Good Enough

The temperatures have been blissfully warm this week. I had roofers here last week. At least that’s what they called themselves. It was Honey’s dad and son-in-law. They were finishing the roofing job that they started last fall. It seems like something always came up when it was time to finish the roof. Do you ever feel that before you can finish what you started, wildfires spring up to demand your attention? Honey’s poor dad has been stomping out wildfires all summer long; and as it is, he’s still trying to get the new waterline set and buried before snow comes and stays. After watching him these past few years, I don’t know if retirement is as restful as everyone claims. He’s the busiest man I know. Granted, most of that is self-imposed. He’s the kind of person that looks for things to do and people to help. I suspect that there’s a special reward in heaven for that dear man.

As I was making the bed this morning, I started thinking about the everyday menial tasks that we all perform on a regular basis. You know the kind. It’s the ones that no matter how many times you do them … they are there the next day waiting to be done again. Occasionally I find myself spending so much time on the routine tasks that I want to cut corners and maybe not devote as much attention to the chores as I should. After all, I’m only going to make the bed, etc. again tomorrow. Does anyone besides my ex-military Daddy care if I can bounce a quarter on my freshly made bed? (When we were kids, Daddy would sometimes inspect our beds and often used the quarter example to ‘inspire’ quality.) How about you? Are there tasks and chores in your everyday life that you feel are taking precious time away from more important duties?

As I was pondering all of this, I felt that nudge again. You know the nudge where God is wanting you to pay attention because He is about to make a point. This is what came to mind:

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men: Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.

(Ephesians 6:6-8)

As to the Lord? So many times I view menial tasks as a nuisance. How can a little thing like making the bed be important to Him? Then some thoughts came to mind. When I worked in public, I found that people would often regress in their work ethics, instead of improve, as they became familiar with their jobs. At first, they would be the shinning example of the perfect employee. As time went on, it was extremely common to hear them bellyaching and complaining about every little thing. Finally, they would become such malcontents that their work would be sloppy at best, and more often than not the little tasks assigned to them would be completely overlooked. With this thought in mind, do I dare look around me? Have I gotten so used to my blinders that I refuse to see the little tasks that I deem unpleasant? Am I working ‘as unto the Lord’?

I don’t spread this exciting revelation from God with the intent of pointing fingers and passing out shame. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’m simply sharing a very hard lesson that God is trying to teach me.

The journey to heaven is very exciting and full of wonder. It is also a quest. A quest to draw closer to our Dear Father as we proceed along our way. There is awe-inspiring power in the great miracles of God; but He is also a very personal God. Just as He walked with Adam in the garden each day, in fellowship and love. He wants to have that very relationship with each of us as well. I gratefully serve a Master that takes time to guide and correct me personally as I seek to serve Him and others better. Try saying that about the false gods of this world.

God is so good – All the time!

Have a great day, and may the Lord bless you!

Pickels

I was rummaging through some old things a day or so ago and found this picture. Let me introduce you to an old friend of mine … Pickels the clown. Pickels was my alter ego many years ago. What started out to be a part-time job delivering balloons, turned into a full-fledged personality change for me. As a shy young woman, I had dreams of becoming this sophisticated career-type person. I wanted to be like the divas in the soap operas that had class and dignity. Back then, like most young families, we were often strapped for money. This was during the time of the ‘entrepreneurs’. A friend convinced me that she and I could make up a couple of costumes and deliver balloons for birthdays and special occasions. Somehow in an oil town of 1,000 people we were suppose to get rich. (Awe for the optimism of youth!) Costumes were created, business cards were printed, and commitments were made … and she backed out, leaving me to go out among the people to embarrass myself alone. There were smiles and laughter wherever I went … I was hooked!

Over the years, Pickels and I grew up together. I literally threw myself into this new ‘career’ and studied the masters of comedy and slapstick. I became close personal friends with librarians who would use the inter-library loan system to find books on magic, costuming, theatrical makeup, and silly jokes. Pickels grew more polished and established, becoming a minor celebrity in areas across Texas. Me? Well God had some things to teach me in all of this.

