Including us!

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 NIV

“We have nothing that is really our own; we hold everything as a loan.” ― Nicolas Poussin

As has been said, “The good news is nothing lasts forever. The bad news is nothing lasts forever.” Loving a person, animal, nature or a good book is healthy. Thinking it will last is unrealistic. And all of it is the Father’s. My child, my spouse, and my home are on loan from the Father. Same with you. And I’ve battled with the Father when it was time to give back to Him what is His. It’s tough to have light hands and open hearts with gratefulness.

Live Life Fully. “None of us are getting out of here alive, so please stop treating yourself as an afterthought. Eat the delicious food. Walk in the sunshine. Jump in the ocean. Say the truth that you are carrying in your heart like hidden treasure. Be silly. Be kind. Be weird. There’s no time for anything else.” Anthony Hopkins. Our Father has given us so much and we’re so focused on being serious, nursing wounds and collecting successes that we’re letting good things and memory-making things slip by. How can we envision heaven when we aren’t enjoying the present with all its delights?

Musings

An ice cream cone while walking barefoot, splashing on our favorite perfume, camping in the backyard and sneaking in some fishing are harmless and overdue treats we should pluck while we’re here. They are so much fun now, cost little but give much, while developing comforting memories for the future. What’s your treat? Enjoy! With a full and thankful heart.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Those special little treats you give us each and every day become background when we lose touch with you. Help us, with thankfulness, to open our eyes, hearts and hands realizing it’s all yours. Thank you.

Amen.

“A fool always loses his temper, But a wise person holds it back.” Proverbs 29:11 NASB

“No matter what type of anger or frustration we have to struggle with, a clear picture of how our faith in God is the answer to anything we need to overcome.” – Carol Graham

Small things don’t matter until you’re in bed with a buzzing mosquito!

Frustration is those annoying, itching, biting mites interfering with our goals, rest and peace. It’s so remarkable that people can handle catastrophes, tragedies and pain better than the daily nits that poke at us. An urgent phone call in the middle of a meeting, a child throwing up in class, or a flat tire on the way to work are those little bugs that throw the whole day out of kilter. Worse, our attitude.

Have you been on the phone to make sure your internet provider is aware of a “bug” in your service? Have you waited an hour to be told we’ll send you a new router then it comes and it’s not the problem? So, it’ll be a week or two before we can send someone to your office to correct the problem and don’t even say they’re sorry? This is what really shows who I am! Bad words come into play. Throwing the router out the window comes to mind. The image of Jesus’ cursing a fig tree that produced no fruit so that it withered and never produced again, gives me a wee bit of satisfaction.

Control. I have, once again, fooled myself into thinking I have it. The big obstacles of life are so hard, it’s true, but we give ourselves grace and admit we do not have control over life and death, tornadoes or floods. We pray. We give ourselves a bit of compassion. We seek assistance. We pray for each other. More importantly, we get back up, dust ourselves off, thank the Father, and start again. It’s the same for the little, annoying, and frustrating things. Life is so full of these! And many times in our day.

Musings

The termites, mites, gnats and bugs of life. These are what cripple our spiritual walk and our joy. The daily “what nows” of life humble us. The belief that we should have control and do have control over the little annoyances deceives us. Perhaps, that’s the point. Let’s start all over again… With grace. They are small things compared to the eternal picture.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you for your wisdom, grace and counsel in the big and the little things. We consider little things annoyances and frustrations but they are the daily disciplines of being more like your Son and living in abundance. No matter what happens today, you are with us and we can joyfully, and with a bit of humor and humility, have a good day. Jesus took the world as it is. We need to do this too.

Amen.

Count the Cost

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?” Luke 14:28

“The cost of a thing is the amount of what I will call life, which is required to be exchanged for it, immediately or in the long run.” ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden

Good things cost. Having a family means your time and money are not your own. Remaining single means you have your time and money but loneliness may haunt you.

