No Joy Theft

It's December!  As if you didn't know that fact.  We are all knee deep in Christmas groundwork .  I discovered some years ago a secret ingredient to Christmas preparation that freed me from experiencing joy theft while getting ready to celebrate Jesus' birthday.  CLEANING! Not the house although I do recommend doing that. A winter-cleaning for the soul: A Negativity Fast!  That’s right a Negativity Fast.  What pray tell is a Negativity Fast you ask? Refrain from a negative thought for 24 hours.  It may take a whole month to achieve – well it took me a whole month!  Every morning I’d wake up, stretch and say good morning Jesus, then my brow furled and a negative thought formed in my upper brain and traveled down the back of my head and with centrifugal force came into fruition. Coffee stain in my sink I’d think loudly.  Ugg!  I hate coffee stains in my sink.  My feet would hit the floor running and I’d get to the sink and sure enough –there they were – coffee stains in my sink along with the realization that I had a negative thought before my feet hit the floor.  Drats !!! More negative thoughts. Oh double drats !!!  I immediately start to blame my husband, 'Oh Lord why can’t he clean this up'?  I shout inside my head.  Then I’d remember his idea of clean and my idea of clean wouldn’t even appear on the same calendar in a year.  I remind myself how lovely it is that he brews delicious coffee every morning and the other thing that occurs to me: the world would never understand murdering a husband cuz he left coffee stains in the sink!  Oh my, that is as stupid as killing one of those husbands because they squeezed the toothpaste in the middle. Better to focus on the good news that he used toothpaste.  I’m sunk Lord and I stink at a Negativity Fast.  Can I start my negativity fast after everyone leaves?  That might give me a running start. !!!!!!  As you can see it's easier said than done.  Give it a try... just 24 little hours but the blessings will continue beyond the fast.  

A pearl to string: God's Word tells us: "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ".  (Colossians 2:8/^NIV) 

An animal trainer will take a stool with them when they step into a cage with a lion.  Why?  Because it calms a lion better than anything else except maybe a tranquilizer gun.  When the trainer holds that stool with the legs extended toward the lions’ face, the animal tries to focus on all four legs at once.  And that paralyzes him.  Divided focus always works against you.  "You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you".  (Isaiah 26:3^NKJV) 

Our negative thoughts allow satan to get a foot into the door of our hearts.  You don't want to be forced to run satan's errands (Timothy 2:26/^MSG)  "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour". (1 Peter 5:8/^NIV)   

The measure of a woman is when she is facing her tribulations to eradicate their influence from her life’s story. For I, says the Lord, will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst. (Zechariah 2:5) Blessed is the woman to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, And in whose spirit there is no negativity. (Psalm 32:2) 

May the celebration of Jesus' birth be a living joy in you

You are loved

Lyndi

Got My Goat

Did someone get your goat last week?  Odd little saying isn’t it - maybe even odd and old.  For all the young whippersnappers reading this – it means someone made you mad. 

 

While researching the origin of this phrase I came across several explanations. The one written about most often I have not witnessed but then I didn't go to horse races at the turn of the 20th century. Please .... I wasn't even around at the turn of the 20th century.

Horses of a high-strung nature were often accompanied by a goat (or a sheep). It was a way of calming a horse down, especially a thoroughbred horse before a race. The legend has it that rivals and crooks deliberately betting against that horse, would steal the goat, resulting in the horse being upset and less able to run a victorious race. The thief would thus have "gotten the horse's goat."  That would make everyone mad when the horse lost the race.   

They may not house race horses with goats these days but after this past election I'd say there were quite a few people who got their goat stolen. Not to fret the good news is anger managements classes are available.  Even better news God's Word addresses the issue of unbridled anger. 

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. (2 Corinthians 4:7)   

The verse tells us that we have “this treasure” in earthen vessels. Who is the treasure? Christ! Who are the earthen vessels here? You and I! For patience when facing goat theft thank God the treasure is in the earthen vessels.   

A pearl to string: If you pray for patience and you want God to give it to you right now be aware trials will commence.  If you listen real close you will here God whisper "are you there yet?" after each test.  That taught me to pray for wisdom knowing that patience is the result.  And no tests! Then wisdom taught me to thank God: “Lord Jesus, I thank You that You are my patience.” 

When we rest in and depend on the strengths of our Savior we become the overcomer of the adversity facing us. So don’t get frustrated when you see your “earthiness”. You will always be “earthen” as long as you are in your mortal body, but remember that Christ the treasure is in you when you invite Him into your heart.

 

You are loved,

                 Lyndi

 

Cupped

A story a friend sent along this past week really got me thinking about the things I have whole heartedly pursued along my life road.  Through the years there were changes, growth, lessons to be learned and struggles that would realign my thinking as well as my activity.  Some of those experiences I welcomed and….. some I treated like an ugly bug crawling up my leg.  Freak–out!  Prayed like crazy!  See where your thoughts take you. 

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, got together to visit their old university professor. The conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.  Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups - Porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain-looking, some expensive, and some exquisite - telling them to help themselves to the coffee.   

 After all the students had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "If you noticed, all the nice looking expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is but normal for you to want only the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress." 

"Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases, it's just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink. What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups...and then began eyeing each other.  Now consider this: Life is the coffee and the jobs, houses, cars, things, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain life, and the type of cup we have does not define nor change the quality of life we live. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us." 

A pearl to string: In Matthew 6 we are encouraged to seek God first and our most important needs will be met.  In Proverbs 1 we are advised to acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.  In 1 Corinthians 13 we learn that love never fails and it is the greatest of all God made characteristics.  I’ve learned that when my life is contained in the cupped hand of God I don’t spill out all over the floor. Learning to choose the right cup is joy.  

