Dogs--the gifts that keep on giving...and teaching

          Mr. Bingley loves, loves, loves to sit in laps.  From the very first day he came to us as a little shaver, he's adored sitting in a lap.  So the moment his big bro came home from Charlotte and sat down...up he jumped.

           And the second I sat down to enjoy a little quiet time outside a few days ago, well, here he came (I'm so good at selfies...that's my arm, thank you very much).

            So today, I'm thankful for the gift of dogs...and for all they mean to all of us and all they teach us.  So many lessons!
            Here's one I learned from reading Randy Alcorn's book, Happiness.   Alcorn asks, "how can God, who is eternally accustomed to experiencing delight in his triune self, find delight in us, his creatures?"  Good question, don't you think?  How can the infinitely greater possibly find pleasure in the infinitely lesser?
            Alcorn goes on to explain: "Perhaps God gave us stewardship over creation partly so we'd better understand what giving love to--and receiving love from--lesser beings is like.  If my golden retriever, Maggie, is  hurt, I help her.  I do it not primarily out of obligation but out of love.  My care for her doesn't depend upon her appreciation, yet her appreciation brings me joy.  Seeing her enjoy me increases my delight.  We're not equal beings, but the relationship of mutual happiness doesn't hinge on that.  So it is with God and us."
            Oh my, what a simple, yet profound, reminder of the joy that we bring to God's heart when we delight in Him and when we praise Him.  John Piper always puts it that "God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."
              Alcorn writes of Maggie's gleeful excitement when his wife, Nanci, grabs the leash to take her for a walk.  Bingley's the same way--he dances around and barks exuberantly, anticipating the happy moment of running out the door and heading to the greenway.  But here's the thing--I love it just as much he does!  I love walking him and savoring the beauty of  God's creation together with my excited, grateful pup.
               "As God sees us from Heaven, doesn't He delight in us the way Nanci and I delight in Maggie?  The fact that God is infinitely smarter and greater than we are doesn't diminish his ability to find pleasure in us any more than our superior intelligence or worth interferes with our enjoyment of Maggie."
                Amen to every word!  "Shout for joy to God, all the earth!  Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious! Say to God, 'How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before You.  All the earth bows down to you; they sing praise to You, they sing the praises of your name.  Come and see what God has done, his awesome deeds for mankind!" (Ps.66:1-5)
                 Thank You, Father, for your relentlessly good gifts to us in even the simplest places and things--from dandelions to dogs.  From scented flowers to sunshine-splashed days.  From laughter to love.  You are so good, so gracious, so generous...and when we rejoice in You, our joy is redoubled...and incredibly, Your's is too!  You delight in the praises of Your people, and in glorifying You, we find our hearts fully satisfied.
               Your great and perfect love for us fuels our love--imperfect though it is--for You...but somehow, someway, You actually desire and enjoy us and our often stumbling love and worship.  Simply remarkable.  Simply wondrous.  Simply glorious.
                And so we simply say, thank You, Father.  Thank You.  To God be the glory.  
 
               

         

