The joys of here...pointing to there

        We're here at the Homestead with a big, old group of our extended relatives for a Family Reunion.  So much fun, so much beauty, so much gratitude.  On a group hike, some falls--

       More falls--

       And the meandering stream--oh my, is there about anything more peaceful and beautiful than a mountain stream?

       On our hike with a guide from the Homestead, we learned about all kinds of truly remarkable examples of God's stunning creation.  For example, here's the Rattlesnake Orchid.  It apparently only blooms every 3 to 5 years.  Here it is, out here in the middle of the wilderness, preparing to bloom to the glory of God--even if no human eyes ever see it's beauty--

       Then there's the Yew Tree.  This wondrous tree has bark that is the basis for the life-changing cancer drug, Taxol.  Can you imagine?  Scientists discovered that the bark of this tree powerfully blocks the growth of, and kills,  cancer cells.  This discovery has saved numerous lives...including that of my sister-in-law. Praise God for this tree and for the scientists who tirelessly seek for cures for disease.

(That's the Yew tree in the background...and my dear sister-in-law in the foreground.  Thank You, Father.  Looks like a normal old, unassuming tree, doesn't it?  But God--our awesome Creator and Great Physician knew better!)
        Another thing I learned on our hike: 90% of all drugs that fight cancer and all other forms of diseases come from plants.  Yes, 90%!  And guess what percentage of life-saving drugs come from nature?  You'll never guess, so I'll tell you: 100%.  Now, some of those ingredients are altered and mixed and so forth, but the bottom line is they all come from nature.  Let me rephrase that: they all, all, all come from God's creation.  Incredible.
        Then there's this little plant called the Stitched plant--each leaf is individually stitched onto the stem.  What a God of intricate, meticulous detail!

       And I just had to add the lovely "arrangement" of ferns growing out of a giant rock on the side of the stream.  How does a rock produce something so green and lovely?  Our God strikes again!

       Then you add to the beauty and wonder of God's creation, the gift of spending time with dear family and friends that you love (and completely do not deserve).  Yeah, we've all got warts and imperfections, but God has given us to one another, and oh how I praise Him for His extravagant goodness.  Aren't you thankful we're not going through this often challenging journey all by our lonesome selves?  Thank You, Father, for the priceless treasure of companionship and love to encourage and strengthen us along the way...and for the joy of laughing with one another.  Never want to take that gift for granted!
        And did I mention the food?  Oh my stars, what could be better than sitting down to eat a delicious meal with people you love?  Seriously.  Have I thanked You lately, Abba, for giving me taste buds, appetite, and precious loved ones with whom to share each morsel?  He is so, so good.
       So here's the thing: if this world can hold such wonders, can you imagine heaven?  Yes, life can be so hard.  We all know that all too well. But life can also be luminously joyful...and all too often, it's the simplest gifts that bring us the greatest little foretastes of heaven: a baby's smile, a piece of chocolate, a bubbling brook, a refreshing rain, a moment of laughter and hilarity, a hot shower, a dearly loved face, an orange sunset.
         C.S. Lewis put it this way: "The faint, far-off results of those energies which God's creative rapture implanted in matter when he made the worlds, are what we now call physical pleasures; and even thus filtered, they are too much for our present management. What would it be to taste at the fountain-head that stream of which even these lower reaches prove so intoxicating? Yet that, I believe, is what lies before us [in heaven]. The whole man is to drink joy from the fountain of joy. In the light of our depraved appetites we cannot imagine this."
       Thank You, Father, thank You.  Teach us to see in every pleasure, every bit of beauty, every gift of love, a foretaste of all You have planned for us at "the fountain-head" of the stream of this world--the fountain-head of eternal glories.  Heaven...joy...perfection...glory...love...eternity...wonder ahead.  So whatever this day, or week, or year might hold, we can hang on, knowing no matter the path, You've got us.  And knowing, praise God, exactly where You're taking us.
       We love You, Lord, and we trust You.  When our eyes are focused on the hard and perplexing, Abba, we ask that You would graciously lift our vision to You.  Remind us of Your presence, energize us with Your provision, encourage us with Your promises, and strengthen us with the hope of Your perfect Heavenly home.
       Might the joys of here, continually point us to there.  
       To God be the glory.

