My theme lately, in my spiritual life, has been seeking to see the counterfeits for what they truly are and choosing the real thing in Christ. In other words, applying God’s truth to the lies I’ve believed. Always an introspective individual, I attempt to keep my accounts with God up to date. However, it seems I never get to rest on my laurels because my God makes sure to take it to the next level, showing me the filth in the corners of my heart that I had been unaware of.

Blind Spots?

As blind spots go, I try not to have any. I even ask people what they are with no response. But, God always has a few to reveal to me when I seek Him. Unfortunately for me, it is usually in the realm of pride. I never realized how often my reactions involved a seed (or a whole loaf) of pride.

Pride? What pride?

When we think of pride, we often think of the arrogant snotty person who thinks he or she is better than others. Or maybe we envision the one who must always be right or is constantly talking about how wonderful, smart, fill-in-the-blank he or she is. But, gulp, did you know that that is only one form of pride? Pride underlies so many things in our lives if we will only take a good look. This includes that ‘reverse pride’ often displayed by those who look down on those who have more than they do.

Who Me?

One example in my own life has to do with the upcoming Christmas holiday. Did you know that I am a bad gifter? Yes, it’s true. I am not one of those who comes up with the ‘perfect’ gift that the other person will gush over and remember forever.

What's Pride Got to do with it?

The thing is that I lose sight of the purpose of Christmas and even gifting. So what if my gift is not the super gift I’d like it to be. It still has plenty of thought and love put in it. Who am I to think that I have to be a good gifter? Who am I to feel sorry for myself because I do not have the gift of being a good gifter?

Anxiety Mode?

When I go into anxiety mode concerning a gift I’ve bought or made for another, I am exhibiting, double gulp, PRIDE! What have I done? I have placed my need to give a good gift over the person I’m getting the gift for in the first place. It’s not about the gift at all! It’s about that other person.

Self-talk 101?

In order to change this, it takes a deep look into my own self-talk. What am I saying to myself that makes me feel this way? How is the self-talk creating a false belief? What is the truth that I can shine into this false belief to kick it’s behind out the door?

The Point?

The real point is that all of us have these hidden false beliefs or ‘blind spots’ in our lives. The only way to change it around is to look at it through the lens of God’s truth. As long as I allow these false beliefs to ferment in the corners of my mind, I will continue to operate in the same mode – the WRONG mode!

I’m Taking Over?

Today I was watching the TV show “Tabitha’s Salon Takeover” on BRAVO. In this particular episode, Tabitha was taking the owner around and showing her all the hidden filth in the salon. She was pointing out a mess in an upper cabinet and noticed a bunch of flies. She pulls out a bag, and it is full of cherries. Not good cherries. Maggot covered, disgusting cherries! This is what happens when we leave hidden false beliefs and sins – we get a stinky, maggot-infested mess in our souls. Sooner or later, others will smell the stench as well.

House Keeping?

This kind of house keeping takes constant effort. Imagine leaving those cherries for a whole year in that cupboard? Yes! Spring and Fall deep cleaning are great, but we should always be looking at our beliefs, shining the light of God’s truth into the hidden places of our life in order to keep from becoming a blind, hypocritical mess, believing the lie and accepting the counterfeit when a little cleansing of the Word can make us something beautiful: The image of Jesus Christ!

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Those that venerate the Bible as the Word of God, find great comfort, wisdom and advice within its pages. The Bible tells us how to live if we want to be happy. It warns us about other things, giving us guard rails to show us where danger lurks. It contains all that is needed to live. I love my Bible in its entirety, but there are a few verses that I count as my favorites. These are often the verses that helped me through various times in my life, inspired me and reminded me of the joy awaiting when life is over. . .

Read more here

What verses inspire you? I'd love to hear about it in the comments :)

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Church: The Crippled Body

In the process of studying this concept for Sunday School lessons and writing about it, I decided I need to share this on my blog, and invite comment. If I may use your comment in an article or book, please say so, leave name, location, and a link of you want that included.

The church is a body;the members are its body parts. Romans 12:5 tells us that, "so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and every one members of one another." In other words,God is letting us know that there are no Lone Rangers in the church. We are all connected as a body to one another. God is also letting us know that, because we are connected, we cannot function fully without every member, every part, in the place God has called it to function and doing the job God has called it to do.

For those of you who don't believe you have any effect (or affect) on the body of Christ by what you do or don't do, try this little experiment: Take a hammer and whack your thumb with it. OK, thumb is growing in size and turning colors. What is the rest of the body doing? Going,"oh, that kinda hurt."? Absolutely not! The rest of the body is reacting to the pain felt by the thumb! The feet and legs are probably in a dancing frenzy. The arms and hands, similarly seeming to be having a seizure, probably hold on to the thumb. The mouth may be alternating between a deathly scream and trying to sooth the offended member by sucking on it. In simple terms - one part was hurt but EVERY part hurts.

