Glorify Thy Name

STONE

TWO FRIENDS WERE WALKING
THROUGH THE DESERT .
DURING SOME POINT OF THE
JOURNEY, THEY HAD AN
ARGUMENT; AND ONE FRIEND
SLAPPED THE OTHER ONE
IN THE FACE

THE ONE WHO GOT SLAPPED
WAS HURT, BUT WITHOUT
SAYING ANYTHING,
WROTE IN THE SAND,

TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SLAPPED ME IN THE FACE .

THEY KEPT ON WALKING,
UNTIL THEY FOUND AN OASIS,
WHERE THEY DECIDED
TO TAKE A BATH

THE ONE WHO HAD BEEN
SLAPPED GOT STUCK IN THE
MIRE AND STARTED DROWNING,
BUT THE FRIEND SAVED HIM.

AFTER HE RECOVERED FROM
THE NEAR DROWNING,
HE WROTE ON A STONE:

'TODAY MY BEST FRIEND
SAVED MY LIFE'

THE FRIEND WHO HAD SLAPPED
AND SAVED HIS BEST FRIEND
ASKED HIM, 'AFTER I HURT YOU,
YOU WROTE IN THE SAND AND NOW,
YOU WRITE ON A STONE, WHY?'

THE FRIEND REPLIED
'WHEN SOMEONE HURTS US
WE SHOULD WRITE IT DOWN
IN SAND, WHERE WINDS OF
FORGIVENESS CAN ERASE IT AWAY.

BUT, WHEN SOMEONE DOES SOMETHING GOOD FOR US,
WE MUST ENGRAVE IT IN STONE
WHERE NO WIND
CAN EVER ERASE IT'

LEARN TO WRITE
YOUR HURTS IN
THE SAND AND TO
CARVE YOUR
BENEFITS IN STONE.

REMEMBER THE DUCK?

There's an old story about a little boy visiting his grandparents on their farm that illustrates beautifully how much God wants you to be free of your past. The little boy was given a slingshot to play with, out in the woods. He practiced in the woods, but he could never hit the target. Getting discouraged, he headed back to dinner.

As he was walking back, he saw Grandma's pet duck. Just out of impulse, he let fly, hit the duck square in the head and killed it. He was shocked and grieved. In a panic, he hid the dead duck in the woodpile, only to see his sister watching. Sally had seen it all, but she said nothing.

After lunch that day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the dishes."

But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today, didn't you Johnny?" And then she whispered to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny did the dishes.

Later Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing, and Grandma said, "I'm sorry, but I need Sally to help me make supper."

But Sally smiled and said, "Well, that's all right because Johnny told me he wanted to help." And she whispered again, "Remember the duck?" Sally went fishing and Johnny stayed.

After several days of Johnny doing both his chores and Sally's, he finally couldn't stand it any longer. He went to his Grandma and confessed that he killed the duck. She knelt down, gave him a hug, and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the whole thing. But because I love you, I forgave you. But, I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a slave of you before you confessed it to me."

A pearl to string: I don't know what's in your past. I don't know what one sin the enemy keeps throwing up in your face. But whatever it is, you need to know Jesus was also standing at the window and He saw the whole thing.... He has seen your whole life. He loves you..... He will forgive you if you will only ask. Perhaps He's wondering how long you will let the enemy make a slave out of you.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

"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. (Psalms 32:5)

The great thing about Jesus is that He not only forgives, but He forgets.
Remember you are loved,
Lyndi

"A Brokxn Kxy"

Evxn though my typxwritxr is an old modxl, it works quitx wxll xxcxpt for onx of the kxys. I havx many timxs wishxd that it workxd pxrfxctly.

It is trux that thxrx arx forty-onx kxys that function wxll xnough, but just onx kxy not working makxs thx diffxrxncx.

Somxtimxs it sxxms to mx that our church is somxthing likx my typxwritxr -- not all thx kxy pxoplx arx working propxrly.

As onx of thxm, you may say to yoursxlf, "Wxll, I am only onx pxrson, I don't makx or brxak thx church."

But it doxs makx a big diffxrxncx, bxcasx a church, to bx xffxctivx, nxxds thx activx participation of xvxry pxrson.

So, thx nxxt timx you think your xfforts arx not nxxdxd vxry much, rxmxmbxr my typxwritxr and say to yoursxlf, "I am a kxy pxrson in thx congrxgation and I am nxxdxd vxry much."

This is what happxns to thx wholx church, and multiply this by many timxs -- thx whole thing just doxs not makx sxnsx!

So, don't be a broken key - be a useful one.
- Author Unknown

A pearl to string: This little story illustrates how much you matter. The world just isn't right if you are not functioning properly. Some times we don't feel like we matter. Life just swirls around us. If you are feeling that way today may I tell you .... you matter! You matter to all the people in your life. You matter to people who don't even know you. Your unique gifting was designed to bless. Bless your family which make up the church, which blesses one another and reaches into their communities to bless. Churches & communities bless each other and reach far beyond their boarders to bless others.

