Are You Ready?

We ask that question a lot, don't we? Are you ready?

Around here, that question gets asked every Sunday morning. Are you ready? Once we both say yes, then we head out to church. In fact, the same question is asked every time we are going anywhere!

One of my sons often texts that question to me on game days. Are you ready for some football? Then the texts continue as we are both watch our favorite team (Go Gamecocks!) and share commentary as the game progresses.

During this Presidential election season, we find ourselves often asking Are you ready? And most often the question ends with the phrase for this to be over, as we have grown weary of the rancor and bitterness that seems so much a part of this election cycle.

Tomorrow that question will be on my mind as friends and family gather to celebrate the publication of my new book, Are You Ready for Christmas? As we get together tomorrow morning, Are you ready? will be a big topic of conversation around here. If you're in the area between 10 AM and noon, stop by and celebrate with us!

Today, I'll be asking myself Are you ready? as I get things ready for tomorrow morning. Getting ready today will involve some tidying up and a little shopping for refreshments. Making preparation today will have me ready tomorrow.

We ask Are you ready? about all sorts of things. Appointments. Activities. Football games. Parties. All the activities of life. It's important to be prepared - to be ready - for these things.

But the question must also be asked regarding an event yet to come, the most important of all events. It's an important question about an important event. And making preparation today will mean you are ready tomorrow, or the next day, or whenever this event occurs.

"Why do you stand looking up into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come again in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11 NASB, emphasis mine)

Jesus is coming again. Are you ready?

 

Jesus is coming to earth again;

What if it were today?

 

(from the hymn "What If It Were Today?"; words and music by Lelia N. Moris)

Catching Up

Eight days with no laptop seemed like much longer! On Tuesday of last week, while I was on my way to the mountains for a couple of days of girlfriend time and retail therapy, my husband took my laptop to the local Geek Squad. As it turned out, the local Geeks couldn't repair the problem, so they sent it away for repairs. My laptop returned home to me yesterday with a brand new charging port, so I am now busily trying to catch up with all the things I wasn't able to do, or to do as easily, with no laptop. Things like this blog, for instance. Typing a blog on a phone screen just doesn't work!

A lot has happened in the world while I was computer-less. Rioting in Charlotte. A shooting at a school here in the Upstate. The first presidential debate. And here at home, my fur baby has been very sick. Frankly, my attention has been focused on her far more than it has been focused on all the other stuff.

Molly hasn't been feeling well for a couple of weeks, but we had just attributed that to getting older. She got worse over the weekend, and much worse on Monday, so we made an appointment with the vet. The diagnosis is hepatitis or cancer. There's no way to know for certain which it is without a biopsy of her liver, which he doesn't want to do. She's being treated for hepatitis, and if she responds well to the treatment, that confirms the hepatitis diagnosis. If not, we'll have to make decisions about how to proceed. She is home from the hospital now, and seems to feel a little better. Hopefully, each day will bring some improvement.

Meanwhile, life goes on. There's all the "regular" stuff of life, like laundry and housecleaning and meal preparation. This is my Sunday to teach, so I'm studying and preparing the lesson for Sunday morning. We're expecting delivery of a new chair today. And I'm getting excited about hosting my Book Launch Party on Saturday and celebrating the publication of my new book. Life is busy, and life is good, even with its challenges.

That's a brief summary of what's been going on while I was laptop-less and unable to blog. It's good to be back!

"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." (Psalm 118:24)

Thankful Tuesday. The Blessing of Friendship.

I'm heading up to Pigeon Forge today for a couple of days with my friend Jean. Actually, I should probably say "with one of my friends named Jean" since, as I have been thinking about it, I have realized I have quite a few friends with that name!  In any event, this particular Jean and I have been good friends for almost 20 years. The friendship really blossomed when we were both living in Brandon, Florida. Now that we both live in other places, we meet up from time to time in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, which is the midway point between us.

These days together are always great fun.  I get a head start on some Christmas shopping. I usually purchase another coffee mug at Old Mill Pottery. I'll probably buy some new clothes. And I'm sure I'll find a bargain or two. Great fun indeed!

I always look forward to these trips. The shopping is fun. And there's great value in shopping with a friend who will not let you buy something that doesn't look good on you, no matter how much you might like it! But even more than the shopping, I look forward to the girlfriend time. Good conversation. Catching up. Encouraging one another. That's the best part of the trip. 

