A Sip From The Well

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Article #1

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Some people would say that a husband and wife are capable of arguing more than anyone on the planet. At times married couples may even find themselves bickering at each other more than actually talking. And while I have participated in my fair share of arguments, I would like to disagree with the fact that a husband and wife argue more than anyone else. I completely believe that mothers and their children hold that record, especially if you happen to have a “strong-willed” child. Although every one of my children were different, they still went through the same battle about being right over anything and everything. I think all children go through that! When I became a mother again,  I had to do some serious brushing up on my parenting skills, especially when my son learned to hold a conversation with me and tell me his wants and things that he didn't want. I remember when he learned that when going shopping if we intended to take anything from the store, we first had to give the person at the counter some money. At first he was not real happy about that concept because he liked money or at least the kind that “jingled” and fit in his pocket. But, after he learned how the whole “pay for it first” rule worked, he was really good about helping out when we got in the checkout line. But one day, his buddy, Curious George, went with us into the store. Just as we came up to the counter, he began handing me the stuff from our basket. “Pay it, Mommy! Pay it!” Then, along with our groceries, he handed me Curious George. I politely told him thank you and handed George back to him. “No Mommy, pay it!” Again, he pushed George toward the counter. For the next several minutes following it was a full-out argument about why we didn't have to pay for George. There was simply no convincing him that he didn’t have to pay for something that was already his. I didn’t even make it to the door of the grocery store before I thought, “Someone needs to hear that message!” You see, so often we get so overwhelmed with the burden of sin and failures in our life that it feels impossible to believe that Jesus has forgiven us and redeemed us, so we continually try to “pay” for the wrongs we have done with good works or continual pleadings for forgiveness. It will exhaust us to the point of wanting to give up trying when in reality, we are simply trying to pay for something that has already been bought and gain forgiveness for things that have already been forgiven. Scripture tells us in Psalm 49:7-9 that “…no man can ransom another, or give to God the price of his life, for the ransom of their life is costly and can never suffice,.” But praise God, that “…God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8) Jesus paid the price for our sins and purchased our life on the cross at Calvary, so we can stop trying to purchase what we cannot buy and stop trying to pay for what is already bought. I can’t tell you what a relief that is! Now, more than ever, it is a perfect time to seek to understand the greatest sacrifice that this world will ever know and to accept the greatest free gift that will ever be offered. Today I am still thankful for my argumentative toddler and his little toy monkey for that reminder, and thankful to the Lord for using him so often to reach my heart, and hopefully YOURS!  

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Article #2

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Have you ever had a hard time trying to find something in your closet to wear? Maybe you have dug through your closet and tried on a few things only to find that none of it fits? Don’t worry, you are not the only one! If you are like me, you probably think to yourself that maybe someday you will eventually wear it again, so you hang the clothes back up on the rack. That was my dilemma this past Sunday morning. Three outfits later I was ready to go, and yes, I hung back up all of the clothes that didn’t fit. After all, they were good clothes, just not any that I could wear. As I was walking out of the closet I heard the Lord speak to my heart and tell me that “some things just need to be thrown out.” Oh, how true that is! But I knew that the Lord was not just talking to me about a bunch of old clothes, he was pointing out sin as well. Everyone struggles with sin and we sometimes live with it for a while until we become convicted about it. But instead of throwing that sin out, we keep it tucked away in our life. There in the recesses of our heart, it stays dormant for a while until we decide to pull it out of the closet and try it on again to see if it still feels like sin. Sadly it doesn’t even occur to us that sin is not like some old piece of clothing that we can shove back in the closet in case we need it again later. We should look at sin as though it is something that we wouldn’t want hanging around in our life at all, but we don’t. It’s probably for the same reason that we hang on to old clothes, and that’s because it’s hard to get rid of things that we love. That favorite black dress or that old pair of sneakers? Can you imagine throwing them out? What about those “go-to” cuss words that get used so often? Maybe a spiteful attitude that shows up when necessary? What about that stack of lies that are ready to be pulled out whenever you need them? Now those are hard to throw out! In fact, right about now, you may be giving yourself a reason to be okay with keeping that “old back-up” sin. But just listen to what 2 Corinthians 7:10 warns us about…“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation WITHOUT REGRET, whereas worldly grief produces DEATH.” God’s word makes it plain and simple that when we repent of our sins, the godly repentance that causes us to turn from those sins, never to go back to them again leads us to salvation. However, if we treat them like we would the things of the world, and constantly go back to that sin, it will eventually lead to death. I don’t know about you, but one look at my closet leads me to believe that I need to get busy “spring cleaning.” What about you?