       

You choose

        This, believe it or not, was a thriving, bright green plant with lots of potential for lovely blooms only a few shorts days ago-

       There's an equally pathetically desiccated one to match on the other side of the stoop.  Shockingly, I paid good money for these two formerly beautiful plants, but I forgot one very crucial thing:
        You've got to water what you want to flourish.
        Yeah, yeah, I've got a brown thumb, but I really can't blame this cruel plant abuse on my lack of gardening acumen.  Nope, it's simply failing to take the simplest, most critical action necessary for growth and flourishing--watering.  Geez.  This is especially necessary when the temperature, day after day, hovers in the upper 90's.
        Lord, I needed this reminder.  If we want to experience the joy, peace, hope, and love of the Lord, then we better be regularly watering our souls in His Word.  If we want to enjoy an abundance of the fruit of the Holy Spirit, then we need a regular dose of His life-giving, refreshing promises.  If we want to possess the power to love the unlovely, to accomplish the work we've been given, and to do it all to the glory of God, then we sure better be pouring His soul-saturating, grace-giving, energy-empowering supernatural Scriptures all over our often parched hearts and minds.
       But here's the thing: we daily have the choice.  With what will we feed our souls?  The junk food of the world or the perfect nourishment of God's promises.  Will we slowly starve our minds of the nourishment that brings us peace in the midst of storms and joy even in the trenches...or will we fill and fill and refill with that life-sustaining, glory-revealing water of His Word?
       Yes, life is busy.  Yes, we all face challenges and heartbreaks and frustrations.  But we all have the choice.  You have the choice.
       You can choose today which it will be.
       "See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil." (Dt.30:15)
       Today, we each have the choice--beginning, most critically, with what we will use to water our souls--of life and good or death and evil.  And to not consciously choose God's Word means, by default, that your heart will be shriveling and shaping into the world's negative mold.
        It begins with one seemingly small choice to choose God's Word rather than that magazine or that TV program or that iphone.  Choosing to read and then repeat to ourselves the promises of God's love and faithfulness rather than those whispers of doubt and discouragement.  Choosing to rehearse God's goodness rather than rehashing frustrations.  Choosing gratitude for who God is and what He has done rather than grumbling about the few things we lack.
       But it all starts with choosing His Word over the world.
      "And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." (Joshua 24:15)
       Oh Father, help us to choose You this day.  To choose Life.  To choose to be watered and nourished by Your beautiful, supernatural Word that we might flourish by Your grace and to Your glory.
       To God be the glory.
         
     

