Sunday Seven

Sunday Seven Reasons to be Happy

  It has been a busy week of trying to stay busy and not obsess about the Pandemic, health issues, Oreo's constant spasms, our greatly reduced income, or life in general.

We are in the season of Lent.  Time to take my eyes off me and give it over to Jesus. 

1.  I am happy because I have a wonderful husband who loves me and takes care of all the little technical things that greatly frustrate me.  All I have to do is say the magical words, " Oh Charlie" and help is on the way. Usually followed by a long technical explanation that bounces around in my head looking for a hook to land on.

 

2.  This guy, Oreo the wonder dog.  He loves us with all his little dog heart.  Lately, his stomach spasms are not only keeping him awake but us too.   We have tried frequent small feedings, pumpkin (easily digestible food) Slippery Elm powder (homeopathic food additive to keep regurgitation from happening) long walks, and prayer. He is 14 years old and we know we only have him on loan from God so we are trying to give him his best life while he is in ours.  

3. Staying in the Word of God and journaling.  I am much better at this now that our busy life has been interrupted by Covid 19.  I am doing an at-home Bible Study entitled: Becoming A Vessel that God Can Use by Donna Partow.  Wow, what an eye-opener.  I am really struggling with this but my distress is matched by God's grace and promises in his Word. 

4.  Catching up on long-forgotten blogs I started for each of our grandchildren.  Since I have started writing weekly Memory letters to my 94-year-old mom I have been including them in each of their blogs. Most of them will not remember her but they should know she was a remarkable woman and will know a little bit about Diva's life as a child. 

5.  Semi-retirement:  Major life change rapidly approaching.  Do we re-tire or re-tread?   Outside I am ok, reassured that every little thing is "gonna be alright" but this is the hidden picture of my emotions on the inside.  Thank you Jesus that only you know my innermost thoughts and fears.

6. My Momma.  It has been over a year since I have been able to see my mom in the nursing home in Alabama.  This last week my sister Bobbie was able to hug her and visit with her on the outside porch of the nursing home.  Bobbie has had both Covid shots and they still take everyone's temperature before they let them visit.  Bobbie asked mom if the staff has read her weekly memory letters from me.  She smiles but can't remember.

7.  Coffee:  The highlight of my morning.  My morning can start anywhere from 4:30 to 7:30 depending on how long Oreo can sleep without distress.  Charlie goes to bed much earlier than I do so I try to walk and feed Oreo around Midnight hoping he will sleep for maybe 4 hours before he wakes in loud spasms.  Sometimes it is successful most times it is not.  Coffee keeps me civil and keeps Charlie from being injured.
 

Battling my own demons......

I've been doing a Bible Study on the life of David "A Heart Like His" by Beth Moore. I guess what has struck a cord with me is all the hand to hand battling that went on in the old testament.

War has gotten so technical now.....guns, tanks, planes etc. Yes, people die and the results are dramatic but I wonder how quick we would be to face our enemy in hand to hand combat. To actually look into his eyes while engaging in a power struggle.

David engaged in battle against people who had taken captive their family members and burned and looted their town. David had assurance from God that he should pursue the raiding party and that they would be victorious. (1 Samuel 30:8)

What I learned from this story is:

1. Assured victory does not mean and easy win. God told David in advance what the outcome would be. The end was exactly as God had promised.....it was the troublesome middle part that was the problem. In order to win the battle scripture says it was hard work, exhasting, and was non-stop 24 -hour battle. God often gives us a victory that requires blood, sweat, and tears so He can bring about a victory, strengthen and mature us at the same time. God not only worked a victory through David, He also worked one in David. David came out of the battle with grace and mercy and a better grasp on God's Soverity.

2. We don't have to win big to win. David brought home all the captives and all the plunder but 400 men escaped. David could have been furious with himself because some of the enemy got away. Too often we miss the big picture and focus on our failures forgetting the ultimate outcome.

On a personal note I've been battling my own demons.....over eating. It's been a very personal battle with lots of hand to hand (or rather hand to mouth) conflicts. I've been assured of victory if I stay the course but to win will not be an easy victory. I have been gently reminded that I know what to do and I know the outcome. Again, it's the middle part that always gets me into trouble. The daily putting what I know into practice....it's hard work, exhausting and a 24-hour struggle.

You don't have to win big to win. Wow, what a statement. I win every time I exercise, stay withing my dietary limitations, drink my water and stayed focused. It doesn't matter if there aren't big loses at the scale, it matters that I remain faithful to what I know and put it into practice. Keep on, keeping on and trust God for the results.

