Counting Costs

I am blessed beyond words for the grace and mercy of the county sheriff’s office.  I received a generous award from the motorcycle patrol this past week.  How is a ticket a blessing?  Glad you asked….

He could have stopped me a mile earlier, in a construction zone, with twice the fine.  He could have charged me with no proof of insurance for I had the old card in my wallet instead of the one that started the first of this month; instead he gave me a warning.  He could have added aggressive driving to the ticket requiring I appear in court.  Only one violation noted and the opportunity to pay the fine within a set period as well as reduce the points on my license blessed me.  The bigger blessing is that I did not cause harm to another or myself.  The biggest blessing - I recognize my failure.

  

I am a gentle soul with a loving and giving spirit…until I get in the car to drive.  It’s like a transformation occurs.  I become someone I do not know, and I definitely don’t like.  I qualify as a bully driver and act as if I’m the only one that knows the rules of the road.  The kind officer pointed out to me how delusional my thinking.  I was following too close.  Yes, I was.  The guy in front kept slowing down to reach for something in the front seat or drink from his go mug or talk on the phone.  I wanted him to get out of my way so I didn’t slow down as much as I should have.  I was not a safe distance behind him.  I was not even in a hurry to get somewhere!  But hey, he was in the fast lane, going under the speed limit, and I am the better driver, right?  WRONG!

How often do we feel we exhibit righteous anger at the actions of another?  How often do we lovingly point out to a teacher of the word they don’t have their facts straight?  How often do we purposefully not participate because it’s just not our thing?  How often do we discount the service of another in favor of our judgmental heart or critical spirit?  How often do we compare what others are doing to us doing better?  How far do we carry a grudge against someone? 

How genuinely do we put the other person’s feelings first?  How inconsistently do we stop and T.H.I.N.K. before we speak?  Are our words Truthful, Helpful, Inspirational, Necessary, ­and Kind?  How joyful are we in serving others?  How forgiving are we of ourselves and others?  How honest are we about our actions?  How quickly do we take it to God for guidance?

We see how others respond to our ‘helpful’ words and get angry when they speak harshly or treat us badly.  We choose not to recognize we hurt them in what we said and claim they stepped on our feelings.  We convince ourselves we are offering constructive input.  We determine we are not critical in spirit, and it’s their problem to handle.  We have become a society which focuses on fast food, instant responses, incoherent communications, and ourselves. 

I justified my bad behavior by offering excuses instead of asking forgiveness.  I determined to have my way instead of purposing in my heart to do what is right.  I pushed on when I should have backed off.  I blamed the person in front of me when it was me in error.  I’ve asked Jesus to take Lordship over that part of my personality.  It is abundantly apparent to me I haven’t surrendered it for I still did it.  I was wrong, and now I have to pay for it.       

  

Sin is like that too.  Oh, it feels good.  Why would we participate in it if it felt bad?  We hear that little voice telling us it won’t matter this one time.  But, we do it again and again until it becomes a part of us.  We know the world is okay with it for everybody else does it.  Are we really sure about that?  Is it everybody or is it just those we hang around with who are doing what our flesh wants to do?  It’s just a tiny little lie, so they feel okay about what we say.  It’s not like it hurts anyone, right?  It might mean the difference between life and death for eternity, so why would we be less than truthful about it? 

If we are doing something we shouldn’t and we feel no conviction then something is wrong with our hearts.  If we are not sharing the truth of God’s word and living out that truth, we could cause someone else to stumble.  Sin is sin, whether it’s a white lie or murder; it’s still sin to God.  We grieve the Holy Spirit when we sin.  We discount the cost Jesus paid for our sins.

In this week of the holiest remembrance of the resurrection of Jesus, let us reflect on who we are in Christ.  We are redeemed.  We are ransomed.  We are co-inheritors to the kingdom.  We are children of God.  We are forgiven of our sins.  We are saved from eternal death.  Most of all, we are loved!

If you have not yet accepted Jesus as your Savior and you’ve heard God’s word before, why are you waiting?  If you want to know more about God and what Jesus did for us, read the Bible.  If you need to hear the words to understand the teachings, there are audio Bibles.  There are links to several church sites provided in this blog.  They contain verse by verse, chapter by chapter teachings to encourage you.  There is also a link to blueletterbible.org to help you study God’s word by going deeper into the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek texts. 