Pray big, boldly...but trusting

                                          A little food for weekend thought...on prayer--

       Did I mention yesterday that I can be a spiritual amnesiac? Well, it's true.  And I'm guessing I'm not the only one with a mighty short retention span.  Anybody?
       Today, I'm thinking about prayer.  Prayer is surely the believer's greatest weapon in the fight for joy, peace, hope, and power in the midst of the battle.  Not to mention our most potent weapon in the fight to kill the sin in our lives.
       Little prayer, little power.  Little prayer, little peace.  Little prayer, little holiness.
       Ah, but where there's much prayer, big prayer?  Resurrection power, supernatural peace, beautiful Christ-like holiness.
       But here's what happens with yours truly, the prayer-amnesiac.  I pray, sort of half-believing, half-hoping...but then immediately falling into "the pit of despond" when things don't work out the way I wanted/prayed/hoped they would.
       Please note the use of the pronoun "I."  Because there's the root of my problem.
       It's all about my plan, my dream, my prayer.  When it's all about me and my ideas and my schemes, then when yours truly's seemingly brilliant prayer/plan/dream doesn't work out just the way I hoped, then discouragement and disbelief set in.
      And you know what?  At the base of it all, I believe, is a failure to trust that God truly is perfect in His love for us.
      We go into the mental gymnastics of telling ourselves, "Well, if God really loved my child, He wouldn't have let______happen."  Or "If God really loved us,  He would have healed_____."  Or "If God really is so loving, He would answer my prayer for________and thus vastly improve the quality of my life."
       But we forget the cross.
       We forget His grace.
       We forget His extravagant goodness to us.
       We forget the innumerable times He has met our desperate need.
       We forget the countless ways He has blessed us.
       We forget that He always, always, always answers prayer...but that sometimes "No" or "Not yet" is an answer.
        And we forget not only His love but the extent of His love.  We forget that God demonstrated an extraordinary, infinite, unfathomable love for us by allowing His only Son to die that we might live.  And that Christ died even though we are--more often than not--disbelieving, doubting, disobedient, and ungrateful prodigals.
         Oh forgive us, Abba.  Forgive me.
         Thank You for reminding me that "No prayer is lost. There is no such thing as prayer unanswered or unnoticed by God, and some things that we count refusals or denials are simply delays." (Horatius Bonar)
         I think, for example, of Joseph.  Remember Joseph in the book of Genesis?  Sold into slavery, imprisoned, mistreated, seemingly forgotten by man and God for seventeen long years.  
        What prayer request have you been praying about for seventeen years?  Are you tempted to give up after a year...or two...or ten?  Not Joseph.
        At the end of all that waiting and suffering and struggling, Joseph confidently proclaimed to his brothers, "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today." (Gen.50:20)  In other words--it wasn't you boys who did this.  It was God all along--and He allowed it out of His infinite love and perfect wisdom so that His chosen people could be saved.
       That's tenacious, trusting-in-God's-goodness-and-love faith that says, "I'm willing to pray and wait.  Pray and trust.  Pray and believe that God's plan and timing are always ultimately best...even when it's painful."
      That's powerful prayer that says, "Here's my prayer, and I know, know, know You have the power to do it, Lord...but I will wait on You.  I will trust in Your wisdom.  I will rest in Your love.  And I will believe that whatever, whenever, however this all turns out, You are sovereign and Your way is perfect."
       Robert Murray McCheyne said that "There never was, and never will be a believing prayer unanswered."  Meaning: God always answers--whether it's "Yes," "Not yet," or "No."  Because our God of infinite love, absolute power, and perfect righteousness never misses a beat, never makes a mistake, and never, ever, ever fails to fulfill every one of His promises.
       And here's the thing: when we're armed with that knowledge, we can, indeed, "Rejoice always [even in His 'No's'], pray without ceasing [no matter how long], give thanks in all circumstances." [in every, every, every circumstance--good, bad, or indifferent] (I Thess.5:16)
       So today, let's pray.  Pray big.  Pray boldly.  But pray fully entrusting it all to our all-loving, all-knowing, all-powerful Heavenly Father.  Trusting Hs plan.  His timing. His answer.
       'Cause He's our Abba, our Daddy.  And He's got it.  No matter what, when, or how.
       To God be the glory.

Life in unexpected places

       Here's what our backyard looks like (please excuse the brown grass and weeds--if God made it grow, we like it)--

       Now there's a reason that Mr. B is looking particularly attentive, despite that fact that it's 99 degrees in the shade.  We apparently have some visitors who have made their happy home in our very wild, au natural yard (this time please excuse the crummy picture.  You are clearly not dealing with Ansel Adams here...and besides, this was hurriedly snapped through the kitchen window as they were about to run back into the woods)--

