Christ is risen ... He is risen indeed. Hallelujah!
What better way to celebrate the rising of our Savior and Lord from the tomb than to gather as a family in His reigning presence. We were delighted to welcome our oldest daughter and her family for the Resurrection Day weekend. The house was full of sharing, laughter, and lots of spring cleanup activity. Our hearts rejoiced with it all.
For me, the crowning piece is not the special meal, though it is delicious and a precious time of fellowship. It’s not the flowers either whose variety and colors abound, though they are beautiful and brighten our surroundings. Rather, I revel in being together as a family in worship before our Triune God; Creator, Sustainer and Judge of all that was and is and is to be. Amen
I sat in the sanctuary along side the next two generations and my heart was filled with thankfulness for the faithfulness of my heavenly Father. Regardless of my unworthy condition He continues to express His delight in me with intimacy. This extraordinary worship blessing was one among many God seems to be pouring into my life lately. Last month He brought the truth of Genesis 50:20 to life in a way I pray I’ll never forget.
I’d gone to Washington, DC to meet with the legislators from Maine. I was able to visit each of the four offices as well as visit the Senate and House galleries so I considered it a successful day. On my way to the bus that would take me out of the city I fell and broke my foot ... my right foot. Of course I didn’t know at the time it was broken, but I knew it was badly injured. My brothers and sisters ministered to me throughout the evening and shepherded me through as much of my travel home as they were able. Many of them wondered aloud if I would be able to make my spring trip to Europe. I was concerned about my trip to Tennessee the following week.
Curt met me at the airport and took me directly to the ER. That’s when the x-rays confirmed that a bone in my foot had been chipped. I spent the weekend pondering the questions that were raised about my ability to travel as I laid on the couch. [aside: Why does everyone immediately assume an injury means God is telling one to slow down?] I knew that no matter what it would take, I was going to meet the commitments I’d made. I just kept praying that I wouldn’t have to undergo surgery nor be burdened with a plaster cast. I guess I’m just a practical kinda gal.
The orthopedist was surprised I wasn’t in any pain. I was surprised at the amount of black, blue, green, and yellow that covered my foot. We discovered that I could bear weight on it without discomfort so the doc took away my crutches. When I told him I intended to get on a plane in less than 48 hours he considered whether to put me in one of those large supportive boots or a simple aircast. Hallelujah, the aircast won!
You see, Curt broke his right ankle four months earlier. I had a clear understanding about how casts, crutches, canes, and not being able to drive can affect one’s life. I immediately started praising God all over again - for dodging those bullets on top of bringing me back to my Honey’s arms. As Dr. Avery applied the aircast I realized it was easily removable. When he confirmed my realization, I started thanking God that I’d be able to take showers. Hallelujahs rose up all over again!
Since I already ask for assistance when I travel, I felt cleared to make my way to Chattanooga with bells on my toes. Hah, God had more rich blessings waiting for me. A couple of hours before the conference was to begin I approached the entrance doors. Of course they were locked, but at just that moment someone came out. I asked kindly if I might put my things on a chair ahead of time. I think the cane and slippers might have helped, but I know that God was the One who granted me favor.
I made my way toward the stage and choose a seat in the very front row. It’s my habit to arrive quite early and rush in as soon as the doors open. This time God made the way clear for me to choose a seat in my favorite place without any waiting or rushing. When I returned for the opening session, there were my things. I wanted to announce to the world that God is The Perfect Usher. Wait, there’s more.
I realized that it would be best if my foot, broken only a week earlier, would be most comfortable if I were able to elevate it. I asked a passing stage hand if there might be a chair I could use for that purpose. He was quite pleasant about my request and returned quickly with a straight-backed chair. Can you picture that? I was lounging in the front row. Wait, there’s still more.
