On the Journey

During the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, I always enjoy the traditional decorations that appear, whether it be in the community or in my daughter’s backpack in the form of a craft project.  The cornucopia reminds me of the abundant blessings in my life, both tangible and intangible.  I live in a free country, there is food in the pantry, a roof over my head, and I am in good health.  The turkey, the main centerpiece of the meal, reminds me of the blessing of fellowship.  I’m thankful for all of the wonderful people in my life, both family and friends, that live with me, laugh and cry with me, and pray with me.

It would be challenging to get through a Thanksgiving season without giving pause to remember the pilgrims and the history of how our great nation was formed.  I listened to a pod cast series by Matt Hannan this summer on the Songs of Ascent.  The Songs of Ascent are Psalm 120 through Psalm 134.  These songs were sung on mandatory pilgrimages to Jerusalem each year.  As the travelers walked toward Jerusalem, they would sing songs to the Lord and remember that He delivered them from Egypt, led them through the wilderness to the Promised Land, and dwelt with them in the Tabernacle.

Pastor Hannan mentioned something that I want to share, as it seems appropriate today.  There is a marked difference between a journey and a trip. 

A pilgrim takes a journey directed by God. 
A journey is done with others, and develops character. 
There is no intent of turning back.

A tourist takes a trip, which is designed by himself. 
A trip usually is done alone and for the purpose of increasing comfort. 
The traveler intends to return home.

The pilgrims who came to America were on a journey.  They sought to remove themselves from the control of the king of England to serve and worship the one, true King in freedom.  History has countless stories of how this journey developed character.  While the road to freedom was brutal at times, and even fatal for some, it was something that they were committed to and had no intention of returning from whence they came.  With the hardships came immense blessings, and the Lord was with them through it all.

Where are you in your walk of faith?  Do you consider your walk with the Lord through the lens of a pilgrim or a tourist?  Do you see the Christian life as a journey or a trip?  Jesus said in Mark 8:34, “And He summoned the crowd with His disciples, and said to them, ‘If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.”  Jesus calls us to journey with Him (directed by God).  A life in Christ will develop character.  Upon salvation, we become a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17).  Our old sinful ways should be left behind as we pursue righteousness and His will for our lives.  As the old hymn says, if we have decided to follow Jesus, there is no turning back. 

On this blessed Thanksgiving day, let us remember that we are aliens in a foreign land, journeying toward our eternal home.  We need to be about the business of our Father in heaven.  Connect with fellow travelers, pray with them, encourage them, give thanks for them!

One By One

1076.  A principal with an open door policy

1077.  That she stood strong in the face of a threat because she knew the truth and wasn't afraid

1078.  Family portraits under an old oak tree

1079.  Playful puppies in the pet shop window

1080.  Cotton clouds stretched low across the foothills

1081.  Having peace about a hard decision

1082.  A sunny afternoon at the pumpkin patch

1083.  Tromping through the corn maze

1084.  Hay rides

1085.  A big hug from my friend Jacque at Mercy Found Me

1086.  Safe landing in Greenville, SC

1087.  Discovering I was the hotel's "Guest of the Day"

1088.  When he texts me to let me know he's praying for me

1089.  Allume 2013

1090.  Receiving a long awaited answer to prayer...

1091.  ...and the answer was more than I asked for

1092.  Family Fun Night at church

1093.  A flock of wild turkeys

1094.  Speckled feathers

1095.  Watching my son earn his black belt in Taekwondo

1096.  That he avoided serious injury during the four hour test

1097.  Celebratory dinners with the whole family, including grandparents!!

1098.  How my brother makes me laugh

1099.  Maple bars

1100.  Little girls holding hands in a prayer circle   

"Go and do the same"

Last spring as I approached the school one afternoon to pick up my children, I noticed a lot of commotion going on near the fence.  In addition to the normal congestion of cars and minivans, I had to navigate around a large semi that had an animal carrier attached.  After parking the car, I got out to see what was going on.  A group of 20 children had gathered at the fence to watch the farmer unload his sheep into the pasture that sits right next to the school property.  A ramp extended from the trailer into the pasture, and I began to watch as the sheep were unloaded.  One by one, the sheep descended the ramp and entered the pasture.  What was so delightful was how the sheep descended the ramp!  Some sheep walked, some trotted, and some literally bounded down the ramp and leaped into the field!  The children had their noses pressed to the fence and squealed with delight as each sheep entered the pasture in its own unique way.

And then there was a pause in the action.  We all turned and looked to see what the hold up was.  Slowly and carefully, the next sheep navigated down the ramp and eased into the field.  This sheep was different.  It was caked in mud and filth, its wool was heavily matted, and its left front leg was shorter than the others and dangled uselessly.  Except for a few compassionate “awwwws” from some children, most of the crowd just watched in silence as the sheep limped along.  Quickly, all eyes were back on the trailer and the squeals of glee started up again as another sheep leaped and bounded into the sunshine.

