Take a look from someone else's perspective

There is an episode of Leave it to Beaver that I enjoy watching whenever it comes on. Usually an episode from this series revolves around something Beaver has done to get himself into a problem. But this particular episode is a little different. In his easy-going manner, Beaver strikes up a conversation with the nice trash man who stopped by his house. 

As it turns out, the trash man tells Beaver that he has two boys about the same age as Beaver. Somehow during the conversation, an invitation is extended to let Beaver ride in the garbage truck over to this man's house to play with his boys. Beaver's mother is somewhat concerned about it because they live on the other side of town, but Ward assures June that he knew the man and he's very nice. 

A few hours later, Beaver is returned home beaming and excitedly talking about all the fun he had over at their house and playing with the boys. Then he goes on to tell Mom that he invited the boys over to their house the next day. He extends the invitation before asking permission. June is hesitant, but agrees with Ward's assurances. Big brother Wally said he had other plans and wasn't interested. 

Fast forward to the next day, the trash man's boys came over for a visit. Suddenly Wally and Beaver began to see things through the other boys' eyes. An abandoned wood project became something fun to do. Lying under the tree staring at the leaves and sky became something beautiful and relaxing. The other boys told Beaver his mom looked like a movie star. Wally decided his other plans could be pushed aside for this new adventure. 

The whole point of this episode is seeing things through someone else's perspective. What is taken for granted somehow becomes beautiful or fun or exciting. It is the same old stuff, but seeing it from someone else's perspective gave everything new life. There was a genuine appreciation and warmth for Beaver and Wally's family and home by the end of the episode.

This week, like many of you, I have been watching social media videos from visitors of other countries to the USA. Many of these visitors had the wrong impression of the United States because they only saw it through the filter of bad news reports, the wild imaginations of movie scripts and television shows. They assumed that the people of this country were all like what they see through a screen! 

I've been saying this for many years: people across the world have no idea what the real America is like and what the people are like. But now, with so many world visitors here using the cameras built into their phones, they are recording the real America. By and large, people are kind and friendly. We have Buc-ee's, 24-hour Waffle House, and Ranch Dressing. They were also amazed by such freedom we have to create, to choose, to pursue our dreams. It's all stuff that we take for granted. 

We also have small, patriotic towns that are clean and safe. These visitors are amazed because they had no idea and were led to believe that we live in a dystopian society like so many of our books and movies portray. The national news services only seem to report the bad stuff, so that also heavily influences the negative thoughts about us.

It is so refreshing to see through their eyes what they are seeing. Friendly conversations between locals and visitors. Neighbors helping neighbors. Waffle House and Ranch Dressing. And visitors to our country cleaning up after themselves because that's what you do when you visit someone in their country! We can all learn from these things. While America is not perfect—by any stretch of the imagination—it is a place rich in heritage. Our founders believed in liberty.

On the eve of our nation's 250th Birthday, I have been taking in all the historical significance of this country—this grand experiment and its origins. This country is not perfect and I don't agree with everything that our leaders say or do, but I also believe our differences is what has made this country strong. We pursue our dreams,  we raise families, help neighbors, and we build communities. Because I don't want to make this post divisive or political, I will stop there. As it says in Philippians 4:8, 

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, 

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, 

if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. 

I will finish this by saying that I had a very similar experience to Beaver and Wally several years ago. A coworker had an opportunity to visit the area near where I grew up. When he returned from his business trip, he talked about how beautiful the country roads were. The corn was growing right up to the edge of the road and taller than him. The land was so flat that you could see for miles. The sunsets were beautiful. Hmmm. All things that I thought were pretty dull, to be perfectly honest. I saw these things my whole life and took them for granted. However, hearing the way he described what he saw helped me to see things from his perspective. Now I can look at these ordinary things from his perspective and I enjoy those views so much more than I did before.

Be sure to take a look at your world from someone else's perspective. You'll be glad you did.

Happy Birthday to 

the United States of America.

 

A Living Legacy

I was listening to YouTube recently when I ran across a video by younger man who was doing a live review of the song, "Leader of the Band," by Dan Fogelberg. I was interested to hear what this man thought about a song that I have liked for many years.

It was interesting to see his reaction to the song and listen to his comments. He was emotional because it reminded him of his dearly departed mother's influence in his life. I think all of us who have lost a parent can relate—or at least I hope we can relate to the influence a parent has provided us. He really liked the song and especially the poetic lyrics and Dan's beautiful voice.

All of this got me to thinking about a line from the song: I am a living legacy.