God used that period in my life to teach me how to focus my attention outward. He put some really awesome Christian clowns in my life and used them to teach me lessons about dying to self and becoming what the Bible terms as ‘the least of these’. I couldn’t serve Him and stay focused on my own ‘dignity’ and self-image at the same time. I had to learn to ‘put myself out there’ to be laughed at and possibly ridiculed. You know, that rarely happened. Instead, I found people wanted to be near me. They wanted for just a few moments to reconnect with innocence and fun. They wanted to forget their burdens and be child-like again … just for a little while. I learned that anyone can put on the makeup; but to be a real clown, I had to learn to have so much love and compassion for people that it bubbled out of me. Without a doubt, that was an experience of a lifetime! I never earned much money, but I became as rich as King Solomon in so many ways.

To have a true servant’s heart, we have to always keep in mind that this life isn’t about us. When asked by the scribes what the most important commandment was, Jesus said “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self. There is none other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12:30-31)

Little secret to all you young folks out there … life isn’t about dignity, pride, and image. All these things are extra baggage to weigh us down and hinder our service to the Lord. Let them all go and become as a child. A child trusts without question, loves without reservation, and is open to all the wonderful experiences that a loving Father can bestow on them. And Christians, here’s a secret for you … it’s not about ‘us’. When we went to the Cross, we died to self. It’s all about serving God, in whatever capacity He calls you to. For a period of my life … it was to literally become a fool for Him. The things He taught me during those years will serve me the rest of my life. God is so good! Will you put aside all the ‘baggage’ of self and trust Him completely to lead you? It’s scary at first … but oh, what an adventure!

Have a great day and may the Lord bless you!

Halloween

Today is a big day for many children across the country. When I was younger, halloween was a big treat; but the most fun I had was when the kids were little. The kids were dressed in customized costumes each year. They had a unique edge on the other kids at school – their Mama was a professional clown and had all the cool theatrical make up and gadgets! One year Eric wanted to be the wolfman. It took HOURS to paste the hair all over his face, neck and hands. What was worse was that it took even longer to get that stuff off. That wouldn’t have been too bad, except it was a school night. What a mess that was!

Then in the late 1980’s the occult came to West Texas. One year pentagrams were discovered in underpasses and various locations around Abilene. Word got out that they were performing human sacrifices and other rituals. Things started to get a little creepy. Then rumor got around that they were looking for blonde-haired kids to use in their rituals. My older brother and his wife had four and lived in that area. The innocence of the holiday was stolen. The more I looked into the practices of the occult, the more uncomfortable I became with celebrating a holiday that had such strong roots in the Celtic beliefs. For awhile we did the ‘Christian alternative’ thing … but that still didn’t feel right to me. Later on, when Honey and I got married, we discussed the halloween practices and he had already come to the belief that halloween should be completely ignored by God’s people. Being raised in an area that has such strong ties to devil worshipping and the occult, I can understand why he felt the way he did.

Each year I hear discussions, debates, and a lot of criticism among the Saints concerning halloween. Some still allow their children to celebrate the holiday because it’s just kids dressing up and having fun. Others maintain that Christians can celebrate it, but should have a ‘Christian-themed’ alternative. And there are the staunch ‘thou shalt not’ types who go around smacking other Christians and everyone else with their Bibles for even mentioning the word halloween. I believe that each person needs to seek God on this issue and follow His leading. For us, people know that we just aren’t interested in celebrating this day and the lights stay off.

Tonight in our part of the world, there are many who will celebrate today with almost obsessive glee. This is their ‘Christmas’ … their day to worship whatever false god(s) they have chosen to follow. In knowing this, I have grown to dread this day; and I catch myself looking back to when this was simple a fun day for cute little kids to dress up and have some fun. Was this day ‘stolen’ from our children or has God finally gotten through to us about being ‘in the world’ but not being ‘part of the world’? I guess it’s something to think about.

Walk with God as you sort out this thing called life, and may the Lord bless you.

Books

The sky is overcast and there’s a distinct chill in the air this morning. Bluegrass is playing on the computer with the washer and dryer providing the background beat. Isn’t it funny how some sounds just say ‘home’. When I was a child, that sound was Mama’s electric mixer. We were a mashed potato family. More often than not mashed potatoes were the side dish to just about everything. Whether outside playing or in my room reading, I knew when the mixer started, it was just about dinnertime. It’s a shame that so many people today associate that sound with the ding of a microwave.

