Way too often I am obtuse.
I don't remember things that I need to; I am slow at learning, or sometimes I am just downright stubborn. Because I am, I am forced to learn or re-learn a lesson that I already should know. I have come to believe that I am a slow learner when to comes to certain things. Those lessons that God has been trying to teach me for years and years, and I appear to be skull dunce.
One of those lessons that repeatedly appears in my life is my ability to trust God. If we were polled, I imagine most of mankind would agree that we have had our questions about the trustworthiness of God in our lives.
The type of questions that come to my mind are :
"Is God even aware of what I am going through?"
"Does God care about me?"
"Will God help me?"
"Is God capable of getting me in our out of this situation?"
"What is it going to cost me if I trust God?"
"Is God reliable?"
"Is God so busy that He might overlook me?"
"Can God ever forgive me for what I have done?"
We each have our own set of questions and we shouldn't be afraid to ask them.
I believe that God is BIG enough to handle our questions, our doubts, our frailities and insecurities.
It is just that at times, we forget how BIG our GOD is. At least I do.
I remember as a teen, wondering if God cared at all about my parents divorce. Did he not see how my Dad's alcoholism was ruining our family and ruining my Dad? Did He not care?
Did God even imagine what my Mom's unexpected death would do to me through the years? Did He care?
What about the time my daughter was in heart failure because of anorexia? Did He not see my utter anguish and helplessness?
What about my boys? and how drugs tried to destroy one of their lives?
And what about the mental illness our family has been beset with? Does God realize how difficult that is on all of us?
Would God forgive me of the gravest and most violent sin I ever did? Getting rid of a baby that was growing inside me?
I have learned through many many painful experiences that God is trustworthy. Oh these lessons have caused me heartache like you wouldn't believe. But it isn't easy?
Each and everytime, I wonder if God will show up for me? If God really really cares.
YES He does care.
I am the slow one who finally remembers how God has been present. How He supplied whatever it was I needed in the given situation.
And No, He doesn't always show up the way I want Him too. And what I have gone through, or what I have done, will often bring about results or consequences that I will need to live with for awhile.
But God always shows up.
Its not just me who forgets what God has done in my life.
That group of twelve men who lived day in and day out with Jesus while He was ministering on earth, often forgot who Jesus was, what He had done and what He might do.
Maybe you have heard the story of Jesus feeding 5000 plus people with 5 barley loaves and 2 fish. He had been preaching to these people telling them about the kingdom of God and they became hungry. There wasn't a store in sight. No one, except one young fella had thought of bringing some nourishment. Jesus asked his disciples to see if anyone had anything, and they found the lad with the fish and bread.
Jesus then took both of these and gave thanks to His father and blessed the food and then gave it to his friends to distribute it.
Everyone got food. Everyone was satisfied. What's more is that there were leftovers. (here's the link to the bible passage about this
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+6%3A30-39&version=NIV
That is one miracle I would have loved to see. Maybe its because I love food and love to see it multiply, cause it never does when I need it too. You would think, like I do, that the disciples would not forget this. I mean, how CRAZY was that?
Days, weeks or months later, they did. Just 2 chapters later, they were again in a situation without food and a large crowd. They asked Jesus where in this far away place will we get food for all these folks?
DUH, do you remember what Jesus did earlier?
Obviously they didn't. (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+8+%3A1-10&version=NIV)
They were alot like me: having trouble remembering what Jesus had done previously.
Freaking out, that He might not come through this time.
REALLY?
Over and over and over again, Jesus has proved Himself faithful to me. He has completely forgiven me and wiped my sins away as far as the east is from the west.
He has supplied EXACTLY what I would need in any and every given situation. It doesn't always come when I want it to come, but it ALWAYS COMES.
He comforted me in my deepest sorrows: when I was utterly lost when my mom died. When my hope and trust was wavering when my daughter was sent to an eating disorder clinic. When I didn't hear anything for almost three years from a son caught in drug addiction.
When the mental illness that has beset our family has shaken me to the core of my being, feeling utterly helpless to do anything to lessen their plight.
When I experienced His immediate forgiveness and knew His peace after I had an abortion.
He has never forgotten me.
He has never forgotten you.
When Jesus' disciples forgot what He had done, He asked them:
"Don't you remember?" Mark 8:18b
Maybe He is asking the same question to me and to you.
Whatever you might be going through, right this minute, He knows. He cares. He loves you. He will be there for you.
It is time for us to remember.
To remember God's faithfulness.
To remember His love, His Grace and forgiveness . Time to remember His countless resources.
Time to remember that He promises us:
" I will never leave you or forsake you."
I hope you aren't as obtuse as me.
Friday, August 22, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
TIME. Where does it go?
The days come and the days go.
What do we make of those days?
Am I too busy to notice the little nuances in life?
Perhaps in days gone by, I was. But now living in the middle of nowhere, with no kids to raise, a job that is done mostly by phone and the internet, I tend to notice things more.
Why is that so?
Why are we so busy that we don't stop to appreciate even the tiniest things in our lives? Rushing to get to the next place, do the next task, meet the next person.
For what? More rushing? More hurrying?
And does rushing get us anywhere faster? Or do we become irritated, agitated as we sit in traffic, wait in lines at the store, wait for our kids to get out of school so that we can "rush" them to their next activity?
Why are we so rushed?
Gosh, I remember the days- and now shudder, when I was "too busy" to play ball with my son, to have another tea party with my daughters. What I wouldn't do to have a "do-over" for those years.
Thankfully, as a Grammy, I do get to do that again. And this time, I am not rushed, not too busy to stop and play.
How many times do you read the same book to your child? Do you wish it was a different book, or a different night and it was hubby's turn to read? Do you ever see the excitement, the expectation, the joy in your child's face as you read that book over and over again? They know the story. They know it by heart. And yet, it still captures them.
When was the last time you let something really capture your attention?
Living in the mountains, I have been encaptured by the beauty of clouds. Those misty spatterings of moisture that dot the skies with absolutely amazing patterns. Hardly a day goes by when I am not looking for, or mesmerized by cloud formations.
Was I too busy to see them in the city? Or is it much more pronounced in the mountains?
It is the same with the stars at night. I know that the stars were not as clear and distinct in the city, but here on a dark night, the sky is brilliantly strewn with stars and galaxies that are breathless to see- if we only took the time.
Why is that we think we have to rush everywhere and through everything? When our children, and nature cry out to be noticed and enjoyed.
Why do we miss so much in the hustle of getting somewhere else?
And yet we can spend hours upon hours on the internet, reading blog after blog, or spend so much time watching TV, mindless tv.
What are you doing with your time?
How are you spending it?
The majority of us, work or want to be working. And then what do we do? We complain about working too much and we don't stop thinking about our work.
For those of us who can, we need to leave work at work.
We need to begin to enjoy life again. To see the newness of each day instead of thinking its the same old, same old; day in and day out.
How do we do this?
By beginning slowly.
Setting aside a day or a half a day to just be. To be present wherever we are. To stop and take the time to play with our kiddos. Believe me, you will never regret that time, but chances are you will regret the time you spent working too long, too late and missed out on your family.
To do something you enjoy. Whether it be reading or running or riding a bike, or planting the next phase of your garden, to relish the hobby you haven't had time for. To take a day trip to somewhere you have wanted to visit for awhile. To take a nap. To plan a vacation where you can enjoy what you see instead of rushing to the next place.