Understanding this connectedness and its effect on the rest of the body is crucial for the church member in understanding his or her place in the body of Christ and why he or she is so important. If the heart decides it doesn't need to show up one day, what happens? Uh, yeah, I think you get the picture. We, the body,need to help those that are in pain and bring them to healing. That, however, is not the point of this post.

As a diabetic, I understand fully that my pancreas has decided it doesn't really need to function at its best. What happens to my body? My blood sugar doesn't regulate itself (kind of important), my body essentially "pickles" itself over time. Other methods have to come into play so that the body doesn't die. My life is held back in some ways because of it.

Now apply this to the church. When one member is missing or not in the place God planned for them, the entire body is effected! It's not about "me" in the church body, it's about "us"! Just like I can use medications and diet to keep my sugar in check (sometimes), the church has to learn to function without this member. Does it function as well? No, it does not! Those medications I take may help, but they don't take the place of a functioning pancreas. They also come with side effects, creating other issues.

Some of the side effects of "mediating" the broken body part includes other parts that are overwhelmed because they step in for a part they were never meant to play/be. When a member of the body decides, for whatever reason, that he or she doesn't need to be doing what God has called him or her to do, others have to step in and do jobs they were not called to do. This person or persons, in doing too many jobs, may neglect their own job or suffer burnout, causing more pain to the rest of the body.

Can the church go on with broken, missing or indifferent body parts? Yes it can, but just like the person with a broken leg has to hobble on crutches, curtailing his or her ability to do many things, the Church has to hobble along as well.

Can you imagine what would happen to our lives, our church, our world, if every member found God's place for them and showed up? I pray that each of you reading this will evaluate your own place in the body, and work with your fellow members to create a growing, functioning, thriving church that is out doing the work God has called it to do in a godless nation. Just as our body has symptoms when something goes wrong, the church does as well. Our godless nation isn't about the lost. The lost are doing what the lost do. Our godless nation is a symptom of a broken, hurting church. It is only as the church functions in God's perfect will, with each member functioning in God's perfect will, that the lives of those around it will change, because they will finally see what God can do when the Church gets it right.

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"Better a day in Your courts than a thousand elsewhere!

"10 Better a day in Your courts than a thousand anywhere else. I would rather be at the door of the house of my God than to live in the tents of wicked people. 11 For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord gives grace and glory; He does not withhold the good from those who live with integrity. 12 Happy is the person who trusts in You, Lord of Hosts!" Psalm 84:10,12 (HCSB)

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Have you ever felt this way? I so identify with David in this Psalm. I would much rather spend time with Him than anything the world could offer. He is my God and I am His child, His sheep, His.

You see, God and I have had a relationship for a very long time. I knew Him before I finally accepted Him as my Savior at the age of 7. I fully believe the intimacy of my relationship with God began in the womb, but became a part of who I am when I was three.

I have no memories of this time, but I know that I took something special away from the experience. At the age of 3, I had pneumonia and developed a fever. My mother, believing the old school notion of covering up the child when the chills come, piled blankets on me until I began to have convulsions.

I was run quickly to the hospital where they stripped me down and threw me on ice, trying to bring down the fever, which had risen to 108º! The fever was brought down to 105º where it stayed for the next three days. I remained in the hospital for 11 days. I can only imagine the fear that must have coursed through my little body.

The health care professionals thought I would be a vegetable. They were wrong. I am a viable, intelligent human being. A couple of issues happened because of the fever, but my brain managed to create new pathways to cope. This, my friends, is definitely a God thing!

So, why do I attribute my special relationship with my God to this time? I firmly believe God was there, holding me through the entire experience. I developed a trust that cannot be explained in the usual manner, and had conversations (prayers) with God from early on. He has always been the one for me through everything.

He walked with me through the hazards and joys of my entire life, always giving me what I needed, when I needed it. Always showing me His hand and bringing me to the things I needed, good or bad, to become the best Angie I could be. I don’t know for sure that this early relationship with God is unusual, but from what I know from others, it is. Some feel called from an early age, but not very many have what I had and have.

God and I have had so much fun building the God stories in my life. I do long for the day when we can be face to face forever without the baggage that life brings. I don’t know what He has for my future while still on earth, but I do know what He has for my forever future. Whatever He has, I trust Him and He has always been faithful, so I don’t need to worry – He’s got my back!

Grandchildren and Other Stuff

Nothing profound or even witty to discuss today, well, we'll see. I've had my two youngest grandchildren with me since last Saturday night, and the rest came in last night. All week, Roland, at 2 1/2 has been struggling with jealousy of his baby sister, Marilyn, almost 4 months.

He had to sleep in aunt Karen's room instead of gma's bed. He had to let HIS gma hold baby sissy. He had to allow her to sit in his high chair. AND he was NOT happy. He adores his 'baby sissy nudder one', but he's not willing to give up his place with his grandma.

So, Roland, welcome to the real world. It doesn't take long for life to come along and start teaching lessons, and with the distorted thinking of children, it's a wonder we don't all turn out more screwed up than we are. Roland is learning that he has to share. I hope he's also learning that no one can take his place in my heart. Grandma's heart will just expand to include Marilyn, along with Roland and Klarissa and Kerstin and any others that come along.

