I don't think I have ever been quite so happy to see Monday come around.
You see, Mondays are garbage pick-days for us. And it had been a few weeks since our garbage had been collected.
Three Mondays ago, we put our garbage out as usual. On Friday of that week, we collected all the garbage in the house and put it in the can in the garage. Then on Saturday morning, we left for our beach vacation.
The following Monday was the 4th of July holiday, so no garbage pick-up on that day. Normally, when there's a Monday holiday, garbage is picked up on Tuesday. But, while we were at the beach, our garbage company had left a note on our porch that, because of the holiday, garbage would be collected on Saturday, July 1.
That would have been fine if we had been at home to get that note or to put our garbage out on Saturday morning. But, we didn't arrive home from our vacation until Saturday evening. So, we still had garbage in the garage.
We had the whole family here for the weekend. We enjoyed a little more together time. We accumulated some more garbage.
This past Saturday, Al did some clean-up and organizing in the garage. That meant more garbage to be thrown away.
Our garbage can was overflowing. Our recycling bin was overflowing. And besides all that, because it has been so hot, all that garbage smelled really bad. Really bad. It was "stanky"! (Yes, I know that isn't really a word!)
Monday morning came. The garbage can, along with all the black garbage bags that wouldn't fit into it, were set out at the curb. The recycling bin and the stacks of cardboard were put out. The big truck came through the neighborhood, and the garbage was taken away.
I am a happy woman. The garbage is gone! And, incidentally, the garage now smells much better!
It's a good thing to get rid of all that garbage!
If only it were as easy to get rid of the garbage we carry around with us on a daily basis!
Garbage like fear. And bitterness. And worry. And prejudice. And hate. And anxiety. And the list could go on.
If only we could put all our "stinkin' thinkin'" in a garbage bag and sit it out by the curb.
But, in a sense, we can. We can take all our worries and our anxieties and our bitternesses and our prejudices, and lay them at the feet of Jesus!
He can handle it all. And He wants to. If we will only let Him!
"Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you." (! Peter 5:7 KJV)
Tuesday, July 12, 2016
Monday, July 11, 2016
The Root of the Problem
What a difference a week makes! Last Monday we were celebrating. We were, at least for the day, a united people focused on parades and picnics and fireworks. We were waving our flags and singing patriotic songs. We were proud to be Americans.
And then all that changed. Then came the shootings. And we exchanged our pride for fear and anger. We stopped being patriotic and started being political. Far too many in the public eye began finger-pointing and fear-mongering, none of which is helpful and none of which solves anything.
As I think back over the last week here in our country, my heart is broken. As a nation, we are in a mess. And it is my belief that the root of all our problems is not political corruption or strained race relations or a bad economy or political rhetoric. Those are only symptoms of the problem. At the very root of our problems is the fact that as a nation, we have turned our back on God. We have abandoned the core principles of our founding documents. And we are paying the price.
We who are God's people must recognize where we fit into this picture. We need to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. Being part of the solution means we need to stop expecting non-believers to act like believers. And being part of the solution means that we who are believers need to start acting like it!
Yesterday in our Life Group, we continued our study in 1 Samuel. Our text was 1 Samuel chapter 15, and our topic was obedience, certainly a timely topic. What Samuel said to King Saul, and what God is saying to us today is, to obey God is better.
"To obey is better than sacrifice......." (1 Samuel 15:22)
To obey God is better.
To obey God is better than political solutions or political rhetoric. To obey God is better than being caught up in emotion and fear and hate. To obey God is better than good intentions.
To obey God is better.
How well are we - you and I and all who call themselves Christian - obeying God?
How well, for example, are we obeying these words of Scripture:
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39)
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)
"Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger."
(James 1:19)
We learned yesterday that obedience is better. Obedience is everything. Obedience is intentional. Obedience means letting God set my priorities.
Obedience requires that I pay attention to what God says. And it requires some self-examination. Which leads to the verses our pastor used as the text for the morning message yesterday:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)
What does all this have to do with current events in our country? This: it's time to stop pointing fingers at what others may or may not be doing wrong, and ask God to show us what we, individually, may or may not be doing wrong.
Search me.
Know my heart.
Try me.
Know my thoughts.
Is there any grievous way in me?
Lead me.
Certainly we as a nation have strayed far from God's ways. But a nation is made up of individuals. It's time that we as individuals begin to live in full obedience to God's ways. When that happens, then we will see a change in the nation.
"Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle round yourself. There, on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival in that chalk circle." - Gypsy Smith
And then all that changed. Then came the shootings. And we exchanged our pride for fear and anger. We stopped being patriotic and started being political. Far too many in the public eye began finger-pointing and fear-mongering, none of which is helpful and none of which solves anything.
As I think back over the last week here in our country, my heart is broken. As a nation, we are in a mess. And it is my belief that the root of all our problems is not political corruption or strained race relations or a bad economy or political rhetoric. Those are only symptoms of the problem. At the very root of our problems is the fact that as a nation, we have turned our back on God. We have abandoned the core principles of our founding documents. And we are paying the price.
We who are God's people must recognize where we fit into this picture. We need to be part of the solution, rather than part of the problem. Being part of the solution means we need to stop expecting non-believers to act like believers. And being part of the solution means that we who are believers need to start acting like it!
Yesterday in our Life Group, we continued our study in 1 Samuel. Our text was 1 Samuel chapter 15, and our topic was obedience, certainly a timely topic. What Samuel said to King Saul, and what God is saying to us today is, to obey God is better.
"To obey is better than sacrifice......." (1 Samuel 15:22)
To obey God is better.
To obey God is better than political solutions or political rhetoric. To obey God is better than being caught up in emotion and fear and hate. To obey God is better than good intentions.
To obey God is better.
How well are we - you and I and all who call themselves Christian - obeying God?
How well, for example, are we obeying these words of Scripture:
"You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39)
"Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44)
"Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger."
(James 1:19)
We learned yesterday that obedience is better. Obedience is everything. Obedience is intentional. Obedience means letting God set my priorities.
Obedience requires that I pay attention to what God says. And it requires some self-examination. Which leads to the verses our pastor used as the text for the morning message yesterday:
"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!"
(Psalm 139:23-24 ESV)
What does all this have to do with current events in our country? This: it's time to stop pointing fingers at what others may or may not be doing wrong, and ask God to show us what we, individually, may or may not be doing wrong.
Search me.
Know my heart.
Try me.
Know my thoughts.
Is there any grievous way in me?
Lead me.
Certainly we as a nation have strayed far from God's ways. But a nation is made up of individuals. It's time that we as individuals begin to live in full obedience to God's ways. When that happens, then we will see a change in the nation.
"Go home. Lock yourself in your room. Kneel in the middle of the floor, and with a piece of chalk draw a circle round yourself. There, on your knees, pray fervently and brokenly that God would start a revival in that chalk circle." - Gypsy Smith
Friday, July 8, 2016
When There's Nothing Else to Say
We've come to the end of another heart-breaking week. More shootings. We don't know all the details yet, but we do know that people are hurting. And angry. And fearful.
Our hearts ache for those who have lost loved ones. Our hearts grieve for our country and what we have become. We weep. And we don't know what to say.
So we cry to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
All across social media, people are voicing their opinions. Some of them not very helpful. And we don't know what to say.
So we cry to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
On Facebook this morning, Jennifer Rothschild posted: "Oh brothers and sisters, we need to fall on our knees! Our country is so broken. My heart is broken.....We are a divided nation dying under the weight of our sin and selfishness. God, forgive us...."
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars....Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
Jesus said, "If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." (Mark 3:25 NASB)
Jesus said, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39 NASB)
Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44 NASB)
Our country is broken. Our country is in trouble. We are no longer united, but rather are divided. We need help. The solution is not a Democrat or a Republican. The solution is not in more violence.
The only hope for us is the Lord.
So today, and every day, when we don't even know what to say or how we should respond, may we turn to Him. When our hearts are broken and we weep for what is happening to our country, may we turn to Him.
It's our only hope. Lord, have mercy.
"For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (2 Chronicles 20:12 NASB)
Our hearts ache for those who have lost loved ones. Our hearts grieve for our country and what we have become. We weep. And we don't know what to say.
So we cry to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
All across social media, people are voicing their opinions. Some of them not very helpful. And we don't know what to say.
So we cry to the Lord. Lord, have mercy.
On Facebook this morning, Jennifer Rothschild posted: "Oh brothers and sisters, we need to fall on our knees! Our country is so broken. My heart is broken.....We are a divided nation dying under the weight of our sin and selfishness. God, forgive us...."
Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars....Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."
Jesus said, "If a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand." (Mark 3:25 NASB)
Jesus said, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matthew 22:39 NASB)
Jesus said, "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you." (Matthew 5:44 NASB)
Our country is broken. Our country is in trouble. We are no longer united, but rather are divided. We need help. The solution is not a Democrat or a Republican. The solution is not in more violence.
The only hope for us is the Lord.