Last week, I took my two grandsons to the San Francisco Zoo. They have been to the zoo recently but I could not remember the last time I had been. We walked by so many animals. We read all the signs that educated us. We laughed and laughed at the wolverines. We were mesmerized by the lions and tigers and their beauty and their size; and decided we didn't want to meet one face to face outside of the zoo. We watched the grizzly bears eat lunch and talked about the differences between them and the polar bears we saw. We waited to see the chimps -who spent a bit of time hiding from us. We saw a red panda. We laughed at the monkeys and thought how much fun it would be to swing from tree to tree.
I even agreed to go to the Insect section and was again afraid of tarantulas and reminded that I am not a bug person. But we spent our time leisurely and enjoyed each exhibit. We were not rushed and it was glorious!
Our time is our time. We get to decide how we will spend it, what we will do with it.
PLEASE don't squander the time you have. It is too precious, too valuable to waste on the non important stuff.
Enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, enjoy your life.
What do we make of those days?
Am I too busy to notice the little nuances in life?
Perhaps in days gone by, I was. But now living in the middle of nowhere, with no kids to raise, a job that is done mostly by phone and the internet, I tend to notice things more.
Why is that so?
Why are we so busy that we don't stop to appreciate even the tiniest things in our lives? Rushing to get to the next place, do the next task, meet the next person.
For what? More rushing? More hurrying?
And does rushing get us anywhere faster? Or do we become irritated, agitated as we sit in traffic, wait in lines at the store, wait for our kids to get out of school so that we can "rush" them to their next activity?
Why are we so rushed?
Gosh, I remember the days- and now shudder, when I was "too busy" to play ball with my son, to have another tea party with my daughters. What I wouldn't do to have a "do-over" for those years.
Thankfully, as a Grammy, I do get to do that again. And this time, I am not rushed, not too busy to stop and play.
How many times do you read the same book to your child? Do you wish it was a different book, or a different night and it was hubby's turn to read? Do you ever see the excitement, the expectation, the joy in your child's face as you read that book over and over again? They know the story. They know it by heart. And yet, it still captures them.
When was the last time you let something really capture your attention?
Living in the mountains, I have been encaptured by the beauty of clouds. Those misty spatterings of moisture that dot the skies with absolutely amazing patterns. Hardly a day goes by when I am not looking for, or mesmerized by cloud formations.
Was I too busy to see them in the city? Or is it much more pronounced in the mountains?
It is the same with the stars at night. I know that the stars were not as clear and distinct in the city, but here on a dark night, the sky is brilliantly strewn with stars and galaxies that are breathless to see- if we only took the time.
Why is that we think we have to rush everywhere and through everything? When our children, and nature cry out to be noticed and enjoyed.
Why do we miss so much in the hustle of getting somewhere else?
And yet we can spend hours upon hours on the internet, reading blog after blog, or spend so much time watching TV, mindless tv.
What are you doing with your time?
How are you spending it?
The majority of us, work or want to be working. And then what do we do? We complain about working too much and we don't stop thinking about our work.
For those of us who can, we need to leave work at work.
We need to begin to enjoy life again. To see the newness of each day instead of thinking its the same old, same old; day in and day out.
How do we do this?
By beginning slowly.
Setting aside a day or a half a day to just be. To be present wherever we are. To stop and take the time to play with our kiddos. Believe me, you will never regret that time, but chances are you will regret the time you spent working too long, too late and missed out on your family.
To do something you enjoy. Whether it be reading or running or riding a bike, or planting the next phase of your garden, to relish the hobby you haven't had time for. To take a day trip to somewhere you have wanted to visit for awhile. To take a nap. To plan a vacation where you can enjoy what you see instead of rushing to the next place.
Last week, I took my two grandsons to the San Francisco Zoo. They have been to the zoo recently but I could not remember the last time I had been. We walked by so many animals. We read all the signs that educated us. We laughed and laughed at the wolverines. We were mesmerized by the lions and tigers and their beauty and their size; and decided we didn't want to meet one face to face outside of the zoo. We watched the grizzly bears eat lunch and talked about the differences between them and the polar bears we saw. We waited to see the chimps -who spent a bit of time hiding from us. We saw a red panda. We laughed at the monkeys and thought how much fun it would be to swing from tree to tree.
I even agreed to go to the Insect section and was again afraid of tarantulas and reminded that I am not a bug person. But we spent our time leisurely and enjoyed each exhibit. We were not rushed and it was glorious!
Our time is our time. We get to decide how we will spend it, what we will do with it.
PLEASE don't squander the time you have. It is too precious, too valuable to waste on the non important stuff.
Enjoy your family, enjoy your friends, enjoy your life.
Sunday, August 3, 2014
The Lies we Believe (or the making of a dallas cowboy cheerleader
Flipping through the channels on TV on a Sunday evening, I realized that boredom has set in.
Maybe, it's because I am fighting this stomach bug and don't feel that great, but I am experiencing a new type of "nausea" then I have in the past 24 hours.
I began watching a show called , "the Making of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders" and within a very few minutes I was completely appalled by the degradation of women.
These young women are chastised for their weight, that their legs are too short for the outfits, that they are awkward.
The director of the DCC (dallas cowboy cheerleaders) is a woman named Kelli Finglass and the choreographer is Judy Trammell. Both of these women were previous cheerleaders and have been hired to pick and name the squad. They had to go through the try-outs themselves, and both were part of the squad for at least five seasons. Perhaps that is why they are so hard on the girls.
This whole process really sickened me. I don't know if its because of the way the ladies were treated and judged or if it is the sad state of our world, that makes these young women, believe that they have nothing if they don't make the team.
It is totally not part of anything I would have wanted for my daughters. I realize that cheerleading is a sport and that sometimes, it becomes the "world" to girls and their families.
But what does it teach them?
That you have to beautiful, coordinated, they have to have certain thigh size to be noticed? I am concerned about the aspirations and goals of these young women that they can't imagine life without being a DCC.
I am not a "feminist" by nature.
But tonight I am.
I am repulsed by what has been portrayed on the TV.
I am angry.
What kind of society are we living in?
What are we teaching girls about their worth? What they are to value in life? To be a cheerleader in front of 100,000 people in person and maybe millions more on TV for at the most twenty games per year?
I am saddened by what I watched.
I was furious at the two women who were cut throat, catty and so degrading of some of the gals who were auditioning.
What gives them the right? Because they used to be a cheerleader?
Or are they trying to hold on to their "glory days"?
"I have poured my heart and soul into this".
That is a quote by one of the ladies. There were countless similar thoughts conveyed by the girls.
I realize when you want something, you must work hard for it.
At what cost though?
To make you feel "worthless" and "not special enough" if you don't make an NFL football team cheerleading squad?
I worked hard to become a nurse. I worked for 31 years taking care of patients and their families. It was something that I not only did as a career but something I could do for others. I don't think these young ladies will ever last that long on the football field, in fact I would bet any amount of money that they won't.
"You need to lose five pounds."
"You have to take this seriously".
"You need to wow the audiences".
"You can't go on your Barbie looks".
"You don't have the style we are looking for".
Those spoken words produced devastating feelings into the lives of the young women who were rejected by the Cheerleading gestapo.
Because they weren't picked to represent "America's Team"? (who by the way are not America's team anymore, and probably won't be ever again).
