Posted on in 2012 Posts

Slow Down, Seek God, Share His Goodness, Trust

I am having a great time watching all of the nature in my yard this year.  As you all may remember, there were robins early this spring that had babies right outside my office window, allowing me a bird’s eye view of their daily lives.  Once they left, I decided to get a hummingbird feeder.  It totally fascinates me to watch such tiny creatures flit around in their world.  After some time of just ants and wasps eating the nectar I lovingly prepared for the hummingbirds, they finally started coming!

These birds are fascinating.  They travel so quickly that you have to really pay attention to get to actually see one in detail.  Even though there is always plenty to go around, if one is on the feeder, another may be seen dive-bombing it so that they can come get a drink!  Jim was able to get a few photos a couple of weeks ago of them at the feeder.  It’s nice that he gets excited about the birds too.  I think I’ve figured out that if the animals are on the outside of the house he likes them way better!

That’s all out the front window.  As I sit on the back side of our house in my office from day-to-day, I’ve been getting a different show.  Last week a little bird started coming up to Lucy’s (the robin) old nest and meticulously taking pieces of grass off of it.  I watched as it returned several times, plucking a piece off the nest and flying away.  I thought he or she must be rushing off to build their own nest somewhere unknown to me.  It seemed to be a little like cheating to take from someone else’s masterpiece rather than finding its own; but nonetheless, it was being resourceful!

After several times of taking a piece here and there, the little bird jumped into the nest and wiggled her belly around as though trying it out for size.  She was much smaller though and could barely see over the edge!When Lucy was building that nest, she did the same thing to mold it to her belly and ensure the fit was just right.  I had to laugh because I thought this poor little bird had been building her nest all day but was tired.  She was probably thinking, “Maybe instead of dismantling the nest already built, maybe she could make it work to fit her and she wouldn’t have to work so hard reinventing the wheel so to speak.”  A little later, she came back with two more birds to show them what she was thinking.  I don’t think they agreed though and soon she was back to plucking pieces from the nest once again.

I am amused at the different personalities of the different birds.  The hummingbird has way more energy and enthusiasm for life than one can fathom while the wren appeared to be looking for an easy way out.  The hummingbird flits from one flower to flower to flower and then to a feeder and buzzzzz, it’s off again all within about fifteen seconds!  Unlike the hummingbird that clears everyone out of the way so they can eat, the wren appeared to enjoy her friends coming alongside and hearing their opinions.

Do these birds bring any humans to mind that you might know?  I’m reminded of the way that we often seek God in our lives while watching these creatures outside my windows.  The hummingbird is trying a little flower here, another over there.  Eventually, it lands on the feeder where it finally relaxes a bit and sucks in the refreshing nutrients prepared especially for it.  The wren on the other hand, appeared to have to have peer approval for everything and was looking for an easier way without all of the dedication and sacrifice required to get to the final reward.  Can you imagine how history might be rewritten if Noah or even Jesus thought this way?

Many of us flit from one thing to another too don’t we?  I’ve seen some who change churches as often as they do underwear.  They get all excited about a program at one church and then before they finish it to completion, something else even more inviting catches their eye and they’re off in another direction.  In the process, there is never really one place they stop and rejuvenate—always on the go, never firmly planted, never really a part of anything but hold a little piece of everything.  No one to ever hold them truly accountable.

On the other hand, there are some who have actually become so comfortable with where they are at, if anyone else comes to try to join them, they are closed off and literally chase them off unwilling to share what God has done for them.  Or perhaps you know some like the wren who want to go behind those who have worked hard and just live off what others have left behind…never rising above mediocrity in their spiritual walks with God.  These types usually seek man and his advice over what God tells them because they’ve never really put the work into developing a trusting relationship with God on their own.  They attend church every Sunday but don’t read their Bible in between and spend time independently in prayer. They don’t really hear God because all of the other voices they are consulting confuse their thinking and perception.

