Solomon Syndrome

Imagine being unfathomably wealthy. Imagine being better than everyone else at what you do. Imagine being edified, even idolized, for it regularly. Imagine not having a single need that you cannot meet yourself.

I'm not talking about Solomon, as the title of this implies. I'm talking about Tiger Woods.

These last couple weeks, Tiger has had something of a public relations nightmare as rumors have circulated about his infidelity which he confirmed in his own statement about taking a leave from the sport which has graced his life. When this all came out in the news my son said, "Why has this happened? Tiger had everything: money, he did what he loved and was good at it; he has a beautiful wife and children. Why would he do this?" I just looked at him and said, "It's the Solomon Syndrome."

As Solomon is one of my son's favorite Biblical people because of his wisdom, this resonated with Anton. Solomon had everything: wisdom, wealth and honor to the point where God says "no other king will compare with you." (1 Kings 3:13) On top of all that, Solomon had God. He not only had the teachings and life lessons of his father, King David, but he had direct contact with the Father through a dream where God told him in 1 Kings 3:14 "If you walk in my ways, keeping my statutes and my commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your life." Later God reaffirms and enhances this in 1 Kings 9:4 "As for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my ordinances over Israel forever, as I promised your father David saying: 'There shall not fail you a successor on the thrown of Israel.'"

Biblical history tells us Solomon didn't do as God commanded. He married countless women, many who worshiped idols, prompting Solomon to worship these false gods. As a result, Israel was divided and the kingdom collapsed. Solomon wrote a book on his vanity called Ecclesiastes, having learned that finding joy in accumulating things of the world is akin to "chasing after the wind." He ends his book with these words: "The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments; for that is the whole duty of everyone. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every secret thing whether good or evil." (Eccles. 12:13-14)

When Tiger made his most recent statement, Miami Heat basketball player Dwyane Wade said, "One thing people don't understand is that we're human. You're not born with a menu on how not to do things wrong. You going to make mistakes like every human being."

But Dwyane is wrong. We are born with a menu that tells us how not to do things wrong. It's called the Bible. It's just we choose to do wrong anyways.

God knows what we have to deal with as humans. For heaven's sake, he was one in Jesus Christ and dealt with every temptation we did (Hebrews 4:15).

We can do the right thing. We can. Tiger said in his most recent statement "I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father and person." He does. We all need to focus on that. The issue is, what are you using as your guide to do that? Where is your focus? Scripture (Joshua 1:8) tells us Joshua was encouraged by God to "meditate on [the book of the law] day and night, so that you may be careful to act in accordance with all that is written in it."

When the news of Tiger first came out, my husband asked: "Do you think Tiger has Jesus?" I said I didn't know, but thought perhaps he should try to contact him to tell him. My husband laughed, seeing that task as next to impossible. But somebody needs to.

Our family is praying for Tiger. We're praying if he doesn't know Christ, he finds Him. We're praying he find Scripture and reads it thoroughly. We're praying he acts in accordance with all that is written in it. We're praying he becomes that better husband, father and person he wishes to be.

Imagine a Tiger Woods, with all the blessings he already has, filled with the Holy Spirit? What couldn't that man accomplish in Christ's name? How many could come to know Christ through him?

Imagine...

[Wise Solomon painting by Lars Justinen]

Winning in the Unseen World

Anyone who has been called by God to do a great thing for the Kingdom of Heaven better get ready for a battle, because Satan will try his hardest to shake you and make you second guess yourself. He will try to find that spot in you that you think is strongest to make it weak. He will try to find that place where you feel peace and joy and bring it sorrow and grief. Whatever he can do to derail the Lord's plans for you, he will attempt. Sadly, oftentimes, he succeeds.

I have a friend going through a spiritual battle. And I'm not even sure he knows its a spiritual battle as of yet. He is doing great things for the Father, bringing so many of God's children in a closer relationship with Him. So as a result, he is going through many trials of late: physical, emotional and vocational. It's not fair, all he's going through. But I'm not surprised. If I were Satan, I would be working extra hard to try to stop him, too.

Reading "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis is a fictional account about how Satan's army of demons can work on unsuspecting humans. It's eye-opening to anyone who doesn't think these battles take place in an unseen world. But Scripture backs it up. In Daniel 10, we see a weary Daniel waiting weeks for the answer to a prayer. When an angel finally shows up with the answer, he explains he was late because he was doing a spiritual battle and couldn't get away until the archangel Michael showed up to help. In 2 Kings 6 we see Elisha begging God to open the eyes of his attendant who was fearful of an attacking Aramean army. When the attendant feared the worst, Elisha said, "Do not be afraid for there are more with us than there are with them." After Elisha's prayer, the attendant saw the mountain full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. This was a spiritual battle.

James tells us to "consider it nothing but joy" when we face trials of any kind for the testing produces endurance, maturing us in the faith (vs. 2-4). When you're in the midst of these trials, it sure is hard to find joy. But perhaps there is joy in this: if you are going through some ugly right now that just doesn't seem to make sense or is almost overbearing, it could be you are doing something so wonderful for God that Satan's just working extra hard on you. Check out Job's story for example. Glory to God! You must be doing a good job, or Satan wouldn't be wasting his time.

Persevere, saints. Don't give up. Keep praying. Keep reciting Scripture. Keep glorifying God. We know the victory is already won ... and already His.

Worthy

I read something this morning in World magazine that dug deep into my heart to the point of causing me to tear up. The story [The Death Of An Archdeacon, Nov. 7 issue] told about the increasing death toll in southern Sudan. While a peace agreement has been in place since 2005, the government there continues "its forced Islamization and Arabization" with little patience for Christians. One such Christian was Archdeacon Joseph Mabior Garang of the Episcopal Church of Sudan. One late August morning while leading a prayer service, the militia attacked his town, killing 43 people and injuring 62. Mabior was one of those who died. Mabior was shot twice in his legs. The part that got me was what happened after he was shot.

Writer Faith J.H. McDonnell says "30 men and women from the church and town, including tribal chiefs, soldiers, a university student and other youth leaders, and several of the town's oral historians, covered Mabior with their own bodies. All 30 gave their lives in their effort to protect him. Mabior died two hours later."

I called to my husband who was reading in another room to tell him about this and said, "I don't think I even know 30 people in one place who would do this for me." Imagine 30 people jumping in the line of fire to protect this man. Imagine him watching as each was killed in his place. My heart just aches thinking of it.

How awesome a man he must have been that they went to protect him. How much they must have loved him, a man worthy of giving their lives for.

We have one who seeks our life because of our love of Christ, and not our earthly lives so much as our eternal ones. Beth Moore once wrote of him: "We have a powerful enemy who - let me say this clearly - absolutely hates us." Peter tells us he prowls around like a lion seeking to destroy us: our adversary, the evil one, Satan.

While Satan attacks on a regular basis, it's important to remember Jesus already stepped in the line of fire for us. He died to save us, Romans 5:8 explains.

