Category: 2011 Posts

Posted on in 2011 Posts

Sacrifice–The Hardest 9-Letter Word I’ve Ever Known

Yesterday, on 9-11’s 10th anniversary, I attended a call to duty ceremony for my son who is being sent to Afghanistan for a year with the Army National Guard.  There are so many emotions, at least for me, that arise just by thinking about 9-11 and all of the tragedy that occurred on that day.  Then, to add my son being sent into a war zone on the same day, it was a bit overwhelming.  I found myself unable to control the tears when they played the national anthem, as I felt the strong sense of appointment my son had been given to protect our land and serve those who can’t help themselves.

Even now that my son is 30 years old, I still feel the pain of sending him into lands unknown and into dangerous situations.  When we raise our children, we have hopes and dreams for them.  Never in my wildest  dreams did I dream of my son going to war, even when he marched around our house in fatigues pretending to be a soldier at a young age.

Seeing my son deployed, by far, is one of the hardest things as a parent I have ever endured.  He has done it a couple of times before and every time, I hope and pray it is his last.  As I reflect on my pain and fear in this situation, I was thinking about God.  Oh, how His heart must’ve grieved when He knew that the only thing that was going to save all of creation was to send His Son onto the battlefield to die for the sins of others.  I can’t begin to even imagine His pain.  I know.   He is God.  He can see to the end of the story and know that it all comes out well. However, to know that you were purposely sending your Son to suffer and die would be gut-wrenching no matter who you are.  It goes against every grain in our body to want to see our children suffer.

Although it’s not me leaving my spouse and small children to go across the seas to fight against someone else’s bad decisions, I am beginning to understand the sacrifice that is made.  I see my granddaughters ask daily, “Where’s daddy?  Is he coming home tonite?  Does he still love us?  Why isn’t he here?”  Then there’s his wife that carries the load of two parents, so that her husband can go defend our country and keep it safe.  I see the pain in my son’s eyes when he reflects on the reality he will be missing Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the girls’  birthdays next year, too.  These are all special blessings we enjoy as our families come together and celebrate on these occasions.

My son’s sacrifice is big.  I am forever grateful for those serving in our military who daily give of their time, talents, and sometimes their lives, to keep those of us here in the U.S. safe from the enemy.  I am also thankful for their spouses who stand by them in their call to duty.

God’s sacrifice is incomprehensible.  How grateful I am that God loved us enough that He was willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for you and I.  I’m not sure that if I were faced with His decision to send His son to die, that I could’ve made that one, no matter how many people would be saved in the process.  I have plans for my son to go and come back just as He went—happy, healthy, and all in one piece—without any suffering.

In Jeremiah 29:11 the NIV version says, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  Can we not trust the One who was willing to sacrifice it all so that we could have hope and a future?  Does this not say to us even when we don’t feel God’s presence near us that He loves us more than we can ever know? He wants the best for us even when we can’t see it sometimes. How can we question the One that was willing to sacrifice His Son’s life for us?

I pray that you never have to send a child into war or other sacrificial circumstances, but if you do, remember this.  Your pain is nothing that your God in heaven hasn’t felt or understood.  His heart grieves for you and your children as He truly knows your pain.  When the call to duty comes to you in the days, weeks, months ahead, are you willing to make the sacrifice?  Perhaps God will ask you to forego a vacation and pass the money along to an unemployed friend instead.  Maybe He’s saying, ”You can drive that junker one more year so you can give a little more to your church this year so the pastor can finally be full-time.  He may even want you to sell all you own and move to Africa to the mission field, yourself!  Or, He may just be asking for 10 minutes of your time every morning to spend with Him.  What is it He’s asking of you?  Are you motivated to give Him your all after taking time to reflect on all He’s done on your behalf?  I am. Here I am Lord, send me. (Isaiah 6:8)

Posted on in 2011 Posts

One thing no one wants to talk about…

“Honey, can you please come wash my right armpit so I can get ready for work?”  Sad, but true, this has been a recent conversation in our household lately!  Seriously, I don’t make this stuff up!  The truth is, we all have stinky armpits at one time or another…come on…admit it, yours stink too sometimes!

I was thinking about this scenario today in my warped little mind and related it to our Christian walks.  Some of us are walking around with stinky armpits every day and think no one is noticing.   We may have lived stinky for so long, we may not even notice anymore.  Rest assured,  those who pass by us at any given time will notice though!  Some might tell us about our odor and others may hold their nose, look the other way, and run away as fast as they can before taking another breath of fresh air.

Others know their armpits stink, but can’t reach them like I can’t right now after elbow surgery, and are afraid or embarrassed to ask for  some help in getting it cleaned and smelling good.  Therefore, there is a wafty trail of body odor around them that is slightly detectible when you get real close.  Perhaps it’s a hidden sin or addiction they just can’t take care of themselves.  You know it’s there, you just can’t put your finger on it.

