Prepared to do good…..

There is an annual event in the valley called Kids Day. It is an fundraiser for Valley Children’s hospital. We are blessed in the central valley to have an exceptional children’s hospital, that gives amazing care. So every year on Kid’s Day, the Fresno Bee sells a special edition newspaper, and hundreds of people stand at intersections selling them for a a couple bucks. It is such a well received fundraiser, that many people give more than the asking price. As I was getting ready for work, they mentioned it on the news, so I checked my purse to make sure I had a few dollars ready for my paper. I left the house this morning, prepared to do good. As I got into the car, I put the money on the seat beside me so I would be ready.

While driving I decided to try out my new earpiece that my husband purchased for me, I put it on and was talking to him in an instant. I drove and shared a running commentary of the detour that had been set up the day before and the utility problem they had been working on. By the time I had hung up with him only a few minutes had passed, and I was approaching the high school where I would turn right, to get to the freeway. It was then I was somewhat surprised by the person standing on the corner? I realized that there was a woman selling a Kid’s Day paper. As soon as I saw her I knew what she was doing, but in the few short minutes that it took to get from my house to the high school, I realized that my mind had been distracted from Kid’s Day back to normal life. What had been at the top of my mind when I left home had been displaced in a few short minutes. 

As I slowed to make the turn, I rolled down the window and handed her the money I had on the seat next to me. As I continued driving, I thought about how easy it was for me to forget about “doing good”. It made me think, what if I hadn’t checked to make sure I had a couple of dollars before leaving home would I have gotten a paper? If I hadn’t had the money out on my seat, would I have had time to dig in my purse, possibly holding up traffic,to get my paper? I am not sure. They only sell it on the street in the morning. If I had waited until lunchtime, I would have been out of luck. 

How many of us find ourselves in the same position? We want to do good, but when the opportunity presents itself, we aren’t prepared to respond. Along the way, we’ve become distracted by other things. I thought back in my own life, on the many times I wasn’t able to respond to a need because I wasn’t prepared. The checkbook wasn’t balanced, bills were due or I had spent too much on other things. I get distracted along the way, and take my eyes off of being a good steward with God’s money. I know He owns it all, but in all honesty, most of the time I act like it’s all mine!

It has been a prayer of mine for a while now, that I become better with God’s money. Sometimes I am on track, but most of the time I am just trying to get back to where I should be. Today was a good day though, not only because of the newspaper. I was made aware of a need, and I was able to help. It felt good, but even more than that, it dawned on me that it was an answer to prayer. You see, this weekend I’d bit the bullet and worked on bills. What needed to be paid then, what could wait for the next paycheck, the whole rotten business. It felt good to get it done, but the unexpected benefit was that when the need arose, I knew that I could help in a small way. 

Near the end of the work day I heard a verse: James 3:13, “Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.” I thought the verse spoke to what happened during the day, it makes me want to seek “wisdom from above” and understanding I believe only God can give. I am thankful for the lessons of today, and thankful for the opportunity that came with it. It gives me hope that I am starting to understand a little, and that each day I can be prepared to do good!

Just a simple question….

I love Three Kings Day!  While I have a list full of tasks I need to get done, I couldn’t end this day without a post about the Wise Men.  I’ve been thinking about those guys for years!  It’s become one of my favorite parts of the Bible, the retelling of the wise men’s visit to the baby Jesus.     

This post though, began with a conversation with some ladies about our church.  We were talking about what we could do to better serve God, the women of our church and the community.   As we talked I was excited about the possibilities!  It wasn’t because of what our little group could do, but because of the wise men.  You see, I always think about the gifts that God gives to the church when I think about the wise men.  

Photo by Negative Space on Pexels.com

Who were these men?  They have been called kings, wise men or magi, and how you refer to them may depend on your own cultural background. What I do know is  that they were blessed with wealth and knowledge, and they used them both.  They knew the prophecy and when they saw the star, they traveled with gifts to honor a king.  Whether they realized it or not, God used these men as a conduit to care for the needs of Jesus and his earthly family.  Who knew that some gold would come in handy when you’re fleeing in the opposite direction of your home to a foreign country?   Well God did!  