Thinking about the trip this morning has me also thinking about friendship in general, and more specifically, thinking about the many friends who have graced my life over the years.

There's the friend who opens her home and gives me the key. The friend who once baby-sat my houseplants while we were in the process of moving. The friend who always baby-sat my dog. The friend who brought soup and other food when I had the flu and Al was out of town. Friends with whom I have shared laughter. And tears. And coffee. And pie. 

Friends who understand (and put up with!) my moods. Friends who know when a hug is needed, without a word being spoken. Friends I've traveled with and laughed with and cried with. Friends who have been there for life's happiest moments, like my wedding or the birth of my children. Friends who were there in life's saddest hours, like when my parents died.

Friends who love the Bible. Who love the study of God's Word. Who love Jesus.

Friends are among life's greatest blessings.  If wealth were to be measured in terms of friendship, I am wealthy indeed. And so grateful to God for the friends that bless my life.

Especially grateful for the best of all friends. Especially grateful for Jesus!

"A friend loves at all times."  (Proverbs 17:17 ESV)

The Domino Effect. A Book Review.

Over the weekend I finished reading The Domino Effect by Davis Bunn. This is a storyline that could easily have been this morning's news broadcast, and Davis Bunn is a master storyteller. Anyone who can take a subject as complicated as banking and write a compelling story about it wins my vote!

This is the story of Esther Larsen, a brilliant risk analyst at one of the country's largest banking institutions. More and more, Esther is convinced that the economy is heading for a crash that will make the 2008 crisis look minor in comparison. More and more, Esther finds herself increasingly uncomfortable with the strategies her bank employs, and she is becoming increasingly certain that the markets are nearing a tipping point.

But Esther is only one person. What can she do to make a difference? Like her Biblical namesake, Esther finds her voice and begins to speak out. Like the Biblical Esther, Esther Larsen discovers that she is where she is "for such a time as this." However, once Esther begins to speak out, those she is seeking to expose do not stand idly by. Esther's life is in danger as she races against the clock to avert a financial disaster.

While the banking storyline is dominant in this book, there is also the back story of Esther's family, along with her developing relationships with Craig, a single father, and his daughters.

Looming worldwide financial disaster. Ghosts from Esther's past. A budding romance with Craig, the accountant turned divinity student. All these combine to make The Domino Effect a great read.

The characters are real, well-developed, and interesting. The main storyline, and the back story, are riveting. The book is fast-paced. This is a great read!

I received a free copy of The Domino Effect from Bethany House Publishing in exchange for my honest opinion.

Diary of a Knee Replacement: A Reaction

On Thursday I had my first dental appointment since having my knee replaced a few months ago. One of the realities of having an artificial joint is taking antibiotics before dental procedures, so on Thursday morning I dutifully swallowed my three Clindamycin capsules and went to have my teeth cleaned.

When I was leaving the dentist's office I noticed that my skin felt tight and "funny" around my mouth, but I just thought that was because I had sat with my mouth open for so long. Later that day I noticed the tightness to a greater degree, but didn't really think much about it. Until I got up yesterday morning.

As I woke up yesterday morning I noticed that my face felt really tight. I wondered if maybe I had forgotten to put moisturizer on after I had washed my face on Thursday night, but I didn't see how that could have happened, since putting moisturizer on my dry skin is almost as automatic for me as breathing. Then I looked in the mirror. Oh. My. Word.

My face was bright red. I had white bumps all across my forehead. And my face was swelled up like I had just had a bad Botox injection! Since the only thing different in my life was those three Clindamycin capsules, it was quickly concluded that I had an allergic reaction to the antibiotic. Needless to say, I won't be taking any more Clindamycin!

That's the bad news. The good news is I'm not as puffy-faced today as I was yesterday. My face is just splotchy red instead of cherry-red all over. I still have those white bumps, but not as many. The Benadryl the doctor prescribed seems to be doing the job.

I'm thankful that a red, swollen face was the only problem. Thankful my breathing was not affected. Thankful my throat didn't swell shut. This was, and is, a big aggravation, but thankfully, not life-threatening.

Oh, the joys of joint replacement!

