Posted in Christian Life
|
This is a short and sweet entry. Lately, I have been feeling like God keeps putting more and more one me...or rather allowing things to come into my life that make me want to cry out "WHY, GOD?!? Why are You allowing this? Don't I have enough to deal with?" There are no answers in sight and nothing is going according to my plan...which I can see now was not God's plan (Is. 55:8-9). And so I rest in the Psalmist's words... "From the end of the earth will I cry out to Thee When my heart is overwhelmed: Lead me to the Rock that is higher than I" ~Psalm 61:2~ When my heart is overwhelmed...the only thing that will ease it is to go to the Rock...the strong fortress..and rest inside safe from the attacks of the prince of this world. High above the rough seas of life that I feel will drown me if I spend one more moment trying to tread water in them. The Rock will not be moved. And when I rest in Him...neither will I. |
Posted in Christian Life
|
This morning, I was teaching the older elementary Sunday school class at church. I had prepared for the passage that we were talking about, but I felt like it was a very difficult passage to properly explain to children that young without confusing them. It was the passage in James about faith without works being "dead faith". Now, I understand this, and I understand how to separate it from salvation by grace alone...not by our works. However, as I was trying to explain it to the kids, it was becoming more and more apparent to me that the kids were not "getting" the difference. A few kept referring to "no works" = "not saved" and they weren't understanding the concept of justification vs. salvation...however, we got onto a rabbit trail about worshiping idols (still can't figure out how we got there, but I know it had something to do with the lesson). Anyway, after a few minutes, I realized that the kids really cared about the "idols" discussion, and they weren't getting the "faith-works" discussion. The dilemma...should I re-direct and finish the lesson? or should I let them follow the rabbit trail of "idols" then quickly sum up the lesson at the end. Then the homeschool teacher kicked in and I decided to talk about what the kids cared about and were interested in. The result was a great discussion that the kids left talking about...and I'm sure they'll remember. They were asking questions and really getting into the discussion...as opposed to the same kids at the beginning of the class time...when I asked them who wanted to be there...2 kids raised their hands, and I told the rest of them (13 kids) they could go back to their parents if they didn't want to be there. (I know...I'm cruel.  ) Less than 30 minutes later, 15 totally different kids. This is why I love to teach these kids. I know that some of them just don't want to be there...but they'd much rather be with me than with their parents in the church service...which is the only other option. When I can latch onto something that interests them instead of sticking to the lesson, they go home "full and satisfied"...and hopefully wanting to come back for more. I just hope that one day they'll remember their old Sunday school teacher who loved God and His Word so much that she just couldn't help getting excited about it and be thankful that they had a great teacher...even if they didn't apply it or fully understand it at the time. I love planting seeds. One day, maybe someone will come back and thank me for taking my time to teach them. Maybe not...but I'm just happy that there are those moments when the kids really truly are seeking to know what God says in the Bible about something that THEY are interested in at that moment. Child-directed learning. Love those kids, they really keep me on my toes.  BTW...I'd like to take a moment to thank an "old"...not really old...just "former"..Bible teacher from high school. Mr. Pyle, if you're out there, thanks for being such a phenomenal Bible teacher. I'm glad that God in His providential plan allowed you to be my Bible teacher...not just my senior year, like everyone else...but also the ONLY non-senior class you had during my Freshman year. I can't specifically recall half of what you taught, but the principles and foundation you taught have stuck with me, and that you loved God's Word and loved teaching teens...when you could have been a phenomenal pastor/teacher. Thanks for choosing to teach at my school. And even for the great classical music you played during class time. As much grief as we gave you over your classical music, I'll bet you never thought you'd hear anyone thank you for it years later, right? |
Posted in Christian Life
|