I couldn’t help but think how this was a picture of what often occurs within the body of believers.  We are all sheep who have been saved by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, and experience freedom in Him.  He has given each one of us a unique personality, and gifted us according to His will and plan for our lives.  Each one of us is special and valued in His eyes.  Life is not always popsicles and puppy dogs.  Scripture tells us to expect trials and tribulation in this life (John 16:33, James 1:2)  Sometimes the battle rages, and it feels like trench warfare…dirty, messy, painful, crippling.  As I watched that mangy, crippled sheep hobble along, it was the silence in the group that struck me.  There were a few compassionate “awws,” but mostly everyone just observed in an uncomfortable silence.  All eyes were eager to get back to the next cute, prancing sheep coming down the chute, and the lame one was quickly forgotten.

How often do we treat battle-weary believers this same way?  We see them struggling, but it makes us feel uncomfortable.  We hesitate to engage for a number of reasons…we don’t know what to do/say, it may require our time, or we just assume that someone else is helping them.  Sometimes it is hard to spot them.  The mangy sheep had no ability to hide or cover its reality, but people tend to put on their Tony the Tiger masks and say that “life is grrrrreat!”  The Lord doesn’t expect us to fix the problem, but He does call us to be people of compassion, comfort, and encouragement.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”  (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

“Therefore encourage one another, and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”  (1 Thess. 5:11)

In Luke 10:30-35, we find the story of the good Samaritan.  A man was been beaten and left for dead in the road, and both a priest and Levite saw him, but passed by on the other side.  The Samaritan felt compassion.  He went to him, dressed and bound his wounds, took him to an inn, and took care of him.  Jesus asked which man in the story proved to be a neighbor.  Luke 10:37 says, “The one who showed mercy toward him.’  And Jesus said to him, ‘Go and do the same.” 

When we encounter a fellow believer who is struggling in the trenches that trials often bring, we need to engage…encourage them with Scripture, drop them a note, treat them to coffee or a meal, pray with them, be an armor-bearer.  Remember how it felt when someone did this for you in the midst of a trial, and extend that to others.  You may not be able to solve the problem, but you can be a Samaritan in their life at a time when they need it most.

One By One

1052.  Seeing improvement and confidence in how she handles a horse

1053.  Singing camp songs together in Subway

1054.  That she made fresh squeezed lemonade...

1055.  ...and it was pretty good!

1056.  Seeing her hair in pigtails

1057.  When her friend said that we were an "awesome family."

1058.  First day of school 2013

1059.  Pictures on the porch

1060.  When she listed me as one of her heroes

1061.  "Up" and hot chocolate with the kids

1062.  A husband who has integrity

1063.  Walking the loop with my friend, M

1064.  The wonderful meal P made for me when I was sick

1065.  My pastor who is faithful in his study and teaching of the Word

1066.  When people operate in their gifts to bless others

1067.  Birthday, 2013

1068.  Birthday dinner with my parents

1069.  That our old house sold quickly and without incident

1070.  Attending a Precept Bible Study on a weekly basis

1071.  Phone conversations with my brother

1072.  Listening to my son's monologue for drama class

1073.  His maturity in being able to accept constructive criticism

1074.  When he received positive feedback from his teacher and peers for his performance

1075.  A warm, dry home on blustery nights

He Picked You!

Michael!  Robert!  Chris!  John!  Nancy!  Jamie!  Debbie!  Melinda!  Heidi!  Julie.

The classic schoolyard pick.  Whether we were picked first or last, I’m sure we all remember this ritual that unfolded on the playground.  As a rule, I was always last, or among the last to be picked, and more often than not, my name was accompanied with a sigh of resignation.  Admittedly, I wasn't the most coordinated child.  Any game that had the word “ball” in it, and required accuracy in kicking, hitting, or throwing the ball, was not my forte.  Nevertheless, it didn't ease the sting of being “picked” last.

Several weeks ago, I picked up my daughter from school and noted the downcast expression on her face as she climbed into the car.  After gentle prodding, I discovered that there had been a schoolyard pick that day during recess, and she was chosen last.  I had compassion for her, because I knew exactly how that felt.

I tried to reassure her, and realized in the process that there are truths that we as Christians need to be reminded of from time to time.

