(4) The Zeal of the Lord

Isaiah 9:7  on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. 
I think I can safely say that my zeal would in no way match God's. My zeal has limits.
Albert Barnes' commentary says that "the establishment of this kingdom was an object of intense and ardent desire on the part of Yahweh. It is also implied that nothing else than the zeal of Yahweh could do it." He goes on to say:
1. "That if Yahweh feels so intense a desire for this, then the subjects of the Messiah's reign should also feel this."  (That's us, guys.)
2. "If Yahweh feels this zeal, and if he will certainly accomplish this, then Christians should be encouraged in their efforts to spread the gospel. His purpose to do this is their only encouragement - and a sufficiant encouragement - to excite their zeal in this great and glorious work." 
So, let's be zealous about sharing Christ. God sent His only Son, Jesus to save us from our sin.  Isn't there someone you know that doesn't know this?  Ask them...then tell them. Get some zeal out of your back pocket and wear it well. While you're at it, remember the door is open for communicating what the birth of Christ really means. Be the first to say, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

This is last year's picture, but we only look one year older now...basically the same.

(4) Of Peace There Will Be No End

Isaiah 9:7  Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. 
Our minds we cannot comprehend endlessness. Forever for us is only until we die and the only time that matters is now, while we are alive. Never ending peace and everlasting joy is promised to those that love Him and live for Him. Eternity with no stagnancy or status quo - no ordinary, no boredom because boredom is a product of ungratefulness and only sinless perfection will exist before the Father. There will be no limit to His glory, Jesus' exaltation, and every minute will be better than the last. Only God can do this.
But what about now?  For the Christian, eternity begins at salvation.  We can enjoy the benefits of belonging to the Lord, live in His grace, experience His perfect peace, unconditional love, and boundless joy. Of peace there will be no end. That is my favorite. (I have many favorites.)
Peace - the kind that allows me to walk through a storm without fear - the kind that keeps my heart where it belongs and not in my throat during stressful moments - the kind that binds me with the Father in confidence, knowing that He goes before me and walks behind me and alongside me - this peace is measureless and given with favor to help me live in it daily.
The Lord Jesus is King Eternal.  He is on His throne until He  gloriously rises to bring His children home. In the meantime, investigate and discover the value of knowing and living in His peace.
Of it there will be no end.  Hallelujah!

Glory to God in the Highest and on earth...peace.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

A Cowardly Silence

I am currently (still) in a study of Hosea and I wish I would retain all that I am learning, but while it is fresh in my mind, I wanted to share some thoughts.
Hosea 8:1-2  Set the trumpet to your lips! One like a vulture is over the house of the LORD, because they have transgressed my covenant and rebelled against my law. To me they cry, My God, we - Israel - know you. 
Using Albert Barnes' commentary - The prophets were God's watchmen giving notice of His coming judgments.  God would have their voices burst in on Israel's sleep of sin. THEY (the prophets) ARE FORBIDDEN TO KEEP A COWARDLY SILENCE when God's people were violating His law.
The people draw nigh to Me and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. It was all hypocrisy and a cry of mere fear and not of love at all.

How often do we do that?  Our words may sound good, even godly good, but sometimes they are not from our hearts.  When we congregate, how often do we say what we know we should say, though it may not come from where we are inside? It is just habit.
Oh, Lord, if we claim the name of Christ as Savior, let us be sure to mean what we say with full assurance that it is You alone leading us and not in any way any kind of self-promotion or show. We are glory seekers at times and that tends to motivate our words as well our actions. May our walk match our talk and may You alone receive all the glory for whatever we do and say.
Israel was disobedient and in sin as God dictated the words of the prophets. The world is still in rebellion today - because we are lovers of self and pleasure seekers that are not looking for or recognizing our need of a Savior. But God gave us One anyway.  He gave us exactly what we need - all we need - to be reconciled to Himself. There is no room for a cowardly silence in the life of a believer. People are waiting for some Good News. Press on and share with someone the truth about that Baby in the manger and the Good News of God's redeeming, complete, healing, and unconditional love for us. Jesus came to save sinners and the world is full of them.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

(3) Unto Us A Child Is Born

Isaiah 9:6  For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

God's answer to everything that has ever caused us fear, caused us to look for help, caused us to seek relief from our foes is found in this unimagineable and unpredictable form: A Baby.  This Baby would defeat the darkest evils and slay the mightiest warriors.  This Baby would conquer the enemies and sins that so easily bring us to our knees in defeat. 