       Yes, not one but two little fawns!  Their mama must have spied us through the kitchen window, because she had just leapt back into the woods...followed pretty nearly simultaneously by her twins.  We've seen several other large deer back there as well...but I'm guessing the daddy is relaxing back in the woods with a remote in his hoof...or maybe a five iron.  After all, Father's Day is coming up.
       But can I just say, "Wow!  Who would have thought?!"
       Believe me, we do not have cavernous woods in our backyard.  It's dense and a pretty decent size, but not huge, so we're not talking about a State Park housing a family of deer.  This is, after all, the middle of Raleigh...the second biggest city in North Carolina, thank you very much (a population way back in 2013 of nearly 432,000).
      Yet in the middle of a busy city, a family of deer with twins is living and thriving in a regular old backyard...and we would never have known it except for an occasional sighting.  That's amazing.              Isn't it something?  Remarkable and beautiful life is happening all around us, even when we're unable--or unwilling--to see it.
       It all reminded me once again of the great truth that God is always, always, always working and moving in our world--and in my little corner of the world--in a billion different ways that I cannot see, do not know, and cannot even imagine.  Those hard, dark places that look like impossible dead-ends to me?--not to Him.  Not at all.  He's just turning that dead-end into an unexpected turn that reveals a spacious place of unexpected rest and blessing.
      Only we can't see it from here...cause that's how God often works.  Quietly.  Hidden.  Surprising.  Using the mundane and ordinary to camouflage the supernatural.  Relentlessly working and moving all the pieces into place in remarkable, beautiful, and sometimes utterly shocking, miraculous ways.
       A backyard housing magnificent creatures who gracefully leap and bound always reminds me that "God, the Lord, is my strength; He makes my feet like the deer's; He makes me tread on my high places." (Hab.3:19)  And "For who is God, but the Lord?  And who is a rock, except our God?--the God who equipped me with strength and made my way blameless.  He made my feet like the feet of a deer and set me secure on the heights." (Ps.18:31-33)
       Amen!  There is no Rock like our God...and He is working and moving and guiding and helping and leading and superintending you and your loved ones and this big, old, crazy world in innumerable and amazing ways we cannot see and do not imagine.
       Just remember (as I remind my amnesiac self): even when you cannot see it, God is here--right here, right now--with you, every moment of every day, continually working ALL things for your greater good and His greater glory.  Even in the trenches.  Even in the darkness.  Even in the hardest, most mystifying places.
        "Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the Lord I love," says the great old hymn.  Yes, that's me.  Prone to wander...and all too easily, prone to forget.  But when I faithlessly forget, He gently reminds me.  Sometimes with a promise from His Word...or a hug from a friend...or a piece of wisdom from my husband or child or sister...or perhaps, sometimes,  even with a glimpse of some deer and their babies.  When you can't see Him with your eyes, see Him with your faith.
       Seeing isn't believing...but believing leads to seeing.
       Thank You, Lord.  To God be the glory.

Mountains, joy-bursts, and glory

       "Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations.  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God." (Ps.90:2)
       "'For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but My steadfast love shall not depart from you, and My covenant of peace shall not be removed,' says the Lord, who has compassion on you." (Isa.54:10)

        Early this morning, glory--

       And then just a couple of minutes later, more glory--

        Thank You, Father, for the beauty of the mountains.  I hear it's sweltering back down in the valley, but up here on the mountaintop?  Well, pretty near to perfection, if you ask me.  Cool, breezy mornings, gorgeous sunrises and sunsets over the blue hills, green everywhere, birds soaring over gigantic trees, and quiet, serene stillness.  Yep, clearly a tiny foretaste of heaven.
       There's just something about the majestic mountains that reflects the wonder, glory, and faithfulness of our Creator.  Makes me want to break out singing "Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!"
       Oh my, this was so worth all the waiting and delaying of a few days ago--something I need to remind myself every single time I get frustrated with waiting.  God works in our waits!
       He uses all our waiting in so many varied and powerful ways.  That may not make it much easier at the time, but if we could just counsel our hearts to be patient and to trust Him it would make all the difference in the world!  As James says, "You also, be patient.  Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord." (James 5:8)  That's what we have to do--establish our hearts in Him.  Strengthen our feeble arms and weak knees (Heb.12:12) by looking to our forever-loving Father, trusting His ways and His timing.
       Because in the end, His plans are always best...and the waiting only magnifies the joy.  But sometimes we simply have to give ourselves a little serious talking to so we'll remember!  Oh forgive me, Father, for how quickly I forget this!  Amazing what an amnesiac I can be in the midst of the wait.
       But my joy is redoubled--no, actually quadrupled!--not only by the magnificent glory all around us, but by having all our children here with us!  A rare and wonderful occurrence.  Oh thank You, thank You, Father!
       Isn't it funny?  The older we get, the more we experience deep and abiding joy and happiness in the simple but far more important and meaningful things of life: spending time with the people you love, savoring friendships, walking your dog in the early morning, singing a beloved song, enjoying a great meal with family and friends, sitting quietly reading a good book,  laughing (always the best medicine), communing with the Lord of the Universe and holding His living and powerful words in your hands.  Priceless treasures, every one of them.
       Joy-burst moments.  Yes, that's what they are: joy-burst moments.
       Do you know what I mean?  Joy-bursts are those seemingly small, sometimes insignificant incidents when it suddenly hits you--this is Life with a capital L.  This is a gift from God--this moment, this person, this meal, this time of laughter or fellowship or beauty or love.  And you feel overwhelmed with thankfulness and want to sear the moment into your memory for all time.
       Can I mention a couple of examples of such joy-burst moments from the last 24 hours?
       Loved this joy-burst yesterday--watching all the boys hitting golf balls...and what a backdrop!

