The Lessons of Change

       The seasons of life bring the challenges of change. Some are welcome changes, like getting married or having a child. Others are painful, like losing a loved one or facing an illness. As I have gone through different seasons, I have experienced many changes. Some have been seemingly catastrophic and for a period of time have left me whimpering & defeated, hiding in a corner. Others have been exhilarating and have stirred my spirit to get out there and go! But through it all, I have learned some important lessons.
       I have learned that no matter what change occurs, and no matter how shocking or surprising the change is, God has already gone ahead of me to prepare the way. He is never surprised or caught off guard by my circumstances and always redirects my path to incorporate the new challenges.
I love the verses in Psalm 23 that say "He leads me beside still waters...He leads me in the path of righteousness for His name sake." Just like a good shepherd, God has gone ahead of me to scout out the land and remove any devastating hazards. My job is just to follow, rather than run or hide.
       Another thing I have learned is that there are always silver linings in each change, even the hardest ones, if we will take a step back and ask God to reveal them. Job losses open doors for new opportunities. Loved ones lost give others the chance to comfort & care for us, blessing them & us! Betrayals help us appreciate true friendships. Financial scares allow our faith to grow as we trust God to supply our needs. The challenge is to live as Philippians 4:4,6-7 admonishes us to do: "Rejoice in the Lord always...Don't worry about anything but pray and ask God for everything you  need, always giving thanks...and God's peace which is beyond our understanding will keep our hearts and minds steady in Christ Jesus!" As others watch us, and they are, we become lights to them as well!
       Don't misunderstand me: changes are not easy. Some are little ripples that we can easily float over, but others hit us like tidal waves, overturning our boats and making us cling to life supports for a season. Those drastic changes take some time to accommodate, and to some extent there is never a full return to life as it was before. But different is not always worse, just different,  & I have learned that as I mature in the Lord, leaning on Him and experiencing His faithfulness through all of life, the waves that used to threaten to capsize me are now more easily navigated & conquered. I am also able to share & help others through their changes, having seen God's ability to comfort, guide, and direct me. (2 Co. 1:3-4) Looking back, I see many lessons learned & benefits received from changes that I thought were life-threatening at the time! That's God's promise in Romans 8:28! All things Aren't good, but work together for our good! It's God's process working in us!!
       Changes have also strengthened the hope that I have in my forever. Someday the changes will all be behind me. I will be in the presence of my Jesus and will be able to just worship Him throughout all eternity. The fear of loss, of pain, & of suffering will all be shadows of the past and the joy of living in God's blessing will be my reality.
       Life on this earth will always necessitate changes. As long as we are here there will be circumstances & situations that will cause our lives to shift & shake. The important thing for us, however, is to make sure that we keep our focus completely on Jesus. As long as we continue to follow Him, our path is secure & our destination, no matter how full of twists & turns, is set! To fix our eyes on anything else is to wander off course & that's just plain scary!  
     
     

The choice...

Have you noticed that so many of the new songs on Christian radio have to do with forgiveness? One in particular, by Tenth Avenue North, is called Losing...and it's lyrics are very powerful!

I can't believe what she said, I can't believe what he did
Oh, don't they know it's wrong, Don't they know it's wrong
Well maybe there's something I missed, But how could they treat me like this
It's wearing out my heart, The way they disregard

This is love or this is hate. We all have a choice to make!
Oh, Father won't You forgive them They don't know what they've been doin'
Oh Father, give me grace to forgive them Cause I feel like the one losin'

Well it's only the dead that can live But still I wrestle with this
To lose the pain that's mine Seventy times seven times
Cause Lord it doesn't feel right For me to turn a blind eye
Though I guess it's not that much When I think of what You've done.

This is love or this is hate. We gotta a choice to make

Why do we think that our hate's gonna break a hard heart
We're rippin' arms over wars that don't need to be fought
Cause pride wont let us lay our weapons on the ground
We build our bridges up but it's just to burn them down
We think our pain is own apologies and get them to stop
Well truth be told it doesn't matter if they're sorry or not
Cause freedom comes when we surrender to the sound
Of Your mercy and Your grace, Father, send Your angels down

That's the bottom line isn't it? We can choose to let our emotions rule and hang on to the hurts & pains that we feel we have a "right" to harbor. OR we can realize that no matter what someone else has done to us it pales in comparison to what God has had to forgive that we have done to Him! We also have to remember that if we don't forgive, He can't forgive us!

