All We Need for Christmas

Christmas gifts?
Only one wrapped gift on the first Christmas - Baby Jesus wrapped in swaddling clothes.

Christmas lights?
Only one light shone bright - The star that led the shepherds to a Bethlehem barn.

Christmas meaning?
Only One Savior - Jesus came to us full of Grace and Truth (John 1:14)

Christmas dinner? 
No oven to bake in, no stores open late. No feast laden table to gather round.

No brightly wrapped gifts, no decorated tree. And yet they beheld and held the greatest gift anyone will ever know.

Receive Jesus as your priceless gift, your light, and your saving grace...

Merry Christmas!

  


   

Reading, Writing, and Reality

"If you have 4 bananas and give 2 to your mom and dad, how many bananas do you have left to eat for breakfast?" the kindergarten teacher asked a girl in her class.

"None," the girl answered. "I don't like bananas."

In a nearby school, kindergarten and first grade students have began gathering in class rooms to learn their letters, numbers, and simple arithmetic. But as noted above, math isn't always that simple. 

The importance of learning isn't as simple as reading, writing, and arithmetic either. In fact the most important subject may be the one our children are not learning. Like the truth about Jesus and how they need to know Him personally. 

Scripture says people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. For lack of understanding the unchanging truth about God. Today's young people grow up being offered dozens of options for everything from shampoo to salvation. One young mother recently said that since the Bible can be interpreted differently by each person, how can we say absolute truth exists? 

That sounds like "banana math." The kindergartener couldn't say she had 2 bananas to eat for breakfast when she doesn't include them in her diet. In the same way, when we reject the foundational truth of God's Word, it becomes ambiguous, undefinable, and circumstantial at best.

Crisp September mornings, yellow buses, and backpacks remind us that another year is underway. Each day our children and grandchildren gather in classrooms to learn the building blocks for a good education. May the school year remind us to also teach our little ones the Reality of God's Word and of salvation through Jesus alone. We can't let them grow up and step out into this world without the most valuable truth they will ever learn. And as most of us know by now, they do grow up fast.       

Love at 25 miles per hour

As I sat with a cup of coffee, a car sped down our road and jolted the quiet morning. The driver ignored the 25 mph signs, and flew past houses going twice that speed. True, I rarely see a police car cruise by or set up a stake out. It's a low risk road for getting pulled over. But is that the only reason for driving the speed limit?

We want other drivers to take it easy past our houses. We expect them to watch out for 

our kids and pets. For us that includes the hens. Our three chickens used to cross the 

road every chance they got. Why? Who knows, it's a chicken thing. At least now I know where that philosophical question came from. Apparently chickens love to cross roads.

Once a pickup and a car had to stop while they shuffled back home. If someone flew

by that day, the chickens may not have survived. (They now have their own fenced yard.) 

Our world gets small when all we see is our to do lists, schedules, and the needs of our families. We tend to forget the One who made us all and how important each person is to Him. Driving the posted speed in a neighborhood or on any road is a powerful way to show love for others.

Jesus tells us to love God completely and love our neighbors as ourselves (see Mark 12:30,31). Both show that we fear the Lord. And we know He didn't just mean the people who live within a four block radius of our house. 

When we think about love, what symbols come to mind? Cards, heart-shaped boxes of candy, a wrapped gift, or spending time together. We don't usually think about how we drive. And yet that may be one of the most important ways to show genuine love. This 

love considers others as more important than ourselves. The kind God pours into our hearts for all people, even those we'll never meet.   

        One of the many ways we can express God's Love - driving past another's house, or their cars on the road, as we want them to drive past ours.  

Fearing God from A to Z

K is for Knowledge

The pomegranate provides one of the healthiest juices we can drink. It prevents heart disease and many types of cancer.  For the last decade, experts have been saying pomegranante juice lowers LDL levels, reduces inflammation and is even low glycemic to help the millions of people who are dangerously close to becoming diabetic. This revelation came after years of extensive, scientific research.Thank God for research or should we just thank God for pomegranates? 

People spend millions of dollars attaining university degrees of all degrees. Then the 5% who enter their field of study, pour their knowledge into a career that hopefully helps others benefit from it. In certain fields of research, some go on to discover nutritional treasures such as the pomegranate and all its benefits.   

