May 31, 2018

Break the Chains of Doom

Some sat in darkness, in utter darkness, prisoners suffering in iron chains.

– Psalm 107:10

But if people are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, he tells them what they have done – that they have sinned arrogantly. – Job 36:8-9

Because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.

– Luke 1:78-79

He is a most negative person. I’ve stopped inquiring about how he’s doing. Honestly, I don’t want to hear it. Do you understand what I’m saying? Do you have someone like that in your life?

It’s not that I don’t care. I do. It’s just that his total lack of hope, his inability to see anything good in his world, directly contrasts with the faith he claims lives in his heart. That bothers me. It really does.

He’s a good person. And, yes, he’s had stuff happen that has been hard. But he’s also had a lot of good too. Sometimes I think he misses that because his focus is on the bad.

Aren’t we much the same? We obsess over what’s gone wrong and brush off all that’s gone right. We hang on to mistakes and problems and hurt long after we should have given them to God and moved on.

We can’t count our blessings because we’re too busy looking at all that’s missing. We focus on what we can’t change, what we can’t fix, and miss what we can control. Like our attitude.

Satan loves to bind us in chains of despair. He loves to tell us again and again how awful our lives are, how others have wronged us, how futile our attempts to change can be. Satan wants to steal our hope.

But he can’t. Not unless we let him. Because Jesus is our hope. Jesus came to pay for all the wrongs we’ve committed and make us right with God. Jesus sent His Spirit to guide us. Jesus walks with us every step of every day.

We are not only to live in the light, we are to be the light. How can we do that when all we see is darkness? How can we show others Jesus when we can’t see Him ourselves?

This man is quick to tell others about the wonders of this beautiful world. But when it comes to his own life? Well, he doesn’t see anything good in it. I see his beautiful wife. Yes, she suffers from an illness but she is sweet and kind. I see the son who has made wrong choices but I also see the son who is excelling at the college of his dreams. I see the nice house, the good job, the fishing trips and other good things in his life. He sees the lack. I see the abundance.

That’s something else that’s true in our own lives. You don’t think so? Are you lustful for the new car your neighbor got? Do you want to remodel your kitchen like your co-worker? Do you long for the latest gadget, the promotion, the dream vacation someone else just took?

It’s great to have dreams but not when those dreams of tomorrow keep us from enjoying the blessings of today. Jesus came to break the chains of doom and set us free to live in His light. Why can’t we see that? Why can’t we live our lives basking in the light of His love? We can. If we will.

January 28, 2018

Animals Teach Us About Love

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you.” – Job 12:7-8

Our hearts are broken. An animal rescue in a nearby town burned during the night. One of the rescuers died, as did numerous animals. Other rescues have rushed to the aid of the 27 animals that survived.

Why? How could this happen? It is just so sad that tragedy could and would strike something so good.

The answers will come in the days and weeks ahead. No doubt, fire officials will determine the actual cause. The kind, devoted woman who died will be buried. The surviving animals will be cleaned and treated and loved on, with many people giving of themselves to help these poor creatures overcome the trauma caused by the fire.

Then what? Does life ever go back to normal? What is normal anyway?

My three dogs all came from kill shelters. The oldest was a stray that was picked up by animal control. The first time we were in the pasture when a car went down a bordering dirt road I knew how he came to be a stray. He took off running after that car, completely ignoring my calls to stop. Fortunately, the property is completely fenced so he was never in any danger. And, yes, he’s gotten much better at following commands and not running after vehicles.

My middle dog was just a puppy when she came to be mine. We had lost a dog to cancer and the dog that is now my oldest was lonely. The veterinarian recommended a puppy for him so that’s what he got. She is jet black, with a ferocious bark. She is my protector and the one who rarely leaves my side. She is a sweetheart.

She was not the unanimous choice to bring home. My mother wanted a “pretty” one, maybe grey or spotted. She really wanted a different breed. But I was determined to get the black Labrador/Weimaraner puppy. Black dogs are generally the last adopted. I wanted a dog that was least likely to get adopted.

My baby was on death row. He was about six months old and an owner surrender. That’s something I will never understand. Adoption is forever. But that’s a topic for a different time. The puppy that came in with him had been euthanized two days earlier. This little guy was living on borrowed time.

No one wanted him. No one. Can anyone else relate? So I brought him home with me. He is beautiful, loving, and a bundle of energy. He was just what all of us needed in our season of grief.

