Velour warm-up or true Treasure?

          I woke up this morning thinking of the Christmas years ago when one of our girls wanted one thing for Christmas: a Juicy Couture top.  I don't even know if I spelled that correctly--I had never heard of it before, never thought of it since, and certainly never typed or written it even once.  But Juicy whatever-it-was-called was the thing at the time.  Every girl, apparently, owned not one, but several, Juicy whatever outfits.  Now our daughter had never been a particularly fashion-conscious or label-desiring child, but this time she really really wanted and needed this one thing for Christmas.
     So I called around and, low and behold Belks had a few in stock.  I hiked on over there and went to the Juicy Couture section--yes, they had an actual little nook of all things Juicy.  I asked the lady about the particular item, and she knew exactly what I was talking about and took me right over to a row of...warm-up suits.  And not just any warm-up suits--velour warm-up suits. 
     Are you kidding?  My dear Mama (who by this time had been in heaven for several years) used to live in these things.  She loved her velour warm-up suits and had them in an array of bright colors.  Only hers tended to the more, shall we say, relaxed and loose fit, side of things.  These Juicy deals were closer to the tight-as-a-tick fit.  But there was no doubt about it, these were genuine velour warm-up suits.  O, if only Mama could have lived to see the day--she was so ahead of her time in every way, even the fashion department.  She ran all over town in her big old station wagon with our dog, Ben, in the back and wearing her ever-so-comfortable warm-up suits.
     But here's the big difference: i think Mama probably bought hers at Big Lots for about $10.99.  I looked at the price tag of these Juicy babies, and O MY STARS, are you kidding me?  They actually sell velour, mind you, warm-up suits for these astronomical prices?
     I was stunned, but tried to look nonchalant.  Smiling sweetly at the salesperson, I told her that actually we would just be buying the top to the warm-up suit and not also the bottoms.  After all, that hot pink velour would look fantastic with every pair of pants my daughter owned, so we really didn't need the bottoms too.  Shoot, for this price, we might even save it and have her wear it with her wedding dress!  The saleslady did not share my laughter, so we moved on... I meekly purchased the top half of a velour warm-up suit while wondering if we had saved any of Mama's old warm-up suits.
     How often do we do that?  We confuse the price tags and place great value on that which ultimately means little to nothing while giving little time, attention, and love to that which is of infinite value?  Forgive us, forgive me, Father.  How many times have I rushed busily about my day and failed to slow down to spend time with and worship the One who made me and loves me and waits patiently for me? How often have I put the people in my life on the back burner to the priorities of my to-do list for the day?
     Dress it up, put a fancy label on it, pay a giant price for it...it's still a lowly velour warm-up suit...and God has so infinitely much more in mind for us.
     I just read this morning: "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.  And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil.1:3-6)
      O thank You Father for the priceless gift of prayer. Thank You that You are not finished with us yet and will one day complete and perfect that which You began in each of us.  Thank You for the infinite treasure of the gospel.  And thank You for the privilege we have of sharing Your Good News of salvation with a hurting world. Forgive me for sometimes forgetting the infinite treasures we have in You.  It is so true--He who has God plus everything...has nothing more than he who has God plus nothing else. And he who has absolutely everything...but not God...has nothing.  
     And Father, thank You for safely bringing back our church's team from Kenya.  Thank You for the work they did for You while they were over there--work which will last for eternity.  Priceless work. Not a velour warm-up suit in sight.
    Here they are at the airport--O what a joyous homecoming we had the other day welcoming them back!  Thank You, Father!

     We continue to pray for Mark and Pam Helms--for Mark's continued healing of his arm from the wreck over there and for safety in traveling back home to all of us.
     Thank You for choosing to use us in Your world to share Your pearl of infinite worth--the gift of eternal life in Christ Jesus.  Help us never to settle for the inferior when You have, You are, the ultimate.  We don't want the world's velour warm-up suits--we want You, our true Treasure.
     To God be the glory.
     

Don't hoard--give!

     Missing our Mo.
    This is Moses, a few months back, doing one of his favorite things--soaking up the sunshine on our back deck while I sat nearby reading and doing Bible study.  We both loved sitting outside "soaking up the benies"--as in "beneficial rays"--as my Dad used to call them.  There's nothing like the Word or a good book, the warm sunshine, and a sweet old dog at your feet.
     And Moses loved it as much as I did.  If I so much as grabbed my gigantic straw hat, he'd run to the back door, ready to head out to our deck.  Or if I mentioned the word "quiet time," he'd often rush to the back door as well--ever ready for an opportunity to enjoy the chorus of the birds, the gentle breezes, and the sun warming up his old bones.
     So today, I started to sit down with the Word and realized I hadn't gone out to the deck for a few weeks--often too hot and buggy in the midst of summer--and wept.  For that meant Moses hadn't had that opportunity in the last week or two of his life to do what he loved, with a person that he loved.  And that makes me cry.  Even now, it's hard to type with the tears falling.  I'm so sorry Moses.  I'm so sorry to have put my comfort and convenience over your momentary joy.
     Had I known, had I only had some inkling, that we only had days with you, I would have sat outside with you, no matter how blazing the sun.  We would have listened together to the hawk's shrill cry, perked up at the sound of a dog's bark, savored the smell of newly cut grass...and you could have snapped at the buzzing flies.
     But I didn't know.
     In the morning, I would have made your favorite food--scrambled eggs--for the kids and scraped an obscene amount into your food bowl.  And we would have even let you lick their plates clean, figuring the dish washer would later take care of any germs.
     But I didn't know.
    O how I would have slowed down on our walks and forgotten my occasional frustration at your slowness and feebleness.  Forgive my impatient pace.  If I had only known, I would have crawled along the greenway, stopping at every smell as long as you wanted and as frequently as your big old heart desired.
     But I didn't know.
     And I would have somehow, someway picked you up and hauled you into the car so you could drive all over town with me since, despite the fact that you did nothing but sit there, you just loved to be with us in the car wherever we were going.
     But I didn't know.
     I would have forgotten all about only giving you your super-nutricious dry dog food that we could only buy at those fancy dog stores because it was supposed to keep your weight down and help your arthritic joints.  No, I would've said, "To heck with nutrition and weight management--let's live life to the fullest, sweet old Mo, and drain it to the last drop!  So here's some cheese and chicken and even a little chocolate.  Enjoy!"
     But I didn't know.
     Still I know that somehow you forgave me all that, because that's what you always did--love and forgive and love some more, no matter what, no matter who, no matter how.  Love completely, love unconditionally, love sacrificially--and do it NOW.  That's the dog's motto.
     I read a wonderful quote the other day by Annie Dillard from her book about writing, The Writing Life.  In it she says, "Do not hoard what seems good for a later place in the book, or for another book; give it, give it all, give it now."
     How true in all our lives--and especially in the way we relate to others.  Stop hoarding our time and energy and love and forgiveness.  Just pour it out extravagantly.  Give it, share it, show it and trust that God--who is the ultimate Provider and Sustainer of all good gifts--will give us more time and energy and love and joy to keep on giving out again and again.   He never runs low on grace, especially grace for the needy and humble.
     Stop waiting for the "perfect" time--which often simply means: when we've gotten those chores finished or that to-do list completed.  No, stop hoarding and waiting to make that phone call or play that board game or take that walk or read that book out loud or obey God's still, small voice in some area of your life.
      Do it today.  Do it now.  Take that first small step of obedience and trust that God will make your paths straight and secure...though not necessarily safe. 
     So sweet old Moses, I miss you on the back deck.  I miss you in the kitchen.  I miss you on the greenway.  But you are still teaching me, dear old faithful friend. O Father, help me to learn.
     Lord Jesus, "Teach us to number our days  that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Ps.90:12)  Teach us--and then help us to step out in faith with whatever and however Your Spirit leads.
     Even if that simply means opening the door to the back deck to enjoy the sunshine with a beloved, old buddy.  Might we live each day to the full and all to Your glory, Lord.
     To God be the glory.

