Independence

"Blessed is the nation..."

Psalm 33:12

I'm a very fortunate gal, in that I've been able to see a lot of this beautiful country I live in.  I was born on one coast, then when I was young my family moved to the other coast, and then when I was a teenager, my family moved back to the coast from which we'd left.  Driving across the country twice, plus various vacations in between, allowed me to see a lot.

I've watched fireworks exploding over the Washington Monument as I sat on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

This is just a design, not an actual photo.  Those two buildings are not that close to one another in real life.

I have stood in the room where Thomas Jefferson and the framers of the Declaration discussed and argued, with the windows closed, in the sweltering Philadelphia humidity, perfecting the Document.

I have stood on the memorial to the USS Arizona in Pearl Harbor, watching flower petals float on water slick from the oil that still bubbles up from the sunken ship.

I have stood, at sunset, in the Gettysburg Cemetery where Abraham Lincoln delivered maybe the most powerful two-minute speech in history.

I have fired a cannon at Fort McHenry (yes, really.  In a re-enactment, when I was a kid).  And I have seen the flag that Francis Scott Key saw.

Harper's Ferry... Jamestown... Lexington and Concord and the Old North Church...

Mount Rushmore... The Alamo... and a hallowed field outside Shanksville, Pennyslvania..

Manassas... Valley Forge... Promontory Point, Utah... and Arlington National Cemetery.

Appamattox Court House and the Liberty Bell...

The freedom of a nation is achieved in a lot of different ways.  Repeatedly.  And I'm incredibly glad to have been brought to a deep understanding of the many people whose lives and deaths have impacted me.  And it makes me want to be a better person ~ the woman, and child of God, that He wants me to be.

Have a blessed Fourth... Celebrate that which makes you independent.

~ "Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord" ~

Psalm 33:12

~

Everything you can do, He can do better

"The Lord is able to give you much more than this."

2 Chronicles 25:9

Busy day today.  As of last Tuesday, Bible study is on hiatus until September, and I have been looking forward to the break, but so far I'm not noticing any relaxation.  Both kids went to friends' houses today, so I had to drive them to and from.  And my boy had a baseball game.  Plus I ran an errand, and had lunch with my sweetie, so all-in-all, I wasn't home very much today.  I was glad to get home after the game, and just sit and watch a little TV.

On evenings like this, I'm glad for the Food Network, and HGTV.  Most of their shows are interesting and informative, but also easy to watch.  No complicated plots to keep track of, no worries about offensive commercials (usually).

So I was watching a cooking competition, and one of the chefs was giving a little background info, and said that she was from East Germany.  She talked about growing up there, and how after the wall came down, there was a whole world of produce and spices and et cetera, that she never knew existed.  She already loved food, and cooking, and all of a sudden there were new opportunities, new discoveries, new foods to experiment with...

The idea of that so appealed to me, I think because cooking and eating is so much fun already.  It was something she enjoyed, and was good at, even before she knew everything she was missing.  And then everything opened up. 

Isn't it fun to imagine that the things we already love, getting even better?  More exciting, more challenging, more interesting, more beautiful... Just think about that!  Think about something you love already, and then imagine it getting even better.

This... is life in God.  This is how I feel about a life of faith and trust and obedience.  Knowing He is my Lord, and He is always with me... knowing that He died for me makes me want to live for Him.  And that makes the difficult things in life a little easier, and the wonderful things even more wonderful.

If we aren't living a life with Him and for Him, we are living in East Germany.  We are in bondage, and we are missing the freedom that comes with trust in Him.  Ask Him.  Ask Him to show you the world through His eyes, and see what you've been missing.

~ "... I will open the windows of heaven

      and flood you with blessing after blessing" ~

Malachi 3:10

~

Sin by any other name

"sin dwells in me"

Romans 7:17

I haven't watched a lot of news lately.  We've had family in town so we've been over at my folks' house a lot, hanging out with them.  And when we are at home, we're doing school or housework, and rushing to get stuff done so we can go be with our family.

So though I normally keep an eye on the news on a fairly regular basis, I haven't been doing that as much this week.  I only knew the government opened again because someone who owns a smartphone (which is pretty much every adult in the house except me) happened to mention it. 

But before I took a sabbatical from my TV for a week, the news was shutdown, shutdown, and more shutdown.  Ad nauseum. 

Of course, a lot of what comes from Capitol Hill has to do with nauseum...

But frankly, news originating from Washington, DC is my favorite kind.  I rarely watch local news, and even national news, if it has to do with crimes, I'm generally not interested.  Or more accurately, I can't take it.  People causing other people pain is just so hard to understand.  I know it exists; I'm not burying my head in the sand.  But I'm not going to listen to them repeat the details on the 4, 5, 6 and 11 o'clock news. 

A few months ago there was a particularly gruesome trial going on ~ the Kermit Gosnell trial in Philadelphia.  Every day on the "current events and politics" show I watch, there would be an update, but before giving it, the anchorman would warn the viewers that the upcoming content "would be graphic or disturbing".

