Over and Over

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live in the truth. But if we walk in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:5-7 NIV

Funny, how a certain verse comes to your attention over and over. Yesterday I must have read this verse four times: in a devotion, in my Bible reading, the verse of the day, and at Bible study. I guess God wanted me to really receive this message.

When this happens to me I begin to question God, so I can figure out the why. Maybe it was because I was walking in darkness or maybe because I felt lonely, but no that wasn't the reason. At least not for me at this time, right now there a few things going on in my life but none of them are leading me to darkness. Nope, I keep my eye on the light.

Nearest I can figure is I have received this message because I have some friends who are dealing with the darkness. Someone I know has isolated herself in her home since the death of her husband. She can't seem to put one foot in front of the other to leave her house.

Isolation can be good for a time, but we need to fellowship with other believers so that we can be encouraged. My Tuesday night Bible study group brings me encouragement. We meet together and try to muddle through a lesson, mostly we share and encourage each other during the rough times. We get encouraged by each other when we share the good times. This an important part of my life, and when we don't meet I crave it.

Other friends I know are dealing with health or financial issues. It saddens me when Sunday comes around and they don't come to church. They have legitimate excuses, but Sunday after Sunday they find it easier to remain home rather than come fellowship with others. As I sit in service on another Sunday without them there, my heart grieves for them.

Church is such an important part of my life I just can't imagine not attending. There is just something about coming together to worship and learn more about this awesome God of ours. My heart becomes glad and I am able to endure another week with whatever is thrown at me. If it wasn't for the encouragement I receive from others or singing praises to God I don't know how I could get through the darkest days.

So maybe this verse repeated throughout my day was so I could encourage others to try to walk in the light. Trust me the light is much better than the darkness.

An Unknown Error

"Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression." Psalm 19:13 NIV

"Oh no, I can't believe I did that," I gasped as I realized I had driven earlier in the day without my license.

Immediately, I tried to rectify the situation. I texted my husband who had my license. We had recently gone to a concert, and I didn't want to carry my purse so I handed him my license for safe keeping. Apparently, it was still safely tucked away in his wallet.

"I still have your license," came the text from my husband later that day. I had now driven to a class(after his return home) and he was letting me know that once again my license was safely in his wallet and not in mine.

"Oh my, twice in one day this certainly isn't good." Upon my return home my license was finally safely returned to my wallet. One would have thought that would be the end of it.

My next journey out though, I completely forgot my wallet which led me to once again drive without my license on my possession. Oh the shame of my error.

This made me wonder how many times have I made a mistake and not even been aware of it until later? It isn't easy to always make the right decisions or do the right things. This verse is asking the Lord to keep him/her from willfully sinning, helping him/her to make the right choices.

Maybe I can ask the same of the Lord, and hopefully, I won't drive around without my license again or do something I will later regret.

It Came Crashing Down

Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25 NIV

The shelf had been wobbling for awhile now, possibly a couple years. One of the pins that helped hold in it place kept working it's way lose. This was mention to the husband who went to buy new pins, but those were the wrong size. Simple fix right, go back to the store and purchase the right size pins. Unfortunately, this did not happen.

Eventually, the wife switched the dishes on that shelf with dishes on another shelf so it would help make the shelf a little more stable. Still every few days the pin would pop out again. The good news was she became very good a getting the pin back in place.

"The hole is to lose, a new pin won't work. I need to move the shelf down one hole," proclaims the husband.

"Then fix it," replied the wife.

Still the shelf remained broken.

This all came to an end this week. As dishes were put away the pin once again popped out of place, this time it became hidden.The wife was unable to find it.She had hoped all would remain well until this situation could be fixed.

"Crash, shatter, crash, shatter, crash, shatter" came the sounds.

She knew at once the shelf had indeed collapsed and glasses were breaking. Strange though how two didn't shatter to pieces.

Is that how we are? Do we keep putting band-aids on problems? Do we quickly fix it hoping it will just somehow go away? Then one day we come crashing down shattering into millions of pieces, or some how we remain intact when the inevitable happens.

I guess it depends on how strong our faith is in God. As soon as a problem arises do we take it immediately to Him? The one who can save or help us fix the problem. Or do we just try and fix it ourselves? Or do we try the wrong solution and never try the right one?

With God all things are possible, He may not fix it the way you would like. He though knows what's best for us and we can become the glass that hits the floor but remains intact.

Here We Go Again

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. Those have come so that your faith--may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory, and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7 NIV

To me it was a rather simple appointment, simply one test to confirm what I suspected I had. Unfortunately, this was not the case. I ended up with a more thorough exam taking much longer than I planned. This resulted in another test a few days later to confirm what the doctor suspected.

Fifteen years ago I was also in an exam room, this time I knew I had a problem so when the extra tests were needed I wasn't surprised. Of course when a doctor mentions tumor or cysts one's mind goes to the "C" word. The word most of us fear, especially when the night before someone shared she has the dreadful "C" word.

My journey fifteen years ago resulted in a surgery and the removal of a fibroid cyst the size of a basketball. It was my first trip to the hospital when the removal of something wasn't a baby. Luckily for me, this cyst was non-cancerous.

Fear once again returned with this recent trip the doctor, this time I had no idea there was this type of problem. Of course now after researching online, most of the symptoms I've had all line up with what the doctor suspected. For me the news of more cysts came as a relief, since I thought it was just a sign of getting older.

