SelahV Today

When You Lose Your Zest

for life, do you resign yourself to mediocrity?  to the blah, ho-hum, apathetic attitude of who cares?

of course not.

When we find ourselves sitting in park, we need to rev up our engines, check the rearview, the side mirrors, and adjust our seats.  We need to either back up and start over or put our lives in drive and move!

LiFe lives; it does not sit in neutral.

I find my zeal and enthusiasm wanes when I do nothing.  When I sit around and look at all I have not done, and dwell on what I should have done, then the air goes out of my balloon.  The flowers wilt.  The lights dim.  The shadows get darker.  It's easy to fall into that trap of complacency.  Especially after a month of frivolity, of planning for a big event, of great expectations.  When the day of celebration is over, life has to go on.  It has to get back to normal, or what we consider a typical routine.  And sometimes, after a season of dismissing routine, we find ourselves yearning to live on the edge of expectation, of excitement, of finding something new beneath the tree or around the corner.  We are ready for change and don't even know it.  We want to take down the tree, bring back the familiar things we are comfortable with seeing.  However, that does not satisfy that inner desire for freshness. 

We want that zest, that energy, that anticipation to be restored, to linger, to feed our emotional needs.  Little do we realize that it is our mind and spirit that needs to be energized.  We need new batteries.  Fresh flowers.  Warmer, sunnier weather.  And no, it is not a vacation we need--though one might be in order if we fail to give our bodies any rest.  So, what do we do?

Plan.  Plan the garden.  Plan a pergola.  Plan a day trip to the nursery.  Plan an afternoon in the mountains (easy to do here in Lawton, we have Mt. Scott and Medicine Park just 20 minutes away).  Go sit by a lazy river and watch the barge flow by.  Go visit the zoo or aquarium.  Head for the biggest florist shop in town.  Go breathe life.  Bring home some plants or start some hyacinths in a bowl. Take some pictures. Buy a jigsaw puzzle of flowers and beautiful things. Peel and orange and read a new book.  Paint a picture.  Make something--anything...just don't sit there in neutral.  Go visit some shut-ins with a box of your Christmas photos. If nothing else, go buy a box of "Thinking of You cards" and send them to everyone you think may need a bit more zest in their life today.  ~hariette petersen

Photo provided by Vicky Doran, my new Pinterest Pal. Visit her today HERE at DAY BRIGHTNERS.

When We Mess Up

do we give up?

No.  We all mess up.  We are not perfect.  We fail at times.  We get our priorities all out of whack and wake up and find we need to back track and correct some things.  When NASA launched our astronauts into space and pointed them towards the moon, they were not left on their own.  There were constant corrections to the flight pattern in order to keep it on course and allow them to reach their destination.  Such is our life.

As Believers in Christ, we have a final destination and that destination is to be with God forever.  We, too, must make corrections in our lives, in our attitudes, our actions, and habits.  When we stumble down and fall down, we need to get up and remember what caused us to trip.  We need to repent and move on in the right direction.  We need to reset our course from where we were when we first became a Christian.  We need to be better mothers, fathers, wives and husbands.  We need to be better examples of our faith and truer ambassadors for the One who saved us from our sin.

Is there some word you said yesterday in the heat of a moment?  Is there some attitude you fostered, some grievance against someone you have not forgiven?  Is there some activity you have allowed to take you away from God's perfect plan and purpose for your life?

“Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first..."  ~Revelation 2:5a

Notice it does not say to "remember from where you have fallen" and then wallow in a sea of regret and remorse.  It says to repent.  Change directions.  Turn around.  Resist any temptation to remain where you are and continue in that sin of apathy, of disloyalty, of whatever sin you are committing.  Instead, do what God intends for you to do.  Love Him, love others and love yourself.  Live justly, mercifully, and humbly.  Do what He's called you to do, then rest in Him and His grace to see you through another day.  selahV

Endings, Beginnings and Stuff In Between

As 2012 fades and makes way for 2013, I think how blessed I am to have lived another year and look forward to the opportunity to celebrate a new one.  Each day is a gift, each moment.  Even the moments I wish I could have left unwrapped, those are gifts, too.  They built faith; they taught tolerance.  They strengthened. 

I ended my love affair with space and collections and many expectations.  I made room in my mind for less of life's clutter and more of life's simplicity.  I replaced tangibles with  intangibles.  I witnessed the restoration of relationships... such a good thing.  I experienced the joy of meeting new people.  Was blessed again and again by old friends, family and God.

Today I find myself enjoying more of the simple things in life.  A giggle, a hug, a smile, a walk in the woods, the memory of a family celebration.  First tooth loss, first home purchase, engagement, new jobs, first band concert. 

As I look back on 2012, there are some conversations I regret.  Yet, many conversations I memorized and locked inside my heart.  It's okay to let go of some things in life.  It's okay to end things.  Every ending gives birth to a beginning-- beginnings that are not always comfortable, familiar, or typical of yesterday.  Every sunset falls asleep in the arms of God to awaken to the sunrise of a new day.  The darkness of every new moon grows into the light of a fresh full moon.  We fill all the hours and days in between with the stuff life is made of... the sorrow, the love, the grief, the joy.  Amid the disappointments and trials, we also find surprises, triumphs and victories, if...

...if we open the doors and look for them.

So, as you think about last year, do not dwell too long in moments which ended in regret or sadness.  Close the door on them.  Consider those moments you found beautiful, and those moments and hours filled with laughter, goodness and love.  Savor those.  They will carry you through all the stuff between each ending and lend you hope to begin again.  selahV

Too Soon To Consider

But when I saw this photo below, I just had to post it on my blog.  I just love cardinals.  I've loved them since I was a child.  I saw them on a regular basis in my home state of Virginia.  They are our state bird.  I suppose on a desolate winter day, when snow covers the earth, these delightful wisps of red are the perfect ornament to see perched in the grey world of hibernation.  Such is the case with this photo I saw on Pinterest today.  It may be too soon to contemplate a Winter's day; it's still hot and dry in Oklahoma. The parched ground begs for rain.  Yet, just this morning, on the way to church I saw a group of small cardinals being led by a lone feathered scarlet dad.  The tiny flock were startled into flight by a group of four young deer that crossed the road.  My heart fluttered with praise and appreciation at the glory of God's creatures. I could not help but consider the color they brought to an otherwise desolate thirsting world.  It may be too soon to consider a snow-covered earth, but it's never too soon to consider the blessings God brings to us in so many ways, every season of the year--no matter how dry or desolate our world may seem.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18

Source: flickr.com via Susan on Pinterest

Some Days Are Better Than Others

And no one knows this better than Jesus:  Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem to humiliating crucifixion at Golgotha.  Then from Jerusalem's dump-site to Heaven's throne.  Talk about a roller-coaster ride of emotions.  If Jesus were prone to emotional swings, he'd have a lot to complain about.  Yet, we know that the Lord did not react upon emotion.  At times he had compassion upon people and acted in keeping with the mercy and grace of God the Father.  But each time it is to give God glory, not himself.  Often he told people not tell what he'd done.  Instead of listening to Jesus, they were consumed with joy and elation and amazement; so they gave testimony to what Jesus had done for them.