Why is it that we, as adults, are often still learning the same lessons? Max Lucado writes in one of his books how God sees each of us individually. For example if I look at a large group of children, I see a large group of children. A couple of them may stand out for one reason or another and capture my fleeting attention, but in general, I will see the group and not the individuals.

Now take one of my grandchildren and put him or her into the group. Can you guess what happens? Suddenly this is still a group of children, but one of them captures my attention and holds it. No matter what the other children do, no matter how cute or funny they are, my attention always comes back to that one special child that belongs to me and has ties to my heart: my grandchild!

God sees us as that 'my child' in the crowd too. It's hard to imagine how He can do that, but He is bigger than our understanding and capable of much more than we. And with God, He sees each one of us that way - laughing at our antics, thinking how adorable we are, etc. - as each individual stands out from the crowd. God doesn't see us as just another person, he sees us as HIS! Wow! I just hope my grandkids can understand that some day - about me and about God.

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Life Lessons from Exodus 3:2-8

2 And the angel of the LORD appeared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

The refiners fire may keep us in the flames, but we will not be consumed. Just as the bush was on fire and yet not burnt, God keeps us in the flames of His refining process, so that we will come out burnished, clean and usable rather than scorched or destroyed.

3 And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.

When we come out of the fire unscathed, it attracts the attention of others. They wonder how this person can go through such things and come out whole and better rather than broken and bitter. This gives the Christian the opportunity to share the God who took them through the fire and offer hope to those who don’t have God’s help in their own circumstances.

A friend recently had a man ask her how she could have gone through all the things that have happened to her in her life and come out without a bitter bone in her body. She had the opportunity to share that, even though there were times of bitterness, lack of faith and fear, God brought things, friends, Words, ect. into her life to grow her through it and bring her safely to a point where she can praise her God for everything, knowing He used it to make her the wonderful lady she is. He also used it to fashion her into an instrument of His, a tool for Him to use, to help many other people find the way through as well.

4 And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I.

When others become curious about the things they see that do not make earthly sense, God uses those moments to get their attention and draw them to Him. As you walk through the fire unscathed, others will marvel and seek to have what you have: Jesus!

5 And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground.

When we approach that place of wonder and curiosity, we are standing on holy ground, for this is where we meet our God. He uses, not just our life events, but our reaction to life events to bring others to a point where they can listen to Him with open minds and open hearts. What is more holy than a person meeting God?

6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

God’s name is I AM, and HE IS! The reason we can go through the fire is that we don’t do it alone. I Am is with us! I Am the protector, I Am the comforter, I Am the need meter, I Am.... Whatever we need, that He is to us: the great I AM!

7 And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;

The great I AM who takes us through the fire without allowing us to be destroyed, hears our prayers and knows when we are afflicted. He knows our sorrows and weeps with us when we hurt. He never said we would never be afflicted, in fact, He said we would face persecution, but He also promised we would never have to go it alone. He also made this promise: “28And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28) We can know He hears, cares and works all into His great plan.

8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey

God will deliver us. It will be in His way and in His time, but He will be with us and bring us through to the other side. This writer can tell you from experience that the other side is a wonderful place to be. It brings a firmer faith and a more intimate knowledge of God along with a host of other wonderful things.

While I have taken liberties with this passage, everything spoken here is found in God’s Word. He is all we ever need, and if we love and serve Him, We will go through the fire without being consumed. Instead we will find ourselves the object of wonder as others want to know how we made it through. And this is our perfect opportunity to tell them: we didn’t, God did!

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A Gentle Touch

As I care for my grandchildren, I am reminded of this poem I wrote. Each time I stroke a sleepy head or say 'I love you', I am embedding memories into the child that he or she will hold on to after I'm gone. Grandparents have a special role to play. They often give a child a sense of being loved unconditionally, an important component to any child's ego. We do this by spending time with them, loving them, and praying for them.

The Holy Spirit can also bring that gentle touch, that sense of peace, to the Christian soul. How often have I snuggled up with my God and felt this comfort that only He can give?

As we give away loving touches to others, we give them more than that; we give them a physical memory that can bring comfort in later years. Even when it is not remembered in the mind, the comfort brought can linger in the psyche and pop up in times of need. Passing on loving touches and words should become our passion, as our touch is the only touch from Jesus that many will ever feel.

A Gentle Touch

Remembering Mother and her gentle touch.

Soft fingers said, "I love you so much."

A touch that held me in her arm's embrace,

Her touch bringing smiles of joy to my face.

At night as she lay me down in my bed,

Fingers stroking the hair from my head.

Gentle but strong, on her touch I leaned,

Those fingers that sewed and cooked and cleaned.

She's gone now and each remembered touch

Oh, is missed, so incredibly much.

But oft' as I lie in my dark, mourning bed,

I still feel soft fingers stroking my head.

