My Halfway-Mary Moment

On Christmas Eve night, my 3-year-old nephew was slightly sleepy or maybe slightly mad, yet nevertheless was in a snuggly mood.  I got my fill by once again having a small child in my lap that I got to rock back-and-forth.  With my own kids now in their teens, they have not fit in my lap in a long while.  

I remember when my son was a baby, and I would rock him in my arms.  I thought of Mary who did this to our savior, Jesus, many years ago.  God became man, now a helpless baby, needing nurturing as all babies do.  With my nephew in my lap, I thought of the wise men, who came when Jesus was a just a bit younger than my nephew is now.  How amazing to have a such small boy receive these amazing gifts. 

I hope this Christmas gives you some moments of inspiration like this.  Remember the reason for the season!  Rejoice, the savior is born!

Planting Frogs

A few weeks ago, I was digging up bulbs in my flower garden to move them to another site.  As I was searching the ground for these bulbs, I came across some unexpected findings—hibernating frogs.

At first I was a bit alarmed.  I thought they were dead, yet as I handled them I saw them move very slightly.  They clearly were alive, yet they surely were not awake.  They had no ability with their own effort to get themselves back where they belonged.  All I could think to do was to put them back into the dirt at about the same depth where I found them.  I could not help but think that I was “planting frogs.” 

Sometimes life tosses us the unexpected, and this is a small example of that.  As we enter into the Christmas season, we will have our routines disrupted and may sometimes find ourselves outside our comfort zone.  The same tender mercy that delivered these sleepy frogs back into their hibernation area may serve us well as we deal with people who are stressed, in a rush, or grouchy.  Sometimes a small act of kindness goes a long way.

I hope you get the chance to “plant” some seeds of peace and joy in your friends and family during this holiday season.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!

Most Excellent Theophilus

As I was preparing for my next Sunday school study on the life of Jesus, I was stopped in my tracks three lines into the Gospel of Luke:

Having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I also have decided to write a careful account for you, most honorable Theophilus, so you can be certain of the truth of everything you were taught (Luke 1:3-4, NLT).

The NIV uses the scripting, “most excellent Theophilus.”  The only other time this Theophilus is mentioned in the Bible is in the beginning of Acts, when Luke addresses that letter to him as well.  Upon further study of online reviews, it seems clear that this is literally all we know about him.  Two of the most historic and culture-changing letters were written to him, and later canonized to become scripture and read by billions over two thousand years. It appears he may have been a person of rank, given the description “most excellent Theophilus.”  Yet all we really know about him is his name, and all that really matters is that he completed one big task for all future civilization, which was to share these letters.  

It appears that this is a personal letter, sent directly to him.  Clearly it was a letter of significance, which was long and intended for beyond average use.  If Theophilus was truly a man of influence, it was his task to use that influence to share this story in more lasting ways.  The Bible tells us only what we need to know.  We can conclude he was given a wealth of important information in the form of two personal letters, and he shared them in lasting ways. 

I wonder how our perspective would change if we looked at our lives in a similar way.  We spend so much time focusing on our job, our hobbies, our responsibilities, and our daily routines.  Yet all that really matters in the whole scheme of man is what we do for God’s kingdom.  Theophilus likely had a job, hobbies, responsibilities, and daily routines too, and all we know about him and all that is recorded about him as a man of rank during his time is this— he got two letters from Luke, and he shared them.  

We can never know the lasting influence we will have in God’s plan.  In the end, the story is not about us, our accomplishments, or our abilities.  We are called to be faithful and obey.  

A Humble Spirit for the Holidays

In my Sunday school class, we are studying the book of Joshua and the ancient Israelite conquest of the land of Canaan.  We see time and time again the Lord sending his spiritual army to fight with the Israelites to defeat the inhabitants.  Everyone they fought was destroyed.  The native people in the occupied spaces were completely annihilated, with the exception of only one group, the Gibeonites. 