In God your value is immeasurable
You are loved
So go bless someone
Lyndi

Star Spangled Banner

Have you ever heard all the words to the star spangled banner? All four verses? I had heard a second verse sung when I was young but I didn't know it had 4 verses. If I did know at one time I forgot. I found a sing along Karaoke video. I tried on my own singing the words out but the video kept me in tune.




The Star Spangled Banner Lyrics By Francis Scott Key 1814


Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

A pearl to string: Tears fill my eyes each time I remember and honor the many lives given for which our country stands. For all that is wrong through out our history I still feel blessed to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave . Happy 4th of July,
You are loved,
Lyndi

The Lion and the Gazelle

Based on an old African proverb, there's a quote that says, "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you're a lion or a gazelle; when the sun comes up, you'd better be running."

When we awaken each morning, we must realize that there is a roaring lion who wants to devour us. 1 Peter 5:8 says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary - the devil - walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” Satan has targeted you as a victim. He knows your name and address, your strengths and weaknesses. Somewhere in the shadows, he and his forces lurk, waiting, planning for the moment they will strike when you’re caught off-guard.

If we're ready for him, if we're prepared for his tactics, we can resist him. Not by our own power or by our own strength, but by allowing the Holy Spirit who lives in us to confront him and defeat him.

1 John 4:4 "Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world."

James 4:7 "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

A pearl to string: Our greatest weapon is prayer. In Psalm 5, we read that David came to God early in the morning and asked for his protection and help.

"The Secret"
By Bishop Ralph Cushman

I met God in the morning
When the day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise,
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them,
Brought to me a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I too had loosed the moorings,
With the presence left behind.

So, I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way:
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day!

Know you are loved,
Lyndi

GREAT GRANDMA RUTH

The Voice of Downriver
Family gathers to mark 100th birthday
By Paula Evans Neuman - Published: Wednesday, June 30, 2010



Ruth Lloyd McCartney was joined by many family members to celebrate her 100th birthday at Belle Fountain Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Riverview recently.

The eighth of Joseph and Margaret Lloyd’s nine children, she was born on June 22, 1910, in West Virginia.

Her mother died when she was 7, and her father had to move away to find work, so the five youngest children in the family moved in with their grandparents, George and Mildred Griffin, who had a farm.

“Most of her childhood memories came during this time with Grandpap and Grandma Griffin,” said Ruth’s son, Richard McCartney.

Her grandfather was a lawyer, and she remembers him as “a cantankerous sort.”

“When Grandpap would do something which didn’t sit well with Grandma, she would say, ‘Law me, that old man,’ McCartney’s son said. “That phrase stayed with Ruth her entire life.”

She also tells of stopping to visit her mother’s tombstone on a hill on the way to the one-room schoolhouse she attended.

Ruth and her older sister, Mary, moved to Ohio when they were a little older. Ruth went to “beauty school” there, and the two sisters moved to Detroit in the late 1920s.

Ruth married William McCartney, and they had a daughter, Jeannine, and two sons, Tom and Bill. The family moved to Riverview in 1945, and it was there that Richard was born.


“In addition to raising her children, Ruth spent some time working as a waitress at Corrigan’s Café and Blossom Bar in Wyandotte,” Richard said.

Ruth and her husband attended many Riverview High School sporting events when their children were in school there, and helped form the Riverview Booster Club.

Ruth and William retired to Florida and lived there through the 1970s and early 1980s. During that time, Ruth worked in a high school cafeteria.

Her husband died in 1986, and Ruth moved back to the Downriver area.

“An avid bingo player through the years, she could be found playing as many as 12 to 15 cards at a time while in her upper 90s,” her son said.

She has 16 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Coming from Colorado, Texas, Illinois, Ohio and across Michigan, most of them were in attendance during her 100th birthday celebration.

The Power of the Tongue

There is a story about a group of frogs that were traveling through the woods when two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead.

The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump out of the pit with all of their might. The group of frogs kept telling them to stop because they were as good as dead.

Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The second frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.

You see this frog was deaf, unable to hear what the others were saying. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story teaches a lesson...."You will have to live with the consequences of everything you say. What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words" (Proverbs 18: 20,21).

A pearl to string: There is the power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill their joy. Are there times your words can be intimidating because of the strength of your opinion and how verbal you are in expressing that opinion? Proverbs 15:1 tells us that "A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare." Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.

The power of words... an encouraging word can go such a long way.
May your words be a blessing to someone today.
Remember you are loved,
Lyndi

A thinker

VS

Ever wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several times a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

This is something to make you go....hmm...where is my Bible?

Oh, and one more thing.

Unlike our cell phone, we don't have to worry about our Bible being disconnected because Jesus already paid the bill.