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Article #3

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I read an article a long time ago that suggested that men loved women who could cook because it made them more attractive. It mentioned nothing about the other amazing qualities that a woman possesses, it just focused on the idea that a woman who could make a great meal was more attractive! While I am not sure that it is particularly true, I do find it interesting that many men believe that if you are a woman, you can automatically cook. Maybe that is why they always say that a woman can reach a man’s heart by way of his stomach? Who knows! Sometimes because women are associated with home economics, men tend to assume that whatever needs to be fried in a skillet or stirred in a pot, is something that a woman can do, but that is not so! I once (or twice) had a pile of cookies that tasted like playdough, laying in the bottom of my trash can as proof. And, before it crosses your mind, the answer is yes, I followed the recipe perfectly. I took the High School cooking classes and watched my mother make a thousand homemade biscuits, but sometimes I still can’t cook. However, some days when I just “throw something together” it turns out delicious. It is really strange that when I forget about following the steps and getting all the ingredients perfect, I can make some of the best meals. My husband often says, “You should write down how you made this so you can make it again sometime!” Now how on earth does that make any sense at all? My only answer is this: When you focus too much on what you’ve done wrong before, you miss the simplicity it takes to make something right. That stands to reason with more than just cooking. Maybe you have found yourself in a situation in your life where you are trying hard to make something work? A job, a relationship, your family, your home, your ministry? Maybe you are like me and many others who throw their failures in a big pile and go on wondering how you keep getting it wrong over and over again. Is it possible that we are missing the simplicity it takes to make it right by focusing too much on what we have done before that caused us to fail? In the Bible, Job pondered over and over why things had happened in his life. He wondered what he had done wrong and questioned what he thought he had done right. Ultimately though, he knew that God was in complete control of everything that was happening. He set aside the “should have; could have; would have” that was invading his thoughts. He finally settled it in his mind and said, “I know that You can do everything, and that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.” (Job 42:2) Job was looking for the perfect recipe for the perfect life, and he found that only through God was that possible. Job didn’t have to have EVERYTHING right, he simply had to have ONE THING right. He had to have obedience, for we are reminded that “...whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it, not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do. (James 1:25)

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Article #4

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Do you know someone who is an expert on something? Maybe your mechanic can fix anything. Maybe you have a hairstylist that can make anyone look good. Maybe you know someone who can tell you the players and scores of every baseball game ever played. I don’t fall into the category of an expert on anything. I’m more of the “Jack of all trades but a master of none” type of person, unfortunately. I can paint, sing, write, and a lot of other things, but don’t ask me to dance (unless you want a good laugh) or ask me anything about football or playing an instrument. I have several friends, however, who seem to be experts on flowers. Horticulture is something that they love, and I get to enjoy the fruits of their knowledge quite a bit. Almost every week they bring a different type of flower into the office to share with everyone. Azaleas, camellias, daffodils, roses, and a ton of others that I can’t name. Sometimes I try and guess what they are before I ask, but I’m always wrong. How in the world they can remember all of those names, I’ll never know. But, on second thought, I think I do know! And it never really occurred to me until the other day. I was standing in the front yard, and I heard a loud bird up in the magnolia tree. I never saw it. I just heard it. But I knew what kind of bird it was right away. I immediately said to my husband, “That’s a redbird!” And, I was right! You see, I’m a bit of an expert on birds. I absolutely love them. I took an interest in birds when my oldest son was little, and I learned all I could about them. I can even identify a good many just by their sound before I ever even see them. My friends who are such experts on flowers are considered experts because they are so interested in them that they have learned everything about them. When they bloom, where they need to be planted, what type of plant food makes them grow big and beautiful, even how long the blooms will last. Simply said, “you love that which you truly know.” What a perfect picture of Jesus and His great love for us. Who else but the Lord can look at you and me and love us enough to be an expert on us? Scripture tells us that before God formed us in the womb, he knew us. (Jeremiah 1:5) Every cell, every hair, the sound of our voice, and the curve of our smile. He is the expert on each of us, but not just because he knows every little thing about us, but because he loves us. Just ask any baseball player why he plays, and he will say, “I love the game!” Ask any artist why he paints or sculpts and he will say, “Because I love it.” You become an expert on that which you love. Maybe you are in a place today where it seems hard to see how anyone could love you, much less God. Don’t let the devil convince you of that awful lie. God knows you like no other and loves you like no other. His word is faithful and true, and because of that, “…we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (1 John 4:16) You may not ever be an expert on anything, but God sure is an expert on YOU!