Loving to the end

     "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Henceforth is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing." (2 Tim.4:6-7)
     Moses finished his race well.  All the way till the very end, he loved with all of his big heart.  I don't know if dogs will be heaven, but C.S. Lewis, Billy Graham, and Joni Eareckson Tada believe they will be--and that's good enough for me.  If ever a dog will be heaven, it will be sweet old, faithful and loving to the bitter end, Moses.  I like to think of him even now, finally running and swimming again without those arthritic old legs and failing heart.  And surely eating chocolate cake and filets to his heart's desire.
     But mostly, he'll be finding someone to love.  And that's what he'll do for eternity--love.
     Yesterday, as he lay dying, I read him verses from Daily Light.  I know, go ahead and laugh, but we always said he was a dog who loved the Lord!  He would always sit at my feet when I was having quiet time or rest in the sun in the dining room as I worked on Bible study lectures.  And think of his name, for goodness sake.
     Well, back to the Daily Light.  Of course, the reading for July 28th--the day of Moses' homecoming--was all about love.  The first verse was "Walk in love." (Eph.4:2)  Moses--check--you did that everyday of your life, from our first walk of the morning on the greenway till you closed your eyes at night on your bed under the kitchen table.
     I read out loud all the verses about love, like  "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you,  that you also love one another." (John13:34)  Remember when we studied that in John this year, Moses?  Or "Love covers all sins" (Prov.10:12)  Moses--like when you ate the chocolate cake resting on the counter for Easter lunch--but now that really doesn't seem like much of a sin.  Or "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Eph.4:32)  O Moses, you had this one down pat!  You always forgave immediately, whether it was someone accidentally stepping on your tail or forgetting to let you back in the house or fussing at you for something or other.  Moses didn't keep short accounts.  Moses kept NO accounts.  He forgave instantaneously.  O help me, Father, to learn from my sweet dog.
     The last Daily Light reading was "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth." (I John 3:18)  Through tears, I told Moses that's what he'd done all his life--loving without one word spoken.  Loving by his presence.  He truly spelled love as action--struggling to get up on his arthritic legs whenever one of the children came home, because he wanted to greet them and show them his love.  Loving by tail wagging for anyone, and I mean anyone, who came into the room--as if to say, "You are so welcome here!  I'm so so glad you've come!"  Loving by playing hide-and-seek with my husband (I'm not kidding!  He loved it!)  Loving by being so excited to see you when you came back home--even if you'd just been gone for 10 minutes to the grocery store.  Loving, loving, loving all the way to the end.
     This picture at the top was taken yesterday morning after we woke up the kids to tell them Moses was failing fast.  Even then he lifted up his big head to their tear stained faces to greet them and tell them wordlessly that he loved them...all the way to the end. O Father, help us to love.  Give us more love for one another.  Help us to forgive more quickly and to love more unconditionally.
     Moses had the sweetest parting.  And God is sovereign--even in the homecoming of a sweet old dog.  My husband, through tears, began looking on the internet for someone who might come to your home to put your dog to sleep.  We couldn't bear the thought of taking him somewhere--just too tender and raw and sad to think of that.  And he found the name of Jennifer Frye.  Can I just tell you again, God is sovereign?  We didn't know Jennifer at all.  Just found her name "randomly" on the internet, but Richard had prayed and prayed while he was looking,  and I remember hearing once, "If you don't pray, 'coincidences' won't happen."  There are no coincidences in the life of a believer, only "God-incidences."
     So Jennifer arrived early yesterday afternoon.  It was the moment we wanted to arrive as Moses was really suffering, but also the moment we terribly dreaded as we wanted him to stay with us.  Jennifer Frye was God's ministering angel to us.  Turns out she is a dear friend of one of our great friends from church--Lisa Todd--who arranged a website and all the meals, etc. for Tessa and Janie after the accident.  Jennifer walked in--so sweet, so gentle, so kind, so full of the Savior's love--and told us she knew exactly who we were.  She had prayed for Janie from day 1 and had read the blog and knew who Moses was.  She assumed someone had referred her to us. Nope--no one but the Almighty.  That's how God works.
     Jennifer prayed with us, spoke so lovingly to Moses and then gently put him to sleep.  O thank You, Father, for always providing for us, even when we can't see it through our pain or preoccupation.  Thank You for Jennifer Frye and her sweet ministry to grieving pet owners.  Thank You for using the body of Christ in so many different arenas of life.
    And Moses quietly, peacefully went on home.  We cried hard and loved him to the end...just as he had loved us to the end.  And early this morning, I walked into our kitchen for the first time in 8 years and didn't hear that heavy "Thump thump thump" of his tail under the table as he welcomed me to his world for a new day to love and be loved.  Tears came again.
     But somehow, I think I can hear that thumping all the way from heaven.  Keep on loving, Moses.
     Thank you, sweet Mo, for finishing your race and keeping the faith all the way to the end.  We will never ever forget you.  And as we love one another--more unconditionally and more completely--we will think of you and smile.  Maybe not yet--still too many tears.  But someday soon.  Because we know that's what you're doing.
     I know that there's no Biblical theology that says dogs will be heaven, but I hope that our Heavenly Father who gives us such priceless gifts in this, our earthly home, will perhaps give them to us to enjoy forever in our heavenly home.
     To God be the glory.

