Death~

November 28, 2019

Day 28 of 30 days of thankfulness, I am thankful for death. Death always makes you think about life. 

This morning I walked up to the cemetery and spent some time with my dad, and other family who have passed. Taking the time to visit brought back many memories. Dad always loved having his family come home. He would be thrilled to sit at the head of the table today with 12 members of his family. 

Always loved my visits with other family I "visited" this morning when I was growing up and when visiting home.

Make the most of living. Love deeply. Cherish every moment with your family and friends. Life is but a vapor. 

Think about death. What will you leave behind? How will people remember you? 

Mostly thankful for the death of Jesus. His death brought life. His death makes me want to live like He did, love like He did, and be like He was. #heroseagain #helivesinme #hegivesmelife 

Love you all! Happy Thanksgiving!

Black sheep~

Being called the black sheep has always had a negative meaning. Not fitting in, being an outcast, undesirable member of the group. I believe there is no "black sheep" in God's family.  He loves all of His sheep the same. God sent His son to die for all of us. "While we were still sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). When we stray (and we all do), He gently and lovingly, and sometimes with a little strength, brings us back to the fold. We always fit in His family.

I'm thinking I want to be a black sheep. They are unusual, and stand out among the majority. I don't want to blend in, I want to stand out. I want people to notice that I am different, and I want to share what makes me different. That my identity is not with the majority, but hidden in Christ.

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.  As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.  And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice; and there will be one flock and one shepherd. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again.  No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father" (John 10:14‭-‬18).

From the mire~

While walking today, I saw this beautiful flower all by itself among the weeds.  It is a precious reminder to me that sometimes when we are going through tough times and seem to be alone, or surrounded with things that will choke us out, we can still grow into something beautiful. When life knocks you down, outside forces punch you, work overloads you, children break your heart, vehicles break down, health fails, remain grounded in the soil that will allow you to grow.  He will lift you up, strengthen you, and make you to stand tall and beautiful. 

“I waited patiently for the LORD;

And He inclined to me,

And heard my cry.

He also brought me up out of a horrible pit,

Out of the miry clay,

And set my feet upon a rock,

And established my steps.

He has put a new song in my mouth-

Praise to our God;

Many will see it and fear,

And will trust in the LORD.

Blessed is that man who makes the LORD his trust,

And does not respect the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works

Which You have done;

And Your thoughts toward us

Cannot be recounted to You in order;

If I would declare and speak of them,

They are more than can be numbered” (Psalm 40: 1-5)

The cattle on a thousand hills...

“A faith that hasn’t reached your wallet, probably hasn’t reached your heart” (Adrian Rogers).

I work for the Lord.  Every penny I make belongs to Him.  Everything I am able to do is because of who He created me to be.  Psalm 24:1 and 1 Corinthians 10:26 tells us that “The earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell therein.”  “He owns it all – not a tithe, not a love offering, not our leftovers; He owns it all” (D. Ramsey, Complete Guide to Money pg. 311).  He doesn’t need my money… “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills… For the world is Mine, and all its fullness” It’s All His! (Psalm 50:10-12).  If I work for the Lord, God gets 100% and gives me 90%... That’s very generous!!

We have a giving God.  He gave His one and only Son for me.  I am made in His image.  He is the ultimate example of giving.  His word has many examples for me to give of my first fruits; to tithe 10% of all I make.  “’Bring all the tithes into the storehouse...’Says the Lord of hosts” Malachi 3:10).

Sometimes when life gets tough and finances are looking bleak, some would suggest that perhaps not tithing as much is an option.  This is not an option for me.  In all my adult life I have seen the goodness of the Lord in His caring for me.  I remember when I was living with my best friend (late 80’s early 90’s) and we had pretty much nothing.  She was blessed to be able to eat breakfast and lunch at her work, and me mine.  I was out of gas though… How would I get to work?  Guess what came in the mail that very afternoon?  An unexpected check from my insurance company for $19 (gas was only $.97 a gallon), plenty of money to fill my gas tank.  When things were tight when my boys were young and expenses came up, we (my ex and I) never opted to not tithe, and while our budget did not work on paper, our bills were always paid!  That is a testimony to the Lord!  My trust is in Him.  I once had a pastor who when he was teaching about giving asked the congregation “What bills would you rather have not paid?”  He was not making it a legalistic thing, but it presented it (to me) that God should be first in giving and paying bills.  I don’t give out of legalism, but out of obedience, and with the gratefulness of His constant provision.  To think that my measly tithe can further His kingdom is mind baffling.  What an honor it is to give.