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Article #5

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As I was flipping through the television channels the other day I saw a show called “The Haves and the Have Nots.” The title describes the show very well in that it follows the lives of two families. One family is wealthy and another family is poor. I scrolled past the show without watching it, but I thought about the title for quite a while. You see, I know quite a bit about the “Haves and the Have Nots.” When I was a little girl, I had a friend that had the most beautiful freckles on her face. However, I didn’t have a single one. Not one freckle! You may be thinking that that is silly, but I guess as children we all want something that we can’t have. One summer I learned that lesson in the most ridiculous way ever. An elderly gentleman in our church overheard me complaining to my friend about how I didn’t have freckles like her and he gave me some very interesting advice. He said, “You know, if you splash water on your face and let it dry, they will turn into freckles!” I must have been the most gullible six-year-old on the planet, so what did I do? I splashed water on my face for an entire summer and waited for the freckles to appear! That’s been forty years ago, and today I finally have a few freckles, but it’s mostly on my shoulders, and it’s caused by the sun rather than water. I should feel quite silly, but I have learned that it is sometimes in the silly things that the Lord can reveal a great precept, which is,  “Some things we just aren’t meant to have, and some things we aren’t meant to have YET.” Our wants and desires can overwhelm us so much that we never really stop to look at the blessings in the life that we have been given. We never even question whether or not GOD wants us to have those wants or desires. Marriage, family, children, jobs, home, material things. There are so many things that we pray for and long for. There are things that we would be willing to do anything to have. God’s word tells us that King Solomon in all of his wisdom knew everything about wants and desires and he was blessed to experience them all. However, in his wisdom, he learned that “For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:” (Ecc. 3:1) He learned that apart from God, everything in this life was “vanity”, a worthless and futile pride that brought nothing but regret. The only happiness, comfort, and joy were found through a relationship with God. At the end of time, it will not matter if you had the nicest home, the most expensive car, the perfect family, or even a bunch of silly freckles. What WILL matter is if you have given your heart and life to the Lord. There is no need to stress and dwell on the “Haves and the Have Nots” of this life. It may not be something that you are not meant to have, but maybe just something that you are not meant to have YET. Remember the example and the words of King Solomon. “For everything, there is a season, and a TIME,” so, wait on the Lord.

