Address book transformed

July 29^th – the day we’ve been anticipating with excitement and dread.  It’s here. It’s 5:00 am as I write this and Tyler’s trip to San Diego is one breakfast away.  He is on his way with only the clothes on his back and an address book.  Well, that’s what it looks like on the outside, but we transformed it into so much more.  Are you curious?

Last week I visited my local office supply sales guy, Jim Middleton and told him I needed an address book for Tyler’s 13 week Marine Boot Camp. Jim pointed me to a shelf where there was a supply of all models.  Knowing Tyler, I chose the smallest (he’s not going to be writing to a crew of people) and the most durable (I’ve seen his shoes).

Inside his address book are some addresses:  Mom, Dad, Katelyn, Grammy, Papa, and his very best friend Rian.  Maybe a few others were added.  These are the normal things you will find in an address book.  When he’s got time to write, the addresses are there and they are there to remind him of how to have a good day.  Philippians 4:8-9 “ Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”  There is also a book of stamps so he can send at least one letter each week with an extra few thrown in. There are also pre-printed address labels, just a few to make it easy to send that first letter that gives us his complete and correct address.  Please! Have you seen an address label for someone in the Military? We need a postcard sized label to write all the numbers, streets, and secret codes.  Pictures! Did you know if you print pictures on labels you can stick them randomly on unused pages of an address book?  Seriously.  How many names do you know that begin with Q or X or I … and you get 4 pages for each letter.  Pictures fit quite nicely on a 2 inch square shipping label. Interspersed in the little book are messages from us at home.  We told him we’re proud of him, we love him, and we know he can do this.  Remembering the program described in brute detail last week, Tyler will read our messages more than once while he’s surviving Boot Camp.  There’s a verse that has been a lifeline for me at times. Philippians 3:14 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. “ How many of us use that motivation to keep going forward when all we want to do is coast …. Or maybe just stop all together.  But we press on and on until we regain our traction and momentum carries us forward.

Interspersed in his “Address Book Transformed” are treasures from the source of peace, source of light, and source of hope.  Printed on mailing labels, Tyler will find these words scattered on random pages.  “They who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.  Isaiah 40:31

I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. Isaiah 41:13

I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. Isaiah 48:17

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you  will find rest for your souls. Matthew 28:28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NcEvUjkskoI

Day by day, and with each passing moment, strength I find to meet my trials here … If you don’t recognize those leading words to an old hymn, don’t worry.  It was written in 1865 by Karolina Sandell-Berg – ancient history, but read the words again. The next line continues “Trusting in my Father’s wise bestowment; I’ve not cause for worry or for fear.”  Have you watched the news lately? Opened your mailbox overflowing with countless charities, all worthy of your benevolence, imploring you to ‘Please give’? We live in the land of plenty, in communities we consider safe, there are med stations, hospitals and doctors scattered across the country, yet the pipeline of need surges on.

Because I’ve worked all day for many years, I’ve been spared the daily phone calls from organizations asking for donations, it’s easy to ignore mail from unknown senders, but not so easy to push aside requests from agencies whose ideals I share.  Maybe it’s that time of year when fund drives are at peak, maybe it’s the fact that I’ve actually watched the news more, maybe taking this sabbatical from work has given my human mind time to wander away from how to write the best procedures or express an innovative idea.

I’m suddenly fully aware of the incidents of road rage, devastating illnesses, senseless accidents caused by speed and alcohol, schools on lock-down while officials check out suspect packages, missing persons whose families are desperate to be reunited with their child or other loved one.  “Day by day and with each passing moment …” how often do I find myself praying for someone affected by situations that are outside our control?

If you’ve been reading my blog for very long, you are probably asking right now “Who’s writing this? It doesn’t track with the normal tone.” In fact, I’ve hesitated to post this topic because it strays from what I love to write and where is the encouragement?  Stick with me here.

A few weeks before the accident that forced me on this sabbatical, my daily prayer – well, let me be honest – my exhaustive daily begging of God was, “Lord, please change me. I know there are barriers getting in the way of being all you want me to be. I’m at an impasse, God. You have to do something so obvious I can’t miss your message, because right now, I’m struggling to find your will for my life.”  A near death accident is not what I had in mind when I prayed that prayer over and over, day after day.  Be careful what you pray for.  Isaiah 55:9 spells it out pretty succinctly “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” This wasn’t what I had in mind, but I’m learning what it means to entrust everything to God’s power and sovereignty.

When I hear a siren, I stop everything and pray for the first responders, the victims who need care, and people who are standing by to tend to them.  The incidents of road rage and gun battles scare me like no other – but my best defense is to pray God’s protection over my family and friends, “Please Lord, protect innocent people from dangers and violence.”  For the homeless and agencies that serve them, for other charitable organizations that will fail without monetary support, I read their newsletters and pray for discernment in making wise choices.  I wonder how Jesus would handle these incalculable numbers of requests. There’s a little insight in Matthew 9:36 “When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  He said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.” Even 2000 years ago, there were more needs than workers to supply them.

I’ve always claimed that I wasn’t given the worry gene.  If you haven’t read Psalm 139 for a while, you might want to take a few minutes and give it a glance.  It starts out “You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.” Those are powerful words!  Then along about verse 13 it recognizes “you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”  I believe my penchant for seeking the silver lining and pushing worry down the elevator shaft are gifts formed in the womb.  I could be wrong, about that.  But here’s one thing I’m not wrong about. I decide every moment of every day what my attitude will be in every circumstance.  When negativity and fear creep in I remember where those feelings come from.  Here, let me help you discover the source too.  1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  You can’t get clearer than that! If a lion is looking for you RUN!  How much better to run toward the light and seek shelter in commitment to God.  2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”

Fear, sadness, anger, sickness, greed, selfishness, pride – all byproducts of a fallen world.  But there is hope.  Do you remember the song from a few years back “Let peace begin with me.”  As it turns out Psalm 139:24 shares a similar thought. “See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”  I’m just one person and there is very little I can do to change anything, but I can pray and I can guard my attitude and I can make a difference – however small the scale.  We don’t hear much about Hezekiah in the Bible. I have to think he also operated from a small scale platform, but these verses impressed me.  2 Chronicles 30:18-20 “Hezekiah prayed for his people, saying, “May the Lord, who is good, pardon everyone  who sets their heart on seeking God— even if they are not clean according to the rules of the sanctuary.” And the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people.”  Day by day and with each passing moment … Trusting in my Father’s sovereignty… I can live above fear.

Have you ever read the book by Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People? Since that book he’s written others along the same line, but that one has reached almost classic status. In his book, Covey introduced the idea of synergy, which in essence says that we can do more together than we can as individuals. Teamwork – Relationship  Look around for a few minutes and find things that get done by yourself, alone, without some help from another person.  Well, I’m tempted to say laundry doesn’t count, but even then if you stretch the concept of synergy,  teamwork is especially useful for the task. The Message translation of Psalm 133:1 says it best “How wonderful, how beautiful, when brothers and sisters get along!”  That’s what we need for synergy – to get along.