Here is the Answer God had prepared for the Israelites all along...a Baby.  Would they see Him for Who He is? Would they ever recognize that meekness wins over might or would they continue to look for a king to lead them in battle?  Would they believe their Messiah had finally come?  Would I have believed it?

In a world filled with doubters that cast dispersions at any sign of real Truth, it is easy to be blinded by the negative words of others - scoffing at a the thought that God would send His Son to redeem us...except, what if?  What if there is an Answer from God to all of our dreams and hopes for something better?  What if His Answer is so opposite from what we expect? The Israelites looked for a warrior redeemer to lead them in victory over their adversaries and God responded with a Baby?

Let us be grateful He did.  His name is Jesus - Wonderul Counselor for those that need someone to listen, Mighty God for those that seek a haven of rest, Everlasting Father for those who are lonely, and Prince of Peace for those who have none.
Our worst fears and battles are often the unseen kind.  This Baby came to eliminate all kinds of distress and heartache.  God, in His great mercy and love toward us, sent us a Savior that meets all of our needs...in the form of a Baby, and not a moment before or after the perfect time.  

There is no other name by which man might be saved, no other name that tells us God is with us. Jesus.

Acts 4:11-12  "This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." 
It was/is no mistake.  This was/is the Answer you and I are looking for. This Baby in a manger, born so long ago, is still alive today, redeeming and conquering every fear and every foe.  That is God's gift to us, so...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

and there is yet more to come.

Paul - Not the Apostle

I am teaching first graders this year in Sunday School.  In the history of our church, I have never taught only one grade..until now.  Don't you just love first graders?  Well, I do.  It's as if light bulbs glow over their heads revealing that maybe the light is also glowing in their hearts as God's truths are taught.
Paul is one of my students and is unpredictable at best.  He is currently missing his two front teeth, so all of his "s's" sound like "sh's", but it does not in any way keep him from sharing his thoughts.
One Sunday we were talking about the wide road to Hell and the narrow road to Heaven. Another boy commented, "Everyone is going to Heaven if they are good."
To which Paul replied with this head cocked, "Not necessarily." Only it sounded like, "Neshesharily." (Yes, he is a theologian, unreserved in telling the painful truth.)
After Thanksgiving, I asked the children what their favorite food was and Paul yelled out "pizza!"
I gave him a look and he then said, "I was jusht trying to be funny."
He is extremely well versed in scripture and it is obvious he is taught the Word at home.
He once described his plan to surprise his parents while camping.  He was going to hook up a speaker next to their cots and speak into it at night while they were asleep and scare them. But, as most good plans go undone, he had no speakers.  Alas...
Paul is number seven of nine children.  He is making his mark amidst a sea of voices with his humor.
Last Sunday in class, we put nativity stickers on a paper manger.  Paul put the donkey next to the camel. He said they were hanging out together.
Me: "So, what is the donkey saying?  Heehaw?"
Paul: "No. He is ashking the camel, 'How many camelsh does it take to shcrew in a lightbulb?'"
At that point, my laughter exploded.  This is a fun year.
And so....MERRY CHRISTMAS!! to camels and donkeys alike.

Zzzzip Line, Decorating, Card Tricks, and Opera

My grandkids came for a visit this week, so we investigated a hidden park we had heard about.  Notice I am not telling you where it is, because some things are best kept secret.  My niece Tamrynn joined us with her two little ones.  The pictures and videos say it best.

And then we stopped by my mom's for a little tree decorating!

Back to my house for some card tricks and a couple of versions of We Wish You A Merry Christmas - sanity and insanity - with our very own conductor, Ivy.

 We Wish You A Merry Christmas, too!