I try to visualize Satan coming for me again and again and watch as Jesus steps right in front of me. I see him hanging on that cross in utter agony for me. It's a powerful image, one that drives a person to their knees to beg for forgiveness.

What's so amazing about this is Jesus did this for every single person, every single sinner. Some don't acknowledge it; some don't absorb the depth of it; and some don't even know about it. Sadly, some think they are too unworthy to have had Christ die for them.

Well, we all are unworthy sinners, but God certainly doesn't think so. He apparently finds us worth dying for. He must love us very much.

I pray everyone comes to know and understand this.

And I pray for the people of Sudan.

[Photo shot by Rev. John C. Daau as found on www.theird.org]

Out of Context

I got up early to watch the sunrise over the gulf waters. I quick tied on my shoes, grabbed my camera and headed east along the Ft. Walton shore toward the pier to capture the glowing salmon-colored sun rise above the clouds sitting on the horizon that morning. It was gorgeous. As I walked toward the pier, a woman came out of her condo and started walking behind me. I noticed she stopped every time I did so she didn't walk into the photo I was taking. Since we were keeping pace with each other, we started talking. She'd been coming to the beach there from Michigan for 30 years and had many tips on what to see and do in the area.

After walking and talking awhile, I pointed to the hotels and condos along the beach and asked: "Is there a building code stipulating that six to seven stories is as high as they can be built? They're all the same height." She said she didn't know then said, "Sometimes you'll see a crane on the beach."

Now, since we'd just been speaking about the buildings on the seashore, I thought she was talking about mechanical cranes for construction and heavy lifting. Then she continued with her sentence pointing to a building to my left ... "They fly over from the Gulfarium right there." The Gulfarium is a facility for rehabilitating injured marine animals. They also do dolphin and seal shows.

I thought it was funny that until she completed her sentence I was thinking of a mechanical crane. Out of context, I was thinking of the completely wrong thing and the thought of it flying was pretty comical to me.

The same is true of taking Scripture out of context. So often people will take one verse out of Scripture and run with it, forgetting to read what is written before or after. For example I had an atheist youth tell me Christians were murderers breaking the Ten Commandments anytime we kill an animal for food based on Isaiah 66:3 which reads: "Whoever slaughters an ox is like one who kills a human being." The youth took this verse out of context. This section of Scripture is reminding us to be humble and reverent before the Lord, otherwise our outward rituals are just for show and even an abomination to our Father. Likewise, often women balk at the "Be submissive to your husbands" verse in Ephesians 5:22 forgetting that just one verse before Paul says, "Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ." He even continues on to instruct husbands to love their wives like their own bodies and as Christ loves the church, willing to die for it. Within context, the verse makes divine sense for an ideal marriage of unconditional love.

We need to be careful as Christians to not take what someone tells us is in Scripture until we look it up ourselves and more importantly read what comes before and after it to see what the Holy Spirit is instructing here. Otherwise we could be missing the point.

Imagine a mechanical crane flying over the gulf ... ludicrous, yes, and sure doesn't have the same grace at all as the waterfowl. Likewise, neither can a verse of Scripture when taken out of context. It's often misconstrued ... and is certainly without the same Grace.

All The Waving

I'd forgotten about the waving. When we lived in Georgia I was surprised by the number of people who waved at you. Total strangers waving as you walked or drove by. It surprised me because in other locations I've lived, people just kind of ignore each other as they walk or drive by strangers. Not to be rude. We just don't know each other after all.

I had a friend in Tennessee once tell me that he waves to everyone. He said, "What if I get a flat tire some day? They'll remember I waved and stop by to help me." He said it jokingly, but his intentions were true ... "I'll make every stranger a friend."

When I lived in Georgia I wrote a weekly column, and one column was about the waving and my surprise with it. It just seemed so odd to wave to someone you didn't know. People would wave at me and I'd think, "Do I know that person? Nope. So why are they waving?" A different culture, that's all. But I'd forgotten about it after moving from that region.

Our family moved to Alabama in January and since then I think just about everyone in town has waved to me. Complete and total strangers wave every time they drive by me as I walk. At first I'd think to myself, "Yes, hi, how are you? I don't have a clue who you are, but I'll just wave anyways." But then I got to thinking, this may be my brother or sister in Christ! Or may be one who needs to know the love of Christ. When I get to Paradise and my life is flashing before me, do I want to be the person who waved or the one who looked away? An Our Daily Bread devotion I read this morning by David Roper (09-26-09) quoted a man who said, "When I stand before my Lord, I hope He'll say of me that I've loved too many, rather than too few."

I'm back in the habit of being the first person to wave, verses the one waving back. And it's so surprisingly comfortable. No, I don't know these people any better than I did before ...but I hope to someday.

Mushrooms

Lately we've had a lot of rainfall in Alabama. And anytime that happens, up come the mushrooms. I have never seen so many different kinds of mushrooms in my life. Not just the wide-topped brown mushrooms or tiny white ones I'm used to seeing, but tall white ones and some tan ones with cauliflower looking tops. I've seen lawns full of these various kinds of mushrooms. I actually think they are kinda cool looking, but my guess is they are not a welcome sight to homeowners, as often I'll see the mushrooms tossed into the curb and shriveled.

My daily flip-a-day inspirational calendar had a quote recently that made me think about the mushrooms. It said, "God is often more concerned about your response to the problem than he is in removing the problem."

See, the lawns are lusher and greener than ever with all our rain, but with those blessings to the lawnscape comes the unwelcome mushrooms. Could God prevent the mushrooms from popping up? Sure. But He doesn't.

It's the same with our spiritual journeys. Some are misled to believe that once you've become a Christian, all the world is a happy place. Your lawn is green and lush forever. However, this is not the case, at least not on Earth. Mushrooms pop up all the time, smack dab in the middle of the lushest and greenest of times. You can try to yank those mushrooms up if you want, but that doesn't necessarily prevent them from coming back, and sometimes more plentiful.

So how do we react to those times? With God as our anchor, sustainer and guide, with grace we can handle anything unwelcome that pops up in our lives. And if the problem doesn't seem to be going away any time soon, we can delight in knowing God is in control of the situation and maybe just wants to grow us a bit ... make us a hardier lawn, so to speak.

In the meantime, it doesn't hurt to take good care of the lawn, fertilizing with a good solid dose of the Word ... the best weed killer there is.

Leave Your Name And Number

I've just finished watching the HBO series "John Adams" based on David McCullough's biography. I learned many things about this Founding Father and second president of the United States. One thing that so impressed me was the devotion between John and his wife, Abigail. Their devotion is public knowledge because of the myriad of letters they wrote each other that have survived the times. They were married 54 years and lived through many hardships and work-related separations. For one period during their marriage, they spent three years apart while John was in Europe for diplomatic reactions. During this time, John sent few letters to his "dearest friend" for fear of interception by the British during the Revolutionary War and because, the movie tells us, he didn't want to share his failures with his wife. Three years with little to no correspondence between a couple that thrived on it.