When the Going GETS TOUGH

....THE TOUGH GET GOING

John 15:9

"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love". (KJV)

Persevere

Besor Brook

1 Samuel 30 - Have you studied this before? What a disaster! David and his six hundred men took off on a military mission with King Achish of Gath. They were forced to leave their wives and children at Ziklag unprotected. A raiding ban of Amalekites, long-time enemies of Israel, destroyed the village, kidnapped the women and children, stole everything in the place, and left a smoking wreck. David’s men were choked by rage when they returned to this catastrophe and it went downhill from there. Grief clouded their minds; anger hardened their hearts. They wanted to kill David. He was their leader and should not have left the village unprotected. David was definitely in serious trouble so what did he do?

"….. David strengthened himself in the Lord his God” (1 Sam. 30:6).

David worshipped; David called on his pastor for counsel. David went deep within himself, met God, and found strength and direction. David came out from the place of quietness and counsel and prayer with a plan. He set out to bring back the lost women and children. David’s men didn’t think it possible. They were fatigued and demoralized. The journey was strenuous with riveting twists and turns. They didn’t think it could get any worse and then a third of the men just gave up and sat in exhaustion at Besor Brook. The rest of the men left them there and went on to find their families. Well the news turned out good after a good Samaritan act brought about information that led to a victorious battle. Bottom line to all the incredible excitement: every wife & child was recovered and all their stuff too. What a grand celebration! Read it for yourself – it’s an amazing story and I just touch upon it here.

You might think this is the end. What? Do you live in Hollywood?

Spoilers exist and they were at Besor Brook too. The spoilers did not want to share the bounty of the battle with the men who had deserted them and a great argument ensued. “Give them their families and tell them to shove off – we don’t’ need quitters in this company.” (v22)

David intervened and that was the climax to the story. David ruled that everybody at the brook that day -- the two hundred who had been unable to continue and stayed with the supplies at the brook (1 Sam. 30:24) and the four hundred who had fought for their lives -- were equals and would share everything equally: "Everything we have is a gift from God; we share it with all who are saved by God" (1 Sam. 30:23-25).

A pearl to string: “Besor” means “good news”. The good news that day was the underserved grace the weary & heavy burdened received. Isn't that a foreshadow?
Jesus: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light”. (Matt. 11:28-30). That day at Besor Brook David seemed to anticipate and emulate the very actions Jesus himself would do nearly 1,000 years later.

Jesus is our rest giver,
You are loved,
Lyndi

DIS-SAT-IS-FIED

DIS-SAT-IS-FIED Kind of a squirmy, wormy little word isn’t it. How many of you are dissatisfied with life? Hmm? Politics? the economy? delayed flights? changing our history in our history books? lack of this, lack of that….? I mean things are not going so well out there in la-la land. It’s enough to gag a rhinoceros!

But for many of us, this dissatisfaction is a symptom that we have focused too much on ourselves and are angry with life. Stop in your tracks! Did you read that? Are you angry with life? Have you forgotten to count your blessings? Are you neglecting to give thanks to God? Have you become silent in your praise to our Father? Have you quit helping those around you? Thinking of others is how Christ lived. When we follow his example, our actions make a difference in the lives of those we bless and we also find ourselves immensely blessed as well. Can you say, 'It's not about me'? Lizza Baro said, "We may think people make us angry, but most of the time they simply reveal our own selfishness. What usually makes us angry is our lack of control over people and circumstances". Ouch! Lord have mercy!

A pearl to string: If you are finding yourself cranky at every turn, dissatisfied with every aspect of your life ….then change! Change one little thing …. Go… go do something that will bless someone else’s life. It doesn’t have to be a big thing; it doesn’t have to cost money.
Don’t have time? Come on..... pick up your neighbor’s newspaper in the driveway and put it on their doorstep or roll the trash can up from the curb and put in by the garage. OK, don’t tell your neighbor what you did just bless them and thank God you still have a heart to give to others for their benefit and not your own.

“Each of us should please his neighbor for his good, to build him up”. -- Romans 15:2

Staying focused on your trouble will make your trouble sticky and stay around much longer. Staying focused on troubled times will begin to consume your mind and increase frustration and anger. To do either one leads to self imprisonment. Philippians 4:8 shows us how to accentuate the positive. 'Finally, brothers and sisters, keep your thoughts on whatever is right or deserves praise: things that are true, honorable, fair, pure, acceptable, or commendable'. God has gifted the body of Christ to help one another. We each have our gifts and our gifts are a valuable necessity to benefit one another. You are a blessing and you are needed to bless others.