(2) Every Garment Rolled in Blood

Isaiah 9:3-5  You have multiplied the nation; you have increased its joy; they rejoice before you as with joy at the harvest, as they are glad when they divide the spoil. For the yoke of his burden, and the staff for his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, you have broken as on the day of Midian. For every boot of the tramping warrior in battle tumult and every garment rolled in blood will be burned as fuel for the fire. 
I have read four commentaries on this passage, and none of them agree with each other. Frustrating. When I asked Tommy about it, he said, "That tells you it is a hard passage to understand."  Sometimes truth is not helpful at all.  On the plus side, I guess I can't go wrong picking one of four and laying any blame for error on him. (See, that's how I operate.)
After reading John MacArthur, Derek Thomas, Albert Barnes, and Ray Ortlund Jr, I have chosen the latter because I like what he said best.  (Cuz again, that's how us girls operate.)  I choose not to expound on the other three and their logic (partly because I would say it wrong and get sued, and partly because that is not what this post is about.) I digress.
God is the "you" in the above verses.  'True liberation comes from beyond ourselves. Our Liberator will not only defeat all the forces of evil, but also put a final end to conflict itself. Every mechanism for tyrannical rule will go into the bonfire of God's grace.  The victory is not our accomplishment.  All we do is celebrate.' (paraphrased)
God gave Abraham many descendants.
God gave the Israelites victory in battle, when they obeyed Him.
Gideon broke the might of the Midianites as an unlikely hero with only 300 men.
God will forever conquer sin with His grace - for all time.
But now, back in Isaiah, he will prophesy of a Peacemaker.
There is a Liberator to come.  Who will He be?  How will He make His glorious appearance in a needy world?  Wait and see....

(1) Because They Have No Dawn

Isaiah 8:22 - 9:2  To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn. They will pass through the land, greatly distressed and hungry. And when they are hungry, they will be enraged and will speak contemptuously against their king and their God, and turn their faces upward.   And they will look to the earth, but behold, distress and darkness, the gloom of anguish. And they will be thrust into thick darkness. But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations.  The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shined.

Remember my post about Nehemiah and how then God stopped speaking for 400 years? Four hundred years of silence.  His people wandered in darkness for centuries because they would not listen to God's warnings against idolatry.
Isaiah is giving them hope that a Savior is coming - a Messiah.  The Light will shine on the Israelites again, but will they 'see' it?  It would come, never to be extinguished again.  Never again would God's voice be silent.  The Light would come for those that lived for so long in darkness.
God kept His promise to His people.  He always does.
As we begin to look forward to the celebration of Christ's birth, let's ponder the lives of those wayward ones, without hope and without purpose and without God's guidance.  What would we do with this prophecy to come?  How dark is our world?  How wayward are we? There is a dawn for us. There is a Light...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

BIONIC

My brother in prison has been moved.  It happened in the middle of the night without expectation. He told them it was a mistake, but they assured him it wasn't.  What was going on?
He had been teaching three Bible studies a day in the prison he was in.  Even though he was deeply depressed, he knew this was what God wanted him to do.  Suddenly he was removed from those surroundings and placed in a pre-release unit.  Yes.  A pre-release unit.
Tommy and I visited him this weekend.  It's a bit further for us to drive, but less traffic, and we like riding in the car together anyway.  So, we made the trip.
The prison is nestled in the pine trees and often deer are seen.  There are no towers with guns.  The guards are friendly and kind.  He can attend bible classes all day if he chooses.  He begins seminary in January. God has shown him favor, to say the least.  His bunkmate is a Christian with whom he can fellowship and pray.  While we were visiting, lunchtime approached.  A guard asked him if he would like a tray of food held for him until he finished his visit.  My brother just looked at me in amazement and said, "Yes, that would be very nice."
In orientation he was told they had a kind of watchword - BIONIC - which stands for "Believe It Or Not, I Care."  This is a privately owned facility, owned by one man. The man said that when his prison is no longer needed for lack of prisoners, then he will have succeeded in his endeavor.
May God bless him.
I'm not sure how long my brother will be there, but it is limited.  While waiting, he will study, learn, drink coffee outside, get a glimpse of a deer or two, and be blessed.
This is a gift from God to him. On his behalf I wish you all a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

In My Reading of Isaiah....

This picture has absolutely nothing to do with my post below.  I just like it.