Sipping with Jesus,

              Lyndi 

Sparkle and Shimmer

Ever find yourself mesmerized by the shimmering of the aspen tree leaves? Isn’t it amazing how God shaped their leaves like little hearts, made them a vibrant green on one side and a soft shade of green on the other. As the breeze flutters through, the leaves sparkle and shimmer like no other tree.  Their beauty catches my breath.   

I love gazing at the slender trunks of white and autumn yellow leaves against the back drop of rich dark green pine tree across the face of a mountain. Simply spectacular! It brings joy to my heart.  

Feeling the depth of God’s creation brings precious glimpses of God’s delight over each one of us. Even a gloomy Gus day cannot dim the reality of happiness I have in Jesus’ love nor the joy He has in each one of us.  

We are His treasured jewels, matchless, inimitable, each one of us uniquely defined by God.  When the breeze of God’s Holy Spirit blows on us and through us, we sparkle and shimmer and amazingly reflect God’s joy in us. 

A pearl to string: Try not to dissolve like a human bouillon cube when hot water bubbles around you – Persevere!  God in time gives life to your dreams in a way that surpasses your hope. The Message translation illuminates God’s reality for us in Luke 8:15: “But the seed in the good earth—these are the good-hearts who seize the Word and hold on no matter what, sticking with it until there's a harvest”.  Remember the two shaded aspen leaf shaped like a heart sparkles and shimmers even in the rain? When you lean in and trust your creator - you do too! 

Know In His grace we will thrive,

                                                      Lyndi

EROSION

I see erosion of God's Word everywhere.  I see it in people I love, trust and admire.  It's scary to watch.  I'm not talking about evil people... I'm talking about loving people.  People who have a kind heart and care about their fellow man. It's a truth trickle.  Just a little bit of God's Word is discarded and replaced with man's truth. Coach Wonderful calls that cherry picking the Bible - choosing what makes sense to you. The soul can wither with man's compassion for it is only for the season in which he lives.  I know it could happen to me.  I know I could easily be swayed into the world's system of thinking.  So often it seems so right. There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.  (Proverbs 13:12)  

I've developed a little test for me. It scares me to think I could fall so easily. If I think something is right and I have not lined it up to the Word of God then I'm wrong!  I need to "Search for the LORD and for HIS strength; continually seek him". (Psalm 105:4) God is my strength: "O my Strength, I sing praise to you; you, O God, are my fortress, my loving God". (Psalm 59:17) 

If I am reading God's Word everyday then I can live the biblical principles Christ taught:

You have to plant to reap; that is the seedtime harvest principle

You have to serve to lead; that is the Golden Rule.

You have to lose to win; that is God’s game strategy.

You have to give to get; that is God’s investment portfolio.

You have to die to live; that is God’s life insurance policy.

You have to wait to advance; that is God’s proficiency exam.

You have to be last to be first; that is God’s promotion plan.

You have to believe in what you cannot see, in order to see what others cannot believe; that is God’s faith test. (credit: Pastor Dana Gammill, Canton, Ohio)

“As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9) 

A pearl to string: I've discovered that if I slack off or skip reading God's Word because life gets so busy and full it becomes easier not to study.  When I fail to study I fail to seek.  When I fail to seek I fail to find.  When I fail to find I falter to follow and find myself leading the way which makes me fodder for sin's snares. My only hope in growing in love with Jesus is to be in His Word to walk with Him and talk with Him daily.  It's easy to say you love someone but to actually love them will cost you something.  It cost Jesus his life... that's how much He love you and me.‎

"Busyness in the Kingdom does not make up for neglect of the King."

Don't ever forget how much you are loved

                                                                           Lyndi

Hear I Grow Again

..... faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of God. Romans 10:17 

Calm down I spelled 'here' incorrectly because I wanted an ear in it. The society we live in has brain washed us into thinking difficult times are bad, life should be fair, love is getting your own way and peace is the lack of problems. After making that statement I think I am hearing a chorus of choking angels.

Have you read the Bible? I'm not talking about the parts you understand and use to pontificate your great spiritual intellect. I'm talking about reading God's Word to be in relationship with Him. There is no where else I have ever been able to learn what love is or how to love another.  Where does love start? Have you ever noticed how you respond to anyone who loves you? Love is a blessing that started with God first loving us. (1 John 4:19) How does He do that?  Have you looked in a mirror lately? Are you lovable? Well I'm sure you have your moments just like I do but God sees all. Ugg! 

Jesus’ existence didn’t begin with His birth or conception, but pre-existed Creation, as made by Him and for Him. Jesus was both with God and God Himself. The plurality within the Godhead makes it possible for God to be intrinsically a ‘God of Love’.

In Jesus, God took on human nature, so He could die for our sins as a fellow human, taking the penalty we deserve for our sins. In fact, this was planned from Eternity, as the names of the Redeemed were already written in His Book of Life from the foundation of the World.  When Jesus took on humanity, this was an addition to His divine nature, not a subtraction of His divinity. He first loved us.... He died for us..... He shows us the way! So to love others first we have to die?  We can't do that!  Yes, yes we can.  We don't have to die dead.... we're not saving anybody.  We just need to die to our selfish ways so love can live. 

A pearl to string:  It has been said that first Corinthians 13 is the love chapter.  God is love and verses 4 thru 7 are His characteristics: Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and Love keeps no record of being wronged. Love does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 

Replace the word "Love" with your name. When you read it out load with you name, does what you read have truth?  Reading God's Word is a life long adventure that brings you closer to God's characteristics as your faith in Him grows. 