          Or hiking on Stone Mountain today with the girls.  Glory, glory, glory--how I wanted to freeze the moment (especially when we finally made it to the top)--

       Or all sitting down together last night for a simple meal of chicken and potatoes, served with laughter and much discussion over the Warriors and Cavs game...and all of sudden, just out of the blue, I wanted to weep for happiness.
       So today, a simple thank You for the goodness and glory of God as revealed in His creation and in His children.  Thank You, Lord, for eyes that can see, for a heart that can love, and for a mind that can savor Your many, many gifts. Thank You for all those joy-bursts that come to us in all shapes and sizes. Thank You for each irreplaceable moment of time You give us to spend with the people we love and cherish.
       Open our eyes this day and everyday to Your glory and goodness surrounding us at every turn.  Oh Father, don't let us miss it.  Please don't let us miss You.  
       Keep us grateful...and remind us of the mountaintop when we are still down in the valley.
       To God be the glory.

A few days delay...

     

       Finally.
       Finally we are in the mountains...after several days' delay due to our trusty old suburban.  It seems something called a "timing belt" in the suburban had gone kaput, and it took a while to figure out the problem and then repair it.  Meanwhile, the precious few days we had the mountain house and the even more precious few days our family could be there to use it, were wasting away.
        And boy, was I ever impatient.  And irritable.  And ill-tempered.
        Why?  Because I desperately wanted to get to the mountains and enjoy their incredible beauty with the people I love most in the world...but our old car was messing up my plans.  So what came out of yours truly was, sadly, what was within--ingratitude, impatience, ill-humor.  Basically I was a frustrated, selfish grump.  All over a few days delay.  All over a bit of denial of my plans.  All over a bit of waiting.
       I'll never forget hearing Joni Eareckson Tada share about a time she snapped at her husband in frustration after he admitted late one night how exhausted he was and how hard it sometimes was to be on call all night, every night, to help her with her needs.  (In case you're not familiar with Joni-she's been paralyzed from the neck down for over 40 years, and she is one beautiful testimony to the greatness of God.)
      She later apologized to her husband, Ken, for her ugly, sharp response, saying something to the effect of "That's not like me. That's not who I really am."
     And then she realized, no, that's exactly who I am.  That's exactly what's inside of me--that selfishness, that unkindness, that irritability.  "Out of the abundance [or overflow] of the heart, the mouth speaks," says Jesus in Matthew 12:34.  That which is contained within our hearts will spill out over to our lives, attitudes, and actions.
       Oh Father, that's exactly who I am as well.  My ingratitude, impatience, irritability all betrayed the ugly sin that resides within my heart.  We can hide it pretty well, can't we...until something roughly jars us...or someone "pushes our buttons"...or some unexpected event knocks the wind out of us.   And then what's within comes spilling out.  The corrosive acid of a hateful remark...or a ugly look...or a demanding, entitled attitude...or a selfish pity party.
       Ann Voskamp put it this way: "No matter the jarring, a jar of fresh water can't spill filthy water. When you're upset, you upset what's really in you."
       Not a pretty picture, is it?  Well, sin never is.
       But grace.  
       But forgiveness.
       But love.
       But the cross.
       But the Gospel.
       But Christ.
       Tim Keller says, "The Gospel is this: We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope."
       John Newton shared at the very end of his life that his memory was failing but there were two things that he would never, ever forget: "I'm a great sinner but Christ is a Great Savior."  Amen!  Hallelujah!
       Thank You, thank You, thank You, Lord Jesus, for the more I see the ugliness of my sin unveiled, the more I see the glorious beauty of Your grace revealed.
       I fail...but You forgive.  I'm empty...but You fill.  I'm discouraged...but You encourage.  I grow restless and impatient...but You give grace and tell me to rest in You.
      Don't know where you are today, but if you're weary of waiting or frustrated with your failings or simply weak and worn, might you cling to the cross and be reminded once again that the irrepressible fountain of His grace ever flows and ever fills.  His mercies will never fail you.  His grace will always meet you in your need.
       So join the club--we are all--every single one of us--"more sinful and flawed...than we ever dared believe, yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ than we ever dared hope."
       I can see it so clearly on the glorious mountain top...but how incredibly grateful I am for it in the deepest valley.  
       And the wait, well, it just made the mountains all the sweeter.

