5-30-07 The Beggar's Rags

Keep a steady pace with God

May 30, 2007

THE BEGGAR'S RAGS

A beggar lived near the king's palace. One day he saw a proclamation posted outside the palace gate. The king was giving a great dinner. Anyone dressed in royal garments was invited to the party.

The beggar went on his way. He looked at the rags he was wearing and sighed. Surely only kings and their families wore royal robes, he thought. Slowly an idea crept into his mind. The audacity of it made him tremble. Would he dare? He made his way back to the palace. He approached the guard at the gate. "Please, sire, I would like to speak to the king."

"Wait here," the guard replied. In a few minutes, he was back. "His majesty will see you," he said, and led the beggar in.

"You wish to see me?" asked the king.

"Yes, your majesty. I want so much to attend the banquet, but I have no royal robes to wear. Please, sir, if I may be so bold, may I have one of your old garments so that I, too, may come to the banquet?" The beggar shook so hard that he could not see the faint smile that was on the king's face.

"You have been wise in coming to me," the king said. He called to his son, the young prince. "Take this man to your room and array him in some of your clothes."

The prince did as he was told and soon the beggar was standing before a mirror, clothed in garments that he had never dared hope for. "You are now eligible to attend the king's banquet tomorrow night," said the prince. "But even more important, you will never need any other clothes. These garments will last forever."

The beggar dropped to his knees. "Oh, thank you," he cried. But as he started to leave, he looked back at his pile of dirty rags on the floor. He hesitated. What if the prince was wrong? What if he would need his old clothes again. Quickly he gathered them up.

The banquet was far greater than he had ever imagined, but he could not enjoy himself as he should. He had made a small bundle of his old rags and it kept falling off his lap. The food was passed quickly and the beggar missed some of the greatest delicacies.

Time proved that the prince was right. The clothes lasted forever. Still the poor beggar grew fonder and fonder of his old rags. As time passed people seemed to forget the royal robes he was wearing. They saw only the little bundle of filthy rags that he clung to wherever he went. They even spoke of him as the old man with the rags.

One day as he lay dying, the king visited him. The beggar saw the sad look on the king's face when he looked at the small bundle of rags by the bed. Suddenly the beggar remembered the prince's words and he realized that his bundle of rags had cost him a lifetime of true royalty. He wept bitterly at his folly. And the king wept with him.

We have been invited into a royal family - the family of God. To feast at God's dinner table, all we have to do is shed our old rags and put on the "new clothes" of faith which is provided by God's Son, Jesus Christ. But we cannot hold onto our old rags. When we put our faith in Christ, we must let go of the sin in our life, and our old ways of living. Those things must be discarded if we are to experience true royalty and abundant life in Christ.

A pearl to string: Graduation is the event of the season. It’s an opportunity to step into your adult life, gleaning the lessons from your youth that uphold your growth and setting aside the negatives that caused you to stumble. I have the greatest gift for your graduation:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and don't lean on your own understanding. In all things acknowledge him, and he shall direct your way. [Proverbs 3:5, 6]”

CONGRADULATIONS TO THE GRADUATES

Go forth singing in Son shine and be too blessed to be stressed,
Lyndi

5-23-07 Stripes Everywhere

May 23, 2007

STRIPES EVERYWHERE

Here comes the judge! At what point in your life do you not have referees messing with your perfect game? Certainly not in childhood - you’ve got your parents refereeing your days, coaching, teaching being in control and some are controlling. Not in school, not at work, not lost in a crowd, not even in your own private castle. Someone somewhere is wearing that irksome striped shirt. Rules to follow, directions to take, choices to make. Stripes everywhere! Yet things may not always be as they seem.


This is not actually a Zebra.
It’s an Okapi,
brown with stripes
only on the legs and derriere.



Photo by SANDRINE





Doesn’t trouble stop you from going the direction you are headed? If you really take the time to contemplate that stop – it’s not always a bad thing. Doesn’t a referee also stop you from going the direction you are headed? Sometimes we are so focused on our goal that we don’t realize how we impinge on others to get there. We don’t often plan our stops. Look at Jonah – I’m sure that little layover in a whales belly wasn’t his plan. He was intensely focused on his own goal not God’s goal for him. He needed a stop to protect him from himself. We need the referees in our lives. We need the stripes. It’s not always bad to be stopped. What about when the referees in our lives are unfair, horrible, complete idiots, or outrageously wrong? God’s Word tells us that we will have Stripes (trouble) in this world but to take heart for He has overcome the world. (John 16:33) I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. (Psalm 73:23)

A pearl to string: Life just isn’t fair – it can be downright mean and ugly - you have to get over that fact and move on. There will be times of frustration with your kids that you want to throw a hissy fit but you have to remind yourself – I’m the adult …help me Lord. There will be times when your best does not accomplish your goal and you have to remind yourself God is in control. There will be times when you come face to face with absolute wrong. The question we need to ask ourselves is how can I be God’s man/woman in this situation? Allow the stops in your life to invoke prayer and know prayer invites the hand of God into your situation.

Ever holding onto God’s right hand,
Lyndi

5-16-07 Mrs. Goodnest

May 16, 2007

MRS. GOODNEST

There are times in our lives that just get tough. You may try to go over it, around it, or under it. The truth is the only way to deal with tough times is to go through it leaning on the Lord all the way. The illustration story is a page out of my past about a small struggle for a child and mom but not written by me. It never really changes – when you go through something painful or difficult you are not alone in your pain. There are always loved ones who walk the trails of pain with you staying at a protective distance guarding you with prayer. You might wish you were a child again with child size problems.

Good news – you are a child – a child of God AND God is able.

A mom was concerned about her kindergarten son walking to school. He didn't want his mother to walk with him. She wanted to give him the feeling that he had some independence but yet know that he was safe. So she had an idea of how to handle it. She asked a neighbor if she would please follow him to school in the mornings, staying at a distance, so he probably wouldn't notice her. She said that since she was up early with her toddler anyway, it would be a good way for them to get some exercise as well, so she agreed. The next school day, the neighbor and her little girl set out following behind Timmy as he walked to school with another neighbor boy he knew. She did this for the whole week. As the boys walked and chatted, kicking stones and twigs, Timmy's little friend noticed the same lady was following them as she seemed to do every day all week. Finally he said to Timmy, "Have you noticed that lady following us to school all week? Do you know her?" Timmy nonchalantly replied, "Yeah, I know who she is." The friend said, "Well, who is she?""That's just Shirley Goodnest," Timmy replied, "and her daughter Marcy."

"Shirley Goodnest? Who the heck is she and why is she following us? " "Well," Timmy explained, "every night my Mom makes me say the 23rd Psalm with my prayers, 'cuz she worries about me so much. And in the Psalm, it says, 'Shirley Goodnest and Marcy shall follow me all the days of my life', so I guess I'll just have to get used to it!"