His eye is always on us

because He loves us with His life

                                                     Lyndi

One Two Three

“It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.”  Lena Horne 

I thinks of the load in one's day as a pile of irritants that I gritch & moan about but a burden is a deep pain in my heart.  Most of us shoulder our burdens alone and share our loads with friends but God intends for us to share our burdens and carry our own loads.  “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”(Galatians 6:2)  In this verse burden in the Greek translates into boulder; a boulder is something that is too heavy for an individual to carry alone. Scripture also says: “ … for each one should carry his own load.” (Galatians 6:5 ) Load in the Greek translates into knapsack; a knapsack is something that each individual is responsible to carry on his own. So, there are boulders and there are knapsacks. We are to help carry one another’s boulders but not one another’s knapsacks. When we carry one another’s knapsacks we get in the way of their maturing process.  

Among the new verbs created out of nouns, “efforting” won't be found in your dictionary but it seems so appropriate here.  It means struggling unnecessarily in an effort to do something. It could be illustrated by pushing a car to your destination when it would be much easier to start the engine and drive it. When I find myself “efforting,” I think of Jesus’ invitation to let Him take the heavy part of the yoke, leaving me the lighter side. He does not necessarily say that He will carry all of my baggage. Yet, He does promise that when we accept His invitation, He will gladly lighten our load.   

 

(Matthew 11:25-30) Abruptly Jesus broke into prayer: “Thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth. You’ve concealed your ways from sophisticates and know-it-alls, but spelled them out clearly to ordinary people. Yes, Father, that’s the way you like to work.”  Jesus resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. “The Father has given me all these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.  “Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”   The Message 

A pearl to string: God gave us the formula in His Word. First, turn to Him, second give up control, and third trust Him and follow.  

First: He said, “Come to Me.” There is no peace outside of Christ. Too many Christians are living with one foot in Christ and one foot in the world. There will be no peace for those who do not come completely to Him. Second: To take up the yoke of Christ is to give up control to Him. The yoke is a symbol of partnership. Christ is right next us, yoked with us to help us with our load. A yoke is also a symbol of guidance. Yoked with Christ, we can only move in His direction and at His pace. But we must give Him first place and give up our control. Third: Giving up control always leads us to trust Him. If we let Christ guide and control us, we trust Him. Without trust, we can not follow.  

In His grace

You are loved,

                   Lyndi

The Law of the Garbage Truck

This is just one of those anonymous stories that has a good word for each one of us. One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean, he was really friendly.  So I asked, "Why did you just do that? That guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"  

This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, "The Law of the Garbage Truck."  He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage -- frustration, anger, disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you.  Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on.  Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets.  The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day.  Anger, hatred and resentment that lives within us is destructive and counterproductive.   

A pearl to string: There are many places in life where we get the opportunity to live

the "....forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil" part of the prayer our Lord taught us to pray.  (Matthew 6:9-13)  

“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend.” - Martin Luther King Jr. 

Love the people who treat you right.

Pray for the ones who don't.

Because you are loved,

                               Lyndi

Reciprocity

Some years ago in a Bible Study group a lady told me I had the 'gift of reciprocity'.  I like that gift... it's a very cool sounding gift I thought to myself.   As I pondered  the lady's words over and over in my mind in connection to serving the Lord I began to wonder..... what the heck does that mean?  I discovered a very interesting detail in my study. The Ethic of Reciprocity or the Golden Rule is the one maxim, ethical code, or morality that all religions and philosophies have in common with God's Word. (Lev. 19:18, 34, Matt. 7:12, Lu 6:31)  Of course the variation is vast but the meaning is the same. As a green wordsmith I guess I'm not understanding what that lady intended by 'gift of reciprocity'. I don't really want to treat others the way I want to be treated.  I want to treat others the way God treats me.  

I've always been drawn to encouraging wives and mothers. I learned the hard way husbands and children don't come with a set of directions. Too often women find themselves operating in crisis mode.  I found myself in those crisis modes many times in my life.  As a terrified child running from abuse I would crawl into my imaginary cave and close the opening to where I could see out but no one could see me. Even as a grown woman my natural instinct is to hide.  It's just plain safer in my imaginary cave because I'm not alone.  Jesus was always there with me.  Eventually one learns that there's nothing better than a few crisis in one's life to strengthen the soul.  Then one day, I think it happens to everyone in some form, calamity hits your life and no amount of previous experience or coping mechanism will suffice.  You need Jesus and no one else will do. 

Life has road signs: warning signs, regulatory signs, guide and information signs, temporary traffic control signs, school signs, railroad signs and emergency signs.  I even came across a sign that said, "no traffic signs".  Oh that has to be the worst.  How are we suppose to know what to do or where to go?  That is just where I feel called to encourage and share..... not what my life experiences have taught me but what I learned when I gave the pain to Jesus.  Is that the 'gift of reciprocity'? 

A pearl to string: When you feel all alone in the midst of a crisis and no one is coming to rescue you that's where any individual can find the Lord.   When your whining and complaining end. When your screams and curses dry up. When you run out of tears.  When the silence is deafening. That's when you can hear that faint knock, knock, knocking at the door of your heart. Anytime you come to the end of yourself.  His smiling face and open arms welcome you.   

"Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me".  (Revelation 3:20)  Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  (John 14:23) 

Oh how He loves you and me

                                         Lyndi

OUTSIDE INSIDE OUT

(Mark 7:15 NLT) ^"It’s not what goes into your body that defiles you; you are defiled by what comes from your heart.”