Isaiah 10:5-6  Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury!  Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. 
What??  Assyria - one of the worst, barbaric nations ever - is the tool that God is using to discipline His people?  Yikes!  God chose one of the worst nations to bring about pain on those He loves the most.  Hmm.  What would He choose to use on me?  What would it take to get my attention when I stray from the path of righteousness and choose (yes, choose) to sin?
Okay, let's see...
1. Don't take my children or grandchildren.
2. Don't take my husband - actually this should be first.
3. Don't ruin my reputation.
4. Don't give me cancer...again.
5. Don't make me blind, deaf, lame, etc.
My list is much longer, but as I am typing it, I am struck by the fact that I would want to tell God how to discipline me.  I don't want Him to choose my tormentors. No way.
Let's move down the passage.
Isaiah 10:10-13  "As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols, whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria, shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols as I have done to Samaria and her images?" When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.  For he says: "By the strength of my hand I have done it, and by my wisdom, for I have understanding; I remove the boundaries of peoples, and plunder their treasures; like a bull I bring down those who sit on thrones.
Okay, again...
He used the Assyrians to bring about repentance in His people (Israel and Judah.) Therefore, He will use whatever means He sees fit to bring about our repentance and then He will turn to punish those He has used as they are gloating over our weakened conditions and bragging about their (?) accomplishments. For by the strength of MY hand I have done it and by MY wisdom...not the hands/wisdom of the tormentors. God is Sovereign over all. Period. Do not doubt it.
People watch believers when they fall and are quick to make judgments. Respond well.  Look to the Lord in repentance and keep pressing on in the faith.  God did not save perfect people...I promise. That is not a requirement.  All He wants are yielded, repentant hearts that will live for Him, for His glory alone.  Whether or not He removes the tormentor, we can know He does all for our good.
Isaiah 10:24-25  Therefore thus says the Lord GOD of hosts: "O my people, who dwell in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrians when they strike with the rod and lift up their staff against you as the Egyptians did.  For in a very little while my fury will come to an end, and my anger will be directed to their destruction.
I realize that this is written in the Old Testament and Christ has come and conquered death for us. Nevertheless, we are to be repenters of sin.  We are to strive for holiness. We will answer to God for what we do, and what we say.  This life is no longer about us if we are believers, but about the One Who gave His life for us.  God chastens those He loves.  And that in itself is a gift of love.
And with that I wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Hallelujah

I came across this You Tube video a couple of years ago, and I just love it.  The words are

different from the original, but the tune is beautiful and this message even more so.

                  I just wanted to post it for the holidays ahead.  Enjoy.
https://vimeo.com/55641900
AND MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Life.

It seems the older I get, the more I forget things, lose things, and make big blunders...but I care less about them than when I was younger.  Why couldn't I be this old when I was little? You know what I mean: Things that mattered so much before have found their proper place through time - at the back of the line.

Absentmindedness when you are in your twenties is inexcusable, but when someone asks me to do something now, I simply say, "I am writing it down, but do you mind calling, texting, emailing me because I will forget?"  If they can't be my reminder - I simply set my phone alarm and hope it will ring a bell.  

There are just so many things that will fit into my brain, and the rest spills over and leaks out my ears onto the floor.  My notebook is my constant companion.  Making lists has helped me enormously, but checking off the items sometimes happens at a snail's pace.
Last week I lost my glasses.  I looked everywhere.  They say that things we lose are in the last place we look.  Well, that's dumb.  Why would I keep looking for something after I found it? Anyway, I had them that morning, but suddenly poof!
I was talking with my daughter as I made my search. The frames are clear and easy to miss. I finally had to get off the phone and get real about this. No glasses, no driving.
Switching gears, I grabbed my mop bucket to throw out the water.  Yep, there they were. How? Who knows.  This is my life now.  I put keys in the freezer, forget if I have taken my meds for the day and so repeated the process (I now have a pill holder), and I regularly leave ingredients out of recipes.
Yesterday I worked in the yard, front and back.  I love doing this in the Fall, getting ready for these harsh south Texas winters that encourage weeds.  Anyway, as I sat down on the back patio, I looked down at my feet...and, yes I have another pair just like this one in my closet.

By the way, have you seen my notebook?

It Ends With Nehemiah?