Covey also describes what he called the emotional bank account. Since reading his book, I’ve heard other variations on that theme and recently I’ve realized the truth in that analogy.  Sometimes we sail through day after day and everything is right and our way seems clear. Other times, whether we turn to the left of to the right, we’re met with conflict, barricades, rocky roads, and high water.  Broken relationships, words spoken in anger that can’t be taken back, a decision that seemed best at the time, but added chaos to your life instead, a devastating illness that takes every ounce of resolve you have left to function a few hours a day, insurmountable financial burdens … there is no need to continue. We know what it’s like to go through times when our emotional bank accounts are drained dry. The affirming, positive deposits are depleted by the barrage of negative circumstances. This is a condition recognized way back in  Proverbs 18:14 (The Message) “A healthy spirit conquers adversity, but what can you do when the spirit is crushed?”  What can we do when our spirits are crushed?

There is no instant cure, but there is hope. Pray for God to give discernment in decisions of this day. Live in his presence, being in constant communication with him. Claim the promise in Psalm 89:22-24 while we strengthen our faith and wait “The enemy will not get the better of him; the wicked will not oppress him.  I will crush his foes before him and strike down his adversaries. My faithful love will be with him, and through my name his strength will be exalted.

We can also help each other, offer support to those who are going through tough times. There is something about helping others that makes our own burdens lighter.  For our crushed spirits that are weakened by the storm, remember these words of Isaiah 40:31 “But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

Do you hear it?  It’s the sound of the battle cry! Begin the day with God and be in it to win it!

Regret! A word far too familiar for anyone prone to anxiety. We are sometimes pulled into the past through recurring memories that leave us weary with distress. We revisit decisions made out of blind trust, decisions made to gain approval of misleading friends, and we puzzle over decisions that seemed wise and profitable at the time but have turned our world upside down. History and its effects can recycle memories of the past until even the future looks dismal.

Here’s the best tip I can offer about rewriting history.  It cannot be done, so stop trying.  This is one form of recycling that’s entirely futile and has no salvageable value.  We can do one thing with the past.  Learn from it!  What is done, is over.  We have to move on, but there may be some clean-up acts to help us forge a path to optimism while learning to live above life in the past.

Forgive yourself for shortcomings, bad decisions, selfish acts, being argumentative, living a less than honorable lifestyle, whatever it is can be resolved – with effort and with determination. I’ve had to ask others to forgive me and it was uncomfortable, embarrassing, and in its own way – stressful.  But the outcome was one more layer of anxiety stripped away. Anxiety can overwhelm us even if forgiveness is not a factor, but if it is, forgiveness is liberating.  I like what Corrie ten Boom says in her book, The Hiding Place “ Forgiveness is an act of the will, and the will can function regardless of the temperature of the heart.” I wish I could live so uprightly and perfectly that I never had to say I’m sorry to myself or anyone else, but that isn’t the case.  My goal is to always be going toward the light so I make good decisions and don’t have to deal with regret.  John 11:9 has this to say “Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours in the day? If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world.”  I love learning life from God’s word. Psalm  119:104, 105 “I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”  Let’s remember today Philippians 4:7 “let the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Escaping Anxiety Tools for a Peaceful Life

• Focus on Philippians 4:8-9 – think on things that bring peace
• Protect your first part of the day; protect your last part of the day
• Learn from the past

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuJWQzjfU3o    –   Matthew West – Hello My Name Is

We all seek peace. We want peace in the world, peace in our communities, peace in our relationships and peace for our own hearts. How can we have peace when we’re suffocating under anxiety? Where can we find this peace that’s so elusive? Here’s a clue. It doesn’t come from within, if our spirits are overwhelmed by “What if …” producing anxiety.  Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.” If you’ve been reading this blog for very long you’ll recognize this mantra:  If you get the inside right, the rest will take care of itself.  As it turns out, that’s a true statement.  Go back and let Proverbs 12:25 sink in a little bit.

Today’s Escaping Anxiety tip is a simple one. Protect the first part of your day; protect the last part of your day. When you jump out of bed in the morning, or even if your jump is more like removing tar from the sole of your shoe, you can protect the beginning of your day. Think about how your day begins. Do your feet hit the floor and your next action is to turn on the news? Really? Why? The world will continue to churn whether you stand by and watch it the first thing in the morning or not. Protect you morning – at least the first half hour. Instead, peace seeker friend, feed your spirit the light of the world. Psalms 63:1 “O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You; My flesh longs for You In a dry and thirsty land Where there is no water.” During the day, there will be time to catch up on the news. Trust me on that.

I have a friend who was being treated for depression. Over the course of a few months it became apparent to me that begin addicted to watching the news was contributing to deep despair, anxiety and depression.  If this describes you, Stop!  Stop it!  There is nothing good happening in the news today.  The Center for Disease Control says this “Depression is the most common type of mental illness, affecting more than 26% of the U.S. adult population. It has been estimated that by the year 2020, depression will be the second leading cause of disability throughout the world, trailing only ischemic heart disease.“

Don’t be trapped inside a statistic like that one. Protect your day in the morning. Psalms 94:19 “In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.”  Then let’s talk about preparing to sleep at night. Many times I drift off to sleep praying for people I love and people I don’t know at all, but have heard of their plight and ask God to be with them and take care of them.  I wake up praying – like God put a bookmark in my prayer. Other times I read the Bible or another book that lifts my spirits.  One thing I never do with the last half hour of my day…watch the news.  I’ll repeat this tip for you.  Protect your day by surrounding it with a peaceful start to your morning.  When you rise in the morning, go toward the light John 8:12 Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

I understand the need to be informed and there is opportunity for that, but informed and immersed and not interchangeable words.  And end your day with peace enhancing practices.  Isaiah 26:3 “You [God] will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.”

Entrust this day, entrust the moments of this day to the God who holds the future in His hands.

In it to win it ….begin today.

Escaping Anxiety Tools for a Peaceful Life

• Focus on Philippians 4:8-9 – think on things that bring peace
• Protect your first part of the day; protect your last part of the day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knuHDPbE5es  You are strong enough! – Matthew West

Let it fail! Normally that’s the sound of giving up. Right?  Just lay down your tools and leave. Give up. Stop trying. Walk away. I urge you to stick with me on this one. Sometimes the path we are on is so deeply ingrained we don’t recognize it as being wrong. We were on a motorcycle trip in North Carolina. If you’ve ever been there you’ll know what I mean about meandering over hills, through dense woods, and following roads that are never straight. I, being the passenger, thought I kept seeing signs pointing to the same town, but going in different directions. Interesting….but I was along for the ride and neither navigator nor driver so I didn’t speak up and question the intent. Our destination was only 19 miles from where we started, we drove on the path that seemed right, we didn’t deviate and nearly 3 hours later we arrived, road weary and exhausted having endured an anxious trip of not 19 miles, but 65. How did that happen?  You’re right, we needed a little dose of wisdom on our journey, a variation from the path.  That’s biblical, by the way. James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

That story is a picture of life, isn’t it? We have immersed ourselves so deeply in patterns of the familiar, we don’t know what life would be like if we exited the known path for another. There are signs along the way, clues that implore us to consider another direction, but we ignore them because this path seems right and to stop, means we’ve failed.  Really?  If this is where anxiety lives; if we live in fear; if this path is leading us deeper into despair, shouldn’t we let it fail? In his book, Failing Forward, John Maxwell said “Mistakes become failures when we respond to them incorrectly.”