A Pearl to String: The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift His countenance upon you, and give you peace. (Numbers 6:24-26)

May Shirley Goodnest and Marcy be with you today and always,
Lyndi

5-9-07 Pain Summons His Grace

May 9, 2007

PAIN SUMMONS HIS GRACE

There's an old story where the only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming. Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened - everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger.

"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

"How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers.

"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering. Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground ----it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.


A Pearl to String: For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer:

You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)

You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)

You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)

You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)

You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)

You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)

You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)

You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)

You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)

You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)

You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)

You say: "I don't have enough faith"
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)

You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)

You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)

Leaning into His love,
Lyndi

5-2-07 Don't Go There

DON'T GO THERE

No one can be caught in a place he does not visit.
-- Danish proverb

As a child, I behaved in childish ways and I got caught several times choosing to tell an untruth so I could have my own way. I’m talking teenage child here. A time when our physical bodies look adult but emotionally and spiritually, we need to be under the protective covering of our parents’ wisdom, guidance and prayers.
“Run from anything that stimulates youthful lust. Follow anything that makes you want to do right. .” 2 Timothy 2:22 It’s the Teen Prayer
Pray it daily if you are a teen or a teen at heart.

There are some essential Scripture verses to keep close at hand for growing families leaning on the Lord. Let’s start with the reward in Proverbs 17: 6 Children's children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children. I have a pearl to string that I gleaned from living life: “Parent your children well for they will be parenting your grandchildren”. Ephesians 6:1-4 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise) that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth. Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.

A seven-year-old boy in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, learned a lesson that could serve him well for the rest of his life — if only he will remember. From my own experience and that of countless others I know, I fear it will gradually fade from memory. He'll probably repeat a variant of the same mistake. It's hard to figure out why this particular precept escapes us so easily. Here's the story . . .
Timmy Novotny was at a grocery store with his dad on January 3, 2004. While his father made a call on a pay phone just a few feet away, Timmy stared up at the stuffed animals in a game box. It's the kind you see lots of places with dozens of cheap little stuffed animals lying beneath a joystick-operated crane.
Timmy's dad turned around to discover that the boy had somehow climbed through the chute where the toys come out! There he was — just sitting among the bears and other stuffed creatures that had fascinated him through the glass. The only problem was that he couldn't get back through the same passageway that had provided his entrance. He was stuck!
The manager of the Piggly Wiggly called the Sheboygan Fire Department for help in rescuing the little boy from his glass cage. With the help of a locksmith who arrived quickly, Timmy was out in about an hour. Rescuers still haven't figured out how he could have gotten through the eight-by-ten-inch chute. But there he was! Getting in some places is a lot easier than getting out of them.

Timmy, what you learned that day seems to be a rule of life. It is a whole lot easier to get into certain compromising situations than to extricate yourself from them. A teenager experiments with drugs or sex, joyriding in someone else's car or shoplifting. A woman takes a good-paying job in spite of her misgivings about the workplace atmosphere. A man finds comfort over his troubled marriage at a bar or from a friend's wife who seems to understand him. It is so easy to get connected to a porn or shopping or gambling site on the Internet.

A Pearl to String: Forbidden fruits create many jams.

By God's grace, there is a way to deal with these "tight spots" when the trap door springs behind us. "When you are tempted, God will provide a way out so that you can stand up under your trial". 1 Corinthians 10:13. But it will almost surely be embarrassing and costly, maybe very painful and devastating.

As Timmy learned, the safest course is simply to resist the initial urge. Keep your feet on the ground. Avoid letting enchantment turn into entrapment. Story from Rubel Shelly
As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him. 2 Samuel 22:31/NIV

It’s safe to follow His footsteps,
Lyndi

4-25-07 Gossip Need No Carriage

April 25, 2007

GOSSIP NEEDS NO CARRIAGE

A half-truth is a whole lie.
Jewish Proverb

With sunshine and warmth filling most of our days we feel so good and enjoy each other’s company so much that the possibilities of lowering our lip guard grow strong. My mind is bursting with trouble shooting thoughts. Most people know what gossip is and the Word of God reveals very specific directions to this ilk.

Telling lies about someone is as harmful as hitting him with an ax, or wounding him with a sword, or shooting him with a sharp arrow. Proverbs 25:18/TLB

Our mothers’ advice in this area still holds true, "If you can’t say something nice about someone; don’t say anything at all”

A woman repeated a bit of gossip about a neighbor. Within a few days the whole community knew the story. The person it concerned was deeply hurt and offended. Later, the woman responsible for spreading the rumor learned that it was completely untrue. She was very sorry and went to a wise old sage to find out what she could do to repair the damage.
“Go to the marketplace,” he said, “and purchase a chicken, and have it killed. Then on your way home, pluck its feathers and drop them one by one along the road.” Although surprised by this advice, the woman did what she was told.
The next day the wise man said, “Now, go and collect all those feathers you dropped yesterday and bring them back to me.”
The woman followed the same road, but to her dismay, the wind had blown all the feathers away. After searching for hours, she returned with only three in her hand. “You see,” said the old sage, “it’s easy to drop them, but it’s impossible to get them back. So it is with gossip. It doesn’t take much to spread a rumor, but once you do, you can never completely undo the wrong.”


An evil man sows strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Proverbs 16:28/TLB

Ann Landers wrote a column years ago that has always stuck to my heart:
My name is Gossip.
I have no respect for justice.
I maim without killing. I break hearts and ruin lives.
I am cunning, malicious and gather strength with age.
The more I am quoted, the more I am believed.
I flourish at every level of society.
My victims are helpless. They cannot protect themselves against me because I have no name and no face.
To track me down is impossible. The harder you try, the more elusive I become.
I am nobody’s friend.
Once I tarnish a reputation, it is never the same.
I topple governments and wreck friendships and marriages. I ruin careers and cause sleepless nights, heartaches and indigestion. I spawn suspicion and generate grief. I make innocent people cry in their pillows. Even my name hisses.
I am called GOSSIP. School - On-line gossip – Party gossip – Telephone gossip – Locker room gossip. I make headlines and headaches. REMEMBER, before you repeat a story, ask yourself: Is it true? Is it fair? Is it necessary?? If not, do not repeat it. KEEP QUIET.


IF YOU SCATTER THORNS, DON’T GO BAREFOOT!!!


You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people; nor shall you take a stand against the life of your neighbor: I am the Lord. Leviticus 19:16

A Pearl to String: Something that became very interesting to me years ago is what I call “Christian Gossip”. That is where a brother or sister comes to their church or small group and reveals the intimate details of someone’s pain for the purpose of prayer. Not necessary, I call that a gossip craving satisfaction under the guise of Holymess! God never says OOPS! God knows everything and every need. I don’t need to give Him details – I just need to pray for my brother or sister and let the Holy Spirit guide me.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Philippians 4:8/NIV

Whispering sweet some-things to Jesus about you,
Lyndi

4-18-07 Swimming On Dry Land

April 18, 2007

SWIMMING ON DRY LAND

It’s easy to walk on water around here. Just wait till the lake freezes over then botta bing botta boom – trot right across. Swimming on dry land however is much more difficult. If you are parenting a teen you know just what I’m talking about. We had an enchanting variety of personalities among our four children that kept me on my knees and searching for solutions. Just communicating with our teens I would get caught in the eddy of diverse range of responses. From extremely detailed & lengthy to a mere reverberation emanating from the throat area. All of which left my self esteem frazzled. Waiting until night went way past fall when Coach Wonderful was available with his wise and comforting counsel wasn’t always possible. There are times a Mom feels she’s alone in a battle zone. That’s with the kids that don’t have any unhealthy problems. Honestly, it takes nerves of steel just to be neurotic!