When everything Comes to Light

This came from our daily devotional read. It was too funny not to share! The book is called "Devotions for Men on the Go" by Stephen Arterburn.

" One Saturday morning, I read a newspaper story about a man I'll call John Smith. He had been driving erratically, so the highway pratrol pulled him over. They gave him a battery of sobriety test-walk a straight line, touch your nose, and so forth. The officers were about to administer a breath test when an accident occurred on the opposite side of the freeway. So they said to John, "Stay right here! and hurried to tend to the accident. But John got in his car, and drove home, and parked in his garage.

John told his wife to tell anyone who might ask where he was that he had been at home all day, sick. A few hours later, a knock came at the door. Mrs. Smith answered it and saw two highway patrol officers standing there.

"Does John Smith live here? they asked.

Mrs. Smith nodded to the affirmative, and officers asked to see her husband. John came out of the bedroom, faking a cough.

"What can I do for you fine offiecers" he greeted them.

"Were you pulled over in a highway citation today? the asked.

"Oh no! I've been sick all day," John coughed.

"Well, someone using your identity and your address was pulled over today. May we see your car so we can clear this up?"

"Sure officers," John answered. He walked to the garage thinking, that engine is nice and cool. I'm going to get away with this!

John threw open the garage door, and there it was-the patrol car with the lights still flashing.

Our sins will indeed find us out.

"When the Lord comes, he will bring our deepest secrets to lilght and will reveal our private motives. And then God will give to everyone whatever praise is due." 1 Corinthians 4:5

Every Mother is a Juggler!

When my children were small I spent a lot of time trying to juggle their needs, work, house work, church, time with Mr. Wonderful and social obligations. It seemed like there was never enough time in the day to get everything accomplished.

Consequently, we didn't have the cleanest clothes, the neatest yard, and the cleanest house. My mother was a wonderful house keeper. You could eat literally eat off her floor as her house was so clean.

You could eat off my floors too.....the red stain is where someone dropped spagetti sauce on the floor, the brown dots are oreo crumbs, and that sticky spot on the floor that just sucked off your shoe was where someone spilled Gatorade and didn't clean it up.

As hectic as those days were.....they are fond memories, now that my chicks have flown off to establish their own nests. I am reminded of some truths heard on a radio talk show by Kay James.

"Every woman juggles many things. Some of the balls we juggle are rubber-they can be dropped and will bounce back at a better later time in our lives. However, some of the balls we are juggling are crystal. Delicate, priceless balls, they cannot be dropped and picked up later on. They break quite easily. Our children are those magnificent balls. Please don't drop them during the years they are in your care; let the bounce-back kind go instead. A woman can have it all....she just can't have it all at once. There are times and seasons for everything in woman's life."

Looking back over my life I treasure the time spent raising our children and look forward to spoiling our grandchildren. I know I will never do anything as important or meaningful as rocking a baby, taking a meandering walk with a toddler, or reading "The Cat in the Hat" to an adoring grandchild for the 99th time.

John Whitehead once said, "Children are arrows we send into a time we will not see." I'm glad I invested heavily in mine.

Keep on Rowing!

I once saw a cartoon decicting a group of shackled prinoners standing on a dock waiting for a Roman galley that was pulling into port. "That's a great ship," one mused, "I wonder what makes it go?"

The cartoon reminded me of the words of the apostle Paul: "Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ" (I Corinthians 4:1) Paul used an unusual Greek word for servants. Literally it menas "under-rowers", and in that day it referred to the slaves that pulled the oars in Roman warships.

What a striking word picture! Paul could have asserted his authority, but instead considered himself a mere galley slave in the hold of the ship with the rest of God's people, pulling on an oar with everyone else.

This is very different from our usual concept of leadership. Jesus was a servant, leader and was the first to wash his disciples feet: Why? because they were dirty and the host had failed to provide for this act of hostipitality.

Our task, no matter what our position or work is to keep our eyes on Jesus and to keep on rowing!

Feed your head, feed your heart!

There are many kinds of hunger: Therre is the it's-4-in-the-afternoon-so-I-must-have-chocolate kind: the I-can't-sleep-so-I'll-eat-now kind; the I'm-not-hungry-but-I-can't-say-no-to-potatoes-chips kind:
the purely physical kind that comes from working in the garden all morning, lifting boxes for shipment, or running around a playground chasing a 6-year-old kind: or the worst kind.....the bored, lonesome, miserable hunger that tugs at your head and heart that food will never be able to fill kind.

The point is this: Our stomachs, brains, and emotions tell us what to eat, and because they don't always deliver the same message, we spend an inordiante amount of time and energy trying to decipher their codes.

