Well Done!

Our taste for particular foods is a conditioned response.  As children, we tend to eat as our parents do, or what they forced us to eat.  Case in point, my folks always cooked the vitamins out of vegetables, prepared meat well done, and got creative with leftovers. 

Have you ever smelled a bottle of vitamins?  By all means cook that unappetizing aroma of turnips and greens out of my veggies!  Is that why those and rutabagas are so ‘good for me'?  Hated them as a kid and intensely dislike them as an adult. 

Well done beef or pork is quite good if prepared and cooked properly, low and slow with minimal seasoning.  No need to turn them into a burnt offering.  It requires a bit of patience and planning, but melt in your mouth with no pink meat grilled to juicy perfection is an art. 

Being from the south where they fry butter, any vegetable, fruit, meat, or dessert, can be battered and dropped in hot oil.  Make it crunchy, and the kids will come.  Can't you just hear it…Johnny won't eat his grits, well fry them!  I draw the line at fried pickles though…yuck!

As an adult, I do prefer my beans or broccoli tender crisp and my steaks medium to medium-well.  The most laughs, or gags, occur with Cowboy/Cowgirl Stew.  Butterbeans with mayonnaise stirred in, and a biscuit crumbled over it, a creative leftover my Grandparents and my Momma used.  Hey, don't knock it ‘till you try it.  Five kids turning their noses up and whining over dried beans yet another day produced a need for some recipe ingenuity.  Since beans don't fry up very well, cream ‘em, name ‘em something different and the children have a hot lunch they enjoy.

Our leftovers in life are not always so easily repurposed, but using them for something unexpected is exciting.  How we choose to view them and incorporate them is specific to our call, our talents, and our gifts.  Sometimes it's leaving them behind or throwing them out to change directions, try a different recipe, or sing a new song.  How often have we held onto that last piece of something sweet only to later learn if we had given it up, we would have had something far more precious?  

Take my childhood memories for examples.  They qualify as leftovers.  I am an adult and cannot recapture those halcyon days of my youth where my biggest worry was falling out of a tree.  I can repurpose those memories into stories, poetry, or lyrics to bring glory to God.  He's called me to write, He's given me a ‘wee bit of talent for spinning a tale,' and those who know me well will concur, I have the gift of gab.  Mixing this together in a sweet offering to God is not just my goal, it’s my passion.  Learning and incorporating new knowledge to my walk keeps my eyes on Jesus.  Sharing these stories and insights with you applies His call, gift, and talent to me, for which I am most grateful.

He's not finished with me yet.  There's still His business to see to, His purpose to accomplish.  He stirs me up and pops me back on the fire of refinement.  He puts turnip greens in front of me and expects me to clean my plate.  Sometimes, He takes away something I hold dear.  His plans for me are so much bigger than any of my dreams, He replaces that lost with something pure and beautiful.  It's not always easy, and it's uncomfortable most of the time but I pray this leftover will one day hear, "Well done My child, welcome home."

"His Lord said to him, "Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things.  Enter into the joy of your Lord."  Mat 25:21 (NKJV)

Man Made Materials

With five growing kids, we got new shoes at times of the year when we could save money and get the most wear from them.  Easter dress shoes, summer flip flops, and school oxfords or tennis shoes were typical for us.  We didn’t want for footwear but, oh the dreams of this girly-girl to have shoes matching her outfits.

As a thirty-something, I attained a measure of that silly school girl dream.  One of the local discount stores had pumps for five dollars a pair.  I had at least ten different colors to match my dresses; how uptown I felt with a rainbow of shoes from which to choose!

One day I had on the red pumps as I stopped by the mall on the way home from work.  With errands to accomplish, I was rushing through one business after another.  Roughly thirty minutes into my task, it felt like I was walking on white-hot coals covered with scalding water.  Miserable, I was tempted to take those pretty, little shoes and throw them in the trash.  Instead, I stepped into a shoe store.

Explaining my dilemma to the salesman, he asked to see one of my shoes.  He pointed out the ‘all man-made materials’ label.  He told me my feet were overheating from the lack of breathable material.  I told him I wanted a pair of leather dress pumps in flat black, as opposed to shiny patent leather, with heels no higher than 2 ½” and under $50.  I gave him my size thinking no way would my feet go back in those cheap shoes.