Of all the promises from God, we are not given another day.  Of all the power of Jesus, we must welcome Him before He can save us.  Of all the urging of the Holy Spirit beside us, He cannot become a part of us until we accept Jesus as our Savior.  If yesterday is a memory, tomorrow is not promised, and every day is today, why not make this the day of your salvation?   

We are all sinners and fall short of the glory of God.  Jesus took our sins to the cross and paid for them with His blood.  He loves us so much He gave His life for us before we were born!  No sin, even murder, is too big for the cross.  Cry out to Jesus, bring your pain and fear to Him, lay it at His feet, ask forgiveness for it, and repent.  Tell Him you believe He died for you and rose again.  If you are sincere in your prayer, you are saved.  As a child of God, you are a co-inheritor to heaven!  We will stand before Jesus, and I will see you there.

Lord God, Thank You for Your love being a constant light in my life.  Thank You for never leaving or forsaking me, just as You promised.  I pray those reading these words cry out to You for salvation, today.  I pray they seek a relationship with You, call You Friend.  May the only time I follow too closely be in my walk with Jesus.  I love You and praise You for You alone are worthy of our worship.  In Jesus Name – Amen!  

Me Lucky Charms

Incredibly blessed in 2003, we celebrated our 15^th wedding anniversary at Waterford Castle in Ireland.  For two weeks, we toured the country gathering memories like the most precious of crystal treasures!  We ate shepherd’s pie at the Flesk in Killarney, a ham & cheddar sandwich on freshly baked bread in a public house, aka a pub, established in the late 1600’s in Cork.  We sipped in Galway, a pint for him and a Bushmill’s for me.  We savored the earthy aroma of a turf fire in Bundoran as we curled up to read with a cup of Irish tea and delightful soda bread.  We hiked along the cliffs of Moher, rode a jaunting car around Muckross House, explored uninhabited Innisfallen Island, and toured Trinity College where we saw handwritten and decorated pages of the Bible.  We listened to gypsy bands on Grafton Street and lingered at the fountains in St. Stephen’s Green.  We enjoyed a stroll along the quay in Dingle and got lost in County Tipperary ending up in Carrick On Suir.  Of all our adventures, Ireland holds a special place in my heart.  The fact I am Scot-Irish-Native American may have a wee bit to do with that.  But I believe it is the charm of the country, the hospitality of the people, and the luck of a life with a kindred soul sharing wanderlust.

From the time we stepped off the plane at Dublin International; we enjoyed the best of kindness from a culture of people ready to laugh spinning a tale to share a bit of themselves with the Yanks.  We chose a cab from the airport as flying all night and driving in a new city intimidated us.  Our first night at the Grafton House gave us a tiny glimpse of the quaint European charm awaiting us for the next two weeks.  We returned to the airport the next day, picked up a car and traveled around the island spending a night here or two there.  We visited countless archeological sites, ancient tomb portals called dolmens and castle ruins.  Our hearts entwined with the culture, the people, the lifestyle, we didn’t want to leave.  We knew we must, but we vowed we would return one day.

That day can no longer happen as he passed some time ago.  Those treasured moments are tucked away in a special part of my heart.  The memory of his laughter is a balm on my troubled soul as I recall the shared joy of exploration and discovery.  Thousands of priceless moments spin until I secure them away again.  Those loving moments of the man of my dreams soothes my sleep now.  How lucky I am for the loan of such a charming and funny soul-mate, one full of romance and a vast fount of historical knowledge.  Travel together was not just learning about new places and cultures, but an adventure! 

Though we never thought to see another sight as beautiful as Ireland, we visited some amazing places in our short time together.  God was having an exceptionally good week when He created this world for there are wonders words cannot express; you have to engage all of your senses living them as they happen.  A crashing wave on the Pacific coast accompanied by the piercing cry of an eagle or a perfumed trade breeze in the South Pacific islands while savoring sweet fruit juices, each carries a plaintive cry of our hearts.  Hearing an iceberg calf crash in the coastal waters of Alaska or the roar of a grizzly in Denali cannot compare to the untouched and quiet splendor of the tundra.  Sunrise over the Atlantic, noon over the plains of the Midwest, or sunset over the Rockies of the Southwest is not nearly as dramatic as seeing the light play over water, grain or mountains.  Each moment is but a glimpse of what awaits us. 

No tower in Paris, ruin in Mexico, castle in Ireland, or grand cathedral in any city anywhere will come close to the splendor of our mansions in heaven.  No priceless display in any museum in any part of the world will compare to those beautiful crowns we receive for serving His kingdom.  No carefully prepared and elegantly served meal will match the celebration at the Wedding Feast of the Lamb.  No one can witness the innocence of a child’s smile, feel the arms of a loved one holding them close one last time or listen to the abandoned laughter of pure joy and continue to doubt. 