Wilbur, slowing down, and gratitude

          What's in a car?  Well, plenty actually.
          I've had--let's just call it "the interesting experience"--of driving our son's beat-up old Ford Explorer the past two days.  We'll name it "Wilbur" for simplicity's sake.  Wilbur, as the old expression goes, "has been rode hard and hung up wet."  He's faithfully carried our four oldest children to Broughton High School, UNC-CH, Young Life Club and Campaigners,  mountains, beaches, Bojangles, golf courses, Cook Out, Target, and on and on and on.
          Wilbur's had a few mishaps along the way.  Banged and even smashed in the school parking lot by assorted other high school drivers.  He took a hard, direct hit late one afternoon in the parking lot of North Hills (with the culprit failing to leave his or her name).  Then there's the numerous times old Wilbur's horn would go off for no particular reason--and refused to stop.  This happened several times at the Broughton parking lot and always made for lively and ingenious solutions by fellow high schoolers trying to help out.
            Then there was the time Janie locked her keys in Wilbur at Cameron Village during their lunch break at school.  She, however, had to RUSH back to school with friends for a test and couldn't quite describe to me where the car was located.  I should note that we had long since lost the extra set of keys, so Mom had quite the adventure working that one out--including running and hollering after the tow truck, trying to get their attention.  "SIR, SIR!  HERE!  The car is right back here!!!!!" Yes, very dignified.
          Oh, and how about when Preyer called us one morning to report: "Well, I got to school, but the engine of my car is smoking...a lot.  But I'm sure it will be fine."  Well, naturally.  I've noticed these problems always just magically go away all by themselves.  Yeah.
          Then there were the visors...which somehow or other were pulled so hard that they both dangled down in front of driver and passenger, completely blocking the view...which is a problem.  Our children never mentioned this, and we discovered it when I had to drive the car one day. For the record, it's nearly impossible to drive a car with one hand holding up a visor the whole time.  (We did have it fixed, by the way.  And it was not cheap.  Who knew a visor could cost so much?)  
           So Wilbur has seen him some living.  And I've gotten to drive the old boy the last few days and remember it all.  Two observations: one, only Wilbur could make my battered old Suburban with 175,000 miles on it seem like driving a Maserati...not that I've ever driven one.  Seriously, when you push Wilbur's gas pedal, it takes him about 15 seconds to respond.  I can practically hear the old guy wheezing, "Again?  I've got to give you more gas again.  Okay, give me a minute to get myself together.  Coming, coming...be patient."
           My car, on the other hand, may no longer have a working seat warmer (a source of great consternation since that is my very favorite feature on the car), but by golly, when you push the gas pedal, she goes!  So I've got a whole new love and appreciation for my old car that's covered with school stickers on the back.
          Observation number two: thankfulness.  Thankful for old Wilbur safely and faithfully getting our children here, there and yon.  Thankful for the gift of watching our children grow up, attend school, enjoy their friends, and simply live life with their overwhelmingly grateful and blessed parents.  Thankful for all the Young Life meetings, Chick fil a runs, golf practices, church services, movies, soccer games, broken bones (complete with crutches), and graduations...and Wilbur has seen us through them all.          
          It's all gone waaaay too quickly, and how desperately I want it to slow down.  I want to shout to my children: "Time out!  Stop!  Let's savor this moment...this day...this season.  Stop growing up for just a minute and hang out here with us.  It's so good to have you home."  Here's how one of my favorite songs by Nichole Nordeman puts it:
Slow down
Won’t you stay here a minute more
I know you want to walk through the door
But it’s all too fast
Let’s make it last a little while
I pointed to the sky and now you wanna fly
I am your biggest fan
I hope you know I am
But do you think you can somehow
Slow down

          Nope, not gonna happen.  No slowing down. No time outs.   Not even pauses...but plenty of love.  Grace.  Thankfulness.  Tears.  Laughter.  Joy.  And amazement at the priceless treasure of raising these five precious, eternal souls.  We've made plenty of mistakes--to put it mildly--but oh boy, we have cherished and adored every single challenging, wonderful, exhausting, crazy, difficult, glorious moment of it.  Thank You, Lord, thank You.  

           And thanks, Wilbur.  

           To God be the glory.   

         
     

From the rising to the setting

        "From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised." (Ps.113:3)
        Oh my, what a magnificent creation...what a infinitely more magnificent and glorious Creator.  How can we possibly look around us at His handiwork--in the earth, the heavens, the people, the animals--and not give Him awe-filled praise?
        Paul David Tripp writes that the Lord "purposefully created the physical world in such a way that it points to His existence and His character.  God is the environment in which we live.  I like to think of it this way: you can't get up in the morning without bumping into God...The radical truth of the existence of God isn't just preached to us on Sunday; it's preached every day through the beauty of the sunset, the power of the storm, the inexhaustible wings of the hummingbird, the hugeness of the mountain, the whisper of the breeze, the smell of the sizzling steak, the beauty of the petal of a rose, and so on."  Amen, amen, amen!
       Just the other night I snapped this little photo while sitting outside eating dinner with my husband and several of our children.  Glory was happening all around us--glory in the priceless treasure of our children (and getting to spend precious minutes with them!  Thank You, Father!).  Glory in the gift of hunger and the taste of delicious food (that someone else prepared and cleaned up. Thank You, Father!).  Glory in the power and beauty of a sunset (and they happen every single evening!  We get to witness this wonderful show, this painting in motion, not just once in a lifetime, but daily! Thank You, Father, for Your relentless faithfulness!)  Glory in the experiencing of these moments of joy--these feelings of wonder, awe, and love--all on a regular, old Saturday evening.
       So today, praise Him who caused the sun to rise once again this morning.  Who sends the rain today to water the flowers, trees, and grass.  Who equips you to read these words and do your work and love your family and friends.  Who enables you to experience feelings and emotions of joy, sorrow, wonder, happiness, disappointment, contentment, and gratitude.  And who will faithfully cause the sun to set again this evening and will never, ever--not even for a nano second--leave you nor forsake you this day...or tonight...or any other day or night out into eternity.  No matter what the future may hold, He holds it and He holds us.  Just as He holds the sun and stars and distant galaxies.  Thank You, Father, thank You!
        Yes, Lord, "From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets," we praise, honor, and worship Your glorious name.  To God be the glory.