Bad things cost. Continuing an addiction means loss of health, friends, family and possibly arrest. Not paying your bills may cost you more than paying them with the rewards of bad credit, no home mortgage or harassment from creditors.

Following Christ costs. However, a lot of things life dishes out to us happen to those who don’t follow Christ too. However, they don’t enjoy a loving relationship with the Father, grace, counseling, spiritual family or eternity with Him. We do. We are to set our sights on what is “Eternal” while the nonbelievers do not. For them, this is it.

Love costs. “But we don’t grieve as those without hope.” “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” Love anything or anyone and it will die. It’s always a shock, but we are comforted knowing this world is not all there is. The Father provides comfort through his Son, creation and fellow Christians. The deeper the love, the deeper the grief. Grief is the final act of loving someone. Even Jesus grieved—the Man of Sorrow.

Everything we do costs something.  Freedom may mean war. Peace may mean conflicts and seemingly endless negotiations. Time spent with an ill friend costs us the time to do something pleasant. Spending time at work and providing for our families means hobbies are on the back burner.

Neglecting our time with the Father is very expensive. I spent the most fulfilling time with my Father in the car commuting. Your slice of intimacy with the Father may be early morning, jogging, over a cup of coffee or in the shower—any time and any place are good. The Father and I discussed everything! From my finances and the deaths of friends or family to asking for the Father to help me be full and reassured of His love, especially when I’ve done wrong. I am dependent on the Father for the very air I breathe. Acts 17:28 confirms this. I have fallen asleep praying to the Father. Experiencing the Father is not the same as knowing about him. We need both. Relationship. Companionship. Freedom from hiding the darkest secrets and struggles is such a gift. And healing. Transforming.  We don’t depend on willpower alone.

Musings

Everything has a price. Jesus fully paid our price so we may “boldly approach the Throne of Grace and find help in time of need.” Think of the Father’s price—the crucifixion of his only Son.

No matter the struggle, the Father is always there for us. He always brings good out of bad to those who love Him. He loves us more than we can comprehend but we’re learning.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you for Your Son who fully paid the price so we may be called your children. Guide us in the choices we make today. Help us to see and count the costs and our blessings, especially the price Jesus paid so we can have communion with You—to be called Your friend.

Amen.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away. Behold, the new has come! Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17

“Change is never painful, only the resistance to change is painful.” Buddha

Everything is God’s and not mine. It was agony when it was time to put my little dog to sleep. She was gone. She is God’s. But still, there’s pain. I hang on. I still have her collar, numerous photos and still shed tears. Love. Gratefulness. Compassion. Relationship. And a new dog. I became just a bit better with my little dog.

Then there are other changes that are not sentimental or loving. Every time I try to quit a bad habit, addiction or judgment, there’s pain involved. Trying to overcome low self-esteem, melancholy, the past is formidable. I am a new person, yet I cling to and resist changing. Even the Apostle Paul personally struggled with this frustration described in Romans! These things are obviously bad for me and remain a part of me because it’s comfortable, like old pajamas that are no longer useful. Then, immediate regret. Attachment. False security. Instant gratification. Toxic relationship. Someone has to help me accept and live this new life and let go of destructive behaviors. God sees this new creation even if others, including myself, do not. Yes, pain is involved. Eventually, joy.

Musings

Picturing ourselves as a new creation takes practice. It involves letting go while enduring the emptiness and trusting our Father. I grab worldly things to fix me and they always let me down. We have a helper to guide and encourage new behavior. We have grace as we stumble one step forward and several back. But new creations we are and we have a relationship with our father, with each other while our grip lets go of “false idols.” Eventually, we glimpse this new creation in ourselves and fulfill God’s plan.

Prayer

Father,

Help us to see attachments and let them go. Help us to see relationships, especially our relationship with you. Help us to see what you saw when you created us.

Everything is yours and we are fortunate that you’ve blessed us with everything pertaining to life and joyfulness. Help us loosen our grip on what is not beneficial and grow into you.