Then they'd finish the story, and move on to the next thing, which at the time was most likely an update on the investigation into the deaths of four Americans at the US Embassy in Benghazi, Libya.  But that story is just as disturbing.  Perhaps, in its own way, more.  Those babies were helpless.  Their lives taken from them in a horrific manner before they had a chance to live.  The Americans in Benghazi, on the other hand, while they at least could defend themselves, were not able to do so successfully.  And while I can't speak to the feelings or emotions of a pre-born baby, I feel comfortable saying that Christopher Stevens, Tyrone Woods, Glen Doherty and Sean Smith experienced a great deal of fear in the hours or minutes before they died that night.  And yet they never warned the viewers before those updates, that the topic was going to be hard to hear.

This is not a political post.  After all, this is not a political blog.  But I honestly don't know why they don't start every story on every newscast with the warning: "The following material is depressing and discouraging and will violate your innocence." 

We get desensitized to it all, don't we?  Violence and death and commandment-violation galore.  And maybe we feel the same way about our own sins... desensitized.  I recently read the following quote by CS Lewis:  "I have heard others, and I have heard myself, recounting cruelties and falsehoods committed in boyhood as if they were no concern of the present speaker's, and even with laughter.  But mere time does nothing either to the fact or to the guilt of a sin." 

Isn't that so true?  We often think back on sins not with shame, but with the attitude of "no big deal".  Is that just because everything is relative?  The sins we committed in childhood ~ snatching pennies off of dad's dresser, sneaking sweets before dinner ~ pale in comparison to what we now know exists in the world. 

For that matter, we think the same way about our present sins.  Five miles above the speed limit, a couple of pens taken home from the office... those certainly aren't stories that would be reported on the evening news.

But it's not our standards that matter.  He has laid down the Law ~ literally ~ and He laid down His Son's life because He knows we cannot successfully live by the law.  And He's right.  We can't even go a day without sinning.  And each of those sins is abhorrent to Him.  It's not relative.  It's just sin.

~ "There is therefore now no condemnation 

to those who are in Christ Jesus...

for the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus

has made me free from the law of sin and death" ~

Romans 8:1

~

Thoughts on the Fourth

"on the fourth"

Numbers 29:23

Well, this is going to be a short one.  We had a busier day than I anticipated.  There was the barbecue and the swimming with my folks, as anticipated.  Delicious and fun, thank you very much.

Then we saw some fireworks, and played three rounds of Pictionary.  Guys beat the girls; parents beat the kids, and artists beat the non-artists.  So everyone was on a winning team, at least for awhile, and we now know for certain that I am the worst artist in my family. 

It's okay; I have other strong qualities. 

But before I head off to bed, I wanted to share something neat I found out ~ there are words to John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever" !  I had no idea! 

It's a reminder to me that whatever the world may think of us, and whatever mistakes we may have made, or may be making, as a nation, America is a country founded on right and honorable principles.  And most of us strive to uphold those.  

So I hope you enjoy, and I hope you are praising God for freedom and family, as I am.

Let martial note in triumph float
And liberty extend its mighty hand
A flag appears 'mid thunderous cheers,
The banner of the Western land.
The emblem of the brave and true
Its folds protect no tyrant crew;
The red and white and starry blue
Is freedom's shield and hope.
Other nations may deem their flags the best
And cheer them with fervid elation
But the flag of the North and South and West
Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom's nation.

Hurrah for the flag of the free!
May it wave as our standard forever,
The gem of the land and the sea,
The banner of the right.
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with mighty endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray
That by their might and by their right
It waves forever.

Let eagle shriek from lofty peak
The never-ending watchword of our land;
Let summer breeze waft through the trees
The echo of the chorus grand.
Sing out for liberty and light,
Sing out for freedom and the right.
Sing out for Union and its might,
O patriotic sons.
Other nations may deem their flags the best
And cheer them with fervid elation,
But the flag of the North and South and West
Is the flag of flags, the flag of Freedom's nation.

Hurrah for the flag of the free.
May it wave as our standard forever
The gem of the land and the sea,
The banner of the right.
Let despots remember the day
When our fathers with might endeavor
Proclaimed as they marched to the fray,
That by their might and by their right
It waves forever.

~ "Give praise to the Lord,

proclaim His name;

make known among the nations

what He has done,

and proclaim that His name is exalted." ~

Isaiah 12:4

~

Alive, Awake and Celebrating

"Blessed is the one who stays awake"

Revelation 16:15

The Fourth of July.  Independence Day.   A fun and wonderful day here in the United States.  Although, really, we only hold the patent on July 4th, not "Independence Day".  There are well over a hundred countries that celebrate their independence from whoever they were, well, "dependent" on. 

And frankly, we share July 4th as a celebration day, with the nation of Abkhazia, who declared their independence from Georgia in 1993.  But we declared ours first. 

Switzerland has been celebrating their "National Day" since 1291, Sweden since 1523, and Portugal their "Republic Day" since 1640.  But our thirteen colonies were the first to declare independence from their "mother country". 

All of this has nothing to do with my point.  Or, none of this has anything to do with my point.  I just like information, so I thought I'd share it with you.  Most of these interesting factoids I got off of Wikipedia, so you can go there for more info.

We'll be celebrating at my folks' house with barbecue and cole slaw and pie.  (Lemon, not apple.  I know... but my mom likes lemon, so I'm making her a lemon pie.)  And maybe the kids will swim, but my parents' pool can be awfully cold until we've had several hot days in a row, which we haven't.  It did get hot last weekend, but only for a few days.  We're still enjoying our "June Gloom" most days.

