Working for Eternity

Therefore, my dear brothers (and sisters inferred) stand firm.  Let nothing move you.  Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.  I Corinthians 15:58

Our work for the Lord is not in vain.  Sometimes it feels like it is.  There are times we work and work and work and everything seemingly just keeps going down hill.  Mothers and stay at home dads know exactly what I am talking about.  You get up every morning, make breakfast, clean house and something else gets destroyed so you have to repair or replace it and messed up so that you have to start all over again.  It feels like you are going nowhere rapidly.  What we must focus on is that the work God is speaking of here is the work that affects eternity.  Our most important job isn't trying to impress the world with how tidy and perfect the home we live in is.  It is impressing the world with how wonderfully marvelous our God is by how we rear our children and treat our spouse.
It's about being generous and loving towards our neighbors and all those with which we come in contact.  These are the things that will never be done in vain.  We may not see the results while here on earth for all our efforts, but we will see them in heaven.
Yesterday I woke to pressure on my chest.  I was having an asthma attack.  I reached for my inhaler and the mouthpiece was missing.  I called the pharmacy to get a refill prescription, but the earliest it would be ready was 11:00 am, 4 hours away and right when grandchildren were due to come over.  I hated to do it, but I called my youngest son and asked if he had a spare mouthpiece.  He did, so I drove there and received the medication I needed.  A few minutes later I was on my way home feeling much better.  I wanted to feel really good while my grandbabies were here.  Praise God for my generous children who, though still in bed when I called, were more than happy to provide what I needed.

During lunch one of the children accidentally knocked over his lemonade.  Juice went flying into my granddaughters face and lap, down my curtains (washed and pressed days earlier), all over the table and two chairs and the floor.  I had to make a quick choice.  Do I get upset and tell everyone to get up so I could clean the mess, or stay calm in order to teach them that getting upset doesn't change anything, so we might as well keep doing what needs to be done and stay happy?  I chose the second option.  I admit that my granddaughter made the choice easier.  She started yelling that the juice was in her eye, jumped up and ran to the bathroom.  When she came back she started to complain. I looked at her and asked, "Does getting upset change the fact that you have lemonade all over you?"  She answered, "no," so I went on.  "Then why don't we all choose to stay calm, clean up the mess and go on with our day and have fun?"  She gave me a rather startled look and said, "Okay."  That was that.  When I think back when I was rearing my own children, I didn't react so well every time.  I didn't yell, because I knew that would make my children jumpy at meal time, but I know I didn't make the best expressions and there were many times I would say, "Oh (insert child's name here)."

However, I discovered the other day while at my youngest son's house at lunch, that staying calm paid off with at least one of my children.  His daughter spilled her milk.  He said nothing, but simply jumped up and got paper towels to clean up the mess.  His daughter smiled and said she was sorry, it was an accident.  I told her we knew and that she should be happy she has a daddy that understands and doesn't get angry.  What a blessing that was to me!

Rearing children while trying to maintain a loving and generous attitude toward your spouse can be exasperating and exhausting, but it is well worth the effort and has eternal rewards.  As neighbors watch your children grow and mature with a wonderful attitude toward life and an assurance that they are loved and accepted and a marvelous work ethic, they will want to know how you did it. They will also want to know how your marriage has remained strong, steadfast and happy all these years.   You can share with them, "With blood, sweat and tears, but mostly by grace of almighty God!!"  What a tremendous testimony!

Lord, help us remember, especially in the most trying times of being spouse and parent, that our work is never in vain when done for Your glory.  It all has everlasting rewards that we will understand fully and marvel at when we reach our heavenly home, if not beforehand. 

Forever Family

I remember the excitement of being a new wife.  For the first few weeks it was totally awesome.  Then the first phone bill came.  I had rung up quite a bill for back then by calling my mom long distance.  My husband became a different man at that point.  Suddenly he was upset and telling me how I had to control myself.  He knew I missed my parents, but I was his wife now and needed to concentrate on that rather than on being their daughter.  Woe!  I was angry and hurt.  I cried (but not in front of him) and told God how unfair it was. 
There were other times similar to this that happened over that first year and then, after not quite two years of marriage, our daughter was born.  Somehow, I went from being this well organized neat freak to a person who just couldn't keep up.  I was told I just needed to be more organized.  Less than 2 years later our first son was born.  I became worse and I was told that I really needed to get more organized.  Less than 2 years after that our second son was born and I was asked, "How in the world do you get anything done around here?!"  All comments from my husband.  The last one made me smile outwardly and laugh inwardly.
There were several things that helped me tremendously in balancing being a wife and mother.  One thing I learned that helped tremendously with being a wife was learning that my husband should come first after God in my life.  My children were only a hair's breadth below him, but I needed to remember that without him, I wouldn't have children in the first place.  So, as difficult as it was, I started to listen to what he needed from me and doing it, even if it meant I had to put off having that picnic lunch with the kids for an hour or possibly until the next day.  I always explained why, and then hugged them a bunch. Then I would read over Proverbs 31 as a refresher that I was doing the right thing.  I printed it out by hand and posted it on our refrigerator as a daily reminder.