The blind, the deaf, the ill, the lame, the leprous, the demon-possessed:  they had some really good days.  The pig farmer, the money-changers, the rich young ruler, the pharisees:  they would probably attest to much better days.

It's amazing how we get all wadded up in knots some days:  when people fail to meet our expectations, when problems come our way, we tend to moan and groan and think "why me".  Some people let a red-light dictate their day.  Others let traffic jams and whiney children determine their mood.  

Then there are those people who have every reason in the world to complain: the ones who lose their homes, their loved ones, their health and all financial means to support themselves.  Yet, they exhibit a spirit of joy and optimism that supercedes their plight.  They rise above the ashes of heartache, rejection, rebuke and ridicule.  Their attitude encourages me to change mine.  To read of Paul's beatings, shipwreck, imprisonment and the praise he gave Christ through it all, gives me new courage.  To consider the way the disciples traveled everywhere by foot to share the Gospel with the world, gives me inspiration to endure the day to day struggles I have.

I am so humbled in the midst of some pity party when I witness another person who is in a much worse situation and they are celebrating life with joy and patience.  I am so strengthened by people like that, aren't you?  Yes, some days are better than others, and some could be even better, if we'd just count our blessings and praise God in the midst of them.  After all, Jesus has overcome the world, and in Him, so have we.  selahV

Fear Not

There are 365 "Fear Nots" in the Bible, one for every day of the year. I heard a preacher say that yesterday. I can't remember which preacher. I listened to several on television because I couldn't go to church.  I didn't look it up in my Strong's Exhaustive Concordance, so I cannot confirm this is true.  But I loved the idea of getting up every day and reading a "fear not" from God's Word.

I suppose there are many folks who could use those two words whispered to them each day.  The battered wife, the abused child, the homeless teen, the soldier in a foreign country, the orphaned child, the widowed woman, the man who just lost his job, the family who lost their home, the movie-goers in Aurora, Colorado.  "Fear not, for I am with you, even to the end of the age."

Frightening situations come to each of us.  We may not be in a war zone, or most likely never found ourselves on the front row of a movie theatre when a madman goes berserk with an automatic weapon.  We may never be in a tornado, hurricane or tsunami.  However we each have found ourselves in fearful moments of earthquake proportion.  We've had problems that rocked our worlds, destroyed relationships, and threatened our way of living.  We each found ourselves on the firing-line of life which left us quivering with doubt and palpitating hearts.  Our Lord told us we'd even be persecuted because of our faith in Him.  Yet, He told us, "Fear not."

Fear not the evil one who seeks to steal your peace.  Fear not the world which seeks to fill your days and nights with insecurity.  Fear not the circumstance before you which promises nothing but chaos and destruction.  Fear not.

God is bigger than all our problems.  Jesus has overcome the world.  Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.  Be strong and courageous.  Stand and face the day with the assurance that God is your refuge, Christ is your Redeemer, and the Holy Spirit is your guide.  If God is for us, who can be against us?  Fear not, my friends.  Fear not.  selahV

Do YOU Desire to See GOOD Days?

Do you love life?

Do you want to see days where the sun shines and rainbows form from crystals in the rain-blessed sky?

Do you want to see your seeds sprout, your corn grow, the tares controlled, and reap a bountiful harvest of "good" days?

1 Peter 3:10-12 offers some help:

" For whoever desires to love life
              and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
              and his lips from speaking deceit;
let him turn away from evil and do good;
let him seek peace and pursue it.

For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and his ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

I thought about this passage a lot in the last few days.  I wondered when I shared the heartaches I had, the brokenness I felt, the misunderstandings and false perceptions of others toward me.  Does anyone really know what I desire with the words I use?  Is what my tongue utters "evil"?  I wonder this because, when I feel no animosity, nor anger in my heart, nor any ire, nor wish no ill-will against anyone, how are my words "evil"?

I think if I do my best to be as forthright, forthcoming and honest with my words, not hiding behind flattering phrases or pacifying language, is that "speaking from deceit"?  If not, then what must I do to have better days?  Days empty of angry emails, days where the emails do not notify me of canceled subscriptions to my words, days where people are as friendly as the waitress who hopes to gain a tip for serving me.  Days wherein folks I know who hold a different opinion than I, find I have not changed my heart, simply because I share a thought or two from my mind.  Where are those days if my words are not intent on doing the work of Satan in a faith-based community?

Could it be?  Could it be I am in the midst of evil, and darkness and had not seen the forest for the trees of ego-mania and self-centeredness towering over me?  Could it be I am in a meadow filled with thistles, tares and poison ivy?  Perhaps that is it...perhaps the problem rests in turning away from that attractive meadow of brilliant colors, where stately cactus stand ready to prick the life out of me as I pass through.  Perhaps, another path is where I need to turn.  I need to get out of the briar-laced thickets.  I need to get back on the beaten path, one walked by the saints before me, then "seek peace and pursue it".  At all costs.  No matter what seeds are carried and implanted around me.  Then I will find the "good" at the end of each day.  I will find the peace and joy and love by the still waters.  And my heart will overflow with God's grace and love.  Do you desire "good days", too?  Let's see if we can make a few together...okay?  selahV

BORING "Church" May Just Be a Thorn in An Average Joe's Flesh

THEN AGAIN...

it might just be a figment of a Christian's imagination.  "Boring church" could be the inability to focus on more than three words at a time, absent of vowels. I read where some folks are having a tough time sitting in front of a computer without web-surfing to eleven things in a twenty-minute period.  They get antsy.

Many folks go to work, turn on their computers, and don't feel like balancing the books from last month's checking account. They get bored entering data, analyzing business particulars.  So they let their fingers run wild finger-clicking from eBay, to Craig's list, then back to the spreadsheet they're working on for the boss.  Within ten minutes they get bored with themselves and their inability to think creatively, so they click on over to the latest BUZZ, or check their Twitter feed, and Facebook "walls", to stimulate their braincells and get some inspiration for how to make the boss believe they worked all day on a project that only took thirty, very interrupted minutes.  

Or "boring church" could be the need to be entertained with Hollywood-style productions-- the bling, the lights, the dry ice and fake snow.  Of course, it could be that a few preachers just don't know how to preach and walk and dance and act and sing and dramatize and sit still on those uncomfortable, but trendy stools.  Some old preachers have a bit of a problem balancing their floppy Bibles without a podium.  Others don't like that little wire, draped around their ears and down their backs.

Others just wanna have fun.

I went to the directory of SBC Voices today to see if my post had loaded into their website correctly (sometimes it gets caught up in a time-warp somewhere).  In reality I think it's because Satan is battling Michael and trying to keep my warm fuzzies and witty wonders from getting to you in a timely manner.  While I was scanning to see if my last post made it out of the gate and into the pool of greater thinkers than I, I happened to notice a question in the titles.  I love titles with questions, don't you?  you can sit back in your recliner and answer that question without even bothering to read the post.  After all, we have a right to answer a question posed to us don't we?  No?  Uh, oh, I need to go back and tell a blogger friend of mine, that I answered his question instead of reading his post to get his answers.