I was watching CBS Sunday morning as I got dressed for church yesterday and there was the story of Louis Zamperini, a one-time Olympian who was a POW in Japan during WWII. The story was of torture and sadism by the guards, and the toll those years took on Zamperini's life. He ended up a broken alcoholic until as a last-ditch effort to save him his wife took him to a Billy Graham crusade. Louis couldn't resist the call and gave his heart, as well as his broken spirit and bitterness, to God. The story ends with his return to Japan and a face to face meeting with his former captors where he offers unconditional forgiveness, much as Corrie Ten Boom did with her German guards. When asked how he could do such a thing, he responded..."God finally helped me realize that until I released them I would never truly be free. It's only through forgiveness, whether they receive it or deserve it, that I can break my own bonds and be free of them once and for all. Unforgiveness doesn't hurt them, but it keeps me from letting the past go! It was time; in fact it was past time!"

Like Louis and Corrie, & like the song says we all have the choice to make. We can choose love or hate...but be seriously deliberate about which you choose because the consequences of your choice have a powerful effect, both in this life and eternally! 

Anticipation satisfied...7-27-12

       "The bridegroom stands at the altar, awaiting His bride. This is the day He has waited so long for. Music is playing but He is not really hearing it. People are being seated and smiling at Him but he doesn't pay much attention, except for an occasional acknowledgement. Finally, after it seems like hours have passed, the double doors open and the procession begins. Two young men come forward to light the candles at the altar, but the bridegroom barely notices as they pass. Loving parents are escorted down the aisle. They are treasured for their role in raising this glorious bride & yet, after a quick smile of greeting, the groom turns again to fix His eyes on the door. Next, beautiful young ladies walk the aisle, one by one, with perfect hair, makeup, flowers and dresses, but it is all lost on the groom. He has waited so long for this moment. Nothing can hold his attention for long and He quickly glances at each one with a smile, & returns His gaze immediately to the door. The anticipation builds as He realizes that SHE is next...His beloved is coming.
      Finally, He sees her. His emotions swell as His eyes meet her eyes and He sees her smile. She is beautiful, more beautiful than any woman He has ever seen. Nothing and no one could distract Him at this moment. He has forgotten all the pain of making this moment possible; the endless planning and preparations, the setbacks and frustrations of the bride's indecisive commitment. Her weaknesses and past failings are swept away in light of His overwhelming love. Nothing else matters now. Nothing can add to or take away from the depth of His love for her. This is the culmination of all that He planned since the beginning. This is the beginning of their forever!"

Isaiah 62:5 "...As the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so does your God rejoice over you."
Jeremiah 31:3 "I have loved you with an everlasting love. With loving kindness have I drawn you & will continue My faithfulness to you."
Revelation 19:7 "Let us rejoice and shout for joy! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor for the marriage of the Lamb has come and the bride has prepared herself. And I heard a might voice from the throne say, 'See the abode of God is with men, and He will live with them and they will be His people and He will personally be with them and be their God!"
1 Thessalonians 4:17b "...and so always (through all eternity) we shall be with the Lord."