"In everything give thanks: for this is God's will for you
in Christ Jesus."    (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB)

One Little Blister

I haven't done very much walking this week. Except for walking laps around the church dining hall on Monday night while we were waiting for time to serve dinner to the senior adults, I haven't walked at all. I had gotten off to a slow start on Monday morning, so I was glad to have time to do those laps on Monday evening. Other than that, I haven't been able to get any walking in. And I actually find myself missing it!

My lack of walking has been partly due to some sinus congestion. This has been a rough week on that front, but I probably could have managed some walking if that had been the only problem. The real reason for not walking is a blister on my right heel. I wore some fairly new shoes to church last Sunday, and they irritated my heels a little bit, particularly the right heel. All those laps around the dining hall on Monday turned that irritation into a blister. And that little blister has kept me from my morning walks.

I'm a little bit paranoid when it comes to blisters. During the first week of classes my senior year in college, my new shoes rubbed blisters on both my heels. Those were large, ugly blisters, and they both got infected. As a result, I began my senior year with a stay in the college infirmary. Ever since, even the thought of a blister causes me to panic a little!

I've taken extra care with my little blister this week. Around the house, I've only been wearing sandals or slippers. When I go out, there's Band-Aid around my heel to protect it. The blister is getting better, but it still hasn't completely healed. So, no walking again today. Sigh.

There's a lesson to be learned from this little blister. Little irritations can have big consequences.

A little drip from the faucet, if ignored, can lead to a big water bill. A little extra to eat at each meal, or in between, can lead to a bigger number on the scale. Spending a little more each month than you actually have can lead to big financial challenges. A little misunderstanding can lead to a big disagreement which can easily escalate to a broken relationship. A little irritation on your heel can lead to a big, painful blister.

That's why little things need to be dealt with while they are still little things. That is what wise Solomon was talking about when he wrote, "Catch the foxes for us, the little foxes that are ruining the vineyard." (Song of Solomon 2:15 NASB)

Do you have any little irritations in your life that need to be dealt with? Don't wait until your little things become big things.

Words Matter. Or, Whatever Happened to Respect?

We're in full campaign mode these days as the presidential election season winds its way toward November 8, and campaign rhetoric is at a fever pitch. Insults are flying in all directions. This group is called "deplorable" and that person is a "disgrace".  On and on it goes. It seems everyone thinks they have a license to say whatever they think, with no filter of decency or respect. How sad that is.

In addition, there are groups of people protesting perceived injustices by refusing to stand when the National Anthem is played. It is certainly their right to protest, a right guaranteed by our Constitution. However, it seems to me these protesters would be better served to find a different venue for their protests. It's hard to take seriously their claim to oppression when they are being paid millions of dollars to play a game.

Name-calling by political candidates. Athletes protesting. The NFL allowing those protests, but disciplining athletes who want to honor slain police officers or to remember the events of 9/11. Police officers being treated as criminals. Contestants being attacked on reality shows. Every day there are new incidents that show our lack of respect and courtesy.

Whatever happened to good manners? It seems "common courtesy" is no longer common! Whatever happened to respect? Whatever happened to treating other people the way you would want to be treated?

Whatever happened to thinking before we speak? Whatever happened to choosing our words carefully? When did we decide that the words we use just don't matter? What has happened to us as a people?

I have written before about the days when I struggle with these posts. Some days, words come easily. Some days, not so much. Even on the "not so much" days, perhaps especially on those days, I want to choose my words carefully because words matter. 

Not just written words. All words matter.

Consider, for example, good manners and words of respect. Please. Thank you. Yes, sir. No, ma'am. Manners aren't just for Southerners. And far too often, Southerners don't have them either. How we treat each other matters, and the words we choose are a reflection of that. In our increasingly discordant world, it's important to be respectful, even when we don't agree. Especially when we don't agree. Words matter.

Words can encourage, or they can bring discouragement. It matters which we choose. 

We have, by the words we choose to use, the ability to lift someone up or to tear them down. And this ability carries across the spectrum of life. At home. In politics. In the workplace. In the classroom. At the mall. At the gym. Everywhere we go.

As you're out and about today, doing life, encountering various individuals and situations, choose your words carefully. Be respectful. Because words matter.

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."  (Proverbs 25:11 ESV)

Something to Think About

Job said, "I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food."  (Job 23:12b NASB)

What about you?  What about me?  Can we say the same thing?

What are we treasuring most?

Do we treasure God's words more than our necessary food?