When I got home, the kaleidoscope of shoes in the floor of my closet went out the door.  Inexpensive they may have been, but there were ruining my tootsies.  Believe me when I say, if your feet hurt, you get a bit grumpy.  I didn’t want to ruin my sunny disposition because of sore feet.  A $49 investment over twenty-five years ago continues to reap dividends today.

I attended a private Methodist funded college.  One of the required courses designed to raise awareness of different religious doctrine while increasing our tolerance level to other views was World Religions.  As much as I disliked the exposure to all this propaganda, I’m glad I took the class.  The enlightenment has served me well throughout the thirty plus years since then. 

Know what I found that semester?  All but one religion were founded and developed by a man; all but one present writings inspired and written by that same man.  All but one requires we ‘earn’ our way to a better future.  Some even offer the option of a ‘do-over’ to try again to obtain the next level up in the structure of society.  But, if you messed up in this life, you might return at a lower level. 

Some have so many rules none of us could ever measure up!  Some are more intolerant than I could ever be yet they call me narrow-minded or want to kill me for believing different from them.  Some have multiple gods of men or women possessing some super human strength or beauty.  If you don’t believe me, research it, you can find all the information on the web.  There are those we’ve heard of and some not so well-known, far too many to list here.  Using the phrase, ‘origins of world religions’ for the search, we get a history timeline of world religions and its founders with over sixty-five entries.

Christianity is the only religion based on one God; the only religion where the text has been proven again and again through archeological finds.  Our God inspired the written word, guiding His elect to pen the knowledge so we know how to live.  God’s word tells us in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” 

God doesn’t need us but He wants us, “For God so loved the world He sent His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”  John 3:16-17  What a beautiful gift.  Free without strings to earn it or to keep it!    

Only one investment continues to pay dividends throughout eternity – Jesus.  Isn’t it time to focus on the only proven truth?  Is now the time to not only accept the insurance but revel in the assurance of your future?  Is this the day to throw out those man-made materials for real, abundant, life? 

“Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through Me.”  John 14:6 (NKJV)  

Muck Out the Stall

Growing up on a small farm where we raised vegetables and animals to supplement the food stores, we all had daily chores.  We could be in a snowstorm or planning a special event, but tending to the animals and the gardens came first.  Then we could play.  I do believe this structure of ‘working to eat’ is where we all got the ethics we exhibit today with our jobs.   

Part of our fun would sometimes be the task, such as riding the fence line.  Now done with ATV’s, we had horses then.  Horses require special care to prevent them from harm.  Brushing and feeding them brought great fun but cleaning out the stalls?  Not so much.

They had to have fresh hay and soft dirt on which to stand or their feet could become damaged.  Everything had a purpose, and if we could no longer ride them, they would have to go.  None of us wanted to lose the horses, so we took turns mucking out those stalls.

Our Mom and Grandmothers would put this stuff we cleaned out of the barns in their gardens, always abundant with sweet smelling blooms.  How they worked those flower beds as regularly as they tended the vegetable gardens!  They grew a variety of plants that bloomed throughout the year.  The fertilizer no longer seemed so bad when the fragrance of the flowers perfumed the air.  Without fertilizer produced by the horses, roses are weak in fragrance and pale in color…the women in our family had the most verdant rose gardens.

Daddy and our uncle owned broadcasters, or in simple farm folk lingo a manure spreader. They filled it up and hooked it to the tractor.  They pulled this monstrosity around the pastures, distributing the organic material.    This not only enriched the soil, it aided in protection against erosion.  It helped to control weeds as the grass roots penetrated deeper from this soil enhancement.  No water pollution creation from this natural substance and the smell?  It went away, eventually.

We all have muck in our lives.  Some of it stinks more than others, but it is all dirty.  We must continue to refresh and refine because we live in a fallen world.  We must repeatedly clean out the refuse lest we become too comfortable.  It will destroy us if we remain standing in it.   

Accepting Jesus as our Savior is the first step to cleaning out the filth in our lives.  We realize then what grieves God, and we want it gone.  As we keep getting rid of the sin in our lives, God blesses us for we are submitting to His will.  As we learn more of salvation, we grow deeper roots in the foundational truths of all God has for us.  As we fellowship with believers, we bloom into a beautiful mix of love and forgiveness to share with others.   

