In the wake of last Friday's murders many people have been posing all sorts of questions, comments and concerns about the state of our nation. How could these brutal attacks happen? What was the cause? Should we have a discussion on gun control? How can I let my kids go back to school? Where was God? How could He let this happen? Is there anywhere we are safe? ...The questions, the fear, the anger and confusion go on and on.
Here is my take on this unthinkable and comprehensible tragedy.
Let me first just get the political issue out of the way so I can get to what is really important. There are already plenty of laws on the books about gun control. Adding more gun control--or even taking away our right to own guns--is not the answer. People with intent to harm others will find a way to do so, laws or not. This would not restrict access to thieves and murderers, it would restrict access to law-abiding citizens, making it impossible for them to defend themselves.
Now that I have that out of the way, let me get on the the "meat and potatoes" of the issue.
We cannot go about our lives living in fear because of these tragedies occurring. If we do that we'll never go anywhere, do anything. There isn't a single place in this world that you can be 100% physically safe. The reason is because this world is full of sin. It is a fallen world. When Satan chose to try and become like God and was thrown out of Heaven he wanted to bring everyone he could down with him. He tricked Adam and Eve in the Garden. When Eve ate that fruit, it not only brought sin upon her, it not only brought sin upon her offspring, it brought sin into the very earth itself. The earth was created as a perfect place, sin is what has brought it to the state it is in today. The earth is groaning now, knowing the end is coming closer and closer.
Our only hope is to put our faith in Jesus. We can't turn to "religion", to politics, to another person for answers, for hope... We won't find it there. There are not many ways of getting to God. There is one way. We aren't all working our way to the same destiny. That's a lie Satan has brought about to fool people into believing that they can earn their way to good by doing good. It's a lie.
There's an image I've seen of a god--maybe the God--standing at the top of a mountain. There are people all around it going up it in various ways. The point of this image is that we all use various ways to get to God but they all work. Not so.
The amazing thing is that we don't have to work our way up that mountain! God came down to us. We have a debt to pay. "For the wages of sin is death." Our debt for the sin we commit is death--spiritual death--complete separation from God, our Creator. There is no way we can ever pay that debt off. Ever. But God loved us SO much He chose to take our place. "But the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our LORD."
Jesus came to this earth, leaving His throne, to pay our debt for us. He lived a sinless life--the only one ever to do so on this earth--and because it was a sinless life, He had no debt to pay. Instead, He went to the cross, taking on every sin ever committed and ever to be committed. When He cried out on the cross, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" It was because every sin had been poured into Him. God, being perfect, cannot look upon sin. He turned His face from Jesus. What pain that must have been. The God-head, the trinity, separated for the first time in eternity...All because the love for a dying and sinful humanity was so great.
We were created for a purpose. We are the only creation to be made in the image of God. Why? Because our purpose is to fellowship with God. The dogs, birds, fish, trees...they weren't created in His image. We were. Out of all creation God chose humans. What an awesome and humbling privilege.
God hasn't destroyed those on the earth who do evil yet because He wants no one to perish. He desires that everyone come to Him in saving faith. God doesn't delight in evil, but He is patient, wanting everyone to choose Him. He will not force Himself upon someone. It is a choice every person has to make. You can choose not to believe in Him. You can choose to believe there is no God at all, that there are many gods, that there is no Heaven or Hell--that is your right. Your choice will have an eternal consequence. During this life we have a choice. After we die there is no choice, no second chance.
And as we saw on Friday, there is no telling when our life will end. Now is the time. You can't live your life thinking you'll wait until you're old to "find God". You can't simply coast through life thinking you have all the time in the world. You can't simply say your good enough. You're not. None of us are. And none of us are promised tomorrow, or our even next breath. It is my earnest prayer that if you are reading this and have not called out on the name of God you will do so right now. "The Lord is near to all you call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth." There isn't some magical prayer to pray. He knows your heart. He is right there waiting.
I had no fear taking my children to school today. Not because I'm living in some fantasy world where I think no harm could ever come to them, not because I think we live in a safe neighborhood and they are in good schools. None of that matters. I had no fear taking my kids to school today because I know if something were to happen to them they would be in Heaven. I know this because I was there when they each asked Jesus to come into their hearts and save them. I have seen them grow in their faith and knowledge of God. I have seen their desires moving from just their own salvation to the salvation of their friends and family. I have seen the change that takes place in a person's life when s/he truly accepts Jesus as his/her savior. I know that if something were to happen to my two beautiful children I would see them again one day in Heaven, because I have done the same thing.
