Month: May 2016

Because We Can

Posted on by Wendy
A little voice reminded me that I should do good works because I can.
A little voice reminded me that I should do good works because I can.

My family just returned from a week at the beach. We had a nice time. The little condo we stayed at had a plant out on the deck. It wasn’t in very good shape. It was quite wilted from lack of water.

I asked myself who would leave a plant out at a vacation spot knowing it would not likely get watered. Not to mention that it sat right in the middle of the deck. The little plant nagged at me and I eventually went and got it some water which it soaked up immediately.

I was quite surprised to see how quickly it perked up. It looked like it might even live. I watered it a couple of other times, each time asking myself what the point was, thinking that the people who were renting the place the next week, might not water it and let it die.

Why did I feel so compelled to care for this plant that wasn’t even mine?

As I was watering it on my last day there, I felt an answer gently whispering to my heart, “Because you can.”

That was of course the answer all along. I watered the plant because I could. It was hardly any effort on my part, to fill a glass up at the sink and walk it out to the plant. But, it was life saving to the plant.

I think we often find ourselves wrestling with the notion of whether or not we should offer our help in different situations. We tell ourselves that we didn’t cause the problem and so it’s not our responsibility. We tell ourselves that the problem is so huge that our little contribution won’t matter anyway.

While those may be valid points on an earthly scale, we sometimes forget as Christians, that the Kingdom of God works on an entirely different currency. Jesus showed us with fishes and loaves, that whatever we have, no matter how meager, when put in God’s hands is always more than enough.

I have heard it argued that while Jesus’ number one reason for healing the sick was to glorify God, that He also healed because people in pain or in need, moved Him. He intervened; He healed because He could.

That reasoning fits with everything I know about our Savior.

The Bible tells us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

We are not saved by good works, but our faith calls us to do them, because Jesus did them, because they glorify God, and because we can.

A little wilted plant reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

Taking a Break

Posted on by Wendy

My kids have just gotten out of school for the summer and our family is taking a vacation this week to relax and enjoy a little break. We have VBS coming up soon and then a mission trip. I can’t wait to see how God shows Himself to us this summer and I’m looking forward to sharing it with you in this space. I hope you all have a week full of God’s blessings. See you back here in a week.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

A Call to Thrive

Posted on by Wendy
She had eight different slots to choose from.
She had eight different slots to choose from.

We bought a brand new hummingbird feeder this year. I had never seen one like it. It’s a two-story with eight different slots, complete with perches, for the little hummingbirds to feed at. I was hoping at last there would be plenty of nectar and plenty of perches and the little birds would spend more of their time eating and less of their time fighting.

This guy picked the same exact slot as the other bird, even though there were seven other options.
This guy picked the same exact slot as the other bird, even though there were seven other options.

 

Alas, that was not to be the case. Nope, they continued to spend their time running the other birds away, instead of enjoying the abundance. They would squabble over the same little flower, even though there were options that offered the exact same nectar.

This isn’t the first time I’ve reflected on these aggressive little birds. When I spend much time watching them, I usually feel like God has something to teach me.

This time as I watched them, it occurred to me that in nature, the key word is survival. They don’t care about sharing or building relationships and community. They just want to have their next meal. They don’t know the first thing about thriving. They just want to survive at all costs.

I guess that’s okay, if you are a hummingbird.

But, how many people do the same?

How many of us settle for the same thing, day in and out? It’s not fabulous; but it’s familiar. We eat the same food, even though there are millions of recipes on the internet for something different. We stay at the same job even though we are bored to tears and long for something else.

We settle for mediocrity in our relationships. We choose friends who are just like us, not people who might help us grow or inspire us. We often allow our marital relationships to get super comfortable, ignoring each other most of the time. What if we turned of the television and went for a walk? What if we went outside and marveled at the wonder of the night sky?

What if we had a conversation about how we might change the world around us in some small way?

Sometimes it’s good for us to take a look around us and ask ourselves if we are thriving. We can ask things like: Are we a part of a caring community? Are we a part of a vibrant faith community? How can we make our relationships stronger? Can we exercise more and eat better? Are we living our lives to the fullest extent possible or are we just surviving?

I believe that God has called us all to a higher purpose than just getting by. I believe that He has plans for us that are beyond our imagination. To learn what they are, we have to talk to Him and then listen. We have to draw in close because sometimes He whispers. We have to be aware of His presence in the everyday.