He knew you before you knew Him
“For Thou didst form my inward parts; Thou didst weave me in my mother’s womb.  I will give thanks to Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Thy works, and my soul knows it very well.  My frame was not hidden from Thee, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth.  Thine eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Thy book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.”  (Psalm 139:13-16)

He picked you before you picked Him
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8)

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places, in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6)

God looks at our hearts
“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart’”  (1 Sam 16:7b)

We are equal in Christ
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him.”  (Romans 8:16-17)

He loves you!
“The Lord appeared to him from afar, saying, ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have drawn you with lovingkindness.”  (Jeremiah 31:3)

He picked you!

One by One

(These are gifts that I recorded during the summer while I took a break from blogging.  I'm listing more than usual in an attempt to get caught up to date!)

1026.  Bumpy truck rides up a mountain

1027.  Mining for quartz crystal

1028.  The deep, earthy red color of jasper

1029.  Arriving home after four plane rides and 15 hours in the airport system

1030.  Friends who helped us pack and move...

1031.  ...and did so with cheerful hearts...

1032.  ...that made the process joyful and fun!

1033.  Our new home

1034.  Discovering that we had already met our neighbors through a mutual acquaintance

1035.  Three different families who warmly welcomed us to the neighborhood

1036.  Potlucks in the park on a warm summer evening

1037.  Visiting our friends in Washington

1038.  My new rice cooker

1039.  That my daughter curled up next to me in bed while I listened to a podcast on Psalm 120

1040.  Moonlit wheat fields

1041.  Learning about the Psalms of Ascent

1042.  Her excitement over decorating her new clubhouse

1043.  Eating dinner on the patio

1044.  Watching the sun set with friends

1045.  Slices of cold, crisp watermelon

1046.  that he packed for camp by himself...

1047.  ...and did a great job!

1048.  Sending care packages

1049.  That the old house went to "pending" status

1050.  Running into friends at the coast...

1051.  ...and being treated to a lovely dinner overlooking the ocean (even if it was fogged in!)

Five Minute Friday: Truth

There is a song called “Words” by Hawk Nelson that plays frequently on the radio right now.  The words in the chorus are:

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don’t wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

If I had a theme song for my blog, or even my life for that matter, I think this might be it! 

There is a phrase in carpentry called “true up” which means to make something even, symmetrical, or to bring it into alignment.

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6)
He has given us the Spirit of truth, who promises to guide us in all truth (John 16:13)
His word is truth! (John 17:17)

Not only does Jesus set the example, He helps us “true up” to Him through the Word and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit!  What a marvelous gift!  My goal in life is to be aligned with Christ, and my prayer is that my life (words and actions) will point others toward the truth.

For His lovingkindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the Lord is everlasting.
Praise the Lord!  (Psalm 117:2)


            

One By One

Up until I now, I have been counting His gifts and blessings under the title "One Thousand Gifts."  I am continuing to count, and will post a list each Monday under the new title "One by One."  I chose this title based on the chorus of the old hymn "Count Your Blessings."

Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your many blessings, see what God hath done.

1001.  Sunsets over the Rocky Mountains

1002.  Wild rabbits nibbling grass

1003.  A sunny day at the zoo

1004.  Learning how tea is processed and packaged

1005.  Meadows full of wildflowers

1006.  Gelato

1007.  Playing miniature golf with the kids

1008.  The beautiful photo he was given

1009.  One dozen red roses

1010.  Browsing at the bookstore

1011.  A fun day at Waterworld

1012.  His calming and reassuring voice on the other end of the line

1013.  Safe arrival home after a drama-filled day of travel

1014.  Getting lost in a good book

1015.  The balloon animal my son made for me

1016.  The drone of bumblebees...

1017.  ...in a patch of lavendar

1018.  Singing about His grace

1019.  Keys to the new house

1020.  Thunderheads against a coral sky

1021.  Inchworms

1022.  Colorful crepe myrtle trees

1023.  Meeting a lovely young couple...

1024.  ...and their families...

1025.  ...and being a guest at their wedding

Five Minute Friday: Grace

I love the feeling that grace produces.  Whether it’s the librarian waiving an overdue fee or a dear friend extending grace for something that you said or did that was hurtful, grace produces a response from the heart.  It has nuances of forgiveness, release, relief, peace, joy, love. 

Hebrews 13:9 says that it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace…in other words, grace is food for the heart.  We eat food every day because it is necessary for the overall growth and health of our bodies.  2 Peter 3:18 instructs us to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  The more we know of the Lord and begin to understand the depths of the riches of His grace, the more spiritual fruit we produce…love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Grace creates an environment in the heart where growth can occur, and as we grow in our knowledge of the Lord and experience His grace, we should be extending it to those around us.  Every time we extend grace to someone , we are pointing them to the cross. 

“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished upon us.” (Ephesians 1:7-8, NASB)

How different the world would be if we lavished grace on others, the way He has lavished grace on us.