Abiding in Blessings

 This is my favorite month! For the past (almost 25) years, I grew in anticipation when my birthday drew nearer in November; now not so much, haha, but the comfort of this month has stayed. My husband’s birthday is close to mine, so we can share in the excitement when we do especially kind and considerate things for each other this month. Then, there are the brilliant and vibrant colors of autumn, the coziness of sweaters, scarves, boots, and a cute hat to complete the look. When I look out my window, I see weathered corn stalks, cows, pumpkin patches, gourds of various shades and sizes, and the peaceful descending leaves hitting the pane, to which my cats adore chasing. Autumn just reminds me of a continuous farm that I can drive by for miles and enjoy. And during harvest season, others join in the décor to heighten this country atmosphere. And of course, there is Thanksgiving, as well! The idea of gathering friends and family is simply timeless. We realize how grateful we are for one another, and verbally share our greatest blessings from the year gone by. 

 But, may I purpose another idea to consider? Say you are sitting at the marvelous wooden table displayed with crisp turkey, potatoes, apple cider, and pies galore. You look up from your lavish plate to share what you’re thankful for, and you see the Lord Jesus Christ sitting opposite from you. Time’s up. It is now His turn to speak. Would the Lord be able to include you in His list of blessings? We focus on what we are grateful for, which is pleasantly humble; but in return, we forget whether or not we're counted as a blessing to others, especially the Lord. Obviously we are special to Him, and He cherishes us as His sweet children despite our failures, but do we make a conscious effort to be a blessing and “give our best to the Master”♪ ?

Our responsibility does not stop with saying we love God. Genuine love is deeper, and the Savior is our greatest example. We need to learn how to love God in full. I guess the best way to measure how great a blessing you are to the Lord, would be to compare yourself to what He considers important in His Word -the Holy Bible. Here are just a few to begin with:

1.     Be grateful when He meets a need, even when He doesn’t allow it as quick as we’d like. The Lord’s timing is not our own. “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:19]

2.     Humbly accept when your wants are not met, or given to you in ways you did not plan. This goes with having peace during the hard times, trials, and heartache… which is something we let our pride prevent us from doing, even though it benefits us the most. God still hears us! “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us.” [1 John 5:14] and “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that fear is not made perfect in love.” [1 John 4:18]

3.     Love the brethren! A big one! How can we love God with the same heart we hate another one of His children with? Have you righted the wrongs you may have with a fellow Christian? We all get into the traps of bickering and messing up friendships, but that is not the end-all. Even if you won’t end up best friends, you have the responsibility to be at peace with Believers. This is what God commands us, and it’s not to be taken lightly as if, “God will understand if we don’t get along.” Even if you think you have nothing in common with each other, God still encourages unity, since you do have the same Father in common after all. Pray for and love them regardless. And let’s face it, we strive greatly to have a speck of Christ-likeness in us, and yet He died for us with Love. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.” [1 John 4: 11] and “Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.” [James 3:9,10]

4.     Do all things for the Lord without complaining. From picking up garbage that someone else left behind, or congratulating someone on something you wish you accomplished first; we are to have a cheerful and sincere heart in all that we do. If you don’t “feel” like doing something, then pray for the strength and drive to finish. I recently did so, and hey, it worked! “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” [1 John 5:3] and “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord, and not unto men.” [Colossians 3:23]

5.     Idols! Do you have idols in your life? And I am not referring to the statuesque kind. Idols or gods are things that take a higher priority than God in your life. Before you still reply, “Of course not!” have you skipped church due to a prior commitment, or delayed/skipped your morning Bible Time, because you just “had” to style your hair in an exact, time-consuming manner, or press that pesky snooze button? I have been guilty of these things myself! We may quickly see how much WE are our own hindrance to living right with God. Why would we sabotage ourselves so? For the same reason we need Him more and more- our sinful nature. “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” [Exodus 20:3] and “O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? How long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.” [Psalms 4:2]

These are just a few, but crucial, features God requires of us. If we fail in these areas, how could we possibly be pleasing the Savior? Well, we first need to pray for forgiveness! Humble yourself before Him and ask for those sins to be forgiven, which would restore your relationship with Him anew! “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” [1 John 1:9] Then to prevent those mistakes from reoccurring, ask God to give you a new, focused heart to start each day with. “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” [Psalms 51:10]

I’ve heard this analogy many times, and it still hits home when repeated. “If your church was made up of a hundred of YOU, would it be a good church?” Something to ponder. Would this church please the Savior? Would Jesus Christ Himself want to visit your church? Would God consider your church a blessing?

