Break Our Hearts

"Break our hearts, O God, break our hearts;

Break our hearts, O God, break our hearts.

For the sin in our lives, break our hearts.

For the sin in our land, break our hearts.

We cry out, need your hand;

Come back to our land.

We confess: we've lived in sin.

Show your power once again.

 

(-Billy James Foote)

 

 

Are you paying attention to the news these days?  Do you follow current events at all?  Or do you just go on about your life blissfully unaware of what's going on outside your little circle of family and friends?  The last scenario is unfortunately true for far too many people, I'm afraid. 

 

I confess that it's more and more difficult for me to watch newscasts and read news reports these days.  I am more and more disillusioned and disgusted by what's going on in my country and around the world.  But is it not the wise thing to be aware of what's going on around us?  Else we might wake up one morning and find ourselves living in quite a different society than we thought.

 

Much like the frog in the frying pan.  Or maybe it's a kettle.  In any event, you've probably heard that story.  The boiling frog story is a story that describes a frog being boiled alive. The premise is that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not perceive the danger and will be cooked to death.  I have no idea if that is accurate biologically, but it is perhaps a good metaphor for many in our society who are clueless as to what's going on, and will not realize how much our society has changed until it is too late.

It has never been my intent for this blog to be political.  But I think these issues transcend politics.  The very fabric of our nation - morally, spiritually, as well as politically - is in jeopardy.  And that breaks my heart.

I look around and wonder whatever happened to public service.  We no longer have public servants.....statesmen (and women) who seek the public good, whose motive is serving the people of this great nation.  Instead we have self-serving politicians who are more interested in being reelected and keeping the perks of their office than they are in doing what is good and right for the country.

We have a President who is more interested in his golf score than in the rising debt and deficit our nation faces.  Who proposed the sequester in an attempt to pressure Republicans into doing things his way, and who now refuses to own it as his idea and proceeds to use scare tactics to try to threaten politicians so he gets his own way.  Who takes no responsibility for any of his decisions.  Who threatens journalists who dare to disagree with him.

We have a media who no longer reports news as it happens, but who force their agendas and ideologies down our throats and call it journalism.  A media who, for the most part, is only the mouthpiece of the current administration.

We have Americans dying in an Embassy, and no one seems willing to ask the tough questions.  How could this have happened?  What did this President know and when did he know it?  We've heard those questions asked before.  Remember Watergate?  A President was impeached over that.  And nobody died then.  But these days, no one seems to care.

What is going on in this country?  How can we be so blissfully ignorant that the very rights we hold dear as Americans are being slowly taken away.  Why are we so concerned about being "politically correct"?  Why do we care so much what a celebrity wears to an event, and why do we care so little about things that really matter?  About babies being murdered by the millions in the name of "choice" and convenience.  About being told by some government official what size our soda should be or by another government official how many bullets can be in our gun (while we are still allowed to own guns) or having our free speech defined by yet another government official.  That's a lot of government intrustion into our so-called freedom, isn't it?

We're living in very troublesome times indeed.  History would be a great teacher for us, if we were willing to pay attention.  But alas, "those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it." (George Santayana).

These days we aren't very interested in history, are we?  We're more concerned with celebrity sightings and sports scores.  But if we were to look to history, we might learn a thing or two.  Certainly those who lived in Germany under Hitler....or in Cuba under Castro......or in the former Soviet Union......might be able to teach us a thing or two.  But unfortunately no one seems willing to listen.  To learn from the past.  "That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons of history."  (Aldous Huxley)

Biblical history would teach us even more, if only we as a society were willing to learn.

"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight."  (Proverbs 9:10 ESV)

"The way of a fool is right in his own eyes."  (Proverbs 12:15a ESV)

"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD."  (Psalm 33:12a ESV

We've come a long way from the nation our forefathers founded, a nation built on a foundation of God's word, on religious liberty, with a Constitution and Bill of Rights that protected our individual liberties.  Men and women gave their lives to protect these liberties, liberties most Americans seem to assume will be ours forever, but which are little by little being eroded away.

As easy as it might be to place all blame inside the Washington Beltway, with selfish politicians, with a President whose primary agenda seems to be the destruction of this country (watch the movie 2016 if you have any doubts about that), the root of our problem is deeper than that.  The root of our problem is that we as a nation have turned our collective backs on God.  We are much like the city of Ninevah.  Remember the book of Jonah?  God sent Jonah to prophesy against Ninevah because "their sin was very great."  Could not the same be said of the United States of America?  Oh that we would do as the people of Ninevah did and "call out mightily to God....turn from (his) evil way.....God may turn and relent and turn from his fierce anger."  (Jonah 3:8-9 ESV).

My heart breaks for my country.  I am saddened and frustrated and angered by the selfishness I see in my government.  I am sickened by the greed and dishonesty I see in government and in society.  I am heartbroken at what this country might be, if it survives, for my sons and my grandsons.

But as I think about all that is going on in the world around me, I really shouldn't be surprised, should I?  After all, Scripture clearly says that "in the last days there will come times of difficulty.  For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.  (2 Timothy 3:1-5 ESV).

Now, as it has always been, the hope for our country.....for our world....is not politicians or governments.  The hope of the world is Jesus.  So as I pray for our nation, for those in positions of authority, I pray that we might all turn our hearts more fully toward Him.  I pray that I might see the world as He sees it.  I pray that I might have a heart to love and serve others as He did.  I pray that I might love Him more.  Trust Him more.  Be all that He desires me to be.  And that, in being all He desires me to be, I might somehow make a difference.

And even as I pray all that, I pray as Daniel did....."How long?"  (Daniel 12:6 ESV).

 

O Lord Jesus, how long, how long
Ere we shout the glad song,
Christ returneth! Hallelujah!
Hallelujah! Amen. Hallelujah! Amen.