 

We get so hung up on externals, appearances, and facades.  It's not just a matter of taste, or maintenance problem.  Fashionistas, compulsive exercisers, workaholics, social butterflies, sports nuts, extreme dieters, the primal urge to splurge shoppers, or excessive decor revolutionists.  All the over the moon habits are  intense needs for control in our lives and become the breeding ground for perfectionist pathology.  Not everything is beautiful from every view point. Healthy people organize their enjoyable activities around their lives, whereas control-dependents organize their lives round their excessive activities. Horace, the Roman poet, sums it up: "Clogged with yesterday's excess, the body drags the mind down with it".   

"Jesus said to the crowd, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'"  (Luke 12:15)  "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Luke 12:34)

Hold everything in your hands lightly, otherwise it hurts when the Father has to pry your fingers open!  Corrie Ten Boom

A pearl to string: Jesus cuts to the core of God's concern -- our spiritual heart condition. He wants us to not only focus on what we put in or on our body, but what we allow to grow in our hearts and simmer in our heads. The inner world is what needs our most earnest attention.  

The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1 Samuel 16:7) 

Our weary hearts, our wayward hearts, our broken and fearful hearts - our inner selves need a Savior.  Whatever brings our hearts to Christ brings us near to God. 

Count your blessings and

know you are loved,

                       Lyndi

To Church or Not to Church

Some people joke about the “Bedside Baptists” who attend the "Chapel of the Tube" on Sunday mornings. Another "tongue in cheek" joke: "Those that attend Sunday morning love the preacher. Those that attend Sunday night love the church, and those that attend midweek services love the Lord!" But it's more than a joke. Many people refuse to get near a church unless their nephew is playing the role of a sheep in the Christmas pageant! They claim they can get more out of a walk in the woods than from the typical sermon.  Can a Christian survive apart from a church? Some Christians have no choice. They are trapped in a hospital bed, or working in an isolated area where no church exists. And God is certainly sufficient to care for their needs. You can still get to heaven if you can't go to church. But even though it's technically possible to live the Christian life in isolation, it's certainly not the norm. Well, why would a Christian go to church every Sunday? I could get all Holy and give you tons of Scripture verses that tell you: because God said so that's why! Well my goodness... has God been to some of these churches? Why would He tell us to go to church? I think I'll just let a little holy terror's mama tell you why:

Little Dewey was one of those holy terrors. His dad was surprised when Dewey's mom suggested that they buy him a bike for his birthday. "Do you really believe that'll help improve his behavior?" he asked. "Well, no," she admitted, "But it'll spread it over a wider area."

That's it! Right there! That's why I go to church! To spread what God has given me over a wider area. To fellowship and worship with others who love Jesus, to encourage a sister or brother when times are tough, to support the work of God in the world, in our community. Did you know it's the churches in a community that are among the first responders to a crisis? It's just amazing how the time and resorces you give to your church united with other gifted member will grow like fishes & loaves. Your involvement keeps you from spiritual drifting, backsliding or apostasy and the array of spiritual blessings are immeasurable.

A pearl to string: God has placed each one of us in the body of Christ as it pleases Him and not where we place ourselves. God says through Paul in I Corinthians 12:18, “But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.” God did not place these members outside of the body nor did He intend for each member to be in single, individual homes because they can not function properly detached from one another.

He gave His life for you
Know you are loved,
Lyndi

Drug Inspection

A DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration) officer stops at a ranch in Montana and talks with an old rancher. He tells the rancher, "I need to inspect your ranch for illegally grown drugs." The old rancher says, "Okay, but do not go in that field over there," as he points out the location. The DEA officer verbally explodes, saying, "Mister, I have the authority of the federal government with me." Reaching into his rear pants pocket, he removes his badge and proudly displays it to the farmer. "See this badge? This badge means I am allowed to go wherever I wish, on any land. No questions asked or answers given. Have I made myself clear? Do you understand?" The old rancher nods politely, apologizes, and goes about his chores. A short time later, the old rancher hears loud screams and sees the DEA officer running for his life, chased close behind by the rancher's prize bull. With every step, the bull is gaining ground on the officer, and it seems likely that he'll get "horned" before he reaches safety. The officer is clearly terrified. The old rancher throws down his tools, runs to the fence, and yells at the top of his lungs, "Your badge! Show him your badge!"

You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is good for you. You say, "I am allowed to do anything"--but not everything is beneficial. (1 Corinthians 10:23)

Oh how much you miss if you suffer from slurred hearing. Maybe if the not so humble DEA agent had exercised his manners to listen to the old rancher and not cut him off mid sentence his little scrawny office legs would not have had to work so hard. You may have a big ole badge (job) and think you are all that with your bad self but there's a big bull in everyone's life eventually. And how many times have you seen a light at the end of a tunnel only to discover it's a train speeding toward you. People need the Lord.

A pearl to string: Everyday they pass me by, I can see it in their eyes. Empty people filled with care, Headed who knows where? On they go through private pain, Living fear to fear. Laughter hides their silent cries, Only Jesus hears. We are called to take His light, To a world where wrong seems right. What could be too great a cost, For sharing Life with one who's lost? Through His love our hearts can feel, All the grief they bear. They must hear the Words of Life, Only we can share. At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door. People need the Lord. (Song: People Need The Lord, 1984: http://youtu.be/AibBR6j2g54)

"So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image". (2 Corinthians 3:18NLT) As messengers of God’s love, we are to be human mirrors who reflect without distortion a growing likeness to our Lord; And our lives are to be marked by the love for God and others.

The lillies know Him and
He knows and loves you,
Lyndi

Rosh Hashanah (Feast of Trumpets), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), and Sukkot (Feast of Booths).

