These Days

Today has been a hard day. I woke feeling out of it and needing to get out the door. Struggled to keep my heart in whatever it was I was doing. Felt frustrated, tired, annoyed, overwhelmed, like a failure. Didn't want to read my bible. Didn't want to pray. Didn't want to ask the Lord's help for my stinky attitude.

Now the girls are in bed and I "made it" through the day and am looking forward to going to bed soon.

I just had two weekends in a row of some really wonderful spiritual enrichment: our church's women's retreat and a conference with our high school girls. Both weekends provided me with opportunities to be reminded of God's work in and through me. He reminded me that He's got it under control and He wants me to trust Him.

But today? Uh. Fail.

Thinking of Psalm 51 (I know this is about David's sin with Bathsheeba, but how often do we grieve over "little" sins??)

"Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit" (vs. 9-12).

Today I'm reminded that I'm not home yet. But I so look forward to heaven.

"And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.' And he who was seated on the throne said, 'Behold, I am making all things new.' Also he said, 'Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true'" (Revelation 21:3-5).

Until that day, I pray that on these days I'll get my bad attitude out of the way and let God use me for His glory.

Restoration

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." Psalm 23

This psalm has been on my mind a lot today. Mostly "my cup overflows." I am so thankful for my husband, our children, our church, our home, our friends. Often I feel like a roller coaster of emotions but I think it's a girl thing. And God made me with these emotions to serve Him in and through them. I am overwhelmed at how He works in and through His children.

One of my annual struggles which happens around this time of year is missing the autumn leaves of New England where I grew up. This was always my favorite time of year. I loved the cool, crisp, quiet mornings. I loved crunching through the leaves in the woods and the overwhelming aroma of "fall" when you walked outside. I loved wearing sweaters, scarves and hats. I loved apple picking and spiced cider and pumpkin carving. And almost none of that happens the same way in southern California.

But I can still rest in the Lord as my shepherd. He restores my soul even when it doesn't feel possible in the hustle and bustle of my life.

Scary Sad.

Couldn't believe this when I read it. This is not someone's else's problem. It's ours. This is not someone else's fault. It's ours.

Isaiah 1:16-17 -
Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;
remove the evil of your deeds from before my eyes;
cease to do evil,
learn to do good;
seek justice,
correct oppression;
bring justice to the fatherless,
plead the widow’s cause.

HT: JT

Skipping

I'm a reader. I love reading. I like to think that someone could call me a voracious reader or a committed reader or a diligent reader. I read history, I read theology, I read methodology, I read fantasy, I read modern fiction, I read classic fiction, I read . . .

I (almost) always read the prologue, the introduction, the preface, the acknowledgements, the conclusion, the epilogue, the footnotes, the endnotes (even though I ABHOR endnotes!), the "about the author" page, as well as the front cover and back cover and dust jacket.

Now, you may think that this is a very self-serving post so far. Well, maybe it has been. But here's why I bring this up and why I entitled this post "Skipping." When I'm reading a Christian book (theology, Christian living, textbook, commentary, etc.) I all to often find myself reading everything but the quoted Scripture in the book! I've been challenged on this omission several times by Gunner Gundersen, the Associate Dean of Men at The Master's College, and yet I still do it quite consistently.

Even now, as I'm reading Right Thinking in a World Gone Wrong, I keep having to remind myself to SLOW DOWN and go back to read the Bible passage that was quoted. I think I do this because I grew up in the church, God saved me at a young age and I'm now in my 19th year of Christian education. It's like I've inoculated myself against feeling the need to read the Bible verse(s) not because I don't know the passage - I probably am familiar with it - but because I somehow think that I've exhausted all the truth and meaning from the passage long ago.

This is the very thing that I'm concerned about for the youth under my care at Village Bible Church. I continually tell them not to rely on the third grade flannelgraph (most of them don't have any idea of what I'm talking about! I blame this development squarely on VeggieTales.) stories they learned so long ago as if they heard the story and have the content and the applications/implications for their lives stored away forever! May I see this blindness in myself and fight against it with heart, soul, mind and strength!

What about you? Do you find yourself doing this? Do you even read? Do you read theology and Christian living and Christian (auto)biograhies to strengthen and encourage your walk with Christ? Are there other reasons that I/we skip over the Bible passages in the books we read? Let me know in the comments to help think further about this issue.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. - Hebrews 4:12

Contentment

Yesterday I spoke in secondary chapel. It was a humbling experience. The message was entitled "Contentment: Discovering the Secret to Satisfaction - God's Way." I was given about twenty minutes to speak and spoke for about twenty-five minutes (oops!). Every day last week I studied with my Bible, a MacArthur Study Bible, a book of illustrations and quotes (thanks mom!), a dictionary, and a Bible commentary. My primary text was Philippians 4:10-19. It was challenging to me to communicate the very words of Almighty God to a group of junior highers and high schoolers.

I learned why pastors have to spend 20-30 hours every week preparing their sermon. My notes were not as cohesive as I would have liked. I also learned to make my notes in a large enough font so that I can read them when I glance at them on the podium.

All praise and honor is Gods' for all the kids and teachers that commended me for the message.