(- H. L. Turner)

 

Just Another Winter Day

If you don't like the weather, wait a few minutes and it will change.  That's a good description of yesterday.

When I went to bed on Monday night, the weather forecast was calling for snow, with several inches accumulation, on Tuesday morning.  Or it was calling for freezing rain.  Or it was calling for ice and sleet.  Depending on which forecaster you chose to believe.  I opted for the "look out the window and see what's going on in the morning" forecast, and went to bed.

Tuesday morning when I got up, the temperature was 33 degrees.  It was raining.  And then there was freezing rain.  And not long after there was sleet.  Followed by hail!  Pretty soon ice was clinging to trees and shrubs, coating the fence posts, the temperatures were dropping, the wind was howling......just another winter day here in the mountains!  Before the day was over, we had it all.....rain, freezing rain, snow, sleet, hail, and even some sunshine by the end of the day!

As conditions deteriorated, it didn't take me long to make a decision about how I would spend the day.  So I called and rescheduled my haircut appointment...,...no need to get out in that mess just for a haircut, no matter how much I need it!  I spent the morning doing some tasks around the house, then settled into my comfy chair in front of the fire and did some reading.  Well, it's an old, worn-out chair.  Not really all that comfy any more.  But you get the idea.  Hot coffee, warm fire, good book......a great way to spend a cold, winter afternoon.

"God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend.  For to the snow he says, 'Fall on the earth,' likewise to the downpour, the mighty downpour.......stop and consider the wondrous works of God."  (Job 37:5-6, 14 ESV)

Now Is The Time

What did you think when you read that title?

Depending on your age, you may have remembered a typing class,
and typing (over and over and over!) the phrase "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their country."  Or you may have thought of some other oft-repeated phrase from some other season of your life.  If you Google that phrase - now is the time -  you'll actually get more than 3.9 million results.  Amazing, isn't it?

When you read the title, your mind might possibly have immediately gone to a worship song.  "Come, Now Is the Time to Worship" is a song that we've been singing in our worship services for a few years now.  And when we sing that, we often mean something like this:  "It's Sunday morning so it's time to go and worship."  In fact, I think that is usually what we mean.

But is worship limited to a time slot on Sunday morning?  Or on Saturday, if that's when you meet together to worship.  Is worship limited to any particular time slot?

Could we not just as easily sing (or say) now is the time to worship at any time during the week?  On Thursday morning in the shower?  Or on Monday morning doing the laundry?  Or on Friday evening when we pick up the pizza for dinner?

Take the shower as an example.  Here in the US, we take water for granted.  We assume that every time we turn a faucet, water will come out.  We assume that there will always be plenty of water whenever and wherever we might need or want it.  But I, for one, can testify that that is not always the case.

When we moved here to to the mountains a few years ago, it was a time of drought.  Extreme drought.  Or whatever is the worst category of drought.    It was very dry.  During one of the first years we lived here, we only had about six inches of rain for the entire year!  We have already had more than that this year, and we're not even out of February!  And during those drought years, on more than one occasion, our spring (our primary water supply) dried up.  So, I turned a faucet and guess what I got.  Nothing.  Not a single drop. 

Having lived through those experiences, I no longer take water for granted.  Even the experience of standing in a shower is a joyful time of thanksgiving.  And as I express my thanks to my Heavenly Father for the water that comes through the showerhead, I am worshipping.  Giving thanks is one way to express worship.  So, even the shower time becomes "time to worship".

There's a chair in the corner of my bedroom, by a window.  The chair belonged to my mother, so for that reason alone, I love to sit in it.  But I love to sit there because that's my "prayer place".  My place to have my quiet time.  To pray.  To read the Scriptures. To worship.

On sunny mornings, as the sun gets up over the mountains, it shines through the window right onto the pages of my Bible.  That brings me such joy!  In those moments, it is almost as though Jesus, the Light of the World, is Himself illuminating the pages of Scripture for me.  In those moments, I worship.  That is one of my "now is the time to worship" moments.

More often that not, the emphasis in "Come, Now Is the Time to Worship" is placed on the word worship.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  But let's shift the emphasis.  Instead of what, let's put the emphasis on when. 

Not just on Sunday morning.
Not just at some other "appointed" time.

Now.
Now is the time to worship.
Right now.
Right where you are.
Right in the middle of what you are doing.

Press the "pause" button in your life for a minute.  Look around.  Focus on where you are and with whom and what you are doing and why.

And give thanks to God.....

for the place,
and the circumstances,
and the activity,
and the reason.

That very act - pausing and giving thanks - is an act of worship.  Of acknowledging the Giver of all good things.  Of acknowledging His worth.  Of giving credit where credit is due. Thanksgiving is one of the ways we express our worship.

Maybe you're at work.  Be thankful that you have work to go to.
Maybe you're doing laundry.  Or picking up toys or dirty clothes.  Be thankful for the clothes and the family who dirtied them.  Maybe you're taking a break from meal preparation for a little computer time.  Be thankful for the food you are preparing, for the privilege of preparing it, for the electricity and the kitchen equipment to prepare it, that you had finances to purchase the food.........and the list could go on. 

Too often, I'm afraid, we just go through the activities of life on "auto-pilot" and miss out on so many opportunities for worship. 

So that's the challenge for the day.  Slow down and pay attention.  Look for all the "grace gifts" from your Heavenly Father that are part of your day.  And give Him thanks.

Don't wait for Sunday.

Now is the time to worship!

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!  Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles.........Bless the LORD, all his works, in all places of his dominion.  Bless the LORD, O my soul!"    (Psalm 103:1-5, 21-22 ESV)

Nothing New - Some Thoughts about Downton Abbey

You may be one of the millions who has watched every episode of Downton Abbey.  Or you may not have watched it at all.  You may be one who, like me, came a little late to the party.  I have only seen the first season's episodes, even though Season 3 recently aired.  Or you may be one who has never watched a single episode, has no interest at all, or one who doesn't even know what a "Downton Abbey" is!  You may be like I was, and think the title is actually Downtown Abbey!