Scripture calls the fear of the Lord the beginning of knowledge (Prov. 1:7). It also says God's people are destroyed for lack of knowledge (Hosea 4:6). So fear of God must mean listening to Him. And why not? He knows everything.

Take pomegranates for instance. God made them and always knew their nutritional value. That's why He added them to a wise list of foods long ago: 
"The Lord your God is bringing you into a good land of brooks of water...
wheat and barley, vines, fig trees, pomegranantes, olive oil, and honey." 
(See Deuteronomy 8:7,8)

So the land wasn't just flowing with milk and honey.  It also offered foods that have come to light in recent years as cutting edge discoveries by educated men and women holding doctorates. And just think...this list of excellent food choices has been nestled in the Penatuch for thousands of years. 

Imagine all the knowledge we stumble through life without, simply because we don't listen to the One who knows everything. A growing fear of God changes that as surely as it changes us.

Fearing God from A to Z

J is for Joy

My mom and two sisters left yesterday after a week long visit to our house near the coast. Today, I feel like I should still be racing around serving guests in my own, inept way. It's like when you take off a pair of roller skates and put your shoes back on. Your feet feel like they should still be on wheels, making each step awkward.   

The mere thought of company coming instantly shows me all the housework I've been neglecting. This time I worked on cleaning every room. I even painted the bathroom. Though I've learned the hard way that I can't achieve perfect, I wanted everything to be as nice as possible. 

I cleaned, shopped, cooked, and reminded myself to breathe. But as always, my to do list outstretched the time I had to work at it. For instance, I forgot items when I shopped for their visit. Make a list? I did, but misplaced it on my way to the store. When they pulled in the driveway, the weeds, webs, and dusty windows greeted my guests along with me.   

In view of such short comings, what should our main goal be when entertaining company?  

Scripture says we serve God by serving others. He also encourages us to serve Him with joy and a glad heart for the abundance of all things (Deut. 28:47). Visitors bring us the chance to share our joy in the Lord with them. Authentic joy reflects gratitude for our blessings from God. He loves to see us rejoice, even if the kitchen floor stills needs replaced. Even though the dogs bark and beg, and the top of the fridge wears a six month coat of dust. 

The fear of the Lord, a verb phrase, includes all the colorful, joyful ways we express His Word. Next time company drops in, we can rejoice! Not in a house well-cleaned, or a meal well-cooked, but in a God-honoring visit well-shared. 

Fearing God from A to Z

I is for Interaction

Back in the 80's, the hearts of two pastors stirred for the lost and starving people of India. One pastor lived in Boise, Idaho, the other in Bangalore, India. The one from India traveled to Boise and stepped into a church to pray. He soon learned that the Idaho pastor of that church was in Bangalore praying for guidance too. 

God brought them together and helped them far exceed all they hoped to accomplish. By His grace, these two pastors and the Christians who pray and support their work, have built many orphanages, homes for children with aids, and raised up pastor's to start churches in the slums. Excellent fruit continues to grow from their interaction with God and one another. (see sendhopenow.org)   

Some of us, having been Christians for years, have become like islands. We live for ourselves and families, rarely venturing beyond the edge of our concerns. Yes, we care, but the needs of humanity are too great. Remember the starfish example? So many abandoned on shore by a wave. No one could save them all. Likewise the poor children. We can't feed and lead them all. So we do nothing. 

The fear of the Lord calls us to interact with others, to get involved in God's work on this planet. He delights to see us participate in the body of Christ and help those in need (Psalm 112:9) He invites us to pray and listen. Then, as He did for those two pastors, God will reveal His plan for us one step at a time.

No Christian is an island from God's viewpoint. If we're living like one, estranged from His interactive will, we can pray to live more in the fear of Him. It's not an esoteric concept studied only by senior pastors and theology students. The fear of God is as practical as rice and beans. And as powerful as His righteousness and blessings.  

  

Fearing God from A to Z

H is for Honor

"You just wanted to improve your life," Jenny said as we sat at their kitchen table visiting.

  

"You've always been nice people," James, her husband, added.