Enjoy your presence

        "For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.  On God rests my salvation and my glory, my mighty rock, my refuge is God." (Ps.62:5-7)
         Apparently, a literal translation of verse 4 is "Only toward God my soul is silence."  And here's what Tim Keller says: "When we are in trouble, our soul chatters to us, 'We have to have this, or we won't make it.  This must happen, or all is lost.'  The assumption is that God alone will not be enough--some other circumstance or condition or possession is necessary to be happy and secure.  David, however, learned to tell his soul, 'I need only one thing to survive and thrive--and I have it.  I need only God and his all-powerful fatherly love and care--everything else is expendable.'  When this realization sinks in, you will 'never be shaken.'"
          Don't we all know about that kind of disturbing mental "chatter" that can keep us awake at night, destroy our peace, and steal our hope?  Yes, there are times we simply need to be still, quiet our hearts and minds, and rest in God alone.  Sometimes, quite literally, that means we sit quietly in His presence, asking Him to fill us with a sense of His presence and love.  And He always will.
         I'm reminded of something my dear, sweet friend, Louise, shared the other day.  We were commiserating and laughing over our sometimes non-communicative boys.  We've both occasionally received this response from one of our sons, "Why do you ask so many questions?!"
         Our answer is always something to the effect--"Because we love you and we want to know how you are doing and what's going on in your life!"  Shockingly, our loving interest is not always super appreciated by our boys. Hard to believe, isn't it?
        But Louise said what she'll often do is just go sit quietly in the room where her son is while he's busy with a project.  When he asks her what she wants, she tells him, "I know you don't want to talk right now and that's totally fine.  I just wanted to sit here quietly and enjoy your presence."  Smile.
        I loved that...and I'm going to remember it.  You know, there are times it's nice to simply sit and soak in the presence of those we love without saying one word.  As someone who too often feels the absurd need to fill every empty space with words, I really needed that reminder from my gentle friend.
       Yes, silence contentedly shared with our loved ones can truly be "golden."  And if it's true of the people we love, it's even more true of our Heavenly Father, in whose presence we're told is "fullness of joy." (Ps.16:11)
        Ole Hallesby wrote a number of years ago: "There come times when I have nothing more to tell God.  If I were to continue to pray in words, I would have to repeat what I have already said.  At such times it is wonderful to say to God, 'May I be in Thy presence, Lord?  I have nothing more to say to Thee, but I do love to be in Thy presence.'"
        Oh Father, thank You for the gift of Your presence.  Thank You that we can sit and abide in Your love and enjoy Your fellowship, even without speaking one word.  Remind us afresh of Your tender love, great grace, boundless compassion, and endless wisdom.  In You, our hearts find rest, restoration, and revival.
          Today, simply enjoy His glorious and good presence.  To God be the glory.