As I first studied this, the situation puzzled me.  In the Old Testament, God tells the ancient people to completely destroy anyone with whom they go to battle, for the purpose of eliminating any pagan philosophies.  Yet the Gibeonites came to the Israelites with deception, and they were permitted to live.  Why is that?  They pretended that they were from a far away place, and asked to make a peace treaty. They loaded donkeys with weathered saddlebags and old, patched wineskins.  They wore worn-out, patched sandals and ragged clothes.  They carried old, moldy bread.  When the Israelites visited with them, they saw the old, moldy bread and agreed to make a peace treaty with them.  They ratified their agreement with a binding oath.  

A few days later they learned that these people lived only three days away.  Joshua asked them, “Why did you lie to us?”  They replied, “We did it because we—your servants—were clearly told that the Lord your God commanded His servant Moses to give you this entire land and to destroy all the people living in it.  So we feared greatly for our lives because of you.  That is why we have done this.  Now we are at your mercy—do to us whatever you think is right (Josh 9:24-27).”  Because Joshua had made an oath of peace with them, he agreed to allow them to live, and made them woodcutters and water carriers for the community of Israel and for the altar of the Lord.  

The Gibeonites came to the Israelites with humility and reverence, submitting to their authority.  In contrast, all of the other kingdoms were actively defiant and came to fight.  The Gibeonites had the kind of heart the Lord could work with.  This is the kind of community that could add well with the Israelite culture.  

This led me to think about some present day possibilities.  What if we added a healthy dose of humility, reverence, and submission to our country’s culture?  What about adding a large dose of these character traits into our community, or our church?  Even more personal, what if we added a healthy dose of humility, reverence, and submission to our family, or marriage, or our own soul?

As we proceed into the holiday season, I hear common, seasonal prayer requests to help us have peaceful gatherings with relatives we don’t see often, and with whom we do not share the same views.  Sometimes the prayer is to help us “put up with” them, or “hold our own tongue.”  Yet if we entered that gathering with humility and reverence for God, submitting to His authority in that situation, how would that change things?  It is not our place to “fix” our relatives—that is God’s job.  He made us all with different gifts and talents, and different strengths and weaknesses.  What if we revered Him for this difference, and chose to love these relatives they way He would like us to?  That is the true path to peace with holiday gatherings this time of year. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Perfect Love Casts Out Fear

In church yesterday, one of our scriptures was 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear.”  After following politics this week we may think there is much to fear. This is simply not true.

Do we trust God?  In church yesterday our children sang a song with the chorus: “And if our God is for us then who could ever stop us.  And if our God is with us then what could stand against?“  We are teaching songs like this to our children, yet in our own heart we doubt this statement when we fear the politics in our government.

God never said that United States of America was part of his long-term plan. While we may strongly desire the United States of America to continue to be a strong Christian nation, this may not be essential to God’s plan. God cares about the whole earth, all of its contents, and all nations. We are not a favorite in his eyes. We could end up like ancient Israel, wiped out and sold into slavery, yet God saved a faithful remnant to build his next nation.  He led them with a pillar of fire, fed them with manna from heaven, and made water come from a rock.  Surely he can withstand the antics of a Supreme Court nomination process!

It is not our place to judge how God is doing his job. When we fear crazy antics of our government, are we saying that we believe that a crooked politician has more power than our God? Are we saying that our challenged government has the power to thwart God‘s plan? They may very well have the power to ruin the foundation of this nation, yet they are no match for my God!

God’s final plan is just, and his plan is perfect. It is only through this truth that frustrated Christians can find peace and rest.

Is God calling you to take action?  If God is leading you, then obey.  Yet God will not lead you to hate or anger, so be careful that you are not getting your motivation from an evil source. 

The closing hymn we sang in church yesterday was “How Great Thou Art.“ Do we believe this?  Then stop fearing, and get to work!