Amen

The Most Effective Character Builder

“And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” Matthew 7:25 ESV

“Life will keep bringing you the same test over and over again until you pass it.” Unknown

Have you felt like life is a setup? Do you wonder why evil people live in prosperity and you’ve barely got enough money for milk and bread? Why are your loved ones deceased and others living joyfully with their loved ones? Me too. I’ve read repeatedly in the Bible that our primary goal is to become more Like the Son, Jesus. And many times it feels so bad! Life is a test. But…

He promises us and God cannot lie:

“So that you may [show yourselves to] be the children of your Father who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on those who are evil and on those who are good, and makes the rain fall on the righteous [those who are morally upright] and the unrighteous [the unrepentant, those who oppose Him].”

Who we are under pressure is who we truly are. For me, it’s not pretty! And it reinforces my total dependency on the Father. John the Baptist said, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”  Life is a test.

Dependency. There’s so much out there about co-dependency, self-improvement and success training, which surely builds us and shows improvement. But the Father’s way is to accept and even embrace our failings with him. If we don’t, we will rationalize, intellectualize (my go-to) or deny the truth. Something as simple as losing my temper over the smallest thing like my dog barking non-stop can drive me to frustration. Why? It’s a test and shows my very human logic: I want control over the dog. I can’t so I’m a bad dog owner. I’m a bad person. The neighbors will see what a bad person I am. See how this works? I’m not embracing or accepting at all of my dog, myself or the Father!

And the Father uses others to get our attention. The greatest lessons in my life were handed to me by the Father and they were always others—even a dog. When the boss is demanding, the children are whining, the grocery clerk is snippy and the news depresses me—all character development tests. And I’ve failed them many, many times but realizing I’m truly loved by the Father opens my heart. I sometimes fearfully ask him, “What’s the lesson?” In Psalm 139 it says, “Test me Lord and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” It’s a prayer that is always answered. It takes a huge amount of honesty, humility and bravery. And the Father will send the right situation to nudge us forward. With him. Until we pass the test.

Musings

Time for a very honest conversation with the Father. Let’s face it; He knows anyway. Being honest with the Father about ourselves is never easy. It’s never a quick situation. It requires uncomfortable truths, prayer and self-reflection. But it works! It’s peaceful. It’s encouraging. It brings joy even in the midst of turmoil. And it makes us more like the Father’s Son.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you for Your Son, our High Priest, who never punishes but welcomes our honesty and struggle. We are doing the best we can because we love you but we will always need you to do what is right and good in the storm. Thank you for causing all things to work to good.

Amen.

“And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrews 11:6 NIV (Emphasis mine)

“There is no reward from God to those who seek it from men.” Charles Spurgeon

Our first action as new Christians is to love God. Without Him, “We can do nothing.” We might make a little progress in overcoming a bad habit, committing to raising our families or a whole host of things we make a priority. But the joy? The true healing? The intimacy?  Motivation? Desire? Lessons? We will miss out and slog through obligations and duties. They will become tedious, boring and unfulfilling. No true relationship. Imagine being in a relationship, whether spouse, child or friend, and we do our duty but nothing more.

And we don’t and can’t please Him without his help. Our whole being is made to love and worship the Father first and we even need His help with this.  The monk, Brother Lawrence, shared how doing dishes in the monastery was a loving and worshipful thing. Jesus washed the disciple’s dirty feet even though He was the Creator of everything. I may not feel good about it but I know when I’m cleaning the bathroom, I’m doing it for the Father— “Doing my work heartily as unto the Lord.”

That pleases the Father. As I’m down on my knees cleaning around the commode, I thank the Father for a bathroom with running water. I thank him for all the delightful bubble baths my grandchildren had. The soft and well-worn towels embraced my grandchildren. The rescued muddy pets pouting in the tub make me smile (peanut butter helped). This bathroom is the Father’s. It’s on loan. I hang on lightly.

