Resolutions

So it is that time of year again. I will make resolutions hoping that I will do better this year than last.
My list this year:
More time with my family
Walk 3-5 times a week
Control my nighttime munchies
Stick to a budget, especially in the grocery category
Balance rest and ministry
Write each day
Tackle the technical things that do not work for me, ie digital camera, etc
Find a way to make an impact in my community
Keep my car in better condition
Enjoy life more and stress about things less
Did you know that God has a list of resolutions for us too?
We call them the 10 commandments. Think of how keeping them will improve the quality of life around you just as keeping your resolutions will improve your life as well.
But here is the kicker:
I can't do any better keeping them than I can with my 2007 list of ways I am going to try harder.
Here is the great news- God knows it and that is why He sent Jesus. He now writes His list on my heart and gives me the Holy Spirit to enable me to keep them and grace to forgive me when I fail.
What freedom.
So I can look at both lists and ask Him to make me competent since I am not in myself. Then relax in Him.
Happy 2007

You get what you pay for

I am a fall guy( 0r gal) for a bargain. We lived humbly growing up so did without a lot. Then as a single Mom I learned to make do. When I married a man who loves to get something on sale, I leaned a whole new art form. It's even better if he has a coupon, if it is good for sale items. I remember a long wool coat he bought me that was 50% off and then and other 25% off with his coupon. It was a good bargain and still my 'dress coat' today. His shopping defies the saying 'you get what you pay for".
Now some of my bargains are not so hot. The guitar with lessons - five easy minutes - got me just that- five minutes of nothing. The free dog we acquired who cost $100.00 the first week is another example.
But my best evidence for 'you get what you pay for' is the Kleenex I bought last week at the height of our colds. To begin with it was NOT Kleenex. But I was not put off. In fact I bought two boxes feeling smug in getting such a good price. Who needs name brands anyway? All was fine until I opened the box. At that moment with my nose dripping like a sieve and I was desperate to have something to stay the flow. 'The proof was in the 'pudding' or bargain brand kleenex ,if you know what I mean. I have never heard of single ply tissue have you? Well I have now. UGH. Jon just mumbled, " you get what you pay for" and walked off to seek out some toilet tissue ( where I do NOT scrimp). To make it worse, we had no other boxes in the house, just my two useless bargain boxes. They are called VITAL. If you see them do not be fooled. They are not vital in any way , shape or form.
What if salvation was subjected to the 'you get what you pay for rule'? That would be a sorrier state of affairs than my useless tissues. What can you pay to wash away your sin? The Jews used the blood of animals but even that did not eliminate their sin, only covered it until the cross.
God said that without the shedding of blood, there is not forgiveness for sin. But how can we shed our blood?
He also said that all our good deeds that we do are like filthy rags in his sight. ( that means like dirty menstrual cloths). So that leaves out acts of kindness.
So, since there is nothing we can pay, we are totally dependent on God's grace where he chose to pay for us. Jesus' blood is the covering for our sin and goes beyond to eliminate it. God says he erases it from our account ( like having someone pay your credit card bill only eternally more important).
We pay nothing and get everything.
Unlike me paying a little for tissues and getting nothing.
Salvation is better than a bargain, it is a matter of life and death.

All audiences

Yesterday Jon and I went to the movie. That is not a regular occurrence for us. If we make 2 movies a year, we are doing good. But it seemed the right day to see the Nativity. It sure gave us insights into things we read about but now can picture. For instance, how far Mary and Joseph had to travel to get to Bethlehem. Or how oppressive the Roman government was and why they were crying out for a Deliverer, for Immanuel.
As you well know, in the course of a movie showing, they show previews of upcoming movies before the main feature. We saw several and before each one were assured that the preview was for all audiences. One such preview was for Charlotte's Web. I loved that book as a kid and reading it to the girls was a treat too. But I had forgotten that one of the main characters is a 'star"( rats spelled backward). Jon had to keep covering his face and declaring I had not better think he was going to see THAT movie. When they rated it for all audiences, they obviously did NOT have Jon in mind.
As I thought about that later, I thought about how God sent Jesus for ALL men( all audiences). The Jews thought the Messiah was coming just for them. But God is no respecter of persons. He longs for all men to come to a knowledge of the truth of his love and plan for their salvation. Even Christians can act at times as though God loves them only and not the other lost sheep. He just loves, for it is his nature. And his love is available for all audiences. No one is left out .

Happy Birthday Jesus

Happy ( earthly) Birthday Jesus ( yes I know it was not December 25th)
I'm so glad it's Christmas
All the carols and bells
Make the Holidays swell
But the real gift is YOU
Happy Birthday Jesus
Jesus I love you

Happy 34th

Today Jon and I celebrate our 34th year of marriage. Only God could have done that and we give Him all the praise and thanks.
We are off to party!

New shoes?

Well, I have recovered from my funk over my shoes and nails. At least I think that I have.
Today I went to the mall with a friend and took my $10.00 off coupon at J. C Penneys' to the shoe department. All their boots were 50% off! I tried on 4 pairs and settled on one that my friend says looks good. I hope that it feel good after the first few minutes.
Then we visited her optical store and I saw a frame I really wanted. I noted in the mirror that mine was 'too loud'. When you look at my face, it screams frame and not lovely lady. So perhaps I will have to have new glasses too.
I know that I am frugal to the point of being frumpy at times. It bugs Jon I am sure. So I am going to work on a new look.
In the quiet of the evening God brought a new thought. While he loves for me to look lovely, I have once again spent time and now money on the outward appearance. He wants to redecorate my heart too. A new attitude, humility. A new mouth with gentle words. A new peace from contentment in any situation. A new emotional life with joy in the face of hard times. A new confidence from trusting God no matter what. Best of all, it costs me nothing financially. But it does cost my will surrendered to Him and his will for me. Sounds like a good trade and no sore feet!

