And the winner is...

After the Academy Awards, everyone has a opinion on the winners and losers, the best and worst dresses, the laugh lines that were funny – or not, and always the length of the entire program. Some make this annual event into a party for friends while others prefer to watch it alone. I like a good movie. In our home, we make it a point to see the non-scary action movies, comedies, musicals and historical films. If my favorite happens to be up for an award, it usually is a fluke. Hollywood chooses to produce the types of movies that it believes will sell tickets regardless of the values portrayed. Years ago when we had children living at home, we made a decision to not attend R rated movies believing that it was more important to be good models for them. And even to this day, it has to be a very special movie before I am comfortable watching it. The reason? The mind is a wonderful but complex organ that remembers what it sees – sometimes to our detriment. Some people have such vivid imaginations that they cannot escape the images seen on the silver screen. Others appear to not be affected. Yet, whatever your opinion on the awards, I wonder what our Heavenly Father thinks about all of these movies because He gives us instructions about how we should use our mind. Finally, brothers, 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. Philippians 4:8 (ESV) The next time you leave the theater after watching a movie, consider His list. The God who created all the works of art in creation desires that His children think on good things. Be selective.

A Special Poem

Given the task of doing the eulogy at my mother’s recent funeral, this poem struck a deep chord within. I know I want my life to count, to make a difference, to give glory to God.  Take a few moments and ponder these words by Linda Ellis.

Kind Words

I just opened my email to find a note from the neighborhood scribe that one of my neighbors collapsed in his yard yesterday and died. We have been here for just a few months so that I do not know this man yet shock is reverberating over the internet and among the homes. It reminded me, again, that each day is a gift of life and must not be taken for granted. The younger we are, the more likely we are to take risks and not be careful about our choices. The only problem with that is the consequences of our actions usually catch up with us as we age. I remember many summer days sitting on the sand at Huntington Beach with baby oil slathered all over my body -- for hours! Yes, I did get a sunburn but now I have to schedule regular checkups to remove the skin cancers that continue to pop up. Actions and consequences are inevitable and one of our greatest responsibilities as parents is teach this concept to our children. Having just spent time with three little sisters that each expresses her mind with great gusto, consider this proverb: A gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 (NIV) Rather than having a verbal free for all, lowering our voice and speaking softly allows a much better opportunity to actually resolve the conflict. Teaching the girls to be kind and speak nicely is a daily task. The same goes for adults. Our technological age allows us to bypass some of the common courtesies of conversation, probably to our detriment as a society. So make a note to yourself: gentle words will be a balm for a broken heart, a frightened child, a worried mother, a frantic friend, a stressed husband or a grieving neighbor. Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Proverbs 16:24 (NLT)

Way Perfect!

We have just made a swing through California to check on Dad and see the newly transplanted kids in the Bay Area. (I remembered why I am never moving again.) My son-in-law had been traveling all week and returned late Friday night. Early the next morning, my two-year-old granddaughter was in snuggling with her parents when she suddenly sat upright and announced to her dad, “I way perfect for Mommy.” You see Dad had encouraged the three girls before he left to listen to and obey Mom while he was gone. Allie was just reporting in with her assessment of her week. Dad and Mom both laughed with our precocious little girl knowing full well that the week had not gone quite as “perfect” as she wanted to portray. Later at breakfast we all joined in a chuckle over the story. But inwardly I cringed because I know how an attitude of perfection can be a real stumbling block in life…I have suffered from it for years. Now as the Nana to these three sweet girls, I want to encourage them to skip the trap of a prideful spirit and the disillusionment that often results from the failure to meet unrealistic expectations. Depending on the individual and personality, perfection can lead to giving up and not even trying. Or, it may result in stomachaches, sweaty palms, and tears. And the worst part is the constant need to perform well for acceptance and love. It has taken me many years and along several paths before I truly understood AND believed that I am loved and accepted by God just because. And I can do nothing to change that. He loves me whether I get it right or fail. And to top it all off, anything good that comes from me is only a reflection of His life in me. My prayer is to leave a legacy of love and acceptance for these precious girls so that they know that “being way perfect” is not necessary. I love them just they way they are. And God does, too! We love each other because he loved us first. I John 4:19 (NLT)

Go Play

Recently, I had a phone conversation with my daughter and she mentioned that my two-year-old granddaughter is driving her nuts. She described the ability of this tiny headstrong girl to throw a fit accompanied with all the wailing, crying, and commotion that she can muster–just to get her point across. But, the crazy part occurs when in the middle of all this noise and confusion, she will stop, turn to her mother, and say through her tears, “I all done cwying now. I wuv you very much Mommy,” and off she trots to play. What do you do with that little imp? As I thought about her response, it crossed my mind that we often fret, complain, cry, or whine to our Heavenly Father about something we think we need or an incident that has occurred -- wanting it done our way and NOW. However, His response is “Stop crying, my beloved daughter. I love you very much and let me take care of it.” I pray that as we grow and mature in our walk with the Lord, we will no longer feel the need to throw one of those fits, but rather turn the problem over to Him and trust Him with the solution. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT) Now, go play!

Dilemma

Years ago I participated in a parent committee formed by the local School Board to review the curriculum's of sex, drugs, and AIDS education for grades K to 12. What a challenge! I have tackled many “impossible” tasks in my life assuming that with enough time, energy, money, and determination, I could change the situation. However, I discovered while serving on that committee that regardless of how motivated I might be to make a difference – sometimes it just does not happen. Last night I could not sleep. I kept mulling over the options for my dad’s living situation, which is far from being resolved. Frustrated, I got up, slipped into my office and opened my email. In it was a devotional message by Os Hillman in which he directly responded to this kind of dilemma. “There are times when pushing harder, trying to manipulate the circumstance, or pressing those around you is not the response to have to the roadblock. God may be trying to have you reconsider your ways. God may be doing one of four things when you are faced with an obstacle: 1) He's blocking it to protect you. 2) His timing to complete this stage is not the same as yours, and He may need you to go through a process of character refinement. 3) He may want other players to get in place, and the circumstances are not yet ready for them to enter. 4) He may be using the process to develop patience in you. Relying on the Holy Spirit to know which one applies to your situation is the key to moving in God's timing.” I know that God has His hand on Dad and will show us the best place for him to be. We are headed out next week to check on things. As I fell asleep, I thanked God for reminding me to be patient – the path will be made clear.

The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 (NLT)


But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don’t need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true—it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. 1 John 2:27 (NLT)

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.

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.

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.

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.