Where have we gone wrong making young women believe their lives are over because they didn't make the squad?
I think about the millions of girls all over the world that don't even know what a cheerleader is, much less a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. That so many girls fight to have an education because where they live, they are not considered worthy to attend school.
That the cost of dance lessons and outfits is abhorrent, when more than two thirds of the world live in poverty and would covet something barely new.
How do I convey moral values to a group of young women, when what they see on the tv, magazines and social media is that the size of their body, the skimpiness of what they put on is what makes them be noticed? How do I instill that our worth comes from Someone way more important?
That there is A GOD who loves them more than words can convey, more than the mind can comprehend, and who literally died to show them how much He loved them.
Oh ladies, there is so much more to life.
Maybe, it's because I am fighting this stomach bug and don't feel that great, but I am experiencing a new type of "nausea" then I have in the past 24 hours.
I began watching a show called , "the Making of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders" and within a very few minutes I was completely appalled by the degradation of women.
These young women are chastised for their weight, that their legs are too short for the outfits, that they are awkward.
The director of the DCC (dallas cowboy cheerleaders) is a woman named Kelli Finglass and the choreographer is Judy Trammell. Both of these women were previous cheerleaders and have been hired to pick and name the squad. They had to go through the try-outs themselves, and both were part of the squad for at least five seasons. Perhaps that is why they are so hard on the girls.
This whole process really sickened me. I don't know if its because of the way the ladies were treated and judged or if it is the sad state of our world, that makes these young women, believe that they have nothing if they don't make the team.
It is totally not part of anything I would have wanted for my daughters. I realize that cheerleading is a sport and that sometimes, it becomes the "world" to girls and their families.
But what does it teach them?
That you have to beautiful, coordinated, they have to have certain thigh size to be noticed? I am concerned about the aspirations and goals of these young women that they can't imagine life without being a DCC.
I am not a "feminist" by nature.
But tonight I am.
I am repulsed by what has been portrayed on the TV.
I am angry.
What kind of society are we living in?
What are we teaching girls about their worth? What they are to value in life? To be a cheerleader in front of 100,000 people in person and maybe millions more on TV for at the most twenty games per year?
I am saddened by what I watched.
I was furious at the two women who were cut throat, catty and so degrading of some of the gals who were auditioning.
What gives them the right? Because they used to be a cheerleader?
Or are they trying to hold on to their "glory days"?
"I have poured my heart and soul into this".
That is a quote by one of the ladies. There were countless similar thoughts conveyed by the girls.
I realize when you want something, you must work hard for it.
At what cost though?
To make you feel "worthless" and "not special enough" if you don't make an NFL football team cheerleading squad?
I worked hard to become a nurse. I worked for 31 years taking care of patients and their families. It was something that I not only did as a career but something I could do for others. I don't think these young ladies will ever last that long on the football field, in fact I would bet any amount of money that they won't.
"You need to lose five pounds."
"You have to take this seriously".
"You need to wow the audiences".
"You can't go on your Barbie looks".
"You don't have the style we are looking for".
Those spoken words produced devastating feelings into the lives of the young women who were rejected by the Cheerleading gestapo.
Because they weren't picked to represent "America's Team"? (who by the way are not America's team anymore, and probably won't be ever again).
Where have we gone wrong making young women believe their lives are over because they didn't make the squad?
I think about the millions of girls all over the world that don't even know what a cheerleader is, much less a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader. That so many girls fight to have an education because where they live, they are not considered worthy to attend school.
That the cost of dance lessons and outfits is abhorrent, when more than two thirds of the world live in poverty and would covet something barely new.
How do I convey moral values to a group of young women, when what they see on the tv, magazines and social media is that the size of their body, the skimpiness of what they put on is what makes them be noticed? How do I instill that our worth comes from Someone way more important?
That there is A GOD who loves them more than words can convey, more than the mind can comprehend, and who literally died to show them how much He loved them.
Oh ladies, there is so much more to life.
Monday, July 14, 2014
PROVE IT
Are you amazed and perplexed by magicians like I am?
Sometimes I watch them with my mouth wide open.
Other times, I am just in awe. My mind wonders "how in the heck did he do that?". If I see the trick in person, I ask them to do it again.
I remember a few years ago while visiting my daughter and her husband in Seattle, there was this incredible magician at Pike's Market. I watched him do his tricks over and over again. Many were convinced this guy was a fraud and that he was cheating. They wanted him to show them "HOW" he did it. He wouldn't agree to that. Afterall, this was part of his livelihood. I understand a magician's reasoning of not letting us in on their secret- if all of us could do what they did, we wouldn't be mesmerized by their art.
What if you know someone who boasts that they can do something, and you question the validity of their claim. We tend to ask them to "prove it". Show me. Let me see you do it. I want proof.
When my kids were in their teens, they created a game in our family room. We had a sky light that opened up the room. Because we wanted to be a home where kids always felt welcome, I sometimes would let them do things that other parents were sure to think I'd gone crazy allowing. This game was one of them.
My kids played basketball. We had a backboard on our sidewalk with real dimensions of a court painted on the street, where they could practice (while watching for cars!) free throws, dunks and just playing street hoops.
Inside was a different kind of basketball. They would mark their fingers with felt pens, and because we had a long family room, they would run and see how high they could jump up towards the skylight. I had a multi-colored ceiling for years.
Our kids friends often were ball players, so everyone tried to beat the highest mark. All except Jeff. He was a baseball player and didn't have much of a "jump". One day he and our daughter had the idea that they would tell everyone that he beat them all. They brought in one of our kitchen chairs and he jumped up and made a new mark-the highest one yet.
Only problem was- no one believed him. They kept asking him to do it again, and he refused by saying they were just jealous. The other kids knew he could not have jumped that high because they had seen his previous efforts. Jeff could never "prove" that he had really done it, because he hadn't.
If someone would ask you or me, to prove by our lives that we were followers of Christ, could we prove it?
Sure we could recite bible verses, probably tell them the ABC's of how to become a follower, say we went to church, or read the latest Christian best seller. We might say we attend a bible study, lead a sunday school class, do youth work, work in the nursery at church.
We could give lots of examples, but would how we live our lives measure up.
I would fail miserably on some days.
What if they knew how I judged people? What if they had seen me yell at my kids? What if I had made things up on a resume? What if they knew about my "biggest sin?" They would probably doubt that I was a follower of Jesus.
What about you?
If you drink too much and too often, would you represent Christ accurately?
What if you were sleeping around? or maybe just sleeping with the person you had dated for awhile-justifying your actions by stating that you loved them?
What if you cheated? on an exam? or your spouse? or your work?
What if you took things from work that weren't really yours?
Could you prove by your life that you truly were a Christ follower?
And what about the "church?"
I have written previously how embarrassed I was with Christians in how we reacted to our different position on gays. Instead of loving each other, we throw accusations against one another saying you are wrong and I am right. Those that do not know Jesus in a personal way, may question who we are really following.
And what about some of those who oppose abortion? The ones who throw slurs at girls entering Planned Parenthood, or when it was common to picket at abortion clinics?
Just to let you know, I am pro-life. I believe abortion should not be a form of birth control. But I also am in no position to criticize those who think they have no other out. I was in that position once too.