As for being the best mom I could be, I read Zig Ziglar's Raising Positive Kids in a Negative World, James Dobson's books about child rearing and scriptures about how children are a blessing from the Lord (so I didn't forget when I became totally frustrated.)

Two poems were my mainstay:

Cleaning and scrubbing can wait 'til tomorrow

For children grow up we've learned to our sorrow.

So quiet down cobwebs, Dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

And the ever famous "Children Learn What They Live."

I made many mistakes as a wife and mother, but praise be to God, He looked at my heart and saw that its desire was to be the best I could be, so He looked beyond those mistakes and made our family an eternal one.  I have three children here on earth and they are all marvelous in their own way.  They are all three strong willed, determined young people and I pray they continue growing in the Lord, using that determination to serve Him to the fullest of their capabilities.  He gave me three wonderful children-in-law and 7 grandchildren so far.  But before this, He gave me a man to love me unconditionally, even when I wrecked the car, broke the side view mirror, tore up the kitchen wall, and so many other things.  He's been patient and willing to teach me anything I want to know.

He warms me when having a freezing fit, cares for me when I am ill, does possibly more housework than I do and continues supporting me in each endeavor, even though sometimes he has to caution me that I may be making a mistake and need to take time to pray first.  What more could I ask for?  Only one thing - a closer walk with Jesus every day!!

If I could, I would make it a per-requisite for all couples to read together the following books: For Women Only, For Men Only, The Five Love Languages, Men are from Mars and Women from Venus.  Before they have children I would have them read the books mentioned above and add Five Love Languages of Children.  I know that is a lot of reading, but in the world we live in, we have forgotten that each family member has an individual role.  We try to make each family member behave as we do.  We are each unique and we need to instead learn to cultivate the God given gifts within each of us and utilize them in a manner that makes us a strong family indeed.

Lord, in this hustle bustle world we live in, it seems things would run a lot  more smoothly if everyone simply thought as we do.  We tend to forget that it is individualistic thinking that brings about medicinal cures, innovative electronic devices, new means of transportation and so much more.  Help us learn to appreciate who it is You have created us to be as well as who You have created our family members to be.  Help us to play off each other in a manner that is pleasing to You and helps us develop more Christ-like qualities in our family as a whole.  May we bring You great joy in the sacrifices we make in order to bring this about.

Teaching to Learn

.....teachers of good things.  Titus 2:3

There is a vast difference between being a teacher and being called to teach.  We are all teachers whether we want to be or not.  I have taught this many times over.  We need to think about, mull over and acknowledge that people are indeed watching us and learning from us.  The all too real question is: just what is it we are teaching them? 
Sometimes something can seem so logical to us that we apply our knowledge to a situation only to discover we were wrong.  Just a couple of days ago I was looking for some sheet music.  I remembered placing it on the kitchen table, but where it went from there eluded me.  I searched the house over for it, but it was not to be found.  I cried out to God for help in locating it.  The thought went through my mind, "Look in your mom's box of pictures."  I refused, because there was no way in my mind that it could have gotten there.  That box is in the basement, for goodness sake!  How in the world could my music get in there?

(You know where this is going, but I'll finish anyway.)  The next day I searched the house all over again.  I asked God to help again.  There was that thought again!  "Go look in your mom's box of pictures."  I refused again, believe it or not, because there was no feasible way my music could have gotten in there.  Later that afternoon, while our oldest grandson was here watching me, not knowing what I was doing, I prayed again as I kept searching.  This time a memory of working with my mom's pictures popped into my head and the words, "Go look in your mom's picture box."  This time the words sounding rather frustrated.  Well, I finally listened (but it took the reminder of there being a "slight" possibility) and there it was, about three albums down.  I brought my music upstairs and confessed to my grandson what I had done.  I said, "Stupid, huh?"  He laughed and said, "Yeah."  I then said, "God saw me put my music in that box, didn't he?"  He had that ornery grin that says "I cannot believe what I am hearing," nodded his head and said, 'Yeah!"  with that lilt that says, "DUH!" 