And if I know my parents, we'll watch some fireworks on TV.  A Capital Fourth, or the Boston Pops or something like that.  For years we took the kids to a local amphitheater to hear the symphony.  Plenty of patriotic favorites, culminating in John Philip Sousa's "Stars and Stripes Forever," and plenty of fireworks.

And one of the best memories I have of those concerts is the fact that one of my kids, when the time came for that wonderful finale, would most likely be asleep. 

Oh, not every year, of course.  And not both of them.  But it was several years before both of them were old enough to stay awake for the whole concert.  They did it for the Tchaikovsky Spectacular every September, too.  Slept right through "The 1812 Overture".  Cannons and all.

In the beginning, when we first started taking them, we would try to wake them to see the fireworks, but you know how hard it is to wake a sleeping toddler?  So we just enjoyed, and let them snooze. 

Beautiful, magnificent, majestic.  Elaborate and Extravagant.  Impressive and resounding, and they were oblivious.

Makes me wonder if there isn't something amazing and miraculous that God might be doing in my life, that maybe I'm sleeping right through. 

How about you?

~ "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things" ~

Psalm 119:18

~ "when they became fully awake,

they saw His glory" ~

Luke 9:32

~

Lesson From A Lizard

"life and death"

Deuteronomy 30:19

I saw a lizard today.

I know; big news right?

It was an alligator lizard.  We've seen them two or three times around our house, but they are unusual.  Generally we see your more standard lizards.

This was the first alligator lizard we saw.  I don't know if the camera operator (my hubby or daughter) was getting progressively closer due to increasing courage, or just zooming in from a safe location.

An alligator lizard is longer than the common, everyday, average Southern California lizard.  And although they move at the same lightning speed as regular lizards, they're so long that it seems faster.  Their tales are are longer than their bodies. 

The first time the kids saw one, they were sure it was a snake.  It was in and amongst a lot of dried leaves in a corner of the backyard, and all they saw was that tail disappearing under a pile of leaves.

So our hero (their daddy) went out and managed to capture the thing in a bucket so we could get a good look at it.  Then he threw it over the wall of the backyard in the direction of our neighbor's house. 

I kid.

Well, I saw another one today.  It was out in the street.  I had walked outside to say good-bye to the Apple of my Eye as he was leaving for work, but first he had to put a few letters in our mailbox.  And his walking over that way drew my attention to the street, where I saw a movement I couldn't identify.  I said to him, "What is that?" and the two of us made our way a little closer. 

He was hard to recognize as a lizard because he was moving in a different way than I've ever seen.  Like I say, usually lizards are lightning fast; this one was moving very slowly, and with almost an undulating rhythm, from tail to head. 

As I got closer, I realized that he was an alligator lizard, but also that he had not much in the way of a tail.  I've seen that before ~ if a lizard gets caught by a bird, his tail will drop off, giving him a chance to escape, but also maybe distracting the bird, as the tail can keep moving once it has detached. 

So this lizard had no tail to speak of, and frankly it looked like the tail-ectomy had happened very recently.  First of all, the nub was very blunt, not at all rounded off as they tend to look when they are growing back.  Secondly, the coloring was stark.  Red.  I don't really know if lizards bleed, but that's what it looked like. 

The other reason I had a hunch that it had just happened, was the crow about eight inches away from him.  The lizard was doing his undulating thing, making his way across the street, and the crow was hopping every few seconds, keeping the lizard fairly close, without really getting any closer.  But I guess the lizard just couldn't go any faster.

But everything changed as we came nearer.  The crow flew away from us, about 20 feet, and I said to my sweetie, "Oh, it's an alligator lizard.  Or most of one." 

He assessed the situation for a minute, and then said, "Well, we can just let the circle of life do it's thing, or I can try to catch it and throw it in the bushes."

And I thought for a second, about crows being hungry, and lizards not wanting to die and how if the Apple of my Eye didn't leave in the next two minutes or so, he might be late to work.  Which would not have been a huge deal, really.  He would have done it if I'd wanted him to. 

And I mean, really, this whole thinking about it thing only lasted for a few seconds, and then suddenly, the lizard took off.  There was that lightning speed I was used to.  He dashed under a parked car, only a few feet away from some bushes, and the crow flew away. 

I was inspired.  It was a message I wanted to share with a few hurting people in my life.  People who are hurting, but dragging, you know?  Lost?  Discouraged?  That lizard chose life!  He saw his chance, and he took it!

Nothing makes me sadder than people who feel helpless to take control of their lives.  Sometimes people are victimized by bad decisions of their own, or circumstances over which they have no control.  But joy is there for the taking.  Peace, contentment and faith ~ they all belong to us!  They've been promised to us!  But we take our eyes off of God, and we focus on what's negative in our life, and sorrow and despondency rule our attitude.  We think we have no escape.

Refuse, my friends.  No matter what today looks like and what you fear from tomorrow.  Choose light.  Choose joy.  Choose life!

~ "I have set before you life and death,

blessing and cursing;

therefore choose life,

that you might live,

both you and your descendants;

that you may love the Lord your god,

that you may obey His voice,

and that you may cling to Him,

for He is your life" ~

Deuteronomy 30:19-20

~

Freedom to Choose

"choose life"

Deuteronomy 30:19

I was doing a little Christmas shopping today, and I had a grateful thought.  I was going through a catalog, trying to get ideas for a couple of hard-to-shop-for folks in my life, and I couldn't believe all the discoveries I was making.  Well, discoveries in the sense that I had no idea such items existed.  The first several pages of the catalog were all electronic gadgets, or accessories for electronic gadgets, or things to expand the capabilities of electronic gadgets. 