Both of my parents are gone now, but that still makes me a living legacy of their lives. I carry on certain attributes that they imprinted on my life. I have my mother's sense of humor, but I didn't get her gift of gab. My writing abilities came from her as well. She started writing poetry as a young girl and continued to write poetry throughout her life. She quietly wrote her poetry and shared her writing with some. While I have tried my hand at poetry, my preference is writing things like this. My mother and my grandmother loved to sing and my mother told me I got my soprano voice from my grandmother. Hmmm more legacy.

My father could fix just about anything and loved to work with wood. Somehow I managed to inherit some of that fix-it capability. I recall taking an aptitude test in high school and scored very high on mechanical ability. So even now I can sometimes figure out fixes or work-arounds. My father also loved music and enjoyed singing. He encouraged this in my life and always attended my concerts whenever he could. He also loved to garden and enjoyed sharing whatever he was growing with me. He got that ability from his mother and I have also enjoyed growing and taking care of plants.

In addition, both of my parents instilled the legacy of Jesus Christ in my life. They had that legacy handed down to them from their parents. What a rich legacy and probably the best legacy of all. I carry with me that love of Jesus.

That got me to thinking about our Heavenly Father and the legacy I carry from Him. Although I don't have children, I hope that I have been able to pass along this love of Jesus to others along the way. This reminds me of the "Love Chapter" 1 Corinthians 13.

Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. -1 Cor. 13:4-7 (NLT)

I hope as I have walked through life and continue to do so, that I will exhibit this legacy to others most of all. It is a legacy that is desperately needed in this world. 

I will close this look at legacy with the Aaronic blessing from Numbers 6:22-27.

And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, 

The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:

The Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.

And they shall put my name upon the children of Israel, and I will bless them.

Is Your Jesus Still in a Manager?

I was listening to a preacher online recently and something he said made me think about this question. He did not frame his thought quite this way, but something made me sit on this question during the Christmas season. 

Everyone is making plans for Christmas. I've been asked about my plans and wished Merry Christmas from strangers at the store checkout. I've heard news reports about all the people planning to travel over the holiday and possible travel delays. Meanwhile, we get caught up in the busyness of the season, the preparation, the anticipation, and the excitement.

Christmas is when we celebrate the time when Jesus was born. We retell the Bible story from Luke, we watch the Christmas movies, and enjoy songs such as O Holy Night and Away in a Manger. I love those songs so much! 

While I was thinking about all of this, I also considered the year of 2024. At the end of December we often take time to think about our year in review. This year is not one I would care to relive as it has been quite difficult. I won't go into personal details here, but suffice it to say it has been a very challenging year.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, 

because his compassions fail not. 

Lamentations 3:22

So back to that question Is Your Jesus Still in a Manger? I was thinking about this in context of the difficulties we have been through this year. If I had left baby Jesus in that manger and the Christmas season, how would that have affected my life this year? Many years ago, I came to understand how the babe in the manger grew up to live a sinless life and he eventually gave his own life on the cross for me. The Christmas season points us to the Cross. I think one of the best pieces of music is Handel's The Messiah which does this so beautifully. Handel understood this and wrote about anticipating the coming Messiah and his eventual sacrifice.

Who is this King of Glory?

For Unto Us A Child is Born

And with his stripes we are healed

Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth

How then would my life have been different this year if I did not have the whole, grown-up Jesus in my life? While I don't have a crystal ball that will tell me that, I can tell you many times this year I thought hardships would consume me. But. . . His compassions did not fail me. Sometimes those compassions were sent through the a Bible verse and other times it came through a timely phone call from a friend, an encouraging text message, or visit from family.

                They (his mercies) are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. 

                The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

Lamentations 3:23-24

I love these verses from Lamentations because I've seen over and over how true faithful Jesus Christ is in my life. My hope is in him. Hallelujah! The Lord God is Omnipotent and he reigns now and forevermore!

Salt

For as long as I can remember, I have heard that Christ followers should be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16). However, I'm not sure that I've ever thought much about what it really means. 

Recently I heard someone being interviewed who talked about how we are called to be salt and light in this world. The host chimed in to point out how most people think salt is just for flavor, but when the Bible was written salt was also used as a preservative. He did not elaborate on this point, but it certainly was an interesting thought to ponder. Hmmm. Besides flavor, we are to preserve.

While I thought about this idea, I decided to see what salt actually does for food. Since I'm not a scientist, I relied on a quick internet search which showed me that Preservation was the very first item listed. Salt prevents microbial growth. Those pesky microbes will eat away at the nutrients of food until it becomes spoiled. 

Second on the list is how salt is used for flavor. This is what I always think of first. Grab the salt shaker and make those French Fries extra good! By definition, salt enhances the flavors that are already there and even improves the aroma.

