Sunday, March 29, 2009

Milestones

So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:12 (NASB)
My online dictionary defines milestone as, "an action or event marking a significant change or stage in development." Birthdays and anniversaries are the typical examples when someone mentions milestones. But, I am celebrating a different one today–this blog is my 200th post. Encouraged by Mark, I started blogging three years ago. I thought I wanted to write a book but moving to Arizona usurped my time and energy. Another snag was that I am not a writer but a reader and felt inadequate for the job. Yet, I felt that God had some things He wanted me to say. The task seemed daunting but I decided to go for it. Determined and prayerfully, I finished that first post and then realized, with the prodding of my husband, that I had to get right back at it and write the second. After a few months of blogging, discouragement hit. I made the decision to continue whether anyone else ever read it online or not. It was great discipline to learn how to put thoughts together on a subject, more often than not, to remind ME of God's goodness and faithfulness in my life. However, whenever I check my stat meter, hits from all over the world overwhelm me and I realize that I am just a tool in the hand of God. So let’s celebrate knowing that we are all called to number our days. Blogging may not be your thing, but find an avenue that you can use to glorify Him. My prayer is that all of us will be ready with a heart of wisdom when we come face to face with our Savior.

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Key to Life

You can make this choice by loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and committing yourself firmly to him. This (He) is the key to your life. Deuteronomy 30:20a (NLT)
I love to watch TV shows where the good guy wins, usually after a series of twists and turns in the plot. I am hooked on "24" for that very reason. As I follow the wanderings of the children of Israel, I notice that as they approach the entrance to the Promised Land, God sits them down for one last lecture. They didn't have a good reputation for remembering things so not only did He tell them but also He had Moses teach them the whole story in song as a memory tool. We still use that method of teaching and I remember listening to my grandgirlies sing the "A-B-C" song again and again. Yet even as God recounted the story of their journey and His miraculous care to them, He knew they were going to make bad choices and would turn to other gods. As furious as this made Him, He loved them so much that He gave them a key to life. It would be their choice whether to live a life of pain and suffering chasing after other gods or would they choose life and all of its blessing by loving the one true God and obeying His commands. What gods are we chasing today? Wealth? That is probably not the best pursuit in the current economic climate. Position? We have seen what happens when a governor attempts to sell a senate seat. Fame? Ask Mel Gibson what happens when your dirty laundry is aired on the news. But these pursuits are not limited to the rich and famous. We all do it in our own way. It is so easy to start out with noble purposes and then discover that we let the enemy lead us astray. The key to life is a choice. It doesn't just happen but must be willfully lived out each day of our lives. Make it happen! Choose God.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Trust Parade

But even after all he did, you refused to trust the Lord your God…Deuteronomy 1:32 (NLT)
The children of Israel were a stubborn lot. A trip that should have taken eleven days instead took forty years. The verse continues with, "…who goes before you looking for the best places to camp, guiding you with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day." They lost the opportunity to start a new life of freedom because of their fear, bickering, and disobedience. He was there to guide them day and night, yet they still refused to cooperate. And, yes, they suffered the consequences. How many times do we complain to God about the circumstances of our life? As I look back over the last few years, I see the hand of God in so many ways. Whether the months were filled with joy due to a wedding or birth of a new grandgirlie or months of pain and anguish in the shadow of the pit of depression, God held the flashlight on my path so I could see the next step. I don't want my legacy to be that I refused to trust God and failed to make the grand parade into the Promised Land. I want my grandgirlies to know that Nana believed God and had faith and trust in His goodness and guidance. Join me in the Trust Parade…it will be glorious!

Thursday, March 5, 2009

New Mercies

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)
Do you remember this chorus? Long before we had "praise" music, we had choruses. I learned more at camp than any other place and loved singing them around the campfire. Today, this verse brings me back to five years ago. I woke that morning with expectation and joy. My wedding was just in nine days. But a phone call from my fiancĂ© in Tennessee shattered all the dreams and plans we had for the wedding. He called from the emergency room and told me he was having a heart attack. Shock hit first and then action. I called and cancelled all the wedding plans, packed a few clothes, and got on a plane. When I walked into that hospital room, my heart sank. He was gray and wired, tubes everywhere. But, I smiled and eventually, he did, too. Three days later, we walked out of that hospital and were married on the day we planned – only in Tennessee. It was a rush, things were not as we planned but God was faithful and we made it. These last years have not been easy but God is true to his promise. He gives new mercies every morning. Some days I use all mine up by noon but He is always there to hold me, encourage me, and show me His love…and I get a new batch the next day. Thank you, Lord, for your great faithfulness.