I am not an aficionado of gadgets.  I do not play handheld or computer games, and I'm pretty strict about what I will allow my children to own.   No X-Box, no Wii, no PlayStation, and to be honest, I'm not even confident I got all those names right. 

I also own the simplest phone I can get away with.  Just this year we decided our kids should have their own phones, as they're away from us a little more as they get older.  Both of them, and the Apple of my Eye, all have phones that are more advanced than mine.  And that's just the way I like it. 

So I paged through this catalog, wondering about all these gizmos and whatchamacallits, and suddenly found myself very grateful that I can have less.   I mean, glad that the options still exist for me to choose what I'm comfortable with.  I'm grateful for choice.  That's what freedom is, I think.  Private or public school; paper or plastic; white meat or dark meat... It's truly a blessing to be able to live my life the way I choose to; for my husband and I to raise our children according to our intelligence, and our consciences. 

This thought process had me remembering something I heard a pastor say about 20 years ago, while talking about free will.  He said God allows us to choose Him.  He doesn't force us to have faith, or to accept the gift of salvation.  No, He allows us the choice, and He allows the choice to be difficult for us.  This pastor said that in order for our choice to be meaningful, the alternative has to be attractive.  And boy, life gives us some hard choices, doesn't it?

And then the final stop on my train of thought ~ Deuteronomy 30.  One of my favorite chapters of Scripture.  I encourage you to read the whole thing, but I'll give you a few "choice" verses! 

~ "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off.  It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear and do it?'  Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?'  But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it.

See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.  For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws, that you may live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses, that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.  Now, choose life, that you and your children may live, and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to His voice, and hold fast to Him." ~

Deuteronomy 30:11-16, 19-20

It is a blessing to have a choice, 

but it's up to us to choose blessings.

~

Living in paradise

"all things are lawful"

1 Corinthians 10:23

I love bird of paradise.  My parents had some growing in our backyard when I was little, so it's sort of a plant of happy memories for me.  And I love that it's a plant, but it's called a bird; I guess because it sort of looks like one.   And there are several varieties, in different colors.  All beautiful and exotic-looking.

from Wikipedia

And I remember when I learned that there are also birds called birds-of-paradise.  They live mostly on the island of New Guinea, and there are many species of these unbelievably colorful, and elaborately decorated birds.  I mean to tell you, God had fun when He was creating these!

from a beautiful website called worldbirders.com

Look at the colors!

from worldbirders.com ~ Check 'em out!

Makes you want to travel to New Guinea, doesn't it?

 also from worldbirders.com

Okay, now you see those long feathers coming from the head?  Impressive, yes?

would you believe? worldbirders.com!

... and the tail-feathers on that one?  I'll tell you an interesting story about the feathers...

I was reading an article recently about birds-of-paradise.  They are not only beautiful, but they have elaborate mating rituals; dances, really.  And these dances can have a lot to do with those long feathers, sometimes with more than one male competing for the attention of a female.  It must be quite a sight to behold!

This article also talked about the people that live on the island of New Guinea.  The birds ~ as I'm sure you can imagine ~ were, at one time, hunted in great numbers, but are now protected from hunters or "souvenir" gatherers.  The exception is the native tribes of New Guinea.  Because the feathers are used in their traditional costume and ceremonies, they are legally allowed to have them.  The feathers adorn headdresses and costumes, and are even worn in the nose during tribal dances. 

Tribes are allowed to hunt the birds, but very few do.  Ceremonial feathers are handed down from generation to generation.  And I was so impressed with how much these people care about these birds.  And the fact that though they are allowed to hunt them, they don't.  It's just not what is best, certainly for the birds, but also for the environment, for the ecosystem. 

It made me think of this verse in 1 Corinthians:  "all things are lawful for me, BUT..."  It's actually twice in 1 Corinthians.  The first time is in chapter 6, verse 12, and has to do with ourselves.  "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful."  The point is that it may not be sinful for you to eat chocolate, or drink wine, but that doesn't mean it's good for you. 

The other instance is in 1 Corinthians 10, verse 23.  This one, I think, is even more beautiful in its sentiment:  "All things are lawful for me, but not all things edify."  It goes on to say, "Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being."  In this one, the focus is on others.  Though it may not be sinful for you to drink wine, doing so in front of a struggling alcoholic is certainly not loving thy neighbor.

The responsible thoughtfulness of the native tribes of New Guinea is a beautiful example of not taking for granted the freedoms we are given ~ and not taking advantage of them, either.

