One More Thought on the Olympics

"this poor widow

has put in more than all;

for all these have given

 out of their abundance,

but she out of her poverty"

Luke 21:4

I don't know about you, in whatever country you live in, but sometimes it's a little frustrating to watch the Olympics in the U.S.  NBC seems to be convinced that we are only interested in American athletes.  Of course I'm interested in the U.S. athletes, but I also love getting to know new names, and hearing their stories.  Sometimes I even remember them from previous Olympics, and find myself rooting for them.   I think NBC has gotten better about giving us a more global look, but I still felt like I was missing stuff.  I would especially love to hear more national anthems.  I heard the Russian, and the Norwegian, but I think that's it, other than the U.S.

The other that that kinda bothered me was that every night they'd show us the Medal Count {hear impressive fanfare here}.  They would show the top five countries, which were the same every night, although they changed places several times over the two weeks.  But I'd be thinking about that athlete from some smaller country that took a medal in some event that day.  I thought about how thrilled that country was to have their first medal of the games, or maybe their first gold medal ever.

And more than once, when I saw the U.S. at the top, or near the top of the "leader board," I thought, "Well sure we've won a lot of medals; we've got a lot of people!  Odds are we're gonna have the ability to produce several excellent athletes."

So I went looking online, and found what I wanted.  A list of medal wins as it relates to population. 

Norway is number one.  Twenty-six medals, with a population of slightly over five million.  That's the equivalent of one medal for every 190,000 people. 

Number two?  A country that won only eight medals.  Slovenia.  But they have a little more than two million people.

Austria and Sweden came in third and fourth, with 17 and 14 medals, respectively.  And number five?  With only three medals?  Latvia.

I'm so fascinated by looking at it this way.  It is such a wonderful perspective, and it celebrates how important that medal or two must be for that country.  How proud they must be of that athlete!

The U.S. comes in 21st on the list.  Twenty-seven medals, 313 million people.  The only countries below us on the list are Great Britain (4 medals), Japan (8), Kazakhstan (1), Ukraine (2), and China (9).  All of a sudden, it seems like our grand medal total is not that impressive.  (Only Russia had more medals than the U.S.)

I think, for me, it brings the accomplishment down to a more personal level.  It makes me think about the individual athletes, and how proud their families must be.  And I think that's more like how God looks at it.  He knows each of us so personally.  He knows each one's perseverance, and what they went through on the road to winning.

And He knows the name of every loser, too.  He knows each one whose equipment failed them, or who slipped at a crucial time in their event.  And He knows the ones who tried to make it to the Olympics, and failed.

Jesus praised the widow for giving much, though she had little.  He sees what we have to give, and what we give out of what we have.  And what seems like a small accomplishment to the world, means much more to Him.

~ "There is neither Jew nor Greek,

there is neither slave nor free,

there is neither male nor female;

for you are all one in Christ Jesus" ~

Galatians 3:28

~

Running on Empty

"I went out full"

Ruth 1:21

We did a lot of driving around this weekend, so the Apple of my Eye filled the gas tank in my car.  I just love having a full tank, don't you?  I was with him when he did it, but when I got in my car this evening, and saw that full tank, I kinda thought, "Oh, yeah!" 

I love that he did it for me, because even though it's not really a huge hassle, it's kind of a hassle, ya know?  And he cleans my windshield for me, and I rejoice greatly that I don't have to do that either.  Cleaning my windshield is always a source of frustration for me because I can never get it clean enough to suit me.  There's always streaks or drips or that spot in the upper corner that I can't quite reach.  And the more I try to clean up those last couple places, the more I re-streak a place that I'd gotten clean. 

I guess I have a little bit of an OCD streak or something...

But more than I love my Sweetie washing my windshield and filling my tank, I love knowing that I don't have to worry about it for a couple of weeks.  I love to see the needle all the way up at "Full", and look at the digital display that estimates how many miles I can go before I need gas. 

I'm sort of fascinated by that gauge.  When I'm doing a lot of freeway driving, it gives me a higher range, of course, than when I'm driving around town.  But when I'm doing a lot of stopping and starting, the estimate goes down.  It's like it looks at the the mileage I'm currently getting, and it's telling me, "If you keep going the way you're going, here's what you can expect."