       Praise God. To God be the glory.  

Graduation...and God's faithfulness

        Broughton graduation day.  A beautiful sun-splashed day to celebrate 443 students graduating from high school.  Thank You, Lord, for Your faithfulness.  Faithfulness in giving our son, Preyer, to our family.  Faithfulness in allowing him to attend a wonderful school with remarkable and dedicated teachers and staff.  Faithfulness in giving him the gift of amazing friendships.  Faithfulness most of all for allowing him to know and love You as His Lord and Savior.
     

         It's been a fun, but emotional day.  Overwhelming joy and gratitude.  But also twinges of bittersweet sorrow.  So hard to let go and to watch the closing of one chapter of your life.  Another child moving out into the big world.  The house growing ever quieter.  We're down now to just one child left at home, and I must say, silence does not feel all that golden to me.  I love the noise, chaos, drama, and excitement of lots of children, lots of their friends, lots of activities.
        Yeah, yeah, I well remember how I would sometimes complain about the craziness...but oh, what a sweet and special time.  What a gift all those raucous, exhausting, wondrous years.
        So once again, I'm back to the wisdom of good old Dr. Seuss and one of my favorite quotes of all time--"Don't cry because it's over; smile because it happened."
       Boy am I smiling.  Thank You, thank You, thank You, Lord.

       Thank You for Young Life...for Queen of Hearts...for late night, last minute study sessions...for runs to Cook Out, Krispy Kreme and Armadillo Grill (we're all about nutrition)...for spring break...for my favorite sounds of singing with Campaigners Bible study in the basement, laughter amongst friends, and yelling from competitive ping pong or Madden games...for loads of laundry...for Broughton golf shirts...for texts, often during school (not entirely sure how that worked)...for working in the Guidance office with wonderful Dale and Jennifer...for Kip Dell parking lot (praise God for a parking spot!)...for sports banquets...for packing lunches...for last minute signing of interims...for dear, amazing friends who have shared this journey with us for so many of our children and so many years and their youngest child graduated today--like the Manns, McMillans, Roberts, Allens, Mintons, Millsaps, McCains, Creeches, and a host of others I can't think of right now because my heart's too full and my brain too fuzzy!
       I've always loved Ps.71--well, I've especially loved it as I've grown older: "O God, from my youth You have taught me, and I still proclaim Your wondrous deeds.  So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim Your might to another generation, Your power to all those to come." (Ps.71:17-18)
         What a reminder--God is not through with any of us yet.  Yes, our children may be growing up or grown.  Yes, we may have added a few more gray hairs or a few more pounds.  Yes, our memories and our gait may be a bit slower...but if we are still here, God is not finished with us yet!  If we are still breathing, He has work for us to do.  Joy for us to experience.  Love for us to share.  Kindness for us to show.  And glory for us to reveal.
         He has been with us this far...He will not a abandon us now.  Great, great, great is His faithfulness.  "The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.  'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, therefore I will hope in Him." (Lam.3:22-24)
        When one door closes in life, Lord, help us to look to You in faith and to place our hope not in our circumstances but in You.  You are our hope.  You are our unchangeable Rock.  And no matter what changes life may bring, You are forever faithful and Your mercies are, indeed, new every morning...and every year...and every decade...even to empty nests, gray hair, and beyond.
        So thank You, Father.  Thank You.  Thank You for all You've given us, all You've done, and all You are continuing to do.  Use us for Your glory.  Might we continue to proclaim Your greatness and goodness to another generation until the very moment You take us home to glory.  Don't let us rust out, Lord, but keep us aflame for You all the way to the finish line.
        To God be the glory.