I just finished the Financial Peace University class, and am amazed at the statistics that Christians tithe only 2.5% - 3% of their finances.  Not my words, but I agree with them. “You can’t say you are a follower of Christ when you are not giving.  You can’t walk around with the clenched fist (holding tightly on to your “own” money) and tell people about how amazing Jesus is.  There’s a disconnect.  They won’t believe you because your whole attitude is of selfishness, fear, and greed…” (Dave Ramsey, Complete Guide to Money pg. 312)

Stewardship is the job of supervising or taking care of something such as an organization or property.  God is trusting us to manage what He is so graciously allowing us to have.  I encourage you to ask yourself, How am I doing?  “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). God speaks a LOT about money in His word.   We need to pay attention to His words, and be good stewards with His money.

Light

I have been pondering this since last Monday when I saw a note that I had written in my Bible years ago.  It reads “the world is without light” next to this passage.  Then I listened to a sermon built around the same passage this morning. 

“You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see our good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Mt. 5: 14-16). 

The world is without light.  We must walk in the light and shine bright for all to see. 

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleansed us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). 

Am I letting my light shine?  God, please help me to always shine my light… the light that You have instilled in me, may it shine so brightly that people will see You in me, that they see my good works and glorify You, my Father in heaven.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Not always the way things appear~

In December of 2015 one of my co-workers gave each of the ladies in the office a small Poinsettia. Mine sat on my desk for a while, but wasn't getting the light she (yeah, I named her Abby) needed so moved her into a room by a window so that she could bask in the sunlight. I left a note near her to "water me if you see that I need a drink". She did much better by that window. She's gone through lots of changes, like shedding leaves, growing bigger, to even looking like death this past Christmas. To the point that people were picking on her grisly appearance. There were some beautifully fresh cut flowers sitting next to her on the ledge that evening, and I have to admit she looked pretty bad. But she was not given up on. She was watered, turned regularly so the sun shone on all of her, and loved - not given up on or thrown away as suggested by some. Today, nearly 5 months later, she is vibrant, tall, and full of life! I'm so thankful that my life, much like Abby, with the ups and downs, thriving and languish, was cared for in a loving and nurturing manner. It shows me that the lives we pour into should not ever be given up on as dead and hopeless. It may look impossible, it may seem that the only option is to walk away, but when things look bleak we should continue to love and nurture. As long as the soil is good and there is a little life in there, there is hope! I can tell you for certain that those beautifully fresh cut flowers that sat next to her that day making her look even more pathetic, have long since lost all life. All of their colorful petals have fallen off and they have been disposed of. But look at Abby today, she has beautiful green and red leaves on her and she's standing tall. She's made it through an ugly dry season and come out beautiful.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your love and Your nurturing. Thank You so much that when we looked hopeless, You still poured into us. Thank you for the foundation that I have in You. Thank You God that You never leave me nor forsake me. Thank You for showing me that while there are others around me that look beautiful on the outside, they still need You. Outward appearance is beautiful but it only lasts a short time. God I seek to be more like You inside and out. Continue to form me into being more like You, loving, nurturing, caring, constant, and persistent. I know this means many more times of trials, and I welcome them if it means being more like, and closer to You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Today's (short) thoughts~

May 2, 1992
26 years ago today I walked down the aisle to commit and join my forever with another.  Our invitation was a verse from the book of Ecclesiastes.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.  It was not quickly broken, but it was in fact broken.  10 years ago, my now ex posted on a social media page a picture of the two of us with the caption "16 years and I still get that feeling".  Only months later he was expressing that he didn't know if he was still in love with me.  This made zero sense to me.  It could be only one thing.  That in fact was the thing.  He had allowed the devil a foothold and the devil did his finest work and destroyed a sacred union.  It has been nearly 10 years and I still get that sucker punched in the gut feeling of overwhelming pain and sadness...  

I will never celebrate 17 years of marriage with someone again.  I will never celebrate milestone anniversaries with someone at my age now.  This saddens my heart.  Thankfully, I have the love of the Lord.  I still have the pain, but know my future is in His hands and do my best to trust and rest in that. 

"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.  A cord of three strands is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:12).