Controlling Holiday Depression

This is the day which the Lord hath made;

we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

A few years ago, I spoke with a friend who has been involved in the funeral industry for several years. In the course of conversation, I asked this person if there is one particular time of the year that seems to be consistently the busiest week or month in their funeral business.  My friend told me that January was the month that for their business ranked #1 by far according to office records. When I asked the reasons, as if I didn't have some idea already, I was told that in our day, a strong emphasis on holiday's begins the first of October and lasts through New Years Day. It's on New Years day that some people wake up in the pit of depression...no more parties, no more elaborate food, no gifts to unwrap, Santa isn't present in stores for children to sit on his lap, decorations look old, stale and tacky, Christmas cards lose meaning, school programs are done and over with and the mall no longer seems the place to be. There are folks who struggle with the loss of loved ones through death or alienation of some sort. Some who already have serious emotional problems, find everything compounded and they seek an easy way out...suicide. There are also house fires, car accidents, crime victims in goodly number in January along with natural death events.

All of us have felt some of those things at one time or another and would never consider suicide, but for some people, it's been a reality. We look back to November 1 and wonder where time went. We soon find we are waking up and it's a new year. We glance back at recent, happy days of smiles, singing, giving and now, it's like we are left with an empty bag, the victim of a pretty lousy joke. The why's of all of this I think are two fold but in both cases, we are very much in control whether we believe it or not.

I have a favorite craft store I love that would be very familiar in name to most. When Halloween décor was out in full bloom, Thanksgiving things were almost mixed in with all of the orange, black and pumpkins. Pumpkins do overlap into both holidays. Then bumping up against those shelves and into a corner, there began the Christmas tree décor, not yet in full display but the beginnings. Have you noticed the big emphasis on Halloween these days? Even adult costumes are a huge business. So lets say that from October 1 through January 1, we are taken on a wild ride of holiday madness because of what various industries put us through. We are bombarded with TV ads, fliers in our mailboxes, adds on our computers, etc. So through the industry, we are exposed to all of the latest of everything from costumes to hand held electronic devices. It's all paraded before us doing all that can be done to make us feel guilty that we are depriving loved ones of joy and happiness if we don't indulge in the purchase of each advertisers wares. There's nothing we can do about the industry. It's their job to sell things, to make every item look its best and its most inviting

There are parties and programs to attend and for about three months, people are in a holiday frenzy that won't quit. It's almost a kind of narcotic high...a high that can take us where we don't want to go or causes us to be who we don't want to be. Soon, we are sitting almost in a daze the first week in January. There's nothing left in the way of activity, parties, spending and there are people who go into the deepest of depression at that time. Nothing will tell us who we are like sitting alone, after the activity is gone and all the lights have been turned out.

So what are some practical things to do:

Keep Jesus in the season. He should be a part of Thanksgiving as well as Christmas. This takes some planning. When planning holiday activities, don't shove church events to the bottom of the list. The things that go on at church should take priority.

We should turn a lot of things off in our thinking and have a determination to maintain a sanity with our family in mind. In it all, children are watching and learning from we parents what is really important about the holidays. Few families even discuss in days leading up to and during Thanksgiving Day those things we should be grateful for. Few families concentrate on those less fortunate at Christmas. Some feel they've done their fair share if they drop a dollar into a Salvation Army bucket.

There are many opportunities over the holidays for children to do things for others. Nothing will kill depression like jumping in with both feet to do for others. On Thanksgiving Day a little over a week ago, I wanted to take a dinner to a lady in our church I knew would be alone. I asked my two oldest grandboys (ages 5 & 3) who were here if they wanted to go with me to deliver dinner to a lady. They busied themselves making a nice card for her. When we got to her very small, humble residence, each boy carried some of the food into the house. They gave this lady hugs and before we left, we held hands with her and I prayed for her. The boys were somewhat quiet on the way home but asked several questions about the lady. I think the trip left an impression on them. I believe it was their mom who said that she didn't think the boys had done anything like that before. Come up with something children in the family can do for others during the Christmas holiday time. It will leave more of an impression on them than one can believe.

Maintain as much of a normal schedule as possible during holiday times, especially with children in the home. Children don't do well when everything is in an up-heaval for extended periods of time. They still need regular meals and consistent bedtimes as much as possible.

Don't fall for all the holiday and commercial hype. It's our fault for being holiday dupes. We can say “no” to many of the requests that come our way. We need a plan if we are going to maintain some kind of sanity in all of these days of glitz and glitter. This is only the first of December. This is the time to sit down and decide how much we will be involved in holiday festivities...what parties will we attend, what our Christmas budget will be, what useful and practical gifts will we purchase, etc. Without a plan, we can fall into a holiday and financial abyss that we can't crawl out of.

After a huge holiday, have something else planned a day or two afterward for the family to enjoy. Having something to look forward to after a big Christmas day can take the edge off of the holiday let down.

Let's remember that “Jesus is the reason for the season.” Never thought I would type that sentence as I really don't care for it because it's become glib, trite and really doesn't mean much to people. The statement is true but our actions that back the statement are often weak at best. If you have a pin with that saying, wear it. It is a witness and testimony.

In Psalm 118, we are shown the importance of one day and that is the present day we are living in. It doesn't speak of yesterday or tomorrow but stresses THIS day. God doesn't play favorites with days. Every day is important to Him. He wants the best from us on THIS day. With Jesus at the center of our lives EVERYDAY, we can handle the big and small events of life whether they be joyous or troubled. God is the creator and controller of our days. He wants everyday to be of major importance to us because THIS is the day He's ordained for you and me. I can give a gift to someone TODAY...I can send someone a card TODAY...I can even eat turkey and dressing TODAY if I want to...I can sing “Joy to the World” TODAY and can offer my praise, thanksgiving and appreciation to God and others TODAY. Holidays will come and go but our Father is interested in what we do with every TODAY, no matter the date.

Father, thank You for sending Jesus, Your Son in human form. I'm not thankful for that just at this time of year. I'm grateful everyday for the salvation He made possible for me. Help me to make the very best of every day here on earth. Help me also to be generous with my time and effort in serving You and others. I love You....Amen.