Being a Christian requires us to be firmly planted in our faith.  We can’t be a Christian because our parents were or because we hang out with others who are.  We need to put the hard work into building a nest of faith for ourselves so to speak.  It’s nice to learn from others who have gone before us, discover what worked for them; but ultimately, our relationship with God is personal.  It’s unique between us individually and Him.

It’s OK to flit from thing to thing while you are searching for that relationship with God as long as once you find Him, you stay put and allow Him to feed you the Living Waters that only He can provide.  As a mature Christian, He will ask you to be generous in sharing God’s Goodness you have found in Him.  He doesn’t want us sitting at the feeder getting fat so to speak after we’ve been filled.  He wants us to share what we know to be life-giving and fully satisfying to our soul.  No longer do we need to consult everyone we know before stepping out when God asks us to do something.  If we are truly following God’s leading, He will give us the energy, supplies and know-how to accomplish any task He puts before us.  Although sometimes it is helpful to hear wisdom from Godly friends, in the end we need to listen for God alone.

Are you a hummingbird or wren at heart?  Did some of my words cause you to stop and reflect on the path your Christian walk is taking?  Maybe life for you just needs to slow down a bit, taking time to sip from the cup of that which only God can give.  Perhaps God is saying, “Woooah, wait a minute!  You don’t need ten opinions to whether you should do what you know I am calling you to do!  Just follow Me and trust that you will have everything you need!”  For you see, when we trust and work hard in our relationships, we are rewarded in unimaginable ways.  No one can do it for you though…it’s all up to you.

Ephesians 3:14-19 (NKJV)  For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,  that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man,  that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—  to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Posted on in 2012 Posts

An Update on Peace Mission India

Thanks so much to those who responded to my pleas for help with the building fund for Peace Mission India.  God is blessing and Pastor Roy just sent me a note reporting that they have collected about 25% of the funds they need to build the new orphanage.  Please continue to pray about how you might be able to help if God so leads.  This is truly a ministry on the front lines and one very close to my heart too.  Not only do they have the worries of building funds, but it is the time of year they need to buy uniforms and such for the kids as well for the next school year.

Since my last post, let me tell you a little of what transpired from my blog.  One of the ladies in our church read the blog and was inspired.  She and her husband have a heart for orphans as they have adopted previously and are currently adopting another child right now!  She and another lady from our church as well as me, pulled together a garage sale for the cause.  By telling people about the need, we also received funds from our summer Bible school families along with private donations from others.  Today, I am priveleged to forward a check to the ministry for $1825.00 towards their goal for the orphanage.  How exciting is that?

You know, I would never encourage you to get involved or give to something I didn’t believe in and give to myself.  My daughter and I support one of the kids in the orphanage individually each month to help cover her personal expenses as well.  There are always kids who do not have sponsors so if this is something you’d like to do, I can help get you connected with that side of the ministry too.   I know they need help there as well.  Raising kids is expensive, whether it’s here or there.  It gets even worse when they start going to college with all of the added monies involved.  One hundred percent of every dollar given goes directly to the ministry.  There is no middle man so to speak.  With your monthly donation of between $40-60 a month, you can soley support one of the girls.  The ones in college are usually the $60 a month.  Do you see how far your money goes when it is multiplied in their system?  We couldn’t support and send a child to college on $60 a month here!

Let me know if you want to get involved or need more information.  I would love to tell you all about Peace Mission India and the kids!  Please also keep them in your prayers as they trust God and His people to complete the building in time.  Prayers and blessings to you all!

Posted on in 2012 Posts

Pay Attention or You Might Just Get Boiled!

I hate not being able to stay on schedule.  This week as you may have noticed, my blog entry is late.  I typically always write it on Monday mornings before the week begins and before I am allowed to do anything else.  It’s just a discipline that I’ve put into place to make sure I get it done.  Otherwise, every week would be unpredictable and never on schedule…I know that about me.  However, this week, I had a wrench thrown into the plan and so here I am on Wednesday writing my blog!