In the Gospel of Luke, before Jesus began his public ministry, John the Baptist began preparing the way for the Messiah to come. He chastised people who said they followed God but that their lives looked otherwise.
He said,
"Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God."
Luke 3:8 NLT
What if we who profess to love and follow Jesus, lived each day, in the hopes of accurately portraying the ONE we have based our lives on. What if the actions of our lives, the words of our mouths, the thoughts in our head, could prove that we truly love Jesus Christ?
Something to think about.
I so want my life to be proof that Jesus has changed me.
Please forgive me if I have shown you something else.
Sometimes I watch them with my mouth wide open.
Other times, I am just in awe. My mind wonders "how in the heck did he do that?". If I see the trick in person, I ask them to do it again.
I remember a few years ago while visiting my daughter and her husband in Seattle, there was this incredible magician at Pike's Market. I watched him do his tricks over and over again. Many were convinced this guy was a fraud and that he was cheating. They wanted him to show them "HOW" he did it. He wouldn't agree to that. Afterall, this was part of his livelihood. I understand a magician's reasoning of not letting us in on their secret- if all of us could do what they did, we wouldn't be mesmerized by their art.
What if you know someone who boasts that they can do something, and you question the validity of their claim. We tend to ask them to "prove it". Show me. Let me see you do it. I want proof.
When my kids were in their teens, they created a game in our family room. We had a sky light that opened up the room. Because we wanted to be a home where kids always felt welcome, I sometimes would let them do things that other parents were sure to think I'd gone crazy allowing. This game was one of them.
My kids played basketball. We had a backboard on our sidewalk with real dimensions of a court painted on the street, where they could practice (while watching for cars!) free throws, dunks and just playing street hoops.
Inside was a different kind of basketball. They would mark their fingers with felt pens, and because we had a long family room, they would run and see how high they could jump up towards the skylight. I had a multi-colored ceiling for years.
Our kids friends often were ball players, so everyone tried to beat the highest mark. All except Jeff. He was a baseball player and didn't have much of a "jump". One day he and our daughter had the idea that they would tell everyone that he beat them all. They brought in one of our kitchen chairs and he jumped up and made a new mark-the highest one yet.
Only problem was- no one believed him. They kept asking him to do it again, and he refused by saying they were just jealous. The other kids knew he could not have jumped that high because they had seen his previous efforts. Jeff could never "prove" that he had really done it, because he hadn't.
If someone would ask you or me, to prove by our lives that we were followers of Christ, could we prove it?
Sure we could recite bible verses, probably tell them the ABC's of how to become a follower, say we went to church, or read the latest Christian best seller. We might say we attend a bible study, lead a sunday school class, do youth work, work in the nursery at church.
We could give lots of examples, but would how we live our lives measure up.
I would fail miserably on some days.
What if they knew how I judged people? What if they had seen me yell at my kids? What if I had made things up on a resume? What if they knew about my "biggest sin?" They would probably doubt that I was a follower of Jesus.
What about you?
If you drink too much and too often, would you represent Christ accurately?
What if you were sleeping around? or maybe just sleeping with the person you had dated for awhile-justifying your actions by stating that you loved them?
What if you cheated? on an exam? or your spouse? or your work?
What if you took things from work that weren't really yours?
Could you prove by your life that you truly were a Christ follower?
And what about the "church?"
I have written previously how embarrassed I was with Christians in how we reacted to our different position on gays. Instead of loving each other, we throw accusations against one another saying you are wrong and I am right. Those that do not know Jesus in a personal way, may question who we are really following.
And what about some of those who oppose abortion? The ones who throw slurs at girls entering Planned Parenthood, or when it was common to picket at abortion clinics?
Just to let you know, I am pro-life. I believe abortion should not be a form of birth control. But I also am in no position to criticize those who think they have no other out. I was in that position once too.
In the Gospel of Luke, before Jesus began his public ministry, John the Baptist began preparing the way for the Messiah to come. He chastised people who said they followed God but that their lives looked otherwise.
He said,
"Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God."
Luke 3:8 NLT
What if we who profess to love and follow Jesus, lived each day, in the hopes of accurately portraying the ONE we have based our lives on. What if the actions of our lives, the words of our mouths, the thoughts in our head, could prove that we truly love Jesus Christ?
Something to think about.
I so want my life to be proof that Jesus has changed me.
Please forgive me if I have shown you something else.
Friday, July 11, 2014
AFRAID? of WHAT?
FEARS.
They can paralyze us. If we let them.
What scares you?
Fear of the unknown? Fear of failing? Fear of a lifetime of loneliness? Fear of making the wrong career move?
Fear of being unloved or unwanted? Fear of not getting into college? Fear of being a parent? Fear of not being a parent? Fear of losing someone you love? Fear of divorce? Fear of getting a catastrophic illness? Fear of being single forever? Fear of the empty nest? Fear of your mistakes being known?
We have so many things that can frighten us, that can erroneously make us believe that disaster is upon us. That we will be 'found out".
If we let our fears consume us, they can debilitate us. We can be overtaken by anxiety.
It is a well known fact that over ninety percent of our fears and what we worry about will not come to pass.
How much time do you spend worrying?
Does it help? More than likely, not.
In fact, our fears and worries can wreck havoc on our bodies. It is medically proven that unwanted fears, worrying and anxiety can produce stress on our bodies. Which can result in illnesses.
Believe me, I am no stranger to this.
When my children were younger, I had the almost paralyzing fear that if my husband was away, our home would be broken into and I would be left to protect my kids. I couldn't sleep. Any noise would have me grabbing the baseball bat that I had put right next to my bed. I would get up, turn on all the lights I could, and scour the house for someone. It was a needless worry, but one that really produced an immense fear in my life.
As a nurse, I would imagine the worst if something happened to one of my kids. A headache would turn into "what if its a brain tumor?".
So you see, I was an expert in being afraid.
I constantly asked God to take away my fears.
I memorized 2 verses in particular:
Psalm 91:2
"This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
HE is my God and I trust Him"
and Psalm 34:4
"I prayed to the LORD and He answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears."
Eventually God did deliver me from all my fears and I know that He truly is my refuge. I am not easily frightened with fears now.
This morning I began reading the book of Luke. Two times in the first chapter, a priest named Zachariah and Mary, who became the mother of Jesus, were both told,
"Don't be afraid, Zachariah."
"Don't be afraid, Mary."
By name, God told them not to be afraid.
And He says that to you too. With your name. He promises us in the Bible, that He will never leave us or forsake us.
What we need to do is take Him at His Word.
In the book of Joshua, we are told " that not one of the Lord's good promises has failed. Every one has been fulfilled" (Josh 21:45).
God promises to be with us in whatever we go through. We are never alone. All we have to do is go to Him. Tell Him our fears. Ask Him to comfort us. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus and not our circumstances.
You may be thinking this is easy for her to say, she doesn't know what I am going through. And you are right, because I don't know and I may not understand your circumstances.
I do, however, know God's faithfulness:
When I was 21 and my mother died unexpectedly, He was there. He was there to comfort me minute by minute, hour by hour , day after day.
When I had to have one of my kids hospitalized for anorexia and I was so afraid I might lose her. God was there with me through the two months she was in treatment. He let me know she was Ok.
When my sons left home in hurt and anger. God carried me when I was feeling guilt ridden and depressed.