Peace in the Smoke

Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities;

for we know not what we should pray

for as we ought; but the Spirit itself

maketh intercession for us with

groanings which cannot be uttered.

Romans 8:26

I have come to love the above verse. There have been times in my life when I was so burdened and tried to pray. I either felt like my prayers weren't going beyond the ceiling or that I just didn't know what to pray because of problems or a heavy heart. This verse assures me that when I'm so burdened down, the Holy Spirit knows me so well that He can intercede with the Father for me. The last day or so has been one of those times although I'm praying “on my own” now. For now, many in our small town are going through a time of suffering that as one deacon's wife said, “It's just too sad to even talk about.”

I received the phone call about the fire just before Brian and I had to leave for his doctor's appointment on Monday morning. A friend was dead in a house fire and her three children wonderfully spared, but now left without a mother. As we got into the car, the atmosphere outside was eery. There was a thick white smoke hanging relentlessly over our little community. We live right here in the Smoky Mountains but it wasn't the usual mountain mist we usually see. It was real, live smoke almost as thick as a heavy fog. The burning house was probably a little more than a mile from our house, if that, but the heavy smoke seemed all-consuming.

When a small church is without a pastor like ours is right now, a lot of responsibility falls on the shoulders of the chairman of the board of deacons. We are blessed to have a dedicated chairman in our days of transition. This last Sunday morning while making announcements at the beginning of the service, Donnie told us that because of Thanksgiving day on Thursday, we wouldn't have church on Wednesday night but would have the service on Tuesday evening. Little did we know that in about 15 hours, our deacon chairman would be switching roles, changing hats so to speak, because at 3:00 Monday morning, he would put on his fire chief helmet and would race to a burning house that was already engulfed in flames. There he saw to the rescue of three children, children he knew in our church.

Three young children are now orphaned. That word (orphaned) seems an odd word to use in our day...it seems so outdated. It is, however, a very real state of being for those children. They have hardly adjusted to the death of their father who died of a heart attack at the end of this last July. This was to be their first Thanksgiving and upcoming Christmas without their dad but now also without their mom. I can't even fathom what these children ages 5, 8,and 12 are feeling these days even though so many have come near them to express love, concern and to see to their physical needs at the moment. More heavy hearts...more heavy loads.

A community grieves even though this family may not have been well known. The local grade school principal jumped into action. Smoke hung over our little community most of the day Monday...a thick, white, daunting smoke coming from the house that was still burning. The house probably wasn't a half mile across the highway from the school. The principal kept children in the school building all day Monday for all sorts of reasons but done out of respect for all involved. He knew those three children, had been their principal and was now a heavy-hearted principal.

A wonderful, godly, young woman, Jaena, who serves with the youth of our church, and who is also a teacher's assistant at the grade school, took the three children into her care. These children had nothing but the pajamas on their backs when she retrieved them from the site of their burning home. Jaena was so perfect to be ministering to these children until their relatives arrived. The children had tears and probably lots of questions. The young teacher's assistant's heart was heavy anyway as she's such a tender person, but in it all, needed wisdom beyond her years. Folks from our church also came to be of help as well.

I've never lived in a community this small, a community where many are grieving in their own ways. There aren't very many you can talk to who are feeling real upbeat in the face of the holidays. Tragedy has struck, something totally out of everyone's control...a tragedy that seems too hard to comprehend or bear. Maybe if we had more answers, more understanding, we would feel better, but it wouldn't change what the outcome is. We have come to know in this life that these are things that happen in the course of life. This specific thing may not be that frequent but we've all faced incidents in our lives that make no sense. As Christians, we have come to learn, however, that our God can be trusted. He doesn't give us lists of explanations...He's God and always functions in our best interest, even when it doesn't seem like it.

Despite the heaviness of our hearts under any distressing circumstances, our place to run is into the refuge of God's presence. No one else can calm our hurting hearts. Even in the thick smoke of destruction, discouragement or distress, Jesus remains the Best Friend we will ever have. He is the only one that can calm our anxious cares and fears, and we receive that peace in Jesus' presence as we go to Him in prayer. He is our only hope for comfort. He is our peace in the smoke.

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My dear Lord Jesus, thank You for being You. No one in history has suffered as You suffered and You did it for us all. I have friends who are hurting, children suffering so much loss. Many of us at different levels desperately need Your peace and strength in these days. Grant Your wisdom to all involved in this tragedy by giving us Your peace and grace. Help us to find Your peace in the fact that this sweet mother is with You. Amen.

PS:

I thank those of you who have been praying about this situation. When things like this happen, I'm so grateful for the extended family of God that can feel deeply for Christians at a distance they don't know, nor will they know until Heaven. For now, relatives have arrived and taken charge of the children. The court has awarded the children to Kristina's brother and sister-in-law and the children are happy about that from what I've heard. A special fund has been set up at the US Bank that our deacons will supervise. This was done through another godly man from our church, Will, who happens to be the Lt. in the fire department and works at US Bank. The children were left with absolutely nothing, but at this point have many of their needs met along with having the security of the presence of relatives. They have all returned to Georgia for Thanksgiving and will return soon afterward for a funeral service. Kristina will probably be cremated as was her husband and will be buried beside her husband, whose cremains she gently placed in the ground last July. The coroner reported that Kristina's cause of death was smoke inhalation which is a blessing if that is appropriate to say. She was the only alto in our little choir, but will be missed for many reasons. So many of you have written of your prayers and thoughts for the children, our church family, and for our community and I thank you for that. Blessings on you all.

Clotheslines and the Spiritual Life

But be ye doers of the word,

and not hearers only...

James 1:22

Clotheslines are all but extinct from Americana as we knew them. Everyone had clotheslines in their back yards many years ago. We even had special hooks inside our house where we could string plastic clotheslines through them. They facilitated being able to dry clothes inside on rainy days. I really loved clotheslines in the backyard of the first house that I remember living in.