Rhetorical questions are sooooo annoying, aren't they?

Just when you think you have the right answer, the questioner whips out their own.   Kinda like google's search engines.  They automatically type in what you are thinking before you even have it figured out.  Gee.  Anyway, I was ready...I'm talking greased-and-primed ready... when I saw fellow blogger, Joe Thorn's question in the featured blog titles.  He asked: "Are You Tired Of Your Boring Church?"

...yeah, buddy.  I had the comeback.

I was gonna tell him my church ain't boring.  Between choruses of hand-clapping praise harmoizing with tradition Victory-in-Jesus-style hymns, then a few minutes of shaking hands, and hugging on people, we switch to specials that reach inside your ears and melt your heart to tears, till you know God is in there--stuck there stirring up an appetite in your spirit for the main entre.  Bro. Doug stands, and walks up all calm and cool to our portable podium, opens up his Bible, and begins to break the Bread of Life in expository fashion.  Soon you're so filled up you don't even notice that it's time to leave and go home for dinner. (You were so caught up in the Words, that you didn't even remember to think about the roast you have cooking at home or whether or not it's getting dry).

But before you head for the back door, you realize you have a front row seat to the next hand-clapping, celestial celebration of the angels in heaven, as some lost soul hears God telling 'em He wants 'em to join His family forever and ever and ever.  So you get to go and introduce yourself, and let them know that you are gonna be around for eternity, so you hope they get use to your chubby cheeks and happy face while they are here on earth.

After answering that rhetorical question inside my brain, I clicked on over to see how Joe Thorn answered it, and if you think I'm gonna spoil the whole thing for you, well...you're gonna be sorely disappointed.  Go HERE if you are "tired of your boring church" and see what (the not-so-average) Joe says.  Never let it be said that I think I have all the answers.  Oh, no.  Not I.  selahV

Revisiting WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS...

I return to my roots and...

I SURRENDER...

My inabilities.

My expectations.

My weaknesses.

My capabilities.  My failures and my needs.

I surrender all of me.  All to Jesus.

I take all my talents which He has so richly given to me and lay them at His feet.  I yield all my gifts to His divine control.  I abandon my preconceived ideas of what He expected of me when I fail to see results.

I wave the white flag and give Him all that I am--the dregs of my endeavors.

He takes my dregs and casts them into His heavenly compost heap and adds some heat to the dung of my offerings.  In time, He takes a seed of His own choosing from that dung and helps me put to death my own desires to sprout and bloom with dreams of becoming a rose without a thorn.  With His own breath my death gives way to life and in the paths of others who demand I bloom as they desire, I burst forth as a thistle in the wind.  Attached upon my stem a banner waves of all He seeks of me and all I can become in the meadow of His choice and design.  A white flag--shaded blue--in honor of His royal purpose for me, I give to thee this day, my readers.   selahV

This post is slightly edited today and dedicated in honor of all who seek to know my Lord through the words I write, in my hope of bringing glory to His name.  It is my prayer that eyes which see this rendering will know the heart of my words and the hope I see in Jesus Christ my Lord.

[For further posts of which I find most joy in writing and purpose in publishing go HERE@DailyImpact, and HERE@DevotionalChristian...and HERE@Kids'Matters]  [first written and copyrighted, on February 1, 2008 by selahV Today]

I AM...

i am lowly and meek because i want to be;

i am mild and at peace because i'm conditioned to be;

i am brave and courageous because God tells me to be.

i am saved and sure because He died for me.

i am satisfied now, because life happens to be

                           totally fixed on eternity.

i am set apart as Christ sanctifies me;

i am chosen in HIM to live righteously.

i am grateful He keeps me consistently;

i am blessed to rest in Him peacefully.

i am happy to know He abides in me.

i am less than another who yearns to be

                    totally free of hypocrisy.

i am full of the faith God gave to me

        to hope in tomorrow's destiny.

i am granted peace that assuredly

        each morning brings more of His mercies for me.

i am all i am because God created in me

        a love for the cross that has set me free

        to worship the King, His Majesty.

"I AM", so you don't have to be...

whoever the world says you need to be." selahV

Who do you say i am?  Who are you?

[Who you are and who "I AM"/link]

ONE VOICE CRYING...

is all that's necessary at times. And sometimes one voice is unnecessary amongst the throng of other voices.  While some voices are meant to dialogue, converse, debate and discuss...others are bound and determined to contend.  For the latter, I tend to avert and sit on the sidelines.  Every now and then, I've stepped into the waters of controversy and (as I've stated many times), found the water above my head.  Such is my lot today.

I happened upon a post today that sparked an urge in me to stand against the current of opposition.  One portion stated: 

"As the song says, “it only takes a spark to get a fire going.” It only takes one man (or woman) to take a stand against authoritarianism to make a difference. When the right person begins to speak up and to put feet to their words, it’s amazing how quickly the floodgates open." Howell Scott

Lately, some folk shared concerns and questions regarding my thoughts on various posts.  Some have been "seeing things" change in me.  They are curious as to what is going on in my mind and my world.  Alas, there are some questions that cannot be answered...some arguments that cannot be countered.  No matter how close we've become to one another, some things must be left unsaid.  Or left to other voices to share.  I find I no longer have a desire to tread turbulent waters where floodgates seek release.

One voice crying amongst the throng is but a whisper in the wind when accusations fly and preconceived notions determine the volume of the voice.  Judgment has been rendered.  Case closed.  For me, anyway.

Suffice it to say, I am still me.  I am still standing where I've always stood.  I have not changed.  My eyes are opened a bit wider since 2006.  Some folks I've met along the way have been invaluable in helping me see and understand the changing times.  Others folks I've met do not know me.  They may think they do, but they do not.  They never have.  And, there is nothing wrong with that, nor is there anything offensive in that.  It is life.  It is the way life is.  C' est la vie.

It's definitely not worth losing sleep over, or even typing another word of dissent.  Nope.  Not worth it.  It doesn't affect me personally, anyway.  I am secure.  Sealed. Bought and paid for.  Sanctified and justified.  Holy and acceptable in Christ, my Lord.  I do not need man's approval, nor do I seek it.

Opinions are funny things.  Ones we agree with are acceptable.  Ones we do not, are unacceptable.  Yet even that is debatable to some.  Viewpoints are ostracizing or accommodating.  Attitudes are kind or unkind.  Intention and motives are only pure in the eyes of the beholder, I suppose.  Nevertheless...silence is what one wants, then silence is what one gets.  I am an accommodating kinda gal.  Squeeze me long and hard enough and I will fold like a deck of cards.  Not because I have no voice to cry out...nay, but because I have no desire to play the games some folks play and bend to every wind of doctrine.  I'll find another stream in which to dangle my line.  There are far more fish in the sea than in the streams around stocked moats, anyway.  If anyone asks, just tell them I've "gone fishing" in saltier waters, okay? saint selahV

[A Blogger's Comfort Zone/link]

Yeah....I Sure Am...

feeling good today.  Are you?