Soli Deo Gloria

Colossians and Invoices

Last night at Bible study, we studied Colossians 3:15-17 and I realized that the Lord has been trying to teach me a lesson for a while now. Verse 17 along with 23-24 (which we haven't studied yet) have been playing over and over again in my mind since then. Actually, I decided to write out Col. 3:23-24 on a post-it note and put it on my computer at work:

"Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve."

I'm sure this is a typical thing for Christians to post on their computer at work, but I'm hoping that it serves to challenge me in my mundane work. I don't mean that to be a complaint, but honestly... who thinks stamping, coding, and entering invoices into a program is anything less than mundane? Exactly. Yet, God doesn't say to do my exciting work heartily. He doesn't qualify the "work" at all. So somehow I need to rejoice in stamping, coding and entering invoices knowing that "it is the Lord Christ whom [I] serve."

As I've been pondering this I'm reminded of those cheesy commercials about changing your career or getting a new degree. You know what I'm talking about.

Last night we talked a lot about thankfulness too, because it is mentioned in all three of the verses we studied. Often times it seems that once I stop focusing on the bad stuff and start thanking God for the good stuff, my attitude turns 180 degrees. Some of you may have seen this coming, but I decided that I need to play 12 Blessings about Stamping, Coding and Entering Invoices. I suppose this is one I've been putting off for a while.... Hopefully this challenges some of you, but mostly I'm sure it'll challenge me!

12 Blessings about Stamping, Coding and Entering Invoices

1. I have learned 10-Key and get A LOT practice with it almost every day.
2. It gives me the opportunity to help our A/P department with the massive amount of work they have.
3. I have learned a little more about the company I work for.
4. Doing something for the company makes me feel more like I'm "part of the team."
5. I have memorized many of the codes I use, which helps to exercise my terrible memory.
6. I have memorized many of the job names that go with the job numbers, which helps in sorting paychecks by job every Wednesday.
7. I am better able to sort the mail to the correct Project Managers.
8. It doesn't demand a high level of concentration, so I can multi-task more easily.
9. I get to open a whole bunch of mail every day!
10. I get two stamps that are mine--only mine :-)
11. I get to make a big mess every time I refill the ink in the stamps!
12. It is incredibly satisfying to finish a huge stack of invoices and then READ :-D

Phew... that took WAY too long. I won't tell you how long though... At the end I remembered that sometimes it's the small things you need to be thankful for. So, those are some of the things that I like. I am so cool. Right now I have a small stack of invoices to finish and then I'm going to read. Have a wonderful evening!

Job and Jabez

My brother Scott sent this to me today. I thought it was hysterical. If you don't get it, read I Chronicles 4:9-10 first. If you still have questions, leave a comment and we'll talk about it.

Tea & A Bagel

Breakfast yesterday and today. Yum. Yesterday I sat sipping my tea and eating my bagel during a long lull in phone calls. It was wonderful. As I did, I thanked God for tea and bagels. It seems a silly thing, but I really enjoyed the quiet moment with my tea and bagel. God is such a gracious God!

Also yesterday I received a phone call (I'll keep it anonymous just in case) about a family with a 3 year old daughter who just passed away after complications with heart surgery. I was asked to pray for this family and have done so several times since I heard. In the conversation I heard of questions that the family was asking: "Why would God let this happen? Is God punishing me? How can anything good come from this?" And I'm sure many more. I too started wondering these questions and my pondering continued on my ride home in rush hour. I tried to put myself in their shoes. The parents only had this one daughter and she was their pride and joy. Sure, she was a bit weak, but they had faith that the Lord would heal her. But He didn't. Instead, He brought the little girl home to be with Him.

I don't envy the difficult time they are facing and I will continue to pray for this family. Still, I find myself wondering how I would handle such a turn of events if God brought them my way. Would I be like Job, who lost all of his children and everything he owned and even his own health; yet "through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God" (Job 1:22). I can't even pretend to imagine what sort of feelings he felt. How alone? How desperate? How lost? If I were in his shoes, would I still say God is good? Would I still believe He is sovereign? Would I remember that He never gives me more than I can handle?

I will continue to pray for this family that God will comfort them and strengthen their faith and trust in Him. I will pray that when God allows tragedy in my life (because it's only a matter of time), I will be like Job and "fall to the ground and worship" saying "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord" (Job 1:20-21).

Inn-N-Out and Family Rejection

Wow, this throws new light on a common misconception about the nativity. I did not know this. Perhaps I should learn Greek!

By the way, you need to stop reading this and go do something else, like exercising or something!

Paul's Sarcophagus, or Digging Up Important Dead Guys

So archaeologists think they may have found the Apostle Paul's sarcophagus. Read that story here. Think it doesn't sound plausible? Read one person's thoughts on how likely it is that this could be true.

This has the possibility of being a very important find. On the other hand, it carries with it the very likely possibility of unnecessarily buoying or crushing people's faith. Many people put too much stock in "proving" Scripture by finding artifacts. Examples are Noah's Ark, the Ark of the Covenant, the Holy Grail, etc. Now, I'm not saying we shouldn't search for things pertaining to ancient history because they teach us so much. I just know that there is a fine line between admiration and veneration.