Third, salt improves the texture of food. It tenderizes meat, it helps the gluten in the bread work better, and a pinch of salt can even soften and brighten vegetables when cooked.

Armed with this information, I start to think about how I can apply this to my own life and be salt in this world. 

Since salt improves flavor, texture, and tenderizes food, then I should be enhancing my world. For me that could look like encouraging others—being a cheerleader instead of competing. 

If I am to be a preservative in this world, that would mean I need to uphold God's Word. That means living my life in such a way that biblical truths can be seen in my life, especially when the world is going the opposite direction. Sometimes that means speaking up, not to uplift myself, but to uphold God's truth. But being "Salt" should be done with respect and love. My mind goes to watching a grandmother baking bread for her family, as she puts all the ingredients together including a pinch of salt. When the bread is done, she serves it to an eager family along with many other goodies with salt. Salt is not the main ingredient. So if I'm only serving salt to my friends, they will spit it out and quit listening. The last thing I want to do is push people away from me or Jesus.

I've seen a lot of salty conversations this year in social media. When some people are passionate about something, they tend to make it their main topic of conversation. After a while, too much salt makes me feel a little bloated. I need more water and it makes my blood pressure go up. That's when I tend to tune out of the conversation. I know when I've had enough salt.

On the flip side of this, the lack of salt can make really bland food and also cause those pesky microbes to start eating away at the good stuff. So being salt by standing up for biblical principles is good. I heard someone say that when something is taken away, there is always something waiting to fill that void. For example when prayer was taken out of public school, Satan was waiting to fill that void. When I was in school, religious groups were still tolerated as extra curricular activities on campuses, but that all started to change when I became an adult. I volunteered with Campus Life and saw it change. It seems like schools have gone downhill since then and many schools have become an unsafe place for kids. Perhaps a little more salt is needed in many areas of society. 

Finally, as I have conversations in person or on social media, I pray that I don't give a steady diet of salt to others. But instead, I hope that I'm more like the loving grandmother who serves a tasty recipe with the right balance of ingredients and made with love. The end result is to point others toward Christ.

Crisis Fatigue

Good morning, friends. I haven't updated my blog in quite a while, but recently I've felt the Lord has been leading me to write. I have had a few opportunities along the way to write in other venues, but by and large I have pushed writing aside because, well. . . life got in the way. But that's what this blog is about—writing about life. 

What should I write about? Ideas have been swirling around in my mind, but this morning I heard a pastor mention the phrase Crisis Fatigue. Wow. That's exactly where I am. I won't get into details, but my personal life over the past few years has been a series of crisis events in varying shapes and sizes. About the time I get over one crisis, another one sets in. I can even pinpoint the moment it started. 

Now that the personal crisis events are mostly in the rear view mirror, the world seems to be taking on this mantle of crisis. It feels like every single day! I believe much of this began on October 7, 2023, when the nation of Israel was attacked, unleashing incredible evil in this world. At times I've scratched my head at the things I've seen and heard. It seems as if the spiritual landscape of this world has changed. Prophetic events mentioned in the Bible appear to be unfolding in rapid succession before our eyes. I don't know about you, but I've been closely following the events unfolding in Israel and the surrounding area. That means I've been watching a lot more news than I did before. Crisis fatigue.

Let's toss into the mix natural disasters which seem to be coming at us from all sides. Wild fires. Earth quakes. Tornadoes. Floods. Hurricanes. These stories are all over the news as well, though it's hard to get much information from mainstream media outlets because they're so focused on yet another crisis: Politics. Crisis fatigue.

Yes, politics has also drawn me in. I mean, you can't get away from it. Right? I don't keep watching because I enjoy it, but because this feels like a very serious turning point in our country. Have you ever had that deep down feeling that something is so serious you can't look away? And then to see families fighting over their political beliefs, not to mention Christians fighting with each other. I won't get into the deep waters of politics here, but I will say that if you take the stance that your vote won't matter in this election, especially because God is in control, then you are mistaken. God gives us liberty as well as the ability to cast a vote. Even though He is in control, who am I be God and decide that my vote won't matter anyway. God uses His people. God also wants us to make choices in our lives that will honor biblical teachings. Okay, I know what you're thinking. There's no good choice in this election. If you aren't familiar with the Old Testament, there are several pagan leaders who God used to accomplish His purpose. God can use anyone—me and you. Yes, God can use anyone or anything for good, what others meant for evil. That is my paraphrase of Genesis 50:20.

Back to crisis fatigue. What we are experiencing is what Paul mentioned in Ephesians 6:12.

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

In the verse before this, Paul reminds us to put on the whole armor of God. Why? Think about soldiers in battle. Their guard is up constantly because the enemy might be just around the corner. If they get to rest, it probably doesn't come easily because they're always on guard for what's around the corner. It's mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting. Crisis fatigue. Hmmm. 