I once heard a speaker say we all have the ability to change our response to a situation. He called it Response-Ability. I have thought of that many times when I start descending down the rabbit trail to the familiar past where the roots of anxiety fester. I wonder if it’s my pride that barricades me from peace. Proverbs 16:18 spells it out quite plainly. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”  I don’t want to completely descend to the place where worry and anxiety reproduce. I see the signs – so I can turn off the path. Failing at anxiety is a banner I want to wave high and proclaim that I will not be a victim to worry. I will not be afraid. You might remember that I often say, life is a contact sport and sometimes we get beat up pretty badly, but God is able to do above all that we ask or think. – Ephesians 3:20

I love the way the Message translation talks about our Response-Ability to some of life’s challenges. Psalm 56:1-4  “Take my side, God—I’m getting kicked around, stomped on every day. Not a day goes by but somebody beats me up; They make it their duty to beat me up. When I get really afraid I come to you in trust. I’m proud to praise God; fearless now, I trust in God. What can mere mortals do?” Sometimes, it is we who are kicking ourselves around.  Lesson learned – stop it! Choose another path.

Come on …. Let’s give it a go today. Let’s fail a little bit and see if we can put anxiety behind us.

I confess. I have never watched a Super Bowl game, at least not all the way through. And here’s something more astonishing.  As flashy and igniting as the advertisers create commercials to get my attention, I’ve never seen one of them – except maybe on reruns after the lights have gone out and the parties are over.  So why do I promote the Super Bowl in the same breath as Escape Anxiety?

What is the draw of the Super Bowl?  What is the draw of any audaciously publicized event? True, there are thousands of diehard fans who spend spastic hours on the emotional roller coaster, play by play and instant replays, of point-keeping frenzy. But seriously – what is the real magnet of Super Bowl Sunday? Relationship; friendship; celebratory parties among a few to an overflowing public stadium. We are created for relationship and even if sports is not our passion, events like the Super Bowl offer opportunities to be with friends, reminisce, share stories, and experience happy moments.

One advantage to the Super Bowl being on Sunday is that our day can begin in the company of friends and family in the house of God.  As I was thinking of friendship this morning and thanking God for the many ways friends have blessed my life over these many decades, I thought of the devoted friendship of Jonathon and David.  You can read about then in 1 Samuel, but here is one verse that reveals their enduring friendship. 1Samuel 20:42 “Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, for we have sworn friendship with each other in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord is witness between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants forever.’”

Whether you have a party to attend or not, there is one party to avoid.  Pity parties! The trouble with them is nobody wants to go, and we’re stuck there lonely and prone to creepy anxiety all over again.  Escape Anxiety –  Find a friend. Call. Visit. Skype. Enjoy relationship.

Escaping Anxiety Tools for a Peaceful Life

• Focus on Philippians 4:8-9 – think on things that bring peace
• Protect your first part of the day; protect your last part of the day
• Learn from the past
• Experience Today
• Let it Fail
• Our Own Super Bowl

I couldn’t help it.  This morning I decided it was high time for me to go look up some scripture that talk about rain. If I copied them all here, you’d never get anything done today and I wouldn’t either. So after reading and cross referencing and thinking about all the constructive uses of rain, I settled on these.  Leviticus 26:3-5 “If you live by my decrees and obediently keep my commandments, I will send the rains in their seasons, the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. You will thresh until the grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting time; you’ll have more than enough to eat and will live safe and secure in your land.” The time that this was written, God’s people were immersed in idol worship.  I’m not a Bible scholar at all, but what I got out of reading that chapter are the two paths available to follow.  Disobedience to God with idols of all makes and models OR Obedience with adoration for God and no idols.

Here we are in the 21^st Century, all smug with a trail of history books and translations of the Bible, and we can’t figure out how those people could be so – well – so blind. Come on guys, that’s a no brainer.  Surely you can see that God has rescued you from your circumstances and spared your lives from ruin. Hey! Look didn’t God spare you from famine and how about the sparing of your sons through the Passover.  Then I remember that these people didn’t have the advantage of history.  They were seeing and experiencing this life for the first time. They had Moses and the 10 Commandments – that was in writing. But they didn’t have the public library where they could go to Google the history of God’s provisions over and over.  They didn’t have Wall Street and the stock market to worry about, but they had their own version of survival even back then. And they had their hearts desires . . .  just like we do today.

We might not have an idol made of wood or bronze or gold propped up where we gaze at it and expect that inanimate object to fulfill all our dreams. But we have idols of another element and characteristic. For some it’s their work, others have hobbies, some crave status, money, success or recognition. I’m not sure how to even define an idol today, but I know that when we expect an object or a person or a vocation to change our lives, it’s an idol. If we have singular focus and it ignores or detracts from God and even turns us from him, we’ve got an idol. It’s not too late to start down the path of obedience and begin the trek toward a harvest of peace and abundant joy.

Back in Leviticus the rain was physical and we’ve certainly had our share of  pouring rain, but the truth to think about today is the obedience factor and getting rid of the junk idols that barricade our paths to contentment. Let’s visit Joshua 23:14 which was many years later. ““Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.”

Tearing down idols seems to be the thing to do.  I’m all over that! What do you think?  Do you have any idols?

On this month’s cover of Inc Magazine is the caption “25 Small Companies That Are Changing the World” and in this season of graduations every commencement speaker is going to pronounce “This class is ready to change the world.” I don’t mean to sound cynical, but neither of those statements are accurate. A company no matter how large or small is not going to change the world. A graduating class will not change the world this year nor any other year. Why is that? Here’s what I think.

Changing the world does not happen at the macro level; not with any organization, not business, not academic, not religious or faith based. Change happens at the micro level of an individual, in the spirit hidden from view where values form and actions manifest. I can’t change the world, you can’t change the world, an organization can’t change the world, but here’s what can make a difference – one individual at a time.  The right attitude, the right motives, the right character, the right thoughts, the right spirit – and all of those are at the micro level – one individual, honorable values.

Are you out to change your world? Then become a person who brings joy to a room by entering, not by leaving. We all need to internalize the words of Romans 14:19 “Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.” To even begin to make a difference I must practice living in peace. Yesterday I talked about the importance of forgiveness. Some of us have recent offenses to forgive and some have ancient abuses that need to be absolved. It isn’t easy. A wound can be easily covered, it can be ignored, but it won’t heal without exposing it so it can be cleansed, treated, and wrapped in a protective shield, then given time to be restored. Psalm 147:3 “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” Forgiveness can change your world.

So what else? When you enter the room, does joy cling to you like Velcro? How do make an impression that changes your world and makes a difference for someone else? Just a few ideas, but you can add your own.