A hard, hard goodbye

          “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”  C.S.Lewis
     As my daddy used to say, "We're going through a rough patch."  
     I take it on faith that we will come out the other side.  But right at the moment, it's feeling like a brutally, long, rough field...not a patch.
     Still awaiting word on the team in Kenya after their car accident.  Boy, that has brought up a lot of memories with Janie and the other girls in the wreck--feelings of sorrow, stress and helplessness.  
     And now our sweet old black lab, Moses, is dying.  It happened so quickly--he just started going downhill suddenly late last night, and this morning he could no longer stand up.  So we are hanging out with  him, loving him, stroking him, and telling him over and over what a great gift he has been to our family.
    And he has.  
    From Christmas day 8 years ago when we adopted him as a 5 year old, to this moment right now, Moses has truly been God's perfect blessing for our family.  When times were tough, when any of the children came home discouraged or sad in any way, there he was.  Ready to give them his complete time and attention and adoration.  Somehow, whatever any of us might have been going through was eased when Moses gave us the gift of his presence.  
     When Janie came home from the hospital--there he sat. Right at her feet.  Ever attentive.  Just quietly being there.  Loving without words.  No words were necessary.  
     When they kids were upstairs in the morning, he would faithfully wait at the bottom of the stairs.  Ready to be the first happy face to welcome them to a new day.  
     When food appeared in any form--there he was.  Ready to oblige by nabbing a bite...or even a whole cake off the counter.
     When I would work on Bible study lectures, he sat faithfully at my feet in the dining room.  His only movement occasioned by the shifting of the sun on the carpet.  
     We have wept copious tears this morning.  Hard to believe a dog could give a family this much joy...and this much sorrow.  O how we will miss him.  O my, words can't even express.  
     Even now, he is trying, struggling,  so hard to hang in there for us.  We keep telling him, it's okay, he can go on home now.  I say it with my lips, but I don't really mean it in my heart.  
     But my husband just shared again that wonderful quote by Dr. Suess: "Don't cry that it's over, smile because it happened."  
     Yes, Lord, thank You, thank You, thank You for one more precious gift You have given us in this life--Moses.  We will never ever forget him.  And now, Father, give us the strength to bear his parting in the next few hours.  Thank You that even with beloved pets, You never leave us nor forsake us. 
      Thank You for the gift of loving...even when it hurts.  Help us to love and love and love no matter the risk of sorrow and separation.   
     It's all worth it...so worth it.  We trust that the Lord will one day soon enable us to remember Moses and smile with gratitude rather than weep with sadness.  But not yet.   So until then, we'll take it on faith and simply say thank You. 'Cause our God is forever a God of redemption.
     To God be the glory.
     

Faith--not fear--in Him

   
     "When I am afraid, I put my trust in You.  In God, Whose Word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can flesh do to me?" (Ps.56:3-4)
     "I have set the Lord always before me, because He is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.  Therefore my heart is glad and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure."  (Ps.16:8-9)
     Thank You, Father, that You know we will experience fear in this life.  Accidents, failures, diseases, uncertainties can leave us feeling breathless with anxiety.  But You, Lord, are always our Rock, our Refuge, our Fortress and our very present help in trouble and in fear.  
     Our son, Richard, is on a mission trip in Kenya.  We just learned that his team was involved in a car accident.  Another vehicle was apparently trying to pass them on Kenya's very narrow roads and sideswiped them and caused their van to roll over.  Praise the Lord no one was seriously injured.  O thank You, Father, for Your hand of protection.  But a wonderful doctor on their team, Mark Helms, and Richard both apparently suffered significant enough injuries that they required a number of stitches.  The details are still fuzzy, but the last we heard was that Richard had to have 16 stitches in his shoulder, and Mark was going to a larger hospital for treatment of a laceration to his arm.
     So here's the thing--my first response when we heard about this was fear.  In fact, pretty overwhelming anxiety.  Another wreck.  Another accident involving one of our children when we were not there and could not help them.  A sense of helplessness that we could not protect those we love, as well as worry about what they might not be telling us.  And fear for all the members of the team.  The fear so suffocated me that I literally could not catch my breath for several minutes.
     So what do we do with our fear?  Where do we take it?  
     The Lord's still, small voice whispered--take it to Me.  Hand it to Me.  Let Me bear the burden of your fear.
     My first thought had been, "Lord why?  Where were You?  How could You allow this to happen...again?"   But almost immediately, the Lord reminded me--"I was right where I always am--right there with them."  He was in that wreck.  He was in Janie's wreck.  In fact, the Lord Jesus took on the greatest wreck of all--the wreck of the cross--and bore our punishment and pain for us...all for us.  He took the fear.  He took the sorrow.  He took the anguish.  He took the forsakenness.  He bore every bit of it all so that we need never ever experience the full brunt of it.
      He defeated it all...and rose from the dead, victorious.
     And if He defeated it all, then we, who are in Christ will defeat it as well.
     If He rose...we will rise.
     If He lives...we will live.
     If He endured the agonies of the cross...then we will endure whatever we are facing.
     If He trusts and never ever gives in to fear...then we will trust in Him and refuse to fear.
     If He conquers sin and death and despair...well, then we will conquer them as well.
     Thank You, Father, that because we are in You, You are with us in absolutely everything we will ever go through.  We need not fear, for You are with those that we love--no matter where on the earth they may be right now.  And we need not fear because You will not only never leave us or forsake us, but You also have all power, all hope, all joy, all peace, all sufficiency, ALL we need to enable us to walk through whatever storms we may face in this life.
     As Max Lucado puts it: "The next time you find yourself alone in a dark alley facing the undeniables of life, don't cover them with a blanket, or ignore them with a nervous grin. Don't turn up the TV and pretend they aren't there.  Instead, stand still, whisper His name, and listen.  He is nearer than you think."
    Yep, He is.  Always has been.  Always will be.  Forever and ever...until faith becomes sight and He takes us to His--and our--glorious home.
    Until then, we will choose to place our trust in our Savior, knowing that in Him, we cannot be shaken.  Not by accidents.  Not by fear.  Not with our Lord.  To God be the glory.
     