And after we put on our helmet, we carry our shield, and arm ourselves so that we can withstand the crisis fatigue and withstand the evil day, in the midst of it all we can experience the peace that can only come from God. I encourage you to read the entire chapter of Ephesians 6.

Meanwhile, let's continue to spread peace, spread the Good News of Jesus and His salvation while we still can. In the midst of all this crisis fatigue, I've been hearing of massive revivals breaking out all over the world. God is still at work! And if you don't know, Jesus loves you so much that He died for you. Yes, you. His salvation is free by asking Him to come into your life. You can do it right now.

While we have this armor on, and while we let peace rule in our hearts and minds, let's also continue to do good to others. 

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:9-10

Where, Oh, Where Has She Gone?

It's the season of Christmas parties and seeing friends. I was asked at one of these festive events if I still blogged. (Gulp) My answer was no. I went on to say that I hadn't blogged much at all since I got married. But, I also said that I hoped to start making time to do it more often. I hope to make more time for it.

Blogging is more for me—at least that's the way it seems. I never did have a lot of followers. I'm not an "Influencer" in the blog world. I'm just me. I'm sharing things that I learn along the way in this maze I call life. If my thoughts inspire or challenge others along the way, then God has used it for His purposes.

I do enjoy writing. My style is more of a conversation in my head that I need to put on paper. So, when you read my blog posts it's a little bit like we're sitting across the table, drinking a cup of tea or coffee, and talking about life. I've done a little professional writing in the past couple of years. I work for a publisher and have published some prose and poetry. I prefer writing prose, but did try my hand at a poem once. I suppose it's because of my blogging that writing prose comes more naturally to me.

My mom was the poet of our family and began writing her poems as a young girl and continued to write throughout her life. She wrote poems about each of her children and grandchildren. Those poems are treasures for all of us! She also wrote a lot of religious poetry. Somehow the content of what she and I write are probably very much the same, but she was able to put it in rhyme and verse, whereas I prefer to write without those restrictions. I never really thought about that before, but I guess we were cut from the same cloth—so to speak. Mom is no longer with us on this Earth. She's now with Dad in heaven and I'm certain that she is enjoying life there.

That is one of the changes in my life since I stopped blogging regularly. There was a period of time when I was taking care of Mom's affairs and seeing to her needs. Blindness robbed her of reading and writing in her final years—two of the things she most loved to do. I've pondered that more than a few times. I don't have any answers to the question of why those two things, but it does remind me to hold everything with an open hand.

Of course, I've mentioned before that I was married almost two years ago. It's amazing to realize that two years ago this week I was making last-minute plans for our wedding! I had a whole lot of help, though. Trying to put together a small wedding in roughly six weeks can be done, but not without help. My fiance (now husband) helped a lot. Several sweet friends stepped in and helped with other details like decorations, flowers, dress shopping, and wedding planning. Whew! That made everything a little easier.

Okay, what else have I been doing? Well, there's selling a house, moving twice, buying a new house, settling into a new life as a married person, and then working full time. Those are just the highlights, of course. In those in-between times, I'm attending church, trying to keep up with family and friends, and dealing with other things that life throws at us. Needless to say, when I get home in the evening after an aggravating commute (traffic is often horrible around here), I usually end up vegging in front of the television with my hubby. It's an escape and a way to relax. Writing is not uppermost on my mind, though I do think about it.

We've been singing about Hope, Peace, and Joy at church—the Advent words. Christmas is more than exchanging gifts. Christmas is a time to celebrate Jesus's birth and the Hope, Joy, and Peace that only He can bring. As I sit here writing, I can see our Christmas tree about six feet away. My husband has hung an angel in the room and just beyond that is the star atop our tree. It reminds me of the scene in Luke 2:8-15, when the angel came to the shepherds to let them know of Jesus's birth:

This is the view from my chair. (c) themazeofourlives

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, 

“Glory to God in the highest heaven,  

and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” 

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

'Tis the season to tell the Good News. The angel shared the news. Then the shepherds saw the babe in the manger and then they went on to spread the word. The One they had been awaiting had finally come! Share the gift of hope, joy, and peace this season. His name is Jesus!

Changes for Better or for Worse

There are many quotes about change. Just Google the words Quotes about Change and you'll find plenty of sources. Change is something that affects every single person--whether we like it or not.

In the months since I last updated this blog, I've seen many changes. My country elected a new president and has sworn him into office. Babies have been born and some people have died. Job changes have been made--some voluntary and some not.