I gathered a few pearls along the way. I share in hopes that it can help a young Mom stop and take a deep breath and know she is God’s daughter. He is so proud of you and the way you keep seeking His way to raise your children. He doesn’t add up your perceived mistakes – He measures your heart.

A pearl to string: "Don't limit a child to your own learning, for he was born in another time." --Rabbinic saying

Never argue with your children. Your arguing means they win.

Always stay calm when talking with your children to teach your children to cope with problems. Anyone can teach your children anger, whining, blaming, and damning. Let someone else model the wrong way for your children to respond to adversity.

Give your children equal doses of love and discipline: not just one or the other. If you got too much or too little of one or the other--do not then blindly do either the same or the opposite as most parents wind up doing. Instead, do both equally well.

And my find of the century quote that I think is my favorite: (This is a wow! Turn wow upside down – now that’s a MOM) "The Christian mother must turn a deaf ear to the babble of voices vying for her attention and listen to God. It is in Scripture that she will find the only safe and reliable information about how to fulfill her calling as a wife and mother". Barbara Bush

As Coach Wonderful says, if you are going to swim on dry land you need a boat with wheels… You need Jesus. "I am the way and the truth and the life”. John 14:6

Stay in His immeasurable love,
Lyndi

4-11-07 Family Pewed

April 11, 2007

FAMILY PEWED

As we drove to Easter Sunday service we chatted about how dramatically the Easter attire has changed in three generations. I grew up in an era and a church where a young lady always wore an Easter bonnet, a pretty new dress and spanking new patent leather shoes with matching purse. Perhaps a new bracelet or necklace and the topper – white gloves. Guys wore suites, crisp white shirts with ties and a handkerchief properly place in their coat pocket. My brothers always got new shoes too.

Enter next generation. OK drop the white gloves, bonnet and handkerchief in the pocket. Our boys were never crazy about wearing a suit but it was a weekly thing for church so for Easter they would get a new suit – that was cool and our little angel would get a new pretty dress. Of course new shoes too – details and tradition are valued by me. Occasionally I’d add a bonnet for the angel and properly placed handkerchiefs for the boy’s pockets. Just for Easter – not too many complaints maybe a snarl or two. Eventually there was a mutiny of the males in our family and church attire slowly grew quite casual.

Enter next generation. Ok drop the suits, maybe no new clothes or shoes. Brush your teeth, hair (don’t use the same brush) wear clean clothes and use water when you shower.

It’s hard for an old romantic traditionalist to drop her genteel ways. In my heart was my Grandmother’s teaching: “When you visit the King’s home you don’t dress like a pauper”. Sunday will ever be special to me – it’s the day set aside to go to the house of the Lord. I always dress special for special occasions. However, that is my way and though I gave it the good ole college try it kind of fell by the wayside but what is important is that our family was always planted in the pews of a solidly serving, Bible-believing church each week. Our children will learn more about service, and will see more servants in action as parents stay consistent in church attendance. A church family will help pour biblical truths for living into the lives and hearts of our children. It’s a God designed place for your spiritual teaching to be reinforced. Hebrews 10:25: “Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.” (The Message)

A Pearl to String: Romans 15:17-18 tells us that our service is something we can treasure in life—because anything good in our lives happens as a result of letting Jesus work in and through us. “Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done.” For Coach Wonderful and I there is nothing more consequential than watching our grown children reaching for the Lord in their lives and allowing Him to grow them up in their service for Him as they love, work and raise their families. Ok, if they dress real nice too that’s frosting for me. :D

Letting the reality of being in His presence put everything else in perspective,
Lyndi

4-4-07 Jesus Bride

April 4, 2007

JESUS BRIDE

I came across a question a few weeks ago that set my mind on fire. It burned for days and days getting my heart caught up in the tortuous pondering until my soul joined the mêlée of sorrowful conjecture. My goodness you say, what on earth would disturb you so? Here’s the question I’ll let you ponder it’s depth for awhile. Did you ever stop to think about what a bad deal Jesus got when He chose us to be His bride?

Ugg! I can’t bear the pain of that question. I’ve grown into the belief over the last 44 years with Coach Wonderful that marriage is the one relationship on earth that prepares a person for the intimate relationship with Christ Jesus. Why you ask? It’s the one relationship that teaches you to die to yourself on a daily basis or the marriage relationship dies. There seems to be a cultural impression that a good marital relationship is an inalienable right. Folks appear to be escaping marriage commitments by the droves with the thought there is someone else out there with whom a good relationship will be easier. Good grief, didn’t anyone read the fine print? Relationships are going to have their challenges and even the best of them will be severely tried. Dan Haseltine wrote in Relevant magazine a few years back, “Look at the marriage of Jesus… the one with the bride who sleeps around, never listens, disowns, scorns, dishonors, runs away, intentionally proves to be more interested in anything but her husband, is selfish and bears the children of every affair and the scent of every escapade. It was a marriage that killed Jesus. And it was the Gospel that brought Him back to life to love once more”.

Our groom Jesus doesn’t look for a way out. "I will never leave thee." -- Hebrews 13:5 He waits expectantly and with great love for his bride while she clothes herself in wedding attire. He isn’t thinking about Himself or His own rights. He is thinking about us. He sees us as holy, blameless and beautiful. He sees the completed bride that He paid for and washed clean through the healing blood of His forgiveness on the cross. With that kind of love shinning on us we should be able to see each other that way, die to ourselves and live offering one another to Jesus in love.

A pearl to string: Mark Steel said, “Jesus can turn water into wine, but He can't turn your whining into anything”. None of us will find peace within ourselves until we find peace in God’s gift of eternal life.

May your Easter be a true celebration of His love.
Humbled by His continuous grace,
Lyndi

3-21-07 Smile Adventure

March 21, 2007

Smile Adventure


Helen Keller said, "Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow".