~ "the earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness" ~

1 Corinthians 10:26

No Greater Love

"Greater love has no one than this,

than to lay down one's life for another"

John 15:13

Isaac Davis

February 23, 1745 – April 19, 1775

Dr Joseph Warren

June 11, 1741 – June 17, 1775

Leonard Covington

October 30, 1768 – November 14, 1813

John Stansbury

28 March 1788 – 11 September 1814

Sullivan Ballou

March 28, 1829 – July 29, 1861

Robert Gould Shaw

October 10, 1837 – July 18, 1863

Remington D.B. Vernam

March 24, 1896 - December 1, 1918

Wilbur E. Colyer

March 5, 1898 – October 10, 1918

Francis C. Flaherty

March 15, 1919 – December 7, 1941

George L. Fox ~ March 15, 1900 - February 3, 1943

Alexander D. Goode ~ May 10, 1911 - February 3, 1943

Clark V. Poling ~ August 7, 1910 - February 3, 1943

John P. Washington ~ July 18, 1908 - February 3, 1943

Ralph E. Pomeroy

March 26, 1930 – October 15, 1952

Baldomero Lopez

August 23, 1925 – September 15, 1950

Terry Teruo Kawamura

December 10, 1949 – March 20, 1969

Maximo Yabes

January 29, 1932 – February 26, 1967

Scott Speicher

July 12, 1957 – January 17, 1991

Patrick Daniel Tillman

November 6, 1976 – April 22, 2004

Megan Malia Leilani McClung

April 14, 1972 – December 6, 2006

Travis A. Morgado 

March 27, 1987 - May 23, 2012 

Jesus Christ 

"died for our sins, was buried, 

  and rose again on the third day"

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

~ "If you abide in My word, 

you are My disciples indeed.  

And you shall know the truth, 

  and the truth shall make you free" ~

John 8:31-32

~ "Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty

by which Christ has made us free, 

 and do not be entangled again" ~

Galatians 5:1

Control Freak

"the fruit of the Spirit"

Galatians 5:22

I love words.  I love the funky spelling of some of them; I love their interesting origins, and the depth revealed in the many ~ and sometimes conflicting ~ definitions. 

So I was excited when a new homophone was revealed to me recently.  You love homophones, too, don't you?  Those words that sound the same but are spelled differently, and have different meanings, like knew and new.  Not to be confused with antonyms, which are words that mean the opposite, like night and day.  And not to be confused with synonyms, which are words that mean the same thing, but don't look anything like each other, like shut and close.  Synonyms, of course, should also not be confused with cinnamon, which sounds similar, but tastes better...

And here's a wonderful piece of word trivia:  what two words in the English language change their pronunciation when you capitalize the first letter?  I'll give you the answer tomorrow, cuz I know some of you might want to ponder that little tidbit for awhile.

So, the new homophone I've come to appreciate might surprise you, because it's probably not technically a homophone.   It's more like a word that has come to have a whole new meaning for me, so that now, it has two different meanings.  And frankly, the word stopped scaring me when that happened. 

Are you wondering what word in the Bible is scary?  Or are you thinking of some, like smite, and lake of fire.  Although, if you find those scary, then I'd be remiss in not making sure you know that salvation is a prayer away!  Acknowledge that He is Lord; acknowledge that you're a sinner; ask Him to be your Lord.  Done and Done.  Amen, Hallelujah, and the angels are rejoicing!  :)  "there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents, than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance." (Luke 15:7)

Okay, so the word that's been scaring me for several years is self-control.  It's from today's highlight verse, in Galatians.  It's one of the nine fruits of the Spirit.  And it's kind of scary because it reminds me that I have no excuse for misbehaving.  Self-control means being able to stop oneself from lying, or losing one's temper, or gossiping, or whatever one's weakness is.  So when I don't stop myself from doing whatever, it's because I'm failing to take advantage of that fruit.  God has gifted me with self-control, so I feel like if I'm not using that gift, it's my fault.  That's a very simplistic view of the fruit of self-control, but I'm not exactly rational when I'm critiquing myself.

So now the new meaning.  I had a dilemma the other day.  Someone in my life had made a decision that negatively affected me, and I have no choice but to live with it, no matter how frustrated it was making me.  I cried my anger to the Apple of my Eye, and he understood completely how I felt.  I know he was praying for me, but this is not the first time this person has done this to me, so although I desperately wish it weren't the case, I seem to be unable to completely forgive, since my frustration has increased since the last time. 

But then I called a friend of mine who has often been a source of wise counsel for me.  She knows me very well ~ my weaknesses and my strengths ~ and she also knows this other person, so I thought she'd be the perfect person to give me some advice on how to handle the unforgiving state my heart was in.  I was desperate not to continue in that unforgiving way, but I didn't seem to be able to help how I was feeling. 

Well, my friend had wonderful advice for me.  She understood my frustration, but showed me that there are things I can do, positive steps I can take to avoid being hurt in the future.  I was seeing myself as a victim, but that doesn't need to be the case.  Though this person will still be in my life, I can make sure it's not in the same way.  It's a change in the way she and I will interact, but there's also been a change in how I feel about her.  And you know how I felt when I realized I could make these changes?  Like I'd been given control.  I can allow myself to be a victim to someone else's choices in life, or I can make my own choices that give me control.  Self-control.  It doesn't mean that she, or someone else, can't make my life difficult anymore, but it can be the exception, not the rule. 

I see now, that self-control is a gift.  It means I'm not a puppet, of God, or of anyone else.  It means I have free will, and that when there is something negative and avoidable in my life, I have the ability to do something about it.  Choosing not to lose my temper, or judge, or gossip, means choosing to avoid situations that might lead to that.  And man, that makes me feel free!