My sister and I had just told our friends how God had changed our lives for the better. They, being intelligent, liberal thinkers, wanted to shrink our salvation stories down to mere self-improvement. They rationalized that our righteousness was a part of us, apart from God. 

We smiled at each other. My sister and I knew better and didn't want to take credit for the miracle God had performed in our lives. 

"No," she said. "Jesus is the one who changed us."

"He saved us from our sins, something no one else could do," I said. 

Awkward silence followed, then Jenny turned the conversation. "It's been unseasonally hot, don't you think?"  

Did our long time friends see reliance on Jesus as weakness or blind faith? In reality, spiritual blindness keeps people away from the Lord. Whatever their reason, they didn't give God the credit for helping us turn away from a life of futility to one that honored Him.

Not surprising. It's a human tendency, even among Christians. We give credit for someone's accomplishments to their outgoing personality. If a person does well financially, we may credit a connection to family money, a lucky break, or a supportive spouse. Sure, God uses our circumstances and other people, but He deserves all the recognition. 

It irritates me when others try to explain away blessings until there's nothing left to thank God for. Staying mindful that He is the One teaching and helping us live His wisdom reminds us to give Him the credit He deserves. 

Way back in the day, Abraham said he wouldn't accept even a sandal strap from a local king. He didn't want anyone to think they helped him succeed in life. Abraham had learned enough wisdom to give all honor for his position and possessions to God. (Genesis 14:23) Glorifying the Lord for all He is and all He does is the essence of fearing Him. 

"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forver and ever. Amen." (1 Timothy 1:17).

Fearing God from A to Z

G is for Generous

The smell of warm chocolate filled the kitchen. I carefully lifted chocolate chip cookies from the baking sheet onto a plate. Ten seconds later my four-year-old granddaughter ran into the room with a question on her face. She didn't have to say a word. 

"Yes, you can have one but only one," I said smiling.

As I scooped dough onto the baking sheet, Lily took a cookie in each hand, which was unusual for her. 

"Didn't you hear me say only one?"

"Yes," she held out a cookie. "This one is for you." 

"Ahh, how thoughtful," I accepted her gift. "Thank you, sweetheart." 

Some children seem born on the considerate side, while the rest of us have to learn as we go. Still, we like giving things to others, especially the people  in our families. Jesus used that tendency to help us understand God's generosity. He said, "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those ask Him!" (Matthew 7:11)

In some ways the fear of God can be considered the imitation of the God. Psalm 112:9 says giving to the poor is one of the characteristics those who fear the Lord have in common with Him. Like Father, like child in everyday, visual ways. 

"A generous person devises generous things and by generosity he stands"

(Isaiah 32:8)  

I love the way some verses leave no room for misunderstanding. A lifestyle of generosity is clearly one of the things God likes to see in His children. Giving to others across our table, across the street, and across the ocean, shows we trust God to keep meeting our needs. 

The more I learn about fearing God, the more I see how practical it is. Our fear of Him can be heard in our prayers, praise, and thanksgiving. But it can also be seen in the simplicity of sharing. Even if it's just a cookie.  

Fearing God from A to Z

F is for Focus

Last spring we heard an unusual tapping sound coming from our drive
way. Stepping outside we discovered a bird perched in front of the rear view mirror on the car. The sparrow was pecking at the mirror over and over. We watched her stop to gaze at her image and then start pecking 
again. Cute little bird.

Eventually, Ray scared her away. But as soon as he walked in the house, 

she swooped back to the mirror to ponder and peck at her reflection. The next morning she flew in to stare and peck at the mirror again.  

By the third day, her obsession wasn't so cute anymore. Ray covered the 

mirror with a bag to discourage her. She moved to the driver's side. We covered that one too. She migrated to the truck mirrors.  

Did she think of herself as the best looking bird on the block? Or did her 

obsession grow out of insecurities and self-loathing? For us, it's usually the 
latter. Either way, it kept her from interacting with the other birds. It also 
kept her eyes off her Creator.

The same proves true for us. When we look too long and close at ourselves 

we lose sight of the One who made us. God delights in those who fear Him 

(Ps. 147:11), those who put their hope in Him and their eyes on Him. He 

also has a purpose for us we can't pursue when we focus too much on
ourselves.