Oh, and who knows when they'll actually open the sarcophagus anyway.

Overflowing with gratitude

Ever since Wednesday's Bible study I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be overflowing with gratitude. Our studies have been in the book of Colossians and last week we went over Chapter 2 verses 6-8:

Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

From the start of the lesson we talked about different ways we can "walk in Him" as Christians. While many thoughtful and true examples came up, no one said anything about being thankful. I suppose that made it all the more impactful when Ron pointed out this short phrase at the end of verse 7. Why is it that gratitude should be so apparent in the lives of Christians?

My thoughts on the matter--I have someone to be thankful to. I know that there is a God and that He is the giver of all good gifts. I know that even "my" skills are from my Maker. He blesses me so abundantly, yet I gripe and complain because I don't have what I think I want. But He knows me better than anyone else. Psalm 139 tells me that He is "intimately acquainted with all my ways" and "in [His] book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them."

I have so much to be grateful for which is why I ask myself what it means to be overflowing with gratitude. Must I always have a cheesy (sometimes fake) smile on my face because life is just peachy-keen? Should I shelter myself as much as possible from the suffering of this world so that I am blissful in my ignorance? I think that it means I must choose to see the good that God seeks to accomplish in and through every situation (cf. Rom. 8:28). I think it means that I choose to remember that God is good and sovereign--at the same time. I don't need to have all the answers. He has a plan, it is perfect, and if it seems bad or wrong to me I'm not seeing it from His perspective and I'm not thanking Him for what He is doing.

Of course much more can be (and has been more eloquently) written about this subject. I thought I'd share some of the things the Lord has been teaching me (this ties in wonderfully with what I've been reading in the book of Job). I'd love to hear/read any questions or comments this might bring up. Have a blessed week!

Our Postmodern World

This has been a busy week of invoices, but I just listened to a message from the 2006 Desiring God National Conference. It was so challenging to me that I thought I'd share it with anyone who's interested. The title of the sermon is The Supremacy of Christ and the Church in a Postmodern World. Just click here and then click the "Listen" link with the little speaker next to it.

If you're interested in listening to more, check out their list of sermons since 1980! All of the messages from the Conference can be found here on the Recently Added Resources page. Oh, and we do have a link to the Desiring God website on the side of our blog. There are also many other really great study tools to be found on the website.



p.s. Dad, I bet you'd LOVE this site!

A Restless Evil

This morning I overheard a loud, colorful argument from the motel next to our apartment building. One woman shouted "Words don't mean...." Well, maybe I won't quote her. Basically she was saying that actions speak louder than words. I've been thinking about that all morning. I've also been thinking about the nursery rhyme "Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me." But how many people hold grudges because of what someone said? What's the harm in gossip if words don't hurt? Why does James say that no one can tame the tongue, "...a restless evil and full of deadly poison" (3:8)?

I keep thinking about the fact that once you say something, you can't take it back. Shouldn't that make me more careful to speak? James, again, reminds us to be quick to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger (1:19).

But do we keep silent so as not to offend? "If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men" (Rom. 12:18). What about "being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you" (1 Pet. 3:15)? And the Great Commission "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I [Jesus] commanded you..." (Matt. 19-20)?

Should Christians wait to speak until someone asks "Hey, why are you different?" Or should we say we are Christians and then prove it with our actions? Why are the opinions of Christians so shunned when opinions of others (which are equally close-minded) are not only palatable but accepted?

It comes down to this in my mind (and in the Bible): Jesus was despised and forsaken so that we could have life and have it abundantly. He humbly took on the form of a man and lived the perfect example for us to follow. Unfortunately, we can't do it perfectly. But, we should not be surprised when people despise us and do not want to hear our words. But Christians must never be ashamed of the gospel and the Great God who wrote it!

Are they still married?

Ironic that this was the question I overheard from one of my co-workers yesterday, on the 25th anniversary of my in-laws (Happy Anniversary!!!). The answer to the question was a surprised "Yeah, I think so!" as if marriages lasting very long is uncommon. I suppose it is uncommon. I've heard all those statistics about marriages ending in divorce and even very similar statistics with Christians, but this should not be--right?

Don't get me wrong, Christians aren't any different from the rest of the world in that we can hold our marriages together on our own. The glue that should and does hold Christian marriages together is nothing but the grace of God. Christians are constantly being changed by the Holy Spirit, progressing in sanctification and becoming more like Christ through the Bible and prayer. It is part of God's design that we change and married couples are to change alongside one another, reflecting the light of Christ both individually and as a couple.

But all that is much easier said than done. Christians still sin, even against their spouses! But God has called us to a higher standard and has given us the example of Christ to follow: "who although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross" (Phil. 2:6-8).

I pray that the Lord continues to strengthen our marriage and I am so thankful for the godly example of my in-laws. Congratulations on 25 years of marriage! May the Lord bless you with many years to come (and grandchildren in due time)!

Errors in the Bible

This was a challenging reminder to me as I approach God's Word. I thought others might want to read it as well :-)