~ "Stand fast, therefore, 

in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, 

and do not be entangled again 

with a yoke of bondage" ~

Galatians 5:1

Sing, Sing, Sing

"let me sing to my Well-beloved"

Isaiah 5:1

Okay, this only works in the New King James version, so if your version says something else, (like "now I will sing") sorry about that.  But, this is one of those posts that is about what I thought of when I read a line in Scripture, so it's the inspiration that matters.   :)

I read this line today, and was very intrigued by the phrasing.  The singing in question is praising the Lord, but why say, "let me sing"?   "Let me" sounds like asking permission, or wanting to, and not being able to.  And that made me think, what if we wanted to praise Him, but couldn't? 

There is agony in desperately wanting to do something, and not being able to.  So what would be the reasons for someone not be able to do something they really want to?  Maybe needing permission to, and not getting it.  Or not having the necessary equipment or tools for whatever you wanted to do.  Or simply not having the ability.

So how does that apply to praising God?

I read a few years ago about a woman who is a quadriplegic, and therefore, unable to kneel when she prays.  She looks forward to being in heaven, in a glorified body, and being able to kneel before God, since it's something she cannot do on earth.

I also thought about Helen Keller.  Someone without the ability to speak also does not have the ability to sing.  Of course an attempt to verbally communicate, by someone who essentially can't, would still be thoroughly appreciated by God, but it still might be frustrating not to be able to sing praises to Him the way you want to.

I suppose it could be the case that someone might fear to praise Him because of embarrassment in front of others, or an inability to admit His worthiness to be praised, which means acknowledging one's own humility or vulnerability.

So.... Do you have what it takes to sing praises to Him?  Do you have the capacity for understanding that He is worthy of appreciation?  Do you have His permission?  (I'll give you hint:  He wrote in His Word, "Sing the praises of the Lord, you His faithful people; praise His holy name."  So, yes, you do have His permission.)

So, if you're not singing His praises, why aren't you??

~ "The whole crowd of disciples

began joyfully to praise God in loud voices: 

'Blessed is the King 

who comes in the name of the Lord!  

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!' 

But some of the Pharisees in the crowd 

said to Jesus, 'Teacher, rebuke Your disciples!'  

But He replied, 'I tell you, if they keep quiet, 

the rocks themselves will cry out.' " ~

Luke 19:38-40

Lessons from an insect

"do not be entangled again"

Galatians 5:1

I had another experience today that seemed a good reminder, as the holiday season arrives.  I was over at my parents' house, and in their garage, as I was walking to the back door, something green and fluttering caught my eye.  When I went to investigate, I found a leaf bug.

He was a beautiful green, and I believe he had just entered the garage, as I'd seen him in the air a minute ago, but now he was on the floor, next to a stack of boxes, and he was caught in a spider's web.

It was obviously an old web.  Clearly Charlotte had abandoned this one.  It was only partially attached to the box; the rest was hanging free.  And the leaf bug's back leg was caught.  He was trying to walk away but he couldn't free himself.

My Awesome Girl, torn between her loathing of creepy crawly things, and her compassion for any living creature, went and got a stick, and helped him extricate himself from the web.  Then once she had him clinging to the stick, she carried him out to the garden.  When we checked back later, he was gone.  So, mission accomplished!

So how did this little adventure make me think of the holiday season?

The web.  An old web.  I think we have those in our lives, and I think they catch us off-guard.  And I think one place we are likely to come upon them is in gatherings with family.

You see, our families are the ones who have known us since the beginning.  They knew us when we were young and immature.  They saw the tantrums and heard the foolish words.  They knew us when we wanted to be an astronaut or a ballerina.  They might have even laughed at us in the past.  So we might hesitate to really be our true selves in front of them.  Will we be judged?  Will we be misunderstood?  Will they make fun of us for who we have become; for how different we are from who we used to be?  Afraid of showing them who we have become, we sometimes revert to how we used to act.  For some people it may be drinking alcohol, or drinking more than you think you should.  For others it might be language or off-color jokes that you no longer feel are appropriate.  Sometimes, when we get in the company of people who bring out the worst in us, sure enough, the worst comes out!

You are free.  If you are in Christ, you are a new creation.  Galatians 5:1 says "stand fast, therefore, in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again."  As the poor leaf bug was caught in an old web, do not be trapped by the things of old; by who you used to be.

As my children grow, I try to remind them of the pitfalls of peer pressure, one of which is pretending to be something different than who you are, in order to fit in.  I tell them, "Be who you are."

But I think that what I want to say to you today; the thing I remind myself is:  Be who you have become.

~ "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, 

the new creation has come:  

The old has gone, the new is here!" ~

2 Corinthians 5:17

World's Greatest Brownies.... not

"love one another"

1 John 4:12

I'm thinking about judgment again today.  The other day it was on my mind, but from a different point.  I was worried about being judged, and that made me wonder if I'm too judgmental.  The lesson I felt God had for me was about how I view other people, perhaps too critically.  Today though, I was just worried about being judged.

Our church had a Harvest Festival today, and there was a bake sale.  I had been asked to donate something, and I'd been glad to agree.  But when the time came to bake, I remembered how much baking frustrates me.  I love to cook, but I don't love baking.  It's more of a science, and if it doesn't work like it's supposed to, I'm not sure what the solution is.  And it seems to me that more often than not, baking doesn't work like it's supposed to.   Either my oven is not true to temperature, or I should use shortening instead of butter, or my baking pan is glass instead of metal, or whatever.