I have experienced many of my own changes. I got married. I moved. I sold a house. Now we're in the process of buying another house and will move again. Those are just the highlights of the past few months. Of course, there are many under-the-radar changes that occur to me/us all the time. We age a little every day so our hair and skin begin to change. Our thoughts and beliefs begin to change as we age. Our weight changes daily--sometimes for the better and sometimes not. I could go on and on.

How do we manage with all these changes? I suppose we all have a different tolerance level for change. It may also depend on what sort of changes are occurring to us, too. Good changes are easier to handle than sudden changes such as illness or job loss. Our maturity levels also contribute to how well we handle changes. As far as politics go, I've seen some people handle the changes well and others [ahem] not handle it well AT ALL.

I must confess that having gone through many of my own changes in the past few months it has certainly showed me how mature I am. Although I've handled most of it well, there have been those inevitable times that I did not. When I was weary of the many changes, when I was overly tired, and maybe just a big "hangry" [hungry & angry is not a good combination], my maturity level degraded to that of a stubborn 3-year old. Those were the times I simply wanted to build a blanket fort in my living room, crawl under it, drink chocolate milk, and hide for a while.

I don't really have any huge spiritual insights to add to this post. Typically, that's what my purpose of writing on this blog is about. But, as the title of my blog implies, this is the Maze of My Life right now. I enjoy writing and really want to get back into the habit of doing so. Although, as busy as my schedule has been and may continue to be for a while, it's not likely I'll get back into a regular writing routine anytime soon.

The only thing I do know is that God never changes. He will always love me--even when I act like a stubborn 3-year old. When everything around me is quickly changing, I can always look to Him and trust that God is always there.

Oh, and a patient husband is a huge blessing!!

In Him,

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimmydean131287.html

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimmydean131287.html

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimmydean131287.html

I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination. Jimmy Dean
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/j/jimmydean131287.html

Help Me Find It

It's Thanksgiving morning and while I'm preparing food to share with friends and family, I am listening to some of my favorite songs saved on a YouTube channel several years ago. Listening to these songs brings back memories, but one in particular just reminded me of God's sovereignty, His loyal love, and infinite kindness to me.

Help Me Find It is a song by a group called Sidewalk Prophets.When this song was first released on the radio, I remember listening to the lyrics and identifying with its message. Perhaps you've been there, too. You're on a path and suddenly the path is closed off and you're not sure where to turn or even why the path was blocked off. Questions abound: What happened? Why? Where do I go now? Lord, was this your plan?

When I found myself in that very position, this song ministered to my soul. I deferred to God and asked Him to show me the path to take.  

Help me find it.

I will trust in You.

Give me peace for the moment.

I will wait for You.

Those days were not easy, living in the unknown. But, leaning on God during those times did help. Each time this song came on the radio, it was another opportunity for me to renew my commitment to wait on God and His plan.

I can now look back on those times and know that God is faithful to His promises. I am ever so thankful that I yielded to God's plan, even in those moments of hurt.

On this day of Thanksgiving, I am grateful to my Heavenly Father for His blessings that often come through those hard times.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; 

I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. - Psalm 32:8

Pray that the LORD your God will tell us 

where we should go and what we should do. - Jeremiah 42:3

Grateful that God helped me find the right path. 

Consult Your GPS

I was driving to work one morning when traffic suddenly came to a grinding halt. Road delays are not all that unusual, but the location of this particular stop was unusual. 

This traffic standstill was on a two-lane road with forest on either side. Ahead of me I saw several vehicles turning around to find another route. Ugh! How long would this delay be? Should I find another route? Which route would be faster? All of these questions were running through my mind as I looked ahead as far as my eye could see. Unfortunately, I could not see the cause of the problem.

So, while I was sitting still in traffic (not while I was moving), I consulted my GPS. According to GPS, there was indeed a backup on the road I was on (duh) and a wreck ahead. Okay, that's what's going on. Unfortunately, GPS didn’t tell me important things like how long this delay would be or whether I should find another route. 

The questions continued to swirl through my mind, but this time I decided the best course of action would be to wait and see. Many times the detours don't end up saving me time! I decided not to panic and turn around. 

After I made that decision, traffic began to slowly move and I noticed cars coming from the other direction. That’s a good sign! This was a short-lived delay! Traffic continued to move forward and before long I saw the reason for our slow-down. Two vehicles who had bumped into each other pulled their vehicles to the side of the road so that traffic could continue to flow.

Thankful that I was finally on my journey again, I suddenly realized I had a response to a prayer I asked of God five minutes earlier! 

Minutes before this traffic delay, I was thinking about circumstances in my life that left me feeling discouraged about the future. I breathed a quick prayer and asked the Lord for some encouragement.

