Friday, January 26, 2007

You are Crazy

We flew out to visit family and friends in Tennessee for a few days but have not escaped the cold! I realized before we left that I had finally come to the end of my frenzy of house preparations and settling in. The holidays have come and gone and with it all the end-of-year drama. It is nice to be able to get up and have some choices with what to do with the day. However, I don’t know about you but after a few days of this leisure I begin to wiggle with inactivity (I watch my grandgirlies do this with great gusto.) Yet, one benefit of this time has been reading the Bible through, my New Year’s commitment. Because my heart is seeking to follow the path God has set before me, verses pop out as I read that give instructions on my daily walk. The disciples had to learn this, too. They were given the ability to perform amazing miracles while they traveled with Jesus. However, they came across a boy that they could not heal. But Jesus did. When they asked why they could not do it, Jesus answered, “You don’t have enough faith. I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.” (Matthew 17:20-21 NLT) What was different about this boy? What was different in them? It seems unfathomable that they did not have enough faith, especially since they watched Jesus every day and even had their own experiences of healing others. The difference is that we are human—the Enemy puts doubt in our hearts and minds. He is there to whisper that we are not good enough or this is too hard. Faith is defined as the belief in God based on spiritual understanding rather than proof. But God does not demand an impossible feat—we only have to have the faith of a tiny mustard seed. We don’t even have proof that this tiny seed will grow and produce anything. All we are asked to do is plant it—He will grow the tree. Do I have faith that God will give me opportunities to share His love even when the Enemy whispers you are crazy? I do…one step at a time.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

Sleep Well

A cold spell is sweeping the nation, even in Arizona. All of my newly planted flowers are struggling for survival even with my limited attempts to protect them and cover them with frost cloth. I can fret about what to do next but God is the only one who can control the weather and give life to these plants. The same holds true when storms sweep through my life. Consider these verses in Proverbs:
My child, use common sense and sound judgment! Always keep them in mind. They will help you to live a long and beautiful life. You will walk safely and never stumble; you will rest without a worry and sleep soundly. So don't be afraid of sudden disasters or storms that strike those who are evil. You can be sure that the LORD will protect you from harm. Proverbs 3: 21-26 (CEV)

Rather than floundering around without any direction, my instructions are to use common sense and sound judgment. Does that mean, for example, that I must decide where my dad will live now that he is alone? No, because I am supposed to use common sense or have a sane and realistic attitude to situations or problems. Dad will make the decision and I cannot protect him any better from the consequences than the frost cloth protected my plants. But I always appreciate that God never leaves us hanging—He gives us hope and a promise…in fact several promises. When the circumstances of life seem out of control, God gives us a mind to know Him and His will. Maybe that is the reason He often talks about what we put in our minds. But, we will save that for another day. Today, it is enough to know that our Father knows the road ahead and gives us insight when we ask Him. He is there to protect us and, best of all, to give us a good night’s sleep. Sleep well.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Break in the Action

You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (The Message) It was barely dawn when I opened my eyes this morning but no use staying in bed for I knew that sleep was over for the night. I got up and checked my email but not much there. Nothing in the news area either. So I gathered my Bible and notebook to read today’s chapters in my Through the Bible commitment. The stories in Genesis recounted God’s goodness and graciousness to those early leaders of the faith – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It struck me as I read of their journey that they had no idea where they were going or what they were doing yet they obeyed God’s directions and He blessed them. I can imagine how those men must have felt. I don’t know where I am going or what I am supposed to be doing. The last few weeks demanded action and it was easy to get on that fast track of activity. Yet, now I have a break in the action. So, what do you do when you get up and nothing is scheduled on the calendar? or when all your energy has been sapped from the stress of those busy days? I decided I have a choice. I can whine and complain or I can be thankful. I started making a list in my journal of the things that I KNOW are good gifts from my Father given to me today… my good friend is arriving tomorrow for a visit, a chair I ordered in September is finally being delivered today, and my courtyard is filled with the wonderful color and plants that I envisioned from the beginning. And, I discovered that I don’t need all the details of tomorrow’s schedule after all. I know He will provide the direction, energy, and good things along the way—just for me and just when I need it. My part is obedience.

Saturday, January 6, 2007

Messy Lives

Life can sure get messy. Have you read the story of Noah lately? Did you know that Noah lived on the ark for almost a year with only 7 other people and pairs of every animal, large and small, and birds? Noah was chosen by God for this mission because he was the only blameless man on the face of the earth and he walked in close fellowship with God. I can still remember Bill Cosby’s rendition of Noah. He had it down as to Noah’s reaction to this impossible task. When it rained for 40 days and 40 nights, Noah didn’t even know what rain was. Think about the details of caring for everyone during that year! How do you keep the peace between everyone, in addition to feeding, cleaning, and caring for the sick ones – on a small boat!? It is mind boggling…and messy! Nevertheless, Noah obeyed the Lord’s commands and all on the ark were protected during that tremendous storm and eventually walked onto dry land. I am sure there were times when Noah wondered what he had gotten himself into. However, God was faithful to Noah and in Genesis 9:12-15 (NLT) He gave Noah this promise:
“I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life.”
Sometimes the path we are on is messy and obscured with rocks, weeds, and debris. It might be cloudy and hard to see. Boulders may even roll down and block our way. I have had many cloudy days lately and know that without the loving support of my Saviour, the storms of life would have taken me down. But, God placed the colorful rainbow in the sky as a reminder of His love for all of us and with it His promise to never destroy all of life. I love looking at the beautiful clouds in our Arizona skies. And, when I do, I know that I am looking up at the face of Him who is leading me each step of the way…the One that brings color and light into my darkness. Thank you, Lord.

Tuesday, January 2, 2007

A NEW Year

The year 2006 will go down in my history book as a tough year. Ringing in the New Year was done with a quiet but joyful celebration. The last of our family flew home yesterday so last night I had some time to reflect over the year. Some phrases that immediately flashed in my mind were:
Don’t let disappointments stop you from new challenges
God is rarely early but never late
Moving is exhausting
God gives children to younger parents– for very good reasons
Calling 911 is terrifying
Friends are often God-with-skin-on in tense moments
Anticipate new opportunities for service
Life is fragile – stay connected with loved ones
Grandgirlies are a constant joy

I know that God has been at work in my life this year. Yet, there are moments when I felt like saying STOP…I have had enough! However, through all the times of heartache, exhaustion, grief, fear and longing, He has been by my side with love, comfort, strength, guidance, wisdom and health. I should not be surprised that life has its ups and downs for in James 1:2-6 (NLT), it says, Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking. But when you ask him, be sure that your faith is in God alone. Do not waver, for a person with divided loyalty is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is blown and tossed by the wind. The remarkable fact is that God has the most freedom to do His will when I am the weakest. My faith and trust must be in Him alone and that is why it is a step by step walk…not a sprint. His guide book only includes a daily journey. So, Welcome, 2007! Let’s get going!!!