What does the new year hold for our church and community?  While we don’t know, we can be confident that God does!  I believe that just like He provided for Joseph, Mary and Jesus, He’s provided for the work He’s already planned.  

As I was thinking about the wise men, I was also reminded of a man named Bezalel.  So when God wanted to have a place to be in the midst of His people, He told Moses to make a tabernacle.  This wasn’t just any old tent though, the specifications were precise and everything about it was spelled out to Moses by God.  

“You shall make an altar on which to burn incense; you shall make it of acacia wood. A cubit shall be its length, and a cubit its breadth. It shall be square, and two cubits shall be its height. Its horns shall be of one piece with it.  You shall overlay it with pure gold, its top and around its sides and its horns. And you shall make a molding of gold around it.  And you shall make two golden rings for it. Under its molding on two opposite sides of it you shall make them, and they shall be holders for poles with which to carry it. You shall make the poles of acacia wood and overlay them with gold.  And you shall put it in front of the veil that is above the ark of the testimony, in front of the mercy seat that is above the testimony, where I will meet with you.”  Exodus 30:1-6

This was just for an altar!  God specified the way to build each aspect of the tabernacle, all the way down to the priests undergarments!  What makes us think that His plans for our new year are any different?  I wonder if Moses started freaking out a little when he realized all the work, craftsmanship and skill that would go into this space?  This is where God reassures Moses that he’s already taken care of that.

 The Lord said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft. And behold, I have appointed with him Oholiab, the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan. And I have given to all able men ability, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, and the ark of the testimony, and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furnishings of the tent,  the table and its utensils, and the pure lampstand with all its utensils, and the altar of incense,  and the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the basin and its stand, and the finely worked garments, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, for their service as priests,  and the anointing oil and the fragrant incense for the Holy Place. According to all that I have commanded you, they shall do.”    Exodus 31:1-11

God had gifted this man to lead, and others to do the work He’d already planned.  We’re each given gifts, blessings or abilities that when used, we bring glory to God in the congregation and the community.   

“Let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

 I think of the gifts He has given me, and how I am using them.  Or at times, not using them.   I also think of the church and how the gifts people have been given show up every day on campus and in the community.  I always wonder though, what gifts are still there yet unused?  How do we ignite the church and empower each of  us to use all the gifts God has provided?  

My prayer is that we would all ask the ourselves a simple question.  What experiences, abilities, blessings  has God given me that combined with the Holy Spirit will equal the good deeds God’s already planned for His glory?  By God’s grace may we all find our answer.  

Which way, Wisdom or Folly?

We are reading through the book of Proverbs at church, and I caught by this interchange of Lady Wisdom and the Woman of Folly.  Sounds like one of those old fashion radio shows or an episode of Sherlock Holmes.  

What really caught my attention was the question that both of the women asked.

  Whoever is naive, let him turn in here!’ To him who lacks understanding she says….. Proverbs 9:4 and 9:16. 

At this point, both Lady Wisdom and the Woman of Folly are asking the exact same question.  So I wondered, how do you tell them apart?  How do you know if you’re following wisdom or folly, if they sound so much alike?

It always becomes clearer down the road, as wisdom and folly will take very different paths, but many times that’s way too late.  By that time, folly leads us into places we shouldn’t be,  with experiences we should never’ve had.  So, how can we tell the difference between these two from the beginning?  How can we make sure we don’t take one step down the path of folly? 

 The verses surrounding each question go on to give information as to who these women are, and what their reputations may tell us about them.   Lady Wisdom prepares a banquet and invites you in and encourages you to live a life of meaning.  The Woman of Folly, entices with whispers of a good time and secrets.  It seems that we should know the Woman of Folly is up to no good, right?    It’s easy as I sit here to compare and contrast wisdom and folly, but this isn’t the movies where there’s an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other.  I still wondered, how can I tell the difference? 

Before the Woman of Folly has her chance to ask the question it says:   

Calling to those who pass by, who are making their paths straight….. Proverbs 9: 15. 

So all those men walking on the straight path or just passing by, have no intention of visiting Folly.  She entices them though to turn into her house.  That really may be our most strong indication of who she is, because as you turn to her you turn away from God.  

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”  Proverbs 3:5-6.  