Musings

Richard Rohr said, “Some days even a grasshopper can convert me.” This happens because our Father rewards those who earnestly seek him. Even doing the mundane like paying the bills or doing laundry is a faith that pleases our Father. And it happens every day. Some call it serendipity but it’s a joyous reward from the Father.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you for your Son who demonstrated over and over how the daily chores can be another way our faith in you is expressed. We are caring for your gracious gifts here with thanks. Help us to hold lightly the things on Earth while envisioning your Paradise.

Thank you for rewarding us. We earnestly seek you today.

Amen.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 ESV

“Share your weaknesses. Share your hard moments. Share your real side. It’ll either scare away every fake person in your life or it will inspire them to finally let go of that mirage called “perfection,” which will open the doors to the most important relationships you’ll ever be a part of.”
― Dan Pearce, Single Dad Laughing

Spring cleaning! I’m committed to driving dirt from my home so I can play in garden dirt all summer. Fall cleaning isn’t as ambitious but with the holidays appearing right after Halloween, cleaning will be a “lick and a promise.” And the late comedian, George Carlin said, “Your house will never be absolutely clean.” Truth. And we will never be absolutely clean without Jesus.

Or, “close counts.” True for Horseshoes and hand grenades. Works for spring cleaning too. But close will not work with the Father.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life.” Nothing else is good enough.

When I strive for perfection, it never happens.

Perfect means complete in the Bible. We are complete when we depend on Jesus. Jesus said, “Without me, you can do nothing.” We are free to get back up and start again because we depend on Jesus, not ourselves. We are free to risk. We are free to love, after all, Jesus is Love. And importantly, we learn to laugh at some of our mistakes. Taking ourselves too seriously means we’ve replaced our Father with another—Ourselves!

We need a sense of humor! Let’s learn from this old vaudeville performer:

Charlie Chaplin once told a joke in front of an audience.

Everyone laughed.

And he brought it back for the second time, so only some laughed.

When he brought it back for the third time, no one laughed.

Then he said beautiful lines:

“If you can’t laugh and laugh at the same joke, why do you cry and cry for the same grief and affliction?”

So enjoy every moment of your life – Charlie Chaplin left leaving a great legacy without saying a word or hurting anyone’s feelings. We remember these sentences that touch the heart.

Musings

Our Father is totally aware of our sins, flaws and shortcomings. We need to view our frustrations, tantrums and challenges with a light hand and heart remembering who is Creator and who is not. We need to focus on being excellent and joyful for one day. Tomorrow is not ours.

We are good enough because of Jesus’ work on the cross and the Holy Spirit who abides in us. Today and always.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you for Your Son, Jesus, who completes us and our works. We have grown so much because of this. Help us to view ourselves and our foibles, quirks, losses and mistakes with grace and a sense of humor. Help us do this with others too. Most people are doing the very best they can, which includes us. Trying to be perfect interferes with love for you, others and ourselves.

Amen.

The Waiting

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV (Emphasis mine)

“Patience is not simply the ability to wait—it’s how we behave while waiting.” Joyce Meyer

Waiting in traffic, waiting in line, waiting to grow up, waiting for my husband to come home from war, waiting for a diagnosis, waiting for retirement, waiting for an answer to prayer, even waiting to die—all tell me about myself and my relationship with the Father. All waiting shows my faithfulness or lack.

Most of life is waiting. Our Father is an artist and waiting is a sharp and painful tool He uses to sculpt us into something beautiful. It’s also a time to get honest with the Father and ourselves—something we’re avoiding may need attention before moving on.

Most of life is beyond our control. That’s why waiting is so uncomfortable and stretches us to the limit. We can’t control most situations. Beauty is the last thing we see or experience, especially if it’s a loved one who is in trouble or ill. Faith is one of the antidotes, regardless of feelings. Reviewing our past personal rescues and experiences from the Father helps.

I waited for my son to be born and there was great happiness when he entered our lives! While I waited, I did everything I could spiritually and physically to ensure my son would arrive healthy.