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Article #6

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A little over three years ago my husband and I moved to Senatobia. We were beyond excited to be able to live in the community that we were already pastoring in, although a little nervous about the house that we had chosen to buy. We had prayed and waited for almost two years before we were able to purchase one of the historic Victorian homes on Ward Street. Although it was built in 1901, it was in great condition, but we still knew that there would be all kinds of challenges to restoring and caring for such an old home. Little did we know that just a few weeks after we moved, we would find out that we were going to be parents again after twenty years! Our idea of a “slow and easy remodel” soon turned into a “hurry up and get finished” type of plan. Eight and a half months later we were as “finished” as we could be, and enjoying life here in a little piece of history. Some days we sit on the front porch and wonder what life was like one hundred and twenty years ago, and often I will walk through the house and wonder how many children ran down the hallway or played on our living room floor. I look at the details in the home and admire the craftmanship that has lasted so long, that is, until a ninety-pound Bloodhound and an energetic three-year-old break an original glass panel on the door with one swing of a toy! The sound of breaking glass will send any mother into sheer panic, but this particular time, there was an extra disappointment because I knew that the window had remained unbroken for all that time. My husband, however, had a different view. “Well, I’m sure he’s not the first kid to break a piece of glass in this house. We’ll just get it fixed.” Now, while I knew that he was right, in my mind I was thinking, “I know, but it won’t be the same.” You know, no one likes broken things. If it’s broken, it's worthless, right? I’m so glad that the Lord doesn’t think that way. Sometimes He is the one that does the breaking. It's a hard thing to understand, but when the Lord goes through the process of breaking you, it is because He is building you back up into a version of yourself that is better than before. It is for your benefit and His glory that “… after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. (1 Peter 5:10) When the Lord sees you, he sees more than just some old earthly house. And when he begins to restore your life, he wants to do more than just restore it to the way it was before. What glory would there be if you were only restored to the “same old you?” He’s in the business of bringing beauty from ashes and diamonds from coal. Let the Lord do more than just restore you…Let him make you NEW!

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Article #7

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As someone who has worked in the City of Memphis for almost 20 years, I have no shortage of interesting stories to tell about things I have seen and heard. Some stories are good and some are bad. Some are happy and some are tragic. Some stories come back to mind more than others, and when they do, it's usually because someone needs to hear it, and today that may be YOU. Several years ago I was running late for work, and everyone on the roadway seemed to be in a hurry. Just as I exited the interstate, an ambulance came blaring through the intersection next to me. Everyone in their cars moved over quickly so that it could pass. However, a man was walking on the sidewalk that was not as considerate. He was busy looking at his cell phone, and he walked right in front of the ambulance! He didn’t even look up. He just continued looking at his phone, walked past in front of my car, and straight into the path of a car that was speeding to make it through a yellow turn light. This man was inches away from being run over. Then, at the last second, he looked up. He stopped on the tips of his toes just in time for the car to go speeding past. It happened so fast, and you would have thought that he would have grabbed his chest and gave a sigh of relief, but he didn't. He just looked back down at his phone and gave the lady driving the car a “one-finger salute” with his free hand. He was completely oblivious to the fact that he was inches away from losing his life. He was so preoccupied, so self-absorbed, and so ungrateful. That story has always reminded me of the parable that Jesus told of the Rich Fool. He spent his life accumulating wealth and “living the high life,” and then the Lord said to him, “You fool! This night your soul will be required of you: then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” (Luke 12:19-20) It’s so easy to become distracted and have your attention diverted onto things that mean nothing in the light of eternity. It’s just as easy to become callused and ungrateful for the blessings we have and the life we have been given. But, when we strive to make the Lord the central focus of our life, we are ever mindful of the fact that God is the only reason that we live and breathe. Have you ever wondered what your life would be like if you knew that exact day, and time that you would die? You would certainly do things better, live more, and love more. If only we could know, but we don’t. Scripture tells us that “Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. For you are just a vapor that appears for a little while, and then vanishes away. (James 4:14) We are not promised another day, moment, or second, so we had better live our life for Jesus and live it well, for we never know how truly close we are to eternity…