Today while walking I had my cellphone up to my ear. I was calling my daughter in North Carolina to ask her how her peanut butter chocolate chip cookies turned out. She had called me earlier to say she was headed out for salted butter and would call me when she got home. Later she called to say the cookies were amazing. Three calls in about three hours. While I walked, I passed a driver in an SUV talking on his cellphone. He had obviously just left home and apparently needed to talk to someone right away.

So here's John and Abigail with hardly any communication in more than 1,000 days and then there's Ayla and I communicating over cookies, 400 miles, 180 minutes with the modern invention of the wireless telephone. I prefer this century, to be sure. Now, I have to say there have been times when I've tried to call my daughter and can't get a hold of her. She may be in class or working. Times she tries to call me and the result is the same. You get voice mail and leave a message or know that the "missed call" will brighten our tiny screens as a reminder to call back.

That got me to thinking about prayer. I can go to the Father anytime. Anytime. I can talk to him as I slowly drag myself out of bed in the morning asking Him to bless the day and open my eyes to His children. I talk to him during my devotion time, before I eat breakfast or any other meal, while I drive to work, while I walk, while I worry for a phone call from children who may be late, in song ... even on the toilet.

Not once in any of these times have I ever got a voice message. Never has the Father listened to me talk only to say, "Hold on a minute, I have another call coming." He has always been there for my correspondence. And He responds in kind by filling me with the Holy Spirit. Now, there have been times, sometimes long periods of time, when I don't pray. And I wonder why I'm feeling lost or spiritually dry. I see the Father, like Abigail, wondering to Himself why I'm not communicating.

We have this direct, always open line of communication with our Father and how often we let time slip by without speaking to him. First Thessalonians 5:17 says to "pray without ceasing." Keeping the communication open with God can only enhance our relationship with Him, giving us an overabundance of His blessings, wisdom and guidance.

Letters. Bah. Cellphones. Humbug. We have prayer! An invention that's been around since the beginning of time working with the same efficiency that it's had since its Genesis. How blessed we are to be given such a gift of communication. Were John and Abigail given that way of communicating to each other, would they have neglected it? Neither should we. It's communication in it's finest form with the greatest Love of all.

Oh Father, how I love you. I felt your rain on my face today as I was walking. I listened to the breathtaking "Magnum Mysterium" on my Ipod, tears in my eyes, and glorified you for your Creation. Lord you are so amazing, loving and gracious. I am blessed and bursting with thanksgiving for my soul seems to glow from within as your Holy Spirit fills me. Holy Lord! I love you, love you, love you. Thank you, as always, for listening. I am listening for you Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Running Out Of Time

This morning while lifting weights I was watching some television. It takes my thoughts off the biceps, triceps, lunges, etc, and time goes swiftly by. Flipping channels to find something interesting, I checked out the History Channel. This day the show was about 2012 ... the year all apocalyptic folk are talking about. The Mayan calendar ends in 2012, folks say, therefore the end of the world is near. Actually, scientists say the Mayan calendar starts and ends with a planetary alignment and is actually circular, just starting all over. However, it's got people comparing prophecies of the Bible, Nostradamus and apparently even the Hopi Indians to see if our world will come to a cataclysmic end in three years. There's even a movie coming out this autumn called "2012" talking about that very thing. Everyone wants to know if and when the world will end.

Even Jesus said he didn't know when it would end. Mark 13:32 tells us only the Father knows (guess that eliminates Nostradamus, the Mayans and Hopi), then he tells us to be alert and watch the signs He mentions earlier in the chapter.

One thing popped in my mind however while doing my repetitions: if the world would come to an end in 2012, have I told everyone who needs to hear about the saving grace of Jesus?

I had a dream several years ago where the Lord was teaching me about discipleship and the expediency of it. In my dream, I was in a multi-car wreck on a highway. I jumped out of my burning car unhurt, but noticed the hundreds of cars around me also on fire. I asked God, "What should I do?" And he said, "Open the doors and show them the way." Of course, I found some excuses why I couldn't complete this task: "But Lord, some of these people are unconscious. How will I wake them? Some are much larger than me. How will I carry them away from the firey cars? "What if I pull some and they don't listen and get out?" He said to me, "I have other people to do those jobs. You just open the doors and show them the way." I looked to my right and saw ambulances arriving with professionals to rise the unconscious and carry the injured away. Then I heard the Lord said, "After you show them the way, send them back to the other cars to open the doors and show them the way." Seeing all these cars on fire, about to explode and kill the people within them, I knew I had little time to open these doors and rushed to complete the job.

Yes, very profound. I woke up shaking and in tears. We are running out of time. People truly are sitting in burning cars about to be consumed by eternal death, and we as Christians have the job to open those car doors and show the people the Way. And we need to do it now.

Who knows about 2012? The end of the world could be anytime. Anytime! We need to start telling God's children about Jesus and do it immediately.

They're running out of time.

Directions

Recently, my son's car died. The 1996 Dodge Intrepid suffered long Wisconsin winters, and the snow took it's toll on the underbelly. The brake lines were rusted through. We determined the cost to put into repairing the car could be neverending as auto mechanics told us it might never be completely fixed. So we made the decision to donate our teal baby to the high school's vocational technical program.

Before handing it over, however, we had to clean it out. We removed the jugs of mixed antifreeze, empty plastic drink bottles, insurance papers, CDs and took off the license plate. While digging through the center storage unit, I came across tons of papers all folded up of various sizes. When I started going through them I discovered one was directions to my children's youth group leader's home. One had directions to the mall. Another had directions to the college tech school where my daughter attended and so on. My daughter had driven this car for more than a year before she passed it onto her brother. Everytime she needed to know where to go, I had written, typed or copied directions down for her. What was so comical is that every single one I'd ever given her, she had saved.

Perhaps she just never got around to throwing them out. Perhaps she kept them just incase she forgot how to get where she was going.

I have a GPS device that does the same thing those papers did for Ayla. It tells me "turn right" and I do. It tells me "stay left" and I do. It's designed to get me to my destination the quickest and shortest way. By listening to that GPS, my trips are typically smooth and direct.

On the Sunday School wall of the 6-8th grade at our church in Wisconsin, a slogan on the wall reads: "BIBLE: Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth." It's funny and clever ... and true. Our Bible is chock full of directions, from commands to love, to how to tithe, forgive, worship, pray and ultimately spend eternity with God our Father. It's not just basic instructions before leaving Earth, but also directions on how to get to Paradise. John 3:16 tells me that if I just believe in Jesus, I will have everlasting life with God. Hallelujah! I do believe in my Savior who died to pay the price for my sins. So you know what that means? I am going to Heaven! I will get to see the Lord God Almighty sitting on the rainbow throne and worship Him with songs at the top of my lungs about how much I love Him. I will get to run into the arms of Jesus, weep at His shoulder to beg for forgiveness and thank Him over and over again for His amazing sacrifice, not to mention for sending the Holy Spirit to guide and teach. I am going to Heaven. HEAVEN! Yahoo!