Open publication - Free publishing - More 2012

Chattering Crows

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; and be content with such things as you have: for He has said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

There is an old Persian fable of a hen, a mouse, and a rabbit who lived together in a little house in the woods. They shared all the work and lived in harmony. The chicken found the firewood, the mouse brought the water from a nearby brook, and the rabbit cooked the meals. Each did his work faithfully and contentedly. One day, while the hen was out in the forest looking for wood, a nosy crow approached her and asked what she was doing. When he heard, the crow began caw, “That’s not fair! You’re doing the hardest part of the work! That rabbit and mouse are taking advantage of you! The chicken continued about her work, but try as she would, she could not stop thinking about what the crow said. These feelings festered and festered, and by the time she got home, she was so upset that she burst out in tears, screaming, “It’s not fair! I do the hardest work of the three of us! That’s it! I’m not going to gather this heavy firewood anymore!”

Discontent spreads, as you know, and immediately the rabbit and mouse also began to argue that they had been doing the hardest work and that they were not going to do their jobs anymore either. The three argued until they were tired and finally decided to switch jobs – from now on the rabbit would gather the firewood, the hen would bring the water and the mouse would cook. As the rabbit hopped into the forest for wood, a fox trailed him, caught him, and ate him. The chicken put the pail into the creek, but the current pulled the pail down under and the chicken with it. The mouse, while sitting on the edge of the big pot of soup, lost his balance and fell in. Discontentment not only destroyed their happiness but their very lives.

A pearl to string: Oh those chattering crows! They surround us and whisper into our spirit. They mess with our mind and encourage discontent in the name of enlightenment. No person is greater than the next. No job is greater than the next. We all have a call on our lives and we all have a job to do while on earth. There may be many that are referred to as gods (Gal 4:8) but there is only one Jesus, the Son of God, himself God over all, Creator of heaven and earth. Out of love for mankind He stooped to become a man and die for the impious, for those who have no reverence for God. (Rom 5:6) At some point in time that would be each one of us. We have a Savior that we can spend all eternity with if we choose. I've read about the alternative and it isn't for me.

Rejoice in what He made you to be,
and be content in being you and
Know you are the love of His life,
Lyndi

Baseball Class

When the morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy Job 38:7

A professor at a well known University was legendary for giving boring, cliché-ridden lectures. At the beginning of one semester, an innovative class breathed new life into the course by assigning baseball plays to each trite phrase. For example, when the professor said, "On the other hand," that counted as a base hit. "By the same token" was a strike out; "and so on" counted as a stolen base. Divided into two teams by the center aisle of the lecture hall, the students played inning after inning of silent but vigorous baseball. On the last day of class, the impossible happened: the score was tied and bases were loaded. Then the batter hit a home run! The winning team stood and cheered wildly.
Though deeply appreciative, the professor later was quoted as wondering why only half of the students had been enthusiastic about his lectures.

How delightfully inventive.... someone from that class needs to run for President!

Do you know what happiness is? As the Word itself implies, happiness is associated with happenings, happenstance, luck, and fortune. If circumstances are favorable, you are happy; if not, you’re unhappy. Happiness is the personal experience of feeling good.

Do you know what joy is? In Philippians 3:1 Paul says, “Rejoice in the Lord.” The Lord is both the source and object of Christian joy. Knowing Him brings joy that transcends temporal circumstances. Obeying Him brings peace and assurance. Joy is an attitude of the heart that knows Jesus.

We have a family blog to keep up with all the families' activities of fun and accomplishment along with prayer requests. The motto we voted on for our family: Gratitude is the attitude that sets the altitude for living. Now that's JOY!

A pearl to string: God is infinitely worthy of our delight. The only thing standing between the command of God to rejoice and our experience of that joy is a heart that delights more in the things of the world than in God. If you cannot rejoice in God and you want to: ask Him to heal your heart. My prayer for each one of you is from Romans 12 verses 9-13 in the English Standard Version: "Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality". Amen

What do you have to cheer about?
Find joy in knowing you are loved,
Lyndi

Changing the Face of Love

I must be getting old – a quick glance and I see my mother’s hands at the end of my arms – yes I am getting old. I think I’m getting a little cranky too because I do not like what I am seeing on TV. Pardon my spew but show after show after show and over half the commercials deal with illicit sexual content. What is that teaching our young people? Just this week the Parents Television Council reports the broadcast television networks favor adultery and promiscuity over marital intimacy, and in a new study, suggests that “many in Hollywood are actively seeking to undermine marriage by consistently showing it in a negative manner.” In addition the violence is so graphic and it’s ok to use foul language and use the Lord’s name in a disrespectful & highly offensive manner. The choices have grown very small as to what various age groups can view on TV these days. The Disney channel is about where regular TV was 40 years ago – in need of parental guidance. We’re down to a few game shows, sports, men quit laughing, and a small percentage of the reality shows. That’s about it.

I was reading in 1st Corinthians chapter 8 where Paul is addressing some of the issues of the day that members of the church had requested his counsel. And while I am aware he is addressing dietary issues the 9th verse just leapt off the page at me.

But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat and no better if we do. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. -- 1 Corinthians 8:8-9NIV

String a pearl: In the God’s Word translation, “But be careful that by using your freedom you don't somehow make a believer who is weak in faith fall into sin”.

Yep, that’s verse 9 again – different translation – yes I am repeating it – instant replay if that terminology is more comfortable. We have so much freedom in this country that we have run amok! We’re changing the face of love. What does TV show the face of love to be? Certainly not family – God maybe?  Not on my TV. Wow, if this keeps up we’re all going to be forced to turn the big box off and talk to each other. Oh Revelation!