Replacing fear with remembering

        Tomorrow is the anniversary of D-Day.  June 6, 1944.
        On that day around 6:30 a.m., 5,000 ships carried 175,000 Allied Troops to the southern beaches of France for the largest invasion in modern history.
        Over the course of roughly 15 minutes, 12,000 Americans died as they left their boats and waded ashore to the killing coast of Normandy.  Such carnage is simply unimaginable.
        And so is such courage.
        These young men--many of them as young or younger than our high school senior son--knew precisely the horrors they were facing.  And they understood that many of them would not live to reach those shores, let alone live to see another day.
        And yet despite what surely must have been terror and dread assaulting each of their hearts, they bravely did their duty and faced the onslaught of the enemy.
       Many survivors vividly recall hearing the messages that were broadcast over the ship intercoms in the minutes before their landing.  Things like "We shall die on the sands of France, but we will never turn back."  And "Fight to get your troops ashore.  Fight to save your ships.  And if you've got any strength left, fight to save yourself."  And the last of the messages they heard before disembarking: "Away all boats," and "Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name."
       I'm sitting here in my comfortable house, in my safe city, and in my free nation, and the only response is overwhelming awe and gratitude.  Awe at such courage.  Gratitude for such sacrifice.  Awe and gratitude for young men who were willing to give their very lives in order to help defeat a vicious and evil enemy.  Such bravery stuns--and convicts--me.
       Oh Lord, forgive me for allowing fear and worry to so often control my thoughts and actions.  Fear of the future.  Fear of what others think.  Fear of failure.  Fear for our children's safety or success.  Fear of the unknown. Such fear is faithlessness.  
       Because here's the thing--our fear inevitably results from forgetting.  Forgetting Who is with us.  Forgetting Whose we are.  Forgetting all He has done for us in the past.  Forgetting what He has done to defeat our greatest enemies of sin and death.  And forgetting the glorious heavenly future He has for us, His children.  
      When we forget, we fear.  When we fear, we become faithless.  And when we are faithless, we fail to experience all that God has for us and all the ways He wanted to use us.
      So what's the antidote?  Remembering.
          Remembering God and His power and presence.
          Reminding ourselves of His Word.
          Recalling His goodness and grace to us.
          Reciting His promises...like--
      "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?  The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Ps.27:1)
      "Have I not commanded you?  Be strong and courageous.  Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9)
     "And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the earth." (Mt.28:20)
      "I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation.  But take heart; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
       As David Powlison says, "Park your mind on what is true."  Or as Philippians 4:8 commands us, "...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."  
        Contemplate God's Word.  Consider His promises and His Person.  Continue to do it...and continue...and continue.  Day after day. Year after year.  On the mountains, in the valleys.  Don't just hurriedly drive by the Truth; park your mind there.
       When fear assaults, we anchor our minds on God's Truth.
       We fix our hearts and focus our minds on God and His promises which are unchangeable, true, powerful, and perfect.  We can't control the world.  We can't control other people.  We can't control our circumstances.  But we can control what we think and how we respond.
       When we control the focus of our thoughts--by replacing fear with remembering God and His promises--then we'll be able to choose how we respond in both our attitudes and our actions.
       God is always with us.  God is always for us.  God is always in control.  And God will always, always, always win the victory.
       So today, choose to replace fear with remembering Almighty God and His supernatural Word.  If we're anchored on our Father and His Truth, we'll respond with faith and courage.
       To God be the glory.
       