So today, and every day, when we don't even know what to say or how we should respond, may we turn to Him. When our hearts are broken and we weep for what is happening to our country, may we turn to Him.
It's our only hope. Lord, have mercy.
"For we are powerless before this great multitude who are coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are on You." (2 Chronicles 20:12 NASB)
Thursday, July 7, 2016
Slow Down
As I walked around my neighborhood earlier this morning, I heard birds singing. I noticed the beauty of the blooms on the crape myrtle trees that line our neighborhood streets. I heard bees buzzing as they harvested nectar from those blooms. I heard the sound of a waterfall in a neighbor's garden. It was a quiet morning, and I was in no particular hurry to finish my walk. There was a gentle breeze blowing.
It occurred to me as I walked that most of the time we miss out on things like birds singing and flowers blooming because, here in 21st century America, we're always in too big a hurry. We're too busy to notice the little things.
Simon and Garfunkel once sang, "Slow down, you move too fast......"
That was back in the 20th century. How much more true is it today than it was then.
Most of us, most of the time, are rushing through life at a whirlwind pace! We're living life more like we're speeding down the freeway than taking a drive down a quiet country road.
And because we are always in such a hurry, I fear we are missing out on some of the most important things in life. A quiet conversation with a neighbor that is more than just a quick hello on the way to somewhere else. Listening to the sounds of birds singing in the morning breeze. Hearing the sound of a neighbor's waterfall. Maybe we're even missing hearing that still, small voice of God because we're so busy.
The Psalmist wrote, "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10).
Notice that he didn't write "Be busy, and know....." or "Hurry up, and know......"
Be still.....
Slow down, you move too fast.....
It's good advice. Slow down. Whether you live in a suburban neighborhood, as I do, or in a more rural setting. Whether you live in a high-rise in the big city, or out in the country. No matter where you live, or what's on your plate for today, don't be in such a hurry!
Slow down. Take some deep breaths. Celebrate the little things, like bees buzzing. Like the colors and textures of leaves. Like petting the neighbor's dog.
Listen. To the birds. To the sound of a gentle breeze.
And especially, listen for the still, small voice of God.
It occurred to me as I walked that most of the time we miss out on things like birds singing and flowers blooming because, here in 21st century America, we're always in too big a hurry. We're too busy to notice the little things.
Simon and Garfunkel once sang, "Slow down, you move too fast......"
That was back in the 20th century. How much more true is it today than it was then.
Most of us, most of the time, are rushing through life at a whirlwind pace! We're living life more like we're speeding down the freeway than taking a drive down a quiet country road.
And because we are always in such a hurry, I fear we are missing out on some of the most important things in life. A quiet conversation with a neighbor that is more than just a quick hello on the way to somewhere else. Listening to the sounds of birds singing in the morning breeze. Hearing the sound of a neighbor's waterfall. Maybe we're even missing hearing that still, small voice of God because we're so busy.
The Psalmist wrote, "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10).
Notice that he didn't write "Be busy, and know....." or "Hurry up, and know......"
Be still.....
Slow down, you move too fast.....
It's good advice. Slow down. Whether you live in a suburban neighborhood, as I do, or in a more rural setting. Whether you live in a high-rise in the big city, or out in the country. No matter where you live, or what's on your plate for today, don't be in such a hurry!
Slow down. Take some deep breaths. Celebrate the little things, like bees buzzing. Like the colors and textures of leaves. Like petting the neighbor's dog.
Listen. To the birds. To the sound of a gentle breeze.
And especially, listen for the still, small voice of God.
Wednesday, July 6, 2016
Won't You Get Bored?
One year ago today, Al and I set out on a long trip around the country. Before we began our journey, I was often asked this question. Won't you get bored?
My answer was always some (polite, I hope!) form of No, I won't!
For starters, I was born with a travel gene, if there is such a thing. I love to travel. I love seeing new faces and new places, trying new foods and experiencing new things. So for those reasons alone, the trip around the country was perfect.
Of course, because it was essentially a very long business trip, there were not always opportunities to see and experience all the new and different things there are along the way. But we did manage to experience quite a lot!
One of the best parts of the trip for me as we began our travels was some much-needed down time during the early days of the trip, while we were in Atlanta. Prior to beginning our adventure, there had been the the packing and unpacking of moving from North Carolina to South Carolina, and then the packing again for the trip, so some down time was a welcome change of pace. In the early days of our journey, we had a wonderful time seeing friends in Nashville, and a wonderful time of worship on a Sunday in Jackson, Mississippi. We ate some delicious food and saw some beautiful countryside. And that was only the beginning. So, was I bored? In a word, no!