Have you ever been surprised by what you didn't know?  It isn't like I thought I knew it all, but there are some things I thought I knew, but then I discovered that I didn't.  I didn't know that I didn't know. If those sentences make sense to you, then you will understand.
I am taking a class called Old Testament Survey on Thursday evenings at my church.  I wanted to know more about the chronological order of the Old Testament and how it all fits together and points to Christ's birth. Something wonderful occurred during that class.  I was struck by lightning.
Each week, Corey (the teacher) draws the same timeline (from memory, mind you) on the board and then adds new information for us to copy.  But every week he starts from scratch (and we do, too) repeating the sequences of dates, books written, who lived then, etc.  (By the time this class is over, I should be a genius regarding time lines.  Except no, probably not.)
We meet in the library at a conference table and I sit on the very end with all my books and notebooks sprawled out before me. It is a very casual, laid back atmosphere and we talk and share openly until Corey cracks his imaginary whip to press on.
Our homework for that night was to have pre-read (large) portions of Kings, Chronicles, Daniel, Ezra, Esther, and Nehemiah.  I was ready. As he drew the time line to Nehemiah, he said the most profound thing.
He said, "Okay, that's where the Old Testament ends."
Everyone else in class looked perfectly normal while I just sat staring at him like he was speaking Russian. I was processing and scrambling through the pages in my bible.  He was right. Every book of the Old Testament after Nehemiah was written during the period from Genesis to Nehemiah.
I finally found some words to say and responded.  "Are you telling me it ends with Nehemiah?"
Corey:  "Yes."
Me (totally UNembarrassed to make my lack of knowledge public):  "How come I don't know this? Why is this not taught?"
Corey:  "It is hard.  If you put all the writings and inject them into their proper times, then all of the History books get all broken up and mixed together.  They overrun each other."
I was just speechless with this new information and I was not sure why.  I have taught Old Testament stories to children for decades.  Decades.  This made everything so much clearer and more beautiful and God's plan became more real and meaningful and tangible to me.  I just did not know it ended with Nehemiah.  That's what I did not know.  I did not know God finished there.  It meant that His prophets going out to the Jews with the message to repent was His last ditch effort.  That was it. The value of these faithless, but much loved Jews increased immensely in my mind.  God's endeavors to reach them became more significant to me than it had ever been before. You would think I could add all this together and see it before now, but no, not me.  I need things s-p-e-l-l-e-d- out.
If you were writing a story, wouldn't you leave the most important message for the last chapter? That's what God did.  His most important message for the Jews was repent and obey.  He shouted it through so many men.  He did it out of His magnificent love for them.
The bottom line is: (in my feeble words)
The Old Testament actually runs from Genesis to Nehemiah (chronologically Esther comes after Ezra) - and lots of guys wrote stuff and their writings got tagged on after that (not even in sequence, mind you) so that we might know how much they looked forward to the coming of Christ and how much God loved His people and how He pursued them with His love and called them to obey...again and again and again.  (I could write 'again' about fifty more times, but I'm not going to.) Prophet after prophet preached and pleaded with the people of God while His chosen people, chose other gods time after time.
They sinned - troubles came - cries of repentance - God's forgiveness - restoration, and then they sinned again... The never ending cyle...and then: NOTHING.
It was as if after those events happened. God sat down....for 400 years.
Four hundred years of silence.  God ruled in silence - not idle, just silent.  He was orchestrating the governments and setting kings in place until time was pregnant for a miraculous Birth.
God's relationship with man has always been personal.  He loved/loves His people.  He delivered them from bondage. He provided for them in their exodus.  He gave them the Law.  He protected them over and over again. All He asked for was obedience.
What a picture of patience, love, and grace!  He did all that was possible in using mere man to deliver them and meet their needs.  He worked in the hearts of the wicked for His own glory time and again in order to bless His own.  But His own forsook Him.
Then it was as if He closed the book for a while.  And when He opened it again, centuries later, He wrote a new chapter and gave Himself/ His Son to His people, in the form of a Baby. This Baby, this God/man became a 'once for all' sacrifice and conquered death for His people.  And all who believe become His people.  All.  Not just Israelites/Jews, but all. That means me and that means you.
So allow me to be the first to say it:  MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Our God has spoken.  He still speaks to us through His word.  I know, because He spoke to me on that Thursday night and told me about how Love came for His people.
Love always had a plan.
Love loved, and still loves.

Utah 2015

We recently visited my son who is a Music Professor at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.  He and his family moved there this summer, so we made a quick trip to see their new surroundings. Here are some pix of our fun!