Do you like adventures? I love adventures, exploring and doing things out of the ordinary. When I have an ordinary day going on and it gets a little bogged down with a pile up of responsibilities I take a smile adventure. I am always in need of groceries so I hop into the car and head for the nearest supermarket. I commence smiling right in the parking lot seeing how many people I can get to smile back at me. As I go up and down the aisles smiling at people I get a myriad of responses. Some grin back at me immediately and of course there are always a precious few who beat me to it. Maybe they are on a smile adventure too I think to myself. I have the most fun with the steely faced ones that are unresponsive to my smile. I usually ram their cart then smile and beg their forgiveness. Amazingly most smile and a small few look at me as if I was a crazy person and escape rapidly down the aisle. That’s ok, I gave them a hug from my heart in my smile and that’s what I set out to do. What I absolutely cherish is the individual who needed a smile and their whole countenance responded. They beam back with a grateful smile, stand a little straighter, their chin lifts up and their steps grow a little lighter. “When I smiled at them, they could hardly believe it; their faces lit up, their troubles took wing!” Job 29:24/MSG Oh, thank you Lord, show me another one. It never fails to rejuvenate my spirits when I’m focused on refreshing others. I can alter my life circumstances by altering my attitude. How does one alter an attitude when it stinks? Try a smile adventure for yourself - give God’s people a hug from your heart taste the sweetness and see the goodness of the Lord.

A pearl to string: Jacob said, "For what a relief it is to see your friendly smile. It is like seeing the smile of God!" Genesis 33:1/ NLT

Made for and loved by Him,
Lyndi

3-21-07 Path of Disappointment

March 21, 2007

Path of Disappointment

Grandma said, “Count your blessings to sweeten your dreams”. When I was a little girl that would make me giggle. I knew what counting was and blessings were good things like the present you wanted for your birthday. Sweeten translated as sugar to me and dreams happen when you sleep. It sounded pretty silly … was I suppose to put sugar on my pillow? Giggle, giggle, giggle! My Grandma went home to be with the Lord when I was in high school. Both my sister Jeane and I to this day draw strength from the godly wisdom she bestowed upon us so many years ago. When I was a young woman, a teenager, life was such a struggle that I had difficulty identifying blessings in my life. My parents loved me for goodness sake; I was just overwhelmed by their personal problems and their lack of ability to handle them in a Christ like manner. My Grandmother’s saying that had delighted me as a child puzzled me as a girl. My dream was to escape to safety. My life inexperience defined safety as being loved by a husband who would never hurt me, and have children that I could love and protect always. I know …. it’s enough to gag a rhinoceros but when we’re young it is all about our own happiness. I know for others they dream of great achievement so one day they will be noticed by a busy world. June Carter Cash often said, “I’m just trying to matter”. How apropos her quote is to youthful dreaming. It wasn’t until I had been on the path of disappointment (the stops in life that turn you towards Jesus) that I fully realized the meaning of my Grandmother’s saying.

Remember in Acts 16:6 when Paul was on a mission for the Lord and tried to go to Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not let him? God turned Paul in the direction He wanted Paul to go. God does that for us too. We’re just doing our best, trying to matter, moving forward with our plans not realizing that the disappointments along the way are God turning each one of us to keep us on track to His appointment. Sometimes the disappointments are irritating, causing bad words to form at the base of our brain. In that distraction we can fail to see the Lord. Other times disappointments hurt deeply, emotionally breaking our hearts. Hearts in pain can fail to see the Lord too. If tragedy befalls any of us it can be so overwhelming that in the burden of great sorrow we can fail to see the Lord. It is so important to realize we must let go of our irritations, grieve our heart breaks or tragedies but not focus on our pain or suffering for there is no healing there. With our eyes upon Jesus we can glean much from the stops in life. Gaining God’s prospective on our path of disappointment reveals a view of how His hand and His turns have put us in a place that fulfills His appointment for us. Rarely do our dreams turn out exactly as we dreamed them unless they were guided by the Lord in the first place.

When I write I’m guided by the Holy Spirit and life happening around me. Today was influenced by my perception of our oldest grandson’s dream. TC, as a quarterback, wanted to stand in the gap and finish out his Dad’s senior year at CU. His Dad died of cancer in his senior year. Many things had to come to pass through high school in order for TC to realize his dream. When they did not happen Grandma’s heart ached. What looked like disappointments were actually God turning TC the direction He planned all along. This week end, on a recruiting trip to LSU, TC knew he was where he belonged. Interesting that the Head Coach of the LSU Tigers is Les Miles. He played for Coach Wonderful at Michigan, came with him and coached with him at CU and recruited TC’s Dad, Sal Aunese to CU in the mid 80’s. When TC walked through our door Saturday night grandma’s heart was at peace. His countenance revealed his joy. “On a scale of 1 to 10”?, I asked. “That would be a 10 grandma,” came his reply. Color me happy. It’s like enjoying a glass full of delicious nectar. The glass may tip over a time or two but if you pick it up and hold it upside down just looking at the bottom – shoot – all the good stuff is going to fall out. Turn your glass over and see how God is loving you.

A Pearl to String: “For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future”. Jeremiah 29:11

Counting my blessings and sweetening my dreams, :D Thanks Gram,
Lyndi







Do... en the Tiger Happy Dance . Geaux TC

3-14-07 The Will of the Won't

Up close and Personal
Photo by SANDRINE





March 14, 2007

The Will of the Won't

The difference between perseverance and obstinacy
is that one often comes from a strong will,
and the other from a strong won’t.
~ Henry Ward Beecher

We humans can come to some pretty interesting suppositions like Humpty Dumpty Was Pushed! It may make sense to us at the time we make it our truth or rule to live by and we grow defensive or angry when our truths are challenged. We’ve probably all experienced a rift between two family members that shreds the rest of the family. The fallout can literally cause physical illness in some family members. There are two choices of involvement. Each one either gets involved with their opinions making resolution much more difficult or waits out in prayer the reconciliation of the feuding duo. An interesting dynamic in a parent/child conflict is the parent is often up again their own indwelt by birth personality trait in their child. This can be excruciatingly painful if being right is what each is seeking. You can put yourself in someone else shoes to feel their pain but until they are in your prayers you’ll never understand their heart. It’s not just about each person coming to the table prepared to forgive - each must be prepared to be forgiven. As Henri Nouwen writes, “I often wonder if my knowledge about God has not become my greatest stumbling block to my knowledge of God”. Sometimes the activity of God comes in unusual ways. God often sets up scenes that appear to be negative on the front end, but God has orchestrated these events for His glory.


Without Pharaoh's pursuit of Israel at the Red Sea,
there is no miraculous deliverance.
Without Lazarus's death, there is no rising to life.
Without Goliath, there is no underdog story.
Without Peter stepping out of the boat,
there is no miracle on the water.
Without Judas' betrayal, there is no resurrection.


If you are experiencing a difficult family feud presently know that our personal turning point and our place of victory is in the Lord.

2 Peter 1:5-8 says "Do your best to improve your faith. You can do this by adding goodness, understanding, self-control, patience, devotion to God, concern for others, and love. If you keep growing in this way, it will show that what you know about our Lord Jesus Christ has made your lives useful and meaningful" (CEV).