I am exhausted and humbled. God saw it in His great wisdom to create a creature so tiny...yet so vile to some humans that in it's tiny size, it could bring a grown woman to her knees in tears, crying out to God "Why me?!?!" This creature...The Brown Dog Tick. This past week I found not a few but many, many...many in my house which we had more than likely brought in from a recent camping trip which we took our dog on. We actually didn't start finding them in the house until we'd been back for about a week, so they had time to explore the house unnoticed for a few days. I recall mentioning to my husband that I didn't think it was a good idea to take the dog camping, but didn't really put up much of an argument...now...many days of hard work vacuuming and washing clothes...and dollars spent on tick medicine, tick dips, groomers, tick collars, and the almost $70 I spent at the laundromat to wash everything we own in one shot rather than dragging it out over a week...and possibly having to spend $200+ more for pest control to COME BACK to re-treat for ticks if they don't go away after the first treatment...I think back to what I said before we went camping...that it would have been easier and less expensive to board the dog for the couple of days we were gone. In the midst of it all...I was looking at the mountain of laundry to be washed (re-washed in some cases) and the unending carpet and upholstered furniture that needed to be vacuumed (including moving the heavy furniture to vacuum under it)...looking through every toy box and Rubbermaid bin..behind all the books on the bookshelves...Wondering if that little brownish spot on the carpet (the same ones I keep checking) is a stain or a tick... Feeling very overwhelmed, I just started to cry and said...WHY ME, GOD?!?! Why me!! I can't do this...There is no way I can do this by myself." And in that still small voice, I "heard"..."I know, my child. You can't...but I CAN." So my prayer went from "Why me?"...to "Help me!!" In one night (and I stayed up all night), I finished all the kids rooms, and packed up close to 20 loads of laundry to take to the laundromat (which would have taken me a week to do at home with all the interruptions and distractions), and finished the laundry in 5 hours. I don't think I would have been able to do that if I had tried to do it on my own...I hadn't gotten that much work done in the two days prior...total. It felt good...but what felt even better is that I know that I didn't do it on my own. I had someone there helping me all along the way. I've always noticed that I enjoy working so much better with a friend...what better friend than the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Creator of the universe, the Almighty God, the God who sees me...Who knows me and meets me right where I am in my need and says..."I know you can't do it, but I can if you'll just let go and let Me at it." What an Awesome God! I'm still cleaning each day to make sure that we get all the ticks, but the task seems a bit less overwhelming when I know that I'm not working all by myself. ...and BTW...yesterday, I had a friend from church just to see how we were doing. When I told her what was going on, she offered to come help. I had hesitated to ask anyone because ticks are one of those things that no one wants to help you with..for fear that they might take them home...kind of like a bad staph infection or fleas...I didn't even want my kids helping for fear that I'd have them crawling all over them. And this lady even has a dog. You know, I was a bit shocked when she asked, because I only expected an "I'll be praying for you" (translated..."I'm so sorry. That must be hard to deal with, and I'll probably forget all about this as soon as I walk away") rather than "What can I do to help?" I even told her that "she didn't have to"...like we always do when we don't want to impose on people, portraying outwardly that we can do it ourselves, but inwardly wanting the help desperately. But In His great wisdom, God had laid it on her heart and she said..."You don't understand...I'm coming over to help, you just need to decided what day and time." Not only did God help me to get more work done on my own..he also sent me a helper. I love You, Lord, And I lift my voice... To worship You...O, my soul rejoice Take joy my King in what You hear May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear. So what can ticks teach you about God?...Well, they taught me (once again) that when I realize my need and cry out to God, He can do through me far more than I can accomplish on my own...when I'm BLAMING God. And they also taught me that in this busy world where people are more and more self-absorbed in their daily lives (including Christians), God still moves people to come alongside and help and not just "pray." May God also use me to be the one who helps others when they are overwhelmed... |
Posted in Christian Life
|