Why am I telling you all this? If we truly want to experience the earthly version of God’s unconditional love for us, the best way is with a dog. They teach us how to love and to put others before ourselves. They show us what loyalty looks like. And forgiveness. They remind us of the simple things in life – a good meal, a warm bed, hugs and kisses from those you love.

Every dog deserves a home where he/she is loved. That’s what pet rescues work so tirelessly to accomplish. They take in strays and save as many as they can from kill shelters. They spend large amounts of money on medical bills to heal and care for as many animals as they can.

So today remember those who are lost. And reach out to those who live. Caring for animals can teach us and heal us in ways nothing else can.

May 17, 2016

God Is The Best Friend We Have

11 When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. 12 When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. 13 Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. -- Job 2:11-13

Goosie was really excited to meet her nine new friends today. She walked around and around the pen, talking loudly to them. They spoke back too.

I wanted to let Goosie into the pen with the others but I was worried about her. What if the nine turned on poor Goosie?

We made the decision to let her into the pen. I had no need to worry about Goosie. She was just fine -- as she attacked the other geese. She latched on to one poor goose and the two went round and round. I got quite firm with her. She ignored me. But she did eventually let go.

Things are calm now. They have made a peace of sorts. Eventually we’ll turn them all out and it will be Goosie who shows the new geese the pond and all the ins and outs of living here. It’s what friends do.

Job had lost everything but his life and his God. His friends hurried to comfort him. Those who have read the book of Job know that those same friends criticized him, admonishing Job to confess whatever he’d done to deserve all that had befallen him.

That had to be hard for Job to hear. When tough times come along, we expect support and comfort from those closest to us. Sometimes we are fortunate and they step up. Other times they let us down.

Not all criticism is intended to harm. Job’s friends thought they were helping. But sometimes the best intentions come for all the wrong reasons. And sometimes the “best intentions” are merely an opportunity to attack.

There’s no hurt that goes so deep as that hurt which comes from those closest to you. Sometimes it’s the betrayal of a spouse. Maybe it’s being abandoned by a parent. It might be rejection by the person you thought was your best friend.

Life has taught me how to empathize just a bit with Job. I have learned to rely on God and God alone for guidance and support and love. He is true and faithful. His love never wavers. That’s important in a world where betrayal sometimes comes from those who are closest to us.

April 24, 2016

Pray For Your Pastor

19 Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should. -- Ephesians 6:19-20

How often do you pray for your pastor? Seriously. How often do you lift your pastor up in prayer?

For most of us, the answer is “not often.” I’m not sure why but it is one area where I simply fail. I know better so I’m not sure why I’m not consistently doing this.

Maybe it’s because we assume deep inside that pastors are covered with some type of special grace. Maybe we don’t think they need our prayers. They do need prayers because their job is hard.

It’s not about showing up on Sunday and Wednesday nights. Though sermons and studies are important, that really is a small part of what they do.

Most pastors also function as CEO of the church and deal with the day to day issues that come up. There are budgets and staff and maintenance and all sorts of things needing their attention.

And that’s before you get to the people. Somebody is always in the middle of a fuss with somebody else. Pastors are seen as good mediators. Frankly, I’d get tired and cranky just dealing with all the squabbles.

Then there are those who come to the church seeking help. Some people are truly in need. Others simply try to play the Christian card and get a handout. Nobody wants to be an enabler and nobody wants to turn someone away who truly has a need. It’s a fine line and one most pastors walk frequently.

We can’t forget all of us. The flock. We get sick. We die. We divorce. And we never do it when it’s convenient. Our current pastor literally got up in the middle of the night and drove 35 miles to pray with me in the ICU waiting room I certainly didn’t expect it. I hadn’t asked her to come. But I was so grateful.

Isn’t that always true? When you’re going through something awful, you want your pastor there with you. Somehow their presence helps strengthen us, their prayers mean the world to us.

So we all should pray for our pastors. Pray that they’ll find the words they need to inspire new generations to follow Christ. Pray that they’ll find the balance between their own family and the church family they serve. Pray for workers to help them carry the load. Pray for strength and wisdom.

Today is Sunday. Have you prayed for your pastor? Then stop and do it now.

March 10, 2015

Word Games Don't Excuse Dishonesty

 

But it is the spirit in a man,

the breath of the Almighty, that gives him understanding.

It is not only the old who are wise,

not only the aged who understand what is right.