I sense a fresh wind blowing, a glorious dawning of hope. I see unfading glory on the horizon. Exciting expectation is in the air.

It's reminds me of the day I answered the knock at the door of my heart and found Jesus waiting to come into my life--to abide forever.  To dwell with me, and I with Him.  Everything was new.  Everything was brighter--the sky, the flowers, the eyes of my children.  Everything smelled better; honey tasted sweeter.  My husband's love proved invincible. Then, as now, I felt strength in my weakness.

My life was an absolute mess.  My health was not promising.  My marriage was in shambles.  Then came Jesus, and I was feeling good.  Just like today.  I pray you know the joy of the ever-present Savior in your heart and soul today.  I pray you rejoice in His grace, mercy and love.  Won't you join me in singing: 

Taming the Dragon Lady

It could be said that I have a long way to go in this endeavor, I suppose.  I told you yesterday that a friend of mine rationalized about fellow-bloggers at the site where he blogs and said it's a "simple fact that every one of us who logs on...drags along this beast we call the sinful flesh with us."  I simply can't let go of that provocative assertion.  It's like cling-wrap that clings more to me than the bowl of leftovers I want to cover.  It certainly kept me from logging on and commenting.  I was so afraid I'd unleash my "beast" I not only stopped typing a comment, I stopped reading the comments.  I could not quell the hold his words had on my pscyhe, so I wrote a few posts and tried to purge the "beast" from my thoughts.  Then I got to thinking a bit more and decided "beast" is a bit too masculine a descriptor for a lady.  Perhaps "dragon" is better suited for me.

You know what a dragon lady is don't you?  She's a lady who drags on and on and on about an issue till she arouses the "beast" within a man.  I don't care how calm and meek and mild a man's personality is, if the dragon-lady appears and hovers for hours, eventually, the beast will show its teeth.  

My friend's post, most certainly, was intended to bring readers to a better understanding of taming the shrew, tongue, beast and dragons encountered in the life of blogging.  Most especially?  Us--our own shrew.  His challenging words literally reached out and grabbed this old Dragon Lady by the tail and carried me away from my decorating and devotional posts.  Can you tell?  Thus the need to tame it.  I do this by writing ad nauseum.  Normally, you wouldn't see what I write.  I write in my drafts.  I don't publish those thoughts as I release the dragon.  Oh, but sometimes.  Sometimes I tell my husband about the beasts who rouse my ire or pinch my nose.  I read the posts to him and give "highlights" of hidden agendas and back-stories on things going on in the blogworld.  Often, my husband is the greatest part of me.  He gives such sound calming advice.  He never lights a torch, very rarely gets emotional and always has some funny little quip that makes everything seem so silly in the scheme of things.  However, when the clingwrap won't let go of my fingertips, I turn to the only Person I know for peace-punch.

I feel the Holy Spirit tug my leash.  Does He tug yours?  Sometimes He urges me to keep silent.  Other times He urges me to speak.  Most often He settles me down till I pray about things, and walks me through the green pastures beside the still waters of His presence.  He's taught me several things since I started blogging in 2006.  I give a lot of thought to where I comment nowadays.  I use to follow several blogs and comment quite often.  Everything seemed soooo important.  Now, I mostly read blogs.  I get them in my feed-reader.  I don't get caught up very often in the streams of conversation.  They can get along quite nicely, or not, without me.  When I do read the comments, I find most conversations lack substance and tend to become a tit-for-tat kinda gibberish unbecoming a Christian growing in grace.  While some folks make very salient points and offer edifying ideas, the vast majority of conversations are little more than ego-padding, pride-punching competitions.  They can be quite humorous if you aren't too thin-skinned.

I've read several secular and political blog posts and find their streams absolutely outrageous.  They're filled with animosity, bitterness, rancor, cursing, and downright meanness.  Snarling, growling beasts of monstrous proportion abound.  It's plum scary.  Occasionally the "beast (or dragon)" in me wants to growl back or breathe out threatenings of fire and brimstone.  But I don't.  Why add more fire to coals already burned beyond recognition?  No one would heed my flames anymore than they do God's Word and warnings.  Doesn't seem like much moderating goes on in those blogs either.  Talk about beasts!  Whew!

So...can a beast be tamed and trained to exert its presence without indulging in fire fights with other beasts?  Of course. I've witnessed it in others.

I believe the Holy Spirit gives us the ability to tame the beast within us.  He gives us gentleness, self-control, kindness, humility, meekness and mercy.  He bestows wisdom, knowledge, faith and hope.  Jesus gives us new life and creates a new creature within us.  Therein lies the key to taming the beast (or dragon)--dwelling on the blessings and sufficiency of God rather than the curses and insufficiency of man.

When we encounters folks in life who want nothing more than to feed the beast within us--to goad, prod and taunt-- then it's time to ignore those folks.  Don't eat the tainted sinew or chew on bones offered from their hands.  If the Holy Spirit so leads us to speak to an issue broached, or respond to a comment placed into the sphere of conversation, then we must walk bravely into the ring of fire.  But only in His power and in His Spirit.  Otherwise, we end up becoming the beast we so desperately want to tame.  selahV

The POST that stoked the dragon lady: [TAMING THE BEAST by Hariette Petersen, SBC ENCOUNTERS/link]

AND BY THE WAY...I DISAPPOINT OTHERS TOO

Last week I penned a post which unveiled a bit of discouragement I felt at the moment of its writing.  It was picked up by SBC Today  as one of several top posts for the week.  I was honored that my writing struck a chord of interest with the editors, but I have to say, "disappointment" is hardly an emerald in my proverbial crown of personal growth experiences.  Being prone to write encouraging words, I see where my words in that post did little to comfort, edify, or inspire some folks. 

Just because I have been disappointed at times, doesn't negate times I have disappointed others.  It's not easy being us.  Each of us have a call on our lives by God.  For the record, I cannot fulfill your call anymore than you can fulfill mine.  There are times in our lives we must make decisions that affect others.  We cannot possibly know exactly how they will affect others, or what will result upon the execution of our decision-making.  We have a certain amount of information and experience at our disposal to make our decisions and after prayer, meditation, and searching God's Word, we make the best decision we can personally make.  When we seek God's face, we must rest in His grace.  My decisions will not always be popular.  Yours will not always be popular.  What we say and do may please a great deal of people, and still offend others.  It is the way of decisions.

When Jesus made choices, it offended the Pharisees.  When He healed the blind, touched the leper, and lived an absolutely sinless life, He offended some.  When He praised Mary for breaking a vessel of perfume and anointing Him, He offended people.  When He invited himself to eat with Zaccheus, he offended folks.