No matter.  What is it that attracts so many to this TV show?  And what is it that bothers so many, particularly Christians, about it?

I think many people tune in to Downton Abbey for a glimpse at history.  We find ourselves enamored about this period of history, this lifestyle, that is so foreign to what we live.  And not just because it's English and we're American, although that may be some of the fascination.  We tune in to see the fashions of that era, to hear those delightful accents, and to see how the "upper crust" lived.  We love the house.  We love the landscape.  But we really are mesmerized by the lifestyle of the very wealthy, with seeing the differences in the lives of those "above stairs" and "below stairs". 

What we see as we view episode after episode is that people are really the same no matter which of the classes they belong to.  What we see in Downton Abbey is lives filled with greed, manipulation, immorality, bitterness, corruption, dishonesty, and all sorts of other less than desirable qualities.

And all this is quite bothersome to many.  These character traits, along with the fact that there is no corresponding or offsetting morality or principled behavior, make watching difficult, if not impossible, for many.  There's no "happy ending", so to speak, where the good guys win and the bad guys are dealt with.  And for many who have watched Downton Abbey, this is a problem. 

But isn't this a picture of what life is like in the "real world"?  Greed, manipulation, corruption, immorality, dishonesty, cruelty.....and the list could go on.......are all part of an unregenerate world.  All part of life without Christ.  And throughout history, from the time Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden right through to the present day, this is true.

King Solomon, that wisest of all men, told us this in the Book of Ecclesiastes.  There is nothing new under the sun.  Downton Abbey confirms that for us.  It forces us to see what a world without Christ is like.  Whether or not we choose to watch the show, that fact remains.  The world needs, as it always has, for Christ-followers to be salt and light.  It needs the love and light of Christ.  Nothing else will make a difference.

"What has been is what will be, and what has been done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun."  (Ecclesiastes 1:9 ESV)

An Evening at the Library

On Thursday we drove down to Spartanburg.  There we got together with about a hundred people from our church, boarded buses, and drove over to Charlotte to the Billy Graham Library for an after-hours tour and dinner. It was a wonderful evening! 

I have wanted to go the Billy Graham Library ever since it opened several years ago, but somehow we have never gotten there.  That's a shame, really, since it's so close by.  Now I want to go again!  I loved being there Thursday as part of a group visit, but with a group that large the disadvantage is not being able to linger over exhibits they way I might have liked to.

In any event, we had a wonderful time at the Library.  There are exhibits that chronicle the early years of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.  And events about crusades in this country and around the world.  There's his childhood home, which has been restored on the property.  There's an exhibit about his wife Ruth.

One of my favorite exhibits had to do with a time Billy Graham preached in Moscow, back in the days of the Soviet Union.  A choir made up of soldiers, dressed in their uniforms, had learned to sing "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" in English.  As I stood there and listened tIo those Russian men.....Communist, atheist......singing "His truth is marching on"......I couldn't help but wonder what might have been the long-term result of that experience.  Did the seed planted by the truth of that song, together with hearing the Gospel proclaimed, bear fruit?  In one of them?  In more than one?  I wonder.

Another of the things that really impressed me as we walked through the exhibits was the sheer numbers of people that Billy Graham has preached the Gospel to.  The millions who have heard him in person at Crusades.  The billions who have heard him by way of radio or television or other technology.

We had a wonderful evening at the Library.  We spent time with some of our good friends.  We made new friends.  We had a delicious dinner.  It was a delightful time.  If you ever get the opportunity, you should go.  You'll be glad you did.  It's an extraordinary place!

My absolutely favorite thing about the Library is that, although it bears his name, it really isn't about Billy Graham at all.  Certainly, his life story and the story of his ministry is told through the exhibits.  But it isn't about him.  It's about how God used Billy Graham, a farm boy from North Carolina, to advance His Kingdom.  It's about what happens when a person's heart is completely committed to Christ.  It's about the Gospel.  About the cross.  It's all about Jesus.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."  (John 3:16 KJV)

A Productive Day

Yesterday was a good day.  A productive day.  I make note of it because it's a bit unusual.  Many days - most days perhaps - I don't feel all that productive.  It seems I just putter around from one thing to another and never really accomplish all that much.  The clothes are clean and the meals are prepared and mostly the dust bunnies and clutter are dealt with.  But even so, I don't get a real sense of accomplishment.

But somehow yesterday, I did!  And it felt good! 

Meals were prepared and eaten at the proper time.  I didn't do any laundry, but I did catch up (finally!) with some ironing that needed doing.  That's an accomplishment in itself.

But I think the real reason I felt so productive is because I caught up with paperwork.  Did the filing.  Reconciled the bank statement.  Organized stuff for taxes. All those tasks I really don't like to do.  But now my desktop is clean.  No more desk clutter!  And that's a very good feeling.

You know what "they" say........cluttered desk, cluttered mind.  Or maybe you have heard that quite opposite saying......a cluttered desk is a mark of genius.  Whatever.  I think a cluttered desk is just a sign of.....clutter!  And clutter makes me nuts!

So, having dealt with the clutter.....at least with the clutter on my desk.....makes me feel ever so productive!  And I like that feeling!  Maybe tomorrow I'll deal with some of the other clutter piles.

Or maybe not.  Maybe I'll just read a book.

"So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom." 
(Psalm 90:12 ESV)

It's What's Inside That Counts

Have you ever wanted to be taller?  Or have a different eye color?  Or be different in some other way?

I always wanted dark brown hair and dark brown eyes.  Now, the hair color is something I could do something about.  But it's not likely I would have dark brown eyes with two blue-eyed parents.  And it's not likely I would have naturally had dark brown hair, since a blonde and a redhead were my parents!