It's how we feed those hungers that makes all the difference, physically, emotionally and spiritually. When our hearts are restless, we often chase an impulse without giving it much thought. We turn to activities, hoping that busyness will drive away our dissatisfaction. Possessions are tempting, though temporary, salve for the restless heart. Sometimes we need a change of scenery, or we reinvent ourselves, hoping our new look will put our restlessness to rest.

Nicole Johnson had this to say about Longings. "Longing. Coming face to face with the fact that there are empty places in our lives that haven't been filled. Yearnings. Wanting more that we have: more love, more enjoyment, more passion, more hope, more rest. Cravings. The hope of finding something that will satisfy the rumbling we feel in the stomach of our soul."

So what's eating you? Our physical hunger can often be only a symptom of heart hunger. What are you feeding you head, what are you feeding your heart?

Does your life make for good reading?

My life is pretty much an open book.

I enjoy living in the country, going barefoot, digging in the dirt, snuggling up to Mr. Wonderful at night and watching the fireflies from my porch swing.

I forget that everyone is not as open, so I'm forever being surprised by "new " knowledge or attitudes that surface from time to time. " Where did that come from?" I think, wondering what kind of hidden baggage I stubbled upon.

Good communication occurs not only when we know what we want to say, but also when we know the person to whom we are speaking. To know another person requires a willingness to let others know our weaknesses and limitations also.

A young boy and his stepfather had difficulty communicating with each other. The man was outgoing; the boy was quiet. The stepfather love to fish; the boy loved to read.

The stepfather, wanting to get close to the boy, took him on a fishing trip. The boy hated it but didn't know how to tell his stepfather directly. So he wrote him a note saying he wanted to go home. The man looked at the note and stuck it in his pocket.

The fishing trip continued 4 more days. When they finally returned home, the boy shared his frustrations with his mother and told her that his stepfather had paid no attention to his note.
His mother said to him, "Son your father can't read.....hasn't he ever shared that with you?"

Paul urges us as believers to speak truthfully with each other (Ephesians 4:25). He also admonishes us to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another." (v.32) Good communication starts when we can provide a safe envirionment in which to fail. (Just a thought!)

Is Faithfulness Enough?

Mr. Wonderful and I work at mission. We spend a lot of our time lifting and moving items from one place to another. It's not glamorous work and we come home tired and exhausted. More often than not we have to really pray about having a good attitude.

It's hot in the summer and really cold in the winter. The piles never seem to get smaller and there is always something else to inventory or process. The sheer volume is overwhelming and at times it feels as if we are trying to push a huge boulder uphill only to see it tumble down again once we get it to the top.

I read this story today and it helped to put things in perspective for me.

A young missionary in Central America was tempted to give up. He wrote to friends and family. "I go about on fishing boats throughout the day. At night I sleep on piles of hides on the deck. The people do not seem to be interested in the gospel message I bring. Sometimes the adversary tempts me to discouragement in the face of seeming lack of success." But then he added. "I take courage and press on anew as I remember that God does not hold me responsible for success but for faithfulness."

The prophet Isaiah also may have been tempted to give up his difficult assignment. The Lord told him that the results of his efforts would be that the people would hear, but not understand, and see but not perceive. (Isaiah 6:9) Their heart would be dull, their ears heavy, and their eyes shut. ( v.10)

Put yourself in the shoes of Isaiah or that missionary. Would you have pressed on or given up? Is faithfulness enough, or do you think your work must be recognized as successful before you feel satisfied in serving the Lord? Definitely something to think about.

Tasty Tuesday...When Less is More!

We lead busy lives. We are bombarded with things that demand our time and attention. All too often I find myself doing items that are URGENT but not necessarily IMPORTANT.

I am a list maker. I make lists so as not to forget important items. I like to mark items off my list and it does give me a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.

I am reminded on a daily basis that I try to include too many items on my "to do list". Often many items on my list are items I do to "please other people" leaving very little time for the items that are important. I have come to the conclusion that life was not meant to be lived on "high speed".

Jesus was never hurried or rushed. He knew what was important and wasn't pressured to do the urgent. The urgent is seldom important and important is seldom urgent. I recently found this list "Less is More" by Karen Havse that really convicted me that I need to guard my time and energy. See if you agree.

"Relationships: Every additional person with whom you try to connect takes energy from others you care about. Make deliberate choices. You don't have to be best friends with the whole congregation at church or everyone on your block. Surface relationships are okay-if based on respect and kindness.

Communication: Every word you say uses energy. Keep opinions, criticisms, and information at a minimum. Try to joke, listen, compliment, and smile more.