   

A year later...a lesson learned

    Mary Norris at Upper Blue Seas Fall at Cane River.  Beauty and power and wonder and glory!  What a Creator!
    Almost exactly one year ago, I took this same picture with Janie and Richard in front of the falls.  It was just two weeks before her accident, and we often looked at that picture of the two of them while sitting in that ICU room as Janie lay unconscious.  Back then, God taught us quite a lesson from that picture: heed the still, small voice of the Spirit. How I pray I will never forget it--when God whispers to you, listen and obey.
     Here's what happened that day a year ago.  Janie and Richard wanted to hike up to the waterfall, but my husband, Richard, and I were beat and ready to hike back down to the cabin.  It was early evening, and we were all muddy, hungry, and had a lot of packing to do in order to leave early the next morning.  Thus, making the arduous trek up to the waterfall didn't make a lick of sense to two exhausted parents.
     We had started back down with two disappointed teenagers in tow, when that gentle prompting of the Spirit told me--"Don't miss it!  Don't miss this never-to-be-repeated moment!  Go back up there and witness My glory with these children who are growing up all too quickly."  Sadly, how often do I ignore the Holy Spirit's prompting in favor of following my own agenda and desires?  But, praise the Lord, that day we didn't.  We turned right around and suddenly exclaimed--to the astonished delight of our children--"Okay, let's do it!"  Everyone wheeled around and trekked back up towards the falls, pulling ourselves up by tree roots and branches, climbing over slippery rocks, and finally arriving at, well, God's glory revealed in a magnificent waterfall.
     So this time, I didn't need a bit of encouraging or prompting when Mary Norris suggested we hike up to see Upper Blue Seas Falls.  The Lord knows we can all be mighty slow learners, but He's so patient with us and ever provides new opportunities to trust and obey Him.  He never gives up on us.  And so I had learned...and we hiked...and beheld, one year later, God's glory pouring forth over the waterfall.
     Once again, this picture doesn't begin to do it justice.  Something about the camera and the distance from the falls diminishes it's size, but trust me, it's tremendous.  The water, which is especially high this year due to all the rain, poured, gushed over the falls with stunning force.  Even from the back edge of the pool, we could feel the wind generated by the falling water, and the mist coming off the falls covered us with a cool spray.  And the sound, O my, there's nothing like the glorious symphonic sound of rushing waters.  Power and yet peace.  Constant motion and yet continual rest.
     We just stood and marveled and shed a tear or two at God's majesty, goodness, and grace.  Who knows what a year will bring?  And yet God is always and forever faithful.  None of us need fear what is ahead...for no matter what is coming, our Lord will be there before us and beside us and within us.
     "But now thus says the Lord, He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.  When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.  For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.'" (Isa.43:1-3)
     That is our God and there is none other.
     I love what Scotty Smith prayed about these verses: "Father, You don't promise we won't experience floods and torrents and fires and flames.  But You do promise that You will be with us.  To know that You are near and to know You are good is all we really need.  We will go anywhere and do anything as long as we are convinced that You will never leave us, forsake us, abandon us, shame us, or reject us.  Father, we know ourselves to be precious and honored in Your sight, and greatly loved, because You gave us Jesus in exchange for us.  Though Jesus was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor, so that through His poverty we might become rich (2 Cor.8:9).  We praise You for the One and only truly indescribable gift (2 Cor.9:15)!  And since You didn't spare Your own Son, we can trust You graciously to give us everything else we need (Rom.8:32), for every season and storm ahead.  We don't have to be afraid of anything or anyone.  You are with us and You are for us."
     Yes, Lord, through the storms, through the fires, through the floods of life, we learn--sometimes slowly, sometimes painfully--that You will never leave us nor forsake us and that You are always always always enough. You are more than enough.
     Keep us focused upon You and Your glory.  Keep us listening to and obeying Your Holy Spirit rather than our own selfish agendas.  We don't want to miss out on anything You have for us, Father...not one divine appointment to witness Your grace and Your glory...not one waterfall.  Not ever.
     To God be the glory.
   

Game Only...Lord Forever!

     Clear blue sky.  Lush green golf course.  Our youngest son and lots of his golf buddies walking with him and his friend as they finish up their individual match in a golf tournament.  All having a ball--laughing, talking...no homework, just summer fun...for everyone, that is, except Mama.
     Why?  Because Mom suffers from a terminal case of nerves when it comes to golf tournaments involving her children.  Pathetic, I know.  Seriously, I should be enjoying this.  The simple joy of being outside in the fresh air, watching a game--a game, for pete's sake--with no agenda at the moment other than enjoying the gift of savoring my child playing a game he loves.
     But when it comes to worrying, I could compete with the best of 'em.  Combine that anxiousness with competitiveness, and well, it's a pretty lethal combination.
    I come by it naturally.  My family loved games and competition of all kinds.  A "fun"family tennis game of doubles was no laughing matter.  It was kill...or be killed.  We loved it, of course, and loved each other.  But still, the goal was victory at all costs.
     And, mercy, don't even talk to me about watching the Tar Heels play basketball when I was growing up.  The decibel level during those games could be ear-splitting. Even today, my children sometimes ban me from the room where we're watching the game due to my, shall we say, exuberance. Like I say, I come by this naturally--blame the Preyer clan. A loss to the team-that-shall-not-be-named could ruin our day...or our week.  And never, and I mean never, say anything negative about Dean (the Dream) Smith in our presence.  He's right up there with Shakespeare,  Lincoln, and Churchill.
     These qualities are not conducive to peacefully and contentedly watching golf tournaments.  My sons and husband have repeatedly chided me for my less-than-godly attitude of tension and worry.  "Chill out!" they say.  "Relax!  This is just a game; this is all for fun.  Just enjoy it!"
     And they also warn me that I cannot show any emotion.  Not even the slightest hint of sighing or frowning or even smiling happily.  And certainly, no tension of any kind.  They can read my body language, I'm told, so I just have to stand there and somehow or other give the world the impression that I'm relaxing on a tropical island and languidly humming, "Don't worry, be happy."
     Yeah, right.  There's a little problem here.  In case they've forgotten: I'm a WOMAN.  Worse still, a MOM!  Last time I checked, we women and moms do not specialize in suppressing all our emotions...especially when it comes to our children.  Love seems to begat the desire that all would go well with those you love...including on the golf course.
     But seriously, I know my attitude is wrong.  Totally wrong.  Not to mention misery-inducing.  Sure, I really don't show much emotion on the outside...but on the inside, I'm dying a thousand deaths.   You know how it goes--that running interior chatter that steals our peace and destroys our joy: "O Lord, not another hook into the woods!...Father, that downhill put is going going going waaaaaay beyond the hole!  Arrrgh.... O mercy, I'd rather have a root canal than watch that chip out of the trap into--O NO!--the other trap!"
     So I talked with the Lord and told Him I was tired of being an anxious, less-than-joyful parent on the golf course...or anywhere else for that matter.  He's the God of all peace and joy and hope, and as His child, I want my character to reflect His...and not my own sometimes selfish, prideful, competitive, anxious nature. This is just no way to live--and certainly not how our Heavenly Father wants His children to live.
     The Lord keeps bringing me back to Philippians 4:4-7: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I will say rejoice.  Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.  The Lord is at hand.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.  And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  Such good stuff--truly one of my favorite passages in the whole Bible.
      It's a choice--a daily, hourly choice to rejoice--and rejoice always--rather than fret and complain.  And a choice to pray and praise--about everything-- rather than wring our hands in worry.  Turn those problems, moment-by-moment, into petitions--with thanksgiving--and then enjoy the supernatural peace that the Father longs for us to have.  And peace is defined as the calm assurance that God is in complete control and that whatever He is doing is best.  Best on the golf course.  Best for our children.  Best for our loved ones.  Best when the good times roll...but also best when sorrows roll over us.  Because we don't have all the facts...but God does.
     So I'm happy to report, I just went to a golf tournament and actually, sort of, kind of, enjoyed it.  Really.  Because God and I had a little talk beforehand, and He got my mind right--Philippians 4 right, that is.  Thank You, Lord, for Your patience with this very slow learning child of Yours!   Worry over nothing + prayer and praise over everything = supernatural peace.  That's the formula that never ever fails, for any of us, in any arena.
    And here's how the Lord and I translated that formula for the golf course.  It's a little acronym for "Golf"--"Game Only...Lord Forever."
     Yeah, yeah, I know you probably think that's really dumb, but it sure helped me on that golf course.  When things got tense, I silently reminded myself--this is a "game only...but the Lord is forever and ever!  He's in control.  He's the One to be praised and lifted high.  He's the One who loves us infinitely.  So remember in this moment--He's here and it's about Him and His glory and His greatness and His goodness.  Game only...Lord forever."
     Whatever you might be going through right now, remember, it's "Game only...Lord forever."  No, it's not all about golf and silly games, but you fill in the blank..."_____only...Lord forever."  Failure or disease or discouragement or fear or frustration or loneliness--whatever it is that is stealing your joy and peace--it's temporary. Only temporary and fleeting.
     But our glorious God is forever.  And He will use whatever is going on in your life or your children's lives or your loved ones' lives,  to refine us and teach us and stretch us and grow us more and more into the image of the Lord Jesus....all for His glory, all by His grace, and all for our good.  And since His way is absolutely the best, well, then, that's the way I want it too...whether in golf or life or death or anything in between.
     ______ Only...Lord Forever!  To God be the glory.