I was always a bit envious of people with tan or olive skin tones, like Italians or those of Middle Eastern descent.  Again, that's not likely for this girl of Irish/Scots/English ancestry!

And I always wanted to be taller.  These days, that's really a very practical wish, since I never can reach the things on the top shelf and am always having to ask for help!  Again, considering genetics, it was quite unlikely that I would be anything other than the short woman that I am!

Those are all things I can't change no how much I might want to.  Well, except for the hair color.  But even that wouldn't be a permanent change!  And isn't what's on the inside what really counts?

That's what I've been thinking about this morning.  What's on the inside.  And how what's on the inside is reflected on the outside.  By behavior.  By attitude.  By what we say.

This thought process began as I was reading in Numbers this morning.  (Yes, I'm still in Numbers!  Just a few more chapters and I will gladly move on to Deuteronomy!!).  As I was reading in Numbers chapter 30, I came across this phrase......thoughtless utterance.  Hmmmm......

Chapter 30 is a chapter about making vows.  But that phrase in verse 6 really got me.  The full phrase is "any thoughtless utterance by which she has bound herself."  And that phrase has really grabbed me this morning. 

How often have I spoken "thoughtless utterances"?  How often have I wished what just came out of my mouth could go back in? 

But doesn't what comes out of my mouth reflect what's on the inside?  After all, we're told in Proverbs, "as he [or she] thinketh in his heart, so is he."  (Proverbs 23:7 KJV)

If that's true - and it is - then shouldn't I be more concerned about what's on the inside than about externals like eye color or hair color.  Or any other external, for that matter.  Like fashion.  Or makeup.  Or hair style.  Not that we won't be interested in those things.  It's just a matter of prioritizing.  Because it's what's inside that really counts.

This morning God used that verse in Numbers to really speak to my heart.  That's an example of how all Scripture is useful and profitable.  Sometimes for doctrine.  Sometimes for reproof.  Sometimes for correction.  Sometimes for instruction in righteousness. 

Something to think about.

"Do not let your adorning be external - the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry or the clothing you wear - but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious."  (1 Peter 2:3-4 ESV)

42 Years and Counting.....

It was 42 years ago that I met my sweetheart, my knight-in-shining-armor, at a Valentine Party.   I had no idea on that February evening in 1971 what a wonderful love story I would get to live!  Just over a year later, in June of 1972, I married that wonderful man and what a wonderful life we have had together!  (That's a lot of "wonderfuls", isn't it?  But it really has been wonderful!!)

Lots of Valentine's Days have come and gone since 1971 when we first met. And we have celebrated in lots of different ways.

Some years there were flowers and candy and elegant dinners in fancy restaurants.  Some years there were quiet dinners at home.  Some years there were fancy, store-bought cards.  And in the years when we really couldn't afford that, there were homemade cards.

Some years we have been at home.  Some years, like last year, Al's job required him to be out of town and I traveled with him.  We spent the holiday in a hotel.  Last year it was a Residence Inn in Orlando, and he brought me chocolate-dipped strawberries from the Ghiaradelli store at Downtown Disney!

This year, like so many before it, he is in another city, and I'm here at home.  We enjoyed some beautiful roses that he bought last week while he was here.  I'm glad he bought them last week so we could enjoy them together.

But whether or not we are in the same city, and whether or not there are any roses, and whether or not there's a fancy dinner, and whether we have plenty of money or not so much (and over the years, there's been some of both!), I am so grateful that our paths crossed at that Valentine party back in 1971.  I am so greatly blessed that this wonderful man is my husband, my soulmate, my very best friend, my knight-in-shining-armour, my Valentine!

Happy Valentine's Day, Sweetheart!  I love you!

Grumbling or Grateful?

This is how my Bible reading began this morning......."Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night.  And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron."  (Numbers 14:1-2 ESV)

This wasn't their first grumble.  The grumbling actually began back in chapter 11.  They were grumbling because they didn't have all the good food they had back in Egypt, so they wanted to go back.  I guess they forgot they were slaves back in Egypt!  And now they are grumbling because they have heard that the occupants of the Promised Land are big guys, and they are afraid.  And they think it would be better to go back to Egypt.  Really??!!  Again, did they forget they were slaves in Egypt?

In fairness to those Israelites, I have traveled through the Sinai.  On our first trip to the Holy Land, our travels began in Cairo (before the Arab Spring!) and we followed the Exodus route down to Mt. Sinai and then back up to Israel.  Even though I was in an air-conditioned motor coach with all the water and fruit juice and soda I could have wanted, I did grow weary of the scenery.  It was a long ride.  And everything looked the same. We spent two days instead of 40 years, but I was ready for it to be over!  So I do have some sympathy for those Israelites.  Even so, going back into slavery rather than trusting God's plan seems a bit extreme.

Somehow, as my mind takes its wierd twists and turns, all that has triggered some thoughts about the Lenten season.  I've read with interest various blogs and Facebook posts about what people are giving up for Lent.  Without meaning at all to be judgmental or disrespectful, many of these "sacrifices" remind me a lot of these grumbling Israelites.  Often it seems that the Lenten fast is done, not out of any desire to draw closer to God or to prepare the heart to celebrate Easter, but out of resentful duty.  As in, "well, it's time for Lent again so I guess I need to figure out something to give up because that's what I'm supposed to do even though I don't want to."
And, quite frankly, and again without any intent to be disrespectful, I have a hard time understanding how not eating chocolate for 40 days will draw you closer to Christ.  It may be good for your health.  You might lose a pound or two, depending on just how much chocolate you regularly consume.  But unless the time you had previously spent eating chocolate is now spent in prayer and/or Bible study in an effort to draw closer to Christ, then what is really the point?  Particularly if the entire 40 days will be spent saying, "I can't have that because I gave it up for Lent", all done  with a "poor me" facial expression!