I chose to make brownies, and I even used a boxed mix.  I'm not a fan of boxed brownies ~ they always taste like they have play-doh in them to me.  I know.... weird but true...  But I do like Ghirardelli brownies. Just add some oil, some water and an egg.  Bake the instructed amount of time, and done deal, right?  Nope.  I test them, and they're not done all the way, so I have to give them a few more minutes, and them test them again and then a few more minutes and then test them again.  Do brownies keep cooking for a few minutes after you take them out of the oven?  No idea.  Do I need to let them cool completely before I cut them?  No idea.   See how much I don't know?

And then the worst:  After I cut them (and they don't seem totally done to me.  Good enough, but really very moist in the middle.  How moist is too moist?  No idea.) I need to somehow wrap them.  I did brownies so that I could bag them in batches, and then the church would have several of them, instead of  just one batch.   So now what?  Small paper plates?  All I had was paper plates with a watermelon design, which is not very Autumn-y.  So that's out.  But I did have some decorative cellophane bags.  I used those, and they were fine, I guess, but putting four or five brownies in these bags just somehow looked... pitiful.  In my mind's eye, it looked enticing, but when they were done, I was just sure they were going to be the saddest thing on the table.  There are some really good bakers at our church!

And to me, they were indeed sad-looking.  I was at the opposite end of the Harvest Festival, helping out at the food table, so I couldn't be sure, but I know if I had looked, everyone else's would be gone, and mine would still be sitting there.

And just like the other day at my stylist's, I felt judged.  Again, there was probably no reason for me to.  They were just brownies.  Whoever got them probably loved them ~ kudos to Ghirardelli, not to me.  And it occurred to me that I was being far too obsessed with what others thought about me.   I once read a quote that I loved, though I don't remember who said it:  "You wouldn't worry so much about what people thought of you, if you knew how seldom they did."  There might be others who are better at baking, and presentation, than I am, but no one was going to look at those little gift bags of brownies and think condescending thoughts about me.  They were going to think about whether they wanted brownies, or cookies, or cupcakes!  But the fact that I was working in an area that's not my strong suit, was making me even more susceptible to self-criticism.

I'm remembering today that the only One I need to please, is God.  If I am pleasing Him, then He's going to make sure I'm able to be a blessing to others.  How do I please Him?  First of all, faith.  Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please Him... He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Also, loving our neighbor.  1 John 3 says "we have confidence before God and receive from Him anything we ask, because we keep His commands and do what pleases Him.  And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us."  And loving His Word.  Psalm 1:  "Blessed is the one whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on His law day and night."  Surely this knowledge can keep me so busy that I don't have time to worry about brownies!

I need to be worried about far less than I think I need to be worried about.  Today, He keeps bringing back to my mind the conclusion that Solomon came to, in Ecclesiastes 12:  "Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man's all."  Fear Him in love, and keep His commandments.
This is my all.

~ "To the person who pleases Him, 

God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness" ~

Ecclesiastes 2:26

Unseen Beauty ~ Seen

"The desert and the parched land will be glad;

the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.

Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom;

it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy."

Isaiah 35:1-2

I've recently been reading the autobiography of Helen Keller.  She was a remarkable woman.  She is truly a testament to what can be achieved in life, no matter what you have to overcome.

But I was especially impressed with how much she loved the natural beauty of the earth, which, of course, she could not see.  Here's what she said:  "It seems strange to many people that I should be impressed by the wonders and beauties of Niagara.  They are always asking:  'what does this beauty or that music mean to you?  You cannot see the waves rolling up on the beach, or hear their roar.  What do they mean to you?'"  And her answer was, "In the most evident sense, they mean everything.  I cannot fathom or define their meaning anymore than I can fathom or define love or religion or goodness."

I just love her analogy of comparing visible beautiful things to invisible beautiful things.  They were all invisible to her, but of course she still knew they were there.  There are beautiful things that are invisible to all of us, as she said, like love, faith, kindness.  So how did she appreciate things she could not see or hear?  

The explanation came later in her book, when she said, "Sometimes, it is true, a sense of isolation enfolds me like a cold mist... beyond, there is light, and music, and sweet companionship; but I may not enter.  Silence sits immense upon my soul.  Then comes hope with a smile and whispers, 'There is joy in self-forgetfulness.'  So I try to make the light in others' eyes my sun; the music in others' ears my symphony; the smile on others' lips my happiness."

Helen Keller found joy in simply knowing beauty existed, even though she couldn't see it.  There's a lesson there for us.

These quotes put me in mind of another literary heroine of mine ~ Anne Frank.  Want another take on the beauty of life?  This is what she had to say:  "In the evening, when I lie in bed, I end my prayers with  the words, 'I thank you, God, for all that is good and dear and beautiful.'  I am filled with joy.  I think about 'the good' of going into hiding, of my health... the 'dearness' of those I love, and the beauty which exists in all the world.... nature, beauty and all that is exquisite and fine.  I don't think of all the misery but of the beauty that still remains."  Amazing, isn't it?  But she continues, "My advice when one feels melancholy is:  go outside, to the fields, enjoy nature and the sunshine, go out and try to recapture happiness in yourself and in God.  Think of all the beauty that's still left in and around you and be happy!  I've found that there is always some beauty left ~ in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself."  