And it hit me (or I should say He hit me) that it’s not wisdom and folly I need to focus on, but my Heavenly Father!  Without seeking Him first, there will be no way I can tell  wisdom and folly apart.   Seeking Him is what keeps us all on the right path.  It’s the path He sets before us and that path ONLY leads to wisdom!

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  James 3:17

What is worth?

So here I am in the dark and I do not fight it

I embrace it

Embrace the fear, sadness and weakness of this moment

I want to leave it behind

Get up and strive

Do things that will cover the anxiety and doubt of this moment

But I don’t

I want to be angry

Anger feels powerful 

When I am angry I don’t feel the rejection

That steals my breath away

Instead I resolve to breathe deep and honor the rejection

I embrace the hurt 

I revel in the weakness, as hard as it is

It is almost overwhelming, and brings me to my knees  

It is on my knees where I again find strength 

In Your presence, the darkness flees

I am nothing without You

I am a daughter

I AM’s daughter

A hand along the way…..

I saw a Facebook post tonight and it reminded me of something I’d been pondering lately.  The post spoke about this series, “The Chosen,” and how they portrayed the Bible story of the woman who’d been bleeding for 12 years.   Not only has she been physically ill, but because of the bleeding, she would have been considered unclean under the law.  Since she was unclean, that would’ve put actual physical barriers between her and other people.   No one could touch her or anything she had touched because that would make them unclean too.  Over the years she had gone to many doctors and none had made her any better, only worse.   By the time her path crosses Jesus’, she’s been sick for years, she’s broke and desperate.  She’s at the end of her rope and thinks, believes, knows that Jesus is her only answer for healing.  She goes to touch the hem of his robe and miraculously is healed! This is one of my favorite stories as the details paint a beautiful picture of how Jesus relates to the woman.

It was a tweet though that gave me a different perspective.  Someone had wondered about this woman and who would have been the first people after Jesus to speak to her?  Could it be the women who followed along with Jesus?  We have details of multiple women traveling with Him and the disciples during this time.  How would these women have responded to a woman, who because of her sickness, was considered unclean?  I imagined they watched with the rest of the crowd, transfixed as Jesus asked “who touched me?”  They saw as a woman came before Jesus, seeing fear in her face as she told her story.  They then saw Him gently call her daughter, and proclaim her whole!  

As sisters in Christ, we should be walking with each other, ready to come along side and hold out a hand to lift up and encourage.  As daughters, we should be ready to do that with anyone that God brings our way.  In this story it was a woman who was unclean, for us it may be a woman who’s just made the wrong choices for too long a season.  The mercy shown in an outstretched hand may just be what she needs to finally leave that season, and seek something good.  I watched “The Chosen” and could barely wait for the story line to reach this scene.  I quietly sobbed as I watched the show portray the story.  While I might have tweaked it a bit, I was so touched by how it was portrayed.  It confirmed something to me that I had been feeling since the tweet I’d read weeks earlier.  That’s the kind of woman I want to be!  Ready and willing to listen, love and be of service to the women God brings along my path! 

As women, they probably heard and sympathized as they knew what their own monthly bleeding meant and how it affected their lives.   I wonder though, did they pause before approaching her as she was technically unclean?  Was there a barrier in their minds, knowing what the law stated?  They may have paused in their actions, but I like to think that the care Jesus showed this woman, gave them the freedom to know what to do next!  That in the next moment when Jesus was called off to heal a young girl, they stepped forward and kneeled down next to this new sister in faith.  I can imagine they would have been making plans to get her fresh clothes, asking who her family was, and talking excitedly about her restoration to the community and home.   I was struck by the scene as I imagined it, and knew this is how it should be!  

Lent: Recipe to remember….

So yesterday I joined my small group for a Fat Tuesday menu of gumbo, rice and king cake.  It was delicious, and since my friend Paige cooked, it was quite authentic.  I love traditions!  And since Fat Tuesday is over, that means  it’s Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.   I love this season and try to use it as a time of focus.  Each year it’s had a little different look, but this year I’m really trying to get back in that writing habit.  I’ve had a hard time writing in the past few years for many reasons, but to tell you the truth, the biggest problem has been me!  So I am going back to the beginning, and that strange recipe that God has given me to make communication easier.  Strangely enough, it just comes down to three little words, wrestling, writing and encourage!