Just like Ayla saved the directions to all those places she needed to find, I plan on holding on tight to the Word. It's directions will not only get me to that final destination of my dreams, but will hopefully mold me into the person God is trying desperately for me to grow into.

I'll bet He's hoping I follow the Bible's commands as completely as I do the GPS device. It would sure make the journey a lot smoother.

Sure Foundation

You can still see the evidence of it. Just driving through my neighborhood, you see where the tornado tore through this city a year and a half ago, leaving empty lots in it's wake. On one road, three lots are bare, with little to show a house once stood there ... not even a foundation.

One of those lots is in the process of getting a new house built on it. I've watched every day the changes to the new home. First the concrete slab (no basements here in Alabama), then the wood frame, then the roof, etc. It's been exciting to watch the progress. But I just can't help but think if another tornado comes by, it just doesn't stand a chance. It would be reduced to toothpicks and pebbles in no time.

We face those same crazy storms in life. Some with the metaphorical gale force winds, hail and lightning attempting to destroy everything in its path. Spiritually, these storms can do a lot of damage. But unlike the tornado, if your faith in Christ is secure, you will not lose that foundation ... ever. He is that sure foundation. He promises to be there. Isaiah 28:16 says: "See, I am laying in Zion a foundation stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation." Hallelujah for Jesus Christ, that sure foundation. I know I can face any storm.

Magical Moments

Disney World specializes in magical moments. It's a motto for the company and is encouraged, even taught, to its employees (called "the cast"). The cast is told to make the visits of their guests memoriable and to do whatever it takes to make it so. If a child drops an ice cream, run over with a new one. If a person has food allergies, create an entire delicious meal they can eat without worries. If a person has a disability, provide whatever comforts they need so they can participate in any possible attraction. And it's worked for the company. People come back year after year paying top dollar (Disney is not cheap) to visit. But you leave that place with a sunny disposition, smiles and a cheerful heart. And many a parent of children with special needs has said Disney is the only place they can truly be "on vacation."

My daughter, who is currently a member of the Disney cast through its college program, told me about the mandate for magical moments. I got to see it in action first-hand while on a visit to see her recently. Ayla told me you could ask any restaurant for a tall glass of ice water and they'd hand it over for free. However, the streetside stands don't have the same policy. Only soft drinks and bottled water are offered there. I didn't know this at the time and went up to ask for a glass of water at one of these stands. The gal behind the counter said, "I can't offer that at this stand, but here (she handed me two cold bottles of water) ... have a magical day." Another time while getting two T-shirt designed as gifts, I noticed the wait time was such that would cut into precious and highly needed sleep time before my long drive home. I said to the cast member at the cash register ... "I need you to make a magical moment happen for me here. Is there anything you can do to speed this wait time up." I had my T-shirts in half the time. And I watched as my daughter congratulated every newly married couple wearing "Just Married" buttons or couples wearing "Happy Anniversary" buttons, wished a Happy Birthday to those celebrating, and ask countless children if they were having a good time. It was fun for me to watch.

Now imagine a world outside of Disney where this was the motto. You know, where people love without expecting anything in return. Where people do things to make others' lives easier. Where people genuinely care if you are celebrating something important in your life. A world where people followed, say, Leviticus 19:18: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself," what Jesus called the second greatest commandment. It would be Heaven, wouldn't it?

This expression of agape (a Greek term for "unconditional love" expecting nothing in return) is not a difficult thing to do. In actually, it's quite fun! And while bringing joy to the one the love is given, will actually bring you even more joy.

Make a day of it. Take a day where your goal is, not to make a magical moment, but to make agape moments. The stories you will have to share later with others will be priceless.

We joked often while walking around Disney World that we were having a "Hap, hap, happy day" or even "It's another magical day at Disney" because of the efforts made to see to it we did.

I pray your days are hap, hap, happy and filled with moments of unconditional love. I believe that is what God intended for us from the very beginning. And all the instruction we need to accomplish this, after our failure in disobeying Him as early as the Garden of Eden, is written in Scripture. First Corinthians 13 is filled with guidance on how to love. So does 1 John 3 and 4. Let's give it a whirl, shall we?

It's those little glimpses into Heaven that give us just the encouragement we need while living in this world ... the wonderful world of our Almighty, Loving, Creator God.

Flashing By

Lying across the street recently I noticed a cable. I've seen these kinds of cables before. They are placed there by the city to count the number of cars that drive by. It's the city's way of finding how how well traveled a road is. I'm assuming if they find a high figure, they maybe add a lane or create an alternative route to give traffic another flow pattern. Whatever the reason, the city is taking count of the cars that drive by.

On another road I saw a sign flashing the speed limit. As you go by, it flashes the miles per hour you are driving ... only if you are over the speed limit posted in the area. In this area, the speed limit was 25 mph, so when I reached 30, the sign started flashing. My son said, "You're at 30!" So I slowed down immediately.

One device counts the number of people that go by. Another warns them when they've gone by way too fast.

Most recently, I have been preoccupied. It started with the days leading up to our move to a new home from our apartment. We began having guests arrive to help us with our relocation and repairs on the new home. Then came the move. Then all the work involved with unpacking, moving furniture, fixing additional items, sorting, cleaning, etc. In the midst of that, we moved a second load to the house and began the process all over again. As a result, I found myself pushing my devotion time with God away. I'll do it after this ... I'll do it after that... I'll get to it in a little bit, etc. And of course, I wouldn't. My important private time with my Father was taking a backseat to the craziness of the day, over and over again. Were the Lord a cable on the road, He would have seen me pass by countless times. But it wasn't that I needed additional time or an alternative time, I just needed to prioritize it. The warning signs were definitely flashing. I found my stress level increasing. I found my focus skewed. I became irritable, lost, confused, all the time continuing to zip on by.

While attending my first Reunion Group meeting (a Christian accountability group) here in Alabama, I finally noticed the flashing sign. I realized that I needed to discipline myself to be sure to set aside time for the important - the most important - things in my life. My time with God. My husband. My children.

I caught it early, and I'm grateful. Just like my son reminding me about my speed, this group meeting was a reminder to get myself back on track as a Christian. Praise God for other Christians to remind us of our obligations as Jesus explained in Matthew 22:37-40. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it. You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."

The cable's count of me passing by is about to slow down ... just like the signs warned me to. I've got some prioritizing to do.

Makes Cents To Me

I walk 30 minutes every day. And just about every day, I find a penny. I kid you not. It's like I'm getting paid 1 cent to go walking. And everytime, I say the same thing when I find a penny: "It's another lucky day!" Doesn't matter to me if it's heads up or Lincoln Memorial up, it's always a lucky day to me when you find a penny. Whether it's a shiny copper one or tarnished with time, I am sure to pick it up and carry it home. I never pass up a penny.

Yet, who knows how many other people have walked by and haven't picked it up. And even more disconcerting ... who's dropping them? Are people really just losing pennies everywhere they go through holes in their pockets? Or are they really that heavy in your pocket that you toss them out? Or it it that you are financially just fine, and don't have to worry about a measily penny. When did people begin disregarding the value of the penny? Are we Americans that arrogant that we can throw money away? Granted, I've heard it costs more to make the penny than it's worth. However, a penny is still 1/100th of a dollar. I figure in 100 days I will have myself a dollar just from walking. And you wouldn't just walk by one of those on the street.