I’ve been re-reading the book “Deadline” by Randy Alcorn. It’s a novel that is part who-done-it and part theology. I didn’t think those two writing styles could be combined, but if you ever find yourself looking for a good read – check it out. It’s a page-turner. My ADD brain starts with the concepts of the novel and somewhere down the line took a hard right, leaving me to dwell on the following concept.

Just suppose you are sitting at a table and someone places a notebook & pen in front of you, instructing you to write your life story. The notebook is filled with clean white pages. Each page is a day of your life. The story must be written with complete honesty, (leaving nothing out), and it must be written in ink, (no erasing or scratching out any segment or deed). What kind of story would it be?

Our parents start the story for us. In love, they begin our novel as a fairy tale. We are the little ‘princes’ and ‘princesses’ that will conquer the dragons and defeat the evil witches. But soon we leave the nursery room only to discover a great big world filled with temptation, pain, and disappointments. We learn that we are weak and fallible. We also discover that we have the ability to endure beyond what we think is possible.

What kind of book would you write if you were being completely honest? For most the tone of their book will change from chapter to chapter. Adventure, drama, comedy … the chapters will ebb and flow as we look back to see the different circumstances of our lives. Have you noticed a thread running through the story line yet? Have you, as the main character, remained consistent? Or has there been a life changing event to redirect your course?

When the pages are all filled, the novel complete, and “THE END” permanently sealing the days of your life between the covers, where do you suppose it would be placed in the library of eternity? For me, I would love to see my life story in the Classic section. A story of virtue, good vs. evil, with the heroine (me) defying the dark forces and being victorious in the end. But all kidding aside, as I hold my book and skim through the many pages, my first reaction would be to look around to make sure no one else was looking. I would be ashamed for others to read large sections of this book, especially my children and grandchildren. There are a few fun stories and shinning moments that I would want to share. But in this book, we aren’t allowed to pick & choose – everything must be included.

For many, their books would read like a tabloid – often imitating the actions of others and not taking the time to sort out life for themselves. There will be a sad group who would write their version of the TV Guide – living life vicariously through fictional characters created by someone else. I guess the largest section in the eternal library would be the ‘drama’ crowd. I’m not going to talk too loud about this … big portions of my life would place me in this group. Does this make-believe concept make you as uncomfortable as it does me?

The reason for this seemingly silly exercise is to point out that yes, we are writing our books. These books will not end when our bodies are laid to rest at death. These books are for eternity. God is the one who has access to all the books, because the eternal library is His. As I think about that, my first reaction is to breathe a sigh of relief that nobody else will see. But as I roll this concept around a little more, I become even more ashamed and humbled. I want to cry ‘Anyone BUT Him!’ You see, He created me with love, He was there to comfort me through the darkest hours, and He was there pleading with me to come out of my sin and back into His arms. I am reminded yet again the sheer wonder of His grace and mercy. You see, He is the sole editor of our books. He promises that if we come to Him with a true repentant heart, seeking forgiveness; He will cover our transgressions with the blood of Jesus. This blood will forever blot out our shameful deeds and then God promises to ‘remember them no more’.

As any good writer knows, you always keep the ending in mind as you write the chapters. With each page you move closer to that ultimate finale. We have to stop living each day like a TV sitcom. One day we will all stand in front of God. He will review our books with us, and our eternal destiny will forever be determined. My past is what it is, but each day is a new beginning. Across the top of each new page I write:

“Choose you this day whom ye will serve … as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15

May the Lord bless you.

Tim's Rock

It’s raining again here at the cabin. All I can say is, at least it’s not snow. There hasn’t been much of anything going on around here lately. Honey’s Dad and Brother-in-law have been working on burying the new water line before the freezing temperatures are here to stay. Awhile back my brother-in-law had a boo boo while he was working on the ditch. I didn’t want to post these pictures until the tractor was fixed and back in operation. Tim has amazing skill when he uses his tractor; but that day things just happened and the “rock” came out of the bucket and put a nice size dent in the hood. Actually, I think it shattered pretty much all the hood. From what I hear, Tim was in no real danger – he was out of the seat and off the tractor before the rock ever landed. Personally, I think he has some big guardian angels, and sometimes they have to work overtime. Amazingly the tractor was still functional. He loaded it up and hauled it to a friend’s house to have the rock removed. The tractor and his dignity have now been restored. If the weather cooperates, the line should be buried and everything back to normal by the middle of next week.