The Unplanned Pursuit of Patience

My family has wanted to purchase land for years.  My husband has been consistently looking on the internet, and in the past few months my son and I have joined him.  Most of our favorite things to do involve being out in nature, and we love animals.  While we don’t have to move for job or school, we have the financial resources to do so.  Getting land seemed like a reasonable plan.

My daughter has just two years left in high school before she will leave the nest for college.  She is firmly rooted in the Future Farmer’s Association at school.  While she intends to do more animal research in the future than animal husbandry, she is deeply interested in all of it.  We have just two more years before she leaves for college; two more years to see her blossom with the interests which will lead her into her future.

My son is not a boy anymore.  He has transitioned from super heroes to big kid interests.  He loves having adventures in the woods, hunting, throwing his ax, target shooting with his bow and arrow, and similar outdoor activities.  He is ready to have land.  He would like to move. 

We prayed intentionally for guidance on what we should do.  We considered several permutations of getting land—either buying land which we would maintain separately and continue living in our current home, or buying land with a house to which we would move.  We also considered how close the land would need to be, if it were separate, to ensure we would use it often.  Either option restricted our options to close proximity to our current house, as we needed to stay in the same school district.

My father-in-law helped us.  As a real estate agent, he understands things about real estate which we do not.  He diligently drove 2 hours on several occasions to show us land and houses.  He helped us consider our options, and he came back in town for a second look.  He used his decades of real estate experience to help us calculate market values of viewed properties.  

We put bids at different times on two properties.  Each time we were excited.  Neither property was perfect for what we were looking for, yet each had key attributes, and we agreed that we would invest in the properties to address the things that were needed.  We went to the properties and prayed. We were at peace with these decisions.  We did mathematical calculations, and felt we had a fair starting point for price negotiations.  We thought we were on our way!

It is in these times that God teaches us patience.  The first person would not even counter-offer at first.  The second provided a counter-offer nowhere close to where we started.  The first person later offered a counter-offer we were willing to accept, then changed the offer when we came out for a second look.  

We prayed for God to make it clear what we should do.  We prayed that God would put up roadblocks if we were not supposed to move.  God does not just call our cell phone and tell us what to do.  The decision-making process, and the patience required, matures our character.  

So here we are, three weeks after our first offer, learning patience, and offering this whole idea back to God if it isn’t meant to be.  I thank God that we don’t have to move.  I thank God that we don’t have a time crunch to move.  We are blessed by our current house, and it more than meets our needs.  I thank God for the new pergola my husband built this summer, which I am sitting in today as I write this.  And I am thankful for the hummingbird feeder that my husband installed, and the hummingbirds whose wings sound like little motors as they fly by.  

Our desires do not bring us peace, our thankfulness does.  As for the prospect of purchasing land, we simply must have patience. 

A New Taste of Freedom

As a common rite of passage after the sixteenth birthday, many teens learn to drive.  We just passed this milestone in my own family.  My sweet daughter, active in many school clubs and a social butterfly, just got her driver’s license.  In the past 24 hours she took herself to-and-from marching band, FFA, and praise band activities.  Three separate events, for which my husband or I would have been chauffeur, now done independently.  A win for her, and a win for us. 

Sometimes growing up is a bit scary.  New independence also means new risks and new fears.  How one balances this is the big question.  

For my daughter, she has had lots of driving practice and good training.  She is driving a safe vehicle, and she has good friends.  She does not crave speed, and does not intentionally exceed the speed limit.  This does not eliminate the risks, or our fears, yet it helps.  

Today I am sitting in the shade by my pool, drinking a sparkling water and enjoying a day of rest despite my daugther’s busy schedule.  Just two days ago, I would have been tied to her schedule too.  This doesn’t mean that I have no fear about her driving on her own, or that I don’t think about her often.  Yet I have been able to focus my mind on the joys of this occasion rather than on the scary “what if’s” which would have ruined the joy of this transition. 