Preach it!

     "The joy of the Lord is your strength." (Neh.8:10)
     I have always loved that verse.  Twila Paris had a wonderful song that I used to love to sing based upon that verse.  "The joy of the Lord will be my strength.  I will not falter;  I will not faint.   He is my Shepherd, I am not afraid.  The joy of the Lord is my strength.  The joy of the Lord, the joy of the Lord, the joy of the Lord is my strength..."
      I know that is true.  Absolutely, positively...but sometimes I forget.
     When I live and love based upon what I believe, I find my strength renewed.  As Isa.40:31 declares, "but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
     Problems arise, however, when we base our actions not upon what we believe but upon what we feel.
    And here's the thing: sometimes we simply forget.  We're too busy, too preoccupied, too self-focused, too tired, too overwhelmed sometimes to remember.  Remember the rock-solid truth.  Remember Who our Savior is and what He has done for us and who we are in Him.  And when we forget what we believe, when we respond based upon our feelings or our level of exhaustion or our selfishness or our distorted expectations, then we find our strength shriveled and our joy diminished down to nothing.
     We lose sight of the fact that His joy is our strength.  Not our circumstances.  Not our children's performance.  Not our successes.  Not even our loved ones health or happiness.  Not our anything.  
     It's Him and what He has done and what He is doing right now in our lives--weaving together all the happy and hard and challenging and perplexing events in our lives to bring about His perfect will.  And His will is always "good, pleasing and perfect." (Rom.12:2)
     Sometimes, though, we need some good old fashioned reminding!  No, not sometimes--we need it daily, hourly.  We need to preach the Gospel to our forgetful, stubborn old selves on an hourly basis.  That's why we have to be in the Word--so our Father can use it to transform and renew our minds to think rightly and remember the Truth. "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--His good, pleasing, and perfect will." (Rom.12:2)  If we don't, we'll just fall prey to that sad, dead-end old pattern of "stinkin' thinkin'"--this is hopeless;  they'll never change; I'm all alone; God doesn't hear my prayers; no one cares about my needs; it's all about me...blah blah blah.  Sure, we may not say those things...but we think them.  And thinking them is just as deadly.  Yuck!
     Nope, time to do a little preaching to ourselves!  As C.J. Mahaney says, "On a daily basis we're faced with two simple choices.  We can either listen to ourselves and our constantly changing feelings about our circumstances, or we can talk to ourselves about the unchanging truth of who God is and what He's accomplished for us at the cross through His Son Jesus."
     Time to "preach the Word; be ready in season and out of season"--to ourselves!  Preach it, sister, when you're tired and you feel like crying or yelling!  Preach it when you're discouraged or defeated and you want to just give in or give up.  Preach it to yourself and remind yourself of the true Truth.  It's not about my feelings...it's about His faithfulness.  And He is working and moving and weaving and orchestrating and using it all for His greater glory and our greater good.
     'Cause Aslan is always on the move.  Especially when we can't see Him.
     Think I might sing a chorus or two of "The joy of the Lord is my Strength" to remind myself.
     To God be the glory.
   

Streams of refreshing

        "He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." (Jer.17:8)
     The waters at Cane River are pouring down after weeks and weeks of rain this summer.  All I can think of as we climb and stumble and wade and fall through the frigid, cascading stream is "Thank You, Father!"  What a God of glory!  What a God who gives gifts upon gifts!  So much beauty He has created.  To think, these waters pour and pour--hour after hour, day after day, year after year, millennia after millennia.  They never run dry or run low.
     Such is our God of grace.  His mercy never ends.  His love never fails.  His grace never relents.
     And to every one of us, He beckons.  Come. Come and drink and be filled and satisfied.  "Come everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isa.55:1)

      So thank You, Lord.  Thank You for family and friends.  Thank You for long dinners around the big battered wooden table at Cane River.  Thank You for laughter and old stories and hot buttered biscuits.  Thank You for cookouts on the river and toasted marshmallows.  Thank You for hiking in the verdant green that completely encompasses us.  Thank You for watching thunderstorms on the porch and for the soothing sound of pounding, cool rain.  And thank You for the warmth of the sun and the way it's rays dance and sparkle on the water. Thank You for truck rides and fishing poles and shared family joys and sorrows.  Thank You for these times to pull away and find refreshment.

     But thank You most of all for Your living water--the water of salvation.  The water of the Holy Spirit that fills and refreshes and renews us again and again.  Thank You that when we are planted in You, we will remain fresh and green and verdant like those trees growing by the banks of Cane River.
     Keep us coming back to You, Lord.  Keep us in Your stream.  Refresh us.   Fill us again and again and again, Father.  Restore to us the joy of Your salvation.
     To God--our Living Water--be the glory.
   

Whispers of glory

     He leads me besides still waters.  He restores my soul (Ps.23:3)
     Thank You, Lord, for the gift of Cane River.  For cold, rushing streams.  For dancing rapids.  For quiet pools.  For flashing multicolored rainbow trout.  For towering mountain peaks.  All just whispers of Your glory.