There’s really no more news to speak of right now, and my coffee cup is empty. So I guess it’s time to get back to work.

Have a great day and may the Lord bless you.

How Much Do You Love Them?

My morning has been spent in the kitchen. There’s bread rising on the counter, a pot of chili on the stove, and a bowl of apples sprinkled with sugar & cinnamon tucked away to use in a pie later. The chili is to freeze. Supper will more than likely be baked ham. I try to keep ‘fast food’ in the freezer for the days when I’m not able to cook; and coming into winter, there will be more and more of those days ahead. But that’s OK, at least I’ll be prepared.

There is a lot of activity around the cabin these days. The local power company has contracted a tree service to clear trees and branches around the power lines. It’s a common practice around here in the winter. When the snow starts to come down by the foot instead of by the flake, the trees get overloaded and power outages are extremely common in the winter. For folks that don’t have generators … it’s a really awful feeling to have the power shut off and it’s 20 below outside. Not knowing how long a power outage will last will even cause a little unrest in folks who do have backup. We’ve been wanting to go off-grid for years. It’s just not feasible here at the cabin. Living in a meadow surrounded by mountain tops leaves us with very little sun and hardly any wind to speak of. Anyway, I was outside watching them work earlier. Let me tell you, that’s some scary job they have! I caught myself holding my breath more than once. Before I realized it, I was praying over these men.

Last night Honey came home and was telling me about a wreck that happened at one of the job sites he was on yesterday. The trucks were hauling asphalt for a paving job locally. One of the dump trucks was down at the work site and the others were parked up the hill waiting their turn to unload. From what I understand, a couple of local boys in a little green car came flying through the work site and hit the back tire of the dump truck. The impact was hard enough to bounce the car quite a ways, and in the process part of the car went under the tail end of the truck, peeling the top of the passenger roof off like opening a can of sardines. Fortunately the passenger just happened to be bending down messing with his cell phone when it occurred. The driver in the dump truck hardly felt the truck shake. He and the rest of the crew working there were safe. The compact car did little more than scuff the truck tire. Honey and the other drivers were far enough away that they didn’t even know there had been an accident until someone from the work crew came up to get a fellow driver who also happens to be an EMT. I don’t think the boys were seriously hurt, other than an airbag headache.

While my hands were deep in bread dough, my thoughts began to wander. There are so many dangerous jobs out there. And for those of us who aren’t in harms way, we just don’t know what’s around the next bend. Is there someone in your life that you care about, but aren’t sure if they have accepted the Lord? Have you asked them? My first thought is that people usually have real strong thoughts and opinions about ‘religion’. Would me asking them such a personal question endanger our friendship? My next thought is – if they were to die today, could I live with myself if I don’t ask them? And finally - if I were to die today, would my last conversation with them point them to Jesus?

I find that it’s easier to talk to Jesus about them than it is to talk to them about Jesus. When this realization strikes me, I like to justify it by telling myself that I’m being a ‘prayer warrior’! (That sounds almost self-righteous doesn’t it?) I find myself praying “God, send someone to tell them about you.” Do you pray for that ‘other’ saint too? Am I telling on myself, or what? I can strike such a pious pose if I would just keep my mouth shut and only utter the ‘proper christian words’ when I do speak. Maybe my lack of pretense is why God gives me this assignment.

I suspect my biggest problem is that I’m a coward. I don’t like rejection. What if they call me a ‘Bible Thumper’ or ‘Holy Roller’? Even worse, what if they tell others that I’m one of ‘those’ people? In my head, this sounds almost funny. My head says “So?” But it is a very real and natural fear. No one wants to feel rejected, especially by someone we care about. It’s so much easier to share Jesus with strangers. But that thinking puts “I” at the center. How much do you love THEM?