I have also been reading about a number of people who are taking a more proactive approach.  Instead of giving up this or that for Lent, they are focusing on being grateful.  This intentional gratitude seems to me far more likely to turn the focus to the Source of all blessings.  Rather than grumbling about what I don't have or can't have, actually paying attention to what I do have and being thankful........doesn't that seem like a wonderful way to deepen my relationship with my Lord?  To draw closer to Him?  Isn't it a wonderful way to worship Him as I focus my attention on Him and on the blessings He so graciously gives?  And how about taking it a step farther and keeping a journal over these next 40 days - and even beyond - actually paying attention to and making note of all the blessings received, both big and small. 

I didn't grow up in a church where we really observed Lent and followed the tradition of fasting for this period.  Even so, as an adult, I have come to embrace the idea of preparing for the Easter celebration in a way that goes beyond buying new clothes and dyeing eggs.  And for me, being focused intentionally on blessings is a way to do that.

What about you?  Are you grumbling over what you've given up or over what you don't have, or are you grateful?

 

"Count your many blessings.  Name them one by one. 

Count your many blessings; see what God has done."

-Johnson Oatman, Jr.

More About That Dead Battery

A few days ago I told you the tale of the dead battery.  My really nice car had a really dead battery.  The car looked good, but it had been too long left without attention.  Result - dead battery.  And not just "a little bit" dead.  Really, really dead.

Al had jumpstarted the car last week and let it run for a while.  We thought all was well.  Wrong.  The next day he tried to start it.  Dead battery.  So he jumpstarted it again and even drove it a little bit.  Everything seemed fine.

The next day.......you guessed it.  He tried to start it.  Dead battery.  So he made an appointment with Hunter Volvo in Asheville to get it checked out.  Yesterday morning he jumpstarted it again and drove down to Asheville.  My car now has a nice new battery!  One that actually works!

Without getting too technical (not that I actually could, since what I know about what's underneath the hood of a car wouldn't fill a thimble!), the problem is that when a car sits so long without being started then something happens in the battery that means eventually it won't work at all.  Which is what happened with my car.  So, I think you can safely assume that I will be starting that car on a regular basis now!!

It occurs to me that this is a very good picture of what happens to our "spiritual batteries" when they are left unattended.  Eventually they lose their sensitivity to the "spark" that gets them going.  I don't mean that we lose our salvation, but we certainly lose our effectiveness.  My car looked fine.  The battery looked fine.  But it was useless.

All this has brought to mind a children's choir program from years ago.  We were doing a musical based on the song "This Little Light of Mine".  Each of the children was given a small flashlight to shine at appropriate times during the program.  One day, during rehearsal, I had removed all the flashlight batteries.  Nobody's flashlight had any light!  And we had a good lesson about staying plugged in to the Power Source if our lights were going to shine. 

The flashlight won't "light" without a power source.  My car won't start without a power source.  Our lives won't shine for Jesus unless we're staying plugged in to the Power Source.

How's your spiritual battery doing today? 

"Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit."  (Psalm 51:10-12  ESV, emphasis mine)

"I appeal to you therefore by the mercies of God to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."  (Romans 12:1-2 ESV, emphasis mine)

"Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."  (Matthew 5:16 ESV, emphasis mine)

A Dirty Refrigerator, a Greasy Stove, and a Dead Battery

Yesterday I cleaned the kitchen.  And not a minute too soon!  It had been a while - too long! - since this kitchen had a good scrubbing.

I started with the refrigerator, partly because that was the side of the room where I started, and partly because that seemed like the easiest task.  Wrong!  I discovered all kinds of interesting fuzzy stuff growing in containers that had been pushed to the back of the shelves.  And quite a number of items that were definitely past their best-if-used-by date.  And there were all the little spilled bits and stuck to the shelf bits.  Where does that stuff come from anyway?  The result is that there is a lot more space on my refrigerator shelves now, and those shelves are sparkly clean!!

As I worked my way around the kitchen, I eventually came to the stove.  Yuck!  A few nights ago I had cooked a pork tenderloin for dinner.  I seared it on the stove top and finished it off in the oven.  The searing on the stove top left lots of greasy splatters on the stove top, all of which apparently did not get wiped up!!  And, like the refrigerator, the stove hasn't had a good cleaning in a while now.  It's embarrassing to admit how long, so I just won't admit it!!  But trust me, it's been a while.  And the stove was dirty.  But now it is sparkly clean!

When we were eating lunch, Al said he was planning to start my car after lunch and let it run a while.  I have a really nice car, but I just don't drive it much, particularly in winter.  We typically use Al's car more often, since his is better equipped to handle our steep mountain road, especially in winter.  And it's just more convenient to use his, since it's parked on the carport right outside the back door.  Mine is parked in the basement garage, which means going down steps, which I don't particularly like to do.  More specifically, my knees don't like to do!  It's also less expensive to drive his, since it's a company car, and one of the benefits of his job is that company provides him a car and does a really good job of taking care of it.

Anyway, after lunch, Al went down to start the car.  And, as you may have guessed by the title of this post, it didn't start.  Dead battery.  The good news is, Al had backed the car into the basement garage, which made it possible to jumpstart the battery.

What's the common thread here?  What do a dirty refrigerator, a greasy stove, and a dead battery have in common?

I knew I needed to clean out the refrigerator; I just didn't do it.  I knew the stove was dirty; I just didn't know how dirty, so I didn't clean it.  I knew I needed the car needed to be driven, or at least started, but I didn't do anything about it.

At a quick glance, everything seemed OK.  It all looked pretty clean from a distance.  Up close, not so much.  The car looked great there in the basement garage.  Not even all that dirty.  Turns out appearances can be deceiving.