Rather than act like that sparrow, whether pridefully or critically self-absorbed, 
we can focus on the Lord by delighting in Him (Ps. 37:4). That's easy to do because the longer we look at Him, the more goodness we find. 

I don't know about you but I'd rather delight in God's perfection than despair

over my imperfections. Wasting anymore time focusing on something so futile is for the birds.    

Fearing God from A to Z

E is for Edify

Unlike our dogs, cats, and other house pets, God gave us the gift of speech. Along with walking, potty training, and a thousand other skills, most of us learned to speak a language. Words enable communication with the people around us and the God who made us. But too often we use this gift for the wrong purposes. 

God created speech as a tool to edify and strengthen others (Eph. 4:29). 

He wants our chosen words to build up the people in our lives, not tear them down. Studies show that women speak about 20,000 words a day, while the average man speaks closer to 7,000.( excluding my husband) That can mean one of two things: 

• Women are 3 times more likely to say the wrong thing.
• Women have 3 times more opportunities to build others up.

What fragile factors determine which one we'll fulfill with our next words? Too often we let our emotions cause us to spit out sentences better left unsaid. Some of those poorly chosen comments will outlive us in the hearts and minds of the people we love.  

King David knew the important role words play when it comes to fearing God. 

He said those who fear the Lord, don't speak evil or guile (Psalm 34:11-14). Basically he warns us not to speak destructive or deceitful words. Don't try to tear down or mislead anyone. Once again, what purpose lies behind our choice of words?

When my husband, the contractor, buys a pickup load of wood, each board has a purpose. A client may want a deck, a fence, or a new porch. He picks out the materials to build a strong, specific project. He never buys a bunch of extra wood he can't use. If only we were as careful picking our words before we say them. 

Since we know it's impossible to speak 10,000 to 20,000 edifying words every day, we can pray David's prayer for help as our own. Once again, we find our hope in the truth that with God all things are possible. 

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable 

in Your sight O, Lord, my strength and my redeemer" (Psalm 19:14).

Fearing God From A to Z

D is for Delight

Last week I picked up my granddaughter from kindergarten 4 days out of 5.

That's twice as much as usual. She also spent a sick day at my house. On Friday she walked out the school door expecting her mom to take her to daycare - to play with friends. She saw me waiting instead. 

     "Grandma, what are you doing here again?" her expression matched her words.  

Delighted to see me? I don't think so. 

Normally, this precious girl greets me with a smile and a hug. But after a long week, she had places to go, people to see. She couldn't spend all her free time with Grandma. I understand. Still, her lack of zeal to visit my house surprised me. Maybe because she hadn't expressed that attitude before. 

Charles Dickens wrote: "I love little children and it is no slight thing when they, who are fresh from God, love us." The joy of a child is contagious. We delight to spend time with them even more when they delight to be with us. 

God feels the same way toward His children. He delights in those who fear
Him (Psalm 147:11). We express fear of God when we trust, thank, and praise Him; when we ask His advice.That's an unexpected picture of what fear looks like but there's more than one kind of fear. 

Like my granddaughter, we all have a tendency to take everyday things for granted- no matter how spectacular. The fear of God keeps us sensitive to His Presence and blessings. We need it to stay thankful. Remember how God sent bread from heaven for the Israelites for 40 years? Manna every morning, nutritious, tasty, faithful food. How did they respond?

       "...Our soul loathes this worthless bread" (Numbers 21:5).

Everyday blessings challenge our ability to stay thankful. The fear of the Lord
challenges that weakness. We need the Lord's provision and we need His Spirit to help us see those daily gifts with grateful eyes. Shouldn't His continual goodness increase our thankfulness rather than cause it to wear thin?

This week I picked up my granddaughter from school on Friday and smiled to see her joyful face. "Hi Grandma, I've been missing you," she said. 
I was delighted to see her as well. Sometimes a little break reminds us how much we appreciate our gifts from God, especially the ones He gives us everyday.     

  

Fearing God from A to Z

C is for Communicate

Growing up, my cousin and I were the best of friends - for one or two weekends each summer. I looked forward to us visiting, laughing, and spending time together at family picnics. I considered us close friends in heart, though we lived on opposite ends of the state.