This was a little ski resort where we stopped for lunch.  No one was there, except workers getting ready for the season, but the lunch was great!

This guy would set his phone to play Beach Boy tunes and then dance while he worked.  It did not seem to bother him at all that we watched.

YuJueng and Mae

Luke and Yuyu were in the middle of a water spout.  The malls are very family friendly with lots of places for kids to play.  It is open air, but can be closed over in bad weather.  Very nice.

I really have no explanation for this.  Perhaps it is for use in an HOV lane...you know looking as if there are more in the car?  Odd things happen all over, don't they?

Salt Lake.  The water was low, but the scenery beautiful.

No, I did not climb up, although my arthritis was much better while I was gone.  Altitude actually helps!

At a local coffee shop with Mae.

This was my favorite place to shop!

Luke and Tommy were trying to watch the Astros wherever they could find them.
And with that, I will say, "Good night!"

Middleness

Standing in the middle of anything can sometimes be a dangerous place.  Choosing middle ground might work well in some cases, but often neutrality isn't a trait to be admired...it is just choosing not to choose at all.  I was watching a documentary the other night...the other sleepless night...when a statement yelled at me through the television. "To stand in the middle of right and wrong is to stand with the wrong". That caught my attention for a while.
I grabbed my pen and notebook and pursued this subject of middleness, mainly because I have been dealing with some issues of my own.  Jesus said He would rather we were hot or cold than lukewarm. He spews lukewarm away from Himself.
Revelation 3:15-16  "'I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth." 
Have you every met someone in the middle in order to compromise on a given subject? Have you ever refused to compromise when asked?  Standing for right with the best intentions sometimes feels like standing in the middle.  Can a heart ever cross the line for the sake of another?  Surely that line is blurred at times. When those we love choose paths that lead them beyond the boundaries of what is right, does goodness never step over to follow or woo?  How far?
Sometimes I can't see the line.  It grieves me to stand and watch while another runs so unaware from a Love that is only good, right, and pure.  Does love ever breach borders? ARE there any borders in love?  Surely Love has no limits and reaches far beyond man's ability to outrun it.
O Lord, stretch out Your loving hand to hinder the one who vies so desperately to escape Your grasp. Save us from ourselves and our poor choices and misdirected pursuits.  Break our hardened hearts.
May the things that entice us to run to the middle lose their flavor and beauty, causing us to return to to find our greatest pleasure in pleasing You.
May Your unseen hand be at work and may none of Your gifts escape Your call on their hearts leading to salvation.  Love does cross borders - unmarred and unhindered and often unseen.  While my feet remain planted firmly in solid ground with no sway or bend in root, let my love go out to the wanderer. May I stand strong in truth with an allegiance to a greater Love than the one manifested by mere man.  It is to this Love that surrender must fly.
With every blow designed to hinder its very existence, love grows stronger.  With every arrow intended to stifle, it springs forth with renewed vigor.  I can't understand it.  Where darkness took its stand, Love invaded, deeper and stronger than ever.
Jeremiah 17:7-8  "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose trust is the LORD.  8 He is like a tree planted by water, that sends out its roots by the stream, and does not fear when heat comes, for its leaves remain green, and is not anxious in the year of drought, for it does not cease to bear fruit." 
James 5:19 -  My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.  
Love the wanderer to the Lord. It is love that wins over middle ground.

It Does Get Easier, But...

Ezra 9:6  "O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens."

Recently I was listening to John MacArthur speaking on a discussion panel.  The subject was personal holiness.  He said that his students once asked him if it ever got any easier to live a holy life.
His answer was, "Yes, but the guilt you bear from sinning will grieve you more and the burden will be heavier."
I have to agree.  The longer I serve the Lord, and desire to walk closely with Him, the deeper agony I feel when I fail Him.  It is love that makes the difference in my life.  As I have sought to love Him more, I am more grieved when I disobey and sin.
May we never be comfortable with our sinful choices.  May they instead become increasingly distasteful and repulsive to us as we grow in His grace and love and may their weight cause us to abandon all that comes between us and our Lord Jesus.