When I heard the words: "You have cancer". The LORD was with me every minute. I never was afraid. And if it comes back, I know He will be with me every step of the way.
So WE DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID.
We are never without our heavenly Father. He is always with us.
So if you are struggling with fears, worry or anxiety, can I plead with you to cry out to the Father.
I am not saying you will immediately be cured of your fears, but you will have someone who will walk with you everyday until you realize that these fears can no longer control you. They don't have to ruin your day or your month or your life.
Isn't that the best news you have heard today?
Philippians 4:6-7 New Living Translation.
"Don't worry about anything;instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.."
You only have your fears to lose, and peace to gain!
another post on fear:
http://missyscud.blogspot.com/2013/02/fears_2097.html
They can paralyze us. If we let them.
What scares you?
Fear of the unknown? Fear of failing? Fear of a lifetime of loneliness? Fear of making the wrong career move?
Fear of being unloved or unwanted? Fear of not getting into college? Fear of being a parent? Fear of not being a parent? Fear of losing someone you love? Fear of divorce? Fear of getting a catastrophic illness? Fear of being single forever? Fear of the empty nest? Fear of your mistakes being known?
We have so many things that can frighten us, that can erroneously make us believe that disaster is upon us. That we will be 'found out".
If we let our fears consume us, they can debilitate us. We can be overtaken by anxiety.
It is a well known fact that over ninety percent of our fears and what we worry about will not come to pass.
How much time do you spend worrying?
Does it help? More than likely, not.
In fact, our fears and worries can wreck havoc on our bodies. It is medically proven that unwanted fears, worrying and anxiety can produce stress on our bodies. Which can result in illnesses.
Believe me, I am no stranger to this.
When my children were younger, I had the almost paralyzing fear that if my husband was away, our home would be broken into and I would be left to protect my kids. I couldn't sleep. Any noise would have me grabbing the baseball bat that I had put right next to my bed. I would get up, turn on all the lights I could, and scour the house for someone. It was a needless worry, but one that really produced an immense fear in my life.
As a nurse, I would imagine the worst if something happened to one of my kids. A headache would turn into "what if its a brain tumor?".
So you see, I was an expert in being afraid.
I constantly asked God to take away my fears.
I memorized 2 verses in particular:
Psalm 91:2
"This I declare about the LORD:
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
HE is my God and I trust Him"
and Psalm 34:4
"I prayed to the LORD and He answered me,
and delivered me from all my fears."
Eventually God did deliver me from all my fears and I know that He truly is my refuge. I am not easily frightened with fears now.
This morning I began reading the book of Luke. Two times in the first chapter, a priest named Zachariah and Mary, who became the mother of Jesus, were both told,
"Don't be afraid, Zachariah."
"Don't be afraid, Mary."
By name, God told them not to be afraid.
And He says that to you too. With your name. He promises us in the Bible, that He will never leave us or forsake us.
What we need to do is take Him at His Word.
In the book of Joshua, we are told " that not one of the Lord's good promises has failed. Every one has been fulfilled" (Josh 21:45).
God promises to be with us in whatever we go through. We are never alone. All we have to do is go to Him. Tell Him our fears. Ask Him to comfort us. We need to keep our eyes on Jesus and not our circumstances.
You may be thinking this is easy for her to say, she doesn't know what I am going through. And you are right, because I don't know and I may not understand your circumstances.
I do, however, know God's faithfulness:
When I was 21 and my mother died unexpectedly, He was there. He was there to comfort me minute by minute, hour by hour , day after day.
When I had to have one of my kids hospitalized for anorexia and I was so afraid I might lose her. God was there with me through the two months she was in treatment. He let me know she was Ok.
When my sons left home in hurt and anger. God carried me when I was feeling guilt ridden and depressed.
When I heard the words: "You have cancer". The LORD was with me every minute. I never was afraid. And if it comes back, I know He will be with me every step of the way.
So WE DON'T HAVE TO BE AFRAID.
We are never without our heavenly Father. He is always with us.
So if you are struggling with fears, worry or anxiety, can I plead with you to cry out to the Father.
I am not saying you will immediately be cured of your fears, but you will have someone who will walk with you everyday until you realize that these fears can no longer control you. They don't have to ruin your day or your month or your life.
Isn't that the best news you have heard today?
Philippians 4:6-7 New Living Translation.
"Don't worry about anything;instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand.."
You only have your fears to lose, and peace to gain!
another post on fear:
http://missyscud.blogspot.com/2013/02/fears_2097.html
Thursday, July 3, 2014
Enjoying what we have
The book of Ecclesiastes was penned by Solomon, considered to be the wisest man that has ever lived. In this short 12 chapter book, Solomon tries to figure out what is the meaning of life.
So many of his sentences resonate deeply in my soul.
Skipping ahead to chapter 6, Solomon writes:
"Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have."
This sentence has been mulling around in my mind for days now.
Do we enjoy what we have? Do we count the blessings we are given? Or are we so consumed with getting what is next?
I have been surprised at my lack of ungratefulness; actually I am quite ashamed by it.
The past year of my life has been inundated by "surprises" but also by undeserved gifts.
Having battled cancer and come thru, I am very aware of the beauty of the gift of life. How precious it is to be alive. How unfortunate it is that we only seem to recognize that fact when our health, or someone we love's health, is in jeopardy. How many of us take our health for granted? We need to celebrate and enjoy our lives.
This year also brought the loss of someone I love very dearly. Robby was one who embraced life and embraced relationships. He was the type of person who everyone enjoyed being with. Robby had so many different types of friends and each person always felt loved and cared for by him. So this week, I have questioned if I enjoy the relationships I have like Robby did. Do we treasure those times we have with others? Do we seek out to be-friend others and enjoy people that we are with?
Living in the United States has its advantages and disadvantages.
We are a culture consumed by materialism. We want what others have. We covet and are miserable until we get the latest desire of our hearts. We believe we are "entitled" to whatever it is we wish to have. We have feelings of discontent that we don't have someone else's possessions or status or success.
Why is it we want what others have and yet do not enjoy what we do? Why do we dwell on what we desire instead of relishing what we do have? This is why Solomon often writes that life is meaningless. We have, we crave and covet and then we don't appreciate what the blessings we have been given.
Ann Voskamp's book, A Thousand Gifts, encourages us to take note of the simple, small pleasures everyday, and to be grateful. I have been trying to put this into practice since I read this book a year and a half ago. When we have thankful, grateful hearts, we tend to see life with a more positive outlook.
Even in the midst of trying, painful circumstances, we can be thankful. Yes, I know this can be hard, but it can be done. When I received the news that I had a rare type of cancer, I was scared, but I also knew that my life was in the hands of a God who loved me. I was thankful that I knew HE was in control, because my life appeared to be totally out of my control. I became thankful for the gift of life like I never had before. Even today, when I wake up daily with a sore neck, I am reminded that I am alive and I am grateful.
I am become increasingly aware of all the things I am thankful for, and am striving to enjoy what I do have.
If you were to take 5 minutes and write down all the things you were thankful and appreciative of, I am sure you would be amazed at how many things will pop into your mind. I did this recently and was so surprised how many things my mind came up with in that short time. Besides the "normal" things like my health , my family, my dear friends, a calling that I am compelled to do, I wrote down things like the beach, my dogs, experiencing 4 seasons, the beauty where I live, my college friends, butterflies, clouds ( a new obsession since living at Woodleaf), sunsets, weddings , my children's friends, books, music and so many more.