So this Thanksgiving, please give God the glory in all that you are thankful for, but also reflect on if a list could be written about you.

 "...be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work." [2 Timothy 2:21]

Harvested Heart

Hey, everyone! I had another blog in the batter’s box for today, but the line-up has changed. I woke up this morning to head out to work at our church’s Homeschool Co-op. While opening the car door, I noticed a yellowish haze on the driver’s side window and down the door. Yes *ahem* my car was already egged and it was only morning! Our devotion today was on how Christians should not engage in this “holiday”; but it seems like no matter how much we avoid it, it’s hard not to be affected some way or another by its influences. But like Pastor’s message yesterday, we may not be able to control the situation, but we can control our attitude in the situation. So, even though I dreaded boiling water to wipe away the frozen yolk, eggshell, chipped paint, and slight paranoia, I must just deal with it and smile.

I read this verse in my Bible Time today: “But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the daytime. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you.” [2 Peter 2:12,13]

What a verse for this day, I thought, because the Judgement of God to the corrupted Lost is a terrifying thought! So, when you see dozens of folks (and yolks) “celebrating” today, may I encourage you to pray for those souls?!

And just when you thought it couldn’t get any more frightening… the Bible says there is an even worse judgment for another group of people; any guesses whom?

"While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption... For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. BUT IT HAS HAPPENED unto them according to the proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire." [2 Peter  2:10-22]

Answer: those who have been influenced by Christians and learned of the Biblical Truths, yet have gone astray. This group is worse off, because they have all the resources they could possibly need (the Bible itself) and they still deny God and His ways. They refuse to live the Christian life and produce Fruits of the Spirit; hence they live like the world. Without fruitfulness, their tree of life will wither away and die. Just picture a full moon behind that decaying tree, and you have an image of scary, all right, and it’s not pretend.

Everyday, many souls are experiencing death and torture; (the biggest torture is not the fire, but the eternal life without God.) So may we just pray earnestly for the Lost today, and keep in perspective that they “know not what they do.” And for those that do know, yet pleasure in the sin, may we still never cease to pray for their repentance! This is how we can have a set-apart attitude from the world today!

♪ Bring the wandering ones to Jesus! ♪

“But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it, which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” [Matthew 13:23]

Mirror Image

The mirror. This simple object (a glass pane inside a frame) is looked into countless times a day; comes in various shapes, colors, and sizes, and just about everyone has one, in at least five rooms of their house. What is so fascinating about the mirror? Even from infancy, there is usually one right above the dresser in the nursery. Miss Baby-girl coos over her reflection and the discovery of eye-contact. As she grows, so does the size and quantity of mirrors she owns. Every glance in the glass reaffirms her pros and cons, and with a quick brush and shining of gloss, she has numerously more pros, until the next time she returns.

So, what is my point? We give ample awareness to mirrors, and even more to the reflection. And why? We want to hold ourselves accountable for our appearances, perhaps. We want to know what everyone else sees, or we want to analyze the good and the ‘less-than-par’, with the intention of change. This routine seems to be in the unwritten handbook of being a girl, and comes very naturally, with me as no exception. Now are mirrors bad? No. They are neutral. Is the excess time spent in the mirror considered bad? Well, let me put it this way. Consider the bathroom mirror. There is usually a sink below it. Before the AM coffee is brewed, there is a morning stare-down with your reflection. Then with a dose of sink water, the washing takes place, and a more satisfying image looks back at you. Does this daily ritual remind you of anything? To me, it almost seems as if I am making a sacrifice to myself. I have the fatted calf (which I can relate to most mornings) and I have an alter (the basin). After a determined washing, I am then pleased with what has occurred. So am I then treating myself as an idol every time I look into the mirror for approval? Not exactly, but it’s something to consider anyhow. (And praise the Lord we no longer need these sacrifices, because Jesus paid it all!) But maybe a comparison is warranted between the times we spend seeking self-approval compared to seeking God’s approval.