Well...I just wanted to let you know that Murphy's Law is still valid. I thought it would be a great day to listen to our Prince Caspian Audiobook to get ready for the movie coming out tomorrow (mainly because I keep falling asleep reading aloud for long periods of time,and also because I told them that they couldn't watch the movie until the read the book..and I am really behind). So I let the kids make castles out of cardboard boxes on the patio. They were done with the "structures" and wanted to paint. I thought this was a great idea. We laid our paint towels down under the castles and they carefully poured out the paint colors they wanted to use into a "contained" tray (which was actually just a box top that we didn't use to build the castles). I thought things were going well...until my 2yo snuck outside while I was in the laundry room and started painting...the patio...which we just had pressure washed yesterday...and my husband hasn't seen it yet...because he's been out of town...and coming home tonight. I had to remember that trials produce patience...which produces character...right? And then...my husband calls as I am trying to figure out why the nozzle won't screw onto the hose properly which makes water squirt...actually spray at a higher pressure than the pressure washer...all over my shorts...that I just put on to go pick up my daughter from dance...at least, they were clean when I went to pick her up. So I grabbed a scrub brush and started scrubbing the wet patio. Got most of it off. I hope it won't stain, but it goes to show you that if you get your patio pressure washed when your husband is out of town, then before he makes it back to see the beautiful patio...someone will realize that it's just not "comfortable" to have a clean patio. Ahhh....gotta love homeschool crafts. The best part of the night...My husband was wonderful...He said "It's OK...it's just a patio. I'll just borrow a pressure washer from a friend and take care of it." I think he was trying to encourage me that since I was doing something related to school, it would be fine. What a great guy! (Especially since we hired someone to do it because he "didn't have time." Next time I'll just have to ignore the 23.5 loads of dirty laundry so I can "protect" the clean patio from budding artists.) Whatever can go wrong...will go wrong...but it's OK because, more than likely, it's something that we can fix or work around. And it's not something that wasn't also planned by our Heavenly Father...so we could produce patience...which produces character. |
Posted in Christian Life
|
"Huh? What's that?" That's what I thought at first. But WOW! You gotta see this! Only our great, and mighty, and loving God could be a Master Designer of this caliber. |
Posted in Christian Life
|
I was just reading a blog Molly wrote about the different churches they've attended. She really enjoyed her contemporary worship with children able to go to programs so she could concentrate on the sermon...and other churches she'd been to...but now she's in a "family worship" styled church where she sings psalters, hymns and the family all sits together in the service. One of the things that I noticed from her blog is that whatever the new church, even though she may not have liked it at first, but she ended up loving it...Not because she learned to like the music, but because the choice was made based on the preaching of the WORD of God. I couldn't agree more. While the music is nice, it is the Word of God that transforms us...convicts us and draws us closer to our heavenly Father and more like His Son. In a "modern church" era that focuses more on music than the Word, it's becoming more difficult to find a good place where the "meat" of the Bible is preached. Even churches with more "conservative" music are not getting into the meat....rather focusing on the fact that they are "most definitely NOT contemporary" and bashing their brothers and sisters in Christ who don't "worship" (or rather "sing") like they do. I personally LOVE the more traditional music and even some of the praise choruses that are popular today...but I have serious issues with some of the contemporary music because I fell it is "me"-centered...and really just plain shallow. Not all of it. There are a few really great songs that are being written, but the majority of contemporary music...I get to the end of the song and I think, "what was the point?" I sounds like a song with A.D.D.  