If I (and you) could enjoy just the little things we experience daily, we would be more apt to appreciate the tremendous gifts we have been given.
Desiring what we don't have causes covetness, jealousy and embitters us. It just isn't worth it. This week in a devotional book I am reading with one of our summer interns, by a pastor named Tony Evans, I read :
"One of the great tragedies today is we don't have enough Christians who know how to give thanks for what they already have."
Taken from "Get Serious"
I couldn't agree with him more. May we be those who enjoy what we have been given.
So many of his sentences resonate deeply in my soul.
Skipping ahead to chapter 6, Solomon writes:
"Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have."
This sentence has been mulling around in my mind for days now.
Do we enjoy what we have? Do we count the blessings we are given? Or are we so consumed with getting what is next?
I have been surprised at my lack of ungratefulness; actually I am quite ashamed by it.
The past year of my life has been inundated by "surprises" but also by undeserved gifts.
Having battled cancer and come thru, I am very aware of the beauty of the gift of life. How precious it is to be alive. How unfortunate it is that we only seem to recognize that fact when our health, or someone we love's health, is in jeopardy. How many of us take our health for granted? We need to celebrate and enjoy our lives.
This year also brought the loss of someone I love very dearly. Robby was one who embraced life and embraced relationships. He was the type of person who everyone enjoyed being with. Robby had so many different types of friends and each person always felt loved and cared for by him. So this week, I have questioned if I enjoy the relationships I have like Robby did. Do we treasure those times we have with others? Do we seek out to be-friend others and enjoy people that we are with?
Living in the United States has its advantages and disadvantages.
We are a culture consumed by materialism. We want what others have. We covet and are miserable until we get the latest desire of our hearts. We believe we are "entitled" to whatever it is we wish to have. We have feelings of discontent that we don't have someone else's possessions or status or success.
Why is it we want what others have and yet do not enjoy what we do? Why do we dwell on what we desire instead of relishing what we do have? This is why Solomon often writes that life is meaningless. We have, we crave and covet and then we don't appreciate what the blessings we have been given.
Ann Voskamp's book, A Thousand Gifts, encourages us to take note of the simple, small pleasures everyday, and to be grateful. I have been trying to put this into practice since I read this book a year and a half ago. When we have thankful, grateful hearts, we tend to see life with a more positive outlook.
Even in the midst of trying, painful circumstances, we can be thankful. Yes, I know this can be hard, but it can be done. When I received the news that I had a rare type of cancer, I was scared, but I also knew that my life was in the hands of a God who loved me. I was thankful that I knew HE was in control, because my life appeared to be totally out of my control. I became thankful for the gift of life like I never had before. Even today, when I wake up daily with a sore neck, I am reminded that I am alive and I am grateful.
I am become increasingly aware of all the things I am thankful for, and am striving to enjoy what I do have.
If you were to take 5 minutes and write down all the things you were thankful and appreciative of, I am sure you would be amazed at how many things will pop into your mind. I did this recently and was so surprised how many things my mind came up with in that short time. Besides the "normal" things like my health , my family, my dear friends, a calling that I am compelled to do, I wrote down things like the beach, my dogs, experiencing 4 seasons, the beauty where I live, my college friends, butterflies, clouds ( a new obsession since living at Woodleaf), sunsets, weddings , my children's friends, books, music and so many more.
If I (and you) could enjoy just the little things we experience daily, we would be more apt to appreciate the tremendous gifts we have been given.
Desiring what we don't have causes covetness, jealousy and embitters us. It just isn't worth it. This week in a devotional book I am reading with one of our summer interns, by a pastor named Tony Evans, I read :
"One of the great tragedies today is we don't have enough Christians who know how to give thanks for what they already have."
Taken from "Get Serious"
I couldn't agree with him more. May we be those who enjoy what we have been given.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
THERE IS A TIME
While growing up in the 60's, there was a song on the radio called, "Turn, turn, turn", by the Byrds.
It stated that there was a season for everything in life. My friends and I loved the song. Then, one of us heard that it was from the Bible. We couldn't believe it. The Byrds were a group of guys who no one knew much about. I do remember that David Crosby was in the band (YES, the David Crosby of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) and knew he was reported to do alot of drugs. So it was amazing to our young junior high minds that he recorded a song with words from the Bible. Growing up as a Catholic, I never even remember reading the Bible. I knew my parents had one in our home, but even going to Catholic schools for the first ten years of my school career, I never saw a Bible or was told to read it.
Now if you have ever read anything I have written, you know that I try and read the Bible everyday.
Yesterday, I started reading the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament. Chapter 3 in this book is where the song came from. Solomon talks about the meaning or lack of meaning in our lives.
Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that everything in life has a season to it; just like the song told me.
From the New Living Translation:
1 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
A time to be born and a time to die.
We all know this, but it doesn't deeply affect us until it occurs to someone we love or care about.
This past week, I was able to rejoice in the news of two babies births. The first was my sons friend from college, Dave and his wife Kaitlin welcomed there second daughter Brynnlee. Three days later my dear friend Gail became grandmother to her first grandson Kellan. Both families were overjoyed with the thrill of these new lives.
What about the other end of the spectrum? We all know that we will die. But what happens when it takes the life of someone we love dearly? Especially when it is way too soon. Like our friends who lost their 4 yr old little girl to a series of infections, or our very closest friends who lost their son this year at the age of 25? We know everyone will die. Just don't let it be someone close to us. We are never ready to lose someone we love. Whether or not we have been prepared-such as when cancer drains the life out of our loved one and we actually might have even prayed asking God to take them, we aren't prepared for the loss. Such the opposite of how well we try and prepare ourselves for the arrival of a baby.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
In the gardening world, we do alot of prep work getting ready to plant our gardens. We till the soil, we get rid of the weeds, we add new soil, we mulch before we ever plant. Then when we put either the seeds of the baby plant into the dirt and begin to water, we hope that the fruits of our labor will pay off. We watch and water and weed, and we wait. After a few months we have the beginnings of the harvest of our work. Right now, my garden has been planted about five weeks. I can hardly wait to pick fresh corn, tomatoes, green beans, peppers and hopefully some squash. I planted a number of herbs and am already using them.
But this phrase also applies to other areas of our lives.
In school, the planting is the studying and going to classes and the harvest is when you graduate and begin the next phase of your life.
Or what if you are starting something new? Whether it be designing a new app for our phones, starting to write the book or novel that has been on your mind for years, or perhaps you are starting a new ministry, or a new job. These things also require a fair amount of preparation and diligence before the finished product is ready to be enjoyed. Just like the harvest of our fruits and vegetables. We do work to reap the joys of our labor.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
This phrase baffles me.
Perhaps its about war time. Ususally wars bring casualties, and many of those casualties resulting in a death. Never has there been a war when there hasn't been deaths due to killing.
Its after the war has ended, that the re-building begins.
The healing; the physical, emotional and spiritual restoration begins. It is very much needed.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
In wars, (which were frequent in the time of Solomon), things are destroyed. Buildings, homes , families. After the last gun shot, the last bomb, the last hidden explosives are detonated, people are ready to begin again, to start fresh. It is the time to do in the present what will impact the future. It is time to make things new. Rebuild, restore and regain what has been lost.