How do we decide as humans what has value and what does not? A cardboard baseball card. Photographs. A piece of jewelry. Time. People. A penny.

One thing I'm truly thankful for is that God finds me valuable. Piddly little me. He never walks by me in disregard. He sees me there alone, sometimes shiny, sometimes tarnished, and loves me just the same. Me, a sinner. He found me so valuable in fact, that He sent His precious, sinless Son, Jesus, to die for me. He sent Him to die for you, too.

Each of us is priceless to God. Even if today you don't feel that way about yourself, I promise you God feels that way about you. While I'm collecting pennies to make a dollar, God is loving lonely souls to build a Kingdom. And if I'm shouting, "It's another lucky day," for just a penny, imagine what God is shouting about you! Jesus said, "There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents." (Luke 15:10). So apparently, even the angels are shouting!

Maybe I'd better start stopping by the people I walk by like I do the pennies. Telling lost souls the Good News of Jesus Christ! A collection of hearts on fire for Christ would be a far greater treasure than a piggy bank full of pennies. You can bank on it.

You know ... I think it's time for a walk.

Gum Scraping Weed Digger

Today I got to spend an hour lounging by the pool at our apartment complex. The temperature was a toasty 84 degrees and the skies were sunny. I'd already jammed much into the day, and thought one hour for me catching up on a six-month-old November magazine by the pool would be just the thing. When I got there, I was the only one at the pool ... at least the only one lounging. There was an employee of the complex there as well. He wore a protective mask over his nose and mouth and carried a sharp scraping tool with him. Every so often I'd glance up from my magazine to see him digging our a weed or scraping at the concrete around the pool. For the longest time I wondered what he was scraping. Then after dipping in the pool, swimming to the stairs and getting out near him, I saw that he was scraping off dark, flattened wads of gum. Apparently people had carelessly spit out their gum around the pool and on the sidewalks leading to it, just feet from the many garbage cans conveniently available. I thought to myself, "Good heavens, how does a person get so lucky to have that job: gum scraper and weed digger." After my hour at the pool was up, I gathered my towel, bag and magazine to head back to the apartment, and looked around the pool. It was gorgeous! He had cleared off every bit of gum and pulled every weed from cracks between the pool's brick edging and the concrete patio. I wondered as I walked away if there was a smile on the man's face behind his mask as he looked over his handiwork. He had done a thorough, yet thankless job. I'm sure not one other resident will look at that pool today and notice it's gum-free, weedlessness and think to themselves: "I really need to thank that guy and tell him nice job!"

My Jesus has that job. He's the gum-scraping, weed digger of my life. When I go to Him for forgiveness, He wipes me clean, creates in me a new heart and puts a right spirit within me (Psalm 52:10). So the next time you see me looking so pretty (on the inside, that is; look closely, my actions will give me away), look to the One who took on the dirty job to cleanse me ... and don't forget to thank Him, because He's got a lot more scraping to go with me.

By The Sea, You And Me, Oh How Happy We'll Be...

Our family recently returned from a Spring Break vacation in Garden City Beach, SC, one of our favorite places. I went on ahead a couple days earlier than everyone else so I could have time to myself on the beach. I wanted to have a spiritual retreat with God. I decided I would spend two days, just God and me and the beach. I figured a little sunning, sand, seagulls and surf was just what I needed to refocus on my Lord, listen for His beautiful voice, worship Him fully and absorb His goodness.

Those two days I had alone at the beach were certainly not what I hoped for weatherwise. The skies were grey and stormy and the temperature chilly. It rained nearly the entire time, stopping twice for 30 minutes each to allow me the chance to walk along the shore. I believe it was God's way of saying, "Are you here to see me or the ocean, dear daughter?" I admit, I was there for both. This was God's way of making sure the focus was truly on Him.

I glorified the Lord in the silence of being alone and in the roar of the tempestuous ocean ... which by the way provides praise songs with excellent acoustics and background sound. I spent much time in study and prayer. It truly was a retreat with my Almighty God. It was Father/daughter time, with me crawling onto the lap of my Abba and cuddling in His precious arms, pouring out all I wanted to share with Him. He truly is an awesome, loving, amazing, patient Creator. God has billions of kids, so it was cool that we got to spend some quality one-on-one time together without the world to interfere. And I loved being with Him.

Later in the week, I was rewarded with beautiful, warm sunny days, gorgeous sunrises (one that even looked like the Star of David on Holy Week - how cool is that!?), a full moon rise on the horizon, dolphins swimming by, pelicans' dive bomb fishing, a gentle starfish in a tide pool and the cherished company of my family. We had a wonderful time.

You don't have to go to the beach to be alone with God. We have that opportunity every single day, whenever we want, to boldly approach the throne and delight in His company. I'm grateful He loves us that much to give us that access ... access that came at quite a cost in the cross of Christ. But I have to say, looking out over that vast, sometimes violent, often times glistening, always breathtaking sea ... it's pretty cool to be able to be alone with Him there.

Just As I Am

A gal from a welcoming committee in town came to see me today. She called at 15 minutes after the hour and told me she'd be to my apartment in 45 minutes to give me some community information and gift certificates. As soon as I hung up with her, I gasped as I took a quick look around the room and at myself. I was still in my pajamas and the living room was less than stellar. I could still smell onions in the air from dinner the night before. I hadn't vacuumed in several days. I needed to dust. The room needed tidying, counters needed wiped off, etc. So I quick, like a whirlwind, whipped through the apartment putting things in neat piles, dusting, picking specks off the floor, sweeping the kitchen and porch and spraying a room freshener all over. Then I quick got dressed and applied some make up. Ahhhh. Perfect. I even stood at the front door and looked around the room as if I was a guest, checking for anything that might be out of place. I found a couple more things, then found a couple more. Finally I was pleased with the finished product. My guest came. She sat on my couch, gave me much information to peruse, gave me a welcome hug and was on her way. I don't know that she noticed the fresh smell, tidy piles, clean counters or fluffed pillows. But I sure didn't want her to see the way we REALLY lived.

Similarly I went on a website today to play with some photos. On this website, you can change your photos to have soft focus, special effects, tinting, sharpening, brightening and even cover blemishes and whiten teeth. Using a photo of myself shot on my birthday, I brightened my teeth, took away blemishes, cropped it tighter and wa-la ... the finished product of retouched photography. In one photo I even gave myself lilac eyes just for fun! I sure didn't want anyone to see the picture of the REAL me another year older.

Picture perfect living room. Picture perfect photo. Both are a lie. Both are a lie because perfection, as we know, is just not possible. I used to joke with people not to get too used to my face as they see it because in Heaven there's no make up, and they won't recognize me when I get there.