-- Job 32:8-9

Wisdom doesn't always come from those in leadership roles. In fact, sometimes that is the last place we find it. Leaders get caught up in their power and fail to recognize they are merely the conduit for God's will. Let the games begin.

"Did you ask the pastor to leave?"
"No. Absolutely not."
Did you ask the pastor to find a new job?"
"Well, yes."
"Then you told the pastor to leave."

A local church (not my own) recently forced their pastor to resign. It has split the church wide open, with lifelong members leaving. The governing body, composed mostly of men who have been around forever it seems, follows no rules and disregards those who compose the body of the church. It is not the first time they have forced a pastor out. It is not the first time members have left because of it. But it is the first time so many of the church members have walked away.

It really isn't so much that the pastor is leaving. It happens. He is a good man with a good family. You could even make the argument that it is time for a fresh start. What has upset so many is the way it was done.

As an outsider looking in, (though I was once an insider) I am appalled at the dishonesty. If you want to make a change, make it. Don't lie about it. Don't play word games. Who do you think you are fooling? Not the people, for sure. And, most importantly, not God.

The pastor isn't the reason the church isn't growing. This church has been through this same argument before, when yet another pastor was forced to leave. It is the governing body that turns people away. If you were not raised in that church, if you don't have a long history there, you truly are not welcome. Oh, they'll smile and be nice. They'll take your money and your covered dish. But do not expect to ever have a voice in leading the church. Do not expect to be welcomed as a teacher or leader of any sort. They hold those positions, that power, closely. And that is what turns people away.

I am now a member of a church with a welcome mat out by the door, if not literally then figuratively. They welcome involvement from everyone. New members are encouraged to join a committee, participate in classes, give input as well as provide labor and tithes. When you feel part of the family, you invest yourselves and your heart into the body of Christ.

I am so sorry for all that has happened at this church down the road. I care so much for the pastor and his family and for many, many of the people who attend. But playing word games, won't change anything. Failing to take responsibility for your actions won't either.

Honesty works. Praying to God and following His lead is the only way to restore unity. That means eliminating pride and making the changes necessary to follow God is all things -- including who the pastor should be.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Actively Show You Care

When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. -- Job 2:11

He talked on and on and on, as though he just needed a fresh ear to hear what he had to say. The good news was not there. She was getting worse, not better. But they had found peace and strength in God and knew that whatever happened would be His will.

I had called to check on her, on them really. Because when two people have been married for so many years, nothing happens to one without also happening to the other. Her illness had spiraled them both downward, onto a path they never expected to take

Her sister had come to stay a few days, he explained. She’d provided a change of pace, a change of scenery if you will. Folks at church just weren’t stopping by, he said. Most explained that they didn’t think she was “up to visitors.” What they meant was, they weren’t up to visiting.

Some people excel at visiting sick people. Most of us do not. We don’t know what to say, or not say. We aren’t sure of the rules because, really, there aren’t any rules. Every person is different and every situation is different.

Mornings are best, he explained. By afternoon, she was just too tired to do anything but lay back in the recliner. But she loves company, he said. What I heard was that he welcomes any relief from the endless days of caregiving to someone who likely will only get worse.

Another dear friend is also facing a tough battle. Without divine intervention, cancer will likely claim her life. But not until it has finished ravaging her body with pain and her soul with anguish. Visitors are just too much. They are private people and the strength to put on a “good face” is more than they can bear.

I respect their unspoken request. It is sad. Because both couples could gather strength from the prayers, visits and ministering of people who care for them.

Therefore encourage each other with these words.

-- 1 Thessalonians 4:18

Of course, there is always someone who has dire stories to tell. Why does a serious illness make some want to “one up” the pain and agony of the sick person? A breast cancer patient will hear of those who didn’t survive. The heart patient will hear of repeated attacks. The arthritis patient will hear of endless pain and no help from anyone.

Words of comfort are such a joy. Prayer for God’s Presence in the midst of it all are welcome. Explanations aren’t necessary because, honestly, there is no explanation. Things happen and they’re awful. Being told that it is “God’s will” that your loved one is dying hurts. And it isn’t true. We live in a fallen world and bad things happen but God never wills pain on His children.

He does, however, promise to be with us every step of the way. He promises to comfort us and strengthen us. And as His people, how can we do any less? How can we ignore those who are sick and hurting because we are filled with excuses and unease?