If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and LORD this doesn't mean there won't be heartache, there won't be troubles and pain and sorrow and confusion and questions that don't seem to have a reasonable answer. He didn't die for our problems, He died for our sins. That may seem harsh, I'm not trying to seem that way, it's just truth. Going back to what I said before, there is pain and sorrow on the earth because of sin. Unfortunately our sins don't just effect us, they cause others pain and sorrow as well.
But, there is wonderful hope for those who have chosen Christ!
"There will be trouble in this world, but take heart, I have overcome the world!"--Jesus
Monday, December 17, 2012
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Some tough teachings
My quiet time today found me reading John 6. I've read this chapter countless times, but some things stuck out at me today that I don't remember before. The Bible works that way. You can read the same verse time and time again, and each time it can apply to your life differently, or mean so much more, depending on what is going on in your life at the time.
Today as I read I had in my head the grumblings I've been hearing more and more lately. People of my generation and the generations coming after mine are grumbling about the church. I even hear people who I know to be believers grumbling and questioning. Maybe not questioning their faith, though some are, but questioning the tactics of the church, the bible and other believers. This has really got me thinking. I know in the end times many "false Christs" will rise up, deceiving the nations. To some extent that is what is happening. The cross is hard and people are finding other "prettier" ways to get around it. People are offended at the Bible, even those who grew up loving and trusting it.
As I read John 6 today a few verses stuck out at me. Let me set the scene. Jesus had just fed the 5,000. The next day people came back to Him, wanting more physical fulfillment. They weren't seeking anything spiritual from Jesus. They weren't trying to discover how to get to heaven, how to be a better person, they were simply hungry and wanted more. This was the easy part. He had fed them. They were willing to accept that miracle. This day was different, however. He started teaching on things that weren't so easy to accept. He stepped on a few toes. He laid it all down. People didn't like this Jesus as much as the one the day before. See, this Jesus was telling them the truth about themselves, the truth about life, the truth about God. It was easy to be fed, not so easy to hear what they really needed.
John 6:60 says, "On hearing this, many of the disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"" --Even some followers of Jesus were having trouble with His message.
Following Christ isn't easy. It definitely isn't popular. But it is worth it. You can't pick and choose what you do and don't want to believe about Christ, about God, about the Bible. This is a package deal. We can't just omit things because they are not politically correct or because they are socially unacceptable. That's not how it works. There are going to be times when you have to stand up for things that go against this world. There are going to be times you have to walk away from things because they go against the Word of God. But you can't just merely back away when the going gets tough. Thanks be to God that Jesus didn't. He could have walked away from the cross, but instead He chose the will of the Father.
John 6:61 says, "Jesus, knowing in Himself that His disciples were complaining about this, asked them, “Does this offend you?”"
Jesus knew His message was hard. He had told them that He was the one and only way to heaven. God isn't just some god on a mountain that we're all working our way up to and eventually all get there, no matter what path we take. No. He is GOD. The Almighty. The One and Only. He doesn't require that we work our way to Him, instead, He came down to us. This is Jesus. This is offensive. This sounds close-minded and judgmental. After all, isn't God love? Absolutely! But God is also just. He demands perfection, something none of us can give. But, because He is love, He allows us to come to Him through His Son, Jesus. Jesus IS perfect. When we place our trust in Him God no longer looks at our imperfections, He chooses to see Jesus.
The end of chapter 6 hit me pretty hard. Verse 66, "From that moment many of His disciples turned back and no longer accompanied Him." The going got too tough. His teachings got to be too much. He was no longer simply being the "loving" God, He was sharing the whole truth, the cold, hard facts. And they turned away.
See, Peter got it. Yes, the teachings are hard. They are socially and politically incorrect. You may have to give up things, turn away from things, make a stand when no one else will. You may lose friends, even family, because of these beliefs... But to whom else would you turn? Jesus is the only one Who has the words of eternal life. Period.