The clothesline supports on both sides of our backyard that held the clotheslines themselves became pretty rickety. I guess I was about four or five years old when my dad decided to take down the old and put up totally new ones. He bought heavy metal pipes that a friend cut for him. Both supports ended up being a “capital T” shape after being welded together. Daddy sunk them into the ground with a good amount of concrete, drilled four holes through each of the two supports and then ran some non-rust line back and forth between the supports. I believe we had the finest clotheslines in the neighborhood. My Mother took great pride in the washing she did EVERY Monday...that was wash day religiously. (It still is for me to this day.)

This is where I must confess that one of those clothes lines wasn't just for clothes. Attached to one of those lines that was kept at the far end of the line was a long rope. You see, I was a wanderer. I knew everyone who lived on our block, front and back. I loved getting on my tricycle, cruising from one place to another just visiting. When Mother finally caught up with me. Kids today don't know what a time out is because when my Mother got me home, she often clipped that rope to a small harness I had to put on. The rope was long enough that I could go to the outhouse or to my playhouse or even to the back porch of our house. It is said that confession is good for the soul so there you have it. My husband claims that I am still a wanderer but so far he hasn't taken any drastic actions.

You don't see clotheslines anymore. In fact, where we lived prior to this small town where we are now, it was illegal by town ordinance to have clotheslines in ones backyard. They were declared a hazard. How on earth did many of us make it to the age we are without the government keeping us safe?

As I was thinking of clotheslines this week, I was comparing them in my mind to my spiritual walk. It's okay for my Dad going to all the trouble he did in putting up the finest clotheslines in the neighborhood, but what, if after all that work, my Mother never hung anything on those lines? The purpose of my Dad's work wasn't just to build clothesline supports with line. It all was meant to serve one primary purpose...dry clothes.

I've thought of my own spiritual walk and what I have or haven't contributed to God's Kingdom in these years since my salvation at the ripe old age of ten. One of those clothesline supports reminds me of my salvation...the one on the other side of the yard, my entry into Heaven. Meantime, there's a lot of line there that I'm supposed to be using, making my contribution to God's Kingdom, using my gifts, talents and abilities for Him. Is there much of anything hanging on the lines of my life that is meaningful, counting for God?

In my neighborhood at the time, most women did their washing on Mondays. In my wanderings, although young, it was easy to see that not all the things hanging on various lines looked the same. Some women just went and hung anything, anywhere. Not my Mother...sheets and pillow cases were hung first, then white or light clothing, color things, towels and then my Daddy's work clothes. Everything was very organized.

The same is true for each of us as we look at our individual clotheslines of Christian service. None of our lines will look the same because we are all so different. We will serve God's purpose in different ways but we are expected to serve God as best we can within His will for us.

I understand that at our various stages of life, our service will change from time to time. Our service at various stages will look different but we should always have things of service hanging from our own personal “clotheslines.”

When younger, some women may be more mobile, have more energy for various forms of activity. The ladies I work with right now are fairly immobile but God always gives us opportunities to serve Him no matter the stage of life we are at. We don't have to get real complicated...there are simple things we can do to serve God that doesn't take a lot of time or energy but can be so meaningful. Some things we can all do:

• Be a prayer warrior. Most churches publish a prayer list or we can establish our own.
• Write a note of encouragement to someone going through a tough time.
• Send cards to shut-ins or someone in or just out of the hospital
• Make a “just thinkin' of you” phone call
• Be ready with a kind, spiritual word to folks out in public you may not even know.
• Be a woman who is daily in the Word of God...learning and growing.

Brian and I were shopping recently. I was exhausted because I'm still not back to full strength after my fall a month ago. It came our turn at a check out counter, and the most delightful lady was our check out person. Many check out people aren't the most congenial especially when they are working very busy weekend days. She was a delight, maybe in her 60's. As we walked away, she said with a big smile, “You two have a blest day now.” I can't tell you in that moment how my spirit was lifted...”A sister in Christ” I said to myself. My spirit was not only lifted, but I was encouraged. As far as I'm concerned, that was as good as a king-size sheet hanging from one of her clotheslines.

We don't just accept Jesus as Savior and wait for Heaven. We are born to serve, to be a blessing between the time of our salvation and when God calls us home. Our service will all be different from each other simply because we ARE different...that's what makes our working and serving together so interesting.

Things hanging on the line aren't to bolster our pride or to keep some kind of ridiculous score. When sincerely serving our Lord, we get to where we don't even know most of what we are accomplishing for Him. Soooo...let's get our personal washing done...let Jesus clean us up and then as clean vessels, let's be the kind of influence our sick ole world needs. It will get to be so natural that serving the Lord will just happen and can be very enjoyable. In the end, it will be the Lord who takes things off of our lines and hopefully says, “Well done.”

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Help me Father, to not only serve You but to love doing it. Give me a heart for others and their needs. I don't want to be a spiritual show off but Your faithful servant. May it be so in Your power and Your power alone. I love you. Amen

Sweet Words From God

We love Him, because He first loved us.

I John 4:19

For years, I have been so grateful for people God has sent my way...people who seem to know what to say, in their own calm, sweet way just when I need it. They don't always know of my need, but that is one of the wonderful ways God works on our behalf. Sometimes these people have spoken words of Scripture to me or have spoken Bible truths so me in their own words that have encouraged and instructed me just when I needed it.

We live in a day when this ministry is so badly needed. We live in a world of cruelty. People take pride in “being up front” with their opinions, will express opinions they know will hurt the feelings of another, speak things that go against one's faith and not always in a loud tone of voice.

There are places in Scripture where I almost feel like I'm curled up in God's lap and He is speaking personally to me, just as I look at His Word.

Most important to me is the old favorite of John 3:16 as He speaks to me of His love so deep for me that He would send His only begotten Son to die for me. Let me tell you...that's love in the truest sense. Not only did God send His son, but His Son Jesus was willing to go to that cross for me.