Dr. Michael A. Halleen shares a time his dad once relented on a family rule about no competitive sports on Sundays to let him play in the city championship hockey game. As they drove to the rink, he asked his Dad why he had changed his mind. "Sometimes we make up rules just to keep from having to make decisions," he said. Our resolve not to forgive serves the same purpose. Then we do not need to re-think a decision, re-do a relationship or re-live a hurt. Sometimes we refuse to allow *ourselves* a second chance because we lack the courage to try, to risk failing again. We lack hope. Wow! That’s worth pondering. It gives a wider meaning to the old adage, “To forgive is to set the prisoner free...and then discover the prisoner was me”

A Pearl to String: Bertrand Russell, the British philosopher, once remarked that "One should always keep an open mind, but not so open that one's brains fall out." To give irresponsible people a second (or third, or hundredth) chance is often to risk the loss of some gray matter-or worse. But it can also be the right and sensible thing to do. "The circumstances of life, the events of life, and the people around me in life, do not make me the way I am, but reveal the way I am" ~ Dr. Sam Peeples

Thriving knowing God likes to show Himself in the midst of the messes of life,
Lyndi

3-7-07 Sin Prints

March 7, 2007

SIN PRINTS

“But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin”. I John 1:7

What a promise! What a magnificent promise from our Father! Ponder on that awhile and your heart will be swimming in grateful tears. There’s an old hymn by Robert Lowry written in 1876 (I told you it was old) titled Nothing But the Blood. The opening verse:

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

I remember reading some thoughts from a man walking the beach and his analogy of the foot prints, the waves and the blood of Jesus. That comes to mind today as I look out into the sea while on vacation and remember the joy of walking along the shoreline dancing in and out of the frosted ruminant of blue green waves. I can’t do that anymore but the memory brings much joy to my soul. As I picture the setting of the man’s story in my mind an early morning jogger breezed past him, uttering a friendly "hello." Behind him were two elderly folks, ambling along. The footprints in the sand captured the man’s attention, and he noticed a visible difference in the three sets. The jogger's feet hit the sand the hardest, leaving the deepest imprints. His footprints made a shallow impression and the strolling couple - almost no marks at all. As he watched the shore wash over the prints the depth of them did not seem to matter. The tide rushes in a pincer movement, erasing every pattern or recess and returning the sandy seabed to created form. As the waves wash away the footprints from the sand, so the shed blood of Jesus washes over each believer to erase the sin prints on our life. Like the sands on the shore we are returned to our created form when we go to Jesus with a contrite heart. He died to forgive us our sins. That stands alone as the greatest gift yet God keeps going deeper for Christ Jesus not only dies for our sins but he died to forgive those who have sinned against us. Please stop and take that in according to your present hurt, difficulty or anger. Christ died for those who have sinned against me! As his children we can do no less. Die to ourselves and forgive others - it’s the discharge duty of Jesus blood washing away our sins.

A Pearl to String: The fragrance of forgiveness
Forgiveness is the perfume
That the trampled flower
Casts back upon the foot that crushed it.

Singing His love song,
Lyndi

2-28-07 Lead Choice

February 28, 2007

Lead Choice

Do you ever experience times when you sit down to do something and your mind travels to distant places? He leads me… It is cheaper than airfare but it makes me feel flighty. He leads me… Reading over the 23rd Psalm I kept pulling myself back. He leads me… Why does my mind wonder I ask myself? Possibly, because it’s been a favorite Psalm of mine since my Gram taught it to me when I was 6 years old and the very familiar often fails to hold my attention I answer myself. (Oh my, that can't be good) He leads me… Struggling to stay in focus I break out in laughter. My flighty attention span reminds me of my two little Bichons when I take them for a walk. I call them my crazy little women. They twist and jump and screech until I open the door then boom – I’m suddenly air born and parallel to the ground. Catching my breath and feet at the same time is tricky business. Then I struggle to keep the every-which-way racing dogs from twisting their leash cords into a tangled mess while winding me up into a knotted mummy. It’s so exhausting by the time I get to the end of the driveway I need a nap.

Oh......, Lord ....... is that what I do to You? Ugg! I’m so sorry, please forgive me and please heal me. I want to walk by your side where you lead me Lord.

The imagery of a shepherd watching over his flock, tenderly caring for the needs of those innocent and trusting creatures, is one which radiates a safe haven to me. In the 23 Psalm from David we see our relationship with the Lord affirmed. We are reminded of His provision, His refreshment, His healing, His guidance, His purpose, His testing, His protection, His faithfulness, His discipline, His hope, His consecration, His abundance, His blessing, His security and His eternity. Oh Lord, help me focus on all that love you give when You lead me.

A Pearl to String: The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; and I will dwell in the house of the LORD Forever.

Know you are loved and
May we live forever in His lead,
Lyndi

2-21-07 Frayed Knot

February 21, 2007

Frayed Knot

Are you feeling like a frayed knot these days? Does your life feel like you are on the wrong end of a lemon? Did the stuff that hit the fan all land in your life? Did your dreams shatter? Did they all come true only to find you had your ladder up on the wrong building? Did life pull the rug out from under you or was that someone you knew? Are you over worked, under paid, not appreciated or worse taken for granted? Com’on did you think I’d have the answer? What if I told you – this is it. It’s not going to change. It won’t get better if you get a nicer car or a higher paying job or a bigger house or a mate or a better mate or a healing. Talk about sucking on a lemon lady – not very encouraging. What if every time you complained you left a mountain of dirt behind you? After a few years wouldn’t it be somewhat difficult to get around in your corner of the world? That’s what happened to me. I kept bumping into ‘Complaint Mountains’ that had accumulated in my life. Dog gone, they nearly squeezed me out. I was forced to my knees before the Lord. “I give up, I can’t do this any more – I don’t even want to do this anymore”, I cried. Then God said to my heart, “be a frayed knot my child”. That’s Biblical! "Oh Lord, how am I supposed to be your woman under this load?” And God said, “The question is good”. Long silence……… “That’s it? I was kind of expecting a more definitive answer. Could I maybe get a little help here – a little illumination?” I begged. The quiet was deafening and unending.

From the play “Man and Superman” by the Irish dramatist George Bernard Shaw comes a quote that I pondered for years, “There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it.” As a young woman I could not get my mind around Mr. Shaw’s quote. Life experiences brought a reality to the two tragedies but God brought me a quest and this weeks Pearl to String: No matter what circumstances I find surrounding me, no matter how unfair, difficult or painful they might be - the constant quest in my life is not to complain about it but to ask myself: How can I be God’s woman (man) is this situation. Right here, right now. That question always leads me to prayer, thanksgiving and God’s Word. In The Message translation of 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 we see Paul learning to be God’s man in his situation. “Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.”

Like a kid at Christmas opening toys, (Yea!) clothes, (Huh?) socks and underwear. (Ugg!) not all gifts from God are fun but all have purpose.

No longer a frayed knot - Now dancing in the palm of His hand,
Lyndi

2-14-07 What Love?

February 14, 2007

What Love?