Her gentle touch stays, tho' she's now gone on,

Giving me peace as I face each dawn.

And as oft' as my hands gently caress another

I'll always remember, I learned it from Mother.

Angela Masters Young c 2009
http://www.helium.com/items/1410380-poetry-a-gentle-touch

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Marilyn Matters

Last Friday, I attended the going away celebration of my dear friend, Melissa. God had given her 10 years, fighting cancer but living, to spend with her family. But last Sunday, May 23, 2010, He gave her ultimate healing by taking her home to be with Him.

During the open mike portion of the celebration, I had given a brief account of a story and poem I had once shared with Melissa as a segue to sharing how this dear friend had the gift of making others feel that they mattered. Later, the pastor read a testimony Melissa had given in a much earlier service during another bout with the cancer that would eventually take her. In that testimony she had shared the story and how it and others had impacted her.

I thought I would share that story to the best of my ability here today. Shortly after my brother’s death in 2003, my mother, Marilyn Masters, discovered she had a rare and aggressive form of uterine cancer. She had surgery, but later found the cancer had already metastasized. She endured chemo for a while and was eventually sent home to hospice and given 6 months to live.

She lived 11 months, and her story would take up a few pages, but we’ll save that for another post. For this one, I will point out that Mom had a period of time, in her grief for her son and her worry over what her own death would do to my father, she wondered if she really mattered. Did she really make a difference in people’s lives for the Lord? Was God pleased with her? Did she really matter?

During this time, showcasing God’s wonderful sense of humor, Mom kept receiving those address labels places send free with a plea for money. The odd thing was that each one of those labels arrived (from different places) with, not the name Marilyn Masters, but Marilyn Matters! One missed letter sent a message to Mom that she could not ignore: Marilyn Matters! Our God is so good.

The following is a poem I wrote for my mother during this time and later replaced the name to send to Melissa. I wrote this poem so that anyone could substitute their own name and hang on to the knowledge that they, too, matter very much to God.

Marilyn Matters!

My friend, I trust you to our Lord,
For I know: Marilyn Matters!
He made you special in His plan
For He knows: Marilyn Matters!
Each day, each pain, He chose for you
‘Cuz He knows: Marilyn Matters!
So as you rest beneath His wings,
Remember: Marilyn Matters!
As each loving detail falls into place,
Remember: Marilyn Matters!

By Angela Masters Young © 2005

Maybe you wonder about your significance in this world at times, but God and I want you to know that you matter very much. God has a plan for you; He created you for a special purpose, and He walks with you through whatever that plan entails, holding you, loving you, singing over you in joy as He works out His perfect plan for you – because you matter!

You may use this poem (changing the original name), but please give me credit for it if you do. May God richly bless you!

This poem was included in a blog post by Amanda DeCosta. Her post can be viewed here.

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Tears Fall

Today I find out my friend is no longer responding. Death hovers over her, awaiting it's moment. But death will have no sting because she is one of God's beloved children. Her body will remain here, but her spirit and soul will soar to the heavens to be with her Savior and all who have gone on before. We will weep our selfish tears, but underneath will be joy and the peace that passeth understanding, knowing the coming reunion and the joy she now feels, having left cancer and pain behind to dance in the light of God.

Tears Fall

Tears fall like rain from these eyes in pain;
Seeping out from the never-ending well.
And God collects them one by one,
Saving them with those that fell before.
I feel His arms holding me tight,
Offering His comfort and strength,
To His broken-hearted, hurting child.
Then I realize my tears are not alone;
The tears of God fall next to mine.
He weeps, not for me, but with me,
Not withholding the pain I feel, but
never leaving my side through the storm.
The pain will pass, my tears dry up,
And life will continue on.
But this time with my God will
Change me forever as I rest in
His faithfulness once again.

Prose by Angela Masters Young c 2010

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Numbness arrives: God is still good!

From tears, tears and more tears to numb, the cycle of grief continues. Denial isn't possible for me, but I wish it were. I'd like to believe no one I love would ever die of cancer. I'd like to believe no one I love would have to watch someone he or she loves die of cancer. I'd like to believe a cure will be found in the next 24 hours. Yes, this is what I'd like to believe.

The reality, however, is that cancer strikes everyone sooner or later, either through a personal journey with it or watching a loved one go through it. Maybe it's just me, but it seems that cancer is on the rise. I don't know, but it is certainly in the rise in my relational sphere. Another wonderful lady I met at a support group passed away last month. A beautiful, godly friend passed away a couple days ago from brain cancer. A cousin is fighting the battle as we speak. Add these to the names in the last post, and you still don't have the full picture.

I don't honestly know how I am going to deal with the impending death of one of my dearest friends, a beautiful, godly ray of sunshine in an often dark world, but I know from experience that somehow I will. I may not understand it, but God always comes through, not when I want it, but when I need it.