"If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  (1 John 1:8-9 ESV)

Numbers and Lipstick - What Do They Have in Common?

I started Numbers in my Bible reading plan today.  And, like Leviticus, this is a tough read for me.  I'm not sure why, but I don't really enjoy it......at least the beginning, census-taking part and the listing-the-rules part.  Once I get past that, when I get to the journey-through-the-wilderness part, I'll like it better.

That's how Numbers is like lipstick.  At least for me.  You see, I really don't like lipstick.  That may come as a shock to those of you who know me and know how many years I spent in the "pink bubble", where I wore and sold lots of lipstick.  But now you have my confession.  I really don't like lipstick.  There.  I said it again!  I'm not really sure why I don't like it, but I do know that I much prefer lip gloss or lip balm. 

Numbers is a lot like that for me.  I would much prefer to be reading Psalms or one of the Gospels or one of Paul's Epistles.  But right now I'm reading Numbers.  Because it's there. 

Here in my life in the mountains, in my semi-retirement from my Mary Kay business, I don't wear a lot of lipstick.  Some lip gloss or balm, but not a lot of lipstick.  However, there are occasions when I do.  Because there are just some occasions when a well-dressed woman needs to wear lipstick or else the outfit, the effect, the desired result isn't complete.

That's how it is with Numbers.  To have the desired result - a complete understanding of the whole counsel of the Word of God - I need to read the whole thing.  Even the not-my-favorite parts.

"And the LORD spoke to Moses in the wilderness of Sinai, in the tent of meeting, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, saying, 'Take a census of all the congregation of the people if Israel.....'"  (Numbers 1:1-2a ESV)

What Not To Wear

Have you ever watched that show "What Not To Wear"?  Either the American or British version.  The show where friends "nominate" their very badly dressed friend for a makeover and the hosts then teach the person what not to wear as well as what they should be wearing.  I prefer the British version.  It's probably because of the accents.  I love British accents!  But I digress.

I have lived long enough to have learned what I should and shouldn't be wearing.  To know what colors work best for me and what styles best suit my shape and my lifestyle.  But from time to time, I make a bad choice.  A buying mistake.  I'm tempted by a trendy style or color, and I make a wrong choice. 

I think the same could probably be said of all us.  We know what we should wear, but from time to time we look into the closet and find that item that makes us cringe.  That makes us ask "who thought that was a good idea?".

It's true in our spiritual "closets" as well.

A few weeks ago, as I was packing for my trip to Florida, I wrote a post about what to wear.  Not so much about colors and styles, as considering what we should be "wearing" spiritually.  That post focused on this verse from Colossians:

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.......and above all these, put on love."  (Colossians 3:12-14 ESV)

That's "what to wear". Today let's take the opposite approach.  Let's think about what NOT to wear.  Here's a partial list, taken from the same chapter in Colossians, although there are similar lists elsewhere in Scripture.

"Put them all away:  anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth."  (Colossians 3:8 ESV)

Or how about this one:

"Put to death therefore what is earthly in you:  sexual immorality, impurity, passion and desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry."  (Col. 3:5 ESV)

I don't know about you, but I am not always kind and patient and loving.  And if I'm honest, I'll have to admit that sometimes I am angry and sometimes I covet and sometimes stuff comes out of my mouth that I'm not very proud of.  Not so much that it's "obscene", but I speak sarcasm fluently, as the saying goes, so what comes out of my mouth should sometimes have been left unsaid!

Maybe today would be a good day for cleaning out my closet, spiritually speaking.  For taking some time to examine what needs to stay and what needs to go.  A good day for some "house cleaning"!

"Put off your old self......and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."  (Ephesians 4:22-24 ESV)

Because It's There

I'm reading through the Bible again this year.  That's something I've been doing for a number of years now.  This year I'm following what is called "the Historical Plan", meaning that I'll be reading in pretty much the historical order that events happened, as much as that can accurately be determined.  I have used other reading plans in the past, but this is my first time to follow this plan.  One thing all the plans have in common is that they usually begin in the beginning (Genesis) and continue on from there.

Right now I'm reading in Leviticus.  And I'll just go ahead and admit that Leviticus is a tough read for me.  But every time I read Leviticus, I'm really thankful for Jesus!  Thankful that, because of His once-for-all sacrifice on the cross, I no longer live under the sacrificial system laid out in Leviticus.  And that's a really good thing, since I can never keep all these offerings and sacrifices and feasts straight in my mind, no matter how hard I try!

I've read Leviticus a number of times.  I've studied it.  I've led Bible studies on Leviticus.  You may be wondering why, since I've already admitted that it's a challenge for me.  Well, the main reason is.....because it's there!  Because it's part of Scripture.  And we're told in the New Testament that all Scripture is inspired by God, and that all Scripture is profitable.  (See 2 Timothy 3:16).  So I read it because God put it in there and He put it in there because for a reason!

Beyond that, there are some important lessons to be learned from Leviticus, even for those of us who live on this side of the Cross.  In my years of inductive Bible study, one of the study skills I have learned is to carefully observe the text.  One aspect of observing the text is looking for repeated words and phrases.  There are two that really jump out at me in Leviticus.

Over and over throughout Leviticus is the phrase "I am the LORD."  There is also the similar phrase "I am the LORD your God."  Now why would that phrase occur so frequently.  One reason may be that God was establishing, for the Israelites then and for us now, that He is in charge!  And perhaps He told them - and us - so often because they - and we  - needed reminding.  The LORD God is the authority.  We are not.  He has established the rules because He has the right to establish the rules.  Because He is God.  And we are not.  And no matter what has changed in history or in culture over the centuries since those words were first written, that truth remains. 

There is another word frequently used in Leviticus.  The word "holy".  Here in the 21st century, with our casual dress and our casual lifestyles and our ever more casual approach to God, this is a word we would do well to remember. We're told repeatedly in Leviticus that God is holy and that His name is holy.  And because He is holy, He has certain expectations of His people.