 The WWE acronym had me cracking up this morning since wrestling is the first step in the process.  Typically it’s something that comes to my attention, and I then wrestle with God to process, learn and maybe find some wisdom for my life.  I then write about the process in the hopes it would encourage someone else like it’s encouraged me.  I am not a bible scholar, and I am not here to tell you how to live.  I just hope what I say might make you think and start your own wrestling with God.  

So today, I felt like I had a directional adjustment!  Priorities were put back in place and how to use the time of Lent became a little clearer.  I was reminded of who I am and Whose I am in this world.  And while I was thankful for the clarity, I was even more thankful for the extremely funny way it was communicated! 

What will you see?

They just won’t see.  It kept rolling around in my head as I drove. It was pretty mellow as  Christmas vacations had started and there were less cars out on the road.  Up ahead though, I could see the flashing lights of the highway patrol, so I slowed down and stayed in the fast lane as the police were off on the right hand side.  As I got closer, I realized there was also a car parked next to the center median.  There had been an accident, and while it wasn’t serious, there were multiple cars and a semi stopped on both sides of the highway.  It was then I looked behind me.  Cars were starting to catch up, and I figured that they just hadn’t seen the wreck yet.  They didn’t know why we were slowing down and taking our time.  As soon as I passed the stopped cars, I got over to the right lane and watched as the cars behind me went past.  Some were like me taking it easy as they passed the wreck, while others were not being so careful.  They were driving as if the road was clear and they were not navigating an accident scene.  It was then that I thought, even with it right in their face, they just won’t see. It’s not that they can’t see, since by this time they were right in the middle of all the cars involved, but they won’t see.  It broke my heart, as I was immediately thought about God and how He shows Himself to each of us.  We see the miracle of this life, but do not see who created the miracle.  It’s not that we can’t see, we just won’t see! 

I thought about it again when I started listening to a book at lunch.  The first story in the book had me hooked immediately, since it’s a favorite historical moment of mine.  The quick version?  Well it’s 1914 and it’s Christmas Eve.  You know that war that was supposed to be over by Christmas?  Well, it wasn’t.  The men on the front lines are missing home, family and their own Christmas traditions.  During this evening and through Christmas Day, the men reach out to each other to “celebrate” Christmas.  It starts slowly, but soon they are exchanging food, cigarettes, playing football  (the English kind) and sharing photos of their loved ones back home.   That night, the men were given a reprieve from this new kind of nightmare.  The mechanized muddy stalemate of men and modern warfare.  For that short time, fear, hate, and the horrors of war were defeated by something greater.  The birth of a Savior!   When the powers that be on all sides found out about what occurred in the trenches, they vow that this will not happen again.  And it never did.   That moment on the battlefield where mercy and grace won out over hate was not allowed to be repeated.  Those in charge were much like the drivers on the road, they just won’t see.  Instead of seeing the miracle of the day, and acknowledging the power of the birth narrative, they doubled down on death.  

I love the truth in the story, because it shows the heavenly in sharp contrast to our humanity.  The human part of the story is full of war, death and brutality.  The heavenly part was what brought them together, the birth of Christ!  When I hear the story of that Christmas in 1914, I always think of the shepherds in the birth narrative.  Did the angels come to see them on purpose?  Or was the jubilation in heaven so boisterous that it spilled out into the night sky!  Even the heavens couldn’t contain the excitement over the fulfillment of this very special prophecy!   Someone left the back door of heaven open, and there were the shepherds watching in amazement! Maybe that’s what happened to the soldiers on that cold December night?  The back door of heaven opened, and mercy flowed from a gracious Heavenly Father.  The men didn’t see angels, but the Spirit was there.  Like the wind, it wasn’t visible, but history shows us the effect of the Spirit’s presence.   On that Christmas Eve, the same celebration that happened so many years ago was again awakened to overcome fear and death.  For those brief hours kindness, grace and mercy flowed straight from the throne of God.  

Lord I know we all have eyes that can see, but I ask you to give us eyes that WILL see! 

Wake up sleeper….