Some of the sweetest words I have heard from others have been when in my presence they have prayed out loud for me. Such are precious times. I feel loved and uplifted when I hear those sweet, personal words meant to call down God's grace and blessing in my life. In John 17:15, Jesus prayed for me (and you as well) when he said : “I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.” Now that's a prayer I appreciate. Evil is all around and Satan delights in tripping me up. My desire is to be kept from evil.

Psalm 32:8 is a precious whisper from God to me when He says: I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Wow, the very God of the universe is so personally involved in my life that He wants to teach and instruct me in His way and not only that, He promises to guide me with His eye honed right on me. Very often my problem is that I don't choose to even consult Him regarding His desired direction for me. So glad He doesn't give up on me.

As I write these verses and hear Him personally speak to me, I am convicted of the fact that I don't pause long enough to listen to that still, small voice of His. At the end of Hebrews 13:5 He reminds me that He will never leave me, nor forsake me. There are times I feel pretty lonely. It's not the kind of loneliness another person can cure for me. It's a longing to have a void filled in my life that down deep in my spirit, I know is a need for God and God alone. Along with this in John 14:27, Jesus is so assuring when He says, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” The world is pulling and tugging at me and you as well. We have probably learned by now that it cannot give us peace no matter how much we seek it. Any peace the world offers you and me is very temporary at best and often very disappointing.

Lastly, Jesus promised me via His Father to supply me with Someone who would come to be very special in my life. In John 14:26 Jesus assured me “the Comforter, which is the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” When God said He would never leave me or forsake me, He wasn't kidding. At the very moment I accepted Jesus as my Savior, that wonderful Comforter, that third part of God was sent to come into me and take up residence. God knew I could never fully understand His Word but the Holy Spirit could be my teacher. While in me, He can also help me remember the things of God, the teachings of Jesus. With all the work the Holy Spirit has to do in me, one of the most important things He does is serve as my Comforter.

I remember at the end of the days of fall when a young girl that my Mother would get out the flannel sheets and put them on our beds. Those were the warmest, coziest things in the world when you climbed into bed on a cold night. I hated crawling out of them in the morning when the house was cold because the coal stove hadn't kicked in yet. Along with those sheets though, came out the heavier blankets that Mother referred to as comforters. I think of those comforters when I read in John that the Holy Spirit is my Comforter. I could snuggled in those sheets and under a comforter and feel warm, secure and at rest. He has been exactly that in my life.

I think too often, we compare God to earthly relationships when there is no comparison. The fact is that God loves you and me dearly. There is nothing we can do to cause Him to love us less than He does. There is no good thing we can do that can make Him love us more. His love is steady, consistent unlike love we have experienced with human relationships. In fact, Romans 8:39b tells us that there is absolutely nothing that can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As I curl up with my Heavenly Father, He whispers through His Spirit of His love, sacrifice, peace, leadership, protection and so much more if I will only listen and accept it into my own spirit. We are blessed people to have such a caring, loving Father Who has provided for our every need. In it all, He whispers His love for us, a love beyond comprehension and a love certainly undeserved.

 

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Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Thank You Father for every precious word You whisper to my heart. I love You. Amen

Be Ye Kind

And be ye kind one to another,

tender-hearted, forgiving one another,

even as God for Christ's sake

hath forgiven you.

Ephesians 4:32

As I write this blog, I am very sad. I talked with a lady (that I will refer to as Sarah) who has been a faithful member of my Sunday school class for years, even before I began teaching the class a little over a year ago. At first, I wasn't real sure she liked me very much, mostly because I know I was very different from what she had been used to. I was almost scared of her but determined that I was going to allow God to love her through me, thus I would come to love her in the process. She's a very different personality but I treated her like a good friend and I consider that she became just that in my life.

I learned through the grapevine recently that she's decided to leave our church and thus my Sunday school class. I can't really express what a personal loss this is to me. She's always sat at the far end of the table from me with her Bible open anticipating the lesson of the day. She and I have kidded each other on occasion and after Sunday morning church, she's even kiddingly gotten on Brian's case either telling him to be good or to keep me in line. He's probably the only man in the church she has even slightly kidded with.

After absorbing the blow of the news, I immediately called her and I believe she was anticipating my call. I didn't insult her by beating around the bush. I told her I had heard of her decision and wondered what in the world was going on. She is the one who for a brief time beat around the bush. She has and still does have a difficult life but we didn't discuss that as we have in times past. She spoke of having attended an even smaller church than ours that is here in our town many years ago. She might return to it if she can get transportation. She had attended it when her husband was still alive. I dared to wade out a little deeper with her on the subject and asked her how she would compare the two churches other than in size. Then she bowled me over. She simply said that at this other church, people are kind.

What on earth...where did that come from? Every church has it's elements of unkind people with attitudes. Every church has it's cliques from teenagers to senior saints. I have found the people in our church for the most part to be caring, kind people but I have an advantage of playing the piano and teaching a ladies Sunday school class and Bible Study. Because of those things, I'm more known than my friend who sits quietly alone on the same pew Sunday morning after Sunday morning. She isn't the kind to run around the auditorium during shaking hands time to greet everyone there. Folks would need to approach her. It dawned on me that for the nine years she's been a member of our church, she feels she's never fit in, never really had a spot that was hers. The burdens she bears are so heavy upon her, she doesn't have the energy nor does she have the make-up to launch out on some kind of social venture.

It's so easy for us on a busy Sunday morning to rush to church and then to the areas of our responsibilities to pay much attention to the Sarah's that might be sitting alone, just hoping someone will speak to them. Even in a ladies class of any size, in all probabilities there is at least one lady who desperately needs a friendly word...a little kindness.

How does a dictionary define the word kindness? Some definitions given for it are: good, charitable behavior, pleasant disposition, concern for others, compassion and tenderness.

Any one of those is a very tall order but if that's how a worldly dictionary defines kindness, what must be expected of us in light of Scripture.

Ephesians 4:32 begins with an emphasis on kindness and tenderness but then almost seems to jump to another subject...forgiveness. I am wondering if this verse isn't organized the way it is in order to stress with us that forgiveness is one of the kindest things we can do toward another person. When we are called upon to forgive, it is so little in light of the forgiveness Jesus extended to all from the cross.