"By those who come near Me I will be treated as holy, and before all the people I will be honored."  (Leviticus 10:3 NASB)

What does it mean to be holy?  The Holman Bible Dictionary defines holy
as a "characteristic unique to God's nature.  It defines the godness of God."
It is further defined as "set apart, perfect, transcendent, spiritually pure."
Certainly those characteristics describe our understanding of who God is.

And understanding who He is, understanding His character, makes me love Him more.  Helps me to worship and honor Him more.  Gives me even greater desire to be all that He desires me to be.

So that's why I read Leviticus.  Because of what I learn about God, about His character and His ways.  Because it is profitable for me to do so. Because it's there.

"For I am the LORD your God.  Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy.......thus you shall be holy, for I am holy."  (Leviticus 11:45, 46 NASB)

A Snow Day

Snow started here on Saturday afternoon and continued through the night.  We woke up Sunday to a beautiful winter wonderland.  Taking into account that we live on a very steep mountain road in a remote location, these kinds of days are best spent at home.  And that's what we did.

We missed being with our church family in person, but we were with them in spirit via the live internet streaming of the morning worship service. 

We had homemade vegetable soup, leftover from a few days ago, for lunch.

After lunch, I did some reading while Al and Molly napped.  There was an NCIS marathon on television, which was much better than hours of seemingly never-ending Super Bowl pre-game shows.  That's the worst part of Super Bowl Sunday, in my humble opinion! 

I spent a lot of time just looking out the window, enjoying the snow.  I'm quite certain I enjoyed it much more from indoors than I would have out in that freezing cold!

This was a beautiful snow.  Sometimes up here the wind blows so much that the snow just blows away, but that wasn't the case this time.  The snow fell gently through the afternoon and evening.  A little snow was still falling on Sunday morning.  Just beautiful.  And so peaceful to look at.

As I sat and looked at that pristine snow, I was reminded of one of my Daddy's favorite hymns, "Whiter Than Snow".  I don't think it's even in our hymnals any more.  This is the line I remembered......"Break down every idol, cast out every foe; now wash me and I shall be whiter than snow."

And that led me to remember another old hymn we don't sing any more either......"Though your sins be as scarlet, though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow. They shall be as white as snow."

I love much of the new worship music we sing these days.  But I love those old hymns too.  I'm glad they were part of my growing up years.  And I'm glad that I can call them to mind now.  I'm thankful for the truth I learned singing those old hymns.  And I'm thankful for snow days so that I can look at the white snow and call those truths to mind.

"Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD:  though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow."  (Isaiah 1:18 ESV)

"Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow."  (Psalm 51:7b ESV)

Everything

"Test everything; hold fast to what is good."  (1 Thessalonians 5:20 ESV)

I have been pondering this verse since we returned from FL.  It was part of the text for the message on the last Sunday we were there.

Test everything.  That's a pretty direct statement.

Everything.

Everything the pastor says.
Everything the Bible teacher says.
Everything the newscaster says.
Everything the politician says.
Everything the government says.
Everything you read.
Everything you watch.
Everything you listen to.

And the list could go on.

There are no exceptions.
It doesn't say "test everything" except......
what the pastor says.
or what the Bible teacher says.
or what the newscaster says.
or what your particular political party says.
or what the government says.
or what your professor says.
or what your favorite celebrity or athlete says.

No exceptions.
Test everything.

But what does that mean?
What is the standard for the test?

Is everything to be measured by/tested against my personal opinions?
By what politicians or activists say?
By what the newscaster says?
By what you saw on Facebook or Twitter?
By television shows or movies?
By what you learned in university?
By the culture?

All those would be very fluid standards indeed.  The winds of change are constant in our culture, hardly a fit standard by which to test everything.

The apostle Paul was very clear in this instruction to Christians in Thessalonica, and by extension, to us as well. There is a standard by which we are to test everything. In the previous verse Paul wrote:  "Do not despise prophecies."  Now that might get a little tricker, since we tend to think of "prophecy" as simply a telling of what will happen in the future.  And prophecy does involve foretelling events that are yet to take place.  But the definition of prophecy includes forth-telling......proclaiming truth.  And where is that truth found?

Consider these verses:

"they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so."  (Acts 17:11 ESV, emphasis mine)

"Every word of God proves true."  (Proverbs 30:5 ESV)

"For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart."  (Hebrews 4:12 ESV)

"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; for many false prophets have gone out into the world. "  (1 John 4:1 ESV, emphasis mine)

The obvious conclusion is twofold:  1) we are to test everything, and 2) the standard by which it is to be tested is the Word of God.  Everything in the culture.  Everything said or done by government.  Or by politicians.  Or by celebrities.  Or by bloggers. Or by (gasp!) church leaders. 

I am not meaning to imply that we are to set ourselves up as judge and jury over others.  Certainly not!  We are not the authority!  We do not set the standard.  The standard has been set by God Himself in His Word.  The Word of God is the plumb line by which we are to test everything.  Everything!

And once we do that, the results may leave us a little uncomfortable.  If we are carefully examining everything, we may find our thoughts, our attitudes, our behaviors a little out of line with the standard set for us.  Does that mean we are at liberty to ignore the standard, or to come up with a new standard that is more comfortable?  No, the challenge then becomes to bring those thoughts, attitudes, behaviors in line with the standard, not the other way around!

But the first step, of course, is to test everything!  And how can we test everything and be certain that it is in line with the standard unless we know what the standard is?  And that requires spending time in the Word, knowing what it says!