Thank you, Father, for being the unchanging, merciful God you are! Because you have shown me your love, mercy, peace, forgiveness and more through the trials of life, I have learned that I can lean wholly on you at all times for all things. I thank you for those trials because they have brought me to a deeper understanding of your love and deepened my relationship with you. When I face pain or uncertain days, I take the time to look back and remember all those other times when I didn't know how I would go on, and there you were!

Sometimes you cried with me; sometimes you laughed as you heaped unexpected blessings in humorous ways; sometimes you just walked beside me, hand in hand, lending your silent support; sometimes you picked me up and held me in your comforting arms; always, you were there!

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I am tired, I am weak, I am worn
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When my way grows drear
Precious Lord linger near
When my life is almost gone
Hear my cry, hear my call
Hold my hand lest I fall
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

When the darkness appears
And the night draws near
And the day is past and gone
At the river I stand
Guide my feet, hold my hand
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, let me stand
I'm tired, I'm weak, I'm lone
Through the storm, through the night
Lead me on to the light
Take my hand precious Lord, lead me home

--lyrics by Rev. Thomas A. Dorsey (1899-1993), melody by George Nelson Allen (1812-1877).http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Take_My_Hand,_Precious_Lord

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Cancer stinks, but God is good!

Today I found out a dear friend is going on hospice care. She has been fighting cancer for over 10 years, and her body is just too tired to fight any more. Another writing friend just lost her husband to cancer. My best friend from childhood is watching her father die of cancer right now too. I lost my beloved mother and grandmother to cancer. The list goes on.

In each case, the type of cancer was different, but it really doesn't matter what type it is. I hate all cancer, and I hate what it does to people, taking lives much too early. This insidious growth starts small and spreads, taking over until it gets a vital organ and takes its victim. Despite major loads of cash going to research a cure, it still claims lives every day.

Do I have a point? I don't know. I just know the grief is so overwhelming sometimes. But, this one thing I know: God is good. God didn't bring cancer, and He is always there to bring beauty out of sorrow when people turn to Him. My mother's death was absolutely beautiful, even though it was also horrible.

I may not understand it all, but I know the one who does. I rest in His faithfulness, knowing that He cares and He will be there for all. And in the end, He will scoop them up and take them home to be with Him where they will hurt no more. Then some day it will be my turn. Jesus will wipe the tears from my eyes, and I will see all those who have gone on before in Christ. This is what gets me through all the pain inherent in a sinful world. Come quickly, Lord, Jesus!

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The Wrath of Man vs the Righteousness of God

"The wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." (James 1:20 KJV) This is one of my signature verses that I remind myself of frequently so that I can "be angry and sin not." (Ephesians 4:26) And yet I struggle sometimes with the difference between my wrath and righteous wrath.

When someone harms someone I love, the wrath flares up, and I have to hit my knees. It is only through an intense time alone with God, seeking Him and His mind, that I can determine whether my wrath is righteous or something else entirely. In my time with my Lord, I seek His mind through His Word, and through His Spirit. He often brings to mind some hidden (or not so hidden) sin in my life when I want to proceed in wrath, even when God says no. The following are some ideas that can help a person analyze and diffuse anger in a healthy, Biblical way. Read more

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What's love got to do with it?

This week, we are learning more about God's plan for marriage. Specifically, we are learning what it means to "respect" and to "love". God commands women to respect their husbands and men to love their wives. These words mean so much more than the value our society attaches to them today. These words are not "feelings", they are actions, and the are COMMANDS from God.

So why the difference between men and women? Well, God knows that men and women are different and have different needs. Men need to feel respected. Women need to feel loved. No wonder married people have so much trouble! They often try to give their partner what they need instead of giving the partner what he or she needs.

Another problem we see in marriages today is that one spouse often expects to "feel" love or respect before offering it to the mate. This is not from God. God says to DO it, regardless of feelings. When love and respect become verbs that we act out in our marriages, we not only honor God's commands; we also set into motion a method of change for our spouse. As he begins to feel respected, or she begins to feel loved, the respective spouse will begin to act respected or loved.

Marriage is not a 50/50 proposition, it is give all proposition. My respect for my husband does not depend on my feelings or his actions. His love for me does not depend on my feelings or my actions. Respect and love are commands God gives us without conditions. Is it easy? No way! However, it is well worth it.

These are just some of the things we can learn about marriage, as God planned it. You can never begin to prepare for marriage soon enough. Ask God to help you learn how to treat the spouse He will some day give you, and begin praying for him or her today. The marriage of God's dream for you awaits. . .

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Illegal Immigration: I'm just sayin'...

As we watch the battle rage in Arizona between the rule of law and supposed "compassion", I have to wonder how we decide which laws are worth defending and which are not. How can we say that any law needs to be obeyed if all of them don't need to be obeyed? We can't. Lawlessness is not compassionate because it leaves all in danger.

The premise of compassion, which is felt on all sides of the issue, is bogus. That's like saying we feel sorry for the thief that broke into our home, so we're just going to let him stay. I don't think so! As much compassion as I might have for certain theives that just "want a better life", that doesn't mean it's OK for them to take my things or move into my home.