In Proverbs 31:26 the special lady that is featured in that chapter and this verse is interesting as well:

She openeth her mouth with wisdom;

and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

Here we see a link between wisdom and kindness. You and I are people of wisdom when we speak using the law of kindness.

In Colossians 3:12, we are given a list of things we are to “put on.”

                                Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved,

    bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness,

long-suffering...

...and the list goes on. I find nowhere in Scripture where we have permission to ever be rude, egocentric, impatient and yes, unkind.

You know, I'm not concerned about Sarah's salvation. She loves Jesus, loves His Word and is just a good-hearted lady who doesn't have a lot of caring people around her in every day life. I somehow feel robbed...robbed of the privilege of having Sarah in my class and in my life. I'll still stay in contact and pray for the day she might return. I am praying for myself a renewal of sensitivity toward those around me...the loner on the back pew, the stranger I pass in the hall, the tourist (believe me, we have many week after week) who visits our church who may be there with a broken heart and won't let it show. Remember Jesus' words...

...Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one

of the least of these my brethren, ye have

done it unto Me.

Matthew 25:40

I'm so very sorry, Sarah, and will be praying for your return. I miss you more than I can say.

Dear Father, please keep me sensitive to people around me, and not just those at church. Whether in the grocery store, neighborhood or on a mountain trail may I have a kind word and encouraging spirit toward all I meet no matter what my personal burdens may be. Amen

Guard Your Heart

Above all else, guard your heart,

for everything you do flows from it.

Proverbs 4:23

I don't think I gave much thought to the phrase “guard your heart” until I heard Steve Green sing a song of that title. I looked up the Scripture verse and found that not only is guarding our hearts a command, but the next three verses tells us how to do it:

Keep your mouth free of perversity;

keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead;

fix your gaze directly before you.

Give careful thought to the paths for your feet

and be steadfast in all your ways.

(Letters in bold print are of my doing)

First, what do we mean by “heart” as it applies to this verse as well as to many verses we find in Scripture. It isn't unusual for us to refer to heart as being the seat of our emotions. It's that place where we think, plan, desire, feel and other of those responsibilities we feel belong to the heart. Bottom line is, we know that the heart in us only has the responsibility that is physical in nature. It is responsible for pumping blood through our bodies. All cultures, have usually referred to a body part like we do with the heart when thinking of one's inner being. Some viewed their cores as being situated in the kidneys or even liver. (Can you imagine saying to someone, “I love you with all my liver.”) We must keep straight in our own minds what we are guarding.

I can guard my physical heart through taking very good care of it. Some folks take an aspirin each day to avoid heart attacks. Some see doctors on a regular basis where one of the first things done when one is ushered into the exam room is to go through a blood pressure check. The doctor then enters and with stethoscope, listens to the heart from back and front of the body. So there is exercise, special diets and medications to keep our physical hearts healthy.

Why are we not just as careful in guarding that inner core, the center of who we are that keeps us going in every other way. This kind of heart problem can occur in almost any setting. There is no kind of aspirin or medication for attacks on our spiritual hearts. These attacks can happen in the home, watching TV, at work, on vacation, school, and yes, even in church. Somehow we feel people will be insulted if we walk away from situations that are unhealthy for that inner heart in us that no doctor's stethoscope can detect. In my single days, movies were fairly free of curse words. I remember the first time I went to see a movie and within 15 minutes, I was absolutely sick with disgust. I got up and walked out. On the way out, I saw the manager and told him if he were really a man of integrity, he would return my ticket money. I learned quickly that he wasn't a man of integrity.

There is a sweet lady in my church who does something very few women do. If someone talks to her one on one and the person begins to speak negatively of someone else, she finds a way to excuse herself. If talking with a group and the conversation turns negative, you can tell when she begins to move away from the group. She's never ugly about it and remains pleasant as she walks away. Whether she's aware of the terminology or not, she's “guarding her heart.”

How many times in our day have we seen marriages destroyed because of people having affairs with people from their offices. Many people spend more time with people at work these days than they spend at home during any waking hours with their families. My hubby and I were reminded of a lady he once worked with that worked her way into a small group of men from Brian’s section of work who went out for lunch every day. Eventually, she had worked her way into a relationship with one of those men. Two marriages/homes were destroyed, children’s lives shattered. Someone(s) didn't guard their heart(s). Included in this heart thing are friendships, family relationships, and marriages. We must set up a line of defense against anything or anyone that would cause damage to those relationships we hold dear. Our verse tells us to look straight ahead as even a casual glance to one side or the other can lead us into trouble.

I'm thinking in our day how many schools have come between students and parents. In many school settings, concerned parents are regarded as the enemy while their children are being indoctrinated, not educated. Sometimes, we have to help guard the hearts of children who are vulnerable and don't even know that there is a battle going on. I was saying to a lady just this week that if I had children in grade school in this day, I would go to the school ahead of the school year and ask to see a complete set of text books my children would be working from. If the school refused me that privilege, then I would have to regard the material as not suitable for my child and if need be would remove them from that school. Sound rash??? Guarding is serious business.

Some things we must guard against, remembering that sin will always start in the mind (spiritual heart). Avoiding sin must be our first line of defense. The following might be some things we will have to guard against:

• rebellion
• bad attitudes
• angry spirits
• gossip
• feuds
• inappropriate activities
• sin taken in through the eyes...movies, TV, books, magazines, etc.
• false teaching in the spiritual realm
• inappropriate contact with the opposite sex
• distractions
• lack of spiritual focus

Our list could go on and on. If we are to be spiritually fit, we must have a healthy heart, (that well guarded core of our being), if we are follow to God's plan for our lives. An unguarded heart will become weak and sick, weakening us in every way spiritually. Pride will suggest to us that we are above being infected by the things of this wicked day we live in. That is our first mistake. Many well-known Christians have fallen into Satan's grasp and the media is very quick in telling us all about it. We must be alert just as a soldier is ordered to be when on sentry duty, guarding a certain secure area. We too are called upon to guard a very private area of our lives...our hearts. It means determining some things ahead of time, not in a prideful way but in moving in God's strength. Pride can tear down any good intentions we might have. I've always said though that when we shoot at nothing, we'll probably hit it. Guarding our hearts is a worthy goal and God wants to equip and strengthen us in our efforts.