     For the astounding beauty of sunshine sprinkling through the leaves overhead--

     Wow, Lord.  Just wow.
     Might our lives reflect Your glory and Your goodness.
     "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." (Ps.23:6)
     To God, the Creator, the Artist, the Sustainer, and the Redeemer, be all the glory.

Not the end of the story

     Lord, this day I lift before Your throne so many right now who sorrow and struggle and grieve.  A dear friend who has lost her Daddy.  Other friends who have lost their beloved husband, son, brother, and friend.  Still other friends who have lost a precious child.
      O Lord, I know only a tiny taste of their pain.  But You know and feel it all.  You have drunk that pain of separation and sorrow to the dregs.  And even at this very moment, You are with them in their sadness and desolation.  O might they feel Your loving, powerful presence, Father.  Right at this moment, might they know that they know that they know that You will NEVER leave them.  That You said, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" on the cross so that they need never ever be forsaken.  Give them vision and faith in You that goes deeper than their feelings.
     Lord, show them that this is not the end of their story.
     No, not the end, just a part of a story that You are weaving and overseeing and ultimately bringing to a glorious conclusion.  None of our stories are finished.  You will always always always have the final word.  Not death.  Not disease.  Not accident.  Not failure.  Not sin.  No, You and You alone are the One who will always finish our stories.          
     And Your stories--every single one of them--end in redemption's song.  No matter how they start.  No matter their middle.  No matter the seeming defeats endured in those stories...they all end with You and in You and through You in victory and glory and redemption.
     Because of the cross.
     That's how we know--what seemed the end...was just the beginning.
     What seemed utter defeat...was glorious victory.
     What seemed despair and hopelessness...was the joyous song of redemption and salvation.
     So, too, our stories.  The beginnings, the middles, wherever we are right now, Lord, show us, teach us, that You have something far greater and more glorious than we could ever begin to imagine.
     And in the midst of it all, in the hardest, darkest places in our stories, You are still there.  Right there with us.  O help us to know how beloved we are by the One who made us.  "See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; your walls are continually before Me." (Isa. 49:16)  We are forever inscribed on Your heart and Your hands, Father.  And those walls of despair or doubt or disease that seem so certain to be the end of our story, well, they are nothing but a middle, maybe an intermission.  You've not finished writing.  Those walls are nothing to You.  And You are our Door, the Door in that wall that will lead us to the other side.  To hope and joy and peace and life--real Life--restored.
     "He who was seated on the throne said, 'I am making everything new!'  Then He said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." (Rev. 21:5)
     Thank You Lord that no matter what we will face in our stories, we know Who is with us through it all and Who will be there at the very, very end.  And it is You. The One who sits on the throne and who is making all things new.  Our mighty Lion of Judah.  Our Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.  Our Fortress.  Our forever faithful Friend.  Our Good Good Good Shepherd.  Our Rock.  Our Redeemer.
     To God, the Only God, the Writer and Sustainer and Redeemer of all our stories, be all the glory.

Michael and Mahler

     Moses and Michael.
     I don't think either of them needs an introduction.
     Both of them starting to show their age.  Maybe a bit worn and a bit worse for the wear.
     But both still treasured members of our family who will give us memories for the rest of our days.  Moses we adopted when he was 5 years old--simply the best Christmas ever for all our children...well, and for us too.
     Michael J.--he came to us in a bit of a different way...
     Twenty-six years ago this August 8th, my husband and I were married on a sunny, hot summer's day.  A day of joy.  A day when God began this little family.  O thank You, Father.  Forgive me for sometimes forgetting, for taking for granted all that You have done in giving me my husband and children and friends and extended family, and, of course, Moses!  Who could have imagined all that God had in mind for us on that steamy August day all those years ago?  All that the years would give-- each precious child.  Each birthday.  Each Christmas morning.  Each homecoming to heaven for greatly beloved and treasured family and friends.  Each moment of heartache.  Each moment of joy.
     And God has been right there with us for every single moment of every single day.  "It is the Lord who goes before you.  He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed." (Deut.31:8)   Thank You for never ever forsaking us, Lord...not even for a moment.
     So here's how Michael Jordan came to at our wedding:
     Two of our groomsmen--some of my husband's oldest and dearest friends--"borrowed" this life-size Michael Jordan from the hotel where they were staying for the wedding.  I suspect the hotel was not overly thrilled by their actions.  The mischievous groomsmen then secretly hid Michael in the choir stalls behind the alter at the First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro.  I wish I had a picture of the church.  It is beautiful, spectacular.  Maybe not the kind of place you might associate with a life-size cut out of a grinning basketball player.  But you never know.
     So things proceeded smoothly for the ceremony.  Regular old, lovely wedding.  Finally, wonderful Dr. Mullin pronounced us husband and wife, and Richard and I happily turned and began walking down the aisle.  But what's that?  Were we hearing laughter ripple through the congregation?   We just figured everyone was soooo happy for us.  And, well heck, we were mighty happy and felt like laughing too.
    What we didn't realize was that the congregation was indeed happy--to see Michael J. suddenly appear from behind the choir stalls and placed right behind the alter.  There he stood, in all his Chicago Bulls glory--right behind and to the right of the  totally clueless Dr. Mullin.  He, too, was a bit puzzled by the sudden and prolonged laughter...until he turned to leave the sanctuary and glimpsed the Tar Heel hero standing just feet from him.  And what could he do but laugh too?!  I have to say--it was terrific!
     I'm thinking First Presbyterian has never seen the likes of that wedding.
     So who were the culprits?  Mahler Thorp and Jimbo Thorp.
     They made our wedding one none of us will ever forget.  The Michael Jordan wedding is still surely legend in Greensboro.  No one remembers what anyone wore or the food or the flowers...but they remember the joyous hilarity of Michael showing up at just the right time at the front of the sanctuary.
     I share all this with a heavy heart, for our dear friend, Mahler, went home to be with the Lord on Monday when he was killed in a car wreck.  And trust me, the world is a bit darker, a bit less joyous, and surely a bit less fun since Mahler left us.  He will be deeply, deeply missed.
      But, boy, heaven is surely rocking about now.
      I'm betting that he's up there teaching everyone the Tar Heel fight song.  And they are all having a ball...even the Duke fans.
     Thank You, Lord, for the gift of memories.  And of precious old friends.  And thank You for Mahler.  Remind us to live each day to the full and to splash about Your joy to those around us, as Mahler surely did for so many.  You give us one life to live for Your glory.  O help us not to waste it, Lord.  "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10)  Thank You for abundant, eternal life that Jesus came to give us.  Might we live it to the full till we go home to be with You on that glorious day.
     To God be the glory.

   

Attitude!