I remembered a Bible verse that I'd read earlier that morning. God could make water come out of a rock, so I knew the Lord could handle the details of my life. Thank you, Lord, for reminding me.

He opened the rock, and water gushed out;

 it flowed like a river in the desert. 

Psalm 105:41

I continued on my journey and a new song began to play on the radio. The words to this song reminded me that God's will was more important than mine. Okay, point taken.

As I was pondering these thoughts, that's when I ran into the traffic delay mentioned previously. After I was back on my journey I suddenly realized God had been trying to show me something. Aha! 

God sees me. (Genesis 16:13)

God hears me. (1 John 5:14)

God has a plan for my life. (Jeremiah 29:11) 

God reminded me that there will be delays in life and sometimes He asks me to wait. How long? Hmmmm... I wish I could consult my other GPS (God Positioning System), but that app has not been invented. Sometimes the delay is long and sometimes it’s brief. I do need to trust Him, though. God may detour me or ask me to be patient till He clears the way ahead.

Yes, that encouragement I prayed for had come. I only needed to pay attention and expect an answer. God is faithful!

We love because He first loved us.

This Bible verse has come to my attention three times in a 24-hour period this week. Each time from a different source. After the third time seeing this verse I sat at attention. Is there some reason you want me to pay close attention to this verse, Lord?

We love because he first loved us. 

1 John 4:19

I thought about it for a bit and then forged ahead with my day. The clock was ticking and I had to keep moving. For the most part I pushed those early morning thoughts aside, but it was still there in the back of my mind.

As the day moved on, challenges came to the forefront. The challenges included individuals testing my patience, deadlines, and unexpected traffic delays. On the flip side were sweet times with thoughtful an supportive friends, laughter and silliness, and a simple, sweet text from my boyfriend letting me know he was thinking of me.

It's easy to be loving with the latter scenario. It's not so easy to be loving with the former scenario. Now that I've had time to think about these verses popping up everywhere, perhaps it was a reminder that I cannot be loving without Christ's love inside me. God is love and Christ is the product of that love. Without Christ in my life it's a constant struggle to love and to respond in a loving manner during difficult times. Oh, I'm not always successful in my responses. Sometimes I respond in unloving ways. It happens. [shrug]

I haven't been writing on this blog as regularly as I used to. This morning I saw a message on Facebook that reminded me that I have a story to tell. All of us do and we should share it in whatever platform given to us. My platform happens to be this blog which I started over four years ago during a time of struggle and testing. Blogging helped me and encouraged others while carrying out the message Paul taught in 2 Corinthians chapter 1.

I remember about the time I first began blogging here, God showed me that I cannot truly love a man without first understanding His love for me. It was a profound moment for me to learn that tidbit of truth. Since that time God has been teaching me how much He loves me. Earlier this year, several months after meeting my boyfriend, I had an epiphany. As much as my boyfriend loved me--and that's a whole lot--God loved me even more. Wow! My eyes filled with tears as I realized the magnitude of what that looked like. I had a human demonstration of unconditional love and finally understood how much God's love transcends all of that.

Over my lifetime I have had many demonstrations of love to show me this connection, but I didn't really get it until now. Better late, than never. God used this man in my life to teach me and to bless me. I am so very grateful. 

I was reading a devotional yesterday about the disciple John. It said that as John grew older, his writing become more and more focused on one subject: LOVE. The legend says that one of John's younger followers asked him why he focused so much on this topic and John's response was, "Because there isn't anything else." 

Love is the answer. We get so hung up on who's right and who's wrong, what she did and what he didn't do, and so on. Jesus calls us to keep loving--even when it's hard!

I'll sign off with John's words from 1 John 4: 11-21.

¹¹ Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 

¹² No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another,

God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

¹³ This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 

 ¹⁴ And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.

  ¹⁵ If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 

¹⁶ And so we know and rely on the love God has for us.

God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.  

¹⁷  This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence

 on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. ¹⁸ There is no fear in love. 

But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. 

The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

¹⁹ We love because he first loved us.²⁰ Whoever claims to love God 

yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, 

whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 

²¹ And he has given us this command: 

Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.

 

 

 

Hide Our Lights Under a Bushel? No.

It's been almost exactly six months since I've posted anything new on this blog. Life has been keeping me pretty busy. I'm going to do a little stream of consciousness writing.

As we get older, there's this notion that things will get easier and slow down. I guess that can be true, but almost no one I know is experiencing a slow down. Instead, life seems to get busier. Of course, there are ways to say no to those optional events. That helps.

On the other hand, there are other events in life that come around the corner, face us square in the eye, and require our complete and immediate attention. Never mind that we'd already made plans to do something else. This new thing takes priority over everything.