Things We Love About Summer

     Summer is a fun season with lots of enjoyable things that we Oregonians miss most of the rest of the year. I've picked out a few and added Biblical applications, much as Jesus did when He took common things and turned them into life lessons.I hope you enjoy reading this!
1-Bare feet: a personal favorite! Getting out of heavy shoes and socks is a sheer pleasure to me, but it demands that you're even more careful about your walk! In Every season, we need to watch our walk because others are always watching! (& ladies, be careful of how you dress! Less isn't always better!)
2-Swimming: While it is lots of fun, beware of the hidden dangers found in and under the water. As a Christian, beware of cooled passion, distractions, and the danger of absenteeism from fellowship!
3-Berries & other summer fruits: Remember to give God thanks for providing such wondrous blessings in Every season.
4-Long days: Extra long daylight hours give us additional sunlight to increase our quiet time with the Lord and to plan additional fellowship activities! Don't waste them!
5-The Sun: Misuse of the sun can cause serious burns. Don't get burned. Use the protection of trusted sources and the Spirit's guidance, & study the Word for yourself to make sure what you're hearing is Bible and not opinion!
6-Beach Ball principle: Just like a beach ball in a pool, no matter how deep you push a beach ball down it will spring up uncontrolled as soon as you let go. Offenses are the same, so handle them Biblically and get rid of them with forgiveness!
7-Ice Cream: Variety is fun. God has called many "varieties" of people into His family. Don't stick with just the ones who are like you. Reach out to others. You will be enriched and learn from each one.
8-Sandcastles: Dreams! You're unique and amazing. Your dreams and gifts were given to you by God so seek Him and dream away! He'll direct you as you step out in faith!
9-Vacations: God designs times of rest for us but don't make vacations permanent. Renew & refresh but be sure you're getting ready for your next assignment. He will always have one waiting for you!
10-Enjoy: Whether summer is your favorite season or not, enjoy it. Live each day with a God-view, looking for His leading, and make each day count. You never know how many you have left!
      May the God of every season bless you in spirit, soul, & body as you choose to love Him with all your heart, soul, mind & strength.
**If anyone needs to know that I did this study as to #5, I have verses for all these points that I'd be happy to share!  

The Pastor's Cat

One afternoon, a pastor found a stranded kitten in a tree in his yard. Although he plied it with milk, and did everything else he could think of to coax it down, the kitty refused to come down. Eventually, the pastor decided to tie a rope to his car and pull the tree over until the tree was bent down just enough that he could reach up and get the kitten. So that's what he did. He carefully attached the rope and pulled  his car gently forward, all the while checking his progress. He was doing well and figured if he went just a little bit further, the tree would be bent sufficiently for him to reach the kitten. But as he moved the car that tiny bit forward, the rope broke.  The tree went 'boing!' and the kitten instantly sailed through the air – completely lost out of sight.

The pastor felt terrible. He walked all over the neighborhood asking people if they'd seen a little kitten. No. Nobody had seen a stray kitten. So he prayed, 'Lord, I just commit this kitten to your keeping,' and went on about his business.

A few days later he was at the grocery store, and met one of his church members. He happened to look into her shopping cart and was amazed to see cat food and other kitty essentials. This woman had made no secret of her aversion to cats, so he asked her, “Why are you buying cat food & things when you’ve always told everyone how much you dislike cats?”

She replied, “Well, pastor, You won't believe this.  My little girl had been begging for a cat, but I kept refusing. Then a few days ago, she started begged again, so I finally thought I'd end the begging by telling her, 'Well, if God gives you a cat, I'll let you keep it.' I watched my child go out in the yard, get on her knees, and ask God for a kitty. And really, Pastor, you truly won't believe this, but I saw it with my own eyes. A kitten suddenly came flying out of the blue sky, with its paws outspread, and landed right in her arms. Well, who can argue with something like that!  So that’s why I’m buying cat food!”

Lesson learned... Never underestimate the Power of God and His unique sense of humor.  

(This story is true and shared with me by Brenda Strait via email! Thanks, Brenda!)