• Empathy and understanding – Proverbs 28:2 “When the country is in chaos, everybody has a plan to fix it—But it takes a leader of real understanding to straighten things out.” There is no joy in chaos and one person can’t fix it, but we, individually can be empathetic and understanding. It will make a difference in your world.
• Wisdom and discernment – At the beginning of the year a trend emerged advocating a one-word personal philosophy for 2014. There were no established accountabilities toward the word but on a personal level, people were urged to choose one word to live by. I chose discernment. I don’t think you can separate wisdom from discernment. To be effective they come bonded together like steel, the strong alloy formed by combining iron with carbon. In Daniel 2:21, Daniel acknowledged that “God gives wisdom to the wise; he imparts knowledge to those with understanding.” God still does that. Pray for wisdom and discernment. It will change your world.
• Kindness and generosity – Is there anything that brings more joy to another person than being kind and being generous? Romans 12:12 “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”  And let me add – be generous with all of those. It will make a difference in the lives of others.
• Motives and values – This is a troubling aspect of sorting out the events and circumstances in life. Our values are those things we believe at our core that determine how we behave. OK, that’s pretty much the textbook definition, but our values define us.  If you don’t like who you are, examine your values.  Motives are why we behave as we do. When our motives are inconsistent with our values, we are conflicted and not joyful. Our spirits crave assimilation between our values and our motives. If you struggle and feel constant discord, examine your motives in relation to your values – then pray for God to reveal how to bring them into alignment with His values. Proverbs 5:21 “For the Lord sees clearly what a man does, examining every path he takes.”

Life is a contact sport and sometimes we get beat up pretty bad. We get tired and weary; we get frustrated, even angry, but there’s an app for that. The Biblical Application found in Galatians 6:9 “So let’s not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.” Do you want to change your world? Do what is good and don’t give up.

Everyone who visits this office brings joy – some by entering, some by leaving. I want to be the one who enters.

Are you a fixer? When something goes wrong, do you rush to scheme and devise a plan to fix it? I’m a middle child. I don’t know if birth order has anything to do with it, but I’m a fixer. I want everyone’s little world to be perfect and when it’s not, I need to make it perfect, or at least better.  Maybe that’s why I receive an inordinate number of messages each one evidence of a broken spirit and aching heart, but still with a tinge of hope that their upside down world can be righted.  As friends, even casual friends, when a member hurts everyone hurts, especially in churches.

We all agree that this is our desire as brothers and sisters in Christ. Hebrew 13:18 “Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.” This is our desire, isn’t it? Live honorably.

Wouldn’t we all like to take a big eraser and remove the blight of occurrences in the past that caused us pain and dissonance? In erasing the past, would we be able to prevent what we are experiencing now? We all know life doesn’t work like that. We are given one opportunity for each moment, there are no redos. We can repent, recommit, and resolve, but we don’t get a do-over. We may be devastated by the fallout of our past and tormented by what we should have done, but didn’t; or things said in haste without the filter of conscience.  Our human nature is to ever seek out information and when we have it, spread what we’ve learned. We say we want the truth and there is no faulting that, but don’t we really just crave information? That makes us an easy target for Satan to claw his way into our community and destroy relationships all ready bruised and tenuous by circumstance. We claim we want improved conditions and camaraderie but we are often not willing to go through the building process.  If we want God’s best we must wait patiently for His timing and for the healing process to transpire.  Like wounded warriors, let’s be cautious and live out the prayer of David in Psalm 141:3 “Guard my mouth, O Eternal One; control what I say. Keep a careful watch on every word I speak. Don’t allow my deepest desires to steer me toward doing what is wrong”

Relationships are fragile and can be easily torn apart because of so much conversation, too many assumptions, and few facts.  Sound familiar? Don’t we label it gossip? What starts out as a half-fact takes on a life of its own and grows to become a sliver of truth shrouded in false assumptions. Engaging in fruitless postulations and suggested hypotheses result in turmoil which is not pleasing to God. God is a God of order not of chaos and I, like you, want to live honorably and orderly before God. Speculating and feeding each other’s anger is not honorable to anyone, especially to the Lord.  In fact, one way to produce more wounded warriors is to engage in the proliferation of sharing unsubstantiated information. It happens among families, it happens among friends, it’s rampant in the workplace and even in churches. There’s something specifc to this in Ecclesiastes along about chapter 10 verse 20. Here’s the red flag “Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, and don’t abuse anyone, not even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.”

If you want a fact, here is one guaranteed to be 100% truth. In your family or organization, Satan has gathered his minions and they are waiting to have a victory party at your expense. While God is seeking followers wholly committed to Him, (2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”) Satan is running a strong interference to distract you from the light. 1 Peter 5:8 couldn’t be more clear “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy Satan prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  Do you feel chewed up, devoured, bloodied? Those fangs and claws of a lion are real. We all must guard our minds and hearts, we have to open our eyes and close our mouths and wait patiently for God to lead each of us through the process. Psalm 141:3 “Guard my mouth, O Eternal One; control what I say. Keep a careful watch on every word I speak. Don’t allow my deepest desires to steer me toward doing what is wrong”

We live in a microwave world. Dinner in an instant. Take it from the freezer, run it through the microwave, and eat in under 10 minutes. Instant nourishment, instant satisfaction, instant contentment. There is no instant in God’s world.  True, time is nothing to God and we get so impatient for results. Could that be why God wrote stories in His word about the seasons and how we have to plant and wait for the harvest; why we are told the children of Israel wandered for 40 years; why it took Noah over 7 years to build a boat? When there are physical wounds, there is no instant cure and this pain we are enduring now is the result of deep wounds of the spirit and emotions. Healing will take time, even as factual details become available.  We are instructed in Deuteronomy 6:18 “Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you…”

That all may go well with you . . . Isn’t that what we all want?  For things to go well with us? You know there is so much wisdom in scripture. Recently I highlighted this verse in my quiet time. Proverbs 16:93 “We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.” I was in a completely different frame of mind at the time, but how well that applies to our story today. Our plans, as well meaning as they are, will come to nothing without God. He makes us able to live under any circumstance, achieve any goal, forgive any offense, find something to be thankful for in every day – even when we are helplessly lost.

Are there answers now, opportunities to help a current situation come to a successful end? Yes! We can corporately and individually take an oath of quiet and stop obsessing about what has been and start praying for what is to come. Next time you fall into the trap of wondering what happened to cause such dissension, go to prayer and ask God to guard your heart and mind and give you peace in the waiting.  Ask God to show you an act of service you can do to serve while progressing to the new normal. Silence – keep silent, quiet your thoughts, and pray. When you feel so burdened you don’t know what to do, pray and lay that burden at the feet of Jesus who is power and as it says in Psalm 145:17 “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.” And in Psalm 146:6 the Bible says “He remains faithful forever.”  Forever, that’s longer than any of us will live on Earth.