Starting today with the important

        Goodness gracious, where on earth does the time go?  Seriously.  On about any given day, it seems as if the hours fly by so that by day's end, all too often I've been so preoccupied with the urgent that I've failed to do the important.  Sure, the urgent needs doing (hello laundry and groceries), but not always at the expense of what is most important and spirit-filling in life.
        Yep, it's May--that most beautiful, fragrant, and colorful of months in God's creation...but also one of life's busiest times as well.  Graduations (oh mercy, I need to order graduation presents), exams (stress!), end of year luncheons, parties, and meetings (have I bought thank you gifts or written notes?), finishing up all sorts of projects (stress, part II), not to mention weddings (joyous!--but more things on the to-do list), showers (ditto), and planning for summer (some day I will actually plan ahead of time...when I finally get organized.  Yeah right).  I've left off about 10,000 items, but I'm pretty sure you get the picture, since you live it out as well.  Lots of happiness and fun...but lots and lots of things to go to and to do.
        Hence, my AWOL blog.  I'm just struggling to "find" the time to write.  But, of course, we all know that nobody "finds" the time.  Nope, you have to choose to make the time for what really, really matters.  Make the time--first and foremost--to love, know, and worship Almighty God as well as to love, cherish, and serve your family and friends.  And then you go on from there.
       But in addition, we've got be intentional at carving out some time daily for that which is important and life-infusing.  For yours truly, that means writing...well, and let's not forget eating, walking the dog and savoring the beauty of God's creation.  And did I mention chocolate?  Chocolate qualifies as both urgent and important, and, of course, joy-filling!
       So here I am, once again getting back in the saddle.  Because here's the thing--when you've fallen flat and failed to do and be all that you've hoped and planned, you simply start again.  Start today.  Start now.  Start back writing...or exercising...or reading...or creating...or whatever your particular "thing" is that's important, but that badly needs a reset.     
        For me, that means ignoring the humongous, ginormous pile of laundry that needs folding, even though I can hear those clothes yelling at me all the way from the other room.  But I'm refusing to listen, at least for the next few minutes.  It means putting off the errands that need running--though they will get done eventually--because life as we know it will not end in a flaming inferno even if I fail to drop off that present at a friend's house today or miss picking up more soap and mouthwash until later.  Somehow or other, I think we'll survive.
        Instead, I'll pause for a few minutes to talk to the Lord and then write down whatever He's putting on my heart.  Voila!  Here it is: nothing profound, but it's what my gracious, good Father has been teaching me today.  And I sure don't want to miss His still, small voice nor be disobedient to His call.
      But it all takes intentionality.  And time.  And determination to daily--at least for a few minutes--push aside the busy in favor of the best.
      Nothing like the present day to start, right?  No matter how seemingly small or insignificant, start!  Start small, but start today.  As Anthony Trollope's wrote, "A small daily task, if it be really daily, will beat the labour of a spasmodic Hercules."
     Slow and steady wins the race--so trite, but so true.   Gretchen Rubin writes that "We tend to overestimate how much we can accomplish in an hour or a week, and underestimate how much we can accomplish in a month or a year, by doing just a little bit each day."  Amen!
      So start today, because, after all: "This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps.118:24)  Thank You, Lord, for this day.  Thank You for fresh starts.  Thank You for the urgent and the important.  And thank You for the gift of time to know, love, worship, and serve You and those You've put in our lives.  We might only have today...but we have today.  Help us to be faithful in all the hours You give us, Lord.
        To God be the glory.
           

Raleigh Rescue Mission...no time to despair!