Thankfully, you won't care. Jesus handles all that perfection and does it, well, ... perfectly. And he knows all my flaws and filth and loves me just the same. As the Charlotte Elliott hymn says, "Just as I am thou wilt receive, welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve." Jesus said he went to prepare a place for me, so I'm guessing He's cleaning and tidying, me in particular, to get ready for my arrival. And He says in John 6:37 anyone who comes to Him he will never drive away. Praise the Good Lord for that!

Does that mean I won't clean and put on makeup the next time you come to visit? Ha! Oh, no, I will perpetuate the earthly fantasy ... just please remember to give me enough time to get ready!

Public Affection

Yesterday I reached out to give my son a hug while we were shopping and stopped myself. Not because of the usual reason, which is when he quietly whispers, "Public," as a reminder to me that he doesn't want any motherly affection where someone might see (ah, teenage boys). I stopped instead because just as I was about to reach out and hug him I remembered that he had fallen that afternoon on a gravel road and had scraped up his back, left arm and hands to bloodied abrasions. I knew if I hugged him I would graze those tender areas and cause him pain, so I refrained. He noticed that I started to reach for him and pulled back. He said, "What, Mom?" I told him I'd almost hugged him, forgetting the wounds his T-shirt covered. He then reached out for me, putting both of his hands on my shoulders, and hugging me. "I love you, Mom," he said. "You've done a lot for us over the last few months since we moved. Thank you." I almost started to cry. Here was my son, who typically shuns public affection, hugging me in a department store where we were surrounded by people. I was moved beyond words and glowed the rest of the day just thinking about that brief moment.

As all things do when I'm dealing with my children, I reflected to my relationship with my Father in Heaven. I thought about the countless times He reaches out to me to hug me, sharing His beautiful world with me, His precious Son and His great mercy. And thinking to myself, how many times I have put my hands up and said to Him, "Public." Today was one of those days. I was walking through a subdivision, and while doing so was praying for a youth friend of mine who is sharing the word of God with a student in his high school who is a proclaimed atheist. I was lifting him in prayer, when I suddenly realized I was praying out loud. It was then I saw a man staring at me who was fertilizing in his yard. I instantly shut up until I rounded the corner. Not because I didn't want him to see my praying, but rather because I was worried he'd think I was a nutcase talking to myself. Basically, I was telling God, "Oops, hold on a second. Public." After I rounded the corner, I wished I'd have said, "Not crazy ... just talking to Jesus." What a discipleship opportunity I missed!

Needless to say, I'm going to spend a significant period of time today telling my Father how very much I love Him and praise Him for everything He's done for me not just in the last few months, but my whole life. I am blessed beyond words. And I'm going to start right now, here, in public ... Lord God, I LOVE YOU! You are so amazing. You are beautiful. You are awesome. Thank you, Lord. And Lord, even with all my wounds ... feel free to hug me, any time.

No flaw In You

Ouch... that's the feeling I've been getting every time the realtor selling our home in Wisconsin calls me with a criticism she's received about our home during an Open House. "This isn't updated." "This is ugly." "This looks old." Ouch, ouch, ouch. I read once that a home is an extention of a woman, almost like a child to her. Criticize a woman's child, and it's like taking a knife to the heart. So all these strangers coming into my house are cutting me to pieces. I loved that home. We did many things to it to make it beautiful and ours. And we have such precious memories of living there. So it's hard to hear someone else cut it down.

I was wondering if that's what God feels when we do the same to His creation ... namely to ourselves in the mirror or to others around us. "I'm too fat." "I'm too wrinkly." "I wish this or that was updated." I wonder if God is saying, "Ouch! That's my creation you're criticizing! I think it's beautiful! And I have such great memories of you looking just like that!"

One of my daughter's dearest friends, Cheyenne, is one of the most self-confident people I know. She looks in the mirror and says, "I'm so pretty." You might be thinking to yourself, "How arrogant," but she's not. Chey is a pretty girl, there's no doubt, even when she has her hair dyed pink, blue, green, red, purple or orange, as she frequently does. But to be in her teenage years and be able to look at herself in the mirror and be content, even pleased, with her appearance is a rare thing. I'll bet when God hears her, He says: "Thank you! I think so too!" Chey's got Song of Solomon 4:7 memorized and rightfully so. My daughter has it taped to her mirror. It's something we all can remember: "You are altogether beautiful, my love. There is no flaw in you." Even King David wrote in Psalm 139:14,"I praise you, for I am fearfuly and wonderfully made." That's another one for the mirror.

So rather than do any critiquing today ... I'm just going to take a look at God's creation around me, even that person in the mirror, and say, "Wow, that's really something right there! Gorgeous!" and praise my Father for it.

Now I just hope someone does the same for my house.

One Weapon

Mark my words, if you are doing great things to further God's Kingdom, Satan is going to attack. I don't say this to scare you, but to prepare you. Things may be going along just beautifully, people are coming to know Christ, you are blossoming and lives are being healed. That's right about the time Satan steps in. There is no way the Adversary wants you to succeed in growing God's Kingdom, and he will stop at nothing to see you lose faith, lose friends, fail and give up. He squeals with glee when you ask yourself, "Is this really worth it?" and I guarantee at some point you may very well ask that.

I know two people going through a time like this right now. I have gone through this a time or two myself. And what have I learned? If you are growing God's Kingdom, you are probably dressed in the full armor of God, as described in Ephesian 6:13-17. You understand the nature of salvation; you have faith; you're ready to proclaim the Good News to whoever asks; you know the Truth; you act for and in righteousness. All of that armor, as listed by Paul is defensive, preventative armor. He only lists one weapon ... the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Satan and his minions have no power against the True Word. Strike with this Sword and you are protected spiritually in ways you may have trouble comprehending. Peter tells us in his first book 5:8 that "like a roaring lion, your adversary the devil prowls around, looking for someone to devour." Peter encourages us to resist him. And Paul says to arm ourselves and fight, for our struggle is not against enemies of blood and flesh, but against "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" (Eph. 6:12) This means when everything looks bleak, when friends seem to be turning away, when fellow church goers say something hurtful or when one trial after another comes, your battle goes beyond the earthly realm.

If the Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, then it we need to be in the Word ALL THE TIME. Morning and night, we need to bury our little faces deep into Scripture, reading, reciting, memorizing, chanting and singing the very Words of God. We need to learn to practically apply that Word to circumstances we're facing. You remember Jesus getting tempted in the wilderness? (Luke 4:1-12) Jesus used this Sword three times to attack the devil as he struck at areas he thought would be Christ's weaknesses.

Do you know a person that seems to have just the right Bible verse at just the right time? These are folks who have spent hours reading and putting to memory God's Word while the Holy Spirit brings those verses to mind when needed. Jesus tells us in John 14:26 the Holy Spirit will "remind you of all that I have said to you." But even if you don't know just the right verse, whatever you do know, say it. If you are dealing with something that seems beyond you, just start reciting every verse you know off the top of your head. It may be only one or two. But do it, saying them over and over again. The first time I did this, I realized I needed to memorize a few more verses because I wanted to say more than Gen. 1:1 and John 3:16!