My prayer for all those friends who have emailed, texted, messaged and called is that this will be your new experience. Psalm 119:57-64 “Because you have satisfied me, God, I promise to do everything you say. I beg you from the bottom of my heart: smile, be gracious to me just as you promised. When I took a long, careful look at your ways, I got my feet back on the trail you blazed. I was up at once, didn’t drag my feet, was quick to follow your orders. The wicked hemmed me in—there was no way out— but not for a minute did I forget your plan for me. I get up in the middle of the night to thank you; your decisions are so right, so true—I can’t wait till morning! I’m a friend and companion of all who fear you, of those committed to living by your rules. Your love, God, fills the earth! Train me to live by your counsel.”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzejd6r9DwE / Kari Jobe – Healer

Let it fail! Normally that’s the sound of giving up. Right?  Just lay down your tools and leave. Give up. Stop trying. Walk away. I urge you to stick with me on this one. Sometimes the path we are on is so deeply ingrained we don’t recognize it as being wrong. We were on a motorcycle trip in North Carolina. If you’ve ever been there you’ll know what I mean about meandering over hills, through dense woods, and following roads that are never straight. I, being the passenger, thought I kept seeing signs pointing to the same town, but going in different directions. Interesting….but I was along for the ride and neither navigator nor driver so I didn’t speak up and question the intent. Our destination was only 19 miles from where we started, we drove on the path that seemed right, we didn’t deviate and nearly 3 hours later we arrived, road weary and exhausted having endured an anxious trip of not 19 miles, but 65. How did that happen?  You’re right, we needed a little dose of wisdom on our journey, a variation from the path.  That’s biblical, by the way. James 1:5 “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.”

That story is a picture of life, isn’t it? We have immersed ourselves so deeply in patterns of the familiar, we don’t know what life would be like if we exited the known path for another. There are signs along the way, clues that implore us to consider another direction, but we ignore them because this path seems right and to stop, means we’ve failed.  Really?  If this is where anxiety lives; if we live in fear; if this path is leading us deeper into despair, shouldn’t we let it fail? In his book, Failing Forward, John Maxwell said “Mistakes become failures when we respond to them incorrectly.”

I once heard a speaker say we all have the ability to change our response to a situation. He called it Response-Ability. I have thought of that many times when I start descending down the rabbit trail to the familiar past where the roots of anxiety fester. I wonder if it’s my pride that barricades me from peace. Proverbs 16:18 spells it out quite plainly. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”  I don’t want to completely descend to the place where worry and anxiety reproduce. I see the signs – so I can turn off the path. Failing at anxiety is a banner I want to wave high and proclaim that I will not be a victim to worry. I will not be afraid. You might remember that I often say, life is a contact sport and sometimes we get beat up pretty badly, but God is able to do above all that we ask or think. – Ephesians 3:20

I love the way the Message translation talks about our Response-Ability to some of life’s challenges. Psalm 56:1-4  “Take my side, God—I’m getting kicked around, stomped on every day. Not a day goes by but somebody beats me up; They make it their duty to beat me up. When I get really afraid I come to you in trust. I’m proud to praise God; fearless now, I trust in God. What can mere mortals do?” Sometimes, it is we who are kicking ourselves around.  Lesson learned – stop it! Choose another path.

Come on …. Let’s give it a go today. Let’s fail a little bit and see if we can put anxiety behind us.

If you’ve been touring the Bible with us over the past couple weeks you might remember that Zechariah was given joyful news from an angel that he and Elizabeth were going to have a baby even though they had given up on that idea years before. Zechariah didn’t believe it, even though the angel was delivering the message straight from the only infallible and omnipotent God. What happened? Because of his lack of faith, Zechariah had to deal with lack of voice for the duration of Elizabeth’s pregnancy.

You also might remember the days of abundant joy expressed by Elizabeth and Mary as they celebrated the unique blessing of being mothers to miracle babies. We have discovered the joy factor in our readings this week.  Today real joy returns to the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah with the birth of their baby.  Because of tradition, the friends and family were ready to name the baby Zechariah but by now daddy Zechariah figured out that he needed to get his faith act together and do as God told him. That’s all it took …. Read how it all came to pass.

Luke 1:57-66

When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zechariah, but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.”  They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.”  Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.

From the day we decorate our Christmas tree, until they day we put the ornaments away, our tree is illuminated. The lights add an unmistakable calm to the room. I have to be transparent here. I’ve toyed with the idea of keeping the tree up all year and decorating it for each holiday and season, just because of the peaceful ambiance it creates. The issue is the size of our living room. The square footage of a small room, plus large furniture, multiplied by one piano, divided by one tree, equals no accommodation for movement. The tree will be dismantled, the ornaments gently stored, the lights wrapped up awaiting the next holiday season, the favorite time of the year.

Today we visit the first villain in Jesus’ life. He wasn’t even two years old before a jealous king conspired to have him killed. Do you remember this part of the Christmas story? It’s the part that, if it were a movie, you’d be on the edge of your seat angry at the plot and urging, “Don’t tell Herod you found Jesus. Don’t be stupid. Don’t go back and reveal where Jesus is living. Don’t let harm come to him.” Herod was a wicked, jealous king. He had everything but it wasn’t enough. He didn’t want any boy baby growing up and taking over his throne. Even 2000 years ago, inflated egos were at the root of insanity. Fear of losing something that wasn’t rightfully his, caused Herod to act out of vain deceit. The wise men were onto him though and when they returned home they diverted to a different path so Herod couldn’t confront them.

We know how this part of the story ends. At age two, the life of Jesus was spared for a time. We’ve learned through the past four weeks that Jesus was sent to Earth by God, his father to be the sacrificial lamb for the sins of the world. Instead of the sacrifices of animals required to pay for sin in the Old Testament, Jesus became the ultimate sacrifice. That’s the Easter story that takes place another thirty years later. Matthew 27:32-65, Mark 15

We aren’t finished with Advent readings yet, but we’re winding down. Have you thought about the real reason Jesus came  to Earth? We love the Christmas story all about Faith, Hope, Joy, Peace, and Love. How does it impact your life today? What will you do with Jesus?

Today: Wise men still seek him.

Matthew 2:1-2 (NIV)

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem  and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”

PEACE on Earth good will to men –  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uIUDy0EZi0 Casting Crowns

This scripture today is the conclusion of Advent readings. I don’t know how many of these scripture readings you’ve followed along with, if you’ve enjoyed them or learned anything new. I know everyone says time flies and that’s what happened here. It’s been 4 full weeks of daily advent readings – what to do? Here’s my first thought no matter where we go from here.  Proverbs 17:22 “A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” Treat yourself to joy every day! 

So here we are at the end of advent reading about this beautiful experience of Simeon, a deeply spiritual man who had been promised that his life wouldn’t end until he had seen the Messiah. When he went to the temple where the baby Jesus was with his parents, Joseph and Mary, Simeon not only saw the Messiah, he held him in his arms. Can you imagine holding a baby you knew had come to be light in a dark world?

Luke 2:21-35 (The Message)

When the eighth day arrived, the day of circumcision, the child was named Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived. Then when the days stipulated by Moses for purification were complete, they took him up to Jerusalem to offer him to God as commanded in God’s Law: “Every male who opens the womb shall be a holy offering to God,” and also to sacrifice the “pair of doves or two young pigeons” prescribed in God’s Law.