                      A little food for weekend thought:
     I was just reminded of this wonderful quote from Chuck Swindoll.  It's an old one, but, boy, such a good one:

"Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude... I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it.

And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes."

One of the great old golfers (Bobby Jones maybe?) put it this way, as least as it applies to the game of golf: "Golf is 90% mental... and 10% mental."  Yep, pretty much sums up a lot of life, doesn't it?!  

So, Lord, keep our minds focused upon You and upon Your goodness and grace in our lives.  Not preoccupied with what we lack, or where we're failing, or on the shortcomings of others.  Nope, keep our hearts and minds fastened upon You and Your Truth. The real Truth. The Good Truth.  "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." (Phil.4:8)

Golf swings and steadfastness

     Okay, Lord, I think we are good with the character development around here.
      I know Your will and Your ways are perfect. But I'm just saying, I think we're good now, so maybe You could let up just a bit.
      It's been another tough round of golf in a tournament today for one of our boys.  He's going through a slump, and sakes alive, this has been a brutal few weeks.  Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know it's just a game...that is doesn't matter a hill of beans in the big picture of life...that God is in control...and that He does all things best.  Most of all, I know that He uses the difficulties and disappointments in our lives to build into us rock solid character that is founded upon Him and His grace and goodness and power.
     As James puts it: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4)
     Absolutely.  We know that we know that we know all those things.
     But goodness gracious, sometimes it's gets mighty wearisome while the Lord is building that steadfastness.  Especially in your children.  How hard it is to see those you love better than your own life, working and trying as hard as they possibly can, and yet seeming to meet nothing but obstacles and setbacks.  Broken bones.  Or broken golf swings.  Or broken hopes.
     But Lord, I also know that You make no mistakes.  And if You're allowing trials in our lives, then You're producing something much greater and more lasting than our temporary success in this passing life.  You're producing that eternal weight of glory in the lives of those we love.
     "Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." (Rom.5:3-5)
     I know a golf slump is not true suffering.  Absolutely not.  But I also know that right now, for our son, well, this constitutes suffering.  And I also know that our Heavenly Father sees and cares infinitely about His beloved child's discouragement over whatever difficulty that child is facing.  Aren't you glad God knows about all our struggles--big and small--and that He cares just as much for the insignificant flies in the ointment of our lives as the giant storms that threaten to swamp us?  Nothing's too giant for our Heavenly Father to handle nor too little for Him to notice and ultimately use in our story of redemption.
     So thank You, Lord, that You use the disappointments and sorrows in lives for our ultimate good and Your glory.  Thank You that You are producing--through whatever suffering we are enduring--character and irrepressible hope because it is rooted in Your infinite love.
     So when we cannot feel that love...we trust in You, the Great Lover.  Help us to trust, Lord.  Help us to persevere.  Help us to stay grateful.   And, well... how about a little help with that golf!
     To God be the glory.

Transitory Gifts

     "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation of shadow due to change." (James 1:17)
     Thank You Father for life's simplest, freest gifts.  They are all treasures from Your hand.  As I see how quickly life changes in this wild adventure of life--children growing up and leaving home all too quickly, parents growing older or going home to be with the Lord, heroes of yesterday come and gone, fortunes won and lost, vibrant memories slowly fading--I'm so thankful that You do not change.  Lord. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever.
     So gracious Gift-Giver, I thank You for who You are and what You have done.
     Some of Your gifts are transitory--they must be savored right now...or we miss the opportunity.
     Just a few simple, but passing, gifts for which I give You praise this day--

Red, white, and blue butter bagels--a reminder of this great nation...and of our boys who loved eating every morsel!  O, and thank You, Lord, for bagels and whatever genius came up with the idea of round, chewy, satisfying morsels of bread.  Yum, the gift that keeps on giving!

Peter's cucumber plant.  Who knew we could actually grow something that would produce such an abundant harvest?  Wow!  We may have a brown thumb at our house, but the Lord has more than made up for it!   Cucumbers galore--another gift.

 A fierce Monopoly game--even if I always seem to land on one of the boys' properties with houses on it and get wiped out.  sigh.  Even now the debris from last night's game (to be continued tonight) lies strewn about the den floor.  I'm refusing the urge to fret and fuss, for I know these days will be over all too quickly.  Someday in the not too distant future, our floor will be spotless, the Monopoly pieces will all be snuggly within the box on the shelf...and I will long for this day of messy floors and Monopoly money floating under the sofa.  So thank You, Lord, for this gift.

What can I say?  Sweet old Moses relaxing...and depositing copious amounts of black hair all over the bottom half of the chair.  Again, someday I will find a bit of that hair under a seat cushion and will smile at the memory...and shed a tear at God's goodness in giving us this fine, fine dog.  So we'll take the shedding for the pure joy of having Moses in our lives.
     Just a few simple transitory gifts from the Father's hand.  Lord, You never change or fade or decrease or run low...but Your gifts are to be appreciated and savored now, right now.  You last forever...but many of Your gifts do not.  Lord, keep our eyes open to see, and our hearts soft and grateful for each treasure from You, our Father of lights.  To God be the glory.

Proclaiming, not rehashing!

                           A little food for weekend thought:
          "You have multiplied, O Lord my God, Your wondrous deeds and Your thoughts toward us; none can compare with You!  I  will proclaim and tell of them, yet they are more than can be told."  Psalm 40:5
      A while back I heard a podcast of John Piper speaking on a panel, and his comment's on this verse really struck a chord with me.  I don't have the exact quote, but he shared very briefly about how he and his wife Noelle went on a date night every week.  During their time together on these dates, they had become experts on parsing their children's problems and discussing all the issues and difficulties and struggles in their lives.
     And then early one morning, John was reading Psalm 40 and came to verse 5--"...I will proclaim and tell of them [the Lord's wondrous deeds], yet they are more than can be told."  He said he was dumbstruck.  Here he was a minister of God's Word and proclaiming the greatness and majesty of God to his congregation and to others all over the world, but he was not proclaiming it in his own home, in  his own marriage. He had not been recalling God's goodness in their own home!
     He said he went to his wife and tearfully confessed how he had failed in this area.  Rather than encouraging one another on those date nights, recounting God's goodness and faithfulness, they had been merely rehearsing all the woes and negatives in their lives.
     Man, that really convicted me, for how easy it is to fall into that pattern--especially in our own homes!  When I heard Piper's words, here is what I wrote to my gracious Father: "Lord, forgive me as I'm so prone to focus on the negative instead of all Your gifts, Your goodness, Your grace towards me and my family.  Did it just this morning when I got discouraged about something.  Forgive me, Father.  Help me to proclaim Your wondrous deeds and thoughts--not just in my blog but in my family!  In my thoughts.  In my everyday life--preoccupy me with proclaiming Your wonders rather than complaining about the weaknesses in my life or the lives of those I love.  In Jesus' powerful and glorious and forever worthy name I pray, Amen."
     No one else may have needed this, but just in case, Psalm 40:5 provides a little ammunition to proclaim His wonders rather than rehashing your woes.  By the way, I've discovered "proclaiming" always leads to joy and hope; "rehashing," well, it inevitably results in irritability and downheartedness.  I choose joy...because I choose Jesus and His greatness and goodness and infinite grace.  Time to proclaim it...with our friends, with our families, with ourselves.
     To God--the Lord of wondrous deeds and thoughts towards us too innumerable to be told (but we will try!)--be all the glory!