This happens in life also. We might have been maligned, been told we were worthless, had our self worth destroyed by a cutting remark or a disparage attack on our character. WE can only take so much of negativity. And we realize we need to do something to counter the negative and commence the positive.
A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
Sometimes, these two actually occur together but most often there are times we just need to cry and there are times when the most appropriate thing to do is bust up with uncontrollable laughter.
Have you ever been to a memorial service when you both laughed and cried? During grief, we desperately need to have times of laughter. We can't possibly handle that ache, deep deep sorrow on a day in and day out basis. The ability to laugh in the intense moments of grief is a sheer gift.
Grieving is a long long process. Psychologists say that it takes two full years to work thru the stages of grief. So when the time comes, and you want to enjoy life again; go do what you love. Whether it be dancing, or hiking, or skiing or creating something. Perhaps you want to write, or try a new hobby. You just want to get going with life again. Do it!
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
Life often calls for times to get rid of things. Whether it be possessions, or bad habits, sometimes we just need to purge our lives from the clutter and the excess. We don't need everything we possess. Just this week, I purged 16 pairs of shoes from my closet. I didn't need them and I had not worn them for quite a while.
On the flip side, there are certain times when we need to accumulate some items. For instance when we get married and are setting up our homes. Or when we await the joy of a new baby, there are definitely items we need in preparing for this child.
Other times, its necessary to gather stones in other areas. Contacts and friends who can help you find a job, or a new home. Definitely we have times when we are in need, and we most always have times when we can give away to those less fortunate.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
When we receive something gladly or accept something willingly, we are embracing it.
In life, it could be a new friendship or romance, it could be a promotion or an opportunity to do something you've always dreamed of. You can embrace your favorite sport team, or the charity of your choice. You can adopt a healthy lifestyle and embrace the changes it gives you. We are blessed by people and are grateful.
But there are times when we need to turn away. We need to walk away from something that is harming us or detrimental to our well being. That might be a toxic relationship. It might be a job that is sucking the life out of us. It might be quitting alcohol or drugs if they have taken over our lives. We need to realize what is harming us and take the steps needed to get healthy again, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
What are you looking for?
Is it a new job?
A college major?
A spouse?
Are you seeking purpose for your life?
What are you doing to seek what you are looking for? Are you using your resources to help you find what it is you want? Are you asking God for guidance? Are you willing to be patient?
And when do you quit searching?
That I don't know.
I believe we all come to a time, when we realize that what we are seeking isn't there for us, at least for now. And somehow, we need to find contentment in accepting where we are. Often times like this, we need others to help us see clearly what we can't see ourselves.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
see above section on a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
This sentence seems so much along the line of the earlier one.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
I think the time to tear here is referring to Old Testament times when a person contracted leprosy, the priests would examine their clothes. If the disease was found on the clothes, they were burned. But if the clothes did not host the disease, they would be washed and part of it torn off and then given back to the owner who was afflicted with the disease. Otherwise, I have no idea what this sentence means.
But I do have an idea of what a time to mend is. The entire Bible is a story of reconciliation between God and His people (us) and how HE longs to mend the brokenness we have experienced -whether it comes from our separation from Him, or the brokenness that occurs at some point in all our lives.
God yearns to make us whole; to mend us. Will you allow Him to do that for you?
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
Sometimes we naturally know when to be quiet.
I have learned to come alongside someone who is grieving and just sit. And be still and be quiet. I have learned thru my own experience, that sometimes you just want someone to be present in a physical sense, without saying anything.
There are other times, when we definitely need to speak up.
When a disaster is about to happen that we can see, when someone is in danger- these are the times when we most definitely need to be heard.
There are times when we need to speak truth into another's life. When we can offer advice or perhaps wisdom when they are going thru a rough or perplexing time.
The hard part is often knowing when to speak and when to be quiet.
There have been times when I have said something that I wish I could take back as soon as the words left my mouth. There are other times when I look back, that I wish I had said something.
Sometimes it is very confusing to know which direction to go: to be silent or to speak ones opinion. Oh if only we knew every time which was the correct option!
A time to love and a time to hate.
Most of the time, loving will always be the best choice. Because when we love, we always put others before ourselves. And isn't that what Jesus always did? When we care more about uplifting, helping, encouraging others to show our love and support. Loving others tends to bring out the best in each of us.
But there are times to hate.
When someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol or gambling or something so destructive, that it tears you apart. It is OK to hate the object and not the person.
When horrendous crimes or terror occurs, we need to learn to hate the action and not the person. That is really a tough one for me. When a child is kidnapped or murdered or sold into prostitution or slavery, I am intensely angered. My gut reaction is to hate the person who did it, instead of hating the criminal act. I have to admit, I struggle with this-alot.
A time for war and a time for peace.
Since the beginning of time, there have been wars. There have been killings done because of jealousy and anger. Sometimes war can be good.
The American Civil War is an example. The North fought for the freedom of the Negro Slaves, believing that no man should be a slave to another. The Civil War was fought because of greed and the South not being (as a whole) respecter of others color.
The war on drugs has been fought globally for decades as so many of us have seen the decay of our society by the addictions of drugs.
But PEACE, oh how we need peace.
Wholeness and healing and the comfort it brings.
War time is always followed by periods of peace so that reconciliation and rebuilding can occur.
Peace is what I believe every single person alive desires.
Solomon was a very wise man. He thought long and hard about life and its meaning.
He knew that there was a time for everything.
It stated that there was a season for everything in life. My friends and I loved the song. Then, one of us heard that it was from the Bible. We couldn't believe it. The Byrds were a group of guys who no one knew much about. I do remember that David Crosby was in the band (YES, the David Crosby of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young) and knew he was reported to do alot of drugs. So it was amazing to our young junior high minds that he recorded a song with words from the Bible. Growing up as a Catholic, I never even remember reading the Bible. I knew my parents had one in our home, but even going to Catholic schools for the first ten years of my school career, I never saw a Bible or was told to read it.
Now if you have ever read anything I have written, you know that I try and read the Bible everyday.
Yesterday, I started reading the Book of Ecclesiastes in the Old Testament. Chapter 3 in this book is where the song came from. Solomon talks about the meaning or lack of meaning in our lives.
Ecclesiastes 3 tells us that everything in life has a season to it; just like the song told me.
From the New Living Translation:
1 For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
2 A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
3 A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
4 A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.
5 A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
6 A time to search and a time to quit searching.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
7 A time to tear and a time to mend.
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
8 A time to love and a time to hate.
A time for war and a time for peace.
A time to be born and a time to die.
We all know this, but it doesn't deeply affect us until it occurs to someone we love or care about.
This past week, I was able to rejoice in the news of two babies births. The first was my sons friend from college, Dave and his wife Kaitlin welcomed there second daughter Brynnlee. Three days later my dear friend Gail became grandmother to her first grandson Kellan. Both families were overjoyed with the thrill of these new lives.