Focus on the positive and see that you are too blessed to be stressed,
You are loved,
Lyndi

Trouble Knocks and Giants Step

When trouble knocks on my door…. I’m a wimp! Oh I don’t like it…. nope, nope, nope… not one little bit. I even hate it worse when I see precious people suffering under a load too heavy for their souls. What about people who have been so lethally wounded in their youth that they cannot get past the pain of it to live in the present? That makes my heart so sad. Hate destroys the vessel it’s kept in. There are many ugly giants to overcome in this world. Disease, accident, war injuries or line of duty injuries that completely alter a person’s life or existence are among the most difficult to bear.

How did our thinking get so jumbled that we believe the absence of those giants means happiness? Plus the thought that God doesn’t care or exist if the giants are stepping on us?

Oh boy trouble knocks, giants step but God never promises to remove us from our struggles. He does promise, however, to change the way we look at them. When trouble knocks it always helps me when I ask God, “how can I be your woman in this situation – right here, right now”. I pray until the answer comes. "We live by faith, not by sight." (2 Cor. 5:7, NIV)

God promises to correct us and uses our troubles to that end. I often get trouble when I act on my own to solve a problem. That gets things done my way but did I serve the Lord? Were my actions glorifying God? “It was the best thing that could have happened to me, for it taught me to pay attention to your laws”. (Ps. 119:71-72, LB)

There are times we are suffering and we want it to stop but God is actually protecting us from something far worse. I call those my joy in hindsight problems. “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good”. (Gen. 50:20, NIV)

Sometimes we have trouble come our way when God is lighting a fire underneath us to get us going in the right direction. Remember not getting your homework done? And the consequences? A little fire direction there? Be very glad if you learned that lesson during school days. "Sometimes it takes a painful situation to make us change our ways." (Pr. 20:30, GN)

God also uses problems to examine our hearts - People are like teabags if you want to know what's inside them, just drop them into hot water! Has God ever tested your faith with a problem? What do problems reveal about you? “When you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience”. (James 1:2-3, NCV)

God is far more interested in your character than your comfort. He brings problems to develop and deepen your character. Your relationship to God and your character are the only two things you're going to take with you into eternity. “We can rejoice when we run into problems they help us learn to be patient. And patience develops strength of character in us and helps us trust God more each time we use it until finally our hope and faith are strong and steady”. (Rom. 5:3-4, LB)

A pearl to string: God is at work in your life - even when you do not recognize it or understand it. “Be merciful and gracious to me, O God, for my soul takes refuge and finds shelter and confidence in You; yes, in the shadow of your wings will I take refuge and be confident until calamities and destructive storms are passed.” (Ps. 57:1, AMP)

Trouble is not your enemy – satan is!
But Jesus is the victor
You are loved,
Lyndi

The EAR is for HEAR

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”.
(Pr 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”. (Pr 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”.
(Pr 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”. (Pr 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”. (Pr 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

Strong Men Slain

Nancy Leigh DeMoss: When I was a young woman, a verse from Proverbs made a big impression on me. It says, “For she has cast down many wounded, and all who were slain by her were strong men” (7:26).

The Lord used this passage to impress something on my heart. I realized that I had the potential to be the instrument of any man’s undoing, no matter how strong he might be. Even men who are spiritually strong can be brought down, controlled, wounded, or destroyed by a foolish woman.

As I read that passage, I wondered how many men I’d cast down—maybe not morally, but spiritually. How many had I discouraged or intimidated? God calls us as women to help and encourage men.

Instead of criticizing the men around us, let’s pray that they would become mighty men of God. Let’s lift them up instead of tearing them down.

With Seeking Him, I’m Nancy Leigh DeMoss.

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 to 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.
(part of a poem reflecting I Samuel 16:7b)

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

May we all be an outward reflex of an inner life dedicated to Jesus,
Lyndi

Mirror Mannequin

Who is that looking back at me?

Taken back by the person who lives in your mirror? It is really shocking to me how old that person is that lives in my mirror. How in the world did she get there? It wasn’t something I aspired to be when I was young. I don’t recall dreaming of being wrinkled, saggy, baggy and southbound? Well, why not? What on earth was wrong with old? It’s great to be old. God rather liked it – it is His plan. You know if you are going to be a really cool old person you have to start when you are young.

Can I tell you some of the remarkable things that happen when you grow older? Your friends are marvelous – you don’t compete with them you just love them, your life seems wonderful no matter what style it is, your family is so precious to you – they feel like the very breath you take and your walk with the Lord – oh my – I promise you there is no way you can imagine the wonder and the indescribable relationship that comes from a long walk. Very worth growing towards – start young!

Some more good news: You treat yourself with more kindness, with more respect, with more love and you are no longer in a big hurry for anything! What others think, express or how they may act inappropriately no longer has a hold on your heart, mind or emotions. And you like gray hair. Yes you will! It has these silver threads in it that sparkle. Proverbs tells us in verse 29 of the 20th chapter that ‘the glory of the young is their strength; the gray hair of experience is the splendor of the old’. When you see a gray headed person glistening in the sun with a smile on their face, a laughter that delights, and a bounce in their step the finger inside your heart points their direction and you think in your mind: “when I get there I want to look just like that”!