God uses our muck, the ugliness, and the sins to lead us to witness, especially to those who have no hope.  He gives us assurance so we may comfort others.  We share our testimonies not because we are good, but because we understand how bad we were before Jesus saved us.  We spread the good news of Jesus because it is God’s desire that none should perish.  We are loved and forgiven much.  With a thankful heart and a joyful spirit, we share this beautiful truth with others.  As we mature in our walk, we accept Jesus as our Lord.  We willingly give up those things that are not glorifying to Him or the advancement of God’s Kingdom. 

We are imperfect.  We make mistakes.  We find we must muck out those stalls again, and again.  The fragrance of Christ envelops us as we transform from the mire to the Christian God wants us to be.  The perfume of His righteousness will fully develop once we are in heaven.  In the meantime, we ask forgiveness for our sins every day because we have direct access to God through Jesus. We focus on the future; we cling to the hope and assurance of where we will spend eternity.  Our life here is short and fleeting as we long for our forever home.

I ask you to take a moment to inventory your life.  Do you need hope to fill your heart?  Do you need to forgive or be forgiven?  Do you want to have assurance of your eternity?  Do you feel like something is missing in your life?  Is joy something for which you long but it always seems just outside of your grasp?  

Salvation is free and simple to anyone who accepts Jesus as their Savior.  Embrace His love and forgiveness.  Pray to Him, believe in Him.  

Repentance of sin will come once you have welcomed Jesus into your heart.  He will show you and guide you.  Then, He will help you muck out those stalls!  

Top Value

Growing up in Georgia and part of a big family focused on savings, we frequented stores that gave reward stamps.  Yellow or green, the amount based on how much you spent, we pasted them into books.  We got a catalog and spent those books dreaming of what we could get for them when we had enough to trade in.  S&H Green stamps got us a Sear’s bonnet hair dryer that lasted through Momma and four girls, with long hair.  Top Value stamps got me a pressure cooker that worked for over 20 years.

Though those companies are long since bankrupt, the concept exists today with programs funded by the merchants and service providers to which we are loyal.  Frequent Fliers, Valued Customers, Honored Guests, Referral Programs and others give us points that convert to gifts, discounts, or cash-back.  I have a card wallet just for holding those reward cards.  Guess I am an equal opportunity loyal customer because there are so many places from which to choose where to purchase groceries, sundries, gifts, clothes, and gas.  Favored restaurants give ‘free’ meals if you register the card online, accept their box filling emails and keep their card presenting it each time you dine with them.  Services will ‘give’ a monthly discount for referred customers who sign up for specific, and sometimes costly, plans.

Calculating and research proves, these are pretty much schemes to get me to spend more with them.  For example, a favored retailer sent me a birthday gift, 30% off a regular priced item.  The small print read, valued at $125 or more.  My 30% off birthday gift would cost me a minimum of $87.  Give me two!!  We all need to buy groceries, and some stores allow an earned discount of 10 cents off a gallon of gas, once you spend $100 with them.  Sounds good doesn’t it?  So here’s the kicker on that one.  You must use your discount before the end of the month whether it’s to fill up the can to mow the lawn or your car; it's good only once.  The ratio of this savings is a real eye opener.  My vehicle has a tank capacity of 17 gallons if it’s empty.  I am saving, at most, $1.70 for spending $100.  But, hey, we’ve got to eat so we may as well frequent them and save on gas.  I feel so valued by that revelation, don’t you?

There is a most excellent reward program.  It exists for all of us.  The giver will never bankrupt; the gifts will never go out of style.  For believers, these are our golden tickets to the most exquisite of treasures.  We get to redeem them for crowns to repeatedly give to our King as we worship Him through eternity!  Our rewards there are based on what we do here to advance His kingdom.  Our rewards there are pure, protected from rust and decay.  Our awards are custom made, always fit, and never break down.  They are always shiny, never tarnish, and the perfect color.  

You can be a part of this loyalty program too, but first, you must sign up.  How do you do that?  It’s quite simple really.  Pray to Him with belief in your heart Jesus is God; He came to earth to live and die for us, to pay for all of our sins.  He rose again; ask Him to be with you forever.  That’s it.  You are now a child of God!  You are now a co-inheritor to the Kingdom.  Your deeds and life are all a testimony to Him and the Kingdom of God.  Your rewards await you. 

Oh, and get this, God doesn’t scheme nor does He do lame.  I can guarantee our rewards are of utmost value, with a greater ratio than $1.70 to $100!