

(Psalm 19:7-11 ESV)

 

 

"Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness."  (1 Timothy 4:7b NASB)

Happy New Year!

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