In Jerusalem at the time, there was a man, Simeon by name, a good man, a man who lived in the prayerful expectancy of help for Israel. And the Holy Spirit was on him. The Holy Spirit had shown him that he would see the Messiah of God before he died. Led by the Spirit, he entered the Temple. As the parents of the child Jesus brought him in to carry out the rituals of the Law, Simeon took him into his arms and blessed God:

God, you can now release your servant;
release me in peace as you promised.
With my own eyes I’ve seen your salvation;
it’s now out in the open for everyone to see:
A God-revealing light to the non-Jewish nations,
and of glory for your people Israel.

Jesus’ father and mother were speechless with surprise at these words. Simeon went on to bless them, and said to Mary his mother,

This child marks both the failure and
    the recovery of many in Israel,
A figure misunderstood and contradicted—
    the pain of a sword-thrust through you—
But the rejection will force honesty,
    as God reveals who they really are.

Send the season out with joy and en ergy – Hallelujah – presented by Mannheim Steamroller https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0pTBNkt9g4

It’s Sunday everyone! If you’re headed out to church, work, play or just staying home, this is your day to shine. Right where you are. Shine! If you’re feeling a little tarnished in the shine department, time to get out the soft cloth and start buffing. As I read the advent scriptures the past month, it seems like way back when God’s people were wandering around in the wilderness and when they were captives of their enemy, they must have felt pretty tarnished.  We still get weary and worn down today, we often wander through mundane days, waiting for change to come, we feel like nothing fits. We spend hours assessing where we are, questioning whether we’re on the right path for us. It’s good to question. It’s good to think it through, take stock and assess because that’s when the cloudiness and tarnish starts to come off – but if you need the right maintenance cloth.

Here’s a thought. The Bible works like a soft cloth, doesn’t it? What if every time we felt lost and helpless we propped open God’s maintenance manual and read that we are His valuable creation, and learned that we are priceless. Talk about incentive! In God’s sovereignty, he made each of us unique. He decided before we were born that each of us would have purpose and value. Right after the excitement of the holidays, we might not feel like it, but God says we  are his masterpiece. God created us to have a relationship with him and just like all the people in the stories we’ve read about over the past 4 weeks, God has a plan for us. When we feel it least, that’s when we need God most.

When we are are all tired out, and feeling let down, the tarnish starts clouding our outlook. God says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28  Are you feeling the strain of saying good bye, returning from vacation, catching up on mounds of work, dealing with the remains of the day? Taken out of context, but true for claiming Philippians 1:6 “We have this confidence and  that he who began a good work in you will carry it to completion.” Whew! I could use a little promise that I will complete what needs to be done.

What else? What if we craved hearing a word from the Lord and ran to scripture before giving discouragement a foothold? Or maybe before giving in to a bad habit? What if we surrendered our moments to the Lord instead of surrendering days to despair? Scripture makes a pretty nifty polishing cloth. Start with one tiny area where the effort to shine is minimal – one small change. How about our attitude? Do you have a thankful list? This year I decided to keep a thankful list and to make it more visible, I started a joy jar.  It’s about time to dump it out and start over, but I encourage you to keep a list of things you’re thankful for or fill up a joy jar. I promise you it will improve your outlook on life and help you focus on living with an attitude of gratitude.  Every day write at least one thing you are thankful for — it will start your engine.  The world is waiting for us to shine. We start with … Today I am thankful for …. and continue till the tiny light becomes a beacon.

In Matthew 5:16  Jesus tell us “Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

The scripture reminds me of how important it is to be thankful and actively show encouragement to others. There have been times when I felt lost, like nobody cared and suddenly someone would call to tell me something exciting, or I’d get a letter or email from someone who had good news to share.  When the Bible was first written there were no phones, no postal service, and if you can believe it – no Internet. But even back then good news was exciting and people craved it. Good news was incentive; it gave them hope.  Here are a few excerpts from Isaiah 52:7-10  How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation …  Listen! Your watchmen lift up their voices; together they shout for joy. Burst into songs of joy together…the Lord has comforted his people … all the ends of the earth will see the salvation of our God.

SHINE – Go Fish Guys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDjstImknnU

When I was around the age of 14 I lived in a very small town in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It was the typical village where, even though you know people cared about you, gossip was pervasive. It’s like the secret handshake of a small community – everybody talks. As I grew older that was one tendency I was determined to eliminate from my character. Someone shared with me her rules for communicating. Before she opened her mouth to speak she would ask. Is it true? Is it edifying? Is it necessary? If it didn’t pass all three tests, she wouldn’t say it. Those rules are still ingrained in my conscience today. I wish I could say I’m successful at keeping those rules 100% of the time. It’s something to aim for.

Recently, there has been another version circulating the Internet but it has 5 rules using the acrostic THINK. It might be attributed to someone named Mike Henderson. The acrostic stands for – Truthful, Helpful, Important, Necessary, Kind – Those rules also set a perfect goal to aim for in conversation. Colossians 4:6 has something to say about that. “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Have you ever been engrossed in a project or just for now specific reason some compliments something you’ve done – then walked off? In that split second, the sun comes out, doesn’t it? Well, not literally, but the words “You’re doing a good job.” light up your day and that’s what matters. That’s happened to me before and in those moments the first thought on my mind was “Thank you, Lord for sending that messenger to speak kindness to me right then.” This comes to my mind: Psalm 40:3 (NIV) “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”

Another thought that I should pay attention to “How long has it been, since I’ve given sincere, unsolicited compliments to someone?” I need to THINK about that and make it a practice to seek for the good in others to assure them of their value and importance. This little light of mine ….

In my quiet time with the Lord, He gave me this treasure for today: 2 Peter 1:5-8 (NIV) For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

http://buff.ly/1EDWwtc

Someone asked me to elaborate on armor. With the understanding that I certainly don’t have it mastered, I can share from my heart what it means to dress for success. Wear armor; it comes in many styles and weights.  Armor is protection. In the physical sense it’s made out of materials that are impenetrable to outside forces that damage, mutilate, and take life from a body. In the spiritual sense armor accomplishes the same thing, except our spiritual armor protects – well our spirit, our emotions, our feelings and things that can’t be seen, but are very real.  I copied scripture from Ephesians 6 because the Bible best describes our need for spiritual armor.

I think of armor as a wraparound protection from the enemy of my soul. Sometimes a short cloak of protection is all I need because on that occasion I’m not so vulnerable and prone to negative influences. Other times, I need the full suit of armor from the solid metal around my head to the steel-toed boots.  And even then I pray that there is no can opener in sight.  Why is that? It’s human nature. We are all emotional beings, caught in waves that crest one moment only to crash the next.  Feelings are not a good barometer for life, although they are one way to gauge our need of armor for the day ahead. Do we need the full suit today, or will the lightweight be enough?

Here’s how to dress for the occasion and be protected from enemy attack.  It’s a battlefield out there. Here’s what we need to enter into our day.  Remember we are not struggling against flesh and blood; we struggle with things we can’t see.

The belt of truth: the enemy of our soul will feed us lies all day long.  Don’t believe them!