Over the course of the trip, one of the things I delighted in was catching up on some reading. During the last months of packing and unpacking, there was not nearly enough time for books! I hear the aren't you bored? question a lot when books come into the conversation, which makes me so sad! How could anyone be bored with reading? It's something I can't even begin to fathom!
Reading is definitely one of my passions. Bible study is another. When it comes to the Scriptures, I am saddened at how often I hear that question. Isn't it boring? Again, I have the same answer. No. I think that those who are bored by the study of God's Word just must not be doing it right! But that's a topic for another day.
Right now, as I'm recalling leaving on that long journey around the country, and as I'm trying to catch up on laundry after our beach vacation, I find myself wishing that once again I had those long, uninterrupted periods for reading and Bible study that I enjoyed so much on our journey last year.
I need to get this unpacking and decluttering and laundry done so I can get my regular schedule back, with plenty of time for reading and for study!
"O how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day." (Psalm 119:97 NASB)
My answer was always some (polite, I hope!) form of No, I won't!
For starters, I was born with a travel gene, if there is such a thing. I love to travel. I love seeing new faces and new places, trying new foods and experiencing new things. So for those reasons alone, the trip around the country was perfect.
Of course, because it was essentially a very long business trip, there were not always opportunities to see and experience all the new and different things there are along the way. But we did manage to experience quite a lot!
One of the best parts of the trip for me as we began our travels was some much-needed down time during the early days of the trip, while we were in Atlanta. Prior to beginning our adventure, there had been the the packing and unpacking of moving from North Carolina to South Carolina, and then the packing again for the trip, so some down time was a welcome change of pace. In the early days of our journey, we had a wonderful time seeing friends in Nashville, and a wonderful time of worship on a Sunday in Jackson, Mississippi. We ate some delicious food and saw some beautiful countryside. And that was only the beginning. So, was I bored? In a word, no!
Over the course of the trip, one of the things I delighted in was catching up on some reading. During the last months of packing and unpacking, there was not nearly enough time for books! I hear the aren't you bored? question a lot when books come into the conversation, which makes me so sad! How could anyone be bored with reading? It's something I can't even begin to fathom!
Reading is definitely one of my passions. Bible study is another. When it comes to the Scriptures, I am saddened at how often I hear that question. Isn't it boring? Again, I have the same answer. No. I think that those who are bored by the study of God's Word just must not be doing it right! But that's a topic for another day.
Right now, as I'm recalling leaving on that long journey around the country, and as I'm trying to catch up on laundry after our beach vacation, I find myself wishing that once again I had those long, uninterrupted periods for reading and Bible study that I enjoyed so much on our journey last year.
I need to get this unpacking and decluttering and laundry done so I can get my regular schedule back, with plenty of time for reading and for study!
"O how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day." (Psalm 119:97 NASB)
Tuesday, July 5, 2016
Refreshed
Sitting in a beach chair with my toes in the sand. Listening to the sounds of waves crashing onto the beach. Hearing the laughter of grandchildren.
Those are just a few of my favorite memories from last week.
Now it's back to reality. Instead of sand and waves, my day will be filled with unpacking and laundry. This is the worst part of a vacation, in my humble opinion.
But not even the drudgery of laundry can dim the memories we made.
What a relaxing week it was. No particular agenda. No appointments that had to be kept. No chores to be done.
Just relaxing. Sitting on the beach with a book. Or on the porch. Walking on the beach. Laughing. Talking. Making memories together.
What great fun!
Now it's back to "real" life! Yet even as I'm faced with unpacking and sorting laundry and putting things away, there's a smile on my face.
Relaxed. Refreshed. Renewed.
The location was amazing. Oceanfront. Falling asleep each night to the sound of waves crashing onto the beach. Waking up to see the sun over the water.
It wasn't just about the location. It was about the people.
It was smiles and giggles and laughter. It was conversation. It was together. It was family.
Family. One of life's greatest blessings.
The vacation is over. But the memories will last a lifetime.
More happy than my heart can hold.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." (Psalm 103:1 ESV)
Those are just a few of my favorite memories from last week.
Now it's back to reality. Instead of sand and waves, my day will be filled with unpacking and laundry. This is the worst part of a vacation, in my humble opinion.
But not even the drudgery of laundry can dim the memories we made.
What a relaxing week it was. No particular agenda. No appointments that had to be kept. No chores to be done.
Just relaxing. Sitting on the beach with a book. Or on the porch. Walking on the beach. Laughing. Talking. Making memories together.
What great fun!