But It's not my purpose to bash Contemporary music. One thing I recall hearing from a great preacher (Voddie Baucham) is that worship is not about what we "like," our "style," or our "preference." If you haven't ever heard him preach...he is fabulous, funny, and knows how to reach into the heart. If you have never heard him speak...this is the topic that you should hear first. (Click on his name above for the full mp3 message on Authentic Worship) It is incredible. I first heard it about a year ago, but I have been constantly mindful of it. I am very sensitive to music because I have been a soloist for years...and knowing that every time I stood in front of the congregation, I was responsible for "leading" others in worship....into the presence of God. That's not something to be taken that lightly. It's not a performance. It's not about me...even though I should be worshipping if I intend to "lead" others in worship. I could have really been angry with my husband when he decided that the Lord was leading our family to a more contemporary style church family than I was used to. I not only wouldn't get to sing the songs I love corporately, but I wouldn't be able to do my "traditional" songs any more in the service. Yeah, a few people in the congregation might like them, but they don't fit into the "style" of the service. But since I knew that worship is not all about the music...or even about me, I could submit to my husband and go to a church that I was not "crazy about" at first because I knew I would miss my hymns. You know...it's been 9 months...and I have learned new songs (a few that I love)...and I see others around me worshiping...and I can see that the music isn't about me. I have grown to love our church because I know it's where GOD wants us and not where I want us. I'd still like to sing a few more traditional songs (hymns, older choruses, etc.), but I don't want to sit back and pout...discounting all the new songs as being "bad" just because they're "new." There are plenty of songs in our hymnal written a hundred or more years ago that have bad or no "theology" (Silent Night for one... mostly "fluff")...and there are plenty of songs in contemporary music that have bad or shallow theology. Just because we find it in a certain book, or it was written in a certain time period in history doesn't make it "theologically correct" or "better" and vice versa. The Bible also tells us that we are to sing unto the Lord a "new song"...God doesn't tell us that we are to stop singing the old ones, but not to "discount" the new ones. Every song ever written since the creation of the world was "new"...even the Psalms. Can you imagine David catching flack for writing new songs from the generation who was "comfortable" with Moses' songs of praise. But as you read through his psalms, you can see that the worship in David's heart couldn't be contained. And I am so glad that he shared what was on his heart. You would think that the ruler of a nation would have it all together and not have any anxiety or excessive joy...but David bared his heart to the Lord allowing others to see it as well. Throughout history, we have the blessing of his open honesty. I can't tell you how many times I have been going through something that David went through a few thousand years ago. Like his son Solomon said..."there is nothing new under the sun." Going back to the point...worship isn't about singing...it's about responding to who God is...which can be done through singing...but also through tears, or conviction, or joy, or giving, or laying our lives at the Lord's feet....dedication all we are to Him...isn't that similar to what the wise men did when they brought their precious gifts to Jesus? The Bible says they laid it at his feet and "WORSHIPPED HIM." Their gifts were worship...along with any other thing they did...and although they may have sung him a song, historically speaking, they probably understood better what true worship was. Most cultures practiced some form of worship to their god(s). It was probably well known then that worship was not just singing. But we have lost that in the "fight" over whose music is the best or most appropriate for "worship." It's all about the WORD of God...receiving the Word by hearing, responding in your heart to the Holy Spirit's urging, and doing outwardly what God calls you to do. The music is just icing on the cake. And everyone knows if you have a steady diet of icing, you'll get fat, tired, useless and unhealthy. Don't count on the music to be the only thing that draws us to the Lord or "feeds" our spirit...count on His WORD. Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your LAW. Give me understanding, and I will keep your LAW and obey it with all my heart. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn Your righteous LAWS. I lift up my hands to Your COMMANDS which I love, and I meditate on your DECREES. Your DECREES are the theme of my song wherever I lodge.
May those who fear you rejoice when they see me, for I have put my hope in Your WORD. If your LAW had not been my delight, I would have perished in my affliction. Accept O LORD the willing praise of my mouth, and teach me your LAWS. May my lips overflow with praise, for You teach me your DECREES. Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for Your LAWS are not obeyed. I open my mouth and pant, longing for your COMMANDMENTS. My flesh trembles in fear of You; I stand in awe of your LAWS.