The breastplate of righteousness: This is NOT self-righteousness. This is our inward desire to believe God and live out our faith for him.

The shield of faith: our absolute defense against the evil one. Faith in God, our defender, our shield.

The helmet of salvation:  Turn our thoughts over to the things we’ve been told to think on. Remember Philippians 4:8  whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, excellent or praiseworthy, think about such things.

The sword of the spirit: Simply the Bible. I have the Bible on my phone.  It is with me always.

The feet that seek peace: The more we pray, read our Bibles, and seek God, the more peace we have. Peace and animosity cannot co-exist.  Seek peace.

Hand over that can opener and nobody gets hurt. Have you prayed? Have you committed this day to God? I’m suiting up.  How about you?

Ephesians 6: 10-18 (NIV) Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.  In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ylnx0NA9X4        This blog first published here 3-12-2013

We are a blanket family. I’m literally mesmerized by stores where walls breathe thick towels, floors are spongy with throw rugs, and blankets spill off shelves. Blankets, though, entice me and even though my family laughs at me over it, they are all blanket people too. Walk into my house, it doesn’t have to be winter; it doesn’t even have to be a cold spring, or cool fall.  In any season we cocoon in plush, wraparound blankets, the ultimate comfort zone.  My whole family might not be quite as enamored with blankets as  I am, but if you ask, they will agree that blankets are cherished gifts – I think blankets are like comfort food for the soul.

I wonder if that’s why I love Linus. You know, the philosophical character in the Peanuts gang whose blue blanket seems to be part of his anatomy. Linus is rarely without the icon of security enveloped in his arms. He is faithfully devoted to it.  Snoopy is often on a quest to persuade Linus to give up his blanket, and sometimes he reaches the line of possession, but Linus, realizes his adoration and dependence on his treasured blanket and pulls back before Snoopy can claim victory.

I can relate to Linus; not just because he is captivated by his blanket, but because of his passionate belief in his need for it.  It’s not the same, but Linus and his unshakable faith in his security blanket paints a picture of the unshakable faith I should have in the God of the universe;  the one who is in control of every detail.  Ephesians 1:20 (the Message)  “All this energy issues from Christ: God raised him from death and set him on a throne in deep heaven, in charge of running the universe, everything from galaxies to governments, no name and no power exempt from his rule. And not just for the time being, but forever. He is in charge of it all, has the final word on everything.”

When I feel perplexed and uncertain, I can be like Linus and grasp onto the Lord for security because he isn’t just powerful, he is power. And God is not of questionable character, nor does he ever make mistakes.  Look at these verses in Job 36:22-25 “Do you have any idea how powerful God is? Have you ever heard of a teacher like him? Has anyone ever had to tell him what to do, or correct him, saying, ‘You did that all wrong!’? Remember, then, to praise his workmanship, which is so often celebrated in song. Everybody sees it; nobody is too far away to see it.”  I don’t know about you, but when things start migrating downward to the pit, I remember job.  His adversity caused his friends and even his wife to blame God. But Job didn’t. Job latched onto his security blanket and made it part of his spiritual anatomy.  Jeremiah recognized God’s power too and wrote about it in Jeremiah 32:16-17 “Dear God, my Master, you created earth and sky by your great power—by merely stretching out your arm! There is nothing you can’t do. You’re loyal in your steadfast love to thousands upon thousands.” God can do more than I could ever ask.

One of my favorite things to do is help others.   I took a class on spiritual gifts a while ago and discovered why my natural tendency is to help, and it doesn’t feel like work to me at all. I have the gift of helping. I’m still working on the strong faith part but I like what Romans 15:1-2 says in the Message translation.  “Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of the people around us, asking ourselves, “How can I help?”  When I’m criticized for helping too much, I remember the One I am really doing it for and who I am serving.

Today, what can we do to wrap ourselves in the spiritual security blanket so evident in the character of Linus? Remember what David prayed in Psalms 139.  Go ahead and read the entire chapter, but here is Psalm 138:7-8 “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.”

And now here is a special verse for those of us who are celebrating the first day of spring with a snowstorm.  I couldn’t resist sharing this with you.  Job 37:6-7 “He orders the snow, ‘Blanket the earth!’ and the rain, ‘Soak the whole countryside!’ No one can escape the weather—it’s there. And no one can escape from God.”

This was first published here on March 20, 2015

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DG9NeP0CLc

Are you a fixer? When something goes wrong, do you rush to scheme and devise a plan to fix it? I’m a middle child. I don’t know if birth order has anything to do with it, but I’m a fixer. I want everyone’s little world to be perfect and when it’s not, I need to make it perfect, or at least better.  Maybe that’s why I receive an inordinate number of messages each one evidence of a broken spirit and aching heart, but still with a tinge of hope that their upside down world can be righted.  As friends, even casual friends, when a member hurts everyone hurts, especially in churches.

We all agree that this is our desire as brothers and sisters in Christ. Hebrew 13:18 “Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear conscience and desire to live honorably in every way.” This is our desire, isn’t it? Live honorably.

Wouldn’t we all like to take a big eraser and remove the blight of occurrences in the past that caused us pain and dissonance? In erasing the past, would we be able to prevent what we are experiencing now? We all know life doesn’t work like that. We are given one opportunity for each moment, there are no redos. We can repent, recommit, and resolve, but we don’t get a do-over. We may be devastated by the fallout of our past and tormented by what we should have done, but didn’t; or things said in haste without the filter of conscience.  Our human nature is to ever seek out information and when we have it, spread what we’ve learned. We say we want the truth and there is no faulting that, but don’t we really just crave information? That makes us an easy target for Satan to claw his way into our community and destroy relationships all ready bruised and tenuous by circumstance. We claim we want improved conditions and camaraderie but we are often not willing to go through the building process.  If we want God’s best we must wait patiently for His timing and for the healing process to transpire.  Like wounded warriors, let’s be cautious and live out the prayer of David in Psalm 141:3 “Guard my mouth, O Eternal One; control what I say. Keep a careful watch on every word I speak. Don’t allow my deepest desires to steer me toward doing what is wrong”

Relationships are fragile and can be easily torn apart because of so much conversation, too many assumptions, and few facts.  Sound familiar? Don’t we label it gossip? What starts out as a half-fact takes on a life of its own and grows to become a sliver of truth shrouded in false assumptions. Engaging in fruitless postulations and suggested hypotheses result in turmoil which is not pleasing to God. God is a God of order not of chaos and I, like you, want to live honorably and orderly before God. Speculating and feeding each other’s anger is not honorable to anyone, especially to the Lord.  In fact, one way to produce more wounded warriors is to engage in the proliferation of sharing unsubstantiated information. It happens among families, it happens among friends, it’s rampant in the workplace and even in churches. There’s something specifc to this in Ecclesiastes along about chapter 10 verse 20. Here’s the red flag “Don’t bad-mouth your leaders, not even under your breath, and don’t abuse anyone, not even in the privacy of your home. Loose talk has a way of getting picked up and spread around. Little birds drop the crumbs of your gossip far and wide.”