On this day of celebration where everyone claims a bit of Irish blood, I recall our Emerald Isle trip.  There are no leprechauns guarding pots of gold or lucky charms to attach to dreams, but treasured moments I hold most dear.  I know I will one day see my husband again, and we will be on an unending adventure in a place more beautiful than any I’ve ever seen or wanted to visit.  I will sing, laugh, and dance where the only man-made thing will be scars on the hands and feet of Jesus.  I will need no more salve for my hurts or tissues to wipe away the tears for I will be praising and worshiping my King with unfettered joy.  No wishes, no dreams, no memento from any earthly destination will compare to the jeweled reality of heaven.  I will be home, forever.  

Resistance Training or Endurance Testing?

I’ve never been much of a participator in sporting events.  Pushed to go outside and play, I would find a quiet spot in the shade to curl up and read.  At recess, I so disliked team events.  Always the last one chosen, I was self-conscious about being a klutz!  Grace was not visible in my coltish legs, flat bottom, and a chunky torso, so others tended to laugh at me.  The typical ‘running like a girl’ applied to me with few exceptions.  If the mad rooster or one of the bulls were chasing me, then I could top a two-minute mile easy!  I just preferred solo activities inside, and still do.

I am not a hit the gym daily hard body, but I used to go three or four times a week.  Across the street from my workplace and offering a discounted membership, it was a convenient, cost-effective, and enjoyable alternative to unwind after work.  Co-workers and friends encouraging each other reaped the health benefits through exercise, and I looked forward to it.

One of my friends and I were challenging each other on crunches.  We did five sets of twenty with a minute or two of rest in between.  This built up to sets of fifty followed by more sets.  Over a month or so, our endurance improved to completing five hundred crunches!  We felt great with our accomplishment and began some light weight training.  Then, I got laid off and had to let the membership go; a few months later my husband died and a few months after that I developed hypothyroidism.  The weight I lost returned….with friends and family….unwilling to leave!  A couple of years go by where my health improves as my faith strengthens.  I quit smoking.  A couple of weeks later we lost my Dad.  I didn’t go back to cigarettes, but I did increase the ice cream, and the weight increased in proportion to the amount of comfort I consumed!

The training and routine of regular exercise gave me discipline and energy.  I learned to enjoy working out with my girlfriends.  I miss the activity and the comradery.  I miss those jeans I no longer own.  Each day is easier than the day before to skip taking a walk or getting moving in some way.  Sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of something creamy and cold is such a habit I don’t even realize I’m doing it sometimes.  I’ve become so resistant to exercise; I can barely do ten crunches, let alone ten sets of fifty. 

Life can throw us off a steady pace.  Whether its illness, loss, financial challenges or a perceived lack of time, we drift away from our routine.  We miss opportunities or avoid them, to work toward a goal.  We fail to rally our cheering section to hold us accountable making it so very easy to skip a task we should be doing.  We lose out on celebrating accomplishments as we fall deeper into unhealthy habits.  We willingly walk away from doing what we know is right.

We do this with areas other than exercise too.  Expectations develop into temptations, pulling us into daily crazy.  We leave quiet time with God to later, only ‘later’ keeps getting pushed.  We allow ourselves to become overwhelmed with worldly pursuits until we collapse.  We promise God we will make it up to Him.  We are sincere in our justification that our lack of time with Him is just an anomaly until we rarely think of quiet time anymore.  We take advantage of new mercies daily as we continue to avoid spending quality time with God.  We have trained our resistance to excuse us.  We embrace our ‘new normal’ of missing time with God, and it grows.  Before we understand what we are doing, we skip attending church, miss fellowship opportunities, leave out Bible study, and prayer comes only when we are in trouble.  Each time is easier than the time before until we are fully in the world.  The fire for the Lord becomes a spark within us until it banks to a smoldering ember.

Eventually, we come to ourselves, or we get a well-deserved ‘God-smack’ to redirect our attention.  We realize how resistant we have become to doing what we know is right.  We cry out for forgiveness.  We pour out our heartbreak and pain for we know we have grieved the Holy Spirit.  We thank God for His faithfulness even when we drift away.  We rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to help us with our self-control.  We redefine our day to put God first; the fires burn brightly again, and everything else falls into place. 