Today as I read I had in my head the grumblings I've been hearing more and more lately. People of my generation and the generations coming after mine are grumbling about the church. I even hear people who I know to be believers grumbling and questioning. Maybe not questioning their faith, though some are, but questioning the tactics of the church, the bible and other believers. This has really got me thinking. I know in the end times many "false Christs" will rise up, deceiving the nations. To some extent that is what is happening. The cross is hard and people are finding other "prettier" ways to get around it. People are offended at the Bible, even those who grew up loving and trusting it.
As I read John 6 today a few verses stuck out at me. Let me set the scene. Jesus had just fed the 5,000. The next day people came back to Him, wanting more physical fulfillment. They weren't seeking anything spiritual from Jesus. They weren't trying to discover how to get to heaven, how to be a better person, they were simply hungry and wanted more. This was the easy part. He had fed them. They were willing to accept that miracle. This day was different, however. He started teaching on things that weren't so easy to accept. He stepped on a few toes. He laid it all down. People didn't like this Jesus as much as the one the day before. See, this Jesus was telling them the truth about themselves, the truth about life, the truth about God. It was easy to be fed, not so easy to hear what they really needed.
John 6:60 says, "On hearing this, many of the disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"" --Even some followers of Jesus were having trouble with His message.
Following Christ isn't easy. It definitely isn't popular. But it is worth it. You can't pick and choose what you do and don't want to believe about Christ, about God, about the Bible. This is a package deal. We can't just omit things because they are not politically correct or because they are socially unacceptable. That's not how it works. There are going to be times when you have to stand up for things that go against this world. There are going to be times you have to walk away from things because they go against the Word of God. But you can't just merely back away when the going gets tough. Thanks be to God that Jesus didn't. He could have walked away from the cross, but instead He chose the will of the Father.
John 6:61 says, "Jesus, knowing in Himself that His disciples were complaining about this, asked them, “Does this offend you?”"
Jesus knew His message was hard. He had told them that He was the one and only way to heaven. God isn't just some god on a mountain that we're all working our way up to and eventually all get there, no matter what path we take. No. He is GOD. The Almighty. The One and Only. He doesn't require that we work our way to Him, instead, He came down to us. This is Jesus. This is offensive. This sounds close-minded and judgmental. After all, isn't God love? Absolutely! But God is also just. He demands perfection, something none of us can give. But, because He is love, He allows us to come to Him through His Son, Jesus. Jesus IS perfect. When we place our trust in Him God no longer looks at our imperfections, He chooses to see Jesus.
The end of chapter 6 hit me pretty hard. Verse 66, "From that moment many of His disciples turned back and no longer accompanied Him." The going got too tough. His teachings got to be too much. He was no longer simply being the "loving" God, He was sharing the whole truth, the cold, hard facts. And they turned away.
There were a few, however, who didn't turn away. John 6:67, "Therefore Jesus said to the Twelve, “You don’t want to go away too, do you?”" In 68 Simon Peter responds to Him, "Lord, who will we go to? You have the words of eternal life."
See, Peter got it. Yes, the teachings are hard. They are socially and politically incorrect. You may have to give up things, turn away from things, make a stand when no one else will. You may lose friends, even family, because of these beliefs... But to whom else would you turn? Jesus is the only one Who has the words of eternal life. Period.
Friday, August 3, 2012
truth in love
All the comments, posts, pics, blogs, etc about Chick-fil-a CEO, Dan Cathy, this past couple of weeks has spurred on this blog.
Let me start by saying, just in case you don't know, that I am a born again believer in Christ. He is my LORD, my boss, my everything.
This week I have seen post after post, comment after comment, about how, because I am a Christian, I am a hypocrite, a bigot, and that I hate gays. I will readily, and humbly, admit that I have acted in hypocritical ways on several occasions. Everyone has. We're human. It's in our nature. It's not something I am proud of nor intentionally do. Ever.
I do not, nor have I ever, hated gays, or any other person. Not only do I have friends who are gay, my brother-in-law is as well. I love them all dearly and completely.
The only thing I hate is sin. I hate my sin, because I sin on a regular basis. I hate all sin. I have to because sin is in opposition to God and if I love God I have to hate all things against Him.
I am no better than anyone else. Jake often says, "there are 2 types of people in this world-sinners and sinners- the only difference is one has been forgiven of those sins." That's the only difference. Every single person on this planet has sinned. If you're breathing, then you've sinned. Young, old and in between. All of us.