I promise you, the Word of God will make you feel better. I promise you if you wield the Sword of the Spirit, you will feel the weight of the world lift. I've felt it countless times.

Carry a piece of paper with you that has a verse on it you'd like to memorize. Say it several times a day until it becomes a part of you. When Jesus tells us He will abide with us, He means it. The Word made flesh abides in our hearts. Keep that Sword at the ready. Hang in there. And may God bless you in battle, for we know the victory belongs to Jesus.

Setting the Believers An Example

When our family moved from Wisconsin to Alabama in January, our college-age daughter, Ayla, made this comment: "Mom, I will never be coming home again. I will always be a guest." It was a profound statement. After all, we were leaving the home she had spent the last six years of her life and she was spending most of her time away at school. Our new home could be a place she may never live.

Ayla came to see our new location over her Spring Break last week. Her visit was a welcome one and we delighted in enjoying her company and she ours. But one thing surprised me about her visit that I had to share with my husband yesterday after I returned from driving her back to school. Ayla had changed. She had matured. It was one of the most beautiful things I had seen in her. And this happened just since Christmas. Whenever I was in the kitchen cooking, Ayla jumped up to help. When I was doing laundry, she ran in to help me fold. When I was vacuuming, she dusted. When I did dishes, she was right beside me offering to help. The Ayla at Christmas would need to be asked to help with these things. And the icing on the cake ... when I stayed in her dorm room the night before I left, she offered me her bed, making a place on the floor for herself with a sleeping bag and bed roll (which I climbed into before she could). All selfless, precious glimpses into the fine young lady she has become. She truly fulfilled a Bible verse I have impressed upon the youth I've taught for years: "Let no one despise your youth, but set the believers an example in speech and conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." 1 Tim. 4:12

As we took our last walk around her campus before I left, she said to me, "Mom, I've learned my home is with you and Dad, no matter where it is. Alabama is my home now."

I pray my faith and spiritual growth will one day impress the Father that He can say, "Hey, Jesus, have you seen Jill? She's growing up! Look what she did to help my children. Look what she did to tell others about you. I'm so proud of her." And I say with all praise and glory to the Father, my home is with Abba, God Almighty, everywhere He is.

What the righteous do

My husband asked me this morning how I felt about him working a Kairos ministry. If you're familiar with the Walk to Emmaus, this is a similar weekend designed for people in prison. It's a powerful spiritual experience that changes lives, grows leaders and builds the Kingdom of God like nothing else I've ever seen. Brad was asked to participate in an upcoming Kairos and he's excitedly thinking about it. My initial reaction to his question may surprise you. When he told me it would require hours and hours of training, including three eight-hour Saturdays, I balked saying, "I'm alone here every day Monday through Friday. I'd prefer if you weren't gone on Saturdays, too." My husband then said, "But do I make this decision based on what I want or what God is calling me to do?" And then he went off to work.

Then I did my Bible study for the day. I'm currently doing a study on prophesies of the Old and New Testament, and the chapter I'm on right now has to do with the end times ... always a cheerful, pick-me-up subject. My study asked what Jesus commanded us to do in preparation for those scary days as described in Matthew chapters 24 and 25. Through parables, the Lord said to be watchful (look for the signs and keep alert to Christ's coming), to work to the very end and to multiply the kingdom with our talents. Then Jesus goes a little deeper talking about what the righteous need to do to the very end. He gives six directives: feed the hungry; give drink to the thirsty; welcome strangers; provide clothing to the naked; care for the sick; and lastly, visit the imprisoned.

You, know, I think I'll be okay alone those Saturdays after all ... or perhaps I can find one of those six to do myself.

Security Gate

I live in a gated apartment community. Basically what that means is everytime we enter our complex, we need to punch in a code to get in. To exit, we simply approach the gate and it will slowly open to allow us to go through. It's just an added security measure for this landlord and the renters here. As a deterent for approaching the exit gate too closely, there are rebar spikes about every foot aimed right at your car grill. Try to go through the gates while they are opening, and you stand a chance of getting your car scraped up.

Recently someone rammed those exit gates, to the point of breaking them and bending back one of the spikes. I didn't see the incident or vehicle that hit it, but unless it was a tank, I'm guessing it's got some damage. Equally so, the gate is damaged. And now the complex's security is currently compromised.

When looking at that gate today, I thought, you know, that's a lot like Scripture. God has given us His commands and His rules to obey. His security gate, if you wish. He wants us armed against the Evil One before we head out into the world. Peter warns us that our Adversary prowls around like a lion waiting to devour us (1 Peter 5:8) ... looking for holes in the gate so to speak. And like whatever vehicle rammed our gate here, I'm guessing Satan does quite a bit of ramming at gates himself trying to get through. And the times we allow him in, we take a chance of getting damaged.

I prefer making it difficult for him. If I obey God's word from loving Him and loving my neighbor, to the Ten Commandments on down, I'm thinking that's going to be quite a tough gate for Satan to try to get through. Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God in Ephs. 6:13-17, so that we can stand against the wiles of the devil. He says righteousness, truth, faith, assurance of salvation and a willingness to obey and share God's Word are our greatest security measures.

Am I more comfortable knowing the security gates are fully functional here at this apartment complex? No doubt. Am I more comfortable facing the world each day with my Spiritual security gate fully functional ... no doubt. I am strong in the Lord and His power. There's no better Security System on earth.

I am hopeful

Today while doing my devotion, I sat in the doorway of our apartment. The door faces east, so I sat there pouring out my heart to the Father with the sun streaming warm on me. I was reading about perseverence through the tough times, a perfect devotion for this time in my life. It seems as if our family has had one trial after another since we moved. Nothing has come easy. Nothing. Everything has a hitch. Everything has a delay. Everything has a cost. And each burden has built upon the other.

Last night our area was under a tornado warning. Three times the tornado siren went off when a funnel cloud was sighted. Three times, my son and I went into the bathroom of our apartment, the innermost room, praying the siren would stop. People in our area are on high alert for tornado sirens, as a year ago an F-3 category tornado tore a 14.5 mile destructive path through this city ... and our apartment building lost it's second floor. We were warned of high winds and baseball-sized hail with this storm. The skies blackened darker than any I've ever seen. When living Wisconsin, our family lived across the street from the Outagamie County tornado siren. It went off every Saturday at noon for a test. Aside from those tests, I heard that siren go off in emergency times only twice in six years. Already ours has gone off four times in three weeks we've been here. And it's a terrifying sound. That storm last night made me ponder our experiences and struggles here.

But then today, as I prayed to God for assurance, peace and perseverence while sitting in that doorway, all around me I heard the busy-ness of the world: trucks at Walmart, airplanes overhead, a landscaper weedwacking, cars driving by. Then suddenly, a bird rested in the crepe myrtle tree at the corner of my apartment. And he started to sing ... and sing ... and sing. He sang for 30 minutes straight, hopping to higher and higher branches. Perhaps he was singing for new girlfriend. But I'd like to think he was singing to God. He interrupted my devotion time greater and louder than all the other noises around me. I had to stop and listen. I even got my camera and recorded his song. At one point he stopped and I swear looked at me. So I said, "Go on. Please keep singing." So he started right back up and sang on and on. It was breathtaking.