I have hidden your WORD in my heart that I might not sin against you. Your STATUTES are my heritage forever; they are the joy of my heart. I will always obey your LAWS for ever and ever. (Excerpts from Psalm 119, John 14:15) |
Posted in Christian Life
|
I have just read a blog commentary on the book Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl. All I can say is I am so blown away by it. This saddens me in a way because I really respect some of the advice the Pearls give. However, after reading this review, I not only do not want to read any more of the book (Yes, I've gotten about halfway through it), but I want to throw it in the trash due to inconsistencies and subtle misuse & twisting of scripture (I read some of the places pointed out...and they didn't set well then, but I figured she knew what she was talking about...so I didn't question). This is where you can find the review... Created to Be His Help Meet Discussion PLEASE...PLEASE...PLEASE...before you comment on this, read the entire review (it's quite lengthy)...and all unkind comments here will be deleted without hesitation. Like I said, I really do respect the Pearls on some of the advice they give, but I will definitely be reading more discerningly from now on...as all MANKIND (men and women alike) is errant and even the most "godly" can err at times. Blessings! |
Posted in Christian Life
|
I had one of those revelations yesterday that has stuck with me all day today. I was talking to a friend at a homeschool activity and she was in the midst of an "abrasive" situation with members of her church administration. She was obviously in the right, but due to partial truths that were told, she was chewed out, and they wouldn't listening to her side of the story. I just made the comment rather flippently that I have made so many times in the past..."Don't you wish Christians would act like Christians?" For some reason, God kept that at the forefront of my mind as I left the building. Then it came to me WOW! And then this popped into my mind..."I don't expect you to act like a Christian. I expect you to act like CHRIST." Then I started recalling some of the awful things that the people in the early church did. Gross immorality, lying, stealing, pride, revelry, drunkenness...I couldn't recall all the other things they did without opening my Bible (which I was not about to do driving down the road at 50 mph We need to be going to God and confessing that we have come short of being like Christ. We need to be gently dealing with others in love when they are habitually not like Christ. (Tip:...It is better to postpone dealing with them, than to have very little love when doing it.) We need to allow ourselves to be held accountable to others without getting defensive. Obviously, if someone finds something wrong with what we've done, we need to first ask God to help us objectively seek out if we truly did that...then if we did, repent and ask forgiveness...or if not, (this would be the instance of the "accuser" not having all the facts), make sure that what we have done does not violate Scripture and explain to the person what they have missed (if they are willing to listen). Above all, we need to make sure that we are pleasing God and not man. It is so hard, because I know that sometimes I jump to conclusions with my kids..because I "KNOW" that ALL of them were horsing around when I had my back turned and so ALL of them need to have 5 minutes to sit quietly on the couch not moving, or speaking to learn how to act "properly" inside a house. God is so patient with us. He always knows what we need. He always knows what is really going on in our hearts. I can't imagine Him snapping at me and yelling "SIT DOOOWWWWN!!!! DON'T MOVE OR SPEAK!!! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT MOVING OR SPEAKING UNTIL I SAY OTHERWISE!!!" That actually made me laugh to think about that. Boy, do I have a long way to go....But then again, every time I think that someone I know is so "close to perfection", God allows me see that they have a long way to go too. I don't rejoice in that, but I get so down on myself for not being able to "do it all" or be "perfect." Those little glimpses of imperfection in others help me realize that I shouldn't place "men" on a pedastal to "look up to them." Christ wants that pedestal. He doesn't want me to try to emulate others who will stumble and fall and try to be like them...He wants me to be like HIM. I love what Paul said... "Imitate me, as I imitate Christ." He meant for us to be like him ONLY when he was like Christ. He KNEW he wasn't perfect, and that as much as he tried to be like Christ there were times when he would fall very short and didn't want to take others with him. (See Romans 7) I certainly don't want to encourage Christians to give up striving for "perfection"...I just hope to encourage others to change their focus from earth to heaven. When we expect Christians to "act like Christians," we focus on man and and what man can do...which can lead to judgemental, prideful attitudes...just like the Pharisees. But when our focus is to be like Christ, we become more heavenly- minded and, in turn, become more patient with others imperfections....seeing that God can accomplish the "impossible" through us when we desire to be like Him. Off to watch Singin' In the Rain with the kids... It's been quite a day... |
...You know, Christians ARE acting like Christians. We are not perfect. We don't "know it all." We often jump to erroneous conclusions because we don't want to spend the time or effort get the whole story. We lie. We think that because we're Christians God will somehow look down on all our good intentions mixed with the "little bit of not-really-bad sin" and smile because He "understands" that at least we "meant well" or we were trying to be a good steward of "His things." Why should I expect someone else to be perfect when I am not? 
When in actuality, I just didn't feel like being distracted from whatever I was doing to deal with them like Christ would. OUCH!! 
