Merry Christmas

Christmas blessings in the name of my Lord and Savior, Messiah Jesus! As we celebrate His birth, may you know the grace, mercy, hope and peace of God and may you joyfully anticipate His return. Ruready?

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;

And the government will rest on His shoulders;

And His name will be called

Wonderful Counselor, 
Mighty God, 
Eternal Father, 
Prince of Peace

There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,

On the throne of David and over his kingdom,

To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness

From then on and forevermore

The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.

Isaiah 9:6-7

And the rest of the story.......

Several rehearsals later the choir director asked for volunteers to give testimonies for the songs in the cantata. I never do solos or testimonies; that’s just not me. After returning home, though, I had this feeling as if the Lord wanted me to give a testimony, which of course I thought was crazy. I couldn’t think of any song that I could give a testimony on and besides all the songs had already been taken. Still I felt the Lord pressing me on this.

“So, okay Lord, I’ll tell you what. If this is really from you, if this is something you want me to do” I prayed, “have someone ask me to give a testimony for a specific song.”

And I figured that would be the end of it.

It wasn’t long after that when the choir was together again the director’s wife asked me if I would give the testimony for the song “In Everything Give Him Thanks.” I should have seen it coming but was completely caught off guard! How can this be? Again I was amazed. He actually answered my prayer in a way that I knew only came from Him!

I agreed to do the testimony. That in itself is amazing. I cannot stand or speak before people without every bone in my body shaking. In high school whenever I had to do an oral report the boys would take bets on how loud my knees would knock. I had an English teacher tell me once that I “should never, ever do anything in front of people!” In a college class my peers were extremely critical; however, the professor did show me some mercy. It wasn’t going to be easy. I had to stay focused on the fact that it was the Lord who wanted me to do it. He would calm my fears and hopefully stop my knees from knocking.

The evening before the cantata I had a nasty argument with someone. It was ugly. It added fuel to the flames of my increasing nerves about standing in front of people. I wanted to back out. I cried and begged God to let me out of this commitment. On the day of the cantata He did exactly what He intended. In my weakness I felt the power of His strength as I shared what He was doing in my life. (November 23, 2012)

He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Messiah may rest on me.

2 Cr. 12:9 (HNV)

In Everything Give Him Thanks

Towards the end of the rehearsal the choir director asked if anyone would like to share something about one of the songs we had been practicing for our cantata.  I offered to tell about something exciting that happened a few days earlier.

I woke up depressed, not wanting to go to church. I didn’t want to be around people. I just wanted to stay at home. And I would have except I taught a 3rd grade Sunday school class so I had an obligation to fulfill. My heart wasn’t in it but I got ready anyway and decided that I would go, teach the class, and then head home after it was over. I wasn’t going to stay for the worship service. As I was leaving for home after Sunday school I passed the room where the choir was getting ready for the service.  I had forgotten that we were singing. I didn’t feel like singing. I just wanted to go home.  But I was a member of the choir and I had an obligation to fulfill so I decided that I would stay to sing the special music with the choir then slip out the back after we finished. No way was I staying for the rest of the service. Then I realized we were singing “In Everything Give Him Thanks” by Lanny Wolfe. Of all songs why this one?

                In the good times praise His name

                In the bad times do the same

No way was I going to praise God’s name for the good or bad times. I just wanted to get it over with so I could go home and continue in my misery. Sometime, somehow during that song God took my sad, pathetic, ungrateful little heart and turned it into a happy, thankful heart that was praising Him. I was totally amazed! How did He do that?

                When trouble comes

                And there’s no one around
                Satan tries to tell me
                That God’s let me down
                Through ev’ry dark hour
                The best thing I’ve found
                Is to give God the thanks
                For He has never never
                Failed me yet
                So why should I start now
                To worry or fret
                In everything I won’t ever forget
                To give God the thanks

I stayed for the service.

                In the good times praise His name

                In the bad times do the same
                In everything give the King of Kings all the thanks

He’s never, never failed me, ever!  (November 21, 2012)

In everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. I Th. 5:18 (NASB)

The Road Not Taken

Reality smacked me the other day. It wasn't pleasant. Although not a surprise, as I knew it was inevitable, it was still a hard hit. Foolishly I thought I could avoid it. So here I was at the edge of the road I had taken realizing that I couldn't go any further.

There was no way across and I couldn't get down. Months before I had made a decision hoping that things would work out the way I intended. It was the right move; I am sure of that. Facing the vast expanse before me I looked for a different way. There it was; another path. I didn't particularly care for it as this direction would require me to unload a few things that I had accumulated. Things of no importance in the end but nonetheless had been acquired through dreams and hard work of life's travels. As is my custom I immediately began making plans; realizing it would be easier, although still difficult, with the lighter load. Unbelievably, in the mist of all this another path became visible.