We (I) have to realize and grasp on to the fact that God is all knowing and we are not.  I have to fight against pride virtually daily and this story proves it.  I had to immediately go to God and apologize for thinking myself smarter than He.  I am so thankful that He is able to look beyond my (our) faults to the blood of Jesus that keeps me clean before Him and forgive me.  All I need do is ask. 

Asking God's help and then shunning it when given due to our walking in knowledge rather than wisdom is an all too common event.  I could tell many stories on myself and I wish I could say I learned so well from them that it will never happen again.  I do learn something each time, but there is always so much more to learn that I end up doing something stupid again later. 

We will never stop learning and I mean that literally.  I believe that even in heaven we will continue to learn.  We will learn more and more about God daily.  What an exciting and exhilarating thought!!  While here on this earth, we must remember that we are not only learning, but teaching.  If we make a mistake, we must acknowledge and confess it, so that those watching our lives unfold will know that it is in doing so that we become more and more free.  If we see someone making a mistake, we need to speak up when God places the words in our hearts to do so and rescue them.  If they refuse to listen, then they are evidently needing to learn a new lesson themselves.  As hard as it is for us to watch those we love and care about go through such things, we must also remember that God the Father is the greatest Teacher of all and trust Him to get the message across.

There is an old old joke about a man who was on his roof due to a raging flood surrounding his house.  He cries out to God to rescue him.  A raft comes along and the man on it tells the man on the roof to climb aboard.  He refuses because he knows real help is on the way.  Along comes a large boat with the offer of rescue.  The man declines once again.  Along comes a helicopter, but they too are refused.  The man drowns and goes to heaven.  He goes up to God and asks, "God, I prayed for a miracle rescue.  Why didn't You rescue me?"  God's reply, "I sent a raft, a boat and a helicopter and you refused them all!"

Father, You alone are the all wise Teacher.  You are the only One from Whom we can gain wisdom and understanding.  Cultivate our hearts and make them fertile to receive Your wisdom and help us to seek it diligently with all our hearts.  May we teach as You would teach and learn the things we have need of to become master teachers for Your glory and honor.

Words of Worth

.....not slanderers or slaves to drink.  Titus 2:3

People are prone to gossip. We use different words for it to make it sound better like: concern - "I'm so concerned about him.  He seems so sullen all the time.  I wonder if everything's okay in their marriage." worry - I'm so worried that they'll lose their house.  He doesn't seem to care if he has a job or not!"  excitement - "Did you hear that she won first place in the singing contest?  I'm so excited for her!  Of course, if my daughter had participated..."  and so on.

Gossip:  Casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.

I notice that it doesn't say anything about the comments being negative or derogatory.  It simply says things that are not confirmed as true.  "She had the job interview today.  She's got it in the bag.  I'm so happy for her!"  What happens if she doesn't get the job?  People start congratulating her and she feels worse about not getting it than she did originally.  Sometimes we actually get it in or heads (or is that only me?) that we are being helpful in saying things like this.  We think we are being encouraging, when in fact, we are being hurtful.

The Greek word used in Titus is diabolos which has the short definition of "slanderous, the Slanderer, the Devil."

So when we gossip, regardless if it is what we consider positive or negative, we are evidently acting like the devil himself.  UGH!
I pray we learn to want to sound like Jesus as well as look like Him.  We need to remember to never say anything about another person that you would not be willing to say to them directly.

Here is an old adage that is very wise:
            "Simple people talk about other people.
             Average people talk about things.
             Wise people talk about ideas."

As far as slaves to drink, we should not want to be slaves to anything or anyone except the Lord Himself.  Anything in this world we seemingly cannot let go of becomes an object or worship, an idol, and we become enslaved to it; whether gossip, drugs, alcohol, overeating, exercise, health food, someone we love, etc.  God should be the One and Only object of our worship.

Lord, there are daily opportunities thrown in our paths to bow before the god of gossip and idol worship.  I pray that You would remind us at each one that, if we give in, we are acting like Satan himself.  Lord, we do not want to sound or look anything at all like him.  We want others to not only see You in our behavior, but hear You in the words and manner with which we speak.  Continue making us more like You daily.