For many that is already an ingrained habit of life.  But sadly, many who call themselves Christian have never developed a habit of daily Bible reading or of Bible study.  This leaves their plumb line a little skewed, since they don't have the "whole story", just bits and pieces.  How sad that is, particularly in this era where the Word of God is so readily available, in so many formats, in the printed form as well as electronically, and in so many translations.  And just as sadly, many have a "buffet" mentality to their Bible reading, choosing to read only the parts they like rather than reading the entire thing.  Or they limit their "Bible reading" to a quick devotional thought for the day, and read only the devotional, without ever reading the Bible itself.  How can we "test everything" if we haven't read "everything"?

"Biblical illiteracy may be one of the greatest maladies of the church today."  (Tommy Green, ThD, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church, Brandon, FL)

"If we believe the Word of God, we must be in the Word of God."  (Tommy Green)

There's the key, isn't it?  To be able to "test everything" against the standard of the Word of God, we must know what the Word says.  And to know what the Word says, we must read it.  Not just occasionally.  Or in bits and pieces.  But the whole thing.  On a regular and on-going basis.

Just do it.  I dare you!

I Got It Covered, Nana

So said Christopher a few of days ago.  I had his sandwich ready for lunch and asked him what he wanted to drink with it.  His response was "I got it covered, Nana."  And he went to the refrigerator, got his drink, and we sat down and had our lunch.

That response came to my mind this morning as I was reading through some Facebook posts.  There's a lot of worry and frustration in our world right now.  There's a lot of concern about what is happening to our country and the direction we're moving in.  The list of things that concern us is quite lengthy. 

There's the hypocrisy of those in government who promote gun control in the name of protecting children, while at the same time those same people are adamant in their support of the murder of unborn children by the thousands every day, calling that a "choice".  There are high taxes and unemployment.  There's the steady retreat away from Biblical values in our society.  The list goes on and on and on.  All these are legitimate concerns.  But....

If we could hear the audible voice of God this morning, I think He might say to us the same thing Christopher said to me......I've got this.  I've got it covered.

And He would.  He does.  While we may not understand much - or any - of what is going on in our world, our Sovereign God is not at all surprised by any of it.  Because He is a Sovereign God.  Because He is Almighty.  And All-Powerful.  And All-Knowing.  Because He is God.  Yesterday, and today, and forever.

"He is the living God, enduring forever; his kingdom shall never be destroyed, and his dominion shall be to the end......
His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed."
(Daniel 6;26; 7:14b ESV)

The Week in Review

Well, this has been quite a week!  We began way back last Sunday (which seems like a very long time ago!) with a beautiful, sunny January day in Florida.  A day that began with a wonderful time of worship, progressed to a birthday party for Christopher and good times with family, and ended with us beginning our drive back to NC via a stop in Valdosta, GA.

On Monday, which turned out to be a rather gray, gloomy day, we drove the rest of the way home.  We didn't actually see sunshine until we were almost home.  Just a gray day.  We stopped for lunch at California Dreaming, one of our favorite restaurants, in Greenville.  We delivered some delicious Florida strawberries to a friend in Spartanburg.  Then we came home, unloaded the car, and pretty early in the evening were very glad to get reaquainted with our own bed!

Tuesday was a nice "spring" day in the mountains.  I think the temperature got pretty close to 70 degrees.  But that didn't last long.  We woke up to "spring" again on Wednesday, but ended the day back in winter.

Wednesday was the day for Al's knee surgery to repair a partial meniscal tear that happened a few months ago when he was on a business trip and twisted his knee getting into his airplane seat.  Because it was a business trip, workmen's comp is involved and they finally agreed with the doctor that it would be a good idea to go ahead and fix the problem. 

We were supposed to be at the surgery center at 10:15 for an 11:45 surgery.  We left here about 9:00 to drive down to Asheville.  There was a light misty rain falling and the temperature was around 60 degrees......very spring-like, although the forecast was for deteriorating conditions.  Turns out the forecast was correct!

Once we arrived at the surgery center, Al was checked in right away and given his bracelet.  Then we sat in the waiting room and waited.  Waited quite a while actually.  Finally someone came for him and took him upstairs at around 11:30.  So I sat in the waiting room and waited some more.

Eventually I was called to come up to the pre-op area, so I went up there and we waited.  Quite a while actually.  It seems everything was running a little behind schedule.  Sometime around 1:00 Al was taken into surgery, and I went back to the waiting room downstairs.  And waited some more.

The surgery took about 30 minutes.  Once Al was awake and settled into the post-op area, I was called to come back upstairs.  Al was doing well - drinking Sprite and eating crackers - and so we sat and waited for the doctor to come by.  Waited quite a while actually.  Eventually the doctor came by to tell us everything went well and that we could go home.

The drive home was quite a challenge.  The weather had deteriorated quite a bit while we were in the surgery center.  There had been heavy wind and lots of rain.  There were tornadoes in the area.  The streets were flooded.  I was very glad to get out of Asheville!

We had a little snow yesterday.  And it was pretty cold.  The wind blew a lot, so there was no real snow accumulation since the wind blew it all way.  But yesterday was nothing like this morning!  We had more snow overnight, although it has stopped now and I'm seeing some blue sky.  It is very cold!  And getting colder.  It was 18 degrees when I got up.  It's gone down to 14 now. With a negative wind chill. I'm hoping the temperature will start moving in a different direction pretty soon.  The wind is howling.  The road down our mountain is covered in ice and snow.

So.....the doctor's appointment that was scheduled for 9:00 this morning has been rescheduled to this afternoon when hopefully the roads will be better and we can make it safely to Asheville for Al's dressing to be changed. 

Quite a week we've had around here.  In addition to crazy weather and surgery, there has been all the unpacking and catching up that comes after being away for a while......the mountain of laundry, the dust bunnies that need dealing with, mail to be sorted, bills to be paid.  A never-ending list of stuff that needs doing.  All part of this journey we call life.

How was your week?

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  (1 Thessalonians 5: 18 ESV)