Monday, I had to take my car into the dealership because three of my dashboard lights were lit up as of last week.  One of them was an engine light and so I felt an urgency to get it in and be assessed so I didn’t create more damage to the vehicle than it already had.  I absolutely hate taking a car in for repairs.  I always feel as though they see a woman and think, “Easy target, double the price, she’ll never know!”  If you are my FaceBook friend, you probably saw my post saying, “I feel like a lobster in a pot…comfy chairs, all the snacks and beverages I can consume, big screen tv, movie and popcorn upstairs in the cinema…but the heat arises as the clock ticks on learning the fate of my car…”.  Five hours later and another five hundred dollars out the door, I was on my way home with no more lights on the dash.  It was an exhausting day to say the least.

I should mention that when a live lobster is put into the pan to cook, he doesn’t really put up much of a fight.  The water is a pleasant temperature at first and it gradually increases to boiling.  The lobster doesn’t notice he is in danger because it is so gradual and he continues to grow accustomed to the greater temperatures.  Before he knows it though, it is too late and he is cooked.

Last night we went to bed early to read a little before falling asleep.  I had been reading a book titled, “Bring on the Blessings” by Beverly Jenkins for several weeks catching a page here and there.  However, I was determined that I would get the last thirty pages in before I called it a night this time.  The story was endearing but I had had enough and was ready to move on to something else.  I felt as though I had a lot invested in this book that appeared on all accounts to be written from a Christian viewpoint and was eager to reveal a happy ending.  The book ended happily but not without giving me a fitful sleep.  You see, it got to the last few pages and the star of the book was in a crisis.  It said, “(she)…had no card, all she had was a direct line to the Big Sister up above, and so she prayed.”  Ugh, spit, sputter, gag.  I couldn’t believe I had just given time to something that in my eyes utterly disrespected God!  Some of you may buy into the thought that God might be a female, but not me.  There is reference after reference referring to Him as our Father all throughout the Bible.  I don’t have to be a Bible scholar to understand and believe wholeheartedly He’s a male!  If I don’t believe He is a male after reading the Bible, then I probably shouldn’t believe anything else it says either.  I am not sure how much more specific that point could be in the text.  I immediately felt that anything I had read prior was null and void with this one sentence on the third to the last page.

Then it hit me.  Just as I felt like a lobster in a pot at the car dealership with all of the amenities they had provided for my enjoyment while I waited for the dreaded news, I need to have that same discernment when it is not as obvious to me.  I was entertained, energized, and even emotionally affected from time to time with this story that I had been reading all that time.  The title seemed “holy” and even some of the character names were Biblical!  I didn’t ever really give it my full attention because it was a so-so book, but the story was pleasant enough and hopeful so I continued to read.  I remember one time in the middle somewhere that it said something weird about God but I thought it must have been a typo or I read it wrong or something.  Not paying a lot of attention, I just kept moving through the book unconcerned.  I immediately had to ask forgiveness for giving such a writing my time and energy once I realized what I had been reading.  I had to ask myself that if I paid more attention would I have paused and discerned the first time when something written didn’t feel quite right?  Did my hopeless optimism bite me in the behind again?

I wonder though how many times in our Christian walks that we let evil things into our lives without knowing.  Perhaps we’re too busy or not really paying attention enough to actually notice it is there.  Maybe we know there is a chance a situation might not be in our best interest but we continue to hang in there because of all of the comforts and “fun things” that are surrounding it that make us think maybe it really isn’t as bad as we think.  Perhaps like me, you even felt a little stupid when you realized you actually were the “lobster in the pot” so to speak!

My challenge to you this week is that you will ask God to give you His Holy Spirit’s discernment in every situation you are in.  If something doesn’t feel right, chances are, God is saying, “Get out of the pot!”  Perhaps now before picking up a free book off of Amazon, I might stop and look at other things the author has written.  Had I looked around prior to reading the book, I would have certainly been paying more attention to the content I was consuming if I even read it at all.  In Matthew 10:16 (NKJV) the Bible says, Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  That is great wisdom along with a warning to watch out around us, being aware of evil surrounding that will try to suck us in every chance it gets.  My prayer is that this writing will help you in the days ahead as we all push through this world to our final destination…home with our FATHER in heaven.  Be blessed!