And Christ died for everyone, but not everyone accepts it.
So often I hear quoted, "Let he who has no sin cast the 1st stone." However, people neglect to go on with 'the rest of the story' (as Paul Harvey would say). After the religious leaders dropped their stones and walked away Jesus turned to the prostitute and said, "Go, and sin no more." He loved her in-spite of her sin, but He didn't say, "continue on with the way you're living..it's all good." No, He told her to walk away from her life of sin.
Jesus did hang out with "sinners", because He wanted to change them. In every single encounter with Jesus, people walked away changed. Prostitutes walked away from prostitution, tax collectors paid back what they had stolen, adulterers left that life. That's what happens when you have an encounter with Jesus. You will never be the same again. You may choose to walk away from Him, but the choice is all yours, as are the consequences. Either way, once you've truly met Jesus, your life will be different.
Something that has rung in my head all week is that we, as followers of Christ, are so afraid of offending people--so afraid that if we speak out against sin, that people are going to call us haters, bigots, close-minded hypocrites--that we are going to wind up "not offending" and "loving" people right into hell.
The thing is, if I truly believe there is a real hell, full of unimaginable torture, if I truly believe that people who haven't turned their lives over to Christ and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior are going to die and spend eternity there, and I don't tell them how to change their destiny, then maybe I don't truly believe it.
Because if I really believe it, I would be shouting it from the rooftops. I would be telling every person I came across what I believe.
If I believed I had found the cure to cancer but chose not to share it with anyone I would be wrong. If I saw a multitude of people blinding walking toward a huge cliff and said nothing, I would be wrong.
How much more so should I share the only way to avoid an eternity--something we can't even comprehend--of burning agony, of unending pain and torture. Why wouldn't I share that?
I am commanded to speak the truth in love. And it is because I love--not hate--that I share Christ. If I hated, then I would say nothing at all.
Let me start by saying, just in case you don't know, that I am a born again believer in Christ. He is my LORD, my boss, my everything.
This week I have seen post after post, comment after comment, about how, because I am a Christian, I am a hypocrite, a bigot, and that I hate gays. I will readily, and humbly, admit that I have acted in hypocritical ways on several occasions. Everyone has. We're human. It's in our nature. It's not something I am proud of nor intentionally do. Ever.
I do not, nor have I ever, hated gays, or any other person. Not only do I have friends who are gay, my brother-in-law is as well. I love them all dearly and completely.
The only thing I hate is sin. I hate my sin, because I sin on a regular basis. I hate all sin. I have to because sin is in opposition to God and if I love God I have to hate all things against Him.
I am no better than anyone else. Jake often says, "there are 2 types of people in this world-sinners and sinners- the only difference is one has been forgiven of those sins." That's the only difference. Every single person on this planet has sinned. If you're breathing, then you've sinned. Young, old and in between. All of us.
And Christ died for everyone, but not everyone accepts it.
So often I hear quoted, "Let he who has no sin cast the 1st stone." However, people neglect to go on with 'the rest of the story' (as Paul Harvey would say). After the religious leaders dropped their stones and walked away Jesus turned to the prostitute and said, "Go, and sin no more." He loved her in-spite of her sin, but He didn't say, "continue on with the way you're living..it's all good." No, He told her to walk away from her life of sin.
Jesus did hang out with "sinners", because He wanted to change them. In every single encounter with Jesus, people walked away changed. Prostitutes walked away from prostitution, tax collectors paid back what they had stolen, adulterers left that life. That's what happens when you have an encounter with Jesus. You will never be the same again. You may choose to walk away from Him, but the choice is all yours, as are the consequences. Either way, once you've truly met Jesus, your life will be different.
Something that has rung in my head all week is that we, as followers of Christ, are so afraid of offending people--so afraid that if we speak out against sin, that people are going to call us haters, bigots, close-minded hypocrites--that we are going to wind up "not offending" and "loving" people right into hell.
The thing is, if I truly believe there is a real hell, full of unimaginable torture, if I truly believe that people who haven't turned their lives over to Christ and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior are going to die and spend eternity there, and I don't tell them how to change their destiny, then maybe I don't truly believe it.
Because if I really believe it, I would be shouting it from the rooftops. I would be telling every person I came across what I believe.
If I believed I had found the cure to cancer but chose not to share it with anyone I would be wrong. If I saw a multitude of people blinding walking toward a huge cliff and said nothing, I would be wrong.