With Valentines we think of love
and of course that's Amore
When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore.
When an eel bites your hand and that's not what you planned
That's a moray.
When our habits are strange and our customs deranged
That's our mores.
When your horse munches straw and the bales total four
That's some more hay.
When Othello's poor wife, she gets stabbed with a knife
That's a Moor, eh?
When a Japanese knight used a sword in a fight
That's Sa...mur...ai.

Such interesting stories turn up in my e-mail and today was no different. I’m not a person that compares myself to others nor do I spend time thinking on the negative sides of life. God made me more of a Pollyanna type – more prone to dwell on the promises of Jesus than the threats of satan. In the story that arrived today blindness overtook a young woman’s life. She didn’t just lose her eyesight she lost her heart sight and her ability to love. With every passing day her self loathing spilled out on all those around her darkening her world and causing misery to camp at her side. There was one flicker of light in her life. A young man devoted to her who took care of her and loved her with an unrequited love. The young woman believed that if she could only see again her life would be normal and she would marry her friend. When a call came from the hospital notifying her that her name had come up on the list and the cornea was available she was ecstatic. She couldn’t find her friend anywhere and left for the hospital without telling him the good news. She was now on her way to happiness. With the Corneal transplant her sight will be restored and then her friend will love her enough to ask for her hand in marriage. All those things came true for her but she didn’t marry the young man – she was horror-struck to see that he was blind and turned down his proposal. As she walked out of his life a small whisper from his heart was barely audible, “Just take care of my eyes dear”. What love – oh, it just tugs at my heart. He gave his eyes so his beloved could see but it didn’t cure her blindness. I see the reflection of our Savior’s love in this little story – it’s the kind of love I want to live regardless of what others do.

Pearl to String: Love does not focus on myself, but on others. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs”. (1 Corinthians 13:4-5) Each of these qualities of love is based upon an affectionate, compassionate, and forgiving attitude that regards others as being valuable and not just placing value on myself and my desires. No wonder the old saying goes "In the middle of sin is a big I". When "I" become more important than others and what "I" want and that "I" win is more significant than what someone else truly needs, then "I" have lost my way and do not display the love of Christ.

The best Valentine I ever received came 2007 years ago – have you received yours?
Happy Valentines Day …. You’ve been loved for a long time.




John 3:16

"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Now remain in my love" John 15:9
…or in other words:
"BE MINE." Love Jesus

2-7-07 Is Ewe His?

February 7, 2007

Is Ewe His?

I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to My voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd.
- John 10:16

Os Hillman tells a story about a friend of his experiencing God’s living word while visiting Israel. They were in the country visiting some of the famous biblical sites when they saw a group of sheepherders. A shepherd brought his flock of sheep into a round pen for the night. Then, a few minutes later, another shepherd brought his flock into the pen. Then, a few minutes later, yet another shepherd brought his sheep into the pen. There were three groups of sheep in the pen with no identifying marks among any of them. The man observing all this wondered how in the world they would separate their sheep the next day.

The next morning, a shepherd came over to the pen and made a comment to his sheep. One by one, the sheep filed out to follow him. Only his sheep followed his voice. The gentleman witnessing the astonishing scene was mesmerized by seeing only that shepherd’s sheep follow him and the others remained in the pen.

Isn’t that just the most amazing picture of Jesus' words spoken centuries earlier?

His sheep hear His voice – amazing -- and there are sheep in another pen – God is calling and we are uniting at the sound of His voice.

A pearl to string: Scriptures state that God searches for His flock -- and that He Himself rescues and "saves" His sheep -- and that He Himself gathers His scattered sheep.
Read these selected sheep quotations out loud -- so that you may "hear" your own voice.... repeating God's words:

Ezekiel 34: 2 (NRSV) Thus says the Lord GOD: Ah, you shepherds of Israel who have been feeding yourselves. Should not shepherds feed the sheep? 3 You eat the fat, and you clothe yourselves with the wool. You slaughter the fatlings; but you do not feed the sheep...... 6 My sheep were scattered -- they wandered over all the mountains, and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with NO ONE to search, or seek for them...... 11 For thus says the Lord GOD: I myself will search for my sheep, and will SEEK them out. 12 As shepherds seek-out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will SEEK OUT my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered, on a day of clouds and thick darkness. 13 I will bring them out from the peoples, and gather them from the countries; and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses -- and in all the inhabited parts of the land....... 15 I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep....... 16 I will seek the lost -- and I will bring back the strayed; and I will bind up the injured....... 17 As for you, my flock, thus says the Lord GOD: I SHALL JUDGE between SHEEP and SHEEP -- between RAMS and GOATS...... 22 I will SAVE MY FLOCK -- and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will JUDGE between SHEEP and SHEEP....... 30 They shall know that I, the LORD their God, am with them -- and that they, the house of Israel, are my people, says the Lord GOD. 31 You are my sheep, the sheep of my pasture -- and I am your God, says the Lord GOD.

Uniting at the sound of His voice,
Lyndi

1-31-07 Is Your "Game Face" Stuck?

January 31, 2007

Is Your "Game Face" Stuck?

Okay ladies, I’m coming after us. Many young women dream of their wedding day and being a wife and in due time being a mom. We take these roles in life very serious and when the big day comes we put on our “game face” and off we go to be the best wife and eventually mother in the whole world. Unfortunately husbands and kids don’t come with a set of directions and no one explained the complicated intricacies of the male species. Oh my, they don’t think or respond like us at all. It doesn’t compute! Most of us don’t understand what we married. Then we have shorter versions of the two kinds and the road gets boulder-eee. That may not be a word but rocky just didn’t cut it.

Can I get a witness?

Erma Bombeck once advised not to let the children out number the adults in the family. Unfortunately by the time I read that we had four kids and Coach Wonderful was out on a football field day and night. It is in the realities of living life that women can find themselves stuck in the “game face” mode. Serious about every phase of family life, over loaded with responsibilities, determined to do it all right, while being organized, efficient, high energy and a lovely woman of God. And getting it all done in 24 hour segments over and over again.

The results can produce moments of ugly that pile up on each other and hit the fan with such velocity that disbursement can be life threatening to the husband and kids. Not a pretty picture - certainly not part of that youthful dream. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. If you are stopping right now and whispering to yourself, wow, what happened to me Lord? God has brought you to a place of change – remove your “game face”. Take in a deep cleansing breath then let it out slowly - you are normal and you are in His care. Your heart was always in the right place. Without the trials, struggles and hardships that bring us to the feet of Jesus the dross in our hearts can never be removed. Dance in the palm of His hand. Drink in the joy of the Lord and let Him transform, heal and renew the beautiful you. Allow Psalm 51:10 be your prayer: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a loyal spirit within me.”

When God decides a matter,
The first place He will start
Is not upon the circumstance -
He looks upon the heart.
I Samuel 16:7b

A pearl to string: Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.