As the opening sessions were coming to a close I realized that a helpful person might come along and remove what appeared to be a randomly-placed chair. I didn’t want that to happen so I sought the Lord for what to do. I took out a small pad and wrote on it, “Please leave to elevate a broken foot. Thank you and God bless. :-)”
I appeared the next morning for a new day of feasting on the Word of God. As I made my way to the front of the auditorium, I saw the elevating chair still in its place with my little pad sitting on it. God had reserved my seat for me ... and so it was for the whole event. Among more than 2400 women, my Daddy reserved a front row seat for ME. Hallelujah to the Lord!
Yes, Genesis 50:20 came alive for me last month in Chattanooga as did Romans 8:28. Who would believe that a physical threat such as a broken foot could lead to rejoicing? I do and I pray you will too now that you’ve read my report. There were no mishaps on this second March trip. God took me, kept me, and fed me and I rejoice in His Holy Name.
Back at home I continue to be thankful to my gracious Daddy. He arranged for sweet reminders of our grandchildren’s Easter visit. On Sunday evening I found their toothbrushes and “monogrammed” cups resting on the bathroom counter, waiting for me to tuck them in the cupboard. On Monday Curt discovered a chocolate egg hidden in the fireplace matches, unclaimed by little ones and a delight to a grownup. On Tuesday we found a company of army men safely encamped behind the mail basket in the living room. Each discovery flooded our hearts with warm memories and filled the air around us with chuckles.
These varied glimpses cause me to revel in the goodness of our God as He weaves my life into the masterpiece of His grace. I pray that you too are being wrapped up in His all-sufficient love and mercy.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Wishin' and A-Hopin'
You don't have to raise your hand or anything, but let me ask how many of you spend a fair amount of time wishin'. Sometimes it's a passing thought, such as, "I wish it weren't raining." Or it might be something with a bit more substance, "I wish I lived somewhere else." It could even be as extreme as, "I wish I were married to someone else."
I have no doubt that there are whole flocks of people who spend hours imagining what would happen if they were chosen to be on one of the reality TV shows. From the makeover segments on various talk shows to programming based on the concept, like What Not to Wear, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Survivor, The Amazing Race, even The Biggest Loser viewers are drawn into the world of wishin'. After all, wouldn't it be nice if some outside entity would come in and improve our looks or fix up our home or provide a vacation, an exciting challenge, a financial windfall? What would be the harm in that?
For that matter, what's wrong with thinking about how someone else's life might be improved in similar ways? Certainly we have other people's good in mind when we conclude, "I wish he would pay attention to his manly duties." Or "I wish she would take better care of that responsibility". Or "I wish they would just listen to my advice."
On a superficial level I suppose a bit of wishin' is fine. It may be what leads people to make positive changes in their lives. Perhaps the person who keeps saying to themselves, "I wish I wasn't always rushing to get out the door." will decide to set their alarm clock earlier and enjoy a more peaceful start to their day. I know I've been there myself many times. On a deeper level though I wonder what happens when/if a habit of wishin' develops.
I started to ponder this topic when my mind latched onto a brief portion of "The Five Silent Years of Corrie ten Boom" by Pamela Rosewell. On page 47 of our 1986 paperback edition, the author quotes a letter Corrie received.
"A missionary friend had brought you [Corrie] by car and you had been having a very heavy program through the previous weeks. So you looked around your room and made some remark about how peaceful it was. Then you looked at the friend who had brought you and you said 'I wish ...' But you did not finish the sentence. Instead you looked up and said, 'Father, You do all things well. Thank you.'"
I was trying to get through the book at the time and it was a few weeks before I had time to go back and locate the passage. It had continued to niggle at the edge of my mind and heart. What was it about wishin' that had caused Corrie ten Boom to stop and pray? It seemed so innocuous. My meditation has been developing into a deep glimpse into my heart.
God is sovereign. As Creator and Sustainer, He is the ultimate authority and ruling power of the world. He oversees every detail, no-thing escapes His notice, that His will might be accomplished and His glory made known. The Word also teaches that God is at work in the lives of His own as He prepares them to spend eternity in His presence. Romans 8:28-30 is only one place where this refining activity is outlined. These truths lead us to the only reasonable conclusion. Since God knows and orchestrates every detail of our lives (the good, the bad AND the ugly) for our sanctification, the circumstances around us MUST be what He has arranged for that purpose.