I ask you, believer to believer, have you laid aside time with God to sleep a bit more or play a while longer?  Has it been so long you feel unworthy to approach Him?  He’s right there waiting for us to turn around.  Come as you are…we know we can.  Let’s live like we know where we are going to spend eternity, because we do.  Let’s be salt and light to a darkened world, as we are called to be.  Let’s love without reservation, forgive without requirement, for we are greatly loved and have been forgiven much.  Let’s quit resisting our training and let the testing of our endurance become enveloped with His loving grace!  

Rescued!

I am not the most graceful person in fact you might call me a klutz; my family does!  I am a girly-girl where my sisters were tomboys.  I am more about soft skills such as singing, reading, writing poetry where they were all about bike riding, sword fighting with sticks, and climbing trees.  They like playing in the dirt and having dirt clod battles where I am more about dolls and coloring books.  They are muscle and deep tans where I am fair and don’t like to sweat.  Ridicule often came to the one who preferred clean hands, trimmed nails, and fixed hair because I was a social moron to playing outside. 

Looking back, I see how it happened.  My best friend required subdued activities due to a heart condition.  We played together because her siblings were adults with kids of their own.  If her Momma got her a coloring book, I got one too.  If my Momma got me a doll, she got one too.  We played quietly and contentedly while my siblings and our friends ran in loud abandon.  It’s been almost 50 years since she went home to the Lord, and I can still hear her laughter, the lilt in her voice as we sang hymns together.  Some of those gentle activities remain as my favorite hobbies today.  Not as a tribute to one of the most gentle of souls I have ever known, but because of ‘conditioning’ to a less strenuous version of fun.

At one point, I guess I was about nine or ten, I decided it was time to learn how to fit in with my siblings.  We still wore dresses to play in, but I think that was a day I had not gone in to put on ‘play clothes’ prior to going outside.  My brother and sisters were on the limbs of a dogwood tree in the edge of the woods behind our house.  Encouraging me on where to put my feet, they directed my steps to climb with them.  It’s all fun and games until my slick bottom shoes caused me to slide right off the limb!  It’s not funny when I can’t reach the branch above to pull myself up, and my feet aren’t touching the ground.  I’m dangling, by the elastic of my underwear!!   

My siblings are doubled over with laughter because, we do that in my family…you fall, and it’s funny, we laugh as we help you up.  I’m crying from embarrassment and pain.  Not only can I not get out of my predicament, the tree had a knot where a limb had fallen off.  A rotting, and dirty, protrusion of wood stuck out from the trunk.  It caught on the inside of my knee and tore all the way up my leg, to my underwear.  One of my sisters finally realized I was in quite a difficult situation and she starting calling out to Daddy. 

Daddy came and lifted me off the tree.  He’s trying not to laugh as I cry into his shoulder.  He carries me to the porch and for the next few hours, Momma and I use peroxide and tweezers to get wood out of my leg.  In fact, splinters worked their way to the surface for a few years after that.  I carry a small bit of the scar today, and the family carries a moment of extreme humor to share with others.  Learned what not to do…monkey's climb trees and I don't qualify!

How often we have moments of laughter followed by extreme pain.  How often we play with abandon only to find, we are flirting with danger.  How often we listen to instruction of others that leads us into precarious situations.  How often the consequences of our actions are life lessons we never forget.

What do you do when you fall?  How do you hold on when you stumble?  When do you cry out for help?  Who do you call when you’re hanging by a thread? 

Our Heavenly Father is there for us in every situation.  Jesus was with me on that limb, and He kept me from hitting my head or breaking a bone.  He was with me as I cried with the cleaning of the wound.  He comforted me as I poured out my heart to Him about being a misfit.  He gently led me to stronger relationships with my siblings by helping them with homework or learning to read.  He taught me how to climb into His arms for instruction and correction.  He’s led me to a compassionate understanding of physical and emotional pain so I can listen to others as I pass a tissue, offer a hug or lift them in prayer.

Are you at the end of your rope?  Isn’t it time to reach for the saving hand of Jesus Christ?  He rescues those who believe He is God come to earth as the Word made flesh.  He died for us so we may be forgiven of our sins; so we may be in right relationship with God; so the Holy Spirit can live within us when we accept Him.  He prepares a place for us to spend eternity.  Jesus loves us so very much and He's waiting for you to answer His knock.  He will never leave you out on a limb, or hanging on by a thread.

"And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you.  He will be with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."  Deu 31:8