I would love if I had something similar for my spirit.  I would love a warning that I'm relying on myself too much.  My gauge would be high right after reading my Bible or praying, and then I'd notice my range getting smaller as I got busy and stopped thinking about Him.  My digital display would read, "You can only go another eight minutes being loving, unless you get a fill-up," and I'd be reminded that I need to lean on Him.

Because the truth is, we're just never that far from "Empty".  So we should never be far from Him.

~ "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void,

But it shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." ~

Isaiah 55:11

~

Citius, Altius, Fortius

"the Lord, God Most High"

Genesis 14:22

I think that I'm gettin' full up on superlatives.  There's just so durn many of them around, ya know?

When I watch the weather reports on the news, every storm seems to be the somethingest storm of all time.   Coldest, rainiest, snowiest, whatever.... they even had to come up with a new name for Hurricane Sandy ~ Superstorm. 

I can't seem to watch a sporting event without hearing about how this guy is the fastest, strongest, most nearsighted player ever to do this well on a Tuesday in September when the previous night had been the full moon.

Yes, that's a real category.  Why wouldn't it be?

Or the cooking shows.... I love to watch cooking shows, albeit it doesn't happen a lot because I have too much to do to sit in front of the TV for very long. 

Unless, of course, there's an opportunity to hear the dulcet voice of Vin Scully.  Now there's a man who deserves his superlatives.

But back to the cooking shows.  I can't seem to watch without being directed to use the finest extra virgin olive oil I can get, or the best vanilla extract, or the highest quality dark chocolate. 

And then, of course, the resulting dish is excellent.... perfection.... magnificent....

We live in an era of extremes.  So many people striving to distinguish themselves in some way.  Or their food.  Or the weather.  All to be noticed, really.  Or at least I think that's what it all comes down to. 

But a little part of me recoils whenever I hear a superlative being used.  I think I'm becoming inured to them, so I don't believe whoever's using them.  I assume they are just exaggerating. 

But in the same way that superlatives catch my attention on TV, I notice them in the Bible, too. 

And I love them.

There's just no more accurate way to describe Him, than in extremes.

All powerful... all knowing... most faithful... unceasingly patient... King of kings.... Lord of lords... exceedingly merciful... wise... powerful... eternal.... most, all, best...

We can count on it.

~ "He who does not love

does not know God,

for God is love" ~

1 John 4:8

~

A Lesson ~ yes, from brown paper bags

"provide yourselves bags"

Luke 12:33

I'm doing it again.

I'm stockpiling grocery bags.

I am not a hoarder by nature.  Probably the only thing I have more than my share of is books.  I don't hang on to old newspapers or empty egg cartons or half-used batteries.  Storage space is at a bit of a premium in our home, so if I hang on to something, it's because I've made a deliberate decision to.

Although now that I think about it, if the Apple of my Eye had his way, we'd probably have fewer empty cardboard boxes in our garage.  But I hate when need to ship something, and there's nothing to ship it in.  And you never know what size you're going to need.  In addition, I need to store school papers and textbooks, and basically you just never know when you might need a box, right?  But even those I only keep if it's a size I think might be useful. 

So basically, if it's in my possession, it's been carefully chosen.

Now, with all that being said, I do have a couple of weaknesses when it comes to stockpiling.  (Stockpiling sounds better than hoarding, doesn't it?  It sounds like I'm prepared.) 

One of those weaknesses is grocery bags.  Brown paper bags.  Not the plastic ones; I hate those.  They are too wimpy, and they spill their contents in the back of the car on the way home from the store.  But the brown paper ones are awesome.  They hold more, and they hold it more successfully.  And we can use them more than once, and then we use them for trash.  The plastic bags won't work for that.

And yes, I also use reusable bags, too, but I can't use those for my trash, either. 

But not all grocery stores around here carry brown bags.  I guess the plastic bags are cheaper, so they figure if they're going to provide bags for free, they're gonna provide the cheap ones.   So when I am in a store that carries them, that's what I ask for.  And then after unloading my groceries, I fold up the bags and put them on a shelf in the garage.  And when that shelf has a good-sized stack of bags, then I use reusable for awhile until the supply of brown bags is dwindling.  Then I stop using the reusable bags until I replenish my supply.