The Age of Honor

Bid the older women similarly to be reverent and devout in their deportment as becomes those engaged in sacred service...Titus 2:3a

Some who read this may think, "But I am not an older woman yet, so what is my role?"  My answer is, "You're older than someone."

I believe Paul wrote about the older women because either there was a problem in Titus' church where they were concerned or they simply felt they had no ministry and Paul wanted Titus to encourage them that they most certainly did.

I really like the NIV translation on this verse:  Similarly, teach the older women to live in a way that honors God.  It is very straight forward in my opinion.  Every woman should live in a way that honors God.  

The word honor is of great importance.  When we do something that pleases a parent, it makes them smile and hug us perhaps.  They may share it with someone, or they may not.  But when we do something that brings them honor, they're ready to shout it to the world! 

The problem is, things that please us are pretty usual.  When my kids cleaned their rooms it pleased me.  When they ate their dinner without complaint it pleased me.  These things didn't make me burst at my seems though.  However, when they stood up to the crowds and refused to go to under aged drinking parties, told the truth when asked about a wrong doing, asked if they could help me or their dad with a big job, strove to give their very best in different activities, these types of things, things that were above and beyond what was simply expected of them as a human being, these made me not only smile and hug them, they made me want to dance and shout them to the world!!

It is the same with our heavenly Father.  We are to live our lives in a manner that brings honor to His name; that glorifies Him and allows people to get a glimpse of just how wonderful He really is.  I have been known to talk to the kids I teach about how Jesus honored His Father and His reason for doing so.  I believe that Jesus was crying out to a lost and dying world, "LOOK!  I want you to meet my Dad!!  Listen and learn all about Him.  Accept My free gift of dying in your place and you will get to meet Him face to face!!  My Father is so wonderful!!  PLEASE! I want you to meet My Dad!"

Jesus brought honor to His Dad out of his own great love and respect for Him.  It is for this very reason we are to live our lives as such.  "If you love Me, keep My commandments."  John 14:15

Father God, make our hearts one with Yours.  Help us understand what is fully acceptable and pleasing in Your sight and help us walk in a manner that is not only pleasing to You, but that brings You much honor and great joy!!

Gifted to Serve

I thrive on seeing changes in peoples' lives.  I love to see people grow and learn and grasp new truths.  These are changes I believe necessary and that are fulfilling to me.  There are some changes that I see as nonsensical and therefore rebel against.  The fact that the word desert has been redefined, Pluto being declared a dwarf planet, "friending" being placed in the dictionary, (we already have the word befriend, befriended, befriending so why do we need to alter the word friend?)  needing a different pair of shoes for every single outfit and the need to decorate a house differently every month for a particular holiday and other things I consider unnecessary.  It is not that I find these last two things distasteful.  I'm a woman, so I think it's cute when people wear matching shoes and redecorate all the time, but I cannot find it within myself to rationalize a reason for doing so.  I am VERY particular about words, how they are pronounced and especially how they are used. Therefore, making up new words for the sake of making up new words is frivolous in my opinion.     People have enough words to misuse and abuse, so I say, "Don't give us more!"  (unless there is a new discovery that actually warrants it.)  The money spent on reevaluation of planets and deserts is a total and complete waste of resources in my opinion, and I cannot help but think, "What difference does it really make?  Does it change the course of our future?  Will it bring about cures for diseases?  No, it simply changes wording.  Again, giving people another way to misuse their vocabulary.  And why is it necessary to spend money on evaluating how fast different brands of ketchup flow?  People are going to buy the one they like best anyway!! 

I wrote all of this to show that I am unique....and so is every other person created by God.  If you think those things I mentioned of value and necessary GREAT!  You are not just like me then.  Wouldn't the world be boring if we were all exactly alike?
God has placed in us varying gifts to use in life in order for our personal growth, to help in the growth of other believers and to reach those who do not know Jesus as their personal Savior and Lord.  No matter how many spiritual gift quizzes I take, they are always going to come out that I am mercy motivated and have been given the gift of teaching and shepherding the groups I teach, so I need to develop those gifts and use them for whatever means He reveals to me rather than questioning His wisdom in wanting to use me.

Sometimes we look at others and think how spiritual they seem and how we wish we could be more like them.  What we need to remember is that the person we are seeing in them is actually Jesus in Spirit.  He is the One we should attain to be more like. 