It's a hard question.  But one we need to be asking.

What do I treasure most? What do you treasure most?

Something to think about.

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
Naught of this world’s elusive dream;
I have renounced all sinful pleasure;
Jesus is mine, there’s nothing between.

Nothing between my soul and the Savior,
So that His blessed face may be seen;
Nothing preventing the least of His favor,
Keep the way clear! Let nothing between.

(words and music by Charles Albert Tindley)

 



Listen to "Nothing Between My Soul and the Savior" here:
https://youtu.be/o62NruWQyBk

Fifteen Years Later

Where were you on that awful day? Most of us can probably remember where we were on September 11, 2001. Those events are burned into our memories.

I remember the day vividly. On that Tuesday morning, as on every Tuesday morning, I was heading to church. Tuesday was the day for Ladies Bible Study in the morning and staff meeting in the afternoon. We were planning to begin a new study on that morning, and as I had been preparing the introductory session, my thoughts had been focused on Psalm 62, specifically on verses 7-8: "On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." As the day progressed, I found myself holding on to those verses!

I walked into the family room just minutes after the first plane had hit. Our son Brian, who had just gotten home from his job at UPS, was watching TV (the Today Show, I think) before heading upstairs to bed. We both stared at the TV in disbelief. And then we watched as the second plane hit. On my way to the church, I heard the news about the Pentagon on the car radio.

Our Bible Study that morning turned into a brief time of prayer, after which I sent the ladies back home. Our staff meeting was cancelled. The pastor and I met briefly to talk through preliminary plans for the following Sunday worship service, and then he sent me home.

Life as we knew it changed forever on that day. I remember well the shock and the grief and the numbness that followed for so many days. For many those feelings are repeated each year as we mark another anniversary and as we see those horrible events replayed over and over and over on television. In the years since, we have the added grief over the events of 9/11/12 in Benghazi.

Life changed on that day.  We've grown accustomed to taking our shoes off at the airport and to having our purses and backpacks inspected.  Sadly, we're no longer surprised by acts of violence. 

But not everything has changed. It is still true that "my refuge is in God." I still grieve with and for those families who lost so much on that day just because their family member went to work that day. I still grieve for the families of first responders and military personnel who, on that day and in the years that have followed, paid the ultimate sacrifice. I am still grateful for men and women who put their lives on the line every day to protect the freedoms we enjoy as Americans.

Even more, as I reflect on the ways that life has changed, I cling to the unchanging truth that "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in time of trouble. Therefore we will not fear." (Psalm 46:1-2)

Avenue of Spies. A Book Review.

Avenue of Spies by Alex Kershaw, subtitled The Story of Terror, Espionage, and one American Family's Heroic Resistance in Nazi-Occupied Paris, is the story of American doctor Sumner Jackson, his wife Toquette, and their son Philip. From their home on the posh Avenue Foch in Paris, and from Jackson's office at the American hospital, Jackson, along with his wife and son, secretly aided the French Resistance as they pushed back against the Nazis.

This is a meticulously researched account of Nazi-occupied Paris and of those who resisted. Interviews with Philip Jackson provide much of the source material for Kershaw. The book also includes several pages of black and white photos.

From his office at the American Hospital, and from their home on Avenue Foch, the Jacksons smuggled papers and people out of Paris. Eventually their activities were discovered by their Nazi neighbors, and they were arrested. What follows proves the courage of this family in taking the risks they did.

Avenue of Spies is the story of the resistance in Paris, but it is particularly the story of the Jackson family on Avenue Foch, living perilously close to danger, which included Gestapo headquarters just a few doors down the Avenue Foch. Avenue of Spies provides an account of the Nazi occupation of Paris, and of the atrocities perpetrated by the Nazis, but it is, above all, the story of the Jackson family and their personal courage.

Avenue of Spies was not one of those books that once begun, can't be put down, but it did hold my interest and give me a sense of what happened in Paris as the Nazis took up residence there. It would be a great read for those interested in history, particularly the history of World War II.

Blogging for Books provided me with a free copy of Avenue of Spies in exchange for my honest opinion.

It's Finished!

One final click of the mouse made it official. My book of devotionals for the Christmas season is now in publication, and I am so excited!

I confess that over the last several days I have stressed over this a little bit. A lot! The perfectionist side of me has reared its ugly head.  What if there's a misplaced comma that I missed? What if there's a spacing error? What if.....?