Take a minute today to call and check on someone who is sick or injured. Send a note. Take a casserole. Call and then stop by for a brief visit. People need to know you care. You show it by your presence and your actions, not by empty words of intent.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

God Always Answers Our Prayers

“But true wisdom and power are with God; counsel and understanding are his.“ -- Job 12:13

Have you ever given up on God? Have you ever prayed and prayed and prayed and felt God either didn’t hear you or didn’t care? Has God ever told you “no” when you asked for your heart’s desire?

Welcome to the world of unanswered prayers. It happens to all of us. We ask God for something we really, really want and we don’t get the answer we wanted. Or expected. Because isn’t God supposed to fulfill our requests?

Not really. We’re not here for our own glory but for His. Not that God doesn’t want good things for us. He does. It’s just that sometimes the best answer is the one we don’t want to hear.

Have you ever been thankful that God said “no?” Probably. Most of us can look back and be so very glad that God chose a different spouse for us, a different job, a different road. We’re glad that He knew best. We’re not always glad to admit we were wrong and He was right -- again.

God’s ways are not our ways. How many times have you heard that? It doesn’t make it any less true. He sees the big picture and we only see what is in our immediate world. Our fallen world. Our world where people get sick, where evil runs rampant, where people hurt each other.

For example, God always heals us when we are sick. We are His children and He loves us. Sometimes God takes away the cancer, repairs the heart, fixes whatever is broken, while we still live on this earth. Other times God calls us home for healing. But He always heals. We forget that sometimes.

God also always provides us a way no matter the circumstances. We get in a hurry and try to fix it ourselves. We believe someone else rather than waiting for a word from God. Or we take a different path rather than the path He has chosen for us. We’ll find that out. And He’ll pick us up and help us back to the right path, the one He chose for us.

So does God always answer our prayers? Absolutely. We just don’t always hear what He has to say. We’re too busy telling Him what we want from Him to hear what He thinks about it all. Where is that relationship when we treat God as a vending machine rather than a Heavenly Father who loves us so very much?

God is filled with wisdom and caring, with kindness and understanding. He is all-powerful and all-wonderful. And He wants us to come to Him with requests and concerns. But He also wants us to hear Him and follow Him. So take time to listen, really listen, to God. He’ll bless you in ways you can’t begin to imagine.

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Loving God Doesn’t Cause Tragedies

Wisdom belongs to the aged, and understanding to those who have lived many years.“ -- Job 12:12

How can a loving, all-powerful God allow so much suffering in this world He created? It’s a question that has haunted the nights of many people as they attempt to reconcile a God of love with the suffering in our world.

There’s actually a term for this: theodicy. We want to understand why God won’t erase our pain. We want Him to send in His angels to protect our loved ones. We want Him to prevent the natural disasters and horrible atrocities that litter our world.

And He doesn’t.

We also want free will. We want to make our own choices and control our own destinies. We just want God to protect us from anything bad. It doesn’t work that way. God has graciously granted us free will but that means He allows us to make our own decisions, including bad ones. Otherwise, we’d just be puppets and not real people at all.

A loving God would never plan a rape and murder. He wouldn’t leta child get sick and die for some unknown greater good. He just wouldn’t. To think otherwise goes against everything God is.

We forget sometimes that we live in a fallen world. Eve had a choice and she chose to take the apple. Adam also had a choice and he chose to eat it. This sounds so simple and it was. But it came with devastating consequences that will linger until Jesus returns.

So we suffer. Why did we ever think we wouldn’t? The Bible is filled with God’s people who have gone through so much. Just read the book of Job. He loved God and yet he lost everything -- but God. He remained and restored Job, giving him a new family and greater possessions.

So what about illness? What about natural disasters? I once had a co-worker, an environmental reporter, who claimed we’d one day all die from the air we were breathing in that Texas town. I’m sure that was an exaggeration but look around. We’re destroying this planet. Of course we’re sick.

As for natural disasters, many of those are needed to keep earth where it will sustain life. I’m not a scientist. I won’t attempt to explain what I can barely understand myself. But just as the earth needs rain and sun, so does it need other fits of nature. And sometimes those things claim lives and destroy everything in their paths.

God is who we hold onto when tragedy strikes. We can either blame Him for human decisions or we can cling to Him for shelter in the storm. He grieves with us. He understands. And He loves us. Perhaps time and age teaches us that we can withstand the tide is only we cling to the rock.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Animals Teach Us So Much

“Ask the animals and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.” -- Job 12:7

The newborn black calf was lost. He didn’t know where his mama was. He didn’t even know for sure who his mama was. He only knew he was hungry and standing in mud and water.

