Friday, August 31, 2012

Five Minute Friday: Change

I’m the proverbial old dog.

I don’t like new tricks.

I resist change…and I like it that way…

...except I’m reminded that I need to be changing

Every. Day.

Psalm 51:10  “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

Isaiah 64:8  “But now, O Lord, Thou art our Father, We are the clay, and Thou our potter; And all of us are the work of Thy hand.”

Not only do I need to be constantly desiring change, I need to allow the change to happen so that I can become more like my Father in heaven…

…who does not change.

Hebrews 13:8  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today, yes and forever.”


   
 

Monday, August 27, 2012

One Thousand Gifts



511.  Seeing her sit tall and confident in the saddle

512.  Seeing him reconnect with buddies at summer camp

513.  The smell of a charcoal fire on the beach

514.  Warm marionberry muffins

515.  Belly laughs

516.  Watching my son walk slowly through the tomato patch with his Grandpa -- listening, learning, asking questions

517.  Ripe yellow plums on the tree

518.  That the kids made some new friends in the neighborhood

519.  Garden parties

520.  Laughing with the neighbors

521.  Bright pink fuschia plants

522.  Stargazing with friends

523.  Telescopes

524.  Seeing Saturn through a telescope (so cool!)

525.  A lovely afternoon at the lake, listening to the water lap at the shore and watching the kids play

Friday, August 24, 2012

Five Minute Friday: Join

Whenever I hear the word join, the blinking yellow light goes off in my head…you know, like in one of those WWII submarine movies where the sub goes on high alert, yellow lights are blinking, and you hear the “bwoop, bwoop, bwoop” siren in the background? 

I have been blessed by “joining,” and I have been burned, badly burned by “joining.”

If you ask my parents, I feel confident they would tell you I was a pretty good kid growing up.  I certainly wasn’t perfect, but by and large I was obedient, a good student, and hung with a good group of kids.  There was one instance in high school though, where I got caught up in the moment with the wrong crowd doing something that we shouldn’t have been doing.  The consequences were pretty severe.  It was a powerful lesson to learn early in life, and while I still cringe when I think about what happened, I’m thankful for the experience. 

I see the “blinking yellow light” in my head like a traffic signal.  Whenever I’m in the car and approach an intersection with a blinking yellow light, I slow down and pause to assess my surroundings before proceeding through.  Whether it is in relationships or use of time, I have learned the importance of using caution before joining.  When presented with an opportunity to join people or a group or organization, I have learned that if I pause and allow the Holy Spirit to speak and shed His light on the decision before me, blessings follow.

   

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

One Thousand Gifts

496.  The sweet smell of hay

497.  Reviewing my grocery list and discovering that "a pony" had been added in my nine year old's best handwriting

498.  The subtle sweetness of a juicy pear

499.  Reading Anne of Green Gables to my daughter at bedtime

500.  Hearing her ask for "just one more chapter!"

501.  Fields full of golden hay windrows

502.  Exercising with my son

503.  Giving my desk area a makeover

504.  Going to the movies

505.  Her letter from summer camp

506.  Iced coffee

507.  Getting caught up on paperwork

508.  The quirky things our cat does that make us laugh

509.  That my son chose Philippians 4:13 as his life verse

510.  How excited she was to show us what she had learned at horse camp

Friday, August 10, 2012

Five Minute Friday: Connect

The house has been quiet this week.  We dropped my daughter off at summer camp on Monday.  She was looking forward to a week of spending time caring for and riding horses.  As the days progressed, I had a gnawing feeling of uneasiness.  It was hard, and a bit strange, not to know how she was doing.  Was she happy?  Was she taking good care of herself?  What was she eating?  Was she having fun?

Yesterday I went to the mailbox and my heart leapt for joy when I saw a letter from her tucked in with the bills.  I came in the front door and announced that we had received a letter from Noelle!  My husband and son stopped what they were doing and met me at the door.  I opened the letter and we all stood together as I read it aloud. 

As I read her precious words, I saw her personality shine through.  She wrote about the horses, zip lining, Bible studies, and making s’mores around the campfire.  My heart just soared!  I knew and was assured that she was safe and having a great time!

There is joy in connection.

This week’s experience reminded me that I am away from my eternal home right now.  While my Father knows where I am and what I’m feeling, He still delights in receiving “letters” through prayer.  Time and again in Scripture, the Lord indicates that He wants us to come to Him and share what is on our hearts.  He loves and cares for each one of His precious children, and wants to connect.

   

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Book Review: Bonhoeffer

It isn’t very often when I get pockets of time to read a book, so when those moments do roll around, I savor them.  I recently finished a fantastic book called Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas.  I found it informative, edifying, encouraging, and as an added bonus, it was a real page-turner!  I simply couldn’t put it down.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a young theologian with a deep and abiding faith in the Lord.  He lived in Germany during both world wars.  He became a spy and was involved in a plot to kill Hitler during World War II.  What I encountered in this book that I have never read anywhere else is a history of what was going on in the church (both German and worldwide) during this time in history. 