How much more so should I share the only way to avoid an eternity--something we can't even comprehend--of burning agony, of unending pain and torture. Why wouldn't I share that?
I am commanded to speak the truth in love. And it is because I love--not hate--that I share Christ. If I hated, then I would say nothing at all.
Thursday, May 3, 2012
It amazes me still to this day how great, how marvelous, how wonderful my God is. On one hand I think, "Why does this surprise me?", on the other hand I think, "His wonders never cease to amaze me".
What amazes me most, I think, is that the Creator of the entire universe, and any others that may exist, stills cares about insignificant me! The God who has existed from eternity past into eternity future sees me, sees you! If that doesn't give you chills, well, I don't know what to tell you.
Just in the past week I've been concerned about something. Concerned nothing, I was out-right worried and stressed. Yes, I realize we are not to worry. Yes, I realize God is in control and works everything to His good for those who love Him. Yes, I realize I was not fully trusting in Him because of my worrying. But, alas, I am human and I tend to do things I'm not supposed to do, even when I know better.
What I was "concerned" about doesn't really matter for this post. The point was, I was worried. I had mentioned it to Jake and perhaps one or two friends, but I hadn't even prayed about it yet.
(Again, I know I need to take all things to God in prayer. I just hadn't gotten that far in my worrying and thinking process yet. I would have gotten to that, eventually.)
The really cool thing is, even though I didn't respond in the appropriate way, I didn't give it over to God, or even acknowledge the problem to Him yet, He heard me and answered.
It reminds me of a time in Exodus where the Israelites were groaning because they were in slavery. It doesn't say they were crying out to God, or even acknowledging Him, it just says they were groaning. But is says God heard them and was concerned about them. I love that! They didn't have the appropriate response, they were caught up in their own self-pity, but God heard them anyway and took care of them.
He did that for me as well.
He heard me in my 'groaning' and had concern for me. He answered my prayer before I even asked it.
He is El Roi, the LORD Who Sees! But He goes further, He is Jehovah Jireh, the LORD Will Provide! He saw my concern, my stress, my groaning, He had pity on me and He provided! He didn't have to, He didn't owe it to me, I didn't deserve it, but He did it anyway. My God is so completely awesome!
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
It wasn't aliens....
Okay, so this post is going to seem a little strange to most people. You may think I've gone around the loony bend, never to return. And that's okay. I'll risk forever being labeled as a loony to get this across. God has laid something on my heart, urging me to act upon it, and I can ignore Him no longer.
Our small group at church has been studying the book of Revelation. I've studied it several times before, but never with such interest and fascination, comparing it to the current world around me.
It is amazing, seeing prophecies play out in front of my very eyes. Some people would say this is a scary time we live in, and I agree that it could be...But not for me! I'm excited, amazed, expectant!
However, in light of everything happening in the world, it has been pressed upon my heart to write this blog. It may never come to pass in our lifetime, but if it does, I don't want to leave anyone guessing.You see, the Bible says there will come a time when Jesus will return for His people, those who have given their lives to Him. It will happen "in the twinkling of an eye". No one knows the day or hour, but it will happen. Luke tells us, "34 I tell you, on that night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. 35 Two women will be grinding grain together; one will be taken and the other left."
When Jesus returns for His bride, it will be in an instant. Those who belong to Christ will immediately disappear. There will be no warning.
People will try to explain it away. Aliens. Nuclear fallout. Spontaneous combustion. These and many more will be discussed. Complete chaos will ensue as people all over the world try to figure out what happened to their loved ones, their friends, their neighbors.
Now, it is my ultimate prayer that those reading this who do not already know Christ as their personal Lord and boss would seek Him immediately. However, I know for many that just won't happen. That is why I feel the need for this post.
If the "rapture" (when Christ returns for those belonging to Him) happens in my lifetime, I will be gone, instantaneously. Most of my extended family will be as well. My husband and children will be gone, because they have accepted Christ's forgiveness, they have acknowledged Him as the only begotten Son of God, but not only that, God Himself. John 1 tells us, 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 14 The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. Jesus IS God! He is part of the Holy Trinity.
If someday my family and I suddenly disappear, we were not abducted by aliens. We did not spontaneously combust. We heard the trumpet of the LORD and were called into the air to meet our Savior.