(long pause in writing)

While I was writing these very words, God convicted me in a big way. Here I was talking about sticking your neck out and sharing Jesus with others, when there were people in my own life that I needed to talk to about Jesus, but I always managed to chickened out whenever I would get on the phone with them. Often I would slip in little key words like ‘prayer’ and ‘God’, and when they changed the subject I would just let it drop. Even though I don’t talk to them very often, they have always been so special to me. For the past few days, God has put them on my heart. So while the bread was in the oven, I called them. The thought of them slipping into eternity before I had a chance to ask them about Jesus was more than my conscience could bear. The conversation was brief and the phone passed from her to him before I could build up my courage. He & I visited for a few minutes and I asked him if he knew Jesus and if Jesus was his Savior. I’m sure that there are more subtle or eloquent ways of doing this, but as most would agree – I just don’t know how to beat around the bush, and I wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass this time.

I don’t know what I expected. There weren’t any angry words. There weren’t any shouts of Alleluia either. Just a pause and “Yes, I believe so.” His voice remained as soft as it has ever been, but I sensed a coolness after that. In just a few minutes, his dinner was ready. Knowing them the way I do, after more than 40 years, the topic will come up over dinner. Will this affect our relationship? Probably. But that’s OK. The little demons are trying to convince me that I made a mistake. But, you know, I did what I felt God was telling me to do. I do know that since our conversation, the urging from God has stopped. This has been a burden I’ve carried for years, and it’s gone now. My delivery may not have been the best, but God’s is. God will use that seed. How? I may never know.

“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light.” Luke 11:33

Pray for courage and guidance, and follow the Lord’s lead. His Word never returns void. And if you don’t know Jesus as your Savior and Lord – please seek Him. It’s really simple. Just ask Him to make Himself real to you, and see what happens.

Have a great rest of the day, and may the Lord bless you.

Praising The Lord

The cold is really starting to settle in here at the cabin. Yesterday the cold was bone chilling. I wouldn’t have been surprised at all if it would have started snowing. Honey has been fighting a cold, and being outdoors all weekend hasn’t helped any. There seems to be more work to do than we can ever dream of catching up on. We just keep putting one foot in front of the other. Either it gets done, or it doesn’t. We just do our part and trust God for the rest.

I hesitate to even write anything today. I have a tendency to say what’s on my mind, even when I probably shouldn’t. It’s just been so long, and you’ve been on my mind today. For several days now, and especially today, I have had such a sense of dread. This isn’t common for me; so that makes it even more unnerving. Have you ever had that feeling that you just can’t seem to shake? You don’t know what it is that you are ‘dreading’; but no matter how you try to focus your attention on something else, it just hangs on. I’ve prayed about it, but it doesn’t ease. I’ve prayed for family, friends, acquaintances, and for folks I don’t even know. It would be real easy for me to start finding things to worry about. What do you do when this happens?

I’ve given this considerable thought, and remembered something I had heard awhile back. “When all else fails, praise the Lord.” So I crank up my favorite Robin Mark soundtrack and start singing praises to God. I’m reminded of the time when Peter and the other disciples were in a boat late one night. The sea was ‘contrary’ and they were having to really struggle to get it to the other side. They looked up and saw Jesus walking across the water toward them. Peter called out to Jesus, wanting to walk out to the Lord. When Jesus bid him “Come”, Peter stepped out of the boat and began walking on the water toward him. But before he could get to where Jesus was, Peter lost focus and starting letting the circumstances around him get his attention. Peter began to sink. He cried to the Lord for help. Fortunately the Lord reached out and lifted him back up. As long as Peter kept his eyes on the Lord, he was able to do what no man had ever done before.

I’m not trying to do anything big like walking on water. Just getting through today is enough right now. I am learning that when I put my focus on God and start praising Him with my ‘joyful noise’ the peaceful assurance comes. No matter what happens, as long as I keep my eyes on God – it will all work out according to His will. Whatever is causing this feeling of dread isn’t concerning me anymore. It’s annoying at best. But I will just keep praising God and praying for all those who come to mind. God’s Will is perfect. I may not understand it, but He knows the big picture. I’m just a tiny little piece in the grand design. We can’t let circumstances or even feelings distract us from seeking Him.

You know, it’s nice to be able to talk this out. Thank you so much for patiently listening. Please keep us in your prayers. You are in mine.

May the Lord bless and keep you.