Last fall I saw her for the first time in over 25 years. We hadn't even talked or emailed. That can happen when we move away, lose touch, and pursue different dreams. After two and a half decades we didn't have much to talk about. She had recently retired, has grandchildren. I have grandchildren too. Small talk, surface talk. The camaraderie of the past was a distant memory.

Relationships, like gardens, require nurturing to flourish. The friendships we neglect tend to wither away. The same holds true in our friendship with Jesus. That's why Scripture highlights the importance of communication - keeping in touch.

Our three children are grown with homes and families of their own. Still, I like 
to hear from them. Phone calls, even short ones, come in like sunshine. My 
days go better when I hear from them once a week. (more is fine but less, not so much.)  

The fear of the Lord is strengthened by close communion. One of God's top complaints against His people,Israel, is that they "forgot Him days without number" (Jer. 2:32) Just living their lives, too busy to talk to God and read 
His Word. Too distracted to ask for God's wise counsel. What about us? Do we think we can handle life's challenges for the most part? When things get out of hand, is that when we remember to pray and memorize a few Scriptures? 

If people were made to be basically self-reliant, why does God tell us to pray nonstop? (1 Thessalonians 5:17) The Lord wants us to keep in touch all the time, not just when we have time. 

C is for communicate, one of the building blocks of fearing Him. We need His wisdom more than we realize. Talk, pray, listen, write to Him in our journal. 
Like us, He loves to hear from His children.
     

Fearing God from A to Z

B is for Believe 

I need to buy groceries and run a few errands today.That requires a couple of things. Driving my car to the store and spending money once I get there. First I have to believe the car has gas in the tank and will start when I turn the key. I also need to believe we have enough money in the bank to pay today's inflated prices for a basket of groceries. If I thought both the tank and the bank were empty, would I even leave the house?  

The simplest actions grow out of what we consider true. Likewise, the simplest Scriptures throw us when they challenge our longstanding beliefs. For instance: 
      
      "Without faith, it's impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God               must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently 
      seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

The fear of the Lord is an action verb, not merely a state of being. Our good fear of God can be seen as we act on what we truly believe about God, His creation, and ourselves. Some of us come to God like the homeless, pushing a rusted shopping cart full of the garbage we've collected. Not treasures but symbols of the life we've accepted as our reality. Tragically, most of those beliefs are crafted by the enemy who is determined to destroy us.  

Ten or 20 years down the road, we're still hanging on to at least half of the baggage in our cart. God wants to set us free from all of it, even the rusty cart!

He gives us detailed instructions on how that happens. But the process requires some assembly from us. In His wisdom, God knows our interaction strengthens our relationship with Him. The gifts in which we participate, we appreciate.    

One of our most challenging assignments from God is taking every thought captive (2 Cor. 10:5,6). He tells us to insist each thought change to agree with Jesus. Wow! Some statistics say we think close to 50,000 thoughts each day. On those mornings when our mind wakes us before daybreak, the numbers are even higher. 

If we think in negative patterns long enough, stubborn mindsets form and become the beliefs we live by. Too often the words we accept as truth, the one we really believe, directly oppose God's Word. So what do we really believe? 

If like me, you've been spring house cleaning this month, we need to sweep the dust and debris from our minds as well. That's how we make room for more of God's truth so it can truly change the way we think and the way we live. 

Fearing God from A to Z

Using the alphabet, let's take a closer look at what it means to Fear the Lord.      

A stands for ACTION. 

We pray for God's guidance, provision, and healing. As believers we know His input is imperative to our survival. When you live on earth, it's a good idea to keep in touch with heaven. Also we feel more spiritual when we ask God in 
faith to intervene in our impossible circumstances. But Scripture reveals a component we often overlook. 

The Lord wants our faith to be seen as well as heard. James calls us to show 
our faith by works, to believe Him with our hands and feet (James 2:14-20). When we read the Bible and pray, the Lord often speaks insight, understanding,
and encouragement to our spirits. He is a faithful Father, yet do we respond 
like the following example?  