Having mulled over a lot of thoughts and information the past few days, I must confess, I see no room for being offended personally for what Christian leaders decide corporately to tread deep and troubled waters.  Men must do what men must do according to their own conscience, spirit, and wisdom.  God puts His anointing power upon the shoulders of some to lead us into Canaan.  Should we not yield our whims, emotions and desires to the authority He has placed over us?  Should we not follow the process by which God has put in place to follow?  Must we seek another cloud, another pillar of fire?  Look to another Moses?

I do not want to be a "murmuring Miriam" (Numbers 12:1-10), or the "other spies" (Numbers 13:1-33).  I do not want to disappoint my Heavenly Father.  I want to follow Caleb and Joshua.  While I want to be as bold as Naaman's servant girl (2 Kings 5:14), and as brave as Queen Esther, I also want to be as humble as the virgin Mary.

I do not know or understand everything.  I only know what God reveals to me.  That is where I wish to walk.  As far as I can see.  Beyond that, I walk by faith in His sovereign grace and trust in those He's ordained to lead me forward.  selahV

WHEN CHANGE IS INEVITABLE, GO WITH THE FLOW OR.../link

When Men Disappoint You

What do you do?  How do you get over the fact that they failed to act in a manner you'd expected or even felt proper?  How do you reconcile their actions and their decisions to things which affect you and yours in a counterproductive way?  How do you settle in and accept that which is totally wrong in your eyes?  How do you trust anything in them anymore?  How do you move beyond the suspicion and distrust they've planted in your heart?

I'm having a great deal of trouble with this at the moment.  By all accounts, there is nothing anyone can do to correct the error of man.  It's certainly beyond my control.  We're on a fast track to fundamentally change America and everything else in my life.

Not only do I feel betrayed, I feel discouraged and weary.  I have no desire to be counted among those who failed to even consider my view, my desires and my opinion.  It's as if we are on a fast track to complete annihilation of all that is normal, true, trusted, and certain.  Perhaps this would not bother me so much if not for all the other changes I am going through at the moment.  Perhaps.  

There's really no way to know.  All I know is, I feel like a wad of someone else's clay.  Not my Maker's mind you.  It's okay.  I'll get through it.  In time.  But right now, I am sorely disappointed and have no desire to be connected to those who have no desire to connect with me.  I suppose that is where I rest at the moment.  I just don't care anymore.  I join a friend of mine who had tremendous input into, and control over, the situation of which I speak.  He doesn't care either...one way or the other.  It just doesn't matter.  I think he's tired too.

If things don't really matter one way or the other to us, yet we do things which change things that truly matter to others, what are other folks to do with that?

Continue to change whatever you want to?  Do whatever you feel like doing?  Ignore everyone around you?  Toss gumdrops, beads, and band-aids to the crowds that gather to celebrate the disconnections of life?  I don't know about you folks.  But...well...

I'm tired of dysfunctional groups.  Simply tired.  I have all I need in my Savior.  He is enough.  His grace is complete.  My hope is built on nothing less than His unchanging faithfulness.  Perhaps it is time to move on.  To find another space where folks can sing  "Just As I Am" and be loved just as they are.  Perhaps.  Perhaps the time is drawing nigh.  I just don't know.  I'm still praying and clinging to "The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me".  It's all I can do at the moment. selahV

[AT THE RISK OF ANNOYING R.C. SPROUL FANS/link]

Change Is Inevitable. Go with the Flow Or...

swim against the tide.  Each carries its own set of obstacles.  Each has its own challenges and opportunities.  We each have been given everything we need to meet the obstacles, challenges and opportunites before us.

With God as my strength, Jesus as Lord of my life, and His Spirit as my guide, I am able to do all things through Him to accomplish the plan He has set before me.  It does not matter what the status quo does.  It does not matter how many "yays" I receive--nor how many "nays".  With faith and perseverance, I will complete the task set before me if I desire to be in the center of God's will.  Me.  Personally.

I am a fortunate person.  God has not given me the task of seminary president, of theologian, of professor, of trustee or statesman.  Nor has God given me the task of shepherding a flock, or accounting for another's spending habits.  God will not hold me accountable for an abortionist's hands, a thief's exploits, or a friend's choices.  He holds me accountable for me...for what I do and say...for what I do not do, and do not say as an ambassador for Christ.

He won't judge me based upon Dorothy Patterson's awesome hospitality abilities, nor will He judge me based upon my step-mother's failures.  He will not judge me by Beth Moore's popularity or Joyce Meyer's following.  He will not reward me according to their success or failure--their pride or humility. 

I cannot stand before God and explain what others did that kept me from my own actions or inactions.  I cannot stand before God and blame the status quo, the majority or the minority.  I can only account for myself.  My attitude.  My actions.  My words.  My silence.  My inaction.  What do I do to ease another's pain?  to meet another's needs?  to quench another's thirst?  What do I say to another's harshness?  another's anger and bitterness?  What do I return for hatred I encounter?  for unkindness I find?

Whether I go with the flow or swim against the tide, life is going on--changing with or without my say-so.  This day, this hour, is mine to squander or invest in the kingdom of God.  It is my deepest prayer that I be found faithful to Him, to His instructions, to His Word...come what may...no matter what another does or says.  selahV

[WHAT CONCERNS ME...link]

Process of Elimination

I have been overwhelmed with the process of eliminating things from my life.  Even though I sold a great deal of my belongings in an estate sale, I still have to get rid of more.  I decided to put some of the smaller, easier mailed items on eBay.  The painting you see on the left is one of those items (/link).

Bit by bit our lives are changed--from within and without.  We process that which does not work in our lives and we eliminate its place in our routine, lifestyle, or mental and emotional well-being.  It is almost an act of self-preservation.  Sadly, some never learn to eliminate that which is harmful to themselves or becomes extra baggage on their mind and spirit.  They do not break destructive habits, they cling to past grievances, they wallow in self-pity, and they refuse to eliminate that which is devouring their joy, happiness, and productivity.

There also comes a time in which we must accept ourselves as we are-- our lot in life, so to speak. We must understand and recognize our limitations.  We must yield to the hand of God and accept the garden in which we've been planted and blossom as He allows.  Not every preacher is meant to be a great theologian, nor every fireman a celebrated hero.  Not every athelete is destined to win the Olympic Gold Medal, nor every writer the Pullitzer Prize.  Not every team wins the Super Bowl or player catches the winning touchdown.  Not every pitcher pitches a no-hitter but, nevertheless, he continues to pitch regardless of the outcome of his last game or the success of the last batter before him.  Not every act we make succeeds.  Not every word we say is quotable or notable.  Some efforts we make in life are simple and meaningful in ways we will never know this side of eternity.

In life we are given opportunities and have choices to make.  We meet several crossroads, and encounter intersections in which we must turn one way or another, or follow the pathway forward (sometimes we must turn back).  In my life, the most invaluable scripture has been, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not to your own understanding, but in all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path."  Proverbs 3:5-6

Many times in my 63-plus years I have made horrible choices.  I trusted my own understanding.  I never gave God a thought.  In some decisions, I thought of God, but my whole heart skipped a beat or two, and self-centered desires superceded those which honored Him. Oddly, as much as I credit the better steps I took in life, much of who I am today is a result of the bad choices and poor choices of others who affected me emotionally. Abandonment.  Neglect.  Divorce.  Abuse.  Criticism.  Each of these things played a role in shaping my choices and personal decisions today.