Okay then, that must mean that the rainy day, the place I live, the person to whom I am married, are all part of God's perfect plan to transform me into the image of His Son. 2 Corinthians 3:18 It may not be easy to come to grips with that truth when the picnic is ruined or the house needs repairs or my husband and I are arguing. Circumstances of any kind do not change Truth. It is unalterable. It is what Francis Schaeffer called True Truth.
Since the circumstances in my own life are set and overseen by God for my best and His glory because I am His, bought with a price, that must also be True for all those whom He has chosen. The situations surrounding my Brothers and Sisters are also being coordinated by God for their sanctification. Our Father is using the details of their lives to cause the man to truly undertake his manly duties, the woman to meet her responsibilities, and all of them to seek His will. Real change happens in the heart and God is the One who affects those changes. Acts 16:14
By God's grace, the rest I have been enjoying as I settle into a richer understanding of His sovereignty in my own life has been spreading into my thoughts about the lives others. I find myself praying with an honestly thankful heart as I consider circumstances and situations in the lives of those I love. The mindset and heart condition of Eli in 1 Samuel 3:18 is a model to emulate. Upon learning that God was about to carry out His promised retribution for the sin in his family for which no sacrifice or offering could atone, Eli said, "He is the Lord; let Him do what is good in His eyes."
Scripture tells us that surrender is part of godly worship. Matthew 4:10 directs all believers to "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." I want to be fully yielded to my loving Father. I want my wishin' to be transformed by my hopin'. I want to be lost in the wonder of who God is and all that He has prepared for me both now and in the future. Psalm 42:5; 62:5; 147:11, Isaiah 40:31, Romans 5:4; 12:12, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 6:19,20, 1 John 3:1-3 Hallelujah! Christ, in me, is the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
How my life is changing:
I find myself checking out the wishin' I do.
Am I subtly whining about God's provisions in His love-inspired shepherding?
I find myself identifying with Paul in wrestling my body into submission. 1 Corinthians 9:27
I find myself coming more quickly and fully into my Daddy's presence, asking Him to make His will my own.
Am I willing to worship God no matter the setting?
I find myself turning my wishin' for other folks into prayers of thanksgiving for God's divine work in their lives.
Do I really know that much that I even have an inkling of what needs to happen?
I find myself enjoying more freedom and a richer prayer life. Praise God!
May these thoughts on Wishin' encourage you to set your heart more fully on A-hopin' for "the glory that will be revealed in us". Romans 8:18
Amen and Emmanuel
I have no doubt that there are whole flocks of people who spend hours imagining what would happen if they were chosen to be on one of the reality TV shows. From the makeover segments on various talk shows to programming based on the concept, like What Not to Wear, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, Survivor, The Amazing Race, even The Biggest Loser viewers are drawn into the world of wishin'. After all, wouldn't it be nice if some outside entity would come in and improve our looks or fix up our home or provide a vacation, an exciting challenge, a financial windfall? What would be the harm in that?
For that matter, what's wrong with thinking about how someone else's life might be improved in similar ways? Certainly we have other people's good in mind when we conclude, "I wish he would pay attention to his manly duties." Or "I wish she would take better care of that responsibility". Or "I wish they would just listen to my advice."
On a superficial level I suppose a bit of wishin' is fine. It may be what leads people to make positive changes in their lives. Perhaps the person who keeps saying to themselves, "I wish I wasn't always rushing to get out the door." will decide to set their alarm clock earlier and enjoy a more peaceful start to their day. I know I've been there myself many times. On a deeper level though I wonder what happens when/if a habit of wishin' develops.
I started to ponder this topic when my mind latched onto a brief portion of "The Five Silent Years of Corrie ten Boom" by Pamela Rosewell. On page 47 of our 1986 paperback edition, the author quotes a letter Corrie received.