The kings of Israel and Judah lead their army out to fight against Moab. But in the wilderness they faced two enemies: the uncertainty of battle and no water for them or their livestock. Needing guidance and a drink, they found Elisha the prophet and asked him what to do. He talked it over with God and gave them their spiritual orders:  

"Make this valley full of ditches" (2 Kings 3:16). 

To show their faith and fear of God, the kings and warriors were told to pull out shovels and start digging. That may not sound like a strategic war maneuver. 

It may not sound like the quickest way to quench your thirst. Still, Elisha, the prophet had a pretty good track record so they acted on his words.

That describes the fear of the Lord: To base our actions on God's Word. To fear Him includes doing what He tells us, to pick up our shovels and start digging.

The other day we brought home 10 little trees to plant. For the next hour, Ray and I were digging holes. Now I can look out my kitchen window and see five foot cedar trees growing along our property line. The blessings we pray for, like trees in our yards, often require some assembly. Our interactive action proves we believe in God's answer to our prayers. 

Early the next morning, God supernaturally filled all those ditches with water. Israel's army and livestock had plenty to drink. When the Moabites looked down on the valley, the Lord caused the sunshine reflecting on the water to look like blood. They thought Israel's army had self-destructed and swooped in to scavenge any thing of value. Surprise! Israel won the victory that day. 

God delights in sending us layers of miracles. So when He tells us something to do, I pray we can be quick to act on His Word. Who knows how many blessings will grow from it.    

  

             

Who Do You Fear?

Bob Dylan wrote a song in the late 70's that says, we all gotta serve somebody.

And though many think they're free to serve themselves, be their own lower-case god, life doesn't work that way. Okay, you say, but what does that have to do with fear?  

No matter how brave a person is, we all fear somebody too. We may fear people or the devil but we're all afraid to some degree. Some of us fear others so much, we can barely speak in public. Maybe you know the feeling: heart races, can't breath, thoughts jumble, face turns red, and you long for a side door to escape.

I grew up afraid to speak in front of people. That made for a few embarrassing moments in school. The memory of a particular 8th grade science report still stirs up uneasy feelings. In college, speech class was mandatory to earn a degree. Luckily, I found a class offered by an instructor who gave students a C just for showing up, even without giving a speech. I settled for the C. 

All kinds of fear exist in our world: fear of heights, water, darkness, closed 

in places, wide open spaces, certain eight-legged insects. But a few years ago, 

I discovered a fascinating fear that can help loosen the grip of all the others - the fear of God. I've often quoted Oswald Chambers who said, 

 "The remarkable thing about fearing God is that when you fear God you fear 

   nothing else, whereas when you do not fear God, you fear everything else."  

I can't say from experience that the fear of God eliminates a fear of spiders, 

but it will definitely help cure our irrational reactions to other people. Still, this principle can be ambiguous. How exactly do we express our fear toward Him?

Over the next few weeks, I'll be writing short, and more frequent posts to help replace our questions with a better understanding of what it means to fear God. Using an A to Z format, we'll look at some fearful verbs that show how being afraid of the right One can be a good thing.   

A Time to Plant

We've enjoyed less rain and more walking weather on the Oregon Coast this spring.  On walks with Willa (our German/Australian shepherd), I love seeing the daffodils along our country road. Clusters circle trees, rows line driveways. Others grow by the roadside and in pastures, speaking the promise of spring.  

Curiously, not one of these amazing flowers bloom at my house. In fact, if you

walked past, as someone just did, you wouldn't see any reason to think daffodils are my favorite flower. Even so, I admire each one I see.  

So why haven't I planted any over the last decade? I've planted marigolds, pansies, nasturtiums, and petunias - none of which returned the next year. But why haven't I planted a few faithful daffodils to greet us every spring? I don't like admitting such lethargy. But on the upside, it's a call to change, a reminder to plant and grow. 

The problem is, we don't plant daffodils or tulips in the spring, when they're everywhere to remind us. We plant these bulbs during the harvest season. By then, we're more inclined to make applesauce than plant daffodils. But...if we want these glorious beauties to brighten our early spring...  