I don’t know what the face of God looks like but I love the familiar optical illusion of Him where truths about God are etched in His face. I think I would also see my husband, my family, my friends, my church and myself in the face of His love. You too?

You are loved,
Lyndi

THE PRODIGAL SON RETOLD

Luke 15:11-32

Feeling footloose, fancy-free and frisky, this feather-brained fellow finagled his fond father into forking over his fortune. Forthwith, he fled for foreign fields and frittered his farthings feasting fabulously with fair-weathered friends.

Finally, facing famine, and fleeced by his fellows in folly, he found himself a feed flinger in a filthy farmlot. He fain would have filled his frame with foraged food from the fodder fragments.

"Fooey! My father's flunkies fare far fancier" the frazzled fugitive fumed feverishly, frankly facing fact.

Frustrated from failure and filled with forebodings, he fled for his family. Falling at his father's feet, he floundered forlornly. "Father, I have flunked and fruitlessly forfeited further family favors."

But the faithful father, forestalling further flinching, frantically flagged his flunkies to set forth the finest fatling and fix a feast.

The fugitive's fault-finding frater, faithfully farming his father's fields for free, frowned at this fickle forgiveness of formal falderal. His fury flashed, but fussing was futile.

His foresighted father figured, "Such filial fidelity is fine, but what forbids fervent festivities? The fugitive is found! Unfurl the flags! With fanfare flaring, let fun, frolic and frivolity flow freely, former failures forgotten and folly forsaken. Forgiveness forms a firm foundation for future fortitude."

That fun formulation of this famous parable of Jesus is called The Prodigal Son in the key of F and was originally written by Rev. John Garlock and Gwen Jones in the 1940s (see p. 10 of A/G Heritage, Fall 1990).

A pearl to string: Salvation can, but doesn’t always involve being rescued from a life of wallowing with the pigs. And pigpins cannot be fur-lined by parents. There is another son in the story. He wasn't lost..... he never left home, never asked for his inheritance early, never wasted a penny, and served his father every day. If he was never really lost, it follows that there is no need for him to be found. But as the parable unfolds, it becomes clear that there are two prodigal sons. The oldest son had been a part of the safety and nurture of his father’s household his whole life, but had failed to develop a grateful, joyful spirit. And he is lost. There’s a party going on and he won’t participate he remains on the outside judging and calculating whether this is fair or just or deserved for someone far less faithful than him to be celebrated like this. The parable ends unresolved. Here's the truth they each must discover: (John 14:6) Jesus says "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

We are deep and wide in His fadeless love,
Lyndi

The Magnetic Pull of Temptation

Ever notice that the news these days isn't new at all? Same old same old. It still
centers on man’s eternal struggle with temptation and the ever present nose-dive into sin. Temptation is not sin. but it is the forerunner of sin. Temptation is an appeal to the carnal, human mind and flesh to think or do something contrary to God's law of love. It's a force of attraction in the wrong direction. Magnetic! Life altering! Sin will keep you longer than you wanted to stay. It will take you further than you wanted to go. And it will cost you more than you wanted to pay. Sin is treacherous! “The inclination of man is evil from his youth.” (Genesis 7:21) This is a warning shot, at the very beginning of history, across the bow of mankind: Watch yourself; be ever mindful of your negative tendencies to cheat, steal, hurt, to be corrupt, to engage in immoral behavior. The temptation to do wrong is built in to every human being. It is a powerful force, and no one is immune from it. Jesus well understood the subtleties and powers of temptation and the weakness of human beings. On His final night with His disciples, before His crucifixion. He gave them a warning: "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26.-41) I love God's Word. That's pretty clear. How do I keep from entering into temptation and falling into sin? Watch and pray... that's what He said.... watch and pray.

String a pearl: Forgetting how human we are is a serious mistake. It will lead us to lower our spiritual defenses and allow ourselves to draw near situations we ought not. Human nature or, more accurately, carnal mindedness is tuned into temptations. It desires to go the wrong way. It is naturally attracted to Satan's lures. Unless we catch ourselves and resist soon enough, we will be caught off guard and pulled into sin. No human being has the strength to fight this spiritual warfare alone. But though we can do nothing of and by ourselves, Jesus also tells us, "With God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26) When a person is spiritually close to God and relies on God's power, seemingly impossible tasks become possible.

The song "Just a closer walk with thee", just popped into my head: "I am weak, but Thou art strong; Jesus, keep me from all wrong; I’ll be satisfied as long As I walk, let me walk close to Thee".

Watch and pray - our hope is in Him
and He loves you,
Lyndi

Set In A Family

Psalms 68 says that He "sets us in families" and Oh.... am I in love with the family God set me in. Each one a treasure that lights up my earth time. Then God decorated my life with so many lovely friends.... they are the jewels that sparkle and glow. Even an old lady can get positively giddy counting her blessings. We're just coming off a very special week. Our 4 children along with their mates and our 10 incredible Grands gathered at our home to put on a celebration for our 50th Wedding Anniversary. The date isn't actually until December but they wanted to do something special when everyone could travel and be involved. What a delightful surprise the evening was and what a blessing of love for those who were able to share in that evening. So what's the secret to 50 years with the same person? Never throw anyone out of your heart…. hang on till Jesus says "lets grow". To assume that our ability to love another person has its source in our own hearts is foolhardy. It's a setup for pain and bitter disappointment. We love because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) The tell tale sign that you are operating under your own strength is anger at your beloved. That's right! If they get on your last nerve and you (in your mind) want to deck em???? you are the one out of control. To love another isn't "you" being the one who is right. As soon as it is about you it's no longer about love.