Riveting story, isn't this?

But I've gotten a little paranoid over the past several months.  I think I'm afraid that my government, who won't let me use the light bulbs I want, and who has more of a say about my health care than I want, is going to ban the use of brown bags.  For my own good, of course.  Much like New York City tried to ban large sodas.

So when my shelf was full of brown bags, I opened up space on another shelf, and I started a new stack.

But I realized with a start the other day, that I have a whole lot of brown bags, and then I realized that the reason is that I'm paranoid.  I'm worried that at some point I will run out of brown bags, and have to figure out something else for my kitchen trash.

Now, does that sound like someone who is at peace?  Does that sound like someone who is trusting that God will provide ~ if not brown bags, then another solution?

"My son, God will provide"

Genesis 22:8

"And Abraham called the name of the place, 

The-Lord-Will-Provide"

Genesis 22:14

"And so it was, because they feared God, that He provided"

Exodus 1:21

"Rejoice... He will provide"

Deuteronomy 32:43

"Hezekiah prayed for them, saying, 

'May the good Lord provide'"

2 Chronicles 30:18

"You will provide"

Psalm 65:3

"You, O God, provided from Your goodness"

Psalm 68:10

"God shall supply all your need 

according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus"

Philippians 4:19

Any questions?

~

Think Big!

"Blessed is the King

who comes in the name of the Lord!"

Luke 19:38

I think one of the most ironic passages in the Bible has to be the Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.  It's such a wonderful scene in my mind, with the palm branches and the shouts of "Hosanna!" to Him.  So wonderfully appropriate for Him.  He deserved every bit of it.

But the ironic part is why they were welcoming and praising Him.  The word "hosanna" means, "save us, we pray" but why did they wanted to be saved?  Where were these people a few days later when Pilate asked the people if they wanted Jesus released, or Barabbas?  These same people, a few days after shouting, "Hosanna!" were shouting, "Crucify Him!" 

What they wanted to be saved from, was the Romans.  The Roman government ran their lives, and they wanted to be free from that.  At the time of the Triumphal Entry, they thought Jesus was the one to get them out from under the Roman thumb, so to speak.  But then He was captured and tried, and I guess they decided He wasn't the one. 

Jesus is Savior, Deliverer and Redeemer, but in a far bigger way than they imagined.  They wanted to be freed from Rome, but they weren't thinking big enough.  The freedom He promises reaches deeper into our lives, and will impact us into eternity.

I think sometimes we ask God for far less than He wants to give us.  I don't mean material things, but blessings.  He promises good in our lives, and rest; strength and wisdom; His peace and His love, and eternity with Him.  And yet there we sit, asking Him for a new car or a bigger house. 

Now, there's nothing wrong with asking for those, as long as we're wanting His will; as long as we're trusting Him to decide if it's what's best for us.  But don't be asking for something so little ~ like a new house ~ when what He wants is to give you something big.  Like peace, hope, or love.

~ "I will walk at liberty,

For I seek Your precepts" ~

Psalm 119:45

~

Little is Enough

"Jesus took the loaves"

John 6:11

We're studying the Gospel of John in my weekly Bible study.  It's always so fascinating to study the gospels, because there's so much to them.  Each writer wrote from a different angle, and for a different audience, and even at a slightly different time in history.  But when you read them all, and put them all together, you get such a wonderful, informative picture of Jesus' birth, and the years of His public ministry.

We recently studied chapter 6 of John.  It's a packed chapter, including Jesus feeding the 5,000 and also the account of Jesus walking on the water.  (That's the same instance where Peter walked on the water, but that's not included in the book of John.)  Plus, chapter 6 includes Jesus' discourse on being the Bread of Life.

Yup.  A packed chapter.

But one of the details that struck me on this reading was Philip and Andrew's reactions to the lack of food right before the miracle of the loaves and fishes.  All the disciples are kinda standing around, as Jesus says to them, "well, what are we gonna do about this?"