Now it's back to "real" life! Yet even as I'm faced with unpacking and sorting laundry and putting things away, there's a smile on my face.
Relaxed. Refreshed. Renewed.
The location was amazing. Oceanfront. Falling asleep each night to the sound of waves crashing onto the beach. Waking up to see the sun over the water.
It wasn't just about the location. It was about the people.
It was smiles and giggles and laughter. It was conversation. It was together. It was family.
Family. One of life's greatest blessings.
The vacation is over. But the memories will last a lifetime.
More happy than my heart can hold.
"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." (Psalm 103:1 ESV)
Monday, July 4, 2016
Proclaim Liberty
"Proclaim liberty throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof."
Those words from Leviticus 25 are inscribed on a bell we have come to know as the Liberty Bell, originally cast in the Whitechapel Foundry in East London, England, and now housed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Today we celebrate liberty. We celebrate our nation's independence. July 4, 1776 was the date of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, and we celebrate that every year on this day.
But our independence, our freedom, is about more than a one-day-a-year celebration. It's about more than picnics and parades. It's about more than fireworks and flag-waving and funnel cakes. No matter how you choose to celebrate today, keep in mind the reason for the celebration!
We celebrate today because a group of men gathered together on this date in 1776 to sign a document proclaiming our independence. We celebrate because there were men willing to risk all they had to fight for that independence. We celebrate because, in that year and in all the years since, men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States of America have dedicated themselves to protecting our freedom. We celebrate because we are a free people, with rights and privileges only dreamed of by many around the world.
Our freedom as Americans is something to celebrate every day of the year, not just on one day in the middle of summer. It's something to be cherished and protected. It's something we must never take for granted, but continually be thankful for.
Our freedom as Americans is a precious thing that must be guarded and defended. And just the verse on the Liberty Bell reminds us, we must "proclaim liberty throughout the land"!
If that is true of our freedom as Americans, how much more is all that true of our freedom in Christ!
Freedom in Christ isn't something just to be celebrated once a week on Sundays, but to be celebrated and cherished and treasured and proclaimed every day! Because "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!" (John 8:36 ESV)
"For freedom Christ has set us free." (Galatians 5:1 ESV)
"For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2 ESV)
[Jesus said] "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32 ESV)
Free indeed! Free in Christ Jesus! Our freedom in Christ is not dependent on political parties or political correctness or political whim. That freedom is all and only in and through Christ Jesus!
Free indeed!
Proclaim that freedom "throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof"!
"Let Freedom Ring" - The Gaither Vocal Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVVbSXz7jaU
Those words from Leviticus 25 are inscribed on a bell we have come to know as the Liberty Bell, originally cast in the Whitechapel Foundry in East London, England, and now housed at Independence Hall in Philadelphia.
Today we celebrate liberty. We celebrate our nation's independence. July 4, 1776 was the date of the signing of our Declaration of Independence, and we celebrate that every year on this day.
But our independence, our freedom, is about more than a one-day-a-year celebration. It's about more than picnics and parades. It's about more than fireworks and flag-waving and funnel cakes. No matter how you choose to celebrate today, keep in mind the reason for the celebration!
We celebrate today because a group of men gathered together on this date in 1776 to sign a document proclaiming our independence. We celebrate because there were men willing to risk all they had to fight for that independence. We celebrate because, in that year and in all the years since, men and women who have worn the uniform of the United States of America have dedicated themselves to protecting our freedom. We celebrate because we are a free people, with rights and privileges only dreamed of by many around the world.
Our freedom as Americans is something to celebrate every day of the year, not just on one day in the middle of summer. It's something to be cherished and protected. It's something we must never take for granted, but continually be thankful for.
Our freedom as Americans is a precious thing that must be guarded and defended. And just the verse on the Liberty Bell reminds us, we must "proclaim liberty throughout the land"!
If that is true of our freedom as Americans, how much more is all that true of our freedom in Christ!
Freedom in Christ isn't something just to be celebrated once a week on Sundays, but to be celebrated and cherished and treasured and proclaimed every day! Because "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed!" (John 8:36 ESV)
"For freedom Christ has set us free." (Galatians 5:1 ESV)
"For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2 ESV)
[Jesus said] "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32 ESV)
Free indeed! Free in Christ Jesus! Our freedom in Christ is not dependent on political parties or political correctness or political whim. That freedom is all and only in and through Christ Jesus!
Free indeed!
Proclaim that freedom "throughout the land and to all the inhabitants thereof"!
"Let Freedom Ring" - The Gaither Vocal Band: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVVbSXz7jaU
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