I have come to realize that no matter how much I stress over it, and no matter how many times I, or others, have read this manuscript, it still isn't perfect. Nor will it be. Because I'm not perfect. Even so, this is a labor of love and of joy, and I'm so excited that it is finished. So excited for others to read it. So excited to see how God will use these words I have written.

You can find Are You Ready for Christmas? on Amazon.com. How exciting is that? In a few days it will also be available for your Kindle.

 

 

 



You might consider purchasing a copy for yourself, or to give as a Christmas gift. If you do decide to purchase one, would you do me a big favor and leave a review on Amazon.com? The number of reviews a book gets determines its position in the listings. That's how things work over at Amazon, so you would be doing me a big favor if you would leave a review. It doesn't have to be a long review, or even a good review. But every review makes a difference.

I'll be hosting a book launch party on Saturday, October 1. If you're in the area, I hope you will stop by to help celebrate this new book. More details will be coming soon, but mark your calendar now so you can be part of the celebration!

Are You Ready for Christmas? has been in the works for a while now. There were a lot of stops and starts. Seeing the finished product gives me a real sense of satisfaction and personal accomplishment. At the same time, it's very humbling to think that people will be reading words I have written. Right now, I'm more happy than my heart can hold!

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

"The best way to use our gifts for God is to lay them down and then let Him do with them what He wants." - Priscilla Shirer

Home. How Heaven and the New Earth Satisfy Our Deepest Longings. A Review.

I'm not sure I have ever struggled quite so much with a book review as I have with this one. Home. How Heaven and the New Earth Satisfy Our Deepest Longings by Elyse Fitzpatrick was not at all what I expected. Although, having said that, I'm not sure exactly what I expected. I'm still not certain that I can say I liked this book. Nor can I say I disliked it. I guess that all goes back to it just not being what I expected. I can say that it provided food for thought. And the fact that I'm still thinking about it is proof, on some level at least, that the book is a success.

"Home" is our only hope in this life - the hope that Jesus promised when He promised to come and take us unto Himself where will see Him and be completed by Him. But we're not "home" yet. So writes Fitzpatrick, as she then proceeds to paint a portrait of what life will be like there, even as she challenges us to live here with there in view.

Written in a very conversational tone, Fitzpatrick shares incidents from her own life to illustrate why there is within us a longing for "home", challenging the reader not to lose sight of "home" even as we are bogged down in this journey called life.

Fitzpatrick uses passages from Scripture to establish a description of the "home" we were meant to occupy. She challenges readers to think deeply about what the eternal "home" will look like. Are we expecting something akin to an idyllic Thomas Kincade painting? Does that line up with the descriptions in Scripture?

Whether or not you agree with her conclusions or her theology, Elyse Fitzpatrick's Home challenges you to dig into the Scriptures to clarify what you believe. Book clubs or Bible study groups who use this book will likely have some lively discussions!

Bethany House Publishing Group provided me with a free copy of Home by Elyse Fitzpatrick in exchange for my honest opinion.

When It Looks Good On the Outside, But...

Did you ever bite into a juicy ripe peach, only to discover it was rotten on the inside?      Or maybe you chose a shiny red apple, and then you discovered a worm inside. Not a pleasant experience, is it?

Those scenarios are good illustrations of the frustration I have been feeling over the last few days.  I had a proof copy of my new book in my hands. Actually, it was the third proof copy! I was so excited! It was beautiful! I just knew it was ready for publication. I was certain everything had been checked and double-checked adequately. I was certain every error and typo had been corrected, and I loved how it looked! I think you will, too, once you see it.

But a little voice inside me said Check it one more time. So I did.

That little voice probably remembered that on Sunday, I had written a Scripture reference incorrectly. We were doing some cross-referencing about the passage we were studying, and I had assigned several passages for class members to read. The references were written on index cards.  When I called for a particular reference to be read, it was discovered that I had written down the wrong reference. I wanted Proverbs 17:3, but I had written Proverbs 17:6.

Yesterday, as I was doing yet another check of my manuscript, I was asking the Lord to open my eyes to any errors. After that prayer, the Spirit prompted me to check all the Scripture references to be sure they were correct. And wouldn't you know it! That's where the error was. I had typed Matthew 18:18-20, a perfectly good Scripture reference. But what I had intended was Matthew 28:18-20, which covers an entirely different subject!