Perhaps that is the learning point for today.  The battle for our emotions is usually won or lost in our mind.  If we focus on the worries, we will be worried.  If we focus on the joy and other benefits, we will be at peace.  

I know my daughter felt a little awkward driving independently for the first time, yet the joy of this new independence overrode those fears.  She is growing up, and will have many opportunities in her life to face challenges and risks.  I pray that they be as successful as this. 

The Unlikely Ministry

For the past two weeks my husband and son have been on a karate mission trip to the Philippines.  To those who have not been exposed to martial arts ministry, I assure you this is an effective ministry.  To those who have already been introduced, I suspect there is more to it than you thought.

Martial arts ministry often reaches people who would not otherwise attend church.  The premise is really quite simple.  The school does a karate demonstration in the community, and people stop to watch.  After the show, they hear an evangelistic message.  Unlike most commercial karate schools, the martial arts ministry schools often have low tuition fees and available scholarships, making this training available to people with limited financial resources.  Sometimes the students have a challenging home life, and flourish in a structured martial arts program.  My husband’s local karate school is located in a church gymnasium, and it teaches discipline, discipleship, and evangelism.  All instructors are volunteers. The tuition fees are low, and money is applied to direct costs, scholarships, and ministry activities.  Over the course of time the ministry has spread to 5 local locations, each led by volunteer black belts.  The ministry is financially self-sustaining, and has had a consistent presence in our church for two decades.  Many students have been baptized or joined the church after having first attended the karate classes.  In summary, churched and unchurched people are taught, encouraged, nurtured, discipled, and saved.  This is exactly what an effective ministry should be doing.

My husband has taken a martial arts mission trip to the Philippines for several years, and each year the footprint of this ministry gets bigger and bigger.  The ministry is blessed with an inspired local martial artist, who has given his life to full-time missionary work in this region.  The result is impressive. Martial arts is strongly regarded in the Philippines, and American martial artists are seen as celebrities.  When "Americano" martial artists come to town to host tournaments, give seminars, do community demonstrations, and run belt tests, this gives a jolt of energy to the ministry which empowers it to grow, with larger class sizes and more karate schools.  Each of these schools are Christ-based, with devotional instruction and prayer as regular class activities.   Instructors become mentors to the students, teaching self-control, discipline, and confidence.  Through dedicated personal training, students excel from one belt rank to the next.  Tournaments encourage students to polish their skills, and give them exposure to students outside of their school.  They learn to perform under pressure.  They develop a martial arts "family," who steps in to give high-fives, congratulations, and encouragement.  These students learn about the Bible, and this develops their character.  

Karate ministry works.  Karate ministry causes souls to be saved.  Karate ministry helps to instill Godly character into students.  Karate ministry helps Christians be more mature in their faith.  The karate ministry is an effective ministry, and the mission trip is an effective mission trip.  

In contrast, I went on an international mission trip once with my local church to do vacation bible school and provide basic medical services.  While this is a more typical mission trip itinerary, the experience for me was not fulfilling.  While we gave a week of energy to a church that was already established in the community, I did not feel that my personal actions made a lasting difference.   The limited medical services I provided was a drop in the bucket compared to what was needed, and there was no local clinic which would continue my treatment recommendations after I left.  I was left feeling that my experience was more of a "mission tourism" visit which did not produce lasting changes.  

Yet when I look at my husband’s karate mission trips, I see that he directly supports the local Filipino ministry, infusing a new level of energy and training into the local schools, and successfully builds lasting relationships and camaraderie.  The schools in east Texas are invested in the success of the Filipino schools, and seek to support them emotionally, physically, spiritually, and financially.  This is what a “real” ministry does.  This is what a “real” mission trip should seek to do.  

At this time, my husband and son are on the way home from the Philippines.  I could not be more proud of their activities there, or their commitment to using their unique giftedness for the cause of Christ.  Martial arts ministry is unique.  Martial arts ministry is non-traditional.  Martial arts ministry is hard to understand if you have not been a part of it.  Yet martial arts ministry is most certainly effective.  It is a “real” ministry, producing consistently  “real” results.  Praise be to God!

