Something New

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. Isaiah 43:19 (NLT)

When the New Year hit, I wondered whether turning over the page of a calendar would make any difference. I was so ready to begin 2009 after a long and difficult 2008. And, once that new calendar was on the wall, I decided that yes, it gives me the opportunity to start over. To have a second chance, a clean slate, a new beginning. Basically, it is narrowed down to one word—hope. There were some days last year when I felt so dry and weary as I struggled in the wilderness of my own dashed hopes and dreams. I wanted to believe that God was working on a way out but I couldn't see it. I learned over the course of those months that my job is to trust and have faith that His plan is moving along at just the right speed. I tend to be quick in my actions so learning to sit back and be patient is challenging. We changed churches in January, one of those new beginnings but not an easy one. I left after that first Sunday service knowing that God was doing a special work in me in this place of worship. Tears of joy and healing often run down my cheeks. I know that God knows my heart's desires and is slowly bringing people and opportunities to my doorstep so that I may serve Him. I am so excited about the possibilities. What's new in your life?

A Busy Week

When I am overwhelmed, you alone know the way I should turn. Psalm 142:3a (NLT)

I love Spring in the desert. After living most of my life in the lushness of California foliage and flowers, my preconceived ideas of living in a basically brown landscape are dashed when the calendar turns over to April. Each cactus blooms with its own particular flower and the desert is awash in color. You have to hurry to catch a picture because they some flowers last only 24 hours before shriveling up. Some days this month, I, too, felt like that cactus flower. Better catch me before I faded for the day. It is amazing to me how three little girls can turn our world upside down in a matter of minutes. We led a whirlwind week of fun in the sun with them as they enjoyed their Easter vacation with us. Swimming at the pool, birthday party for Tori, BBQ, dinners out, shopping, golf cart rides, loading and unloading the dishwasher—there were not many minutes in a day for Nana to just sit. On top of that, we drove to Pasadena to see Dad for the Easter weekend and almost missed church as we dealt with a dead battery. As we all drove off in different directions and returned home, I was a little sad to see the girls leave. It had been a great week. As crazy as my life is these days, I am thankful that my steps are ordered by One who knows what is best for me and keeps me from losing it. The celebration of His resurrection last week reminds me that He is alive. I serve a living God—not one made of wood or stone. He is risen! He is risen, indeed!

Jephthah's Daughter

How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. Hebrews 11:32 (NLT)

The record of the men and women of faith in Hebrews 11 inspires me every time I read it. These people faced situations that required purposeful decisions to trust God in unbelievable circumstances. It was often life or death. Finally in the Promised Land, you would think the children of Israel would have finally figured out how to please God. But the book of Judges notes that they continue to disobey and worship other gods until life becomes unbearable and they beg for help. Each time God sends His emissary to clean up the mess. He never lets go of His special people even when they can't seem to get it right. The author of Hebrews 11 recounts the stories of men and women who earned a good reputation because of their faith. He runs out of time and finally lists several more men, including Jephthah. It is an intriguing story of faith with a plot twist at the end that had me scratching my head. As Jephthah returned from battle, his excited daughter ran out to meet him and congratulate him on his great victory. Yet, rather than embracing her and dancing with her, grief overwhelms him and he tears his clothes because of a vow that he had made to the Lord as he entered into battle. This vow is the complicated part of the story but her response is what captured my attention. We never see her complain, even though her life immediately changes and she knows she will never marry or have children. I like feel-good-endings to stories but this one made me stop and ponder. Obviously, God was pleased with both of them because He listed them in His Hall of Fame. Why? They followed directions, gave glory to God, and earned the reputation of a pure heart. How do we respond when life doesn't make sense? Rant? Rave? Question? Sometimes, I find myself doing all three but the longer I walk in His footsteps, the easier it is to say, "Yes, Lord."

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.

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.

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!

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 fiancé 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.

Our Path

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)

I am on a need-to-know basis with God these days. I would prefer to have my life laid out neatly on a piece of paper so that I can plan my day but He doesn’t work that way. His timetable and mine often differ but I know that I can trust Him. I remember when Kate was little, she feared getting lost and would ask me if I had a map in my head when she got in the car. Only when I assured her that I did, would she settle back and enjoy the ride. That same confidence is mine when I trust Him with my life. Repeatedly in Scripture, He talks about our "path" with specific instructions about how to negotiate the daily twists and turns of life. Not only can I count on the clues from His Word, but also He directs people to influence me and circumstances to confirm what He wants me to do. Yet, there are moments when I question and plead with Him for answers, or change, or direction TODAY. His patient answer comes back, "I will advise you and watch over you." Yes, Lord.