We're not the example of how to do this thing called love but God blessed us anyway. We're just two imperfect people who came from two imperfect families who birthed 4 imperfect children who married imperfect people from imperfect families and had our 10 most beautiful ever imperfect grandchildren but we have a great big perfect God and it is in Him we seek to grow and love. I might mention we don't exactly do that perfect either.

A pearl to string: Love began when God became flesh and came to live among us. It's in Him we are given both access to love and patterns with which to offer love. Consider Jesus washing his disciples’ feet; consider Him willingly and sinlessly going to the cross for our sins. This is what draws us out of ourselves and into the heart of Love, this place where His mercy meets our unworthiness and still, He loves us. Standing in that place of watching Jesus, the call becomes both clear and accessible. It is then that we are to be willing to lay down our own rights and pour out that same love to the one with whom God has joined us together in covenant. I love you Coach Wonderful. (Focus on the Family)

It's so still and quiet after all the hustle and bustle and laughter goes home. Kind of miss that beautiful chaos. In the hushed tranquility Coach Wonderful and I found ourselves cheering when the dogs barked.

Thank you beloved family and friends for the sweet time of blessing..... we love you
Lyndi

Baby Baseball Godly Truth

A few years back, Sports Illustrated ran a story on a T-ball game in Wellington, Florida, where a seven-year-old first baseman, Tanner Munsey, fielded a ground ball and tried to tag a runner going from first to second. The umpire, Laura Benson, called the runner out. But young Tanner immediately went to the umpire and said, "Ma'am, I didn't touch him." The umpire reversed her decision and sent the runner back to second base. Tanner's coach awarded him the game ball for his honesty.  Two weeks later, Laura Benson was again the umpire, and Tanner Munsey was playing shortstop when a similar play occurred. This time, Benson ruled that Tanner had missed the tag on the runner going to third base, and she called the runner safe.  Tanner looked at Benson and without saying a word, tossed the ball to the catcher and returned to his position.  Benson, sensing that Tanner was troubled, asked Tanner, "Did you tag the runner?" He said, "Yes." Benson called the runner out! The opposing coach came roaring onto the field in protest, but Laura Benson explained to him what had happened two weeks earlier.  "If a kid is that honest," she said, " I have to give it to him".  (Story from Sports Illustrated article  9-16-93) 

A pearl to string:  It may be that no Christian characteristic has suffered more in our society than honesty. It's lacking in the workplace, it's lacking in many of our marriages, it's lacking in our government, and sometimes it's even lacking in our churches. There is something about Christians that should stand out like a neon sign on a dark night.   Jesus wants his people to be known as a people of truth. We should establish a reputation, like Tanner, for speaking the truth even when it would not benefit us. Then, and only then, will those around us trust what we say without hesitation, without wondering whether we really mean what we say or not. 

"What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ's body we're all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself".  (Ephesians 4:25 MSG) 

Some lessons are tougher than others. If your heart wants to change and turn towards God... that's good!  If you feel condemned.... just know that is NOT God's way.

In Him you are loved,

                              Lyndi

Is the grass really greener next door?

John and Charles were sitting on the front porch chillin' when a large truck hauling rolls and rolls of sod (grass) went by. 

"I'm gonna do that when I win the lottery," said John. 

"Do what?" asked Charles. 

"Send my grass out to be mowed," answered John. 

Oh my, that made me laugh.  It also reminded me of how goofy my youthful expectations were of people and life in general.  I thought dreams came true. Ha! Nightmares do but dreams... not so much.  To be truthful, though it's embarrising, I thought the lack of trouble and problems were a sure sign of God's love.  Like God's job is making me, me, me happy? Furthermore people who loved me would always be kind, loving and respectful.  Life is an eye opener and no one sends their grass out to be mowed.   

A pearl to string: As long as any of us are focused on how we are loved or how people treat us ... we are in trouble!  If our measuring stick in life is based on what happens to us then our expectations of others will always fall short. Loved ones and friends will always disapoint us.  ALWAYS!  If you are the lens and everything that happens in life is based on what you need, think and feel then you become the judge of right and wrong.  When self is enthroned in the human heart it's a tell tale sign of spiritual immaturity. When Christ is crowned the Rightful King of Our Soul the focus switches from what is right in our eyes to choosing what is love in God's eyes.  So to preserve and promote the Reign of Christ in our hearts by preventing the resurrection of selfishness ^"Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn't love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that". (Ephesians 5:1-2 MSG)  

Walk lovingly, talk lovingly and act lovingly

Ahh yes, love like our Sweet-smelling Savior

                                                                             Lyndi

Insurmountable

Did you ever have a problem that seemed insurmountable?  Are the mountains before you this morning too big?  It's almost impossible not to focus on the troubles and pain when they take up so much space in your days.  When thorny times hit we can often feel overwhelmed by the enormity of it all.  My Coach Wonderful always says, 'there is no way around it, no way over it, no way under it... the only way is thru it'.  True words and you don't have to go it alone... ever!  The God who is capable of creating and sustaining the universe will never be overwhelmed by circumstances or at a loss as to what to do with our hearts and minds in times of trouble.  "Trials, obstacles, difficulties, and sometimes defeats, are the very food of faith".  (George Mueller)   

Do you remember the guy who built the bridge over Niagara Falls?  I don't actually remember him either but I read about him this morning and it inspired this devotional. One of the first problems he faced was how to stretch his first cable across the wide expanse of raging waters. If a boat tried to carry the cable across the river it would be swept over the falls. I don't know if the bridge builder, Charles Eliet prayed or if he read God's Word.  But I have no doubt that it was God who put the idea in Eliet's mind to fly a kite across the river and use the cord to pull a larger cable across. Eliet called for a kite flying contest and a young man named Homan Walsh succeeded on his second try in flying his kite to the opposite shore of the river. The vital link was established and the bridge was built. 