So I reached down and rubbed him. He leaned against me. I comforted him as best I could. Then we headed toward his mama -- and his twin. This new mama was overwhelmed. She understood that she had two babies. I was thankful for that. But she didn’t know what to do with one, much less two.

I asked God to please help us get the mama and her two babies around to a pen. He did. I tried to give the little one who got lost a bottle. It didn’t work out too well. His mama appeared to step on him just before that. She’s didn’t mean to. I pray she didn’t hurt him. I finally left the little family, with plenty of food and water for mama.

Some things are just in God’s hands. I know my heart will break if the little calf doesn’t make it. But I also know that only God can save him. I can do my part. I can prepare bottles and feed the calves. I can feed their mama. But I can’t make them strong enough to survive. That’s in God’s hands.

“For the life of every living thing is in his hand, and the breath of all humanity.” -- Job 12:10

Animals can teach us so much about life, about dealing with heartache and hope and promise. And animals can teach us how little we really can control about our world and those we love. We are all at God’s mercy. He cares for us and we call out to Him. But the choice is His.

I was tempted to bring this little fellow who needed nourishment to the house with me. I grew up bottle-feeding calves. I know how to do that. I figured he could stay in the backyard with the two dogs. Except our older dog is sick with cancer and I knew she couldn’t handle the added stress of a newborn.

So I chose the needs of one over the needs of another. I wonder how often God has to do that. He cares for all His children but what happens when we both want the same thing and there’s only one thing to go around? He has to choose. How hard that must be, to allow one child’s heart to be broken even as another celebrates.

I am thankful that I don’t have to make the choices that God makes every day. I’m thankful that He is in charge. And I’m so grateful that God will watch over that mama cow and her babies tonight. I pray that He’ll strengthen that little family and that all three will thrive in the coming days. They are in His hands and He cares for them, just as He cares for me and you.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Pets Teach Us About Life

“Ask the animals, and they will teach you. Ask the birds of the sky, and they will tell you.”

-- Job 12:7

God has given me many wonderful gifts but few have touched my heart like the animals He has placed in my care. They have taught me so much about unconditional love, sacrifice, and gratitude. They have filled my life with love and laughter.

On Monday I learned that my beautiful Labrador/retriever mix has a cancerous tumor growing in her shoulder. Amputation is not an option. We can only do what we can to ease her pain, try and protect her from a leg fracture and monitor for the likely time when the tumor will spread to her lungs. I am heartbroken.

It’s not the first time I’ve faced such sad news. I have lost other dogs, other companions, other sweet faces that live still in my heart. But I am not ready for this one. Will I ever be ready?

This little bundle of joy had arrived at my parents home two days before I made the cross-country move. I held her in my arms until she became too big to carry. She was my security blanket, my joy, in a world that was uneven and unhappy. I’m not sure I would have survived those first months without that little girl.

God knew that. It was why she was there. A gift when I needed it most. A reminder of His unconditional love.

She’d been limping and we’d taken her several times to the doctor. She’s 10 and that’s the age for arthritis. The doctors would give her a shot each time and she seemed to get better. But not this last time. I knew something was really wrong. I insisted on an x-ray. The result was something I’d never imagined. A cancerous tumor was already destroying the bone in her shoulder.

Now it’s my turn to care for this precious girl who has given so much to me. I’ll love her and make her as comfortable as possible. I’ll cherish each moment with this special girl until it’s time for her to go home to a place free of pain and filled with playmates and treats.

Animals teach us so much about life and love, about God and the true meaning of why we’re here. To love God. To honor Him. To care for others. To do good where we can. And to have fun.

I’m so thankful that God has blessed me with my precious pets. They have taught me so much and enlarged my heart in ways I’d never imagined possible.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

How Deep Is Your Faith?

“You have always protected him and his home and his property from harm. You have made him prosperous in everything he does. Look how rich he is! But take away everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face!” -- Job 1:10-11

Do you want to know how strong your faith is? Do you ever wonder how deep your roots go? Have you ever looked down, maybe just a bit, at someone who seems to move and sway through their faith journey? Cockiness is easy when you’ve never been challenged.

Unfortunately, most folks never really know if their faith is solid and true until that faith is tested. Then it becomes one of those sink or swim moments. Either you cling tightly to your faith, counting on God to hold you up when you can’t stand up alone, or you let your circumstances destroy you.