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Article #8

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Isn’t it funny how when you love someone, you can tell certain things about them? Like when they are anxious, hurt, embarrassed, or upset about something? Sometimes all it takes is a moment to hear the sound of their voice and you will know that something is wrong. It’s a trademark of Mothers worldwide, and I’d like to think that I’ve somewhat mastered that skill with all of my children. Last week my daughter called me on the phone and immediately I could tell that she was upset about something. Since she had moved, she had not received the notice in the mail about her vehicle tag being expired, and she had gotten a ticket. More than just being upset about the ticket, she was worried about having to take a day off of nursing school to go to court about it because it was a mandatory court appearance for violation of state registration. So, I offered to help her figure out an alternative so that she would not miss any classes. In doing so, I noticed the fine print on the bottom of the ticket that said, “Waiver and Plea of Guilty.” The ticket explained that you could resolve the issue by waiving your right to a trial by simply pleading guilty and paying the fine. PLEAD GUILTY was written in bold, red letters, and I thought, they are really serious about making sure you understand that you are GUILTY! So, I called the police station to ask what could be done about the court appearance, and a very helpful officer told me that I could come to the court on the day appointed and stand in her place before the judge, plead guilty and pay her fine. Problem solved! The problem is, it was an honest mistake. My daughter didn’t realize she had done anything wrong. To be honest, I have done the very same thing, and received the very same ticket! I didn’t think that I was guilty either. But, the offense was still there, regardless. Perhaps that is the dilemma with many people today concerning the Lord. They simply do not understand the definition of guilty. Guilty is being justly charged with having committed a violation of law that requires a penalty. Our problem is often that we don’t agree with who is making the law. If it doesn’t fit our idea of what sin should be, then we are not guilty, right? If it doesn’t seem like we should get punished for something that didn’t feel wrong, then why should we have to pay? Simply this: We are not God. We are not the law. We are not the judge. Therefore, we are to follow the laws commanded by God or else pay the penalty. If we made the law based on what we “feel” to be right, the world would be in complete chaos! Scripture tells us that “Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness” because sin is lawlessness. (1 John 3:4) Now, before you absolve yourself of all guilt, remember that “ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) So, that means that each of us are required to pay the penalty for our sins. But praise God, He sent Jesus to stand before him in our place, plead guilty and pay the price for our sins. All that He asks is that we throw away the excuses and the desire to defend our sin, PLEAD GUILTY, and allow Jesus to “pay the fine” for us. I know that my daughter will be grateful when her fine is paid and all is forgiven, but can you even imagine what it will be like to stand before the Lord, knowing that all of YOUR sins have been forgiven? Pleading GUILTY isn’t such a bad thing after all!

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Article #9

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Okay, I’ll admit it, I am quite forgetful. I often forget to take my trash can to the curb the night before pick up. I almost always forget to stop and buy more milk. And, I can never remember to water my plants. That’s why I have fake ferns hanging from my front porch. It’s a safe choice considering my lack of attention. Each spring I add new flowers to the hanging pots and try to do so before any birds make their nest inside. This year I wasn’t quick enough. When I went to move one of the ferns, I got an up-close and personal look at a bird that flew right out and straight at my head! When I looked inside the pot, sure enough, there was a beautiful nest with one speckled egg inside. I sat and waited to see if it would come back, and it did. The nest belonged to a little purple finch. Out of curiosity, I checked the nest for several days, and then one afternoon I looked, and there were three more eggs! They were much bigger and a completely different color. I was a little puzzled at first until I saw the purple finch fly back into the nest. It was still its home, but it was sharing the nest with something that was not supposed to be there. As it turns out, it’s not that uncommon. The brown-headed cowbird does this sort of thing all the time. It lays its eggs in an already occupied nest and will sit back and allow another bird to hatch its eggs. The cowbird is a parasite, and the little purple finch is clueless. Unfortunately, the purple finch is not the only one with a parasite in its life. If each of us take a close look, we are sure to find things living in our own “nest” so to speak. You see, a parasite is an organism that lives on or inside a host, causing some type of harm. Even though it is adapted to the host's environment, its goal is to completely take over. Satan is the biggest parasite there is! He looks for opportunities daily to invade our life, especially in those areas that we least expect and often forget to guard. Places like our home, our relationships, our integrity, our faithfulness, our honesty. Those places that once invaded, will be completely taken over in a short time. It’s a subtle kill, one that will be unnoticed until it is too late. The unsuspecting purple finch will in due time, hatch those eggs, and because the bigger eggs will hatch first, those babies will be fed more and grow bigger while the much smaller babies become neglected and starve to death. Scripture tells us that “…each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. The desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:14-15) Satan weaves his web of sin in much the same way. After he has invaded our life, we cultivate that sin and in the end, the parasite will win. King David was a man after God’s own heart, and yet he was no different than you and I. He experienced this very same scenario in his life. He prayed, “Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then, I will be blameless, innocent of great transgression.” (Psalm 19:13) He realized the problem and knew exactly who to call out to for help. He knew that without the Lord, the enemy would prevail in his life. The ultimate defense, the key to survival is found in James 4:7, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Be on your guard always, and let no sin overtake the place where God should abide!