Another fallacy we see is the "well they're here now and there are so many of them" argument. OK, millions of people are breaking the law by "breaking and entering" into the US, why not just forgive them and not give any consequences. Now suppose the 20 million people start killing their neighbors. Are we going to forgive them all just because so many are doing it that prosecuting would be a nightmare?

Have you ever observed the following scenario in your or another's children? Little sissy walks up to big brother and takes his toy. Big brother tries to take it back and little sister screams at the top of her lungs until the exasperated parent tells the brother to just give it to her. This is like giving in to fit-throwing children who think they are above having to follow house rules. Is it compassionate to teach a child that fits will give him/her what they want when they're adults? It's certainly not compassionate to those of us who have to live with these drama mongers!

Our rule of law is either followed or not followed. There can be no exceptions or the whole thing is invalid. It's not about race, it's about the law and the breaking of the law. Hey, Mr. President, I'm going to move in to the White House, and if you don't like it, I'll scream until you let me have my way. I'm just saying. . .

One article about the Arizona law: http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE63I6TU20100419 Readers may also want to look at articles about how Mexico treats illegal aliens.

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What does real love look like?

I just finished reading a beautiful blog post by an old friend. It described her last days with her husband in a very moving, yet hopeful way. You can read her post here: http://widowlady302.blogspot.com/

In thinking of this type of death, I always think back to the great love of my parents. Their love was a God story from the beginning, and her death was as beautiful as it was horrific. We knew she was going to go for 11 months before the time finally came, giving us opportunities to love one another and tie up loose ends. This too, was a gift from God.

Mom and dad were unable to sleep in the same bed, so we moved a twin in beside her. The spent many long hours in the night, alone in their own room, just talking and reminiscing and loving one another.

Each morning, my mother spent in her room, studying her Bible and listening to music and coming closer to God with each breath. I often think of this time with envy. Maybe her closeness to God was because she knew she would meet Him soon, but she was a godly woman from early on, and I aspire to be like her some day.

One of the songs she listened to was a tape of me singing. One day, about 3 months before the end, she called me in and said, "Angie, I want you to sing this song at my funeral." How I did it, I don't know, but God gave me the grace, and it was the least I could do to honor my blessed mother.

She was at WalMart a couple days before then end and sang in church the Sunday before. I had gone home for the weekend when I got the call. She woke up in horrible pain and they had taken her to the hospital. A tumor the size of a football had grown in her stomach and broken in two. Even though she had hospice and planned to die at home, her pain was too much. She was placed in a large room away from others where we could all stay with her all we wanted.

This time is one of my worst memories, but it is also one of my best. In many ways, it was the completion of a love rarely seen. It took three days for her to leave us, but dad stayed by her side the entire time, talking, loving, crying, praying, and eventually, letting her go. A couple of times we all left them alone in the room so he could express his grief in private.

I've never seen my father sob before or sense, and it was an experience that effected me deeply. He told her repeatedly how much he loved her as he sobbed over their clasped hands. At one point, he said, "Marilyn, if I had it to do over, I would marry you all over again." Then he asked, "Would you marry me?" She squeezed his hands to say yes, giving him something to hang on to during the long, lonely days of his widowhood to come.

November 11, 2005, with almost all her family standing around her, she left to be with the Lord. This date again showed the love God had brought to these lives. November 11, was the day he finally met her for the first time after writing letters back and forth from Ohio to Germany for a year and a half. November 11 was also the day he had surrendered to preach.

She followed him willingly through the good times and the not so good times, leaving behind family and much more to be a helpmeet to him. Thank you Lisa for reminding me that real love doesn't cut and run when the going gets tough. Real love loves through it all, to the very end. My husband and I have experienced this type of love, the love that shows up, and I thank God for the legacy my parents have given, not only to me, but to everyone who knew them.



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Family: On Pride and Showing Up

My father has been in ill health his entire life. He has a genetic form of pancreatitis, and I have watched him suffer, in and out of hospitals, many, many times. Because of his pancreatitis, he eventually developed diabetes as well. He recently had another accident because of a sugar drop, and life has changed for all.

I spent a year going back and forth from my home to my Mother's when she had cancer, spending the majority of my time with her. I helped her physically when needed, and we leaned on each other emotionally and spiritually until her passing.

With dad, it is more difficult. He is harder to live with, and he will be the first to admit that. Trying to regulate his sugar and keep him from hurting himself further keeps us all hopping.

My point in telling you this? Dad sat with his family Saturday as I was giving instructions to my sister to take over his care for a while, and he told us he should not, did not want to, be a burden to us. What he doesn't understand is that God created us to need others and to need him. We take care of him because we love him, not because we have to.

Someone once told me that family "shows up". When we have a need, our family is there for us. They don't leave us to their own devices just because they have another life. They adjust. They sacrifice. They come through if at all possible.

Sometimes that "family" is a friend with no blood ties or a church member (a different kind of family) but those who 'show up' are family. The following are some things we need to know about needing others.