There is hope, however, for those left behind. You have a second chance. You may still call on the name of the LORD.
God wants NO ONE to perish! 2 Peter 3 says, 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
It is the desire of God that everyone would come to Him and accept His gift of grace. However, He is a gentleman, and He did not create robots. The decision is ours alone. We must chose to accept the gift. Those who chose to ignore it will be eternally separated from God. Those who accept His forgiveness can never lose this precious gift.
I feel an urgency in sharing this. Whether Jesus returns tomorrow, in 10 years, or after I'm already dead, I still feel the need to share this with you.
If I had the for-sure cure for cancer and kept it to myself that would be wrong. Well, I have the for-sure cure for something far worse than cancer: Eternal damnation. The answer is Jesus. He alone can rescue you. He is the only way to heaven. Call me closed minded. Say I have a crutch. That's okay. I'll risk that in order to have the opportunity to share with you something that will change not only your life, but your eternity.
I pray for those reading this. I pray the words are not mine but that I am only a vessel used of the Holy Spirit to speak truth. There are so many in my life for whom I have an overwhelming burden. If you truly seek Him, Jesus will reveal Himself to you.
Friday, February 10, 2012
My Daddy is 5 today
My daddy, Douglas Haynie, turned 5 today. Yes, you read that correctly. If he were still here on earth he would actually be turning 73 week after next, but he's not. He's in Heaven. 5 years ago today.
It's become tradition for me to write about my daddy on this day each year. I wouldn't be the person I am today without him. He impacted everyone with whom he came into contact. He had his faults, but he really was a great daddy, husband, friend...man.
There's not a day of the year that goes by that I'm not thinking about him, wishing he were still here, wanting to talk to him, but that wasn't my decision. Ultimately, he had finished what God had put him in this world to do and he was taken home.
My daddy's home wasn't this earth, after all. It was just a temporary place of residence. A "rental", so to speak. The reason for that is not because of anything daddy did. If being a good daddy could get you to Heaven, he would have been 1st on the list. If helping those in need could have gotten him there, it would have. If going to church, tithing, supporting the building program, being a deacon, a Sunday School teacher, a church planter could get you to Heaven, he'd be there because of all of that. But it doesn't.
Nothing my daddy did earned him the right to be in Heaven. Nothing I do while I'm here on earth can earn me that right. Nothing you do can either. It's not what you do....
It's Who you know. See, as a boy my daddy accepted Jesus as his personal savior. He recognized he was a sinner (which we all are) and he needed forgiveness of those sins. Not only that, but he needed someone to take the punishment for those sins for him. See, there is a consequence for sin. It's death. Not just physical death, which we will all experience, but spiritual death. Eternal separation from God in a real Hell. He cried out to Jesus to take his place. And He did! The Bible tells us that, "everyone who calls on His name will be saved!" He died for EVERYONE, not just those who have accepted Him or will accept Him. Even if you choose to never accept His forgiveness, He still died for you. The balls in our court now. What will we do with that forgiveness? Accept it, or throw it away?
We have plans for ourselves. Goals. We have a timetable we want to live by. I want to go to college, then I want to get married and have kids, I want to have a career...or what ever....
The thing is, God's plans, God's goals, His timetable is so much bigger, so much grander than ours could ever be. By not trusting Him, by trying to fit things into our set of criteria we are limiting God and His desires for our lives. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Does that mean we won't go through trials? Won't have pain? NO! Because His ultimate goal is for Him to be glorified, and whatever it takes for that to happen will happen.
5 years ago today, February 10, my daddy died. Did I expect to lose a parent so early in life? Absolutely not. Watching him suffer was excruciating. I was a daddy's girl, after all. I had the best daddy in the world! We don't always understand why these things happen. Why they are "allowed" to happen. But you know what? God was glorified through that! My daddy praised God through it all! He shared his faith with those around him by never losing sight of God, never wavering from his faith, never questioning why it had to happen.
Because he knew he was going to die, daddy planned his funeral. He asked the pastors to use certain verses, to sing certain songs, and above all he wanted the gospel preached. Gospel, after all, just means "Good News". The Good News is Jesus!