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Article #10

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Every year about this time, I get that “I need a vacation” thought in my mind. It’s probably because everyone else is going to places like the beach, camping or just relaxing somewhere new. If I had my choice, I would go to a place with beautiful mountains. I like the beach, but I love the mountains more. I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Montana several years ago, and the mountains there were incredible. The size of them was impressive and they were so beautiful. If I could live anywhere else in the world, it would be near the mountains. But wait a minute, I already do!  Do you know how many “mountains” I have in my life? I have an absolute ton! A mountain of hurt, a mountain of worry, a mountain of heartache, a mountain of troubles, and a mountain of doubt. They are not beautiful nor are they impressive. Those types of mountains are downright exhausting! Trying to cross these mountains each day is a struggle, and I constantly find myself wishing that they would just disappear. You may think that that is not a feasible thing, but let us consider what God says about “our mountains” in Mark 11:23. He says that "...if anyone says to this mountain, 'Go, throw yourself into the sea,' and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them. That sounds easier said than done, doesn’t it? My mountains are hard to climb and even harder to move. However, there is some simple advice that I once heard that puts my mountains into a different perspective and much easier to approach...“If you want to move mountains, start by moving the small stones.” Remove the small stones of doubt and fear, and courage and faith will remain. Remove the small stones of worry and heartache and peace and joy will remain. Remove the small stones of trouble and hurt, and only love will remain. Piece by piece the huge mountains will become smaller and smaller. While that is a beneficial thing, there is one mountain that is actually GOOD for us to have in our life. As Christians, we NEED to have a “Mountain of Faith.” Often that is one mountain that is easily torn down and can be quite hard to rebuild. But, if we will just begin with the small stones, those of trust, obedience, prayer, and praise, the mountain of faith will begin to grow. If the mountains in your life today seem overwhelming, remember, faith doesn’t make things easy, it makes them possible, “For with God, nothing will be impossible.” (Luke 1:37) Now, which small stone will you move in your life today?

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Article #11

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As most everyone did on Memorial Day weekend, my husband and I reflected on the great price that was paid by servicemen and women who sacrificed their lives so that we may have freedom. It is a sobering thought and one that I am reminded of quite often. You see, in my home, I have what I call an “Honor Wall.” It is covered in photographs of all of our family members who have served their country in almost every branch of the military. It’s there as a reminder to be thankful and to pray for those who are still serving. It's also there to remind us that life is valuable and very short-lived.  In past years, our Memorial Day has been spent enjoying fun and fellowship with family and friends. But this year, my husband, who is a bi-vocational pastor, looked at me and said, “I think I am going to try and catch up on some rest.” He had been working for a few weeks on building our son a treehouse and needed a break. While I understood what he meant, I began to think about that saying, “catch up on some rest.” Can you really regain time? Can you really rest enough to gain what you have lost? We know that time goes by so quickly. The sun sets and the sun rises, but only once in history has time ever stopped for anyone. In the Book of Joshua, chapter 10, Joshua and the Israelites came to the rescue of one of their allies, the Gibeonites. They were to be attacked by opposing forces, but the Lord told Joshua “Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” On that very same day, Joshua stood before Isreal and the Lord and commanded the sun and the moon to stand still so that the nation could avenge itself on its enemies. We are told that "The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day." It was just enough time to do exactly what needed to be done. Couldn't we all use a day like that! In the busyness of life, we sometimes find ourselves "running on empty." But much like Joshua, there is a solution to the problem, but it is nothing that we can do ourselves. In this biblical account, we can see that the Lord already knew the need. He knew Joshua's battle, and he knew the strength that he needed to overcome it. And as always, God provided the time at the moment he needed it the most.  Friend, life is not easy. It is a hard journey in every aspect. We labor and our bodies seek rest. We worry and our mind is overwhelmed. Yet still, the enemy approaches, seeking to "kill, steal and destroy." But be of good courage, for the Lord heard Joshua, and today he still hears those who cry out to him. He sees our need, and He will provide. He is our strength when there is none in us to be found, and when it seems as though time has run out, He STILL moves heaven and earth to come to our rescue.