Now the question is what lies ahead? I know the Lord will guide me as to the right choices to make. For now I am going to try some natural methods of dealing with these pesky invaders of my body and hopefully no surgeries will be needed. I am greatly relieved it isn't the "C" word.

I know I'm not the only one who has had to deal with these cysts or any type of illness. I know some have lost their fight with illnesses. This little trial isn't really going to be to big a deal in the overall scheme of things. I will try to rejoice as I face what lies ahead, because my faith is genuine I have hope that I will overcome all things with God by my side.

Don't Push My Buttons

But I tell you, Do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. Matthew 5:39 NIV

The tension in the room grew deeper as one after another began to feed on each other's anger. Why is it when someone gets angry the rest of us want to follow?

This reminds me of a demonstration a friend of mine used to do to show her kids how easy it is for anger to grow. She'd slap one hand and then the other until soon the hands were fighting, and then she'd show a different way. Again she'd slap her one hand, but instead of the other slapping back it would softly pat the other hand until soon neither hand one be slapping-all would be calm.

At times when trying to discipline the kids in my care, I will have to yell at a child who is doing wrong and of course he/she will deny any wrong doing. Soon I find myself in a debate with this child and my anger is rising. I've fallen into the slapping hands trap. I find it much calmer to say what I need to say and leave it there, if the child continues then a time-out trip is in order.

The other night my husband found himself in this trap. When turning into an intersection, he failed to see a person trying to catch the left turn light. He ended up cutting off this driver. The driver of the other car blared his horn and flashed his lights while we waiting for the next light to turn green. After my husband proceeded to go all was well until 1/2 mile down the road when the driver he had cut off decided to pull in front of us slamming on his brakes. Luckily, he was able to stop in time. Instead of just letting it go though, my husband decided to blast his horn and flash his lights.

Why do we feel the need to retaliate? Why can't we just turn the other cheek? Why can't we softly pat back?

Jesus clearly tells us to resist the evil by not falling into the temptation of retaliation. Still there is something in us that pulls us to be in the right, no matter the circumstance.

As hard as it maybe I am going to continue to try and turn the other cheek, and let God deal with those who push my buttons.

Be Good for Goodness Sakes

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NIV

This morning the news showed a billboard that the American Atheists have displayed. It shows Santa telling people, "Go ahead skip church! Just be good for goodness' sake. Happy Holidays!"

I find this rather funny because to have Santa on the billboard means an acknowledgement of Christmas, because Santa comes on Christmas. To acknowledge Christmas one must admit that God sent a baby as a gift for all of us.

They're website says, "We want people to know that going to church has absolutely nothing with being a good person. The things that are most important during the holiday season--spending time with loved ones, charity, and being merry--having nothing to do with religion."

True enough one doesn't need to go to church to be a good person. There are plenty of people out there. Good people who have never set foot in a church. The point of attending church though is to be with other believers and worship God. To a group who doesn't acknowledge God this would be hard to understand. A belief in God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit just helps us to get through the hard times.

The news also shared about a group of teenagers who were in an accident last night, ironically they were on their way to church. Unfortunately, one of the teenagers lost his life and the two others are clinging to life. The father of the teen who died shared on Facebook about his devastation and how he will cling to his faith that one day they will be together again in the arms of Jesus.

That's what this season is really about faith, hope, and love.  It's not about religion. Jesus wasn't born a Methodist, Baptist, Lutheran or Catholic. Jesus was born a Jew in a stable. He is the promised Messiah the one God told Isaiah, Micah, and Zechariah to tell about. He was born just as God said. He is God's gift of love.

He came to become the sacrificial lamb, so that we could enter heaven when we die. Then we can be in the arms of Jesus and be reunited with those who believed and accepted before us. That's what our hope is.

We celebrate Christmas because we have a faith, a belief in things not seen or have to be proven. So that's why we go to church to worship our God and celebrate all that He has done for us. Because we know we can never be good enough no matter how good we are. We understand there are good people in all walks of life just like there are bad people in all walks of life.

So this Christmas I will be in church not because of religion but because of faith. I will indeed be celebrating with loved ones, giving to charities, and well being Merry not because of an obligation but because I believe!
So Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night.

No Decorations

"While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger because there was no room for them in the inn." Luke 2:6-7 NIV

A barn, a stable, a cave...whatever it was it was a place for animals to be protected. There wasn't a Christmas tree or stockings hung by a chimney with care. There was sheep, most likely a donkey, possibly a cow, and whatever other animals who were someone's property. There were no twinkling lights and no Santa.

Just a husband and his wife giving birth to a baby. Not just any baby, but the promised baby who would one day save the world.

This is indeed my favorite time of year. I love to go through the boxes and boxes of Christmas decorations we have collected over the years. I enjoy looking at each ornament as I place them on the tree remembering when my children were little. Christmas bears once again fill my living room. The house once again smells of pine.

Decorating can be a lot of fun, maybe that's why some of us like to start before Thanksgiving has even come. We just can't wait to get our house ready. But what are we getting it ready for? The expectation of an elf or Santa? Or are we getting it ready to remember that first Christmas so long ago?

It's great to see people excited for Christmas. It is a special day. It'd be great though if the excitement could last past December 25, because really that is just the beginning of the Christmas season. It really should last until at least Three Kings Day. A day when we remember the wisemen visiting Jesus with gifts.

We shouldn't be ready to pack the decorations away just as soon as December 25th is done. We should allow the excitement to continue through at least the New Year. After all a birth of a baby is worth celebrating a few days at least.