I found out afterwards a stranger walked into the church the day of daddy's funeral. One of the pastors asked him to come sit in the back of the sanctuary with him. That man in the back, someone I had never met before and will probably never meet this side of heaven, heard the Good News that day. One more soul is saved because my daddy died. Would I have chosen it to happen that way? No. But it did, and for that, I am grateful.
God has huge plans for our lives. He has a will, and it will be carried out. The question is, will we be a part of it or will we miss out on it?
So, Happy 5th Birthday, daddy! I love you more than mere words can express. I await the day we are reunited in Heaven!
Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear daddy, happy birthday to you!!!
 |
| My daddy and me, Easter, 1982 |
 |
| Daddy, Thanksgiving 2006 |
 |
| With Mother and Daddy, Thanksgiving 2006 |
 |
| Our family, Thanksgiving 2006 |
Friday, January 13, 2012
It's me again...
Friday the 13th has always been one of my favorite days. I know, I know, most people think of superstitions or bad luck, or whatever...But I've always loved this day. Maybe it's because I was born on the 13th and always loved when it fell on a Friday. It somehow made it more special to me. I remember one year, as a very young teenager, my birthday fell on Friday the 13th. My parents let me have 13 girlfriends spend the night (I'm a parent now...having that many girls sleepover in itself is a nightmare) and my dad rented every "Friday the 13th" movie out at the time (5 or 6 of them, I think). We stayed up all night eating snacks and cake and watching those horrendous movies. My brother happened to be visiting that weekend and reeked all sorts of havoc, sneaking in and scaring the living daylights out of us. Good times, good times!
I know that's totally random, but it came to mind as I was looking at today's date. It's funny the things we remember as we look back over the years. Things that seemed so small at the time become the things we cling to later. Those little moments with your parents, sometimes wanting to be somewhere else with friends, you would now give anything to have back. The years pass by so quickly now. Ha, remember as a child thinking the school year was NEVER going to end!??! Remember your mom or dad telling you, "Just wait until you're older..." Wow. I mean, wow! It's 2012!!! We're getting close to Marty McFly stuff here, do you realize that!?!? That's just crazy! (And on that note, where are the flying cars or cool hover boards? Just wondering?)
Just saying 2012 makes me chuckle and shake my head. Didn't we just get into 2011? So my thought right now is cherish the moment. Don't be so inclined to rush on to the next goal, the next obstacle, the next ..... Those moments with my dad years ago that I would give anything for now, I need to be making those with my kids! I know there will be times when they don't want to spend time with me, where they choose their friends over their dad and me, where we're not "cool", but someday, hopefully, they will look back and cherish these times. Prayerfully they will look back and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we loved them more than life itself and that our decisions were made for their spiritual, physical and mental well-being.
But not just our kids, what about friends and family? We get so caught up in the business that is life that we forget to just stop and relax and laugh and enjoy others. Vegas is so different from the South. We hung out with our neighbors, we had neighborhood BBQs, we didn't worry if our kids were going down to the park to play. Everyone is very reserved here, you come home, go in you house, close the blinds and lock the door behind you. I felt awkward the other day when I had to go ask a neighbor for an egg...I wouldn't have thought 2ce about that in Rogers (of course we built a house and some of our best friends bought the house next to ours, so that helped...but that's beside the point). What has happened to community? It seems so non-existent here.
I've had the pleasure of going to lunch this week with some girlfriends. It's been so nice to just stop the daily grind and sit and laugh. I'm a much better person after those times. I can get away from the never-ending laundry, the dishes, the laundry (oh, wait, I said that already), and just be a person. I don't want to take those times for granted. I want to treasure those moments. I want to cultivate them. When it's all said and done the laundry will still be there, the dishes will eventually get done, the dust...well, I'm in a desert. Do I want to be the person who couldn't have people over for fear of what they will think, do I want to not enjoy my kids' youth because "I'll play with you after I'm done doing ......"
I fear I'm becoming that person. I don't want to be that person. I don't want my kids, or my family, or my friends, to ever think I've put them below anything else worldly. God has called my family to Vegas for a reason. I say "in everything I do I want Him glorified above all." But saying that and living it are two totally different things. If I'm called to "go into all the world and make disciples", if I'm called to be "a light in the world", then I need to be out there, with people, I need to be with my children, guiding them, I need to live my life every day as if Jesus were coming back tomorrow... Unashamed of my faith, unafraid to share His love, unhindered by all the limitations I put on myself.