I waited for my husband to die with anguish over his suffering. His death ushered in relief. Grief, to be sure, but I was relieved he was with the Father where there is no pain. Death is inevitable—such a hard truth and no control whatsoever! It has taken years to understand much of this journey and I still can’t grasp all of it. I could not fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

I wish I could say I waited patiently but I did not. There was too much drinking. Too much worrying. Too much loneliness. Too little prayer. Too many medical bills. Too little asking for help. Too little sleep and food. Too much anger at my Father and the situation. Some of my behavior I regret.

But I trust the Father will make everything beautiful in its time—with tears sometimes. Even my bad behavior. He will for you too. We may not understand all of it in this lifetime but we will see usefulness and beauty.

Musings

Waiting doesn’t mean we do nothing. We pray, we do our daily duties and live in only today. We seek help. We ask for help. We forgive ourselves when our behavior does not match our faith. We hang onto the Father’s grace, which never runs out. We read the Psalms with their feelings, wisdom and trust in God—the perfect examples of prayer. I see very ill children on TV with their weary parents waiting for a miracle. Thank God there are professionals in partnership with the Father who are there for the parents and the children. How can God make this beautiful? I don’t know. He will. He just does. He’s a sculptor.

Prayer

Dear Father,

Thank you for the beauty around us and in us. We don’t always see it or have faith to wait. But we know each time we get up, pray and go about our daily duties, our faith is in action and faith pleases You. We trust. We wait with thanks.

Amen.

But just for a little while.

“Whoever listens to you listens to me; whoever rejects you rejects me; but whoever rejects me rejects him who sent me.” Luke 10:16 ESV

“When you lose someone or something, try not to think of it as a loss, but as a gift that lightens your load so that you can better travel the path meant for you.” Marc and Angel, Hack Life

Oh! How it hurts to be rejected! From the adolescent years to old age, rejection happens. And we all have questions about ourselves, don’t we?

What did I do wrong?

Was it something I said or did?

Am I inadequate, insufficient, uneducated, stupid or naïve? (You’re not).

Some self-reflection is good but when it turns into obsessing and ruminating, we are stuck and useless.

People don’t know you well enough to judge you. Even Paul said he didn’t judge himself but entrusted himself to the Father.

If you’re truly rejected, it’s usually not personal—it probably is the other’s issue. If you’re rejected, it truly is a gift. They weren’t right for you. With Jesus, rejection was personal, they tried to trick him, lie about him and ultimately, killed him. But his death has lifted our burdens if only we will see it and act accordingly. Jesus’ yoke is easy and his burden is light.

The book I’m reading by David G. Benner, The Gift of Being Yourself, teaches that the only way to be your authentic self is through a personal relationship with the Father. And I so love authentic people! They just glow! They have strength, compassion and courage—so attractive! I think of an old ballad by Gordon Lightfoot called Everyday People, which describes the heart and love of authentic people.

If they reject you they may be rejecting the Father and Son. If so, shake the dust off your feet and be open to another. It’s not your burden. It’s theirs and the Father’s. Sometimes we call that “Detachment with Love.” Sometimes that is what it takes for change—leave them with the Father. It’s not abandonment. It’s leaving the person with the ultimate Counselor.

Musings

Surrender to the Father. Respond to His voice. Let Him transform. Instead of just knowing about God, we experience a relationship with Him. No diploma, education, high IQ or status is required, in fact, they may interfere. Many realize Jesus had no diploma, formal education or status but just went out calling his sheep even while being rejected by his own. Look what was accomplished! He was fully God and fully human and took on all rejection, even rejection from his Father from the cross.

Prayer

Dear Father,

You and Your Son have suffered rejection that is impossible to comprehend. We may not feel grateful, but we’re grateful we share in Your rejection because it transforms us to be more like Jesus and fulfills Your purpose.

Thank you for burdens that are light because of Your Son.

Amen.