My dear Heavenly Father...I haven't always been as spiritually alert as I should have been. So easy it is to fall into sinful habits almost without thinking. I'm so sorry for failing You in not being all for You I should have been. Keep me alert to Satan's wiles and ways and may I be ever alert to guard my heart. I can do nothing without Your strengthening. I love You and praise You for Your love and direction in my life. Amen

Wonder of Wonders

And they were all amazed at the

mighty power of God. But while they

wondered every one at all things

which Jesus did, he said unto His disciples...

Luke 9:43

The word “wonder” is described as being filled with awe, amazement and being in the state of marveling over something that is new or unusual to someone, no matter the age of the person.

When at the age of four, I remember noticing for the first time, dew that had formed on our front yard grass. The sun had just moved enough into the sky that it shown on those dew drops. It looked like there were diamonds all over our front yard. To this very day, I still marvel at the sight of dew drops poised on blades of grass no matter where I reside. Those things we so marveled at when very young, still seem to captivate out imaginations when we are adults.

Have you ever watched a young baby when it first notices its toes? That baby will fold up and will play with those tiny toes off and on for several minutes. Sometimes, they will view their tiny fingers with an amazing fascination. It's really funny when they sense their tongue, especially when they are fed their first bite of baby food.

My mother brought me and my sister Kay to these very mountains where I now reside when I was about 5 years old. Gatlinburg was a mere village with next to nothing here. Kay and I played, digging in mountain dirt, pretended to plant seeds, all the while enjoying the aroma of trees and rocks. Even then, I was in awe of the mountains that were so huge, and they inspired such wonder in this little girl's heart.

All of us have experienced wonder in various sizes, shapes, and in various places. Whatever the wonder, it might not impress anyone else like it does us. I still stand in awe of seeing rainbows, watching a mother bear with her two or three cubs, sniffing the air after a spring rain, watching the face of a tiny baby as it sleeps and hearing it's sighs of contentment. Our wonders can come as we observe people or as we enjoy the things of nature. I marvel right now as I look out my back or front porch and marvel at the brilliant colors of fall as trees prepare for their winter slumber. God is just so smart as He capably handles all of the things of His natural world.

Just stop and think of those things around you that still almost catch your breath in wonder. My sister Kay who is now in Heaven felt that way about her various garden plots as she designed, planted, and weeded. She was a true gardener from the top of her head to the soles of her feet. She found such wonder in just feeling the earth filter through her fingers.

My youngest sister has been a new grandmother now for a little over a year. She's had the joy of watching her grand-daughter through all of those wonderful first year stages...the smiles, physical growth, hugs, crawling until little footsteps take the place of little knees. Although many of us have gone through all of this with our own children, it seemed at times that we were so involved that we might of missed some of those things of wonder but not with our grandchildren. Everything they do is pure wonder.

Life itself is a wonder. A bad cold and many simple diseases we can contract now and get over within days, are things that in the latter 1800's were killing people. We recover from bodily maladys in almost short order in our day. My friend Mary was in a horrible car accident a couple of years ago. She should have died in that accident as we look at the severity of it. I stood in awe as did others at her recovery and all that modern medicine did to “put Mary back together again.”

I was reminded of a George Beverly Shea song that only he could sing as it was meant to be sung...The Wonder of It All. I love especially the first verse and chorus:

There's the wonder of sunset at evening,

The wonder as sunrise I see;

But the wonder of wonders that thrills my soul

Is the wonder that God loves me.

Chorus

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me.

O, the wonder of it all! The wonder of it all!

Just to think that God loves me.

 

Far beyond dew drops, rainbows or a baby's smile is the wonder of God's love for me.  I don't deserve one ounce of attention of God or His Son.  I have failed Him so many times, it's not even funny.  The really amazing thing apart from my salvation is tht God never gives up on me.  That is one of the greatest examples God sets for you and me.  We are sometimes quick to give up on people who disappoint or hurt us deeply.  Amazingly, God just keeps pouring out His love and attention on all of us.

 

 

I marvel at the love He pours into our lives...love He intends for us to then invest into the lives of others.  I don't have one ounce of love to give anyone...only His love will suffice.  What a marvel it is that He would choose us to act for Him on this eart, to be chosen to



represent Him in the everyday things of life.

During our darkest times, we can look around in awe...leaf of a tree and it's intricacies, scent of a rose on a bush, an orange harvest moon, birds as they chatter with one another, innocent little children at play, a baby picking up a Cheerio and finding it's mouth, and on and on we could go. But in the wonder of it all, the simple fact is that Jesus loves me, and Jesus loves you.

Dear Father...I stand in awe of You and Your love for me even when I don't deserve any of Your consideration. It's such an honor to be one of Your children and I thank you for those benefits You daily load me down with. I love You and thank You for sending Your son to die for me that I might one day have the privilege of enjoying all of the wonders and marvels of Heaven. Amen

The Precious Hand of God

Nevertheless I am continually with thee:

thou hast held me by my right hand.

Psalm 73: 23

I'll never forget our first trip to the Smoky Mountains with little one, Jennie. She had outgrown the backpack carrier she used to ride in so now was either walking with her hand in her Dad's or riding on his shoulders at times. After about three days, we noticed Jennie was being resistant to letting her Dad hold her right hand. Finally, this dumb, first time mom asked to look at her hand. The back of her little hand had started to bruise. That little hand had been in her Dad's and at times for safety, Brian held her hand in a little tighter grip than he realized. He was upset about it because he had never intended hurt, but only her safety as we walked on those beautiful mountain trails.

I love that God holds us in the palm of His hand. I'm so grateful for his guiding hand, that hand that leads us along. There are times we are hand in hand with Him and don't even realize it. However He chooses, His hand is intended for our very best, our spiritual safety. It may seem at times that our hands are a little bruised as He holds us a little tighter trying to keep us from the evil of this world or from the steep precipices where we could so easily trip and fall over into danger.