It too was one of difficulties. Whereas the first path required loss right from the start the other one's loss would take place further down the road. Both seemed impossible. But much like Ann Kiemel I love the word "impossible"! When things are impossible I know that I will have opportunities to see God at work in my life. That doesn't mean it's going to be easy or go smoothly. I will still have branches in my way, debris on the trail, boulders to climb and some rain along the way. For some strange reason I have always appreciated the storm. Perhaps because I know after the rain will be growth.

Which path will I take? I'm not sure and to be honest I don't believe it really makes a difference. All I know is as I meet others on this journey I want to give them shelter from the storm. And it's not my shelter that I want to offer for that would only be a 'lean-to' but the shelter I want for others has a sure foundation that is strong and will give them hope during the storm. (November 9, 2012)

The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house, and it didn't fall, for it was founded on the rock. Matthew 7:25 (HNV)

Who Are You?

Recently I was reading a book that mentioned how the Lord God is named by His character qualities.[i] Below are the names of God in the Bible. Some are mentioned many times (Yahweh occurs 6,519 times) and others less or not that often or only once.[ii]

     El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)

     El Elyon (The Most High God)

     Adonai (Lord, Master)

     Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)

     Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)

     Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)

     Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)

     Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)

     Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)

     Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)

     El Olam (The Everlasting God)

     Elohim (God)

     Qanna (Jealous)

     Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)

     Jehovah Shalom (The Lord is Peace)

    Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)

Each of God's names tell us about Him, about his personality, about who He is. In Kyle Idleman's book he asked a question which made me smile and cringe at the same time.  "Wouldn't it be interesting if people were not only called by their given names but also by their most dominant personality traits?" I couldn't help but think of a name that my father often called my mother....the great manipulator. That name was not too flattering but we could not deny that mom was always manipulating things to her advantage even if it was for a good reason. What would your name be if you were to be called by your most dominant personality trait? Would it be a name that honored God?

---

[i] Gods at War by Kyle Idleman

[ii] Blue Letter Bible

2016

The LORD'S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, for His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; Great is YOUR faithfulness.

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, Therefore I have hope in Him."

Lamentations 3:22-24

Blessed New Year!

Fresh beginnings are always nice to have and I feel for 2016 a new beginning has latched on to me. I'm not saying that there is going to be a turn-around in my situation but a turn-around in my attitude and how I approach disappointments. I have to admit that I have been waddling in self-pity for the last six years and it's time to get out of that swimming pool! According to the host and callers from the radio program I was listening, it appears that 2016 is going to be catastrophe. Tough times are ahead, I'm sure, however there is one thing I know; God is faithful and He is always with me. He has always brought me through tough times, even when I have a poor attitude. I don't deserve His love and compassion but He gives it to me just the same. So, in 2016 I will forget the former things and will not dwell on things of the past. The Lord is doing a new thing in me (Is. 43:18-19) and I am ready, willing and stepping out for my King!

Grace to you

You Can Run, But You Can't Hide

House of Cards was a movie in the 90s with Kathleen Turner and Tommy Lee Jones. Kathleen Turner played the part of a mother who's young daughter was traumatized when she saw her father fall to his death. The little girl starts to display unusual behavior and so her mother takes her to see an expert in autism, played by Tommy Lee Jones. One scene in the movie has the little girl in a room while being observed by the expert. She is painting her arm instead of the paper on the table. Someone comes rushing into the room due to an emergency with another patient and so the expert runs out of the room. Upon his return, he notices that the little girl is not there. He immediately goes into the room where she was painting, looks all around but does not see her and starts to go out the door. However, he stops and turns around. There is a large tree outside the window and he can just barely see the outline of the little girl in front of the tree. She painted her entire body, blending in with the tree.

I couldn't help but cry out "That's me!" When I saw that scene. I never wanted anyone to see me. I always tried to be invisible. I even tried to hide from God. It's not difficult to be unnoticeable with people but you can't hide from God.

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways,

Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely.

You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day,

for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,

when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, God. How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them, they would outnumber the grains of sand -- when I awake, I am still with you.

Psalms 139:1-18

It can be scary to think to think that there is no place to hide from God; that he knows everything about you. I find this Psalm to be comforting. I don't want people to know me. I don't want them to see the real me. But God He knows all about me. He knows the real me and He loves me so much that He sent His Son to die for me.