Information: In today's cyber age, you could spend every waking moment taking in information. What could you do with the thirty minutes you normally spend watching the news? What if you tossed mail from solicitors unopened?

Responsibility: "But if I don't do it, then no one will." Yes, shirking responsibilities can have consequences. But occasionally the consequences are preferable.

Sensitivity: Love is the greatest gift you have to offer. Make it a priority. However, don't be responsible for the results."

Tasty Tuesday...Letting Go

In a recent conversation with someone dear to my heart I was asked some very difficult questions on how to handle a situation where there are no answers and advice given has gone unheeded. The question is how long do you keep addressing the same problem if the person involved does not make any attempt to change.

I wish I had a hard and fast rule that would apply in all situations but I've never found one.

I did however find these words of wisdom on Letting Go that I think might apply.

"Letting Go is not to stop caring- it means I can't do if for someone else.

"Letting Go is not to cut myself off- it's the realization that I can't control another.

"Letting Go is not to enable-but to allow learning from natural consequences.

Letting Go is to admit powerlessness-which means the outcome is not in my hands.

Letting Go is not to try to change or blame another-it's to make the most of myself.

Letting Go is not to fix-but to be supportive; it's not to judge- but to allow another to be a human being.

Letting Go is not to be in the middle, arranging the outcome-but to allow others to effect their own destinies.

Letting Go is not to be protective-it's to permit another to face reality.

Letting Go is not to deny-but to accept.

Letting Go is not to nag, scold, or argue- but instead to search out my own shortcomings and correct them.

Letting Go is not to criticize and regulate anybody-but to try to become what I dream I can be.

Letting Go is not to regret the past-but to grow and live for the future.

Letting Go is to fear less and live more.

Some times the best thing you can do is to do nothing. Praying always makes me feel better knowing that God has all the pieces of the puzzle and will make the right decision.

Tasty Tuesday...The Gift

Welcome to Tasty Tuesday! On Tasty Tuesdays I give myself permission to focus on non-food items that feed the brain, the spirit, or the soul.

I love poetry. I've dabbled in writing some poetry of my own and I've always enjoyed reading the poems of others.

Years ago as a young wife and mother I discovered the poetry of Ruth Harms Calkin. I would read her poetry and say to myself, "I could have written that!" (Granted, not as well....but I could certainly relate to her thoughts and emotions.)

I was cleaning off my book shelf tonight and found one of her books of poetry. It was like finding an old friend again. I was again moved by her words and the depth of emotions. The following poem is one of her best and is entitled "The Gift".

I heard today
Of a decrepit native woman
Who walked mile after mile
Under the blistering sun
To bring a small gift of embroidery
To the missionary she deeply loved.
Hour after hour she trudged
Over rough, rugged roads
Clutching tightly her small gift.
Her weary body sagged
Her vision blurred
Her bare feet bled from the jagged rocks.

Grateful but overwhelmed
The missionary wept.
The trembling old woman spoke softly:
"Please understand.
The walk is part of the gift."

My Lord
My commitment to You is for life.
I give myself to You unreservedly
To do with me as You please.
But may I not forget
That the tears, the fears
The strain and the pain
The sunless days
The starless nights
Are all part of the whole.
In my total commitment
I give full consent:
The walk is part of the gift.

Tasty Tuesday...Standing Firm!

Is it Tuesday already? Welcome to Tasty Tuesday! On Tasty Tuesdays I give myself permission to focus on non-food items that feed the brain, the spirit, or the soul.

I haven't recovered from last week. It was very physically demanding. We did two shipping containers for missionaries in Haiti. We finished Saturday afternoon and I'm still tired this week.

When I am overly tired, stressed or overwhelmed I tend to make bad decisions. My outlook gets skewed and I tend to think the weight of every decision is on my shoulders. I tend to be overly crictical and hypersensitive. Since I already know this about myself, I know I need to pray about everything right now. I know I can't trust my judgement but I can always trust God.

The mighty redwood tree stands tall in the midst of all that nature can place against it-fire,wind, and torrential rains. In much the same way, when life hands me more than I can bear, circumstances overwhelm me, or I am tempted to make the safe choice rather than the right choice, God gives me the opportunity to stand firm.

So how do I stand firm......the following are helpful suggestions in the key of "S"

SEEK God first
SUSTAIN God's perspective
SATISFY your spiritual hunger
SAVOR the love God has for you
STRENGTHEN yourself agains the attacks of the enemy
SPEAK truth to yourself and others
STEM the time of mediocrity
SUFFER like a saint
SERVE wholeheartly
STAND firm until the end

At age 20, we worry about what other people think of us.
At age 40, we don't care what other people think about us.
At age 60, we realize how little other people ever thought about us at all.