If you are female, do you remember the first time a guy held your hand? By this I mean a guy who really “liked” you. You couldn't buy that tingle up your spine from any dime store. WOW!  Whoever he was has probably long come and gone but we are constantly holding hands with the God of the universe...our Heavenly Father. No fickle guy, this Heavenly Father of ours.  Unlike earthly fathers, our Heavenly Father constantly holds us in His hand. Scripture assures us of this wonderful ongoing practice.

He's holding my hand when:

Enemies threaten me: “My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.” Ps. 31:15

I need saved : “Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” Is. 59:1

In the good times: “Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go.” Is. 49:17

But does our Heavenly Father ever withdraw His hand for a brief time? In the book of Job in chapter two, verse 10, Job makes a comment that would lead us to believe that God might withdraw His hand from us for a time. He says...”Should we accept only the good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” You see, sometimes God removes His hand and allows negative things to to happen to good people. Why would He do such a thing?

His long range eternal plans for my life may not line up with the short-range plans I have for myself that I might consider to be much more comfortable.

Just because God allows difficulties to come into our lives doesn't mean He has forsaken us. His promise that He will never leave us or forsake us is still as true from the Word of God as it has ever been. Even in the difficult times, there still is nothing that can touch you and me without His approval. He knows what we need in order to grow and be as fruitful as we can be.

In recent days, I must admit to feeling like my hand is a little bruised. In face I feel it spiritually and can definitely see it physically. After a very serious fall, plunging down 12 wooden steps, in the dark and head long into a cinder block wall, I must admit to you that I have never questioned God's presence. Some have already asked me, “Where was God?” I assure them that He was right there. It all could have been so much worse without Him. I know in the process that He has things for me to learn. In it all, there might be some folks who can also learn from my experience.

The slight bruising on Jennie's hand was very temporary but that hand holding kept her safe and near to her Dad. I am praying that my bruises will serve the same purpose.

Dear Father...I thank You for the intimacy I have with you that You and I hold hands, that You are that concerned for my well being in every way. Help me to not try to wrestle my hand from Yours and to learn and trust You as we walk together. I love holding Your hand and You holding mine. Amen

A Word to the Wise

If any of you lack wisdom, let

him ask of God, that giveth to all men

liberally, and upbraideth not; and it

shall be given him.

James 1:5

In my younger years, I often looked at people with gray hair and wrinkles viewing them as being very wise. Surely their long years of life contributed to their great knowledge. I think we look at people who have worked hard in the education arena, who have come out with a master's degree or even a PhD as being the wisest of men and women. However, the older I get, the more I recognize that people who are highly educated or who appear to be very intelligent, may have very little in the way of wisdom. We live in a day when wisdom is direly needed.

There is wisdom as the world sees wisdom that amounts to experience of life, general knowledge or even common horse sense. Doctors not only have great knowledge in their field but have an added discretion in how to apply that medical knowledge for patients and their various conditions. Just because a person is a teacher does not mean she has wisdom as God views wisdom. No one is elevated to the status of wise in our day like those who hold public office. I am constantly amazed as I see politicians interviewed on TV. Whether on the local, state or national level, many speak with great pomp as if wise beyond all others. They may have a certain level of the worlds knowledge but at times, I have to wonder even about that.

Some of the most intelligent people in the world would find their kind of wisdom in the following statements:

• Forgive a person only if they apologize to you.
• Love a person only if they love you.
• Take care of #1...self
• God won't send a good person to Hell
• Sometimes you have to do wrong in order to do right
• The older I get, the wiser I become
• Bad things just don't happen to good people
• Someone hurts me, I will hurt them back
• Wealthy people are the wisest, not people in need
  

 

All of the above can be refuted by looking up information from the Word of God. The world has it's own guidelines regarding wisdom.

The real, godly, spiritual wisdom you and I must be concerned about is the wisdom spoken of in Scripture. This wisdom is not based on the things and achievements of this earth. This wisdom is of God. It is the wisdom whereby we learn to appropriate knowledge and apply spiritual emphasis to that knowledge. In every area of our knowledge, we must apply the things of God. That's the only wisdom that counts. There is not an area of our lives exempt from the application of wisdom. Whether it is one's marriage, child rearing, career, serving God in various ways and even in more areas, wisdom is so necessary.

So how do you and I get this wisdom?

1. Spiritual wisdom is made available to the born again Christian. It is not available to an unsaved person. Proverbs 1:7 states: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” The unsaved person has no fear of the Lord, thus no wisdom as God would define wisdom.
2. Spiritual wisdom is extended to each Christian by and through the Holy Spirit. The majority of our wisdom comes from the Scriptures. It is the Holy Spirit Who teaches us and interprets for us the Word of God.
3. Placing God first place in one's life is a prerequisite for receiving God's wisdom.
4. Walking in obedience to God makes one wise.
5. Being a student of God's word makes a Christian wise.
6. Ask God for it. We don't just need wisdom for major decisions but we need it in the ordinary times of life, in all of the little things.
   

One of the great examples of one seeking wisdom was King Solomon. God spoke to him in a dream at the beginning of his reign and gave Solomon a choice. God told Solomon that he could have anything he wanted. Every time I read this story, I wonder if God came to me with the same offer, and really caught me off guard, how would I reply? Solomon's answer was a surprise I think even to the most casual reader. Solomon's answer was one word...wisdom.

One can almost feel God's enthusiasm and pleasure with Solomons answer. Solomon could have asked for long life, victory in battle, all the riches his heart could desire but asked for wisdom. Unfortunately in later years, Solomon didn't draw on that wisdom as he should and could have but God was pleased in those beginning days. He not only gave Solomon unlimited wisdom but added all of those other things that were probably Solomon's desire. In Solomon's latter years, he looked back as he wrote the book of Ecclesiastes regarding the folly of having anything he ever wanted. His life didn't go in the direction he had thought it would. Although bestowed with the greatest of wisdom, he certainly didn't make the best use of it. Having all those wives is a testimony to his not appropriating wisely the wisdom he had been given.