When I read the story of Rees Howell's life and ministry of intercession, I actually prayed and told God I wanted to be more like this great man of God.  I received and immediate response that nearly knocked me over.  I am not exaggerating here.  I actually felt wobbly at how quickly and loudly the words went through me.  "I did not call you to be an intercessor - I called you to teach!"  A feeling of relief went through me as I realized how silly was my anguish over not being like this wonderful man.  I came to understand that there is a difference between interceding for people and being and intercessor.

I wish every true believer would discover the gifts God has given them, put them into practice and stop trying or wishing to be what they were never designed to be.  Imagine the effectiveness of the Church as a whole if we did so.  What if we stopped criticizing other denominations for not being exactly like us in thought and instead worked together to further God's kingdom on earth?  What if we quit trying to do the jobs God has assigned to others and started focusing fully on our own?  How efficient would we become?  How organized?  How dedicated?

Father, awaken Your people to the need to know, understand and use the gifts You have placed within each of us that make us unique for Your service.  Help us take our eyes off each other and focus instead on the work You have placed before us as an individual service.  Make us into a people united by faith, organized by knowledge, servants in wisdom and mercy and dedicated in love and compassion.

Fleeing in Order to Pursue

But you, O man of God, flee these things (pride, disputes over words, envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless friction, love of material wealth) and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, and gentleness.  I Timothy 4:11

Flee -

Verb (MODERN DAY DEFINITION) Run away from a place or situation of danger: "a man was shot twice as he fled from five masked youths". Run away from (someone or something): "he was forced to flee the country".

GREEK - (phuego) to flee away, seek safety by flight To say that we are to flee pride, disputes over semantics, envy, strife, reviling, evil suspicions, useless friction and love of material wealth tells me that these things are more than simple curiosities that could lead to trouble.  Rather it suggests to me that these things are in fact extremely dangerous and must be out to destroy me.  Therefore I must run to safety.  Where is my safety? My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior-- from violent people you save me.  II Samuel 22:3 I love that this verse tells us that God is the horn of our salvation.  The trumpeter would blow the horn to let the soldiers know where the safe place was in the need of retreat.  They would all turn and flee to that place as the horn was sounding.  God "blows His trumpet" of warning when sin threatens us.  He calls to us to turn and run to Him as our refuge, our shield, stronghold and savior.  So we indeed are to FLEE!!! Flee from sin, but to Him.  Many times we run to others in gossip and anger instead of running to God.  We must remember that He will listen to our complaint with patience, without judgment, without criticism until we are finished.  Then He will gently point us in the way we should go next, how to repair the problem or rest in Him to do the work, guide us to forgiveness and, if necessary, repentance, all the while shielding us from the evil that is trying its very best to overcome, overwhelm and destroy us. Pursue (MODERN DAY) - Follow (someone or something) to catch or attack them. GREEK - Dioko - to seek after eagerly, earnestly endeavor to acquire On the other hand, we are to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and gentleness.  This tells me that these things are for my good.  They will nourish me and help me grow.  I am not to stand there hoping they will pass by so that I can reach out and grab one of them.  Rather I am to eagerly look for them and when I find them, keep running as I grab and hang onto them for dear life!! If our child or grandchild were to run towards a busy intersection, we would not stand by watching them do so, hoping they will run past us so we can grab them.  They are too precious to us for that, so we pursue them with diligence and if necessary, throw ourselves on top of them to keep them safe from harm.  This is how we are to relate to our relationship with the Father.  We are to pursue it as precious until we grab hold of it, only we are the ones that will be protected if we do. 18 Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 19 Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Deuteronomy 11 If our children and grandchildren are truly as precious to us as we think they are, we will teach them how to flee sin and pursue righteousness as well.  Mentors we are, whether we want to be or not.  People are watching us, trying to learn from us all the time, especially our children and grandchildren. Lord, make me an instrument of Your peace to all who are watching my life, struggling to learn and to grow into mature individuals.  May my life reflect Your love and wisdom and if I ever lead someone astray, please forgive them and show them the right path.  Should that happen, I ask You to discipline me and make me right with you in that area once again, so I may come boldly to Your throne of grace in faith believing and never do so again.  Help me walk circumspectly before You, always.  In Jesus' precious name I ask this, knowing that whatever we ask in His name and according to Your will will be accomplished through the presence and power of Your Holy Spirit.