"A missionary friend had brought you [Corrie] by car and you had been having a very heavy program through the previous weeks. So you looked around your room and made some remark about how peaceful it was. Then you looked at the friend who had brought you and you said 'I wish ...' But you did not finish the sentence. Instead you looked up and said, 'Father, You do all things well. Thank you.'"
I was trying to get through the book at the time and it was a few weeks before I had time to go back and locate the passage. It had continued to niggle at the edge of my mind and heart. What was it about wishin' that had caused Corrie ten Boom to stop and pray? It seemed so innocuous. My meditation has been developing into a deep glimpse into my heart.
God is sovereign. As Creator and Sustainer, He is the ultimate authority and ruling power of the world. He oversees every detail, no-thing escapes His notice, that His will might be accomplished and His glory made known. The Word also teaches that God is at work in the lives of His own as He prepares them to spend eternity in His presence. Romans 8:28-30 is only one place where this refining activity is outlined. These truths lead us to the only reasonable conclusion. Since God knows and orchestrates every detail of our lives (the good, the bad AND the ugly) for our sanctification, the circumstances around us MUST be what He has arranged for that purpose.
Okay then, that must mean that the rainy day, the place I live, the person to whom I am married, are all part of God's perfect plan to transform me into the image of His Son. 2 Corinthians 3:18 It may not be easy to come to grips with that truth when the picnic is ruined or the house needs repairs or my husband and I are arguing. Circumstances of any kind do not change Truth. It is unalterable. It is what Francis Schaeffer called True Truth.
Since the circumstances in my own life are set and overseen by God for my best and His glory because I am His, bought with a price, that must also be True for all those whom He has chosen. The situations surrounding my Brothers and Sisters are also being coordinated by God for their sanctification. Our Father is using the details of their lives to cause the man to truly undertake his manly duties, the woman to meet her responsibilities, and all of them to seek His will. Real change happens in the heart and God is the One who affects those changes. Acts 16:14
By God's grace, the rest I have been enjoying as I settle into a richer understanding of His sovereignty in my own life has been spreading into my thoughts about the lives others. I find myself praying with an honestly thankful heart as I consider circumstances and situations in the lives of those I love. The mindset and heart condition of Eli in 1 Samuel 3:18 is a model to emulate. Upon learning that God was about to carry out His promised retribution for the sin in his family for which no sacrifice or offering could atone, Eli said, "He is the Lord; let Him do what is good in His eyes."
Scripture tells us that surrender is part of godly worship. Matthew 4:10 directs all believers to "Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only." I want to be fully yielded to my loving Father. I want my wishin' to be transformed by my hopin'. I want to be lost in the wonder of who God is and all that He has prepared for me both now and in the future. Psalm 42:5; 62:5; 147:11, Isaiah 40:31, Romans 5:4; 12:12, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 6:19,20, 1 John 3:1-3 Hallelujah! Christ, in me, is the hope of glory. Colossians 1:27
How my life is changing:
I find myself checking out the wishin' I do.
Am I subtly whining about God's provisions in His love-inspired shepherding?
I find myself identifying with Paul in wrestling my body into submission. 1 Corinthians 9:27
I find myself coming more quickly and fully into my Daddy's presence, asking Him to make His will my own.
Am I willing to worship God no matter the setting?
I find myself turning my wishin' for other folks into prayers of thanksgiving for God's divine work in their lives.
Do I really know that much that I even have an inkling of what needs to happen?
I find myself enjoying more freedom and a richer prayer life. Praise God!
May these thoughts on Wishin' encourage you to set your heart more fully on A-hopin' for "the glory that will be revealed in us". Romans 8:18
Amen and Emmanuel
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Woe! and Hallelujah!
The Lord has been encouraging me to contemplate the connection between these two positions for more than a week. I had three other possible topics for this post, but my Honey suggested I pursue this one so here we are.
To be fair, Curt made the remark after I shared a succinct statement so it could be that he was just trying to influence the length since he feels my glimpse reports are (shall we say) a bit wordy. I responded right away that a blog post would require further explanation, but I'm going to follow Curt's lead and see how I do.