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Article #12

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Years ago I did something that I never thought I’d do. I sat down and watched a boxing match on the television. Being a tenderhearted person, I had never been one to watch two people punching each other in the face. But, for some odd reason, I decided to see if it was as bad as I had envisioned in my mind. Halfway through the match, I was about ready to turn the channel and find something less violent to watch, when it occurred to me that both of these men were getting paid a ton of money to fight, no matter if they won or lost. Their profession was a sport, and even though it was brutal, in the end, they did the job and received their reward. That changed my perspective about boxing quite a bit. It was no longer just two men acting like barbarians, but two men who chose to step into the ring to fight. I thought about that fact the other day when my little boy asked me to buy him a pair of boxing gloves. While he saw the opportunity to have fun hitting a punching bag, I had visions of roughhousing and a black eye. Nonetheless, I bought two pairs. So, we hung the punching bag in the backyard and got ready to have some fun, but there was a problem. “Momma, I can’t put them on! He got one on just fine, but he couldn’t figure out how to get the other one on. He started to cry and get upset, and immediately I told him, “It's okay! Sometimes you need a little help putting on the gloves.” It's nothing to be ashamed of. We all need a little help at times. As Christians, half of the battle comes before we even get to step into the ring. For some of us, we don’t even make it past getting on the first glove! There are many reasons why. The pridefulness of not wanting to admit that we are up against something that we can’t beat on our own. The embarrassment that we’ve even been called to the ring to fight in the first place. And even the hurt that God hasn’t spared us from a fight that some people never have to face. This is where as godly people, we can be that “brother or sister in Christ” that steps up to the ringside and holds out that second glove. We can offer the encouragement to push forward in faith, the direction to follow God’s will, and the assurance that His promises are faithful and true to EVERYONE who trusts in Him. When you desire to be that help to those facing a fight in their life, you will “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. (Philippians 2:3-4) Muhammad Ali once said that “There are no pleasures in a fight, but some of my fights have been a pleasure to win.” He was right, for nothing can compare to the pleasure you will find in watching those who you have helped prepare for the fight, as they overcome and gain the victory! Sometimes we need a little help getting the gloves on, but we can also give someone else the help they need with their own gloves…