A time to plant, a time to grow, and a time to flourish. The same holds true for God's children. We all have seasons when we don't feel like we're growing in the

things of God. At those times, it's a struggle just to not lose ground. But if we keep planting the seeds of God's Word in our spirits, they will grow. We may not see the buds and flowers right away, but God promises His Word will become the wisdom we need for every challenge. 

"For as the rain comes down...and waters the earth, making it bring forth

 and bud...So shall My Word be...it shall accomplish what I please and it

 shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:10,11).

In October, could someone remind me it's the time to plant a dozen daffodils? I'm hoping by this time next year, people walking down the road can admire the

yellow flowers blooming beside my house. And maybe God will use them to encourage others to keep planting His word in their hearts.                   

Eight Weeks Later...

By now most of us would rather forget those New Year's resolutions we made eight weeks ago. Hopefully our friends and family have forgotten them too. Yet even though we struggle to make our goals a reality, we can't seem to let them go. So how can we make the next few weeks more productive? Yesterday, I was reminded of an obvious, but elusive element for progress. 

I woke before daylight and thought about my choices for the day. After praying, I decided not to make the two hour drive to a writer's conference. I had planned on going for weeks, but reluctantly let circumstances change my mind.

I can spend time at the library instead, I told myself. Then drive out, walk on the beach, and commune with God. The thought of an ocean breeze and discussing this year's writing projects with God, convinced me I'd made the right choice. 

Two cups of coffee later, the phone rang. I caught enough of my husband's conversation to know my plans were about to change. Soon we set out for an hour and a half drive in his truck. But not to gain inspiration for writing. He wanted me to help clean up a business rental for a client. The tenants moved   out and left the place a mess. Preempted again! 

We can resolve a thousand times to accomplish a goal, but until we make it a priority, it will never happen. That doesn't mean we can't help others or be spontaneous when an unexpected opportunity comes up. But when we truly prioritize our dreams from God, it keeps us from letting everything else push
them aside for weeks, months, or even years.

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works , which

God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).   

We want to believe God has a specific plan for our life. Still we can't help but wonder, which causes us to wander from pursuing the reality of it. Even so, Jesus is the head of the body, the Church, and He has preeminence (Col. 1:18). Is that the truth and power we so easily misplace? The Lord's preeminence means He is first in rank and influence. 

Are we influenced by Him more than by anyone or anything else? 

As we learn to live a "yes" answer to that question more, our dreams from 
the Lord will get preempted less. By doing and enjoying those good works He created for us, we acknowledge Christ's preeminence in our lives. 

   

   

What Do We Expect?

I don't usually watch football. In fact I just had to check google to find out if Super Bowl
was one word or two.  But since Super Bowl is only once a year I decided to watch the
last five minutes with my husband. I didn't expect to see one of the greatest plays in history.

Everyone's heard about it. Patriot rookie, Malcolm Butler, swooped in and intercepted the
ball from the SeaHawks with only 20 seconds left in the game. His incredible play won his
team the victory. But his explanation for the play was even more amazing.

 "I had a vision that I was going to make a big play and it came true," Malcolm said after
the win. "I'm just blessed." In a later interview, Butler said that he prayed for their team, as
he often does, and gave God the credit for his abilities.

There's something more important here than who won the Super Bowl, though thousands
of fans may disagree. Malcolm Butler had a vision of making a big play and paid attention
so he didn't miss his chance.

As Christians we get into ruts where we don't expect much from God or ourselves. During
those times, everyday life feels like a treadmill in a stuffy gym. No blue skies or fresh air,
nothing miraculous or unexpected. And so we stop paying attention. Imagine how many
opportunities we don't even notice. What can we do to catch more of them?

It starts with communication. Prayer means talking with our heavenly Father, the One who
moved heaven and earth to call us His children. It's about talking to Him but also listening.
Most often He speaks to us through His Word.

The next step is expectation. Like Butler, we need to believe in our God-given ability to
do what He calls us to do no matter how unlikely. Yet, we don't want to limit God to our
ideas. We don't know the best outcome because we can't see the future. Better to pray
with expectancy, rather than specific expectations, and trust God for the right answer.

We also need concentration. Treadmill living makes it hard to pay attention, or stay in the
game. The things we do over and over encourage an autopilot mentality. That's a
dangerous way to live if we want to catch the incredible opportunities God has for us.