It’s the difference between two widows, one standing and walking securely forward and the other barely able to face each day for the all-consuming grief. It’s the difference between a parent who never gives up on her child and a parent who turns a hardened heart toward a worthless cause. It’s the difference between an unemployed worker getting up each day and trying to build a better, a different, life and an unemployed worker who drinks away his days certain that nothing he can do will ever change his circumstances.

Job had everything. A large family. Wealth. And, most importantly, a God he adored. And that God allowed Satan to test Job, to take away his servants and his livestock. His children. And then his health. And still Job would not turn against his God. Job refused to blame his Creator, the One who gave him everything, when everything was gone. And for that God rewarded Job by giving him more children, more wealth.

Being a Christian doesn’t mean that we get to live an easy life. People sometimes get confused about that. Some folks believe that being a Christian means we get a free pass, a life with nothing really bad ever happening. And then it does. All those secret thoughts, those moments of believing people going through tough times somehow deserve it, come to mind. We look in the mirror. We don’t see a person deserving of such anguish. So we doubt.

Or we drop to our knees. We reach out for our God. We realize, finally, that life isn’t fair and that sometimes bad things really do happen to good people. Choices. God gave us the right to make choices. And, whether we deserve it or not, the choices of other people can sometimes have devastating consequences for us. We can either plant our feet firmly, counting on those roots of faith to hold strong, or we can let Satan’s wind rip us away from the only security we’ll ever know.

How strong is your faith? Think about it. Then pray you’ll never have to find out for sure.

　

Thursday, March 10, 2011

He Is There

What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me. I have no peace, no quietness; I have no rest, but only turmoil.

-- Job 3:25-26

Tension fills my body. I struggle for normal but normal is no more. Maybe if I try harder, I can fake it for just a little while longer. No. The phone keeps ringing. I'm juggling many tasks and I have never felt less in control.

It was never supposed to be this way. He is the healthy one. The one I depend on. No more. Now I bear the weight of decisions. Now I make the calming comments, reigning in the hysteria that surrounds me. There is no need to panic. It is what it is. God will carry us through this storm. All these things I know.

I long for God's peace. I know in my heart that He is in control. I know He has a plan. But I don't know that plan. I don't know what the day will bring. I don't know much of anything and it scares me. I take a deep breath, longing for His Presence to fill me. My chest tightens as I struggle to repeat scripture over and over in my mind.

I go through the motions of my day. There are cows to count and feed. There are doctors appointments to coordinate. There are phone calls to answer. The geese need corn. The paper must be fetched. The garbage gathered and carted to the road. And so the list goes. Torrential rain pours down. I look in vain for the rainbow of God's promise.

This is what I dreaded most of all when I allowed myself to think ahead. This is the scenerio I could not face. Yet, here I am, facing it because I must. I am not alone. God holds my hand. He's there, strengthing me, whispering words of encouragement in my ear. I can do this, He reminds me. It'll be okay. I'll be okay.

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Marked With Mourning

"Therefore I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes." -- Job 42:6

Today is Ash Wednesday. Some folks know it as the day after Fat Tuesday. Others know it as the beginning of Lent. It is a day when we remember that we are nothing without God, our Creator. We repent, giving an outward sign to all, that we are sinners worthy only of death.

This holy season begins a journey toward Easter and the resurrection of Jesus. We go forward remembering fully what Jesus did for us when He died on the cross. We embrace His sacrifice, His suffering and rejection, paying the penalty for our sins. My sins. Your sins. He, who was without sin, died so that you and I could live forever in the Presence of God Almighty.

Most of the time we can just sort of scoot through life, pretending that we're more than we are. Today we remember that God made us and without Him we don't exist. Today we acknowledge that we are sinners who fall short of the Glory of God. Today we admit that without Jesus we would be doomed to a horrible death and complete destruction.

Many churches will conduct services tonight. Christians will walk humbly to the altar and be marked with the ashes of mourning. We will spend the next 40 days on a journey toward a cross and one solitary man who gave Himself so that we might live.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

God Uses Us To Help Others

"because I rescued the poor who cried for help and the fatherless who had non to assist him."

-- Job 29:12

I overheard a conversation the other day that just broke my heart. Two friends ran into each other at a fast food restaurant. The man was headed to a funeral. The woman asked who had died. She was shocked when she heard the name. She knew the person had died. She didn't realize the person hadn't been buried yet. The man hesitated, then told her the truth. The family just didn't have the money for a funeral and they'd had to wait until they got enough to bury their loved one.