Don't just inch along in life the best you can ...
May we all be an outward reflex of an inner life dedicated to Jesus,
Lyndi

1-24-07 Ear Waning

January 24, 2007

Ear Waning - The Vanishing of the Hearing Organ
Petite ear syndrome - Vacant ear complex - Fallow ears phobia

What do people with these types of hearing issues have in common? They don’t listen!
It’s a huge problem in the communication field. Listening is an integral part of the burden bearing process (Gal. 6:2). How does one bear another's burdens or learn what they might be if one only listen long enough to get to something they know how to deal with? This Scripture verse does not instruct us to solve one another’s burdens. How does one learn if one does not listen? If you don’t hear – how can you serve the kingdom in this area? In Ephesians 4:29 the Lord explains to us his purpose for our verbal communication: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”.

You know what happens to you when you listen? You learn, you gain understanding and you act rather than react.

There are two types of non-listeners that fully exasperate and send me moving high and to the right with rapid velocity. Stopping and evoking the Holy Spirit is the only thing that keeps me heaven bound: The “my opinion is too valuable not to be heard” talker and the equally frustrating, “I’m too busy with my own thoughts to listen until you say something that interests me” person. They usually place a big WHAT? right in the middle of your sentence and you have to repeat your words. The first type of non-listener can send me into a defensive mode. I don’t want to be on defense or offense – I’m a cheerleader for goodness sake! Getting someone’s undivided attention is a learned skill. Learning the appropriate skill is important. Screamers and yellers come from the negative by throwing the object of their intention into shock, much like a deer caught in the head lights, forcing them to listen. Effective.... but at what cost? When one person listens to another some incredible esteem builders occur. The person who is listened to feels understood they want to open up more and healing of past heart wounds begin to take place. …. "the tongue of the wise brings healing”. Proverbs 12:18b

5-5-5
Five traits to eliminate,
Five Proverbs for Wisdom and
Five solutions to hone listening skills:

(1) Assumptions - You think you know what the person is going to say so you don't listen or you interrupt to fill in the gaps.
“Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing”. (12:18)
Solution: Listen with an open mind.

(2) Bias - You let the person's outward appearance or opinions block you from truly hearing what is said.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight”. (3:5-6)
Solution: Don't focus on any one thought or emotion that you have.

(3) Control - You feel the need to interrupt, rush, and/or correct what the person is saying.
“When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise”. (10:19)
Solution: Listen with your heart as well as with your ears remembering the importance of relationship. Maintain a relaxed, non-hurried posture that communicates that their agenda is important to you. Don't be petty.

(4) Distraction - You lose attentiveness because you think faster than they speak so you think about what you are going to say next.
“A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue”. (17:27-28)
Solution: Stay in the moment. Hang onto every word. Refrain from planning ahead to what you will say. Maintain eye contact which will help you keep focused on the person and communicate that you are with them.

(5) Ego - You put your own neediness to be the focus of attention before the other person.
“Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than for him”. (29:20)
Solution: Work at respecting and valuing the other person. Learn to love your neighbor as yourself.

Of a person's total communication:
The actual words account for only 7%
Tone of voice accounts for 38%
Body language accounts for 55% (involves listening skill)

A pearl to string: God understands the importance of body language: "The Lord make His face to shine upon you... The Lord turns His countenance upon you and gives you peace" Numbers 6:24-25.

At Peace In His Shine and Countenance,
Lyndi

1-17-07 Beauty & Bleakness - Frozen Contrast

January 17, 2007

Beauty & Bleakness - Frozen Contrast

Steam rising from my coffee cup renders a substance to the air right before me as I stare out into my frozen Colorado morning. The chill by the window causes me to reach for my snuggly wool blanket and cocoon within it. Transfixed with the beauty and bleakness combination before me my mind turns to those who love God and have fallen short of the glory of God. Ok so I’m thinking about everyone in the world? Not really, though without Jesus and that pesky little sin nature of ours that certainly describes the multitude – but I’m thinking of those whose sin has brought public humiliation. My heart is so sad for those who are in the midst of that frozen beauty and bleakness moment in time. Beauty for the Christ likeness their life reflected before the bleakness of sin froze it into contrast. Their world and all those in their world are upended and they are gripped by a life altering shaking. I know a little something about that kind of pain and my insides shout a prayer, “Oh Lord, keep me from doing things that are detrimental to Your kingdom and that are contrary to righteousness”.

We all face sin’s tempting invitation daily. Unfortunately we have this earth measuring thing that says a sweet little ole lady turning to the dark side and cussing at her computer with occasional acts of physical violence against the machine isn’t as bad as taking a life. That’s not how God sees it. Sin in any amount will distance us from God. It’s not a legalistic argument over right and wrong or a good sinner verses bad sinner type of thing. Sin, as defined in the original translations of the Bible, means "to miss the mark." The mark, in this case, is the standard of perfection established by God and evidenced by Jesus – end of sentence, period, end of point. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 3:23: "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."

Pearl to string: It’s the Son that melts the bleakness of sin. "For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God's goodness into us!" 2 Corinthians 5:21. It’s the Son that takes us back to Our Father. It’s the Son that gives us hope. It’s the Son that grows our faith. And it’s the Son that gives God the victory. "Pure gold put in the fire comes out of it proved pure: genuine faith put through this suffering comes out proved genuine. When Jesus wraps this all up, it's your faith, not your gold, that God will have on display as evidence of His victory." 1 Peter 1:7 MSG


Continually renewing in Jesus,
Lyndi

1-7-07 Spiritual Bath

January 7, 2007

Spiritual Bath

Hi, I’m just sitting here in my front window with my little Bischon’s, Cally and Shadow, watching the light of day come into being. Not so pretty out there today. The major snow storms here in Colorado have created some rather stinky situations that people are grumbling about. We’re all wondering what happened to the mail carrier's motto -- "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds". Maybe they rode horses when they came up with that motto. The wheels of the trash trucks don’t turn well in whiteouts and huge snow drifts either. As I gaze up and down the street lined with now three weeks worth of holiday trash I marvel at how dependant we all are on somebody else doing something for us that we should be able to do for ourselves. I don’t want to be one of those able bodied people who wait around helplessly to be rescued! I’ve got a Savior! He’s built into me all the resources I need to reach out and attend to those in need as well as my needs. You can bet at the turn of the century there were no trash trucks coming to your street. Ha! There were no streets! Nobody brought your mail to you. You went to the town post office to pick up your own mail. Another thing that popped into my head – this would probably be a time of year that people would take a bath Wild West style. People were pretty ripe in those days. Guess that’s why most people worked outdoors.

With my thoughts going to turn of the century folks being ripe and the trash out my front door being ripe, maybe God wants me to check my spiritual life. We don’t want that to get ripe! Hey! Maybe I need a spiritual bath! Ya want to take a spiritual bath with me?
It’s perfect timing with a new year and all. So! Come on! Bow your hearts and let us cleanse!