What about the other end of the spectrum? We all know that we will die. But what happens when it takes the life of someone we love dearly? Especially when it is way too soon. Like our friends who lost their 4 yr old little girl to a series of infections, or our very closest friends who lost their son this year at the age of 25? We know everyone will die. Just don't let it be someone close to us. We are never ready to lose someone we love. Whether or not we have been prepared-such as when cancer drains the life out of our loved one and we actually might have even prayed asking God to take them, we aren't prepared for the loss. Such the opposite of how well we try and prepare ourselves for the arrival of a baby.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
In the gardening world, we do alot of prep work getting ready to plant our gardens. We till the soil, we get rid of the weeds, we add new soil, we mulch before we ever plant. Then when we put either the seeds of the baby plant into the dirt and begin to water, we hope that the fruits of our labor will pay off. We watch and water and weed, and we wait. After a few months we have the beginnings of the harvest of our work. Right now, my garden has been planted about five weeks. I can hardly wait to pick fresh corn, tomatoes, green beans, peppers and hopefully some squash. I planted a number of herbs and am already using them.
But this phrase also applies to other areas of our lives.
In school, the planting is the studying and going to classes and the harvest is when you graduate and begin the next phase of your life.
Or what if you are starting something new? Whether it be designing a new app for our phones, starting to write the book or novel that has been on your mind for years, or perhaps you are starting a new ministry, or a new job. These things also require a fair amount of preparation and diligence before the finished product is ready to be enjoyed. Just like the harvest of our fruits and vegetables. We do work to reap the joys of our labor.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
This phrase baffles me.
Perhaps its about war time. Ususally wars bring casualties, and many of those casualties resulting in a death. Never has there been a war when there hasn't been deaths due to killing.
Its after the war has ended, that the re-building begins.
The healing; the physical, emotional and spiritual restoration begins. It is very much needed.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
In wars, (which were frequent in the time of Solomon), things are destroyed. Buildings, homes , families. After the last gun shot, the last bomb, the last hidden explosives are detonated, people are ready to begin again, to start fresh. It is the time to do in the present what will impact the future. It is time to make things new. Rebuild, restore and regain what has been lost.
This happens in life also. We might have been maligned, been told we were worthless, had our self worth destroyed by a cutting remark or a disparage attack on our character. WE can only take so much of negativity. And we realize we need to do something to counter the negative and commence the positive.
A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance.
Sometimes, these two actually occur together but most often there are times we just need to cry and there are times when the most appropriate thing to do is bust up with uncontrollable laughter.
Have you ever been to a memorial service when you both laughed and cried? During grief, we desperately need to have times of laughter. We can't possibly handle that ache, deep deep sorrow on a day in and day out basis. The ability to laugh in the intense moments of grief is a sheer gift.
Grieving is a long long process. Psychologists say that it takes two full years to work thru the stages of grief. So when the time comes, and you want to enjoy life again; go do what you love. Whether it be dancing, or hiking, or skiing or creating something. Perhaps you want to write, or try a new hobby. You just want to get going with life again. Do it!
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
Life often calls for times to get rid of things. Whether it be possessions, or bad habits, sometimes we just need to purge our lives from the clutter and the excess. We don't need everything we possess. Just this week, I purged 16 pairs of shoes from my closet. I didn't need them and I had not worn them for quite a while.
On the flip side, there are certain times when we need to accumulate some items. For instance when we get married and are setting up our homes. Or when we await the joy of a new baby, there are definitely items we need in preparing for this child.
Other times, its necessary to gather stones in other areas. Contacts and friends who can help you find a job, or a new home. Definitely we have times when we are in need, and we most always have times when we can give away to those less fortunate.
A time to embrace and a time to turn away.
When we receive something gladly or accept something willingly, we are embracing it.
In life, it could be a new friendship or romance, it could be a promotion or an opportunity to do something you've always dreamed of. You can embrace your favorite sport team, or the charity of your choice. You can adopt a healthy lifestyle and embrace the changes it gives you. We are blessed by people and are grateful.
But there are times when we need to turn away. We need to walk away from something that is harming us or detrimental to our well being. That might be a toxic relationship. It might be a job that is sucking the life out of us. It might be quitting alcohol or drugs if they have taken over our lives. We need to realize what is harming us and take the steps needed to get healthy again, whether it be physical, emotional or spiritual.
A time to search and a time to quit searching.
What are you looking for?
Is it a new job?
A college major?
A spouse?
Are you seeking purpose for your life?
What are you doing to seek what you are looking for? Are you using your resources to help you find what it is you want? Are you asking God for guidance? Are you willing to be patient?
And when do you quit searching?
That I don't know.
I believe we all come to a time, when we realize that what we are seeking isn't there for us, at least for now. And somehow, we need to find contentment in accepting where we are. Often times like this, we need others to help us see clearly what we can't see ourselves.
A time to keep and a time to throw away.
see above section on a time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones.
This sentence seems so much along the line of the earlier one.
A time to tear and a time to mend.
I think the time to tear here is referring to Old Testament times when a person contracted leprosy, the priests would examine their clothes. If the disease was found on the clothes, they were burned. But if the clothes did not host the disease, they would be washed and part of it torn off and then given back to the owner who was afflicted with the disease. Otherwise, I have no idea what this sentence means.
But I do have an idea of what a time to mend is. The entire Bible is a story of reconciliation between God and His people (us) and how HE longs to mend the brokenness we have experienced -whether it comes from our separation from Him, or the brokenness that occurs at some point in all our lives.
God yearns to make us whole; to mend us. Will you allow Him to do that for you?
A time to be quiet and a time to speak.
Sometimes we naturally know when to be quiet.
I have learned to come alongside someone who is grieving and just sit. And be still and be quiet. I have learned thru my own experience, that sometimes you just want someone to be present in a physical sense, without saying anything.
There are other times, when we definitely need to speak up.
When a disaster is about to happen that we can see, when someone is in danger- these are the times when we most definitely need to be heard.
There are times when we need to speak truth into another's life. When we can offer advice or perhaps wisdom when they are going thru a rough or perplexing time.
The hard part is often knowing when to speak and when to be quiet.
There have been times when I have said something that I wish I could take back as soon as the words left my mouth. There are other times when I look back, that I wish I had said something.
Sometimes it is very confusing to know which direction to go: to be silent or to speak ones opinion. Oh if only we knew every time which was the correct option!
A time to love and a time to hate.
Most of the time, loving will always be the best choice. Because when we love, we always put others before ourselves. And isn't that what Jesus always did? When we care more about uplifting, helping, encouraging others to show our love and support. Loving others tends to bring out the best in each of us.
But there are times to hate.
When someone you love is addicted to drugs or alcohol or gambling or something so destructive, that it tears you apart. It is OK to hate the object and not the person.
When horrendous crimes or terror occurs, we need to learn to hate the action and not the person. That is really a tough one for me. When a child is kidnapped or murdered or sold into prostitution or slavery, I am intensely angered. My gut reaction is to hate the person who did it, instead of hating the criminal act. I have to admit, I struggle with this-alot.
A time for war and a time for peace.
Since the beginning of time, there have been wars. There have been killings done because of jealousy and anger. Sometimes war can be good.
The American Civil War is an example. The North fought for the freedom of the Negro Slaves, believing that no man should be a slave to another. The Civil War was fought because of greed and the South not being (as a whole) respecter of others color.
The war on drugs has been fought globally for decades as so many of us have seen the decay of our society by the addictions of drugs.
But PEACE, oh how we need peace.
Wholeness and healing and the comfort it brings.
War time is always followed by periods of peace so that reconciliation and rebuilding can occur.
Peace is what I believe every single person alive desires.
Solomon was a very wise man. He thought long and hard about life and its meaning.
He knew that there was a time for everything.
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