Isn't that remarkable?  And does it strike you that you are being advised to find beauty in nature, from a girl who could not go outside??  She had known these things ~ fields and nature and sunshine ~ but they had been taken away from her.  She spent her last years in prison ~ first an attic, and then a concentration camp.  But Anne Frank found joy in simply knowing beauty existed, even though she couldn't see it.  There's a lesson there for us.

See more than what you can see.

~ "The Spirit lifted me up 

between earth and heaven" ~

Ezekiel 8:3

Just don't call me late for dinner

"Christ is all, and in all"

Colossians 3:11

Who are you?

How do you define yourself?

What's your "label"?

We love to label.  Both others, and ourselves.  "That's my son."  "I'm an artist."  "We're high-school sweethearts."

But we don't necessarily like to be labeled by others.  Often, that's because the labels are negative:  cheater, gossip, ex-con...  But sometimes those labels others give us are something we're comfortable with, except for the fact that that's not all we are.  Like the 7-foot tall high-school basketball player who'd really rather be in the drama club.

I think we do it for simplicity.  We label someone, and then we can put in the rolodex of our heads where we think they belong.   {Does anyone have rolodexes anymore?}  But unfortunately, when we label someone, we tend to lump them in with everyone who wears that label.  This might make us reluctant to think of ourselves as "environmentalists" even if God has give us a special love for nature and the animal inhabitants of this planet.  Or how about "feminist"?  It used to mean someone who thought women should have equal rights in the workplace and in the eyes of the law.  Now, it seems to have the connotation of someone who feels that women are superior to men.   Very few people seem to call themselves feminists anymore.

Labels are simple.  And sometimes wrong.  We are more than what we are labeled.   Republican.   Democrat.  Recovering alcoholic.  Cancer survivor.  Unemployed.  Dentist.  Surfer.  Writer.  Artist.  Engineer.  Sinner.  Forgiven.  Lost.  Found.

Be who you are.  Be all of who you are.  And be all that He created you to be.

~ "There is neither Jew nor Greek, 

neither slave nor free, neither male nor female; 

for you are all one in Christ Jesus" ~ 

Galatians 3:28

Healing and Liberty

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, 

but the sick"

Mark 2:17

There's always a story behind the story....

I recently saw a show on the History Channel about Ellis Island, the gateway through which many of America's immigrants arrived.  Ellis Island is, of course, a popular tourist destination.  The Main Building, is one of the few buildings tourists are able to see, but there is much more to the property than that.  There are more than 30 additional buildings that are unrestored.  And do you know what most of those buildings are?

Medical buildings.  Because many of those who immigrated to the United States, especially the poorest, came with diseases.  Of those who arrived in with illness, only 2% were turned away.  The rest were taken to the medical buildings for treatment or surgery.  They were taken to be cared for.  They were welcome, but before they were given the freedom they came for, they needed to be healed.

There is such a beautiful parallel here to our life in Jesus.  Before we recognize our need for a Savior, we are unaware that we are, as Revelation says, "wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked."  But when we give our lives to Him, we are promised healing ~ "He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness: 'by His wounds you have been healed'" {That's from 1 Peter 2, and Peter is quoting Isaiah 53.}

And of course, we are promised freedom ~ "Jesus said, 'If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples.  Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'" {John 8:31-32}

I love that He promises us freedom; it's exciting and, well, liberating!  That can only be provided by a Warrior, the King of kings.  But I am comforted and heartened that He provides healing, too.   He is the Great Physician; compassionate.

He is what I need; and I need what He is.

~ "To you who fear My name,

The Sun of Righteousness shall arise 

with healing in His wings;

And you will go out

and frolic like well-fed calves" ~

Malachi 4:2

Endowed by our Creator

"liberty throughout the land"

Leviticus 25:10

The Liberty Bell, and Independence Hall in Philadelphia

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights..."

Those words, as you may know, are from the Declaration of Independence.  Today is the 235th birthday of the United States of America, and the gift of freedom ~ which is often taken for granted by those who are free ~ is remembered and celebrated once again.  


Freedom is more appreciated by those who have not always been free.  And in that spirit, I'd like to remember ~ and remind you ~ of the freedom enjoyed by those whose God is the Lord.  And by that I mean, knowing that He's not just God, He's your God.  He's not just the Savior, He's your Savior.  


As Christians, we enjoy freedom from sin.  And that means two things.  It means that our sin doesn't have control over us anymore; we have the power to live the way He has called us to live.  ~ "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.  Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery" ~ (Galatians 5:1)


But freedom from sin also means freedom from the wages of sin. ~ "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" ~ (Romans 6:23)


Freedom as Christians also means living a life not burdened by anyone's law but His.  Now, of course, His law includes obedience to the government ~ "Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established."  (Romans 13:1)  But the Pharisees had created many more rules than God had intended, and they were burdening the people.  Know the Bible.  Know what He commands all of us, and what He expects of you.  


But be aware that the freedom you've been given in Him does not take precedence over the two commands Jesus gave us ~ love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself.  ~ "Do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love." ~ (Galatians 5:13)


Finally, celebrate the freedom of communication.  We are invited to be heard by Him, and to hear Him through His Word.  If you are not praying and reading Scripture everyday, then you choose to be imprisoned in a cell to which you hold the key. ~ "I walk about in freedom, for I have sought out your precepts." ~ (Psalm 119:45) ~ "In Him and through faith in Him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." ~ (Ephesians 3:12)


Regardless of where you live, where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.  And if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.