Today I'm thankful I caught the error. Thankful that I listened to the Spirit's leading. Thankful that I was patient enough to wait until I was really comfortable before giving the final OK. Thankful that I have time today to check it one more time.

I want more this to be more than a pretty book on a shelf; I want the content to be correct. Because looking good on the outside is not good enough!


"As he thinketh in his heart, so he is." (Proverbs 23:7 KJV)

Wasting Time

It may seem a bit counterintuitive to write a post about wasting time on the day after a holiday when most of us likely spent much of our day doing exactly that. Does it strike you as a bit odd that we celebrate work by not working? In any event, for most of us, on the last official holiday of the summer season, yesterday was a day for doing not very much.

The holiday is past, and now it's time to be turning our thoughts toward fall. In some parts of the country, this is back to school week, although here in the South, we've been at that for almost a month now. No matter. Labor Day signals a shift toward fall.  Away from the slower pace of summer and back toward regular routines.  In theory at least, that would mean less time-wasting and more productive activity, which causes my mind to turn toward all the ways I waste time.

I'm certain I'm not the only one. We all manage to do some time wasting in one form or another. Watching too much television. Playing too many games. For me, that would mean too much time playing Words With Friends, a game I enjoy very much. It challenges me, and I've reached the age where mental stimulation is a good thing. Need to keep those brain cells working! Even when I'm in the midst of a terrible losing slump as I have been lately. Even when the game makes me feel really stupid. Even then it's still a good challenge. But I've been spending way too much time playing and not enough time doing other things I need to be doing, so I need to do a better job of limiting my time in the game.

I waste a lot of time redoing things. Old habits are hard to break, and often new habits are hard to learn. Consider, for example, the matter of double spacing - or not - after a period. I learned to type on an old Royal typewriter. Not even an electric typewriter. A manual typewriter.  (I'm really dating myself now.) I took a typing class one summer when I was in high school, and that's what we used. Later, as a young adult working in a law firm, I used a Selectric. (Still dating myself.) I had really good typing speed, even on the old Royal, and I dutifully learned to double space after periods and colons. But in this computer age, the double space rule no longer applies. Publishers don't want to see double spaces. This old gal is having a really hard time resisting the double-tap on the space bar at the end of each sentence, so I'm wasting a lot of time going back and correcting what I have typed.

Your time-wasting habits may be different than mine. Maybe you spend too much time in front of the television. Maybe you're spending too much time doing things you want to do instead of the things you need to do, or the things you are responsible to do. I'm fairly confident that each of us is doing [more than] our share of time wasting. And how sad that is!

We are given a limited number of hours in each day. A limited life-span on this earth. These times are gifts from a gracious God. How said that we so carelessly value the time we are given.  That is not to say that we shouldn't have time for relaxing; we should. But we must be careful not to let the relaxation time overshadow the other important things we should be doing. Sometimes relaxation is the most important thing. But not always!

I don't want to be a time-waster. I want to value and use wisely the time I have been given. That's what's on my mind this morning as we turn the corner from summer into fall.

"Teach us realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom." (Psalm 90:12 NLT)

The Red Card

Yesterday our Life Group began studying 1 Peter. As you might expect, we began at the beginning, in the first chapter, where Peter has a lot to say to us about all that is ours because of our relationship with Christ Jesus, a relationship he describes as our living hope.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead."  (1 Peter 1:3 NASB)

This morning, thinking about that living hope stirred up a memory from our life on the road last year, a memory of the red card.  Last Labor Day weekend, we were in Greensboro, NC, with just a few stops left on our road trip before we could [finally] head home.

In the weeks we had been on the road, we had stayed in more than thirty different hotels.  Most of those hotels were Marriott properties.

Because my husband travels a lot and spends a lot of time in Marriott hotels, he has achieved Platinum Elite status with that particular hotel chain.  As a result, our room key cards at Marriot hotels are platinum and are marked platinum elite, and those key cards give access to things like the Concierge Lounge (when one is available) and free coffee and other perks. Last Labor Day weekend, we had a platinum card.

But at the previous hotel, the one in Maryland, we didn't get a platinum key card. We got a red card. It gave the same access. Free breakfast. Free dessert. Free coffee. The only difference was that it was red.