Tasty Tuesday.....Beauty Secrets

Is it Tuesday already? Welcome to Tasty Tuesday! On Tasty Tuesdays I give myself permission to focus on non-food items that feed the brain, the spirit, or the soul.

As a young wife and mother I used to think of myself as "Cotton Candy"......sweet and fluffy but not alot of substance. So I began to read and study the lives of women I admired to see what the "it" factor was.

So much of a woman's identity is caught up in how she looks. We are constantly bombarded on a daily basis of pencil thin anorexic actresses who are held up as examples of beauty. We are told if we use a certain toothpaste that our smiles will be gleaming, and certain shampoos will make our hair irresistable. The emphasis is helping women look good on the outside. Never mind the inward reality; go for the "quick-fix" .

I'm fed up with "the secret keys", "the 22 ways", and the surefire plan. I'm fed up with the phony masks of self-styled Christian experts and the dishonesty of those who proclaim one thing while living something completely different. I'm tired of looking at the superficial, the fake, the phony, when " the real thing" is within my grasp.

With each passing day, I become more determined to know nothing except Chirst and him crucified. I don't have all the answers. I haven't arrived. I don't have the perfect marriage, or the perfect children. I only know that Jesus Christ has done something incredible in my life. My circumstances haven't changed a bit but I am changed none the less. I used to be at Point A now I'm at Point E. Hey it's not Point Z but it is forward progress.

I may not look perfect on the outside, but I am changing inside. Nothing magical, but I've lost a pound of sin here and an ounce of crummy attitude there. I blow it every day of my life, but I'm not who I used to be and I'm not who I would have been.

I don't want people to look at me and say, "Wow, what a remarkable woman. What a remarkable Christian." I truly want people to look at me and say, "What a remarkable God she must serve. If God can work through an ordinary woman like her, maybe he can work through me too."

The woman God can use knows where her value comes from. She is precious because of Who created her. She is valuable because of the One Who dwells with in her, not because of the material he used to fashion her or how he chooses to use her. There you have it...... If you want radiant skin, beautiful clear eyes, and a glowing personality start by working on "inward beauty".

What are your beauty secrets? What feeds your soul?

Bible Study Thoughts

Thought for the day: "I quit jogging because it was bad for my health...my thighs rubbed together so much my underwear caught on fire!"

Have you ever had one of those days! Seems like it happens to me far more that I would like. Usually I'm running around wildly with my hair on fire smelling smoke and wondering where it is coming from. I'm hoping this year will be better.

One of the things I'm doing just for me is memorizing Psalm 34 as a matra for when I am stressed or overwhelmed instead of grumbling and complaining. " I will bless the Lord at all times:His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; the humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together. O taste and see that the Lord is good!"

I instituted "First Monday Lunch" rule today at the mission in order to promote togetherness and sense of team. I brought in lunch for the crew. Turkey chili and garlic bread. The guys like it and it isn't hard to please them.

Also I emailed Sue and Sandy Swofford about doing a daily Bible study with me. Guess I will have to wait and see what kind of response I get. It will force me to be in the word daily just to make up questions and to keep them encouraged.

Several thoughts that were "Aha Momments for me". One was Jesus' roots. Four Women listed in the genealogy of Jesus....Tamar ( daughter-in-law to Judah) ,Rahab the harlot ( also a foreigner), Ruth the Moabite ( a foreigner) and Uriah's the Hitite"s widow ( Bathsheba) . Was she also a Hitite or a Jew married to a Hitite? Jesus' birth is questionable and all is listed and none is swept under the carpet. Jesus acknowledges his background and it has a global appeal to all.

Another thought! "Rachel weeping for her children and could not be comforted". The slaughter of baby boys from two years old and younger in Israel. Did Jesus ever think of the the children that had been murdered in an attempt to kill him? Is this one reason Jesus was so compassionate with the children? On going theme: Innocents are killed because of ruthless political rulers. Global impact of Jesus : being raised in his early life in Egypt ( continent of Africa).

One way we are to "be like Jesus". Acknowledge our roots....the good, the bad, and the ugly! Becky says in Canada when people ask where you are from.....they mean your back ground. For us it is being a radical French Huguenot that came to this country for religious freedom!

While reading in I Samuel about David I was particularly impressed with David seeking God's guidance while on the run from Saul. I would have become discouraged long ago.....to be pursued on a daily basis for 15 years! That's more than I can comprehend!

I had such a good time in the Word this morning! I can hardly wait for my Bible Study tonight with Judi and the ladies!