A pearl to string:
Cleanse Your Heart - We can't actually clean ourselves. We need to draw near to God and ask Him to do the cleansing.
Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. KJV

Hebrews 10:22 Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. NKJV

Clean Out Your Mouth - As your heart gets clean, your language should follow. This is not just talking about bad language, but also negative talk and pessimistic thoughts that contradict the Word of God and faith. This includes the challenge to stop complaining.

Luke 6:45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

Philippians 2:14 Do everything without complaining or arguing...

Renew Your Mind - Take Out the Garbage: Don’t wait for the truck!
This is one of the biggest areas of struggle for most of us -- removing the garbage from our minds. Garbage in equals garbage out. We must feed our minds and spirits the Word of God instead of the garbage of this world.

Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2 Corinthians 10:5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Repent from Hidden Sin – Hidden sin will destroy your life, your peace, and even your health. The Bible says to confess your sin - tell someone, and reach out for help. When your spiritual closets are clean, the heaviness from hidden sin will lift.

Psalm 32:3-5 When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD"—and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

Release Unforgiveness and Bitterness - Any sin will weigh you down, but long kept unforgiveness and bitterness is like that old baggage in the attic you just can't seem to part with. You are so familiar with it; you don't even realize how it is hindering your life. Get Rid of Old Baggage

Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. NLT

Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

Involve Jesus in Your Daily Life - Let the Son Shine In: What God wants most from you is relationship -- friendship. He wants to be involved in the big and the small moments of your life. Open up your life; let the light of God's presence shine into every part of your life.

1 Corinthians 1:9 God ... is the one who invited you into this wonderful friendship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. NLT

Psalm 56:13 For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping. So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light. NLT

Learn to Laugh at Yourself and at Life: Some of us take life too seriously, or we take ourselves too seriously. Jesus wants you to enjoy yourself, and learn to have some fun. God made you for His pleasure!

Psalm 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

Psalm 126:2 Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them."

Refreshed and cleansed by His love,
Lyndi

1-3-07 Then Sings My Soul

Purple Bells
Photo by SANDRINE
















January 3, 2007

Then Sings My Soul – the music of my life - Opus by God

I don’t know what happened to my New Year’s resolution that I would not watch football past New Year’s Eve until September of this New Year. I watched six games yesterday. Too many of my new year’s resolutions fall by the wayside before I get my Christmas decorations put away. Of course some years it was June before all was neatly stowed away. I’ve noticed how new resolutions seem to accelerate the pace of my life. I am changing my ways. I’m not going to make any more resolutions. I am going to slow down and look at who God made in me. I am going to focus on my opus! Do you know what your opus is going to be?

An opus is a collection of musical work in the order in which it was composed. What does the symphony or opus of your life sound like? What do others hear as a result of being with you? In the movie, Mr. Holland’s Opus, Richard Dryfus reluctantly becomes a teacher so that he can really work on writing music which is his passion. He hated teaching school, but made a choice one day to fill the students not only with head knowledge, but to give them a compass in life. He became an impact person in the lives of many. After teaching for 30 years, all he had hoped for in the writing of his opus had failed. Everything he had planned didn’t come true. And God used this human failure to bring more success and triumph that he had ever dreamed. His opus and legacy were lives that had been impacted because he cared enough to be a compass in their young life. One former student remarked at a surprise tribute to him before an auditorium filled with former students, “Mr. Holland has had a profound impact on my life. He isn’t rich and he isn’t famous, and he may consider his life a failure. I believe that he has achieved success far beyond riches and fame. Each one of us is a better person because of you. Mr. Holland, look around. We are the melody and notes of your opus. And we are the music of your life.” What would the opus of your life sound like to others?

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end. I know that there is nothing better for men than to be happy and do good while they live. That everyone may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all his toil-this is the gift of God. I know that everything God does will endure forever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him. Ecclesiastes 3:11-14


A pearl to string: A new year is like a giant Monday in my life: A fresh start, a new beginning, a chance to let go of the past and build to the future. As I think about my opus, not through my eyes but through God’s eyes the words of 2 Corinthians 5:21 flow threw the heart of me: "For God took the sinless Christ and poured into him our sins. Then, in exchange, he poured God's goodness into us!" As grateful tears well up in my eyes my thoughts turn to the goodness of God. How glorious He is, how magnificent, how utterly radiant His love for us was, is and will be.

Thank you Father God for your goodness – it’s what makes my life shine.
You are my inner glow,
Lyndi

12-29-06 Marriage the Miracle Journey

December 29, 1962 - 2006

Marriage the Miracle Journey

Looking back to my eighteenth year of life when I first fell in love with my Coach Wonderful it is difficult to admit but I was dumber than a box of rocks when it came to love and relationships. I thought all there was to love was feeling it inside my heart. Once that happens a person should get married and live happily ever after. I know, I know, that’s enough to gag a rhinoceros but that was the extent of my wisdom back then. Imagine my surprise to the realities of life.

I had been in love for months and thought I’d been very patient through that protracted period of dating with no talk of marriage. The irresistible necessity to give hints welled up inside me. One night while ordering a meal at a Chinese restaurant as Coach Wonderful perused the menu, he casually asked me, "So. . . How do you like your rice? Boiled? Or fried?" Without missing a beat, I peered over my menu at him and replied pithily, "Thrown." Well that went right over his head! I found I had to be more explicit with my hints. “So, how many children would you like to have?” When he said four I knew it was a match made in heaven – I wanted four! I mean really what more does a person need to know? I loved him and he wanted four children the same as me! Oh, and by the way, the first time we held hands through an evening vespers service his hands didn’t sweat! I was a sucker for dry hands. There’s a really valuable measuring stick for marriage. Scary to think we started a life together based on little else. We needed a Savior!

After a whole year of dating we were wed on the 29th day of December 44 years ago in the sweet little village of Hartsdale, NY. Across from the canine cemetery (somehow that would be prophetic) stood a quaint old church where we participated in a miracle. It would be several decades before we would comprehend the size of the miracle needed to hold two people together, much less become one. Weddings are a dime a dozen. (That's just an old expression not the cost) I've got two brothers that have had seven weddings between them. So anyone can have a wedding but only God can create a marriage. In the early going the 'my way’ thing and being a ‘right’ fighter turns into the battle of the egotists and it's an I for an I. Through the struggles and the joys, the hurts and the healings, and the tug a wars and the victories we learned marriage prepares you to serve the Lord. You can’t grow a marriage without dieing to yourself and your ways nor can you serve the Lord.

Where God resides He provides and guides.
The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. Isaiah 58:11

Dieing to yourself is like a God directed prescribed burn. It clears out the underbrush of self and improves the hungering and thirsting of your soul while strengthening temptation deliverance and seriously reducing the noxious weeds of daily life. It never gets easier to die to yourself and there always seems to be another deeper layer of pride in me that needs to die. I am amazed at what the Lord has done in our lives together. We are God's miracle. To pledge your life to another is indeed an act of faith that requires belief in miracles.

A pearl to string: If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet the water bill is higher.

Happy Anniversary my love
Swinging on the vine of life,
Lyndi


And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5, NIV