"Behold, I will do something new, now it will spring forth; will you 

not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness 

and rivers in the desert" (Isaiah 43:19)

Football is optional in life's big picture. In fact some of us won't watch another game until
next year's Super Bowl. But when it comes to the new things God wants to do in and
through us, I don't want to miss a single play, do you?
 
  

What Are We Afraid Of?

"It's too bad they have to call it that," 6 year old Lily said. "People will be scared of
God and they won't like Him."

My  granddaughter and I had just read how the King of Egypt ordered two midwives
to kill the Hebrew baby boys at birth. To disobey Pharaoh's commands was a life
threatening choice. Still, the midwives continued to help deliver Hebrew babies and
let all of them live. Why?

Because the midwives feared God (Exodus 1:17).    

Their fear of God took away their fear of Pharaoh. Lily and I were impressed with
Shiphah and Puah's willingness to go against the king's orders. From a young age we
learn about the importance of courage in this life. Sooner or later we all need to take a
stand for what's right. Interesting how God fear becomes courage when we act upon it.

But as Lily pointed out, the "fear of the Lord" doesn't draw a crowd. Our first reaction 

to it compares more to our response to okra with mustard greens than say, apple crisp 

alamode. Nothing against okra or mustard greens. I'm sure they're nutritious and even 

tasty in their own way. Even so, most families don't eat them every week or even once 

a month.  

So is the fear of the Lord among many Christians. This fear comes across like the cod
liver oil of Christianity. something most likely good for us, but when it comes to learning
more about it, ahh... maybe another time. But that's only because we don't know what
we're missing.

Like Moses and the burning bush, the Lord drew me to the fear of Him 20 years ago,
and I've been fascinated by it ever since. Some of the amazing things I've learned fill
the pages of my new book, "The Neglected Journey." (Amazon Kindle) A reader
friendly book with relatable, family examples and gentle humor. Yet even though I've
been studying and writing about this fear for years, it feels like I've just scratched the
surface. Proof that when it comes to the things of God, we're all lifelong students at best.      

       

What Are We Waiting For?

Perhaps we aren't waiting for someone to say, "Go pursue your dream." (As I mentioned in the last post.) Still, the years keep passing and we don't get much closer to living our dreams. For many of us, it will take more than January to jar us from the procrastination and discouragement that fits us like a well-worn jacket. So what is stopping us? 

Like my sister, some people regret not finishing their degree. She would like to turn back time and take those higher education opportunities serious. But for her and others it may seem like it's too late for an educational makeover. 

Speaking of too late, others of us are closer to the finish line than the starting line as it relates to the work of our hands. How can we consider a new pursuit as we near the age when most people retire? If we'd just made better choices when we were young and strong.  

In the Christmas classic, It's a Wonderful Life, George Bailey points out the third thing we often let stop us. In a conversation, George asked Clarence the angel how he could help him get him wings.

       "By letting me help you," Clarence said. 
       "You don't have eight thousand bucks on you?" George asked.
       "Oh no, no, we don't use money in heaven."
       "Well, it comes in pretty handy down here, bub." George said.

We can't disagree with George, money does come in handy. But God reveals there's something we need more than education, physical strength, and cash. 

"Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom,

let not the mighty man boast in his might,

let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him 

who boasts boast of this, that he understands 

and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises 

lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness on earth; 

for I delight in these things," declares the Lord. 

(Jeremiah 9:23, 24)  

• Do we let the lack of a university degree stop us when the Creator of the Universe promises to help us? (Psalm 32:8)
• Do we think having lived half a century or more disqualifies us from pursuing the new things nestled in old dreams? Yet God promises to renew our youth like the eagle's (Psalm 103:5).
• Does a low income stir inferior feelings that hold us back when all the silver and gold belongs to our heavenly Father? (Haggai 2:8)  

Taking God's lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness personally is the catalyst that breaks us free. Allowing Him to exercise these blessings on our behalf, changes everything, including our outlook. And it all unfolds as we get to know Him a little more each day. He loves it when we do new things - the good works he prepared for us before we ever took our first step.