That’s the Holy Spirit dear hearts and He looks good inside any age person. String that pearl! There are many verses in the Word of God that describe the not so terrific elements of aging but my favorite verse the one I want to describe my forth quarter is Psalm 92:14 ‘They will still give fruit when they are old. They will be full of life and strength’. Like Coach Wonderful always says, ‘you don’t want to miss the kick off, and a well played game is a beautiful thing but the fourth quarter is crunch time’. I know so many people in their 70’s & 80’s who say it is their most productive and significant time of their life. The beauty of a long life is how that God enriched experienced life can bless those around them throughout that forth quarter. God is passionately interested in each of us personally and continually.

A pearl to string: My eyes sight may grow dim but the beauty in that is... I see no flaws in you. When you believe in Jesus that's how God see us....... no flaws.
Isn't it so very cool how life experiences mirror God's love?

Deliberately enjoy your days in Jesus,
You are loved
Lyndi

Tamara Lowe at Christ Fellowship

In under two minutes she tells it like it is!
Got time?

The Lord will stand by you

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”. What? 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 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,
Know you are loved
Lyndi

ONLY A QUARTER

Several years ago a preacher moved to Houston, Texas. Some weeks after he arrived, he had occasion to ride the bus from his home to the downtown area. When he sat down, he discovered that the driver had accidentally given him a quarter too much change.

As he considered what to do, he thought to himself, you better give the quarter back. It would be wrong to keep it. Then he thought, "Oh, forget it, it's only a quarter. Who would worry about this little amount? Anyway the bus company already gets too much fare; they will never miss it. Accept it as a gift from God and keep quiet."

When his stop came, he paused momentarily at the door, then he handed the quarter to the driver and said, "Here, you gave me too much change."

The driver with a smile, replied, "Aren't you the new preacher in town? I have been thinking lately about going to worship somewhere. I just wanted to see what you would do if I gave you too much change."

When my friend stepped off the bus, he literally grabbed the nearest light pole, and held on, and said, "O God, I almost sold your Son for a quarter."

Our lives are the only Bible some people will ever read.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16 RSV)

A pearl to string: Prayer: "This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...let it shine, let it shine, let it shine..." Oh Lord that sweet little tune is running through my mind this morning. And today, I really do want to let the light of Christ shine through me wherever I go. May your love glow in me. May I be a bright encouragement to all I meet and all who see me. May the words out of my mouth glorify you and say whatever it is YOU know the hearer needs to hear. Thank you, Father God, for giving me light and life through Jesus my Savior, in whose name I pray, Amen and amen.

Shine on my friends…..
You are loved,
Lyndi

A Father, Daughter & a Dog

Story by Catherine Moore

"Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!"
My father yelled at me.
"Can't you do anything right?"

Those words hurt worse than blows. I turned my head toward the
elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him.
A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared
for another battle.

"I saw the car, Dad . Please don't yell at me when I'm
driving." My voice was measured and steady, sounding far
calmer than I really felt. Dad glared at me, then turned away
and settled back. At home I left Dad in front of the television
and went outside to collect my thoughts.... dark, heavy clouds
hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant
thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil. What could I do about
him? Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon . He had
enjoyed being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength
against the forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack
competitions, and had placed often. The shelves in his house were
filled with trophies that attested to his prowess.

The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift
a heavy log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him
outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever
anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he couldn't do
something he had done as a younger man.

Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack.
An ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic
administered CPR to keep blood and oxygen flowing.

At the hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was
lucky;he survived. But something inside Dad died. His zest for
life was gone. He obstinately refused to follow doctor's orders.
Suggestions and offers of help were turned aside with sarcasm and
insults. The number of visitors thinned, then finally stopped
altogether. Dad was left alone..

My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our
small farm. We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would
help him adjust.

Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. It
seemed nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did.
I became frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger
out on Dick. We began to bicker and argue.

Alarmed, Dick sought out our pastor and explained the situation.
The clergyman set up weekly counseling appointments for us. At the
close of each session he prayed, asking God to soothe Dad 's
troubled mind.

But the months wore on and God was silent. Something had to be
done and it was up to me to do it.

The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically
called each of the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow
Pages. I explained my problem to each of the sympathetic voices
that answered in vain.

Just when I was giving up hope, one of the voices suddenly
exclaimed, "I just read something that might help you!
Let me go get the article." I listened as she read. The
article described a remarkable study done at a nursing home.
All of the patients were under treatment for chronic depression.
Yet their attitudes had improved dramatically when they were
given responsibility for a dog.