--When we don't allow others to help us, we steal their blessing! In my case, God will honor me for honoring my father and taking care of him as he ages. I don't do it for that reason, but I'm so glad I get to do it. How will I ever have this honor if I am not allowed to sacrifice?

--When we don't allow others to help us, we are full of pride. When someone feels that others may have to have help, but not him or her, he or she is really saying, "I am special. I will never be old, need help. I will always be able to take care of myself, and I don't need help." Pride, plain and simple, keeps us from accepting reality and allowing the inevitable to come with dignity and grace.

--When we don't allow others to help us, we probably stubbornly resist God's help as well. God wants us to depend on Him, completely and wholely, and often we try to make it on our own, only calling on Him for help when we become desperate. God wants us to walk with Him every day and depend on Him for everything - even those things we can handle on our own.

When we don't watch our strengths, we open a door for the devil. We tend to turn to God for help in our infirmities, but think we're good in our strengths. This makes our strengths the prime target. Realizing we cannot go it alone in anything we do is a big step in our walk of faith.

All of that to say that we need to depend on others in the same way we depend on God. Others can't "show up", even family, if we don't allow it. God,the sin of pride is so invasive in all we do. Help us to step aside and accept help when we need it, allowing others the self-esteem and blessing that comes from showing up. In learning to submit, teach us to submit to you as well. You: above all, in all, for all.

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work:
If one falls down, his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves...
Ecclesiastes (paraphrase)

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Longing

My pastor, David Frasure, preached about 3 things Christians long for more and more as time passes, titled "Three Great Longings of the Christian Heart". I so needed to hear this tonight, and it is so true.

The first item we long for is the rapture of the church. As the world grows increasingly wicked and we become more aware of it in our growing wisdom, we realize even more that this world is not our home. We long for that day when Christ comes to take His bride, the church, back to the place he has prepared for her. Just as the bride anticipates that day she becomes the wife of her intended, we look forward to that day our bridegroom comes to get us, and we get to be with Him for an eternity. We can know that this is the beginning of a new life and a new world for those who are saved.

The second item we long to see is the Almighty God. Can you imagine that day when we finally get to be with God in a way we understand for an eternity! That alone will make heaven heaven, but He has even more than we could ever imagine prepared for us. Just as the bride longs to see the face of the bridegroom on her wedding day, we too long to see the face of our Savior and groom. Why? Because we are in love with Him, and we want to be with Him!

The third item Christians long for is the experience of worshiping the Living God by all. Often, as I lift up my soul to God through song or prayer in the midst of other Christians, also focusing on worship, my soul explodes with wonder inside me. Sometimes I sit or stand quietly and listen to the voices rising up all around me, glorying in the sound of others worshiping God too. Some day we will all be in a giant worship service with glorious music and a wonderful God to worship. There won't be any missing someone who didn't make it to service, splits, back-biting, just worship in its purest form - GLORY!

As I anticipate this future time, I also think about all those around me who do not have this hope. I know God will wipe away all tears at some future date, but in the meantime, I have to stand before Him and tell Him why I didn't try to pull more into the boat with me. Excuses won't cut it when I stand before Him. It doesn't matter if I'm busy, or shy, or not good with words, what matters is that I took every opportunity to share the gospel of Christ with everyone in my sphere of influence and beyond. I want all to stand there with me that day, worshiping God and drinking in the bridegroom.

Yes, we long for the day when we are raptured up to meet our bridegroom and spend eternity worshiping God, but we're not there yet. While we're here on earth is the only time we will have to share this hope with a lost and dying world. God didn't call us to selfishly hoard the good news, He called us to share it, to go and witness, to bring this hope to all who would believe. Wouldn't it be great if we could have many people standing there beside us, also believers, instead of having to watch them judged and cast into hell while we are helpless to do anything about it?

Even so, Lord, Jesus, come!!!

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How many people do you have in your life that you can actually say are worth the pain?

The question is how many people do you have in your life that you can actually say are worth the pain?

Everyone I keep in my life is worth the pain! All relationships involve pain at some time, and all good relationships have gone through a great deal of pain. It is through conflict that we discover one another and learn about ourselves.

Right now, my father is at the point of his life where he can no longer live alone. He was a pastor till last year, but his health is deteriorating. This means I travel 2 1/2 hours south to his home to take care of him and make sure he makes his doctor's appointments when needed. It also means bringing him to my home and taking care of him by feeding him and monitoring his insulin intake and sugar.

Now, my dad is an extremely stubborn man, and taking care of him is not the easiest thing I've ever done. In fact it's downright painful at times. However, this is my father, and he is worth any pain that might come my way to help him out, even if he doesn't want helped.

This is an extreme example, but if you are truly a friend, you will endure pain when it comes. If you don't know how to have deep relationships, you will jump ship when the pain comes along and find yourself alone in the end. Caring for others involves pain and risk, but it's always worth it in the end.

Keep reading after this statement, I have a bit more to say. This is my reply to the above question posed by "Colors Magazine"@ http://www.thecolorsmagazine.com

Arent we glad Jesus never asked that question? He went through the greatest pain imaginable for us because He loved us and thought of us as worth the pain!