It was as if, this bird was telling me, "I will keep singing! I will keep praising! Glorify God in the midst of these storms! Persevere!" A bird did this for me. One of the songs in my playlist is a song by John Waller called "While I'm Waiting." His lyrics say: "I'm waiting on you, Lord, and I am hopeful. Though it's painful, patiently I will wait. While I'm waiting, I will worship. While I'm waiting, I will serve you." Like the bird's song, I'm pretty sure Waller wrote it for me.

I am hopeful. While I'm waiting ... I will worship. Perhaps 30 straight minutes of singing and glorifying my God is just the thing ... as "I sing, holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy. Holy, holy, holy, I want to see you."

The Better Offer

I'm always telling my kids that God is the great equalizer. If something unjust happens, the Lord has a tendency to bring His justice. I've seen it over and over again. It's just wiser to make the correct decision the first time rather than wait to see how God brings it back around His way. I've been on both ends of it.

Recently, we were making plans to visit our daughter, Ayla, in college for Valentine's weekend. She informed us that we could come, but she already had dinner plans, months in the making, with her girlfriends for Feb. 14. They were dressing up and going out for a fancy dinner. We duly noted that, and said we'd work around it. Our plans changed when our daughter said she would be home for Spring Break two weeks later, so we decided to wait until then for our visit.

The Friday before Valentine's Day, Ayla's friends got a "better offer," so to speak. They were invited to the beach with other friends. So they abandoned the plans for the fancy Valentine's dinner with Ayla and ditched her for the beach road trip. Ayla was crushed. She learned some hard lessons that weekend. She learned who she could trust and who she couldn't. She learned the depths of friendship. She learned how to be graceful and forgiving, while hurting. And she learned empathy for anyone who is ever left behind. As a result, she is tougher, stronger and growing.

It's an age old question ... if you have plans with friends, and something better comes along, do you go for the second one because it's more appealing, or stick with your commitments. It's a choice between selfishness and honor. I am pleased my daughter was going to stick with what she committed to even when it was her family driving six hours to come see her. It shows integrity and respect, qualities Solomon spoke about in Proverbs 18:24: "Some friends play at friendship, but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin."

Every decision shouldn't have to be made wondering, "How will God bring justice to this should I choose wrong?" - even though He typically will with Divine Perfection - but rather

..."Which of these choices shows I am my Father's child?"

Jehovah Raffa

Yesterday I was taking care of two ill ones. My son, who has the flu, and my computer, which had a nasty virus. It was freakish in the parallel to them both as they suffered. As my computer was slow, closing down and malfunctioning, my son was dizzy, burning with fever and sluggish. One required the expertise of my brother who deals with computer security on a daily basis. He's a computer doctor, if you will. He said, "A lot of what I do is good guessing ... I just look at the symptoms, try to find out where the virus has hid itself and remove it." Three to four hours later, my computer is virus free, security updated, filled with new blocks to scary things like malware and hijacks and moving so much faster.

My son, on the other hand, is taking a little longer. He also saw a doctor who asked about all his symptoms, did some tests to eliminate some guesses and prescribed what he felt would help Anton's body be more comfortable as it fights this virus. Alternating painkillers and anti-inflammatories, plus cough medicines are helping his body as his cells fight to destroy the virus that is bringing him down. It could be days before his body is virus free, built up with antibodies to prevent that virus from every attacking again, stronger and moving faster.

Aren't we grateful to loving God that when we're infected with sin that's slowing us down and causing us to malfunction, He doesn't have to look at the symptoms and guess? He knows exactly what's wrong. Interestingly, we probably have a pretty good idea what it is causing the problem as well.

God already gave us the cure ...

Accepting His Son, Jesus Christ, as Savior; asking for forgiveness for our sins and turning our life around, digging deeper into His Word so that we'll be stronger in fighting future sin and more fruitful in our service to Him. And know that in Jesus, we are "virus" free where we can boldly approach our Father's throne.

Hallelujah to Jehovah Raffa, God Who Heals; heals us not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well. Glory to God Almighty!

The Bravest Ones

While doing my devotion a couple days ago, I came upon Jeremiah 7:6. In it, the Lord warns His people to not oppress the orphan, widow or foreigners. He reminds them of this again in Zech. 7:10. Not oppressing the orphan and widow is a no brainer. Talk about kicking someone when they're down. But the Lord includes the foreigner in that statement. He doesn't want people new to an area to be neglected or treated poorly. Believe it or not, they, too, are down.

Our family has moved to areas where we have been neglected and treated poorly. If you are new to an area and people completely ignore you and don't make a conscious effort to welcome you, this is not something the Lord looks kindly upon. The Lord expects us as His children to welcome new people. There are angels we have met in our moves that reached out to make us feel not just welcome, but as friends, as family. And we are so grateful to the Lord God for them. Going through this yet again, I am praising God today for the ones who smile and say hello; for the ones who greet you not with just a handshake, but also a hug; and for the bravest ones who dare to invite the stranger into their homes to visit, play and eat. I know the Father has a special place in His heart for His precious ones who reach out. If you are not one of these, perhaps you'll reach out today. Just as I keep telling myself when I meet anyone these days, be thinking: "This could be my new best friend!" If you are one who reaches out to the foreigner, know I am thanking the Almighty for you and praying you are showered with blessings ... as you have blessed me.

Best Stump

I have been lamenting to a number of people about how silent the Lord has been in my life lately. Like Elijah, I listened for Him in the wind, earthquake and fire, but haven't heard Him. I listened for the still small voice and again nothing. Then last week a friend said something to me that was, I believe, confirmed during a sermon I heard Sunday at church. Recently our family moved from Wisconsin to Alabama. We left kicking and screaming as we love our home, friends, family and obligations in Wisconsin. But my husband was laid off before Christmas and the job in Alabama opened up in perfect, divine timing. I just wasn't feeling it.

My friend, Greg, said to me, "Jill, I think God moved you so he could grow the rest of us." I listened to what he said, neither agreeing or disagreeing. Then on Sunday the pastor preached on Jesus speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42). He questioned: "Why did Jesus send all 12 of the disciples into the city for food?" In his sermon he answered his own question with the comment that he believed it was because they would be in the way as Jesus spoke to this woman. Speaking to a Samaritan was looked down upon by Jews. So he got the disciples out of the way to grow the woman. It's possible, this pastor said, that if you are in God's way, He'll remove you from a situation to grow others. Now, let me tell you, the last thing I ever want to be is in God's way. At the same time, if that's why we were moved ... it sure hurts. But pruning always does and in the end we look far more full and vibrant, accomplishing much more, producing more fruit as John 15 tells us. I told my Dad recently I felt like God had pruned me back to a stump. He said, "Then be the best stump you can be." So I am ...