I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon.. After I filled
out a questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels.
The odor of disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the
row of pens. Each contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs,
curly-haired dogs, black dogs, spotted dogs all jumped up, trying
to reach me. I studied each one but rejected one after the other
for various reasons too big, too small, too much hair. As I neared
the last pen a dog in the shadows of the far corner struggled to
his feet, walked to the front of the run and sat down. It was a
pointer, one of the dog world's aristocrats. But this was a
caricature of the breed.

Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His hip
bones jutted out in lopsided triangles. But it was his eyes that
caught and held my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me
unwaveringly.

I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?" The
officer looked, then shook his head in puzzlement. "He's a
funny one. Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front
of the gate. We brought him in, figuring someone would be
right down to claim him. That was two weeks ago and we've
heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow." He
gestured helplessly.

As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror..
"You mean you're going to kill him?" "Ma'am," he said gently,
"that's our policy. We don't have room for every
unclaimed dog." I looked at the pointer again. The calm brown
eyes awaited my decision. "I'll take him," I said. I drove
home with the dog on the front seat beside me. When I reached the
house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize out of the car
when Dad shuffled onto the front porch... "Ta-da! Look what I got
for you, Dad !" I said excitedly.

Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust. "If I had wanted
a dog I would have gotten one. And I would have picked out
a better specimen than that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't
want it" Dad waved his arm scornfully and turned back toward the
house.

Anger rose inside me. It squeezed together my throat muscles and
pounded into my temples. "You'd better get used to him, Dad .
He's staying!"

Dad ignored me.. "Did you hear me, Dad ?" I screamed. At those
words Dad whirled angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes
narrowed and blazing with hate. We stood glaring at each other like
duelists, when suddenly the pointer pulled free from my grasp. He
wobbled toward my dad and sat down in front of him.
Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw..

Dad 's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw. Confusion
replaced the anger in his eyes. The pointer waited patiently. Then Dad
was on his knees hugging the animal.

It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named
the pointer Cheyenne . Together he and Cheyenne explored the
community. They spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They
spent reflective moments on the banks of streams, angling for tasty
trout. They even started to attend Sunday services together, Dad
sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying quietly at is feet.

Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three
years. Dad 's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many
friends. Then late one night I was startled to feel Cheyenne 's cold
nose burrowing through our bed covers. He had never before come
into our bedroom at night.. I woke Dick, put on my robe and ran into
my father's room. Dad lay in his bed, his face serene. But his spirit
had left quietly sometime during the night.

Two days later my shock and grief deepened when I discovered
Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad 's bed. I wrapped his still form in
the rag rug he had slept on. As Dick and I buried him near a favorite
fishing hole, I silently thanked the dog for the help he had given me
in restoring Dad 's peace of mind.

The morning of Dad 's funeral dawned overcast and dreary.
This day looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the
aisle to the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the
many friends Dad and Cheyenne had made filling the church.
The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and
the dog who had changed his life.

And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2.
"Do not neglect to show hospitality
to strangers, for by this some have
entertained angels without knowing it."

"I've often thanked God for sending that angel," he said.

For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that
I had not seen before:
. . the sympathetic voice that had just read the right article...
. . Cheyenne 's unexpected appearance at the animal shelter....
. . his calm acceptance and complete devotion to my father.....
. . and the proximity of their deaths.

And suddenly I understood.
I knew that God had answered my prayers after all.

Heroes & Sheroes

The everyday folks loving their way through this life are my heroes & sheroes. The most gorgeous, attractive men on earth (which has nothing to do with their physical appearance) are the men I catch locked in that “love- eye” glance with their wife and children. Sweet talking, fast talker, oodles of words, big titles and great accomplishments are unimpressive to me. However, a man who treats his wife with tenderness, respect, is lovingly attentive to her and is daily involved with his children’s lives, oh that’s a very impressive guy. Now you top that off with his close walk and love of the Lord? HERO! Oh yes!

And who are my sheroes you wonder? Well it is hard to see them because they are in so many places throughout their day taking care of the needs of their family and extending their friendship to the community around them. They are loving, embracing, feeding, managing health, finances, cleaning, shopping, driving, serving, attending, giving in all directions and the only Prada they own is a picture in a magazine lying on the coffee table. They may or may not be organized, serve elaborate meals, make their own exquisite clothing line or have every hair in place but they are the heart of the family. My shero is a help-mate to her husband and a life teacher to her children and she serves the Lord by being His love to the hurting world around her. There are also about a gabillion Sheroes who are for whatever reason doing all this without a mate. Beautiful SHERO!

My heroes and sheroes don’t wear capes or fly or do anything in a single bound. Not one of them can stop a speeding bullet. So what does a present day hero or shero wear? Upon rising each morning they clothe themselves with compassion. They pull on kindness and humility. Their unhesitant response to others is to place the person’s interests before their own eliminating the possibility of resentment. They slip into shoes of gentleness, never leaving scuff marks of hurt or rejection on another person’s soul. They actively wear patience for it is not something a person has but rather something a person does. And the finishing touch is to wrap up in forgiveness and generosity buttoned down by love.