The break-through moment in my life was when I gave Jesus the reins to my life.  I wanted Him in control, instead of me.  As I yield more and more of myself to His guidance, faith takes me where I never dreamed of going. There comes a time in life when we either allow life's trials and heartache to set our feet in the cement of negativity, or we pull out the chisel and chip away at the concrete that binds us emotionally, mentally and spiritually.  The process of elimination.  If we do not eliminate the baggage, we lug it around with us and into every relationship we have.  We unpack the stinky thing and let it define the relationships we have with others in a very negative way.  Then we add to the chunk of cemented bitterness, anger, fear, and distrust as we move onto another relationship, job, or challenge.

Throughout my life I have had to eliminate thoughts of broken relationships which brought me pain.  One of the greatest books I ever read on that is "Healing For Damaged Emotions" by David A. Seamands (see give away below).  Comment below and I'll put you in a drawing to receive a copy.  I only have one left of several I bought to give as gifts.  This book was truly a God-send when I lost my son.  It helped me process the loss I experienced and the overwhelming grief that consumed my every thought.  If you don't win in the drawing, then I strongly recommend you purchase Seamands' little 142-page volume for your library.

Friends, I pray God gives you the desire to let go and begin eliminating the heartache in your life.  I pray God opens your eyes to the splendor of living free in His presence.  I pray He gives you the peace that only He can give in this world.  In Him are the desires of our hearts.  We really do not know what our fondest desires are.  We think we do.  But the more we eliminate the cemented past, the closer we get to the person God intends us to be.  There's real solid meaning in the word "repent"--to turn away from the comfort we of clinging to the past and what we think is important and turn into God's path to what is best and vital.  May your journey take you higher each day and you find the grace to grow in His presence.  selahV

[DON'T FORGET TO COMMENT TO ENTER THE DRAWING FOR "HEALING FOR DAMAGED EMOTIONS"

 

 

Christmas... Such A Delightful Time of the Year

I love the giving part myself.  I delight in delighting others.  I love to look for stuff to give that will make others smile, or take in a deep breath of surprise.  It's so much fun to surprise them with an item they talked about at some point in the year.  I like to hone in on some passing statement my husband makes, my daughter mentions, or a friend shares.  It's those things that create delight for others...and in turn, delight me.  There's a lot to be said for: "it's more blessed to give than to receive," don't you think?

I think that is how it is with God.  He delights in our joy.  And the more we are delighted with all He is and all He has created, the more He is delighted.  

Hope you are finding all the joy of our Savior as you seek to give joy to others.  Remember to be nice when others are impatient, relax when lines are long, and praise God in the midst of the excitement.  selahV

 

Thankful For Those Who Read My Writing

I just want to say thank-you to all of those who read my blog and other devotionals I write.  I pray that in some way I am a help to you.  Through the years I have benefited from people who wrote encouraging words, devotionals, and books that kept me growing in Christ.  I am so grateful for them.  I am also grateful to you who have taken time to write a comment, or send an email of encouragement to me as I write the things I write, find a kernel of inspiration, hope, or comfort.

Lately, I've been doing a lot of thinking about my writing.  A lot.  I've been asking myself alot of questions, and re-evaluating myself in light of prayer, scripture and godly counsel.  I have yet to make any hard and fast decisions, but I've come to a few conclusions which I will share in later posts.  Suffice it to say at this time, that the season of Thanksgiving is in the air and my heart is simply full of immeasurable gratitude for you my readers.  Each and every one of you.

May God bless you and your loved ones in the next week.  May God be the comfort people seek in the darkest of hours, and the guidance they need at the crossroads of their lives.  Enjoy your time with your family.  Ignore the aggravating habits that they may have that grate on your nerves.  Remember you may have a few irritating factors of your own (I know I do).  Be happy.  Revel in the moments of joy you have today.  Let go of yesterday's heartaches, and let God heal your hurts.  Forgive those you can, while you can.  Tomorrow is no guarantee.  Be generous with praise, appreciation, and gratitude.  Be stingy with criticism, condemnation and judgment.  And above all, share Jesus as you are able.  Until later, selahV

Cest' la vie

Embrace the unpredictable;

    it is but a blink in eternity.

How quickly it passes...

    for you,

    for me,

    for those we touch.  

You were created to live as though

    you are what you are...

    precious in His sight--

Not yesterday or tomorrow, but Today.  selahV

When Earth Loses It's Attraction

...all you want is Heaven.  Peace.  Solace.  Comfort.  Release.

When the world lets you down, only God can lift you up.  selahV

 

 

 

Words Worth Sharing

I copied the advice below from a facebook status.  Thought it worth sharing:

"This just in to the WMJC news desk. From ~ Bill Gates ~ This should be posted in every school or kid's bedroom. Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this!

Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about eleven (11) Things They Did Not and Will Not Learn in School. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1 : Life is not fair - get used to it!

Rule 2 : The world doesn't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3 : You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4 : If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5 : Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping - they called it opportunity.

Rule 6 : If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7 : Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you think you are: So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8 : Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HASN'T. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. *This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life*.

Rule 9 : Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF - that's for your own time.

Rule 10 : Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11 : Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one! So if you can read this... Thank a Teacher. If you can read this in English... Thank a Soldier! And for life and everything else you have... Thank your parents!!

It Is Worth the Leap

Seriously!

What is our problem?

We have every reason to shout!

We have it all!

Love, peace, hope, joy, goodness, grace, salvation, forgiveness, righteousness, eternal life.

What else do we need?

Yet, all too often we sit silent in the face of praise.  We yawn when worship runs longer than an hour.  We nod off when the preacher begins to share God's Word.  We walk about in the world like we are dead rather than alive in Christ.  What in the world is wrong with us?  Do we buy into Satan's lies?

Perhaps.

But I think there's a simple reason we are so complacent and filled with apathy.  Our focus is on us.  Ourselves.  We worry about the economy. We fret over what name we are affiliated with.  We listen to strife and divisions.  We battle the flesh and ignore the real enemy:  "the prince of this world".  The powers of evil and darkness in realms beyond our sight.  We swat gnats and swallow camels then choke to death on our own efforts and words.

We stare at the temporary lives we have and covet the life we don't have.  We dwell on the things we find uncomfortable and strive for what makes us "feel" good.  We war with our own rather than stand guard over the walls we've conquered together.  We battle with those in our midst and give our enemies weapons to destroy us.

We, my friends, are our own worst enemy, to whom we are daily-devoted.

We wallow in past mistakes.  We won't let go of yesterday's failures.  We stare in awe at the giants in our lives and think we are small, alone, without help. We sit on the edge of the Red Sea and camp out while waiting for the Egyptian pharoah and his soldiers to destroy us.  Rather than remember what God has accomplished for those called by His name, we fall down in fear.