Happy Birthday, America!

     Happy birthday, America!  Thank You, Lord, for this great nation and for the incredible gift of being born here, in this place, in this time.  For those of us born here, it's so easy to take all the blessings of our citizenship for granted.  So trite, but so true.  Every one of us who live in this land of the free and  home of brave have been born on third base.  We have been given so much just by the nature of the location of our birth, and it is all simply a reflection of Your grace.
     Yes, our nation is far from perfect.  Yes, injustice and poverty and evil still reside in this land.  But we still live in a place where we can openly worship the Lord we love.   We still live in a place where anyone and everyone, with hard work and determination, can make their lives better for themselves and their families.  We still in a country that cares about the gift of freedom in other nations and is willing to make sacrifices in order that others can enjoy the hope and promise of that freedom.
     So, I'm ready to eat some watermelon and ice cream, wave the flag, marvel at fireworks, laugh with family and friends, and rejoice that God sovereignly placed us in this great nation.  But all the while, might we remember, we are only passing through.  As much as we love this nation--even with all her flaws--we are citizens of an infinitely greater country.  A country without evil.  A country without racism or poverty or tears or failure or fear.  A perfect, eternal, joyous, glorious country.
     I love the words of C.S. Lewis--
          "If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.  If none of my earthly pleasures satisfy it, that does not prove that the universe is a fraud.  Probably earthly pleasures were never meant to satisfy it, but only to arouse it, to suggest the real thing.  If that is so, I must take care, on the one hand, never to despise, or to be unthankful for, these earthly blessings, and on the other, never to mistake them for the something else of which they are only a kind of copy, or echo, or mirage.
           I must keep alive in myself the desire for the my true country, which I shall not find till after death; I must never let it get snowed under or turned aside; I must make it the main object of life to press on to that country and to help others to do the same."
     Amen!  Lord, thank You for this great nation--long may she prosper and reflect Your glory and goodness.  But may we all remember on this, her birthday, that our real country, our real home, is with You.  And that home will be glorious beyond imagining.  Help us to live now as citizens of our eternal country.
     To God be the glory.

Cell phones and other idols!

     Another cell phone bites the dust.  Sigh.
     That's it, submerged in rice.  We're hoping for a miraculous removal of moisture and a revival of service.  So far, it's not looking too promising.  Let me explain--
     Yesterday, I dropped my cell phone in a glass of water.  Yeah, yeah, I know that sounds ridiculously lame, but it's true.  I was intently reading something and not paying attention, and what can I say?  This space cadet put my phone down in a small glass of water I was drinking at the time.  I share this to make everyone else feel great about themselves.  I know what you're thinking right now.  Gee, I may be forgetful, I may be out to lunch sometimes, I may be disorganized, I may even be exhausted... but I'm doing waaaaay better than that nincompoop.
     I'm just all about trying to encourage everyone else here, so I'm glad to make anyone reading this feel enormously better about yourselves.  You're welcome.  Maybe next week I can write about misplacing my car or calling my children by the dog's name or once again forgetting about the tooth fairy for my youngest child.  (By the way, did you know the tooth fairy often likes to put a dollar in the oddest places--mailboxes, microwaves...she's a tricky one, that tooth fairy.  At least in our house.)
     Sure it's funny.  Ha ha.  My husband is really laughing since he relishes the prospect of perhaps having to spend money again replacing my cell phone.
     But here's the thing--it has been, shall we say, a bit of a stressor for me.  You just don't realize how important your cell phone is to you until you have it fly off the hood of your car on the highway (see blog post many months ago) or drop it in a glass of water or maybe just plain old lose it somewhere in the wild blue yonder (not that this has ever happened in our house.  O nooooo.)
     I found myself worrying over who might be calling or texting me and assuming I'm just plain rude since I don't respond to them.  O gracious--that makes me feel wretched.  Or what if one of my children is trying to reach me--by text of course since all young people seem to have lost the art of actually using their voices to talk on the phone.  Or what if I need my contacts or need to call someone on my way to the grocery store or...  Well, the possibilities for disaster are simply endless.
     By the way, please note where we happened to put the cell phone in the rice--right in front of my favorite verse displayed on our kitchen counter.  "Be anxious for nothing, but in all things give thanks."  The Lord has such a sense of humor!  I had been both anxious and ungrateful.  But our forever faithful Father got me back on the right track and had me thanking Him--even for another day of pouring rain and broken cell phones.  He's always teaching us, isn't He?
   Here's what God's Word says: "Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications!  The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoices, and with my song I will praise Him." (Ps. 28:6-7)
     "It is better to trust in the Lord that to put confidence in man.  It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes." (Ps. 118:8-9)
     How prone we (or at least yours truly) are to put our confidence in all these lesser idols in our lives!  Trusting in our cell phones.  Trusting in our abilities.  Trusting in our finances.  Trusting in our healthy lifestyles.  Trusting in our accolades.  Trusting in our children's success.  Trusting in others to make us feel validated.  Trusting in other's opinions of us.  Trusting in our possessions.  
     And it occurred to me: it's easy to identify an idol in your life by how it makes you feel when that possession or person or purpose in life is taken away or threatened in any way.  Yeah, I know a cell phone is a silly example, but boy, we can be so quick to start depending upon all these ultimately lesser and infinitely inferior idols in our lives to provide comfort or worth or wisdom or pleasure.
     But idols do nothing but steal our joy, rob our peace, and most tragically of all, thwart our loving and intimate relationship with the Lord who made us and longs to walk with us.  We throw away the priceless gift of intimacy with and worship of the Almighty for a sham idol that will always, and I mean always, ultimately disappoint and crush us.  It's like trading a piece of chewed-up gum for a priceless pearl.  Or as C.S Lewis so famously put it--trading a splash in a little mud puddle for a spectacular holiday at the beautiful beach.  Time to stop making that trade, don't you think?
     So Lord, thank You that You are the One "who hears the voice of my supplications."   No one else need hear my voice on the cell phone!  If I am heard by You, then that is enough.  That is more than enough--that is glorious!  Help us trust in You, in You alone, and not in all those little idols in our lives that do nothing but rob, steal, and destroy.  You are our strength and shield, and in You, our hearts rejoice.  To God be the glory.