People. Relationships. That's what matters to Jesus. If it weren't, He wouldn't have left His throne in Heaven to come to a broken earth to die. What matters to God should be what matters to me.
So I know this post is completely random and rambling, but as I set down to write it just seems like this is what decided to come out. Nothing earth-shattering, not that any of my blogs ever have been, just some off-the-wall thoughts of a possibly insane 30-something in Vegas... So come on over, let's do lunch, or coffee, or tea, let's chat... Just don't run your finger over the table tops, you'll find dust, and don't look in the sink, there may be dishes. My kids' toys may be scattered all over, and there's an extremely good chance there's a mountain of laundry needing to be done, but that's okay, because my resolve this year is to make my relationships a priority.
I know that's totally random, but it came to mind as I was looking at today's date. It's funny the things we remember as we look back over the years. Things that seemed so small at the time become the things we cling to later. Those little moments with your parents, sometimes wanting to be somewhere else with friends, you would now give anything to have back. The years pass by so quickly now. Ha, remember as a child thinking the school year was NEVER going to end!??! Remember your mom or dad telling you, "Just wait until you're older..." Wow. I mean, wow! It's 2012!!! We're getting close to Marty McFly stuff here, do you realize that!?!? That's just crazy! (And on that note, where are the flying cars or cool hover boards? Just wondering?)
Just saying 2012 makes me chuckle and shake my head. Didn't we just get into 2011? So my thought right now is cherish the moment. Don't be so inclined to rush on to the next goal, the next obstacle, the next ..... Those moments with my dad years ago that I would give anything for now, I need to be making those with my kids! I know there will be times when they don't want to spend time with me, where they choose their friends over their dad and me, where we're not "cool", but someday, hopefully, they will look back and cherish these times. Prayerfully they will look back and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that we loved them more than life itself and that our decisions were made for their spiritual, physical and mental well-being.
But not just our kids, what about friends and family? We get so caught up in the business that is life that we forget to just stop and relax and laugh and enjoy others. Vegas is so different from the South. We hung out with our neighbors, we had neighborhood BBQs, we didn't worry if our kids were going down to the park to play. Everyone is very reserved here, you come home, go in you house, close the blinds and lock the door behind you. I felt awkward the other day when I had to go ask a neighbor for an egg...I wouldn't have thought 2ce about that in Rogers (of course we built a house and some of our best friends bought the house next to ours, so that helped...but that's beside the point). What has happened to community? It seems so non-existent here.
I've had the pleasure of going to lunch this week with some girlfriends. It's been so nice to just stop the daily grind and sit and laugh. I'm a much better person after those times. I can get away from the never-ending laundry, the dishes, the laundry (oh, wait, I said that already), and just be a person. I don't want to take those times for granted. I want to treasure those moments. I want to cultivate them. When it's all said and done the laundry will still be there, the dishes will eventually get done, the dust...well, I'm in a desert. Do I want to be the person who couldn't have people over for fear of what they will think, do I want to not enjoy my kids' youth because "I'll play with you after I'm done doing ......"
I fear I'm becoming that person. I don't want to be that person. I don't want my kids, or my family, or my friends, to ever think I've put them below anything else worldly. God has called my family to Vegas for a reason. I say "in everything I do I want Him glorified above all." But saying that and living it are two totally different things. If I'm called to "go into all the world and make disciples", if I'm called to be "a light in the world", then I need to be out there, with people, I need to be with my children, guiding them, I need to live my life every day as if Jesus were coming back tomorrow... Unashamed of my faith, unafraid to share His love, unhindered by all the limitations I put on myself.
People. Relationships. That's what matters to Jesus. If it weren't, He wouldn't have left His throne in Heaven to come to a broken earth to die. What matters to God should be what matters to me.
So I know this post is completely random and rambling, but as I set down to write it just seems like this is what decided to come out. Nothing earth-shattering, not that any of my blogs ever have been, just some off-the-wall thoughts of a possibly insane 30-something in Vegas... So come on over, let's do lunch, or coffee, or tea, let's chat... Just don't run your finger over the table tops, you'll find dust, and don't look in the sink, there may be dishes. My kids' toys may be scattered all over, and there's an extremely good chance there's a mountain of laundry needing to be done, but that's okay, because my resolve this year is to make my relationships a priority.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)