If you want a fact, here is one guaranteed to be 100% truth. In your family or organization, Satan has gathered his minions and they are waiting to have a victory party at your expense. While God is seeking followers wholly committed to Him, (2 Chronicles 16:9 “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.”) Satan is running a strong interference to distract you from the light. 1 Peter 5:8 couldn’t be more clear “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy Satan prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”  Do you feel chewed up, devoured, bloodied? Those fangs and claws of a lion are real. We all must guard our minds and hearts, we have to open our eyes and close our mouths and wait patiently for God to lead each of us through the process. Psalm 141:3 “Guard my mouth, O Eternal One; control what I say. Keep a careful watch on every word I speak. Don’t allow my deepest desires to steer me toward doing what is wrong”

We live in a microwave world. Dinner in an instant. Take it from the freezer, run it through the microwave, and eat in under 10 minutes. Instant nourishment, instant satisfaction, instant contentment. There is no instant in God’s world.  True, time is nothing to God and we get so impatient for results. Could that be why God wrote stories in His word about the seasons and how we have to plant and wait for the harvest; why we are told the children of Israel wandered for 40 years; why it took Noah 120 years to build a boat? When there are physical wounds, there is no instant cure and this pain we are enduring now is the result of deep wounds of the spirit and emotions. Healing will take time, even as factual details become available.  We are instructed in Deuteronomy 6:18 “Do what is right and good in the Lord’s sight, so that it may go well with you…”

That all may go well with you . . . Isn’t that what we all want?  For things to go well with us? You know there is so much wisdom in scripture. Recently I highlighted this verse in my quiet time. Proverbs 16:93 “We plan the way we want to live, but only God makes us able to live it.” I was in a completely different frame of mind at the time, but how well that applies to our story today. Our plans, as well meaning as they are, will come to nothing without God. He makes us able to live under any circumstance, achieve any goal, forgive any offense, find something to be thankful for in every day – even when we are helplessly lost.

Are there answers now, opportunities to help a current situation come to a successful end? Yes! We can corporately and individually take an oath of quiet and stop obsessing about what has been and start praying for what is to come. Next time you fall into the trap of wondering what happened to cause such dissension, go to prayer and ask God to guard your heart and mind and give you peace in the waiting.  Ask God to show you an act of service you can do to serve while progressing to the new normal. Silence – keep silent, quiet your thoughts, and pray. When you feel so burdened you don’t know what to do, pray and lay that burden at the feet of Jesus who is power and as it says in Psalm 145:17 “The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does.” And in Psalm 146:6 the Bible says “He remains faithful forever.”  Forever, that’s longer than any of us will live on Earth.

My prayer for all those friends who have emailed, texted, messaged and called is that this will be your new experience. Psalm 119:57-64 “Because you have satisfied me, God, I promise to do everything you say. I beg you from the bottom of my heart: smile, be gracious to me just as you promised. When I took a long, careful look at your ways, I got my feet back on the trail you blazed. I was up at once, didn’t drag my feet, was quick to follow your orders. The wicked hemmed me in—there was no way out— but not for a minute did I forget your plan for me. I get up in the middle of the night to thank you; your decisions are so right, so true—I can’t wait till morning! I’m a friend and companion of all who fear you, of those committed to living by your rules. Your love, God, fills the earth! Train me to live by your counsel.”

This blog was first posted here on February 18, 2014.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzejd6r9DwE / Kari Jobe – Healer

I’m missing a tradition today. For several years in a row, we spent the night of Christmas rapt in the comfort of friendship, chattering away over good food and catching up on life. The highlight of the evening was dumping a puzzle on the table and working together to create what it was meant to be. As I was contemplating what I would share today my memory kept rewinding to those evenings spent with puzzle pieces and the joy of shared experiences. We all have memories of moments strung together and we love to return to them and renew our joy. Today will be tomorrow’s memory. It might be just an ordinary day, nothing special but it is special to God. This day is a creation and we’re about to add all that unfolds today into the masterpiece that is our life. Have you ever thought about how the pieces of our days fit together in one gigantic life puzzle?  Each piece on its own is oddly shaped, and although colorful, it’s a flat, meaningless generality. Really? Is that true?Ah, see? This is where we fall off track. We might flat days with odd shapes, but that’s not how God sees them. Every moment of every day was planned by him. God sees our days as opportunities and we should too. “Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul.” Joshua 22:5

Some of us are planners. We like to write lists with nice neat lines of how our moments will fit together. Some of us don’t plan, but we still expect to accomplish ‘something’ during the day. Either way, when we begin our day, we envision smooth edges, seamless integration, light background, and just enough color to make it interesting. Then we have “one of those days” with prongs, too much dark, not enough light, and nothing fits unless we force it.  Hold up one piece of a jigsaw puzzle. This is your unique puzzle piece, not mine or anyone else’s.  What do you see? It’s a pretty obscure shape with lot of prongs, so much dark or so much light that a pattern is indistinguishable.  One puzzle piece, one day. It seems meaningless on its own, but this day is part of God’s plan and it does have significance and purpose.

Have you ever been determined to piece together a jigsaw puzzle of over 5000 pieces? You approach it with great enthusiasm only to find your motivation waning when the pieces don’t fit, too much dark, too much light, too many prongs. Does it ever seem like that when your days are long, too many prongs, too much dark …. I know how that feels. I have many conversations with God asking him why things don’t fit and begging Him to make them fit. He reminds me that the pattern is His and my job is to have faith and let him hand me one piece at a time and when I lay it down according to His plan, the pattern will unfold and the pieces will fit – without forcing.  Then I’m reminded that maybe the way I think things should fit, isn’t how God sees them.  Romans 12:2 says “Don’t be like the people of this world, but let God change the way you think. Then you will know how to do everything that is good and pleasing to him.” Isn’t that what I really want? To please God with my life?

What about those times when we have put enough pieces together that we can see almost see the picture but there are pieces missing. Could it be that God gives us those times to remind us of our significance; that we have a unique purpose. In those days when we feel lost, without direction, and we don’t fit anywhere, it’s then that God steps in and reveals more of the pattern and assures us that our lives do have purpose. James 1:4 says “But you must learn to endure everything, so that you will be completely mature and not lacking in anything.” In His way, God leads us back to that piece of the puzzle and shows us that we are necessary, that we have a place in His plan.  Every moment has significance, we have purpose, we are unique, and we fit. You can search the whole Bible and you will not find the word significant. But purpose – that’s a word that God takes seriously. He made us, not with random parts that don’t fit, but He made us on purpose with a purpose.

The next time you see a jigsaw puzzle, remember the call of God on your life. With all its twists and turns, light and dark, mountains and valleys, sadness and joy, you life has purpose – uniquely yours. Proverbs 19:21 says “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” Nobody else can do what you can do because they are not you. We have this day. Let’s all act as if we have an amazing purpose to fulfill – because we do.  No matter what, no matter where, life has meaning, when God is there.   Let’s offer out our days to God and let Him show us where we fit. Proverbs 20:5 “The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.” Be authentically you, because nobody else is qualified. Ready team? Take hold of your puzzle piece and let’s get out there!