Colossians 3:14-15  And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 

You Have An Audience

Psalm 84:4  Blessed are those who dwell in your house, ever singing your praise! Selah 
Sunday mornings mean church for some.  We sing, listen to beautiful instruments, and then the preacher shares God's word with us. It is only human (right...only HUMAN) to think that we are the audience to all of this 'entertainment,' though nothing could be further from the truth.  We can get it soo backwards sometimes. True worship is God-centered, not man-centered.
We are the ones making music, bringing praise, giving worship.  Our hearts are to be open and pouring out thanks and love and adoration for our Lord and Savior. He is our Audience.
So, remember you are the one 'on stage.' What will your offering be? Pay attention to the words you are singing. Pray that your heart is open to His truth.  Be an active participant. Your Audience is watching.

Psalm 111:1  Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.  
2 Great are the works of the LORD, studied by all who delight in them.  
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work, and his righteousness endures forever.  
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and merciful. 5 He provides food for those who fear him; he remembers his covenant forever.  
6 He has shown his people the power of his works, in giving them the inheritance of the nations.  
7 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy;  
8 they are established forever and ever, to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.  
9 He sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name!  
10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever! 

...and Happy Fall!!

Taxi Drivers

I can remember as a little girl, riding in a taxi with my grandmother from here to there and back again because my grandparents did not own a car.  Ever.  The taxi driver would make light conversation with her while other voices came in over the radio, dictating his/her next pick up and delivery.
Today there are moms who drive 'taxis' - delivering their livestock to school, soccer games, ballet, piano, and karate - according to the wishes of those on board.  Only in these cases, it is often the driver handing over the cash.
We've all been driven somewhere by someone.  Sometimes the driver is unaware of the passenger, and vice-versa.  Often we claim in such instances that the 'destination' is insanity as in "You are driving me crazy." To which one might reply, "Well, it's a short trip."  And thus the ride is made a little longer.
I myself have driven my kids mad just by singing off key or telling unfunny jokes...on purpose.  They have done the same to me using their own unique methods of torture.
Life's circumstances are often beyond our contol and we are driven, pushed, prodded, even catapulted, and dumped before the throne of God.  People are tools in the Lord's hands to be used by Him for His own glory. He will bring us to Himself by whatever means necessary. Drivers wear many faces: that of a family member, a friend, an illness, an addiction, rejection, heartache, grief, and worry. They can be ugly and offensive and corrupt.  How we arrived is not as important as the fact that we ended up helpless before the Helper, with nowhere else to go and no other solution or answer. Sometimes, the cross is the end of the line.
Therefore be thankful.  Each and every trial is meant to direct our attention to Christ. Though we might arrive beaten and crippled, we can leave strengthened in His might.  Let us be grateful for everyone and every thing that drove us to this point. It is always, always for our good.  So, the next time you and I are dropped off at the feet of Jesus, let's ask Him for an extra portion of His love for those taxi drivers because they need it, too.

2 Corinthians 4:8-11  We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 

Love in a Cup

Sometimes love comes in a cup.  I met some friends at a coffee shop - Sycamore Grounds in Pasadena.  It was a rainy day, but we escaped to some quiet moments.  I am not a coffee drinker, but I love the aroma.
Our waitress showed us a you tube video on how to make that little heart in the middle.  Not a skill I intend to learn, but she was very good at it.  Hearts just make things taste better, right?

This would be more my style.  Michele, Kristen and son Callen met me for some sweet fellowship. Victoria showed up as well, but I failed to snap a shot of her as I was carrying Callen outside to watch the drops fall off the porch roof.
It was a lovely afternoon and a bright spot in my week. Take some time to share some time with someone else. You both will be blessed.

Sugar Cookies, Sugar Eaters, and a Foot

Me and my forty-four year old Better Homes Cookbook can make a mean sugar cookie.  I always double or triple the recipe because they are kind of a pain to make, but so worth the effort.  I am in no way a picky decorator as you will see in the pictures below...although little people decorated these yummies.  (Mine look the same.)

They had alot of fun choosing the sprinkles they wanted and were not hindered in any way about the amount sprinkled.  What are Grammies for, anyway?

So, I am posting my secret recipe that isn't really all that secret, though you would think it was by the way people ask for my cookies.  Mind you, they don't want to make them...hence the doubling of the recipe.  Enjoy!

The paper is so yellowed and part of the words are missing in the middle. :/

Ivy says, "Bye!"