Although I don't think Jesus was the type to say "gonna"...

He was challenging them.  Testing them.  

Philips's response seems to indicate that he was thinking small, in terms of a solution to the problem.  He answered Jesus with the estimation of how much money it would cost to buy bread.  If, in fact, there were anywhere nearby to buy that much bread.

But you can tell by his words that he's sort of throwing up his hands.  He had thought of one solution, and discarded it, even before he got it all the way out of his mouth. 

It's a little disappointing to me, because I like Philip.  But I know that the other mentions of him in Scripture back up the fact that he was an outstanding man of God.   So we'll just assume he was having a bad day.

But I'm even more disappointed in Andrew's response to the problem.  Andrew has a suggestion, "There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish."  I imagine his voice is hesitant and questioning.   Meek and a little insecure.   But remember, these men had been with Jesus in Cana when He turned water into wine.  They know He can do something with nothing.

But then Andrew finished his sentence:  "... but what is this, among so many?"  It's as if he is saying, "nevermind."

Have you ever watched children play hide and seek?  And you see the seeking child come so close to where the hiding child is, but then they turn around and go a different way?  And you think "ohhh.... they almost had it!"

That's how I feel about Andrew here.  He came so close to solving the problem.  But that solution was not those loaves and fishes ~ that solution was Jesus.  Andrew came so close to saying, "We have a little bit of food.  Here, Jesus!  Feed them!"

I think this mistake, this "near miss" of Andrew's, bothers me so much because it's something I seem to see more and more.  People who are willing to serve God, but don't think it will be enough.  People who have a gift or talent or offering, but belittle it as they give it.  Or belittle it and then don't give it. 

It reminds me of the story of the widow's mite, in Mark 12 and Luke 21.  She threw her small amount into the treasury, without any shame or deprecating words about how, surely, this was too little to be of any use...

We are all poor.  When we give to the King of kings, we are giving out of our poverty.  And we can ~ and should ~ expect Him to take our little, and make it much. 

If you're hungry, look to Him to be fed.  And if you have something to offer, offer it ~ and then watch and see what He does. 

~ "The eyes of all look expectantly to You,

and You give them their food in due season" ~

Psalm 145:15

~

My Offering

"not room enough to receive it"

Malachi 3:10

So I don't know about you, but finances are tough in our household.

You too?  Can I get a show of hands?

Yeah, I thought so... I'll pray for you all. 

God provides all we need, but there is little left over for extras.  {Although God does provide a few of those, too!}  Hubby and I are discussing all purchases ~ even the little ones ~ and working with our Amazing and Awesome Kids to make choices about what's important in our lives.  It's hard sometimes, but I know it's so valuable, especially for our kids.

Y'know, I really hate calling my kids "kids" sometimes; they're not children anymore.  But somehow, calling them our "offspring" just doesn't convey all the love I feel...

At any rate, I know it's a great education for them to know how important a budget is, and how to live with one.  Which makes me grateful, once again, that God wastes nothing.  He uses every experience in our lives to grow us and mold us, and I know He's faithful to do so with my... offspring.

One of the things that we all agree on, is continuing to donate money.  It might be to our church; it might be to friends raising money for a mission trip; it might be to a charity whose work we value.  It's definitely a smaller amount than it used to be.  Sometimes very small.  But we know that everything we have is because God provides, so we give back.  One of my favorite verses is on this subject, and it's a challenge from God.  It's Malachi 3, and God is accusing His people of sinning in ~ among other ways ~ not contributing to the temple.  And He challenged them to tithe as commanded.

Now, the reason it's one of my favorite verses is partially because it's a challenge.  There are few things more precious, I believe, than a challenge from God.  First because, when God challenges, you know that if you succeed, the rewards for your efforts and your obedience will be beyond what you can imagine.  And second because, when God challenges, you know you can succeed, because He never asks more of us than we can do.

Never.

Really.

So here is God's challenge to His children ~ and that includes us, not just the ones to whom Malachi was speaking directly:

" 'Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house."

Bring what you are supposed to bring, He commands.  A direction, I might add, that no parent should have to make.  Do what you are supposed to do.  It's the best advice anyone could possibly give.  It is all-purpose, and accurate in every situation.  