A Scentless Rose

      Have you noticed the many roses are no longer fragrant? I recall the knotty old rosebush that Grandma had in her yard, and although it was old and thick looking, not too pretty anymore, just one rose could add fragrance to a whole room. That wonderful "rose smell" has been totally gone from my last few bouquets. They look as pretty as they always have, and there are new colors and combinations of colors that are just amazing, but that familiar perfumed scent is gone. In fact, there is no smell at all unless the florist adds some other flowers. It's disappointing to say the least.
      At a women's Bible Study last night, I found out the reasons why growers are cross-breeding the scent out of the roses.  The first reason is that so many people have developed allergies to different scents and smells that the market for scented bouquets has dramatically decreased. In order to please the public, roses are grown without their fragrance. The second reason is that it is the scent of the roses that attracts the pests, not the colors. Scentless roses have few problems with aphids and other plant destroyers. So you can increase beauty by eliminating the imperfections caused by pests.
      Well, you probably already see where this is going. As Christians, we should be a sweet aroma to the world and to God. He delights in our beauty and sweetness. In our efforts to be unoffensive & unobtrusive, we have lost our main purpose. No longer do we sweeten the world around us. We have blended in to the world to the extent that we are practically unnoticeable! In an attempt to regain some of our former glory, we have added in fancy buildings and a multitude of programs that may look great & may seem to fill the bill for a while, but they draw people for a season and the commitment level remains casual at best. Most non-Christians can take us or leave us. We can still look pretty, but our fragrance is no longer the main attraction which sets us apart from the rest of society. And examined up close, the absence of that distinguishing characteristic of sweetness leaves the world disappointed and apathetic. Jesus showed His contempt for this kind of "religion" in His many encounters with the Pharisees. They had all the outer signs, through their traditions and laws, but lacked the Love which made the world sweet and the other things meaningful.
     As for drawing pests, I am reminded of my childhood Sunday School teacher's words: "If you're not doing anything that the devil can get mad at you about, you're not doing anything meaningful for God." If we are apathetic and casual about God and His plan, we are not a threat to satan's plans. He will leave us alone and spend time harassing those who are committed.  If you're serving God, you have a satanic target on your back and the greater level of responsibility God gives you, the bigger the target you are. While that may be intimidating, causing you to want to "lay low", remember that the victory is already won and Jesus promises that He is greater than any worldly enemy. He has already provided everything we need for success, so we don't need to fear - we just need to obey. After all, being in the harshest war zone with Jesus is safer than being anywhere else without Him.
     So, here's my bottom line: Even though I may offend someone and I may cause satan to notice me,  I still choose to be a fragrant offering to God. A rose without scent is just not a true rose, no matter how good it may look!

Blessed to bless...my brother's gentle reminder

      My brother was in the grocery store the other day and ended up behind an elderly woman who was frustrated and rattled because she didn't have enough money for her strawberries but couldn't seem to figure out what to do.  The cashier was trying to encourage her to put something back, but the little lady couldn't seem to process what she was saying. At this point, instead of getting impatient and angry, Jim thought of our mom and how he would want the people around her to react if she were in that situation. He paid the necessary amount for her, and sent her on her way, no doubt feeling amazed and grateful. His comment was, "It was only a small amount, like $2, so it was no big deal. There is so much that we can do right here close to home.....most of us are blessed beyond our dreams.....let's really try to use it for something other than the Family Trust!"  
      It was such a sweet reminder and he's so right. Even those of us who "struggle" financially are really incredibly blessed. There are so many people out there who not only need a helping hand here and there but need the pick me up that comes from having someone care about you.  I'm sure that little lady was blown away, and told all her little lady friends about the wonderful thing that happened. So not only did she get a blessing, but everyone she told also got to experience the joy of an unexpected gift from the heart of a kind stranger.
      A movie a few years ago highlighted this very thing and became the American catch phrase "Pay It Forward". Liberty insurance has latched on to it as well with their campaign of "Do the right thing", which shows people helping strangers in a variety of ways. While these are great reminders, the true initiator of this way of life is God. Both New and Old Testaments tell us that we are blessed to be a blessing (Psalm 21: 6) and encourages us to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, commonly known as the Golden rule (Matthew 7:12). Jesus even says that to do this is the fulfillment of the Law...loving your neighbor as yourself!
      It's a wonderful thing to be able to bless someone else, even in the seemingly most insignificant way, and reinforces God's declaration that it is more blessed to give than to receive (Acts 20:35). We are showing His love when we carry others' burdens, help the weak, and are mindful of those around us. In fact, Jesus divided the sheep from the goats (those entering His kingdom and those not) by their acts of mercy: visiting prisoners, feeding the hungry, tending to the sick,..(Matthew 25). He also taught that true religion is shown by taking care of widows and orphans (James 1:27).
      Imagine living in a world where helping others was the rule, rather than the exception! How amazing it would be in our self-centered, independent society if we truly lived with others as our focus & generosity as our goal. What if each of us just did one small "random act of kindness" each day? The whole character of our society would eventually be changed! And this monumental shift can start with just one person, You or me, living intentionally with a heart to bless others!
      So as you go throughout your week, slow down and look around. Find those people who God has placed in your path that just need a little kindness. It doesn't take much and who knows... you may be the deciding factor in someone's critical choice, or you may just add a little sunshine to someone's day. Either way, you will be blessed by being a blessing and you will for sure be adding to your own treasure in heaven!
      Have an amazing day!