As Christians we have a red card of a different kind. Our red card access comes through the blood of Jesus, shed for our sins.

Because of that shed blood, we are in an eternal relationship with the Savior who offered His own blood on our behalf. And because of that shed blood, we now have access to an eternity in Heaven in the presence of the One who shed His blood for us.

That is infinitely better than free breakfast!


"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.......In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us."  (Ephesians 1:3, 7-8b NASB)

Thinking About Clouds

Clouds fascinate me. I've always thought that if I were to study any aspect of science, it would be meteorology. That isn't going to happen, since I have no "science" brain cells! But I continue to be fascinated by clouds. And on this cloudy, rainy morning as a tropical storm is making its way across the Southeast, clouds are on my mind.

Last summer as we were traveling around the country, I photographed a number of clouds. All shapes and sizes.  Some stormy and some not.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What do you think about when you see clouds?  Do you dread an impending storm?  Do you look for animal shapes in the shapes of the clouds?

 

Or do you think of something else?

 

How about this?

 

 

"For the day is near, even the day of the LORD is near; It will be a day of clouds, a time of doom for the nations."  (Ezekiel 30:3 NASB)

 

"I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven one like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him."  (Daniel 7:13 NASB)

 

"And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory."  (Matthew 24:30 NASB)

 

"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 4:17 NASB)

 

"Behold, He is coming with the clouds."  (Revelation 1:7a NASB)

 

The next time you look up at the clouds, be reminded of that.  He is coming with the clouds.

 

He is coming.

 

The day of the Lord is near.

 

Are you ready?

 

Praying and Proofing

I thought it was ready. I thought today would be the day I would make the final click, and then my new book would be ready for publication.

I have checked and double checked every word. I received a proof copy, and I checked it again.  I changed a few words, rewrote a sentence or two, then resubmitted it. Yesterday I received what I thought was the final proof. I was certain today would be the day to make it all "real" and official.

Then I saw it. A glaring typo that I had missed on every previous check and recheck.  Something so obvious, right there on the first page.

How had I missed something so obvious? I had read and re-read every word multiple times.  The manuscript had been through multiple checks.  Yet there it was.  A tiny error, but an error nonetheless.

Because of that one little error, today I'm rechecking everything one more time. More proof-reading. That's how I'll be spending my day.  Proofing.

Proofing and praying. Every word in this manuscript has already been prayed over. But as I'm checking it, I'll be praying again. Praying that I've written well what God has laid on my heart. Praying that I've written it correctly. Praying there are no more typos!

More than that, I'll be praying, as I have been already, for each person who reads these words I've written. Praying that God will use my words in each life they touch. Praying I have fulfilled the mission God entrusted to me with the writing of this book.  It's a daunting responsibility and an awesome privilege to put to paper what God has laid on my heart and to have people read the words I've written. So, just as I have already, I'll be praying over these words today.

This typo I discovered was a real source of frustration. But it also provided a great life lesson. How often do each of us have sins in our lives that we are completely unaware of, or that we just gloss over? Some habit. Something we have said. Some word that has become a habit in our vocabulary. Something we should do, but don't.

We are quick to notice such mistakes in others, just as it is easier for a writer to see a typo or an incorrectly-used word or a misplaced comma in someone else's writing. But just as every writer needs to carefully check each word and phrase, so do we need to carefully examine each aspect of our lives.  Our job is not to edit out the mistakes in someone else's life, but to edit out the sin in our own lives.

I was challenged recently by a passage I read in Anne Graham Lotz's book The Daniel Prayer.  She shares how she had been reading a book by Charles Finney (How to Experience Revival).  In the chapter titled "Preparing the Heart for Revival", Finney explained that we must examine the state of our own minds and reflect on our actions.  Finney cautioned that he did not mean we were to glance at things, then make a general confession to God the way many of us do with 'Dear God, forgive me of all my many sins.' He challenged the reader to take pen and paper and write down each sin as it came to mind. Because our sins are committed one at a time, he said they must be reviewed and repented of one by one.*

Each word and phrase of my manuscript must be examined.  Each area of my life must be examined just as carefully if I am to be aware of, and repent of, the sin in my life. Today I'll be proofing and praying over my manuscript one more time.

And I'll be doing the same over my life.

"Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye." (Matthew 7:3,5a NASB)


*The Daniel Prayer by Anne Graham Lotz, page 125