Admittedly, the tricky part, sometimes, is knowing what you are supposed to do...

But in this case, they knew.  Tithe.  Ten percent.  

And if they met His challenge, here was His promise:

"And try Me now in this,' says the Lord of hosts..."

Go ahead, give it a shot.  Just try Me and see.

'If I will not open for you the windows of heaven

And pour out for you such blessing

That there will not be room enough to receive it.' "

You know what that is?  That's a promise of abundance.  And no one promises abundance like God promises abundance. 

Try Him and see.

~ "As soon as the commandment was circulated, 

the children of Israel brought in abundance 

the firstfruits of grain and wine, 

oil and honey, and of all the produce of the field, 

and they brought in abundantly

   the tithe of everything" ~

2 Chronicles 31:5

Dark chocolate is a good thing

"the Lord has promised good things"

Numbers 10:29

Oh my goodness, I'm doing it...  just like my mother always did.  And I used to make fun of her for it...

Does that happen to you?  Do you find that you do, or say, what your parents did?  Some of their decisions make more sense as we mature.  Go figure.  What's that saying of Mark Twain... "When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around.  But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years."  And even more so in when Twain got to his 40s, I would guess.

So what am I doing?  Hoarding chocolates.  Sees Candy, to be specific.  When I was growing up, any time my mother received a box, she'd put them up high in a cupboard, and save them for a "rainy day".   But we used to tease her, because she would often forget they were there, and long after that rainy day had passed, someone would find those chocolates back in the cupboard, and they'd be far past their prime.  Of course, we'd generally eat them anyway...

I know she was being thrifty.  Oftentimes, those chocolates were a gift at Christmas, or a birthday, and there's always plenty of sweets around then, right?  So she'd set them aside for a time when they could be thoroughly enjoyed, and not just part of the parade of goodies.  It was a good thought on her part, and I know there have been times when she pulled out and shared what she'd been saving, it was a wonderful, unexpected treat.  But more than once, it ended up such that the chocolate was not as enjoyable as it would have been.

And I realized I've started doing this, too.  I realized the other day that I still have some of the chocolates I got for my birthday, three months ago.  My intention is to make the special things in my life last a little longer, but I think there's a little bit of hoarding going on.  And I mean that, in the sense of not trusting Him.  I feel like I have to make sure there's something good in my future, instead of just enjoying what He has provided, and knowing that when that's gone, He'll have something else that's good waiting for me.

Is it treasuring and savoring the good things, or is it feeling that the good things are elusive?  He is the giver of good things.  He always has more to give.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to enjoy a piece of chocolate!

~ "Therefore may God give you

of the dew of heaven

of the plenty of the earth" ~

Genesis 27:28

Want it all; want it now

"the Revelation of Jesus Christ"

Revelation 1:1

Well, summer has officially begun in our home.  Probably in a lot of American homes... Memorial Day has that effect.  On Sunday we barbequed burgers and marshmallows at our house, and Monday we went over to my folks' house for barbequed ribs and corn-on-the-cob.  We ate watermelon and the kids swam a little in my parents' pool, and we had ice cream for dessert. 

I'm not a big fan of summer.  It's probably my least favorite season, because I don't like the heat.  But my kids love summer.  It's not even about school being out, because we homeschool year-round in our home.  They just love all the things that go along with summer, like swimming and barbequing and watermelon and roasted marshmallows and corn-on-the-cob... 

What's interesting to me, though is that my kids want all the good things of summer, all at once.  As soon as they can feel the change in the weather, and the day is lighter longer, they start talking about it.  They get a tiny glimpse of summer, and they can't wait to experience all of it.  They aren't satisfied with some; they want all. 

I love that attitude.  I love the idea of not being satisfied with a little, if you can have a lot.  At first, I thought they were being greedy.  Why do we need all the good things of summer right away??  But then I thought, why shouldn't they be excited for the things they love?  They're not greedy kids; they're not demanding anything, they're just eager.

And frankly, when I thought of it that way, it made me think of heaven.  That's the attitude we should have, as a result of the peek we've had into heaven through the Book of Revelation.  Have you ever read it? 