We all need to go back to the altar of God and stay awhile.  We need to sit by the calm waters which swallowed our enemies and give thanks.  Thanks that we are not alone in our struggles. Thanks that we have a Savior who has overcome the world.  Thanks that we have another day to honor His name in all we do and say--with family, friends, and strangers.

We need to bow in humble adoration to our God, our strength, our Redeemer.  Then we need to get up and kick our behinds as we leap for joy and sing praises to the Most High God.  selahV

"The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusts in Him and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song." Psalm 28:7

Another devotional:  Are you LEAPING to Conclusions?

10 Ways to Encourage Someone Today

1. Leave a larger tip than usual, and then go the extra mile and tell the manager what a great waitress you had.
2. If a clerk is extra friendly, tell them how you appreciate her happy personality.  Then take time to tell the manager of the store how nice she was.
3. Tell your kids how much you appreciate their presence in your life.  Hug them for no reason.
4. Make your husband's favorite dessert and tell him how much you appreciate the hard work he puts in to provide for you.
5. If you see someone do something nice, tell them.  Once I sent a card to some youth I saw doing nice things for others.  I told them if I could see their kindness, God saw much more.
6. Comment on someone's blog and tell them their words helped you.  Tell them how.
7. When you "like" someone's status, click the "Like" button.
8. Send your wife a real card in the mail.  Make it a funny one and tell her how great a mom she is, or how much you appreciate her patience.
9. Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper and say something good about your community.
10. Drop off a couple of dozen donuts to your local fire station and thank the men for watching over your community.

These ideas are hardly original.  But they are a way to jog your thinking and get me motivated to go and do likewise.  If there is something someone has said or done for you that affirmed you or made you feel significant, please share it in the comment box below.  I'd love to hear it.  It could give us more ideas to do for others.

(You may be interested in the devotional I wrote on AFFIRMATION, too.)

I'm Tired of Writing

Not so much because I don't like to write.  But I'm tired of having my posts disappear when I hit "save".  Or when I post a picture into the post.  Something is amiss according to my website host, Typepad.

They told me it's because I'm using Internet Explorer 9.  That could have been a credible reason if not for the fact I've been using that for quite some time.  Months.  So why all of a sudden does it mess up?

They suggest I go to Firefox as a browser.  I know nothing about Firefox.  I do know that some of these search engines are trying to monopolize the world.  Like Google is the biggest.  And Bing wants to be a top dog.

Somehow I think they are all conspiring to get the business for their particular group.  And I just wonder if the reason folks have trouble with Facebook is because of the browser, too.  Last week I couldn't get onto Facebook for days.  Thought it was my computer and discovered it wasn't when others started having a similar cloud of white cover their screens.

Sabotage.  Conspiracy.  Stolen words--ripped from the monitor right before my eyes.  My brain is not as young as it use to be.  When I write something, and it's put on the page, my brain deletes it.  Bob, my dear hubby, says that's a good thing.  Makes room for more new stuff.  Only problem is, if the website keeps gobbling up my gook, what reason is there to write it?

So I'm thinking I am the only one having this problem and I oughta quick whining and stop being a baby and acting like an old woman, and figure it out.  So I go to the "Help" section of Typepad, and there's a bevy of folks who were closed down in "mid save", and when uploading photos, and changing things.  They were reporting the 502 Error messages they were getting.  Bad Connection messages.  eeeeh...heebie jeebies.

H E L P!

Hey, all you techie folks out there:  If I switch to Firefox to accomodate Typepad, will that mean I have to change all my Feedburner settings and the links that other directories have so kindly placed in their blogsites and aggregators?  Anyone know if this is really worth the trouble?  Firefox...sounds like a sneaky creature that's just gonna burn up my words instead of eating them.  What say ye?

 

 

At The Risk of Annoying R.C. SPROUL FANS

...I find some of what he says worth repeating.

In his book, Pleasing God, Sproul bases some thoughts on Romans 12:2:

"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

He writes:  "I learned very early not to trust the cheers of the crowd.  But I never learned to disdain them.  They remain a seductive force in my life.  I still struggle to please men.  I still struggle with the mystique of popularity.  I still hate to be booed.

To be 'conformed' to this world is to be with (Latin con) the forms or structures of this world.  It means doing the popular thing.  The conflict is this:  What is popular with men is not always popular with God.  To be pleasing to God is not always to be pleasing to men.  Sometimes we must choose whom we will please.  That is a daily struggle in the Christian life." (page 61)

Peer pressure can invade the minds of preachers as well as pew-sitters.  No one is exempt from temptation to seek the praise of man.  We seek approval and get all flustered, anxious, and impatient with ourselves when we are not complimented, praised, and validated.  We can get so caught up in what others think of us, that we get depressed when we don't receive positive feedback, are criticized or rejected.  On the otherhand, we can get all puffed up and filled with pride when we receive accolades and roses.

Friends, either reaction is of the flesh.  Our flesh, which was crucified with Christ on the cross, can lead us into unrighteousness, evil, unholiness, and sin.  Our desire to be liked by man should never supercede our desire to love God, to obey God, to grow in the image of His Son.  As Sproul says, "Sometimes we must choose whom we will please.  That is a daily struggle in the Christian life."

I contend that

Walking By The Spirit

I don't know about you, but sometimes I stumble when I walk.  It's like I forget to watch where I am going and before I know it, something pops up in my pathway--a root, a loose stone--and I'm caught off balance.  I don't always fall, but sometimes I turn my ankle, or twist a knee.  The worst is when I try too hard to catch myself from falling, and pull a muscle in my back. 

Rarely do I fall anymore (I shouldn't type that too boldly, I suppose.)  However...

today I must confess, I stumbled.  I got distracted.  My attention rested on what I considered a higher road.  Instead of tripping over an actual stone, on a physical pathway, I tripped over a root along my spiritual walkway.  Just like an actual root, I allowed a past experience to knock me off balance and send my mind and heart sprawling for a supporting hand.  It took me awhile to realize the annoyance I felt was not the root's fault, but mine, for not keeping my eyes on the Spirit of God within me.  A foolish blunder.  I took my eyes off Jesus just long enough to fall prey to my own self-sufficiency and pride.  Insecurity, perhaps.  More than likely, a reaction to a long forgotten playground bully...a judgmental acquaintance...the step-mother and her constant critical spirit so easily discerned in others in my Christian walk. 

Ah...the walk.  That spiritual walk in which we often let the flesh impede the progress our spirit is making along our journey with the Lord.  Sometimes I backtrack to analyze where and when I blinked and took a misstep.  To return to my original pace, I simply have to close my eyes and pray for better understanding, a more merciful heart, and yes...a higher form of vigilance.  It's then the LORD enlightens the path before me-- exposing the root I ignored so often while walking a familiar trail.  The unexpected.  The surprise.  The forgotten.  The flesh.