This wisdom we should desire is not something we use in showing others what great Christians we are. God's wisdom should be very humbling that we use “wisely” to be of benefit in our lives and the lives of others. It must be used in a way that brings honor and glory to the One who is all knowing, the Source of all wisdom.

Dear Father...keep me wise as I deal with the every day things of life. I want Your wisdom, not the wisdom the world has to offer. I also want Your wisdom so that You will receive all honor and glory. When You bless me with Your wisdom, may I use it as I ought. I thank You as well for Your love in my life. Amen

Fallow Ground

Sow to yourselves in righteousness,

reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground:

for it is time to seek the Lord, til he

come and rain righteousness upon you.

Hosea 10:12

I LOVE DIRT!! You would really believe that if you were to come into my house right now and see the dusting it needs. I don't consider the dust anything but sprinkles of blessing. That might be a bit of a stretch for an excuse but the best I can do right now. I do know someone who loved the soil in her yard more than any seasoned farmer I ever knew. That was my sister, Kay. She had the most beautiful mini-gardens and settings around her house. She could have taken an acre of weeds and turned them into a million bucks in beautiful natural decor. She told me that when she could get out in her garden, digging around, she just felt a real closeness to the Lord when diggin' around in the dirt. I used to tell her that she could grow grass on concrete. She could grow anything from almost nothing...me,...well, my plastic house plants die. I guess that's why I always admired Kay's horticultural talent.

This last Saturday I attended a ladies conference where the speaker spoke on dirt and gardening. She has a bit of acreage and she engages in farming on a rather small scale. We were reminded that the main meaning of Adam's name is “man of the ground.” Guess what that makes you and me? So for a bit, let's look at ourselves as being a plot of ground...dirt.

Fallow ground is something farmers are very acquainted with. This is a field that is usually left for a season without any planting done on it. It is hoped that plot of land with take the year to replenish itself during that time of rest. There may be times when fallow ground has been forced upon a farmer. When there has been a drought, the ground may dry up and even develop huge cracks in it. Under those circumstances, nothing grows on it. Either way, the plot of land sits and can even develop a hard surface that sometimes can have a bit of a shiny look to it.

I saw a field like this I've described and said to the farmer, “What you need is a real good downpour of rain.” He immediately corrected me. He said from experience that a heavy rain could wash away valuable top soil. The harden ground doesn't always accept such a deluge of rain all at once. As it was into October at the time, he suggested that what that land could use was a nice heavy but slow falling snow. That way he said, as the snow melted, it had plenty of time to slowly melt and sink into the ground.

To this point, what do we know about a fallow field?

• It is a field that was once productive.
• Given the right conditions, it can again be productive
• For the time being, it is no longer productive...perhaps even barren
• The ground may have a crusty surface with possible cracks of varying sizes
  

 

What does that field need to be productive?

• A desire to bring that field back to being productive
• Plowed up...weeds and stones removed
• Fertilizers applied if necessary
• Rain, rain, rain
  
•  

I have recently gone through a time of feeling spiritually dryer than I want to be. As I'm definitely kin to Adam, I know my make up and know the day will come when I will return to that original state...dust to dust. Meanwhile, I have the field of my life to tend to. I refuse to sit in a fallow state spiritually. So how do we begin to get back to being as productive spiritually speaking as we know God wants us to be.

1. We must recognize the problem and want to do something about it. The Holy Spirit so sweetly nudges us to bring us to this point.
2. We must also realize that spiritual growth comes from the Lord and from Him alone. Somehow we feel that spiritual growth is our responsibility. Yes, we must be ready, willing and able in our cooperation with Him. Every farmer realizes he can do only so much in crop production. He can plow and plant...tend the fields as much as he can but only God can send the rains that are necessary for a bountiful crop to grow.
3. On our part, there may be thorns, other weeds and stones that can hinder fruitfulness in our lives. Here's where we must be honest with ourselves about those things of sin in our lives that need to be removed. Some may be huge in size, weeds with very deep roots. God will strengthen and enable us to clear our own personal plot of dirt.
   (Remember that our only responsibility is to clean up our own acre and not pull the weeds or gather up the stones from someone else's plot.)
4. God may have to do a plow job in our lives to break up that hardened, fallow ground. You can't just throw seeds out on it because they won't take root. He may have to break up the hard shell of our complacency, laziness and even our disregard for spiritual things.
5. We must allow God to plant those things in us that He wants to grow in us. All we have to do is look at Galatians 5 to see the fruit of the Spirit, those things He wants to produce in us in abundance. The things of this world will only bear weeds in our lives that are all for nothing in the whole scheme of our spiritual walk.
6. God must do the watering. I love in John 4 where Jesus talks with the Samaritan woman. It's got to be one of my favorite Bible accounts. In this account Jesus speaks to this woman regarding living water, a spiritual water that will forever quench a persons thirst. That isn't just for the unsaved person to know that encourages her to be saved. You and I have access to that living, flowing water every day we live and breathe.

 

Doctors are always tell me that I need to drink more water. I have water all over the 

place and I don't mind drinking water. I just don't do it like I should. The water in my

faucet or bottled water I keep handy is all for nothing if I don't drink it. No one is going

to feed it to me. This living water that is spiritual in nature will keep me hydrated and

healthy spiritually speaking but I must drink of it.

As I write, we are coming off of the summer months. Most Christians tend to slide somewhat during that time. Perhaps our own spiritual dirt needs stirred, the unnecessary removed and our ground being sowed and productive again. I can see more and more why my sister loved the earth, the dirt dropping between her fingers, the planting process and the enjoyment of the beauty her plots of dirt produced. The best part of it all for her was feeling so close to God in the process. That should be the end result for us in the spiritual land clearing and planting we are called to do.

Dear Father...I long to be productive for You and even closer to You in the process. Do what You must to get me where You want me to be. I'm Yours to weed, plow, plant and water...dirt in Your hands. I love You and yield myself into Your loving and capable hands. Amen.