     
       

Thankful for dogs

       Mr. Bingley and Georgia, our neighbor's new puppy (at the time, about 8 weeks) after ripping and running around the yard--

        Whew.  I had forgotten that May (and the beginning of June) is spring's answer to December--crazy busy, especially when you have a senior preparing to graduate from high school. Consequently, I'm behind in every possible area of my life...well, except for keeping up with eating plenty of chocolate.  No matter what's going on, I somehow or other always manage to maintain a habit of consistent consumption of chocolate in all it's varied and wondrous forms.
        Okay, so other than chocolate, I'm struggling to get back in a normal routine for things like this blog, laundry, cooking (a home-cooked meal--does take out pizza qualify if you put it on china plates?), and simply some time alone to read the Word, pray, and think.
       This rush, rush, rush from one activity to the next is truly the pits.  There's nothing like the gift of a few minutes of unhurried time spent contemplating the character of God and reflecting on His goodness...and then writing it down so you don't forget it by the next day...or the next hour.
       And therein lies my problem: my feeble brain has processed a number of thoughts over the past few weeks, but I've had no time to write them down...and thus, they're gone forever.  That may be no great loss to the world (to put it mildly), but I do hate missing or forgetting things that God's teaching me.  But if I can't remember, how on earth am I going to learn and grow and change?
       Therein lies one of my two points today: first, when God puts His finger on something--whether it's a Bible verse, a friend who's struggling, or a gift in your life for which to be thankful--we need to pause long enough to write it down so we can remember and reflect upon it.  Don't just assume you'll recall whatever it is.  Maybe you have a better memory than me--in fact, I feel quite certain everybody reading this has a better memory than me--but why risk missing anything God has for you?  Jot it down so you can think about it, pray about it, or thank God for it.
       My second point: thankfulness for one of God's great gifts--dogs.  We have two dear friends who have recently lost their wonderful dogs, and oh my, how I know what a deep loss that is.  Losing Moses two years ago just about killed us but also made us profoundly grateful for what an extraordinary blessing these dogs are in our lives.  They bring so much love, so much laughter, so much sweet companionship, and yes, sometimes so much mess and aggravation.
       Right now I'm looking at a plant in our living room that for some reason Bingley has decided needs to be stripped of it's leaves.  The last few mornings, I've come into the living room to discover a new little pile of leaves on the floor.  This is clearly not beneficial to the plant nor is it encouraging to my already woefully inadequate gardening skills.  The song "Another One Bites the Dust" keeps running through my head.  Sigh.
       But despite the messes, the aggravation, and the exorbitant vet bills, there's nothing like a dog.            Don't get me wrong--I like cats too (although I'm guessing they will not be in heaven)--but it's a rare cat who will run to the door to enthusiastically greet you.  Or joyfully walk with you anytime and anywhere.  Or look at you with adoring eyes even after you've accidentally stepped on their paw.  Or exhibit great happiness and contentment just by being in your presence and sitting at your feet (or in Bingley's case, your lap).
       So today, Lord, thank You for dogs.  Thank You for the way You created them with their soft fur, sweet gentle eyes, and wet noses.  Thank You for the way they love to run and jump and catch and fetch.  Thank You for their enthusiasm and love.  Thank You for they way they become such a treasured member of our families.
       And finally, thank You--and this is a painful thank You--that when they die we grieve so deeply...for that grief is a reflection of the incalculable richness and joy they've added to our lives.  This side of heaven we can't have one without the other--the joy and the sadness.  The depth of our sorrow in their loss is also a measure of the greatness of our love and happiness in enjoying them for however long we had them.
       Just makes me thankful all over again for our Lord Jesus who conquered sin and death.   Our sin brought death and decay to all of God's magnificent creation--not just to humans, but also to dogs and deer, birds and bees, fish and foxes.
       Death hurts.  Oh my how it hurts...but "O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin, is the law, but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (Rom.15:55-57)
       Thank You, Father, for dogs and for every single one of Your good gifts in our lives.  But most of all, thank You for Jesus and for the certain hope that because He defeated sin and death, we will live forever in a perfect and glorious heaven...where they will be no more losses, no tears, no sorrow, no separation, and no death.  Ever.
        And maybe, just maybe, plenty of wagging tails and gentle brown eyes.  To God be the glory.