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Article # 13

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A little over a year ago we decided to get our family a dog. It was not something that we had originally planned on doing, but when the opportunity presented itself, I persuaded my dad to go with me and "just look" at the last puppy available. Halfway there I was almost convinced to change my mind. After all, getting a dog is a huge responsibility. But, when we arrived and took one look at this floppy-eared bloodhound, my dad said, "Dawn, you get that boy that dog. A boy needs a dog." Immediately the thoughts of housetraining and loud barking were gone, and we were on our way home. While we had thoughts of a gentle dog that would lay around on the front porch, what we got was a destructive hurricane with teeth! However, we have survived and are now entering a new journey with our 100 lb. canine. Elvis is now a Search and Rescue Dog in training! So far he has done rather well, but we are learning more and more that it is less about training a dog that already has an incredible ability and more about training the handler to understand the dog. For instance, as the handler, we give the dog a scent article belonging to the person who is lost and give the command to work. The dog naturally follows the scent given, but the handler has to watch for alerts. Alerts are how the dog tells the handler that he has found what he is looking for or that he is headed in the right direction. It is proving to take more than just the time and effort to practice and train with the dog. It is working to establish such a bond with the dog that we can easily understand their behavior. All of this is done in hopes that one day he will be used to help someone who is lost. It has not been easy, but after all, nothing good comes easily, right? For the Christian, the spiritual journey that we are on is equally difficult. Our journey has a lot of similarities between a dog and his trainer. As Christians we are to follow the lead of the Holy Spirit, going in the direction that he wants us to go. But unless we are “in tune” with him, it is much like dragging a dog by the collar, and that simply won’t work. But when we’ve consistently spent time in God’s word, and spent time in prayer, communing with the Lord, we begin to learn the “alerts” of the Holy Spirit. We recognize those prompts when he is urging us to take a specific direction, and also when he desires us to stay the course. We have to accept that we are to follow and the Holy Spirit is to lead. Our heart's desire has to be: “Teach me to do Your will, for you are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground.” (Psalm 143:10) When we decided to commit to training Elvis, we knew that it would be hard and time-consuming. But, we also knew that without allowing him to be a working dog, we were doing him a disservice. Everything in him is designed to work. As believers, we do a tremendous disservice to the Holy Spirit when we deny him the opportunity to work in our lives and when we fail to put the time and effort into our relationship with him. So if you are not following the Holy Spirit today, maybe it's time you allow him to take the lead, and alert you to the direction in which you should go.

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Article # 14

 

Years ago I bought my first “professional” camera. I was mostly interested in nature photography, but I ended up taking more wedding and graduation photographs than I ever imagined. It was a nice way to make some extra income while enjoying a great hobby. I quickly learned things that I should and shouldn’t do, and the right way to get the best shot. There were specific things to look for and certain angels that you should most definitely avoid. Times have since changed, and there are new and exciting ways to get the best pictures, especially in nature. Today we have drones to do the work for us! A drone is a remote-controlled, pilotless aircraft that is often equipped with a camera. I recently saw several nature photographs that were taken by a drone. They were fantastic shots of things like a farmer cutting the first row of a field of wheat in Nebraska, and the impressive 75,000 gallons of water per second that pours over the Niagara Falls in Canada. Views from above of places that you and I would never be able to see otherwise. My favorite was a view of Mont Saint Michael, a beautiful Monastery located just off the coast of Normandy, France. With the morning fog still lingering low and the sun breaking through, it looked as though the monastery was sitting atop a cloud high in the sky. It gave the impression of a peaceful heavenly castle, not one of this busy and polluted world. The only drawback was the fact that I knew what the Monastery looked like from the ground below. Although still beautiful, it was nothing like the view from the sky. Perhaps the beauty of things is less about what we see, and more about HOW we choose to see them. In scripture, King Solomon sought to have great wisdom. He set his “mind to seek and explore by wisdom all that is done under heaven.” (Ecc. 1:13) What he came to understand was that despite everything that he saw, everything that he heard, and everything that he experienced, there was complete futility of life in light of eternity. Solomons view from this side of life was a temporary disappointment. “Meaningless! Meaningless!” … “Everything is meaningless!” (Ecc. 12:8) But, he knew the Lord and he understood that there was more to this life than just what he could see. Where Solomon saw meaningless, God was seeing His plan unfold. Where Solomon saw the weariness of labor, God was watching the hands of His creation fulfilling a purpose. And where Solomon saw heartache and loss, God could see the mending of a heart that belonged to him. Eyes that focus on that which is earthly can only see the earthly view. But, to have eyes that are focused on the things of God are eyes that can see the world in a heavenly view. In that light, we will see love for those who seem unlovable, hope for those who look hopeless, and worth in those who feel worthless. How we choose to view this life determines what we see, whether from heaven above or from the earth below. So, while the Lord is certainly in control of the plan and purpose of our life, the picture that we make of it is determined by the angel in which we choose, and for me, I choose God’s heavenly view!

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