A pure river of life, clear as crystal... the tree of life, which will bear fruit, and the leaves for the healing of the nations. 

No need for lamp, nor light of the sun, for the Lord will be the light.

No more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain.

Pure gold, like clear glass... precious stones of sapphire, emerald, amethyst, topaz... Twelve gates, each made of one pearl... A street of pure gold, like transparent glass...

A throne, and a sea of glass like crystal.  And a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald.

And angels and creatures and elders giving Him endless praise and glory. 

Let's want that.  All of it.  Soon.

~ "desire better:

      a heavenly country" ~

Hebrews 11:16

God Bless You!

"fear the Lord your God

and serve Him"

Deuteronomy 6:13

You probably know that Solomon built the temple.  And you probably know that David had wanted to build a temple for God; for the ark of the covenant to reside in.  But do you know what God's response was to David when he decided he wanted to build a temple?  It's a wonderful story.  God's response to David was a response only God could have.

In chapter 7 of 2 Samuel, it occurred to David that he was living in a place of beauty and comfort, and that the ark of God resided in a tent.  He wanted to build a holy and beautiful sanctuary for God ~ but that's not what God wanted.  And God said "no" in the most beautiful way I think I've ever seen.

God said to Nathan, "Go and tell My servant David: 'Would you build a house for Me to dwell in?  I have 
not dwelt in a house since I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle.... Have I ever spoken a word to anyone, saying, "Why have you not built Me a house of cedar?" ' "

Those are verses 5-7.  But then look at the direction God takes:  "Thus says the Lord of hosts: 'I took you from the sheepfold, to be ruler over My people.  I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a great name...' "

He was saying to David, gently and lovingly, "I have not asked for a house.  I have never asked for a house.  I have simply been taking care of you."

That is what He had done.

This what He promised to do:  "I will plant My people where they may dwell, where they will not be oppressed.  And I will make you a house.  I will set your seed after you, and he shall build a house for me.  I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever... I will be his Father, and he shall be My son.  I will chasten him with the rods of men and with the blows of the sons of men, but My Spirit shall not depart from him.  And so your house, your kingdom and your throne shall be established forever."

These verses are important to each of us ~ as believers, and as Bible scholars.  This is the establishment of the Davidic Covenant, and it has been estimated that these verses are referred to over 40 times, elsewhere in Scripture.  These promises of God would be fulfilled through David's line ~ in Solomon ~ but the ultimate fulfillment is through Jesus Christ. 

But can you imagine how David felt as he listened to these words?  Have you ever felt as David must have felt then?  Have you ever wanted to bless someone, or offered to do something for them, and had them turn it into an opportunity to bless you?  Though David's intention was to bless God, God did not want that.  God wanted to bless David.

God's love is extreme and overwhelming, and no matter how you try to calculate it, you are underestimating His ability to bless you. 

So here's an illustration of His love for you:

The deepest point of the Pacific Ocean is the Marianas Trench.  Its depth is nearly seven miles.  The lowest part of the Marianas Trench is called the Challenger Deep.  The depth of the Challenger Deep is more than a mile greater than the height of Mount Everest.  If you dropped a steel ball into the Challenger Deep, it would take more than an hour for that ball to hit the bottom of the ocean.

Now, with that in mind, think about Micah 7:19 ~ "He will have compassion upon us, and He will cast our sins into the depth of the ocean."

He has made a covenant with us, though we will never achieve for Him what we might hope to.  You cannot love Him more than He loves you.  You cannot bless Him like He can bless you.  You cannot even serve Him without Him giving you the ability and opportunity.

Go ahead; try to bless Him.  And just watch what He does.

~ "Bless the Lord; 

never forget the good He has done for you" ~

Psalm 103:2

Yet Another Lesson from my Dog

"eat what is good"

Isaiah 55:2

I cleaned off the counter in the garage yesterday.  Matched up a few socks that had been pining for their mates.  Straightened up the canned goods that make up our surplus pantry.  Uncovered and returned to their owners a few stray items that had accumulated, like baseball cards, pigtail holders, some loose change... Well, who are we kidding; I pocketed the loose change.