The last six months of my life has been filled with the unexpected. I had to take care of my precious feline companion till his final days on earth. Saying goodbye to this friend of 14 years was difficult, but I knew that whatever was wrong with him was draining his quality of life.

Also during this time I had to closely oversee the needs of my elderly mother. After having lived apart from her for 28 years, I was given several months to visit with her a couple of times a week and make new memories. One of those memories was getting on an airplane together--including the aggravation of TSA delays (grrr)--and flying to Texas where she now lives.

And the best part of the past six, busy, months has been because of a wonderful man who has become such a blessing to me and my family. When I was not tending to the aforementioned priorities, I was spending time getting to know this precious man and making memories with him. He was there for me when I had to say goodbye to my kitty companion and he was there when I needed to move my mother to Texas. He makes me laugh, we have wonderfully deep conversations, and he makes me feel completely safe. He even stretches me out of my favorite comfort zone, encouraging me to try something new. I've tried foods I never would have before and I've even sung in Italian, in public! I've also made him sing karaoke with me in public! I'm so happy that God has blessed me with this man!

Today I had some extra time on my hands so I began thinking about life and how fleeting it can be. This morning I heard the news of how a young woman, a wonderful singer, had been gunned down by some man while she was signing autographs. It's just tragic to see a life taken so quickly. The headlines in the past few days seem to echo this sentiment. A young boy of 7 was killed while sitting in the safety of the back of his family's mini-van. A driver behind him was distracted and couldn't stop in time. Now this family has to deal with the loss of a young life. More tragedy.

I guess if I had to sum up the point of this blog post is that we do not know how much time we have on this earth and what it holds for us while we're here. I suppose it would be cliche to say that we should make the most of our life here on earth. It reads very much like a bumper sticker or a beer commercial. I suppose it is true, however cliche it may sound. I've lived life in the background. It's a somewhat safe place, but often lonely. I'm pretty certain God had bigger plans for me than that. My purpose on this earth is not to try to preserve myself, but to spread myself around and by doing so I'm spreading Jesus around. Since His love resides inside of me, it needs to come out and see daylight. I don't need to hide it in my heart.

All of this reminds me of a childhood song:

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let it shine
Hide it under a bushel? No! I'm gonna let it shine
Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine.

I'm reminded of my theme verse for this blog, Jeremiah 29:11. I want to change it up a bit and look at the verse in a different paraphrase. When we memorize it or hear it the same way all the time, there's a tendency to gloss over it. Here's verses 10 & 11 from The Message:

This is God’s Word on the subject: “As soon as Babylon’s 

seventy years are up and not a day before, 

I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and 

bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. 

I have it all planned out—plans to 

take care of you, not abandon you, 

plans to give you the future you hope for.

Just as a reminder, this promise was given to the Israelites from God. God had a plan for His people. During those 70 years they would have to endure a lot. I'm sure they wanted to hide out and wait for someone to tell them when it was time to come out of hiding. Yet, God had a plan. It's an individual plan for each and every one of His own. And it's a plan for His collective people. He wasn't going to abandon His own. He also had a future planned for them. And these promises apply to us. Next time we're ready to give up or hide out, we need to remember God's words. "I know what I'm doing." Even when it looks like the world is going nuts and the election news is worse than the day before, God knows what He is doing. Just hang on and trust Him.

Keep reading this chapter on your own. The words are comforting:

¹² “When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I’ll listen.

^13-14 “When you come looking for me, you’ll find me.

Look Up!

Look up into the heavens. Isaiah 40:26a

I was thinking about this verse and it occurred to me that when I am looking up I can see God at work. 

When I am looking down all I see is myself and the world.

I don't know about you, but looking at my own life and the rest of the world has a tendency to bring me down. 

There's a lot of dissension and turmoil on this earth. Most of the time you don't have to look very far to see it. It's in our relationships and it's plastered all over the headlines of the news and social media. 

I can recall a time in years past—before the days of social media—when I felt overwhelmed by the bad news in the world. I felt helpless to do anything about anything. My choice was to remove myself from so much of the negativity for a time.

Look up.

In the past month I kept seeing verse showing up. I took notice of it and then it took me back to a time more than eight years ago.

I was attending a retreat when the speaker felt led to change the topic on which she was planning to speak. The main thing I remembered from that retreat was the feeling that God was telling me when things get rough to look up. The speaker repeated that phrase several times. 

There was nothing in particular going on in my life at that time. Little did I know that within days that my world was going to change due to the loss of a loved one. As I walked through those dark days, those words came back to me.

Look up.

I looked up. I relied on the Lord to carry me through. It wasn't easy, but the load was lighter since I wasn't bearing it all myself. When I looked up I was also able to observe how God was working all around me. I could see the comfort he was providing in tangible ways. I could still see the beauty around me. My gaze wasn't focused downward on myself.