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Trading Spouses

No, I'm not thinking about trading mine (at least not seriously); I'm thinking about the episode of "Trading Spouses" I just watched on Television. In this show, mothers from different (and I mean TOTALLY different) families trade spaces with one another. There are so many things we can learn from watching these experiences, but here a a few I've discovered today.

1. Why do we always think our way is the best way? It never fails that each mom goes in feeling like their way is the only way and looking down on the other family for its differences. Some never learn a thing and go back to their old way of life when the time is up. Other's make a wondrous discovery; they discover that different can be good sometimes. All of us have good and bad things about our lives, and we can all learn from others. When we pigion-hole others, and set ourselves up as the "experts" of what is "normal", we lose out. Those that try the good things from the other family and learn their lessons are the ones who are blessed.

One mom today was a control-neat-freak. The other family had lots of fun and this mom saw them playing with army men and made the statement that these kids are the ones who shoot people in high schools. Sadly, while that family has issues too, I imagine the lady's kids who are not allowed to have any fun or do anything for fear of making mom mad, are the ones who will be shooting.

2. Why are we so resistant to change? The above paragraphs cover this pretty well, but it amazes me as I watch these people try to fit the other's family into their mold. What happens? The family resists, sometimes refusing to try anything new at all. I always wonder why they signed up for the show in the first place. Didn't they know they would have to live by the other mother's rules for a short time? Hello!

Often, those that give it a go and try to live by the other mom's rules learn a great deal about themselves. It's good to experience more than just what we find inside the walls of our own home with our own family. It teaches us not to judge others based on our pre-conceived notions and opens up a new world. Sometimes it's not good, but even those times teach us something.

3. It's not about your house; it's about your home. The houses of those in these shows vary widely. Some are so clean and controled that the children and husband walk around on eggshells for fear of messing something off and setting off the control freak. In that home, it's all about the responsibility and none about the fun. That is not good for a family and does not make a home.

On the other hand are the ones with filth every where. It's all about the fun with none of the responsibility. In that house, the kids and spouse never learn that life comes with responsibilities and they are often disrespectful of rules of any kind. This too is not good for a family and does not make a home.

A home should be filled with love, fun AND responsibility.

Maybe we can't go live someone else's life for a week, but we can all open ourselves up to the possibilities of walking a mile in someone else's shoes. God created diversity because He loves it, and He wants us to learn from everyone we meet. While He wants us to follow His laws, for our safety and our good, he doesn't want us to live in a bunch of made up laws for our home. The chance to walk in someone else's shoes is always a life-changing event.

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Fight to Win!

If you know the school bully has targeted you for a "whooping", do you just show up and let it happen? I don't know about you, but, knowing I have an enemy who wants to hurt me, I would take steps to make sure I won the fight! I've had a few people try to fight me in my earlier years. As a person who does NOT want to or like to fight, I had a plan. My plan? Bring along the little sister. Yes, she's younger (only a year), but she's mean, and I knew she could do some serious damage if provoked.

In one instance, a girl kept bothering me as I walked home from school. She was dating a boy I had previously dated, and I guess she didn't like me walking down the street. Anyway, when the fight came, it wasn't with her and it wasn't me doing the fighting. My sister beat the crap out of the other girl's sister. Yes, it's a girl thing, but you should have been there. The other girl was flopping around like a fish, able to do very little against the wrath of my little sis! Neither girl ever bothered me again: fight won!

I am so glad I had my sister there to fight for me, because I have no fighting skills and she has more than enough. If we won't face a human enemy without a plan, why do we go about our lives fighting with our spiritual enemy (satan and his crew) without making plans for the battle? Do we expect our troops to head into battle without guns and other things they need to tip the battle in our favor? Absolutely not! Guess what? We shouldn't do that either.

In Ephesians 6:13-17, we learn that God has provided us with armor to wear as we go into battle with Him. The biggest thing we do is make sure we're on His side. I was soooooo glad my sister was fighting FOR me and not against me! Then He gives us armor and expects us to use it. It is arrogant to go into battle against the devil without the full armor of God!

Every Christian will face spiritual warfare: it's inevitable as the devil attempts to attack through deceit and outright warfare. We can stand strong in the battle if we suit up, put on our armor, make sure we're on the right side and be aware of the enemy's tactics.

In studying the armor of God, we need to:

---"LOOK OUT" (Eph. 6:10-12) Are you prepared and aware that spiritual warfare will and does happen?
---"GEAR UP" (Eph. 6:13-17) What is the armor of God and how do I get it?
---"THINK STRATEGICALLY" (2 Cor. 10:3-5) Plan for battle, know the enemy's tactics and outsmart him by wearing your armor in battle.

Clip art: http://gospelgifs.com/clips/clipz4/clipzz07.htm
Headings for studying" " - Life Focus, Bible Studies for Life Leader Guide, WINTER 2009-2010

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