Such a sad, sad thing. It's bad enough that you've lost someone you love. Grief is such a consuming emotion. Then you don't have money to pay for a funeral. It's expensive. Thousands of dollars. What an awful situation to be in.

Yet, someone somewhere is facing that situation every day. So many people live from paycheck to paycheck. Not because they're living lavishly but because they're trying to cover basic food and shelter costs. The working poor. They get caught in the squeeze between those who have an abundance and those who rely on the government and charities for necessities. You can't get help when you work and you can't afford basics on what you earn.

Job defended himself as being someone who  rescued the poor. We should all be able to say that about ourselves. What are we doing to help people who have less than we do? A woman I know, a grandmother many times over, was once a widow with seven young children. She worked as a nurses aide and tried to make ends meet. Sometimes there just wasn't enough food but God provided. How? She tells of hearing a knock at the door and finding a bag of groceries on her doorstep. No one hung around for thanks. Just a kind gesture to a working mom who needed the help. Miracles. Someone heard God's voice and responded.

What about you? What are you doing today to help someone? How are you answering the prayers of someone in need? It doesn't have to be a sack of groceries. It could be a phone call or visit. A ride to a doctor's appoint or a meal delivered to their door. Or it could be a donation to help a family bury someone they love. Everyone needs an angel at some point in their lives. And everyone can be an angel to someone too. Open your heart and let God use you to help those around you.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Animals Teach Us About God

"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you." -- Job 12:7-8

Animals are awesome teachers. Dogs teach kids responsibility. They protect us, guide us, play with us. They love and forgive us, freely give kisses and tale wags. They wait patiently for us. Well, sometimes anyway.

I've learned a lot about patience the last couple of days. It seems like a lifetime has gone by since Tuesday afternoon. Not even a week. How can that be when life has turned upside down? It now revolves around a very traumatized little dog learning that he can no longer get up and run. I am mama, nurse and caretaker. I am tired.

I believe one day we will look back on this journey and cherish the small steps. Friday night I thought I saw his tail move. Today I'm fairly certain he has some feeling in his paralized legs. I believe God will heal him. I know. I have heard all the doctors comments. It's just that I believe God. He promised.

In the meantime, I am learning how difficult it is for a little fellow who really doesn't understand what's going on. He wants to go outside -- by himself. He growls when I carry him because he can't understand. It breaks my heart. But I see his ears perk up and his eyes brighten when I sit him on the grass and he hears the birds. I stood him up, bracing his back legs, and he was amazed. And I was reminded of what was and what will be.

Job certainly wasn't referring to a small, paralized dog when he spoke these words. But I've always remembered them. I believe we can learn how to be better people if we pay attention to the animals around us. We can learn alot about facing life and scooting across the floor toward the solution, which is always God and His promises.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Stand in Awe of God

"And he said to man, 'The fear of the Lord -- that is wisdom, and to shun eveil is understanding.'" -- Job 28:28

For a long time I had trouble with passages in the Bible that talked about fearing God. I didn't fear Him in the sense that I was afraid of Him. That's what I understood fear to mean. I knew -- and know -- that God loves me. How could I possibly be afraid of Him?

Well, further study revealed that fear in the Bible doesn't mean being afraid. To fear God means to respect and be in awe of Him. It means we are to love and worship Him -- not be afraid of Him. As you might imagine, that made me feel so much better. It was a starting place.

When we love, respect and honor God and stand in awe of all He does for us, we begin to understand His way and His heart. That's where wisdom begins. It's the place where we seek to know and do God's will, shunning evil and our own desires. Instead, we set ourselves on a path to righteousness and God's pleasing and perfect will for our lives.

It's not a straight path. We are human after all. We make mistakes. We sort of zig-zag along the path. But it's kind of funny. The more we seek God's wisdom, the more we zig toward Him as opposed to away from Him. We crave that relationship. We know His will and His way is best for us. And we want that.

Proverbs tells us that only fools resist the wisdom and knowledge of God. I've done enough foolish things in my life. How about you? The most important thing I've learned on this journey is that God is simply awesome! I can't even wrap my mind around all He has done for me and continues to do for me. I want to worship Him. I want to follow Him and do His will. I want Him, first and above all things. Maybe that is understanding.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

God Has A Plan

"Why do the wicked live on, growing old and increasing in power?" -- Job 21:7

This just popped out at me as I made my way through the Book of Job. It's something I've asked many times over the years. I understand why Job -- a righteous man in the midst of incredible suffering -- would ask such a question.