There are many lessons that I took away from the book, many of which I already knew but served as excellent reminders.  I will share three here:

Know what you stand for - In the early 1900's, the church in Germany was strongly connected with the government.  The Kaiser was the authority of both church and state.  When Germany was defeated in World War I, things began to fall apart.  Kaiser Wilhelm was forced to abdicate, and the country was plunged into revolution and chaos.  The church began to flounder and succumb to outside influences and doctrines.  At all times, but especially during times of turmoil and crisis, it is important for God’s people to remain rooted in the Word.  We must know what it says and allow it to speak to and through our hearts.

Stand for what you believe in - During his rise to power, Hitler introduced National Socialism into the picture.  The lines between true faith and faith as a part of nationalism began to blur.  Bonhoeffer joined with other theologians to write what is known as the Bethel Confession.  The purpose of the Confession was to clearly spell out the basics of the true and historic Christian faith.  His draft was sent to other theologians for comments and feedback.  “By the time they were through, every bright line was blurred; every sharp edge of difference filed down; and every point blunted.  Bonhoeffer was so horrified that he refused to work on the final draft.  When it was completed, he refused to sign it.  As would happen so often in the future, he was deeply disappointed in the inability of his fellow Christians to take a definite stand.  They always erred on the side of conceding too much, of trying too hard to ingratiate themselves with their opponents.”  (p. 185).  Time and time again throughout this book, the point was made that Dietrich never saw his life as his own.  He surrendered and completely submitted every aspect of his life (and even his death) to the Lord.  Our lives are not our own.  We must be willing to take a clear and definite stand, regardless of the personal cost

Remain focused - Bonhoeffer was often frustrated with his peers.  They were more focused on defeating the enemy in front of them, rather than on what God’s will was for them in the situation.  “While Hildebrandt, Niemoller, and Jacobi were thinking about how to defeat Muller, Bonhoeffer was thinking about God’s highest call, about the call of discipleship and its cost.  He was thinking about Jeremiah and about God’s call to partake in suffering, even unto death.  Bonhoeffer was working it out in his head at the same time that he was thinking about what the next move should be with Heckel and the church struggle.  He was thinking about the deep call of Christ, which was not about winning, but about submission to God, wherever that might lead.”  (p. 196)

There are many powerful lessons to be pondered and learned in this engaging book.  It was inspiring to read about the life of an individual who completely submitted and surrendered his life to God, and made it his only goal to live in full obedience to his Creator, even at the cost of his life.  After finishing the book, I immediately ordered The Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, and I'm looking forward to reading it!

I give this book 5 stars and two thumbs up…a must read!

Monday, August 6, 2012

One Thousand Gifts



481.  The majestic scenery at Badlands National Park

482.  Taking pictures of spectacular clouds at sunset

483.  Watching a wild rabbit hop through the golden prairie grass

484.  Safe passage through a lightning storm

485.  Acres and acres of corn growing in neat rows

486.  A group of old farmers chatting over coffee in a country diner

487.  The smell of a room full of old books

488.  Tall reeds and cattails in a marsh

489.  Hay rolls dotting the fields

490.  Free guest laundry facilities at the hotel

491.  A field of sunflowers

492.  Wildlife parks

493.  Watching cute bear cubs play and climb trees

494.  Reading a book that is edifying, encouraging, and a real page turner

495.  That my friend stayed up until 12:30 a.m. to make sure that my family got home safely

Friday, August 3, 2012

Five Minute Friday: Here

I remember participating in roll call every day in grade school.  The bell would ring and we would scramble to our desks.  The teacher would take out the record book and began to call down the list of my classmates.  I kind of enjoyed waiting for my name to be called and having a chance to say, “Here!”  Inevitably at some point, a wisecracker in the back of the room would respond with “Not Here!” which always earned him a few giggles.  The teacher never looked amused.

Today’s word brought two men in Scripture to mind -- Samuel and Isaiah.  When Samuel was young, the Lord called his name and he responded with “Here I am,” and ran to Eli.  Eli instructed him to say, “Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.”  Not only did Samuel learn to recognize the Lord’s voice, he listened to it.  In Isaiah, the Lord asks, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” and Isaiah responds, “Here am I.  Send me!”  Isaiah was ready and willing to serve.

I looked up those two passages before I began today’s five minutes because I wanted to make sure I was quoting Scripture accurately.  In I Samuel 3:19 it says, “Thus Samuel grew and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fail.”  What an encouragement to be reminded today that when I respond “Here!” to the Lord with a  ready and willing heart, my faith will grow and He will be here with me!