The Road Works Ahead

My daughter has a strong affinity for puns and memes. She stumbled across a meme related to traffic caution signs saying “Road work ahead.” The gentleman on the meme says, “Yeah, I hope it does!“

My daughter is now learning to drive, and she got a lot of practice during our recent trip to the Texas coast. Every time we came across one of those caution signs, we would say to each other “the road works ahead!” I’m glad we cleared that up!

Sometimes our road of life gets a little rocky, and seems to need repair. During these turbulent times, we can come to doubt the plan God has prepared for us. It is helpful to be reminded that “the road works ahead,” even when we doubt God‘s plan or simply do not understand.

The road works ahead. God’s way is the right way, even if there are orange construction cones along the path.

Modern Day Elvis

My son is 14 years old, thin and handsome, with sandy blond hair and blue eyes.  He is a bit taller than some, and has a caring and gentle demeanor.  He is somewhere past “girls are icky” to where they are not, yet he has not dated nor had any “special” friends.  He is currently on a mission trip to the Philippines.  He does not like to dance, and he usually does not sing, yet to Philippino girls he is a celebrity. 

I was only a young child when Elvis Presley died, yet I remember seeing how young women would turn into screaming mobs who would crowd around Elvis and swoon.  I really can’t imagine how that must have made him feel, and I never thought I would see a crowd of girls act that way to my introverted 14-year-old son. The pictures are priceless. 

Mission trips sometimes show us a side to ourselves that we do not always get to see.  Sometimes we are more creative and adventurous.  Sometimes we are pushed emotionally and physically.  Often we feel grateful for the blessings we have.  And at times, especially if we are a young American man who does karate, you will be mobbed by young Philippino school girls. 

So what is one to do?  Sometimes all we can do is roll with it. My son politely smiled and let the mob take selfies with him.  

When life throws us the unexpected, we may just have to make the best of it.  And who knows, we might get some good memories, and some good pictures, out of the adventure. 

I’m Just Here for the Owls

Recently my family and I went camping at a state park, and were surprised to find that we scheduled our trip on the same weekend as a yearly festival.  Several activities were planned, including concerts at the amphitheater Friday and Saturday nights.  The first night had Christian music, including a group we know from Christian radio.  The second night had other musicians we had not heard of. 

The first night was a lot of fun, and for a special treat there were several barred owls flying amongst the crowd.  Given my husband and daughter’s certification as falconers, this was pretty exciting for us.  The second night we had no idea what music the artists played, and we had no WiFi or cellular service to look them up.  My husband and I decided to go and check it out while my kids stayed behind in our RV.

The music had a good beat, yet some of the lyrics were quite inappropriate, and not consistent with our morals and values.  At one point I looked at my husband, and he looked at me.  Then the truth came out as he said, “I’m just here for the owls.”

The owls delivered.  My husband took some beautiful pictures of them perched on the tree and flying through he air.  They were majestic and amazing. 

This event reminded me not to miss the beauty around us.  Life is sometimes unpredictable and frustrating, yet God always delivers.  The beauty is there if we open our hearts and look for it. 

Sailing with the Wind

Two days ago my husband and I sailed for the first time on a Hobie Catamaran at the resort where we are vacationing.  When we catch the wind just right, we go fast.  When we don’t, we float.  Pretty simply physics, really. 

It occurred to me that life can be this way also.  If we turn our sail into the wind when the breeze of life’s challenges blow, we will use that experience to learn, grow, and go forward in life.  We spend a lot of energy sometimes fighting back against these challenges, yet that is like turning our sail against the wind.  We will spend a lot of time not getting anywhere, and might capsize.  Yet if we turn our sail into the wind, and learn along with life’s challenges, then this will help us gain knowledge which we can put to use with other future struggles, or perhaps to avoid them. 