Once I see the error of careless self-absorbtion, and my unnecessary tendency to  set a record straight, to take a stand I do not need to take, I find my faithful, merciful Father standing... His right hand extended with palm-filled grace.  And my walk begins afresh.  selahV

The Worst Offense

It doesn't take much to offend some people today. When terrorists bombed the World Trade Center in New York City, a steel cross arose from the mangled steel and concrete rubble. Workers stored the cross at a nearby church.  Today there is much contention about allowing it to be brought back to Ground Zero Memorial site because it is symbolic of Christianity which could offend those who are not Christian.

Displaying a cross offends. Wishing someone a Merry Christmas offends. Using God's name in public prayer offends.  Ignoring a person we pass in a hallway offends.  Some folks are offended simply because you disagree with their opinions or views.

Others are offended because a friend is offended.

A grief counselor I talked with told me that the hardest thing to forgive is an offense against someone we love or care about.  It's not an offense against ourselves, personally...but one against someone we care about--be that a child, a parent, a friend.  We seem to be able to forgive more easily when someone offends us than when someone hurts those we love.

Peter was quick and ready to defend Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Peter drew his sword and lopped off the ear of Potiphar's servant. That servant was just there doing his job--attending to his master.  Jesus healed his ear, then rebuked Peter's offering of help.

People will bend over backwards and fall on swords to protect a friend or family member...or someone who thinks like they do.  Recently we've seen how offended the public at large was over the death of Caylee Anthony, a toddler in Florida.  Because of the morbid way little Caylee was left in a swamp, and her absence went unreported by her mother, the public took offense for the tiny child.  They were outraged when the mother, Casey, was found not guilty.  They wanted a pound of flesh. 

The same is true with some people when they see a friend or someone they respect placed under a microscope, or criticized--fairly or unfairly.  They immediately come to the "rescue" so to speak and try to explain away actions, words, and even give answers for motive and intent, even though they are not privy to those innermost feelings and thoughts.  If the advocates do not correct their friend's critic, they may go so far as to begin a war of sorts to destroy the offender.  This happens because we take offense for others wherein we have no business being offended.

Sometimes people have no idea how deeply they offend us with words and actions.  Jesus gives us the best example on what to do with them.  Forgive them.  Have mercy.

This is not easy.  It is harder, still, for us to watch the pain and heartache others exact on those we love.  After all, the worst offense is the hardest to forgive.  But oh how necessary for us if we want to live an abundant life--free of animosity, distrust, and bitterness.  If we don't let the offenses go, we shackle our hearts and quench the Spirit of God within us.  How quickly we can fall into a pit of self-righteousness and superiority.

LORD, give us Your strength to break the bonds of unforgiveness in our hearts.  Help us see others as You see them and act according to Your Word.  May all we do and say be that which brings honor and glory to You.  selahV

Pits We Stumble Into

It never ceases to amaze me how people attempt to take stands on another person's words, actions, or position. So often said critics try to take a superior high-ground--possibly with pure motives. However, when critics don't like the person they talk about, I find their words suspect.

Invariably, instead of clearing up a matter, they wind up pointing fingers at the other person's character, integrity, and motives. Instead of simply disagreeing with another, the critics stumble, slip and end up stuck in a quicksand mudhole of their own making.

When they become indignant and accusatory, they are no different than those they accuse. They think they are noble to point out this flaw in another's character...they are quick to notice another's wrong. Yet, they are slow to recognize their own hypocritical duplicity--especially if the object (person) of their criticism is someone they do not like. They cannot see themselves in the mirror smeared with mud.

Politicians make a career of doing this. You know...the pot calling the kettle "black".

It seems since blogging and social media came along (providing a venue to voice opinions, critiques and reviews), that some bloggers find this venting venue equally tempting to point fingers of condemnation against anyone with whom they disagree. Christians accusing Christians. Pastors accusing pastors. Leaders accusing followers, followers accusing leaders. Editorials. Opinions. Blogposts.

^"24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,
but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
²⁵ Though their speech is charming, do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.
²⁶ Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
²⁷ Whoever digs a pit will fall into it;
if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them." Proverbs 26:24-27

It just makes me wonder how many hearts harbor deceit. What abominations fill their hearts? What malice is concealed within the charming speech? Behind the mask of words, is there unexposed wickedness?

Have you checked your heart today? Do you disguise your feelings of animosity towards another with lips of flattery and empty apologies? Do you say one thing and feel another? Do you walk back words you've said to make your words sound better the second time they're served up? Have you dug a pit and found yourself in its grip? Have you rolled stones and found yourself beneath them?

If so, look up! God gives us new mercies each day. Bring every thought captive under Christ. Guard your thoughts and your tongue. Be slow to speak, and quick to listen. Give people the same benefit of the doubt that you want to be given. Show mercy, and pray for others you find yourself at odds with.  There's more hope for today than you realize. selahV

ARROGANCE Is A Two-way Street

Recently I read an ironic argument between several bloggers on arrogance. Accusations of arrogance abounded on every side of the issue. Each had his or her own opinion of what defined arrogance and what did not--who was arrogant and who wasn't. Each opined their opinion as more relevant and entitled to the correct understanding of arrogance than the other. The more I read, the greater offense was taken by various individuals in the conversation. It seemed silly.  I saw no humility. I was tempted to join the conversation and say so. Thankfully, the LORD checked my spirit.

Folks are offended when they perceive they have been wronged--incorrectly described or caricatured. That offense finds its seed in pride. We become so sensitive about what others say that we cannot reason beyond how it affects us personally. Surely we all are tempted to think our thoughts closer to the truth than another at times. That may appear arrogant on our part to others. However, arrogance comes when we challenge anothers opinion as lesser than our own, their worth lesser than our own, their understanding lesser than our own, their knowledge lesser than our own--indeed, their "arrogance" more than our own. In other words, we claim a hold on a truth superior to another.

"We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise." 2 Corinthians 10:12

"They are not wise."

God gives us life, breath, spirit, body, mind, and soul. Our thoughts are not His thoughts. Our thoughts are mere garble compared to His. Sometimes we get ourselves in the way of sharing Christ. We can be so certain of our own understanding, our own enlightenment, our own beliefs, that we press those views upon others without giving the Holy Spirit an inch of space to interpret His Word for anothers heart in His way, in His time. We can, at times, be so passionate to present a message that it becomes ours rather than God's. People can see this, and feel this. We "know" and they don't. We "have" and they don't. No wonder they reject our attempts at sharing Jesus.

Where is the fruit of the Spirit--the love, the humility, the peace, the gentleness, the kindness, the self-control in our expediency to share the gospel? Is our faith in God or ourselves? Is not Jesus more powerful than our words? our doctrine? our clarity?

He is the Vine rooted in the Father. Any fruit that comes from our branches are His and His alone. We get no credit until we meet the LORD in glory. Then all glory is His--not ours to claim. In the final analysis of life...it's not up to us to be correct, to be validated or affirmed by man. It's not up to us to point out to others how right we are.

Humility leaves room for revelation; it bows its head more than it lifts its chin.

"For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends." 2 Corinthians 10:18