A pearl to string: “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity”. Colossians 3:12-14

Thank you Lord for the Heroes and Sheroes in my life,
Lyndi

The will of God

Remember. The Will of God will never take you...
Where the grace of God cannot keep you,
Where the arms of God cannot support you,
Where the hands of God cannot mold you.
Where the power of God cannot endow you.

The will of God will never take you...
Where the spirit of God cannot work through you,
Where the riches of God cannot supply you,
Where the wisdom of God cannot teach you,
Where the army of God cannot protect you,

The will of God will never take you...
Where the love of God cannot enfold you,
Where the mercy of God cannot sustain you,
Where the Word of God cannot feed you,
Where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

The will of God will never take you...
Where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears,
Where the peace of God cannot calm your fears,
Where the miracles of God cannot be done for you,
Where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.

Growing Weary?

A Mother's Whispered Prayer

This is a note a friend sent to me today. I asked her if I could share it knowing it might bless and encourage a praying mama somewhere. I hope it blesses you.

I would like to share with all of you my answer to a whisper prayer that came about in the most unusual way...

On Wed nite we were skyping with Jessica, she is at a huge cross roads in her study program and I as a mom could see the heaviness on her heart. As we listened to her explain her heart I in turned inward and whispered a prayer to GOD:
"Oh how I wish I could just hug her and pray with her"! I could see she needed her mom's touch or should I say I needed as a mom to touch and hold her. Well as we said our goodbyes on skype and did our family hug as her image faded from the computer screen my heart cried out for her to have peace.

The next day Ed and I would get up at 3:15am to head to Virginia for a Promise Keepers Conference. As the alarm went off, Ed hopped in the shower, I got on my knees and prayed for our Jessica (some things call for us to fall on our knees!) We headed to LAX and arrived in plenty of time to make our 6:00am flight. As we arrived to our gate we noticed something was stirring but we didn't know what until they announced someone has breached security so all flights are on hold and no one is getting through.

We watched as the TSA and police personal hunted the gate we were at looking for this person. Checking and questioning random people. Time kept slipping by...hour after hour. Frustrated and complaining things seemed chaotic...then all of the sudden they found the person on the plane next to our gate. We watched as they marched this young man off. Now we were set to go.....what I hadn't noticed is our connecting flight would be in Chicago. So as we arrived in Chicago we were told we missed our connecting flight and we would not leave until 9:00pm.

We had 4 1/2 hours!!! I called Jessica and told her she happened to be in the library, she hurried home hopped on the Ltrain and was on our way to see us!!!! Oh can I tell you as we saw her walk through the hall ways at the airport I ran and hugged her!!! Yes at that time I whispered to God as I held my daughter in my arms "Thank You Almighty GOD only YOU can turn a Frustrating bad situation into a answer of a whispered prayer!!!!"

Yes my GOD answered my whisper prayer in such a miracle fashion! We got to spend 2 hours with Jessica talking and then we got to pray for Jessica! She said "I kept my eyes open we are still in Chicago" we laughed and hugged and said our goodbyes! I cried tears of such joy to hold her and see GOD is truly a Miracle working GOD!!

So I am here to tell YOU today what is your Whisper Prayer?
GOD hears YOU and will answer in a way YOU least expect it!!
I am giving GOD all the Praise and Glory!! HE is AWESOME!!!

love,
Lucia

Empty Well Syndrome

“When we continue to seek water (love, affirmation, etc.) from someone who can’t or won’t give it we are like the one seeking water from a “bad” well. What is the name for such an unhealthy pattern? I call it the Empty Well Syndrome. Why do we go back to an empty well when we know it’s empty or toxic, repeating our own history of defeat? Jesus we need you to help us see what we do not see!”

The paragraph above is an excerpt from facebook. I was drawn to the statement. It stirred up so many thoughts but I was feeling a check in my spirit too. Actually I would have agreed with that statement in my youth while roaming about in my own valley. I saw things from my need, from my perception or expectation of how life should be and how I should be treated by other people. Conveniently if one lived according to my expectation I would first benefit and then the other person would surely benefit if I did. Hum? Where do you suppose I can find that in God’s Word? It was not a sinister plot I just wanted to be happy all the time and have everything go my way. Hollywood style? Cinderella dream? Mix a little romance, a little world way, a little Bible love and life could be so good. What a recipe for disaster I had going in my life! I know … you could see that coming a mile off….SPLAT! Some people learn from other people’s mistakes and some people have to be the “other” people…. But we “other” people do learn.

This may not be the direction or meaning the original author intended but it seems to be where God is leading me this morning.

As I’ve grown in my relationship with the Lord I’ve discovered (as have you) it’s not about me or my thinking or my perception in my time frame. God does not operated on human time tables He operates out of eternity. You see, unless we are cast into times in which we are completely at God's mercy for breakthroughs in our lives, we will never experience God's faithfulness in those areas.