An unfolding glimpse:
God knew me and my sin-filled heart (Woe!) before the foundation of the world, and He
still chose to write my name in the book of life,
still sent Jesus His sin-free Son to pay the blood ransom for my soul,
still granted me faith by His grace that I would understand the enormity of His love and provision, and
still undertook to sanctify me for the eternal home He has prepared for me in His Holy presence. Hallelujah!
a partial list of related verses:
Ephesians 1:4-8
Revelation 21:27
Ephesians 2:4,5
Romans 3:21,26; 8:29,30
To be fair, Curt made the remark after I shared a succinct statement so it could be that he was just trying to influence the length since he feels my glimpse reports are (shall we say) a bit wordy. I responded right away that a blog post would require further explanation, but I'm going to follow Curt's lead and see how I do.
An unfolding glimpse:
God knew me and my sin-filled heart (Woe!) before the foundation of the world, and He
still chose to write my name in the book of life,
still sent Jesus His sin-free Son to pay the blood ransom for my soul,
still granted me faith by His grace that I would understand the enormity of His love and provision, and
still undertook to sanctify me for the eternal home He has prepared for me in His Holy presence. Hallelujah!
a partial list of related verses:
Ephesians 1:4-8
Revelation 21:27
Ephesians 2:4,5
Romans 3:21,26; 8:29,30
Monday, February 1, 2010
Soldiers and Sheep
In early December we enjoyed a few wonderful days with our precious grandchildren. We built and demolished a gingerbread house, shopped for "Mom and Dad", went to the Christmas tea party at our local library, and put out our nativity decorations. It was a treat to talk about the incarnation as we set up the manger scene, and to share the continuity of our marriage as we hung a special set of lights for the 41st time. God is gracious!
We're beginning to notice that as the children mature it gets harder to take them home. It's easy to settle back into the slower, quieter tone in our own home, but they bring so much to us. William and James keep Doc busy, and Caroline keeps Marmee entertained. God knows we miss them and is so sweet to tend our hearts. This morning we chuckled when we discovered a heavenly reminder of our time together.
We’re sure it wasn't a sacrilegious statement, but there was an addition to the manger scene - a little green sniper hidden behind a lamb. He was obviously preparing to take out an enemy grenade thrower on the neighboring chair. The army guys brought back the dialogue, sound effects, and giggles of our grandsons' playtime. We thanked God for their visit and the reminder, but evidently we needed more.
The next day I discovered two more soldiers safely camouflaged behind the guest towel in the bathroom. Once again smiles broke out on our faces. We weren’t sure what their mission was, but we granted these faithful military men leave with their buddies. We figured they'd earned it.
We cherish the tender blessings our heavenly Father sends our way. We aren't sure when we'll be granted a glimpse of His mercies so we do our best to keep our eyes open and focused godward. May the Father bless you with glorious glimpses of your own. Amen
We're beginning to notice that as the children mature it gets harder to take them home. It's easy to settle back into the slower, quieter tone in our own home, but they bring so much to us. William and James keep Doc busy, and Caroline keeps Marmee entertained. God knows we miss them and is so sweet to tend our hearts. This morning we chuckled when we discovered a heavenly reminder of our time together.
We’re sure it wasn't a sacrilegious statement, but there was an addition to the manger scene - a little green sniper hidden behind a lamb. He was obviously preparing to take out an enemy grenade thrower on the neighboring chair. The army guys brought back the dialogue, sound effects, and giggles of our grandsons' playtime. We thanked God for their visit and the reminder, but evidently we needed more.
The next day I discovered two more soldiers safely camouflaged behind the guest towel in the bathroom. Once again smiles broke out on our faces. We weren’t sure what their mission was, but we granted these faithful military men leave with their buddies. We figured they'd earned it.
We cherish the tender blessings our heavenly Father sends our way. We aren't sure when we'll be granted a glimpse of His mercies so we do our best to keep our eyes open and focused godward. May the Father bless you with glorious glimpses of your own. Amen
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