Suffering In 'Class'

I wish I had paid more attention in school, though what I have learned since then might fill a small, well-written (I hope) shelf of books.  Are you with me?  The best lessons are learned after graduation when the classroom gets much larger and the subjects much harder - such as coping, hanging in there, and dealing with adults.  Need I say more?
When Jesus walked the earth, scripture tells us that all of the works He did could not be contained in books.  How purposeful and glorious His deeds must have been! (And He only lived to be about thirty-three!)
John 21:25  Now there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
All that God allows to come my way from birth to the grave is for His glory and my good.  Each 'class' is designed to shape me and make me more like His Son Jesus. God's redeeming act of love for me caused Jesus to suffer.  If I am truly His, then the Bible says that I will suffer, too...so why be surprised?  I should be disappointed if I do not!
Romans 8:16-18  The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God,  
17 and if children, then heirs- heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.  
18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.  
Suffering comes to us all...and in many forms.  None can predict its timing, but we can be certain it will show up.  The wounds He suffered have healed us.
1 Peter 2:24   He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 

Lift Off!

Tommy and I were honored to be invited to NASA this week to watch the launch from Russia.  One of our church members, Barry 'Butch' Wilmore, left Thursday afternoon - along with two cosmonauts - for the International Space Station.  The Space Station has been constantly manned since 2000.
We were able to watch all of it happen from Mission Control here. One of the astronauts speaking to us likened the experience to that of being triplets in a womb, as the three were snuggled tightly into their flight seats.  They would not emerge until almost midnight.
Barry has been in training for over two years.  He will be gone for six months.

This is 'flat' Barry...a cardboard cut-out.

This is the same Mission Control they have used since 1965,

Lift-Off!

Psalm 8:3-9  When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,  

4 what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?  

5 Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor.  

6 You have given him dominion over the works of your hands; you have put all things under his feet,
7 all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field,  

8 the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes along the paths of the seas.  

9 O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! 

I Have This Present...

A present can be a gift.  It can also denote a short span of time...such as this present hour, minute, second. It can be both all at once. My gift is my 'now'.
You have a present, a 'now' of your own to give to something or someone. Time is passing. We have now...and now...and now.
What can we do with our 'now' presents?  The present becomes the present. Washing dishes, changing diapers, and making phone calls can all be now gifts.  Some gifts are demanded by others. It doesn't matter.  They are still gifts we give.  They are presents. Make them special by giving them in love.  Cook dinner in love.  Buy groceries in love. Scrub floors and bathtubs in love.  You can do it. I can do it. Give a smile, a hug, an encouraging word.  Someone needs your 'now' and they need it delivered in love.
When we do that, we honor the One who makes all of that love possible. Give your 'now' in love...whatever it is.

1 Corinthians 13:3  If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

Watchers and Doers

Someone asked me once if I was a watcher or a doer.  I have been both.  My pace has slowed recently, due to a decision I made to slow it.  That is all it took...a decision. Moments hurried through make the past a blur.  Savoring the present brings more joy than I would have imagined.  Though I spent many years hurrying in my steps, it was not as if I was on any important mission in particular...just on to the next thing on my never ending list.  So, right now it seems I must catch my breath...but it is my choice to do so.
Watchers see life happen.  They notice the small things.  They reflect, analyze, and often gain weight from too much watching.  Okay, well, that is not my point.  They are content to observe.
Doers do life.  They take part, take charge, and find pleasure in activities.  They experience the highs that exertion can bring.  They excel.
In self analysis, 'watcher' is probably stamped on my forehead, but doing His will is my goal.
James 1:22-25   But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  
23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  
24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  
25 But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. 
Join me in being a doer who acts after looking into the perfect law of liberty...and let's do that slowly.

This Grampy Loves His Grandchildren

Ok.  Now I have seen it all and you are about to see it, too.  Tommy and I babysat last week and the kids wanted to play Just Dance on the Wii.  I have learned that the Wii does not know if I am standing or sitting, so I just sit and move my arm.  I do okay the lazy way.  However, it is much more fun to watch others or stand and dance along...which is what Tommy did with Bella.  Only Tommy was remoteless and did it for the love of a grandchild.  Now, that's love.  Is it also love that I am posting it?  Not sure...but enjoy anyway!  Smile.  (Listen to Emma's giggles.  You will giggle, too!)
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It's The Simple Things That Delight

Tommy and I stay home most evenings and sit quietly reading, writing, or watching an occasional movie.  (There is little on the tube to capture our attention, these days.)  I can be reclusive after the sun goes down, but he talked me into a drive.  Sylvan Beach is close and allows us a pretty view of the water.  It is obvious that school has started because there were few folks walking the shoreline and only a handful were fishing from the pier.  The wind was strong, warm, and scattered the mosquitoes, so we sat with the windows down for a while.  I love watching the water.  (I have tried time and again owning an aquarium, but it never really works out for me...or the fish.  Sigh.)
I was suddenly inspired to browse an office supply store. (It doesn't take much.)  Tommy agreed to appease my whim, after we stopped to visit Louisa, a long time friend.  She is probably one of the most interesting people we know.  She came here from Austria many years ago after marrying Leroy.  He passed away recently and we enjoy checking on her.  It is never an ordinary visit, because Louisa is anything but ordinary.  She lives on a farm full of ducks, geese, chickens, sheep, goats, and a donkey...not to mention three lively dogs.  She works at NASA, managing the grounds and keeping up the landscape.  Her garden at home is full of healthy veggies, free from all pesticides and chemicals.  We never make it home without a bag of produce.
We did not leave until dark, but still we headed for our next destination.  Those that know me well, know that I am a pen snob.  I love good pens.  Did I say I love them?  I LOVE them.  There may be worse pen snobs than me, but I am bad enough for two people...or three.  Just when I think I have discovered the perfect pen, perfection is rediscovered in a newer, better, more finely pointed writing utensil.  I am drawn like a moth to a flame.  (I never was very original at analogies.)  But better yet, they were half price!
I finished the evening reading the latest Yankee magazine given to me by our friend, George.  It featured an article about Tasha Tudor, an illustrator and author who lived in New England.  I believe she might deserve a post all her own so...later gators.

Encouragement Comes in Many Forms

Encouragement is one of my gifts from God.  That sounds boastful, but it isn't.  I did nothing to merit this gift, but I need encouraging and I figure you do, too.  Maybe that is why I blog...for both of us. Anyway, I had lapsed a couple of days in my Bible reading and that is where I obtain the words most beneficial to me.  When I opened it today, a poem and a card fell out.  The card was from one of the children promoting out of my class.  I must have stuck it in my Bible when he handed it to me, planning to read it later.  So often is the case on Sundays.  I find many things tucked away in there.  It was written on bright pink paper and read -
"Dear Mrs. June, Thank you for teaching my class.  I will miss you.  James Scott."
The poem I found is written by a dear friend who does not want any credit for her thoughts on paper.  Still, it inspired me today.  So I will share it -

The Lord is pruning His garden
With pruning shears in tow,
And only those who love Him
Will yield to their awful blow.

The cuts are deep and bleeds the soul
More fruit says He, that is my goal
And you, dear one, who want to be used,
Would shirk from having your branches bruised?

Then bruise me Lord, then let me bleed
If more fruit from me is what would please
Lord, suffer me to bear the loss,
For all but You is chaff and dross.

All but You is chaff and dross.

I hope what encourages me encourages you as well.  We will stop fighting against those shears and keep pressing on with His help...and some encouragement from those around us.  All but Jesus is chaff and dross.