I know you've probably asked it yourself a time or two. The question rears its ugly head whenever a drunk driver careens his car into a vehicle filled with innocent people. He survives while the others are killed. We want to know why.

The question comes up as we watch someone we care about die slowly from cancer. Why, we ask God, must You take her. Why not take someone who doesn't do anything for others? Why take the one who gives of herself for others?

I could go on and on with examples. We may never understand on this side of Heaven. But there is one truth: God knows what He is doing. He has a plan. Maybe the life He takes today is so that the ones who are left behind can step up and know Him.

I don't mean to brush aside the agony of losing someone you love. And I certainly don't want to imply that God doesn't care because no one cares more than God. But sometimes we must suffer, sometimes we must travel through the darkness, so that others can clearly see God's light.

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Care For God's Animals


"But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you; or let the fish of the sea inform you."
-- Job 12:7-8

One of my favorite things to do is watch the wild ducks swimming across the pond late in the afternoon. They come morning and night -- and sometimes in between -- for the corn we put out. I'd like to think they know they're safe here. That we welcome them. Or at least most of us do. The geese, who are permanent residents, sometimes get a little jealous.

Lately, we have been blessed by the arrival of six baby ducks. It's a big deal for us. Something usually gets the eggs or babies before they reach any size. These little ducks are getting bigger and bigger and we couldn't be happier.

Their mama is special. We adopted her a couple of years ago. I was searching for more geese and happened on a woman who does rescue work with birds. She didn't have any geese but she had one wood duck that needed a home. The duck had been shot and lost part of its wing. It could not longer fly and needed a permanent home, with food provided, because it couldn't fly and wouldn't survive otherwise. It has lived here ever since.

Maybe that's why the sight of oil-soaked birds and other creatures in the gulf and nearby marshes broke my heart. God told us to take care of the animals. He put us in charge and we have failed so miserably.

And I don't mean we have failed in just this one place so don't get too confident about yourself because you didn't spill the oil. We fail when we chain a dog outside in 95 degree weather. We fail when we don't spay or neuter a cat that roams freely. We fail when we buy a horse, put it in a pasture and ignore it. We fail when we treat God's creatures cruelly or inhumanely.

When I see the ducks coming into shore, their beauty always reminds me of the beauty of God's world. He told us to take care of it. How can we honor God unless we do?

Saturday, July 10, 2010

God Is In Control

"What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me." -- Job 3:25

Reading Job always makes me uncomfortable. I do it anyway. I know it's important. God wants us to learn from this book in the Bible. And I do. I have. But it's still hard sometimes.

Job was a good man. He served the Lord. And God blessed him. He had 10 children and many animals and servants. He was considered a great man.

Then Satan entered the picture. God allowed Satan to test Job. First, Job lost all his children, animals and servants. Then, Job lost his health. Through it all, Job refused to blame God. His friends, however, just knew Job had sinned greatly or God wouldn't have allowed just calamity.

Isn't that true for us? Most of us know someone who truly believes bad things only happen to people who deserve them. That's why their world is rocked by a cancer diagnosis or a sudden death or accident. They don't understand. Well, none of us do.

I do know that I can't possibly understand God's ways. I don't know why he allows bad things to happen to His people. Sure, sometimes the bad things are a direct result of our actions or the actions of someone else. Like when someone runs a red light and hits our vehicle. Or when a spouse decides to stray from what we thought was a happy marriage.

But sometimes the bad things just, well, happen. Whether it's illness, accident, broken heart, a job loss or something else, we're left shattered. And on our knees. Maybe that's the point. We never know how calamity will change us and those around us. We never know whose life might be impacted by what we are living through.

I remember my cousin talking about the time immediately after her son's death. She and her husband were at a Birmingham hospital with her Mother. A woman whose own son was ill couldn't understand how they could possibly be taking care of someone else when their own hearts were filled with grief. My cousin explained their belief that they would see their son again and the very real need to take care of the living. It also helped to stay busy and focused on something besides their heartbreak.

They never blamed God either. It happened. They found strength in God's loving arms. Maybe that's the point of Job. God is our Creator. He is our Lord and Savior. And He is our Father. He loves us. He wants good for us. If something horrible happens, there is a reason. We may not know what it is until we're in heaven but it isn't random.

The book of Job will probably always make me uncomfortable. But there is also a wonderful message too. God is in control. He knows what He's doing. And I'll be just fine in His loving arms.