A pearl to string: Sometimes we lose heart when the circumstances seems too great and vast.  If we go on our own wisdom we could be swept over the falls so to speak.  We need to see and trust from God’s perspective and learn to rely on His bigger than life view of the situation.  We have a vital direct link to God the Father available to us that Jesus established.  (John 14:6)  Reading God's Word is building our bridge from our hearts to God's heaven.  God does not make our problems go away He fortifies us with His love to go through them. How can He do that?  By each one of us spending time with Him in His Word on a daily basis and dressing our lives in His peace. 

Hebrews 12:12 (The Message) “So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs.”.  

Know you are loved,

                               Lyndi

A Father's Love

A young man was getting ready to graduate from college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a dealer's showroom, and knowing his father could well afford it, he told him that was all he wanted.  As Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation his father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he was to have such a fine son, and told him how much he loved him. He handed his son a beautiful wrapped gift box.  Curious, but disappointed the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible. Angrily, he raised his voice at his father and said, "With all your money you give me a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the holy book.

Many years passed and while the young man was successful in business, had a beautiful home and a wonderful family he had a restlessness in his soul. He needed to make amends with his father. He had not seen him since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received a message telling him his father had passed away and that he needed to come home immediately and take care things.  When he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and  regret filled his heart.  His father had left him everything.  He began to search his father's important papers and saw the still new Bible, just as he had left it so many years ago. With tears, he opened the Bible and began to turn the pages. As he read those words, a car key dropped from an envelope taped behind the Bible.  It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his graduation, and the words...PAID IN FULL.

A pearl to string:  How many times do we miss God's blessings because they are not packaged as we expected?  I was struck by this story.  The father had given his son his hearts' desire wrapped in the Word of God.  What the father wanted to 'drive' home with his son was the greater gift is to 'walk' with the Lord.  

Don't run out naked in the world today.... clothe your heart in the Word.  Pick up your Bible and read what God has for you today.  "Every word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him".  (Proverbs 30:5)  

You are loved,

                 Lyndi

Potato or Chip

There are many choices that we face day in and day out. Let's get down to bare bones life here. The potato or the chip? The potato is a nutrient-dense food. Rich in vitamin C and hard to get B6 and has long been known to be a storehouse of minerals. Each potato contains valuable supplies of essential trace elements: manganese, chromium, selenium and molybdenum. It's low sodium high potassium, fiber, iron and protein packed and contains the common form of complex carbohydrates important to a good diet plus potatoes are virtually fat-free. /The chip? Not so nutritious for your body. Saturated animal fats are heavy and turn to stone inside the body, hardening the arteries, leaving you at risk of heart attack and stroke. The body is not designed to deal with these types of fats which interfere with blood sugar levels and cause liver stagnation, which can lead to depression and weight gain. The body cannot effectively process bad fats, so many are turned into toxic balls and stored in the body, making you even fatter. The hydrogenated fats change into the ever more dangerous trans-fatty acids which have been shown to cause diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Trans-fatty acids also cause you to gain weight as they interfere with the metabolism and breakdown of essential fatty acids. They increase the bad cholesterol in the body and deplete the good. Free choice! Potato or chip! 

A pearl to string: How about a Spiritual choice? Jesus: Perfect. Holy. Righteous. Loving. Kind. Helpful. Protective. Powerful. Mighty. Restoring. Compassionate. Forgiving. Empowering. Discerning. Consuming. Cleansing. Healing. Delivering. Creating. Smiting. Fulfilling. Providing. Teaching. Purifying. Freeing. Preserving. Victorious. Historical. Reproving. Proven. Incorruptible. Infallible. Trustworthy. Protected. Responsive. Honorable. Reliable. Good. Reputable. Celebrated. Praised. Glorified. Famous. Renowned. Loved. Served. Worshipped. Honored. Sought. Needed. Required. Requested. Beautiful. Living. Breathing. Alive. Active. Amazing. Inspiring. Productive. Imaginative. Abundant. Pure. Wholesome. Safe. Beneficial. Excellent! Eminent. Remarkable. Extraordinary. Supernatural. Miraculous. Astounding. Jesus the Christ is the only onewho could SAVE anyone from having to pay the punishment(s) for their own sins. Thus, as he has said: "I AM the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father [GOD], but by me."

(John 14:6). "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). "Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead. For Jesus is the one referred to in the Scriptures, where it says, 'The stone that you builders rejected has now become the cornerstone.' There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:10-12). /Satan? Great singing voice could probably cut it on American Idol. Charming, beautiful, deceitful, divisive, the beguiling prince of liars. His sIn was prIde. He had "I" problems. He temps people to do evil (1 Thessalonians 3:5), opposes the servants of God (Zechariah 3:1), confuses people about the things of God (Matthew 13:25), and deceives people (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). (NOTE: The lie is one of his most effective tools - John 8:44). Ezekiel 28 Because of his beauty, his heart became proud and his wisdom was corrupted (v. 17) Pride in his perfection, wisdom and beauty (v. 12) became the source of his downfall, and God threw him to the earth (v. 17). Satan's final defeat and his eternal fate are foretold by the Scriptures - Matthew 25:41; Revelation 20:7-10. Your Choice! Jesus or Satan! 

Always remember you are loved

God made a way for you,

                                           Lyndi