        Just a quickie early this morning--when, PRAISE GOD, it's not raining!  Thank You, Lord, for the rain that grows spring's astounding beauty and bounty, but oh boy, thank You for the promise of sun, sun, sun today after a week of rain, rain, rain!
       But this morning, I simply want to thank God for the privilege of having a small part in the Raleigh Rescue Mission "Hearts of Hope" fundraising luncheon yesterday.  It may have been raining outside yesterday, but it was sunny and joyful in that lovely banquet room.  What a wonderful mission that provides homeless women and children (and some men too) a warm, safe, clean, comfortable place to stay as well as hot, nutritious meals.  But they also provide all kinds of other services to enable folks to get back on their feet, get a job, finish schooling, believe in themselves again, and most importantly, know the Lord of the universe who has a plan for their lives and loves them immeasurably.
       If you want to be incredibly blessed and encouraged, go to Raleigh Rescue Mission's website and read about and listen to some of the stories of these remarkable and courageous folks whose lives have been transformed and redeemed by the love of Christ through the work of this mission.  Just yesterday we heard Verlisha's story.  Just incredible and beautiful.  All the stuff of Ephesians 3:20-21 and a reminder that our God is a God of REDEMPTION and RESTORATION, and He is truly able to do abundantly more than all we ask or imagine according to His power at work within us!  
       I share this, because our culture and our world at the moment can be mighty discouraging.  There's just so much that seems to be going totally wrong, and it's awfully tempting to throw up your hands in despair.  Or rage in anger and frustration.  Or simply want to withdraw into a discouraged, defeated isolation.
       But NO!!  God is at work in a million different ways...even when we can't see it or feel it.  If you need a reminder, look at places like Raleigh Rescue Mission that are lavishly sharing the love of Christ with a hurting, dark world.
      Did Moses give up when the people relentlessly complained and problems abounded in that desert?  Did Joseph give up when it seemed the world had forgotten about him in that prison?  Did Nehemiah give up building that wall in the midst of his enemies' persecution?  Did Paul give up as he was hounded and persecuted and imprisoned everywhere he went?  Did Jesus give up and get down off that cross in the face of pain, humiliation, betrayal and rejection.
        No, no, no, a thousand times NO!  As Jesus promised--right before He knew He would face the unimaginable horrors of the cross--"These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace.  In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
        I have read the end of the story people...and Jesus wins.  Jesus triumphs.  And Jesus overcomes.  And in Him and through Him and by Him, we will persevere and keep loving, obeying, serving, praying, and living to the praise of His glory.
        Just yesterday I heard words to this effect from John Stonestreet of the Colson Center: "For the Christ follower, despair is a sin. Outrage is not a strategy.  And prayer is not an optional habit."
       He is the God of all glory, all power, all wisdom, all love, all forgiveness, all grace, all goodness, and He tells us to come to Him, trust Him, and pray.
      So away with the despair.  Forget the outrage.  And let's start--and continue--praying to Almighty God.  And while we pray, let's keep loving those God has put in our paths.  Loving and serving, loving and serving, loving and serving...because that's what He's told us to do.
       That's why we here--to love God and love others.  Just like the Raleigh Rescue Mission.
       Never doubt it--God is at work in this world.  Keep your eyes fixed on Him as you pray and as you love.  "Have faith in God" (Mark 11:22), for He is infinitely worthy.  And He has overcome the world.  
       To God be the glory.

Thankful for the Word!

                             A little food for weekend thought--
        "When I am afraid, I will trust in You.  In God, whose Word I praise--in God I trust and am not afraid.  What can mere mortals do to me?" (Ps.56:3-4)
        I love Tim Keller's thoughts on these verses: "Fearfulness and faith in God can coexist in us even as trust slowly wins out. Faith is not a vague sense that 'God will work it out.'  It comes from prayer immersion in the Scripture, the Word of God."
        Oh goodness, it seems the Lord's been teaching me this from every possible avenue--from church, to our church prayer group, to Bible study, even to the Beth Moore conference I just attended with a group of wonderful women from our church.  I guess the Lord realizes how stubborn (and forgetful!) I can be, so He continues to graciously remind me: it's all about His Word!  The gifts of a renewed perspective, a treasure trove of His promises, and an abundant supply of His power all come from His Word.
        If we want to know and love Jesus, then spend time in His Word.  If we want to grow in godliness and righteousness then savor His Word.  If we want to increasingly experience deep-seated contentment, satisfaction, and joy, go the well of His Word and drink deeply of the living water.
        If want wisdom, strength to go the distance, and hope--who doesn't want all that!--then dive into God's Word: "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope." (Rom.15:4)  And if we want to see Jesus in all His beauty, goodness, and glory--and oh my how desperately we need to gaze and focus upon Jesus every single day!--well then, look to the written Word and behold the Living Word.  "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14)
         Keller prays: "Lord, I need not merely read but praise your Word--to relish and rejoice in what it tells me about your glory and grace.  Help me calm and silence my fearful heart with the promises and claims of the Scripture.  Amen."
         Yes, Father, yes!  Might we daily, consistently, persistently, and joyfully read, relish, and rejoice in Your Word.  Thank You for sending us Jesus, the Living Word, and for giving us the Bible, Your written Word.  Speak to us afresh this day and everyday through Your living, active, perfect, powerful, and beautiful Word.
         To God be the glory.