When you come to the end of all the light you know, and it's time to step into the darkness of the unknown, faith is knowing that one of two things will happen: Either you will be given something solid to stand on or you will be taught to fly. -- Edward Teller

A pearl to string: Life isn’t always at it appears. (Objects in the side or rear view mirror may be distorted) With the Empty Well Syndrome is the well really empty? Or is the well empty of what I think should be in it? Could it be that I am drawn to the well repeatedly so I might discover the treasure God has yet to teach me. "I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name." (Isaiah 45:3)

God has not given up on any of us,
He patiently waits for you to come to Him,
You are loved,
Lyndi

I WAS SHOCKED

sent by Mike McCartney

I was shocked, confused, bewildered
As I entered Heaven's door,
Not by the beauty of it all,
Nor the lights or its decor.

But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp—
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.

Herb, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, 'What's the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How'd all these sinners get up here?
God must've made a mistake.

'And why's everyone so quiet,
So somber - give me a clue.'
'Hush, child,' He said, 'they're all in shock.
At the thought of seeing you.'

Discover the Meaning of Easter

Discover the Meaning of Easter

You Have Always Been Drawn to Wood

by Phil Ware



Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother ... (John 19:25).

I have often wondered what Mary, the mother of Jesus, thought as she
watched her boy -- who also happened to be God's Son -- die on the
cross. Would she remember the manger of wood? Would she remember the
wood shavings in her boy's hair as Joseph, a true man of honor, stood
by her and helped her raise God's Son? Would she realize in looking
back that her boy had always been drawn to wood?

The following is a meditation I wrote years ago as I tried to imagine
what it was like for Mary at the foot of the Cross. I hope these
thoughts are a blessing and a challenge to you as we wait for the light
of hope to dawn on Sunday and remind us that death does not have the
final word in Jesus' life, and because of Jesus, it does not have the
final word in our own lives!

----------------------------------------------------------------------

As Mary stood watching, she remembered all of it, but especially that
last conversation with her boy. He was not a boy, of course. He was
tall and strong and more than thirty birthdays old. But, he still was
her boy. "I must go now," he had said, "I have always been drawn to
wood."

She had looked into his dark eyes, her smile full of hurt and a
mother's love. "Such a fine young man," she thought as she brushed the
sawdust and wood shavings from his curly brown hair for the thousandth
time. But this time was different. Something about the set of his jaw
and the flash of fire in his eyes told her this was the last time.

"I must go, now, mother!"

Even in his twenties, Yeshua was respectful and supportive. This was
especially so after Joseph died. Yeshua took over the carpenter's shop
and did what the eldest son was expected to do.

"You have sawdust and shavings in your hair, Yeshua. Just like when you
were a little boy with your father." She hoped her words might hold him
close a moment or two longer. But as she spoke them, it was Mary who
paused. She thought of the man who had stood by her when the only
explanations were divinely insane. She missed him so. Yeshua's presence
in the shop had always reminded her of Joseph. While they looked
nothing alike, he was very much his father's son. With Joseph's death
had come the resurrection of suspicion and the cruel taunts, "Mary's
boy! Mary's boy!" Yeshua would shrug and smile his wry grin, as if he
heard some faraway song awakening some primal instinct deep within his
heart.

Mary's smile and motherliness brought no response this time. "You have
always been drawn to wood!" she said nervously. She had kept her
feelings hidden, but since the wedding in Cana, she knew the promises
from long ago were beginning to unfold. He was no longer her little boy
-- she knew it as well as she knew the dark eyes, the curls of brown
hair, and the tenderness in his voice when he spoke to her. This was
his goodbye. More than leaving home, he was leaving her and all she
knew as family behind.

"You have always been drawn to wood!" she softly repeated. She touched
his brown curls and brushed the shavings from his hair one last time.

It was true -- he had always been drawn to wood. She had said it often,
hoping against hope that it would keep him near her, or at least near
the carpenter's shop. Despite the angel's promise that he would be King
and Savior, when he was born, she had placed him in a wooden manger.
Now, in the shadow of his cross, the thought now pierced her like a
dagger, "You have always been drawn to wood."

"I must go, now, mother!" he had firmly said. "It's time. James, Joses,
and Jude can run the shop. They will take care of you. It is time for
me to do what you know I must do. My carpentry is needed elsewhere. As
you have so often said, 'I have always been drawn to wood.'"

As she stood shivering from the cold in her soul, she now remembered
everything -- the manger, the wood shavings, and especially that day he
left. And now, just three years later, the rattling sounds of her son's
labored breathing shook her to her marrow. Tears stained her cheeks as
she stood looking at the little boy she once swaddled and placed in the
manger. Mary softly cried and said for the final time, "My precious
son, you have always been drawn to wood."