Fast forward to the present. When this scripture kept coming to my attention, I took notice. It reminded me that whatever was coming, look up. 

If life becomes overwhelming, look up.

If I don't know what to do, look up.

If I'm feeling sad, look up.

If I'm feeling joyful, look up.

Just look up.

Where does my help come from? It comes from the Lord. He gives power to the weak. He comforts those in trouble. He never tires or grows weary.


But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Read the entire 40th chapter of Isaiah here.

 

Life is Messy

Life is messy. There. I said it.

I bet you're reading this and nodding your head. If not, you are young enough to have not experienced enough of that mess that comes with life. Enjoy this time. I'm serious! Enjoy it!

Most of the messy stuff comes from relationships with others.
     Unmet expectations.
        Disappointments.
          Betrayal.
            Miscommunication.
All of these things contribute to heartaches and that overwhelming feeling of . . .

Life is Messy!! Make it stop!!!

We only need to watch the evening news once to see the messy part of life in high definition, full color, and surround sound. There are plenty of reports of lying, cheating, stealing, murder, and the list goes on. Most of these acts are against another human. This brings to mind a B.J. Thomas song: Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song. Country music is full of lyrics about people doing wrong to others.

Yes, I'll say it again, most of the mess comes from relationships.Someone gets angry at a neighbor or spouse and acts upon their anger. Suddenly they have become the subject of a breaking news story. I'll bet in many cases those people would never have thought that would happen.

The truth is that we live in a fallen world. I know. That's Christianese that I'm speaking. So let me define that phrase for those who don't speak church language. A "fallen world" is the result of Adam's sin as recorded in the book of Genesis. Because of that first sin by Adam, we are all born with that nature to sin. And this sin nature continues to come out in each of us. [I don't want to turn this into a theology lesson so I'll stop here, but that isn't the end of the sin story. I suggest reading the book of John in the New Testament to find out about the remedy.]

Now that we've established that our sin nature is behind most of this messy life, what's next? Let me bring this back around to where I started. Relationships are often difficult. People disappoint me and I disappoint others. Relationship woes have been uppermost in my mind over the past few months. These woes have touched every aspect of my life from coworkers and neighbors to loved ones.

There are two things of which I've been reminded through all of this:

1. We are not battling people, we are battling an Enemy greater than that. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." To put all of this in perspective I must remember when someone I love hurts me, that there is this sin nature at work and Satan is always there ready to tempt me into retaliation. 
2. Retaliation feels good--for a moment. Ephesians 4:26 tells me, "And 'don’t sin by letting anger control you.' Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry." Why should we not let anger control us? Because, as verse 27 so aptly points out, "for anger gives a foothold to the devil." Yep. As soon as I let anger take over, Satan is right there ready to "help me." His kind of "help" may ease the sting temporarily, but nothing good comes from his "help."

Case in point, someone I love dearly did something so unexpected and hurtful to me. After the shock wore off I began mounting my defense. In my mind I began rehearsing what I would like to say and explain how hurtful those actions were to me. In the midst of my hurt I heard a still, small voice in my heart say, "Be angry and sin not." I realized at that moment that while I was planning my own defense I was about to unleash my anger and do something hurtful in return. Yes, it would have felt good at that moment, but only for a moment. Eventually I would have felt worse for inflicting pain. I don't say this to brag about self-control. I say this to confess my own sin nature. It's always lurking.

I was angry because I cared. The opposite of love is not hate, but indifference. Think about it. If someone we don't know makes a flippant comment that makes us angry, we're more likely to shrug it off. When someone we love makes the same comment to us, we take that more seriously and are more likely to retaliate. It's those close relationships that we need to be more guarded about.

When those hurts come flying at us like arrows, the book of Ephesians reminds us that we should be wearing our breastplate of righteousness to defend against those arrows. In fact, we are to "Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil" (Eph. 6:11).

Whether we are dealing with a colleague at work who has it in for us or simply dealing with a loved one who has seriously disappointed us, those relationships have a way of provoking our peace. 

How did I handle the situation mentioned previously? I prayed about it and the Lord showed me that I had already explained my side of the story, in detail, prior to this distress. For now, I should remain silent. If there's any vindication, the Lord will handle it. In my situation I am able to put space between me and this person, but if you are unable to distance yourself from the one who offended you, I urge you to seek God's help and direction on how to handle the situation.


For His glory,

Yes, Adam’s one sin brings 

condemnation for everyone, 

but Christ’s one act of righteousness 

brings a right relationship 

with God and new life for everyone.

Romans 5:18