So someone asked me earlier this month if I was joking, which I typically am, after I had posted a comment to fb. So after going through my blog and seeing that this subject had yet to be written about, I decided to finally put words to paper.

You see, May is Zombie Appreciation Month. So I posted my favorite zombie verse, Ephesians 5:14, and reminded people of the unique remembrance of the month. Her response of “you have to be joking” was quite appropriate except that for me zombies are creatures of utmost interest. 

You see when I was very young, I made the mistake of watching Night of the Living Dead. Even worse was the fact that my Aunt, who we used to visit a lot, lived right around the corner from the cemetery. For years after I was never fully comfortable at her house after dark. Also, as a teenager in the 80’s a few new zombie movies were released, and I again was reminded to lock the doors at night.

So how has my appreciation for zombies made such a dramatic turn? Well it all happened with a little movie named Shaun of the Dead. I was alone one day, and while flipping through the channels I caught the end of this movie. It was silly and inappropriate but my attention was caught, watching this young man Shaun go from a slacker to a hero. All while fighting zombies trying to rescue family and friends. A zombie movie with a message, or something like that. Well, I enjoyed it enough that when it was on again I sat down to watch from the beginning. It was then that I saw the scene that made me love this movie! There are actually two scenes and they are both nearly identical except for one detail, and that is zombies.

In the first scene we see Shaun walking his usual route to the store passing people as they each go about their daily business. He barely notices those around him, let alone having any meaningful interaction with those he encounters. It’s not so obvious the first time you see it, but the next day when he goes to the store again, it becomes painfully clear. We see a man who is so wrapped up in his little world, that he doesn’t even see the chaos around him. 

It struck me as comical that our hero seemed to be living the life of a zombie, except for the brain eating part. He thoughtlessly did the same things every day. He worked the same job, went to the same pub, kept the same lazy friend and expected his girlfriend and family to accept his careless attitude. Our hero knew that he needed to make some changes, but he didn’t have the courage to do them. That is until the zombies struck and he had to think quick and find the courage to save family, friends and himself. 

That’s why I like zombies now, well maybe only as a metaphor. They remind me that if I am not careful, I can live just as dead a life as a zombie. Walking through my days accepting shallow relationships, giving as little of myself as possible and hiding from the challenges God has for me. All of these things that make me a part of society and hopefully a light in this world. So as the month of May comes to a close I would again ask you to remember Ephesians 5:14…..”Awake sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you”.

Eventually…..

I had a question I needed to ask, but I was a bit scared.  I know…. scared might be a bit overblown, but that’s me!   I think it really came down to the possibility of being disappointed or maybe even hating the answer!  

And lets face it, that’s why most of us don’t ask…. We want our answer, not really the one we may be given.   I eventually knew I had to let go of the outcome and let God handle that, I just had to ask the question. 

And it’s in that word “eventually” where I am amazed.  The wealth of meaning in that little word is huge.  The time I spent in “eventually” was longer than it needed to be.  It was full of realization, wrestling, uncertainty, prayer, irritation and eventually a clear message of “get moving”.  Even when I try to ignore God, He steps in and inserts Himself where I can’t ignore Him.  

So Fridays are such a mellow day, that even in the morning I just want to chill a bit.  So I decided instead of reading my bible, I’d watch HGTV.  And that isn’t holy ghost TV.  

So I start watching some random show that’s doing a remodel of an old home.  The original structure was built in the 1700’s, and through the years a kitchen and carriage house had been added.  The first thing they were doing was opening up walls and flooring.  The structure just didn’t look right, so to figure out how to fix it, they needed to see how it had been built.  He said “There were no building codes.  So it doesn’t mean they didn’t build it right, it’s just that we don’t know how they built it”.   

They didn’t know how they built it?  That statement just stuck with me, because it really played in to the question God had put on my heart.  And with that message I knew that I had to leave the land of “eventually,” and ask my question.  I did… and it was a good conversation.  For me though, it was an even better lesson.  When God gives me a question, task or way to serve Him, He will also give me a way to make whatever I need to do happen.  There is a goal for the rest of the year…. Don’t spend time in “eventually”.  I need to take the advice of the GOAT and JUST DO IT!  And Michael Jordan notwithstanding, I need to rest in the confidence of who God is, and what I know He has already done in my life.