At our resort, the wind blows from north to south.  If you want to return the catamaran back to the beach shore, but you travel too far south, you will have to travel north again, then sail into the beach from the north.  In other words, sail in the direction of the wind and you will have smooth sailing, and the winds will bring you back home.  

Today, my wish for you is to learn along with life’s challenges, rather than fight back against them. This is the best way to reach the place of maturity you are intended to have. 

Searching For Dolphins

Today my husband and I went sailing for the first time on a Hobie Catamaran while on vacation.  It is fun to try something new, and this was an enjoyable adventure for us both.  We spent about an hour cruising the ocean bay near our resort.  While this is not deep in the open sea, there is still a chance for marine wildlife. 

I asked my husband to find me a dolphin, and he said “I’ll try.”  Of course, we both knew this was like asking to find a needle in a haystack.  Yet he did not say “No,” he said “I’ll try.”  I thought that was cute. 

Of course, what this really means is we are going to sail around and look at the water.  And if we see a dolphin, then great.  

It struck me that this is typical for my husband’s perspective on life.  He does not say “No” when asked to help with new things.  He tries.  He will google it and give it his best shot.  Kind of like sailing a Hobie Cat, which he had never done before.  Besides, how hard can it be?  Turns out a lot easier than finding a dolphin in the bay.

This is one of the reasons I love this man.  He tries.  This is the tenacity I hope our children learn from him.  Happy 25th anniversary, Dennis. 

Celebrating Judas

I realize the title of this essay could be initially offensive to some.  Judas, the disciple who betrayed Jesus, is often perceived with disdain.  He did a bad thing, which led to the leader of our faith being tortured and killed.  How in the world could I want to “celebrate” him?

Jesus says himself in John 17:12 that this betrayal was foretold in Scripture.  In John 13:26, Jesus clearly defines who is going to betray him, and tells Judas to "Hurry and do what you're going to do."  He makes it clear in John 14:30-31 that the ruler of this world has no power over Him, yet he will do what the Father requires of Him.  This is why Jesus did not resist in his trial, torture, or execution.

I find it interesting to read in John 11:51-52 that Caiaphas "...as high priest at that time [was] led to prophesy that Jesus would die for the entire nation.  And not only for that nation, but to bring together and unite all the children of God scattered around the world."  We don't celebrate Caiaphas either, as he had a clear role in torturing and executing the Jesus we love.  Somewhere along the way I missed the fact that he was "led to prophesy."  Whether or not he misapplied that prophesy is a matter of debate, nevertheless he fulfilled the role that God had intended him to play.

In Jesus' final days, He tells his disciples "If you really loved me you would be happy that I am going to the Father" (John 14:28).  In Jesus' humanity, He would suffer greatly.  Yet in His spirit he would overcome the world!

The bottom line is this--someone had to betray Jesus.  That takes me back to John 17:12.  "I guarded them so that not one was lost, except the one headed for destruction, as the Scriptures foretold."  Caiaphas had to overcome the growing interest in Jesus within the Sanhedrin, and God gave Caiaphas a prophecy that led him to appeal for Jesus' crucifixion.  Judas had to turn Jesus in at the proper time and location.  And Pilate, despite all of his attempts to free Jesus, had to order him crucified.  And Jesus explains this in John 19:11 as he tells Pilate, "You would have no power over me at all unless it were given to you from above."

So today, I thank Judas, Caiaphas, and Pilate.  They played their roles that paved the way for me to have the indwelling Holy Spirit, who is called our Advocate and Counselor.  Rejoice!

Bugs In My Coffee

I didn’t bring a coffee cup with a lid to our camping trip this weekend.  I have plenty at home, I just did not think about it.  One of the most enjoyable things for me when camping is to sit outside in the morning and stare up at the trees, birds, sky, and other elements of nature.  DEET does a pretty good job of warding off insects I am most concerned about, and for the most part I can sit outside without much to bother me. My coffee is not so lucky.