The way we view a mirror is similar to the way we view the Bible. The more time we spend gazing and searching every detail, the clearer and more familiar It becomes. But when we neglect His Word, for hours or days, we become a downright mess. Our shameful condition is even more evident the next time we see how much farther from perfection we allowed ourselves to become. If we keep our visits with the Bible (the Mirror to being in God’s image) few and far apart, we eventually say, “Oh well. It’s too late now; I have let myself go, and I might as well let it continue to happen.” We then become the person we spent so much time avoiding to be! Constantly exploring God’s Word will help you mature beautifully and gracefully. This routine may seem time-consuming at first, but we must remember WHO deserves the majority of our time in the first place! Soon His wisdom will settle naturally (and we’ll lose a few wrinkles of confusion on our burrowed foreheads.) Balance your priorities, making God as Number One, and you will not go asunder (like broken glass). Consider how much you desire to be Christ-like, and take the necessary steps to becoming a more distinct image of God. This process takes viewing the Scriptures with your eyes, to living in such a way others will see Him reflected in your life.

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of Liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” [James 1:22-25]

Faith's Hall of Fame

I was amazed to read Hebrews chapter 11 the other day. As you may know, I'm married to my best friend and I wouldn't ask for anyone else. But married life can be a battle... and I am not even talking about the actual people involved. Does bills, bills, bills, and more bills ring a bell for anyone? ;) It's hard not to covet sometimes when others have nice things in their married life. But, alas, they are just temporal things. We have been provided for, nonetheless, and I am grateful. Together we are growing in this attitude called "contentment." It takes faith to trust that God will carry us through this union and have peace every step of the way. This chapter lists several "Heroes of Faith" who have more than accomplished great trust in the Lord. And several of these heroes knew that they would never even see God's great rewards on Earth (Christ's coming) and yet, they kept the faith. "And all these, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us..." [Hebrews 11:39,40] So maybe these heroes did not have the biggest house, car, or family (temporal values) but they DID have faith (eternal value) that was greatly rewarded the moment they entered Heaven. A friend mentioned a valuable point: whose name would be written in this chapter today? Could yours even be in the running?

Faith is an amazing characteristic of the Christian. It is so complex, yet so simple; so hard, yet so easy. The only thing preventing us from this faith we desire is "us". Picture a house with two rooms. You are in one room and there is a reward in the other room; that reward is a glittering abundance of peace. Do we cry out in joy that it's only a few steps away? No. We find complaints in having to walk over, instead of it coming to us. Let's say there is a wall dividing the two rooms. That wall is blocking our view of the reward, although we are still fully aware that it's right there. We can see the bright reflections on the wall sparkling away, but we stay-put complaining about the effort it will take to make the trip. And in that case, the reward will always be just a room away.

Faith does not automatically saturate our minds. We first need to leap for it. Many take that jump, and just moments later stop, falling into the cracks below. This reminds me of how Peter was amazed to walk on water (although he had asked for this to happen), just to look down, let the flesh sink in, and he followed suit seconds later. With a big gulp, others make their greatest long jump and hang in there until landing on their strong foundation.

While sailing, you are to look at a specific point across the lake, to assure you are going straight. Same with faith. Keeping our eyes focused on God will keep us on the straight and narrow. When we do leap and land, perhaps the next time we are more willing to take a running start, trusting even more that God will carry us and catch us. The cracks we are required to leap over may turn to canyons, and seem impossible to cross. Well they are, that is, without the actual Cross carrying us along.

"And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? And when they were come into the ship, the wind ceased." [Mat.14:28-33]

A Proper Introduction

This is my first real blog. (I know, I know, where have I been?!) I used to blog a little, but I lost touch with giving my personal experiences in a public light. But lately, I've decided that I can do so, with the hope that I will encourage someone else.

Writing is a dear hobby in my life. My childhood was saturated with youthful journalism, stories, poems, and song lyrics. "Become an author" has been engraved on my to-do list for quite a few years now. This may be the closest I ever come to doing so, but that is fine. There are several ways I can incorporate that dream into my everyday life, without it being my actual profession. We can choose a "wilderness" attitude or a "Promise Land" attitude about life. I am blessed to teach English at a homeschool co-op, which keeps my writing motors tuned. Since I am a Christian, and have a BA in English-Literary studies, then I might as well do something that complements these two aspects of my life... and you are now reading this mixture. I hope it keeps your eyes and mind pondering!