Others walk around all week without a bath and on Saturday night right before going to bed, they take their weekly soak and scrub those  pits good so everyone at church the next day won’t know they were stinky at all throughout the week.

And then there are those who religiously wash every day, whether they need it or not to ensure they are clean and fresh all the time!  The ones who take time with God every day to “clean up” the “smells” in their lives, and put on some fresh garments to start their day out right!

Which one are you?  I guess misery loves company so if I can’t wash my right armpit right now without assistance, I want to ensure there are others on this path alongside me!  LOL! Seriously.  Which one are you?  Is your life stinky?  Is someone else’s that you know stinky but you just haven’t wanted to get close enough to help as you just bathed this morning and are smelling good?  Are you a Sunday Christian?  Or are you the one who’s  trying to do the right thing, but just needs a little help?

I’d like to think that we could all be the Christian who is clean and smelling good every day.  A Christian that stands out in the crowd as being different—clean, smelling good, and something everyone else around would want to be.  One that isn’t afraid to get near the stinky people because they understand that if they didn’t wash daily, they’d be just as stinky as them.  Hopefully we’re Christians who know how to clean up, stay clean and aren’t afraid to share our secret with others.

The choice is ours everyday…will we wash or will we be stinky?  It’s all up to you!  Don’t be afraid to ask for a little help if you need it.  God will send someone with His love and compassion to help you through the stinky times, without judging your current condition.

If nothing else from this silly illustration, I would like you to never be able to wash your armpit again without being reminded of God’s  grace–where you were without Christ, where you are now, all while prayerfully considering who you can share God’s hope and redemption with today!  Be blessed and stink-free!

Posted on in 2011 Posts

Why blog?

I’ve spent a lifetime trying to find my purpose and follow my passion. I think you can probably relate on some level as this seems to be a common struggle.   I have been a Christian for nearly 28 years and most of that time, I have wanted to write a book and share God’s goodness with everyone that comes my way.  It has literally taken those 28 years for God to get me to sit down long enough to write though, sadly to say.  I’ve been told by many I have a gift when I stand before an audience and speak.  I believe it is God given and I don’t want to ever take that for granted.  My prayer is that someone will buy my book someday and ask me to come speak encouragement to their friends and community.

Last fall, I began finding my energy levels leaving me.  In the past, I have been told perhaps I needed to be medicated because I never sat still for any period of time…I was always in motion onto my next great adventure.  When I started slowing down last fall, I began writing.  “Finally!,” I can hear God saying!  I know, God!  I tried several times, but it just never came.  But this past fall, it finally did.  God was blessing me with words to share and preparing me for the days ahead by giving me this time to reflect and get my life priorities in order.

Little did I know that my dwindling energy levels were actually going to take me to a place of non-activity for about 4 months this year.  It got so bad, all I was doing was going to doctor appointments and tests, and then running back home for a nap, as that was all I could accomplish in a day.  I couldn’t even enjoy an hour browsing the aisles of one of my favorite stores as it was more than my body was capable of doing at the time.

We’re still looking for answers, but as of 3 weeks ago tomorrow, I miraculously was back to normal.  All of the meds I was on were instantly no longer needed and I had a new lease on life.  I can say I was literally HIGH on life as I now knew what it was to not have my health and energy that I was accustomed to having all those years.  I now understand the blessing and grace I have been given through this life experience.

During my time of quiet, I was faced with fears of “Is this cancer?  Is this going to be what takes me out of this world?”  Secretly, if it were a tumor, I was hoping for a 30 pound benign tumor in my abdomen that would be removed and instantly, I would have my teenage figure back again!  LOL!  Truthfully, I was scared.  Not that I was scared to die–I look forward to heaven someday.  However, I was concerned that if I got there now, I had not done everything God had intended for me to do while on this earth.  I vowed, if I made it out of this one, I would work hard to finish my book and get moving on telling the world the message I was intended to share a long time ago, perhaps.

So why blog?  I think you know.  I am almost finished with my book that I am thinking about naming, “I’m Just Trying to Be a Blessing!” as those who know me know, it is one of my favorite lines.  I need to know that someone out there will hear my message and care to read it.  God hasn’t taken me through the tough life lessons I’ve been through to just keep the wisdom gained all to myself.  Rather, I think He has a plan.  Hopefully a plan that will bless you and encourage your walk in Christ.

You’ll have to excuse me if I make light of something you think I should take seriously.  I have found in my lifetime that not worrying over things is healthy.  If I can find the humor in my life situations, no matter how awful it may seem at the time, I win.  Laughter heals a lot of things and I try to keep it flowing as life hands me more than I really wanted or asked for in my time here.  So, with God’s grace, let’s take the time to look at life, disect it, and find the fun, no matter what we might be facing.  I pray that my words are inspirational along your life’s journey because…I’m just trying to be a blessing!