Yesterday it was bugs.  Today we added tree particles.

One thing about camping is it reminds you of the little things to be thankful for.  Usually it starts with the little things you forgot to bring, like a coffee cup with a lid.  We are using a RV with an indoor toilet and thermostat so it is not all that tough.  That’s a good thing, because my son did not pack a jacket.

So today I am thankful for jackets, coffee cups with lids, thermostats, indoor toilets, and the campfire wood the prior users of this site left behind.  And about a million other things, starting with the three humans that joined me on this trip, and the brilliantly red cardinal that just flew into the tree in front of me.

I certainly don’t intend to let a little bit of “dirty coffee” bother me much.  Besides, it was cold anyway.

Help, My Bike is Drowning!

I was reminded this afternoon about a sweet day when my daughter was about five.  We were walking around a small lake at a park with my parents and their dogs, and my daughter was riding her bike with training wheels.  My daughter ended up veering off the path, down a small hill leading to the water.  She was unable to stop and drove that bike straight into the lake.  We were right there with her and she was never in any danger.  As we plucked her quickly out of the water, her bike sunk a little deeper.  “Help,” she said, “my bike is drowning!”

Her desperate plea for her bike made me chuckle. I “rescued” her bike and got her into some dry clothes.  The poor little thing was so upset about a problem that really was not a problem at all.

I wonder how often we do the same.  Many of the things that upset us are little things when you stop to think about it.  I wonder how often God looks down at us and chuckles.  Certainly there are times that I have chuckled myself when remembering silly things from my past for which I got pretty upset.

Even our big problems are small problems to God.  When I think back to the big problems I have had in the past, I usually find myself saying “That really did work out after all, didn’t it?”

God truly is a faithful God—imagine that.

Peace in the Soul

Today I am RV camping with my family at a local state park.  This morning I am sitting in a folding chair looking out at the lake and up at the birds.  I am listening to the gentle sounds of nature—the wind blowing through the trees and the birds chirping in the distance.  For the moment, I have peace in my soul.

It does us well to take captive moments like this.  I have tasks pending at work, a difficult patient situation for which I am concerned, and challenges brewing with some extended family members.  Yet right here, in this moment, I have peace in my soul.

Jesus says “Fear not, for I am with you.”  His death on the cross was for us, so that he could come live in us.  The Holy Spirit, alive in us, has the power to do so much, and yet we let the struggles of today make us turn away.  The result is worry, fear, pain, heartache.  Right now, I have none of that, for in this moment, however short that may be, I have peace in my soul.

What worries you today?  Perhaps sitting in a quiet place, where you can stare up at nature and bask in the presence of God’s glorious creation, will help you trust Him more.  Take that memory captive, and refer back to it as often as you can.

Give It Up, I Don't Smell Good

It impresses me how persistent mosquitoes can be. While I am hiking in the woods, they fly around me looking for a tiny square inch of non-DEET covered skin. It is surprising how long they will fly in front of my glasses sniffing for a non-affected area. Just face it, mosquito, I don't smell good!

Sometimes we are no better. We hover around things we think we want but are not good for us, trying to find some narrow way in. We choose which rules to follow. We rationalize. We let the devil tempt us to keep trying. If you continue to entertain those thoughts, be prepared to get squashed like a bug.

That is why Philippians 4:8 is so important in the lives of believers. We should face the fact that our temptations "stink" and replace those thoughts with things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Think of this as the biblical "sniff" test. If a thought does not have one of these attributes, we should toss it out like we would rotting garbage.  Oh, if it were just that easy!

Lets think back to the mosquitoes.  Their sting cannot be felt at first, but the effects downstream are uncomfortable, itchy, and sometimes painful.  Our "little" sins are often similar--at first they seems like no big deal, then ouch!

Dear Lord, help me get a little better each day at being able to tell which temptations are not good for me.