Shoes and Nails

Yesterday I went to a Christmas party. There were 39 other nice ladies, some I knew, some I didn't. It was a progressive dinner with lots of good food, more than we could eat at each house.
The problem for me began when I noted upon arrival that I had not chosen the 'right' shoes. Everyone had on black shoes- boots or whatever. For whatever reason I had not chosen my shoes so carefully and began to focus on what I did not have that measured up. In hindsight, I should have taken them off and tucked them under my purse. In truth , no one looked at my shoes except me.
Then I battled with not knowing most of the ladies or how to find a group to join without looking needy. Again, all I focused on was ME. So many nice ladies to get to know and I did find a new friend or two.
At dinner, the subject came up about nails. I hate my hands, having creeping cuticle that seems to grow a inch a day and nails that split and crack. I have tried to polish them but it seems to disappear before the day is out. As they talked about their nails, I hid my hands under the table( with my shoes). Again the focus in my mind was ME.
What could have been a nice evening was spoiled by my self- conscious mindset. And note that the first word is SELF.
UGH.
I know that Jesus told a parable about a wedding banquet . The master of ceremonies noticed one man who did not have wedding clothes on. He was thrown out. Boy am I glad that the ladies saw my heart and not my shoes and nails. They, like God, did not focus on outward appearances but on the heart. Now if I can cut myself some slack and do the same.

Any portable potty in a storm

Some in my family are more discriminating than others - about their potty. Jon hates to go away from home. My Father told the story of a dog on the warship who would not go until they hit land.( this is an unverifiable story, I admit) Buddy will only go away from home. Deborah started a rating system a couple of years ago for public restrooms. Ruth, wrote a piece several years ago about the joy of the public restroom where no child or kitten is trying to attack you under the door and you get a full 2 minutes to yourself.
All this bathroom talk was prompted by my early morning walk with Buddy today. It was 5:45 AM , windy and very rainy. I was trying to hurry him, but to no avail. He had to smell every leaf on the block- then re-smell( if there is such a word) again, looking for the perfect place. No pushing or nudging with my knee would budge him from his search. After what seemed like forever we hurried home where I had to dry him off before I could even think about entering the house. I vowed to purchase a raincoat and boots for both of us if this is an ugly, wet winter.
I am the least discriminating of all the family. I used a outhouse for many months in my junior year of high school. I even had an old fashioned chamber pot under the bed for those dark cold nights! We have way too many pictures of me going into or out of a public restroom. I can go just about anywhere. Any potty in a storm, unlike my dog.
I well remember my Reno air races story when Ruth was three and Deborah 4 months old. An unnamed someone enjoyed the races while I stood in the portable potty line with a three old and a tiny baby. That story repeated itself, as history often does, when Deborah was 25 and Micah 2 at the Castle Air Force base air show. I had to take Micah to the portable potty, undo his diaper, try to get him to pee, avoiding putting my hand or head in the urinal in the close space or dropping him in, never to be seen again.
Don’t even get me started on the 100 ways you can lose the seat protector before you sit on it. It might fry your brain. You can see that I spend a lot of time in bathrooms, public or otherwise and any one will do.
But when it comes to my faith or my God, I am very discriminating. Only Jesus is the way to God the Father. I won’t budge from that. In a storm, I only want Jesus .

Day of infamy

Today we remember that' day of infamy".
I was not even born when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Those who were alive remember where they were when the news hit, I am sure.
In the same way, my grandsons and all of us, too, remember where they were on 9-11-01 when the twin towers fell.
Where is God when evil strikes- taking a nap, powerless to control evil? What?
My faith rests in the fact that God is sovereign. Nothing escapes his notice.He can see the end from the beginning. He never makes a mistake. He is invincible, infinite, unchanging and self-sufficient.
I also rest in that fact that I do not have to explain God or his actions. I don't have to unravel his plan. Such things I can file in a mental box labeled" things I can't fathom" and leave them there until eternity.
The answer that Elise Wiesel, Nobel Laureate, gave a fellow prisoner hit me hard:
Question:" Where is God Where is he?" ( as Jewish prisoners were being executed)
Answer: " Right there with each one, suffering with them, Where else?"
That is the God I know. Immanuel- God with us.
To stop the evil on others is to take back the free will he gave us. But we can know for sure that in the end, all wrongs will be righted.
Can good come?
Eleanor Stump states:
" So, in an odd sort of way, the mirror of evil can also lead us to God. A loathing focus on the evils of our world and ourselves prepares us to be the more startled by the taste of true goodness when we find it and the more determined to follow where it leads. And where it leads is to the truest goodness of all- the goodness of God."
God is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Especially when that evil touches us unfairly.

My lucky day

Today I snagged:
free !
a bunch of bananas
four umbrellas
two camellias
two gardenias
a Christmas cactus
an orchid
a real fur coat
no waiting at the post office
God says he will supply all our needs.
Today his provision covered wants too and beyond. ( what will I do with the mink coat?)

World AIDS day

So where would Jesus be on this day?
Feeding the homeless man who has AIDS.
Holding the hand of gay man who is in the hospital, dying and alone.
Visiting the prisoner who is HIV positive and does not even know it.
Caring for the prostitute with AIDS who is used up and abandoned.
Tending the orphan in Africa whose whole family has died and has been rejected because of the 'curse' on him.
Where should I be? Being Jesus hands and feet.
Only He who is without sin can cast the first stone and He would not.