I also came across some pieces of dry cat food on the counter, apparently spilled the last time someone refilled the small container we keep in the house, from the big bag we keep in the garage.

I tossed these on the garage floor, and our dog, who was already nearby (doting pet that she is) came running.  Although she couldn't have known what I dropped on the floor, I'm pretty sure her mouth was open even before she got to the food, and she had swallowed it before you could say, "Careful, don't eat that dust bunny!"

Because frankly, our dog, like most dogs, is not that discriminating.  She'll eat almost anything edible ~ food, stuff might be confused with food, stuff that used to be food....  And she'll eat it from anywhere ~ out of her dog bowl, out of any bowl, off the floor, out of the trashcan... If she can reach it, she considers it fair game.

And I think that's sort of sad.  She's content with dusty and dirty and dregs and trash and things that aren't even fit to eat.

Are you?

I don't mean that you eat like that.  If you own or have access to a computer, then you must have a standard of living above that, praise God! 

I'm talking about the life you're living.  We are very, very precious to God, and He wants to bless us with a life of abundance.  After all, He led the Israelites to the Promised Land; a land of milk and honey.

Now, I'm not necessarily talking about material things.  There's nothing wrong with money, and God blesses some of His children with wealth, but that's not really what I mean.  He wants for us a life of peace, and joy and love and wisdom.  He is the source of all of those, so there's no heavenly reason not to have them in abundance.  But the world is full of distractions.  Things we wish we have, that take our minds off the things we can have.  

I think this calls for prayer on your part.  And on mine.  We need to ask Him to open our eyes to all that He offers, and we need to not settle for less ~ like entertainment or friends or pursuits that drag us down and take our minds off of Him.  After all, if He is the source of abundance, why would we expect to find it anywhere else?

~ "I have come that they may have life, 

   and that they may have it more abundantly" ~

John 10:10

You can't have it all ~ where would you put it?

"more will be given and he will have abundance"

Matthew 13:12

I did some spring-cleaning today.  I know, I know, but spring-cleaning can hardly be contained in just spring, don't you think?  My kids and I are frequently sorting through toys or books or clothes, weeding out what we no longer want or use (or fit in) and passing them on to friends or charities.   More than once I've been struck with the ironic thought of how glad I am to be rid of something that I was once so excited to have.  Especially things like furniture or appliances... because they're expensive, it's a planned-for, anticipated purchase, and a fun addition to the house.  But because they're big, they're hard to get rid of.  Charities can be selective about donations like that, and the trash collector can't necessarily help you even if the item has reached the end of its life.

Today, as part of our new school year, I was getting out new textbooks and putting them on our school shelves, and at the same time deciding what to do with the old.  Papers, school supplies, etc... keep?  toss?  give away?    And one of piles I found was sheets of stickers.  Several pages worth of stickers.  My Amazing Boy used to love stickers as one of the rewards for working hard in school.  I would put them on his worksheets, and on his pencil box, and he thought that was such a treat.  There was a time when I couldn't have enough stickers.  I bought some, but I also got stuff from friends whose kids had outgrown them, and I was so glad to have plenty to choose from, as well as having enough that I knew I wouldn't run out.

And now?  Amazing Boy has outgrown stickers, and I have dozens left over.  And the word that came into my head today was "abundance".   God promises us abundance, but I think maybe sometimes we overlook all the ways that He provides.  Because when you think abundance, you don't think stickers, right?  Anytime we have extras of something, anytime we find ourselves getting rid of something that's still useful, it's because we have an abundance.  Ever throw away food that went bad before you had a chance to eat it?  That's because you had an abundance.  Maybe not an abundance of that particular food, but enough that you could choose not to eat that.  Got clothes you never wear?   Kitchen gadgets you use only at Thanksgiving?  A backup of anything just in case your "good" one is not available?  Abundance.   Even a spare tire on your car!

Our choice would be an abundance of money, but that's pretty short-sighted.  He's much more creative than that, right?  So it's up to us to look around and see all that He has provided in abundance, and recognize it as a promise kept.

~ "Take heed and beware of covetousness, 

for one's life does not consist 

in the abundance of the things he possesses" ~

Luke 12:15