Extreme Tabernacle

Whether the cloud stayed above the Tabernacle for two days, a month, or a year, the people of Israel stayed in camp and did not move on. But as soon as it lifted, they broke camp and moved on. Numbers 9:22 (NLT)

Have you ever watched Extreme Makeover: Home Edition? Recently, Tucson experienced the razing and rebuilding of a 3600 square foot home—all done in one week. I used to build houses and can't imagine coordinating the crews to meet that deadline. Even under normal circumstance, I remember how important it was for me to put away the plans, after pouring over them all day, if I wanted a restful night's sleep. I needed time to wind down from the countless details and drawings. As I read the story of the building of the Tabernacle, it struck me that God is a God of detail. He knew exactly what He wanted and gave a list of instructions to Moses about its construction, contents, arrangement, and even the best craftsmen to do the work. (While reading, I tried to visualize the construction plans and realized we use many of the same details when framing a house today.) But, this was not a one-man or one-week project. Moses was the project manager but all the children of Israel participated. Everyone donated to the project—from precious metals and stones to wood and colored thread—all used for the completion of the intricate patterns and designs. Imagine the excitement of the people as Moses assembled all the pieces and the Tabernacle took shape before their eyes. And think of their wonder as they watched the glory of the LORD fill it with His presence—a cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. The LORD now had a visible place to dwell in the camp. However, did you notice how God chose to direct His people? If the cloud moved, the people knew it was time to break up camp and follow it. How many times have you asked God about His plans for your life? Wouldn't it be easier if we could look out the window and see the status of the cloud—kinda like looking up the weather on the Internet? No, it is not that simple, but God did not leave us clueless. We have a guide and guidebook in the Holy Spirit and the Bible. He will speak to our heart and mind if we seek Him and listen. We may not see a cloud but we can count on His presence in the stillness of the night, the loneliness of a hospital bed, or the joy of a newborn baby. He promises never to leave us. So get your plans out and study them…for the next step.

Turf War

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the LORD will reward you. Proverbs 25:21-22 (NIV)

The other night my daughter called and wanted some advice about a situation going on at the girl's school. As women, we seem to be very good at creating large problems out of small incidents, the proverbial mountains out of molehills, and she was mixed up in one with another mother. In thinking about the various aspects of the problem, I conceded that mothers become very protective about their children and intimidated if there is a feeling of being taken advantage. It is also easy to make assumptions about another person's life, particularly if things are not going well in our own home. Before you know it, we misconstrue seemingly, simple, innocent gestures or actions resulting in hard feelings and unkind responses. So how do you handle the elephant in the room? I immediately thought of the phrase "heaping coals of fire" on an enemy's head from today's verse. Not sure about the exact meaning, I decided to do a google search and found some interesting definitions:

• In the biblical era, fire was a valuable commodity. Often a person would go to a neighbor and ask for a coal with which to start his fire. This expression means don’t just give him the basic essential. Instead, give him so many coals they are so heavy he has to carry them on his head as was the custom with heavy loads. Thus, we are taught a lesson in helpful generosity.
• To heap coals of fire on the head of a foe: To melt down his animosity by deeds of kindness.
• It means to treat someone who wrongs you with extra kindness, above and beyond the norm and in spite of whatever they have done to you. It usually shocks the person and points out to them that they have done something wrong.

I found the translation from The Message offered some helpful clues:

If you see your enemy hungry, go buy him lunch; if he's thirsty, bring him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness, and God will look after you. Proverbs 25:21-22 (The Message)

So I gave her a few suggestions: Call this mom up and arrange to meet at Starbucks for coffee. Listen rather than talk. Put yourself in the other person's shoes. Offer sympathy and help. She may turn down your offer and probably will never be your BFF, but you will have done your part. An act of kindness, a simple cup of coffee, may completely turn around the situation. It won't be easy but remember, it's during the hard times that we grow. Whatever the outcome, the verse ends with the promise that He will look after you. This is a win-win situation. Got her number?