Then, we must be willing to go, wherever He calls, knowing it may be just across our backyard, but knowing as long as we are walking with Jesus, we will be living out loud, because just surviving, is not His style.

Some hummingbirds reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Heaven We Have a Problem

Posted on by Wendy
History shows, prayer works.
History shows, prayer works.

I recently watched the movie, “Apollo 13,” which by most accounts is a pretty accurate account of the actual events of the Apollo 13, space mission. It’s a fabulous movie and I had seen it before, but it had been a while.

Different aspects spoke to me this time.

The entire mission was the perfect storm. Everything that could go wrong did, from one of the astronauts being bumped twenty-four hours before the launch, to failure of one of the engines at lift off.  The first two days went smoothly with a few minor glitches. Then there was an explosion and they lost one oxygen tank and the second began rapidly depleting. They also lost two fuel cells.

The American people at the time, were not interested in the launch. It had become old hat to them and the networks didn’t even broadcast it. No one was particularly interested until the explosion occurred and lives hung in the balance.

Does that sound like a familiar phenomenon? We are surrounded by wonder everyday, but we don’t pay much attention because it has become normal to us. If it’s not new and shiny, we tend to check out.

But, when disaster struck, the world was riveted. Everyone was glued to their televisions.

President Richard Nixon asked the Nation to observe a day of prayer. The Senate and House, jointly passed a resolution on April 14, 1970, asking all Americans to pray at 9:00 Eastern Standard Time for the safe return of their countrymen. They also urged businesses and communication media to pause for prayer at that hour.

Are you stunned? Can you imagine both houses in Congress passing anything through that quickly? Can you imagine our leaders urging us to pray? They didn’t seem to be overly concerned with the separation of church and state or offending anyone.

In Rome, in St. Peter’s Square, the Pope led 50,000 people in a prayer for the astronauts’ safe return.

In Jerusalem, there were prayers at the wailing wall.

There were thousands of church prayer services held all over the country, asking God for intervention.

We are a country who has always had God at our root and we turned to Him in droves.

The odds were terrible. If they had enough power to get home, they could very likely have burned up on re-entry and the sea they were set to land in was on the edge of a typhoon.

But, we serve a God who doesn’t care about odds or statistics. He cares about, faith, trust and obedience. He answered the prayers of the millions of people who prayed and delivered the astronauts safely.

President Nixon later spoke at a church, where he said, “This event reminds us in these days of growing materialism, deep down, there is still a great religious faith in this Nation….I think more people probably prayed last week than perhaps have prayed in many years.”

People prayed and God listened.

It’s been forty-six years since the Apollo 13 launch. A lot has happened. But, we still serve the same God.

The Bible tells us, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” 2 Chronicles 7:14

Are we paying attention or have we become complacent? Are we praying like we should for our country and our leaders? We know there is power in prayer. We not only see it in the Bible; we have seen it throughout our history.

One of the astronauts famously said, “Houston we have a problem.” Perhaps we should say, “Heaven we have a problem,” and then ask God to fix it.

History shows us, if enough of us pray and turn to Him, He will.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

A Call to Love Like Jesus

Posted on by Wendy
In a show of love, compassion and solidarity, the fifth graders purchased and wore shirts to support their friend battling cancer.
In a show of love, compassion, and solidarity, the fifth graders purchased and wore shirts to support their friend battling cancer.

Yesterday I subbed in a fifth grade class on the day before the last day of school. It was a little crazy to say the least. It was also awards day and so many of the parents would be coming to see their child get an award. Oh, yeah and it was also the fifth grade cookout. The kids were pretty revved up.

The day before, they had learned that a fellow classmate, who had been out of school fighting cancer since January, would be returning for the day. They had designed a t-shirt when he was first diagnosed, and they were asked to wear it and they did. Even the kids who were all dressed up, slipped the shirt on over their outfit to show support.

Two banners were made and signed by the excited students to welcome him back.

Ironically, this same group of children had another classmate battling cancer the year before. They wore shirts designed for her too, back in fourth grade.

When the time came for the little boy to arrive, the entire fifth grade class, filed out into the pod. As he came down the ramp and saw his banner, they began clapping for him. He was grinning. He looked happy to be back. Every child gave him a high-five. His mama and daddy walked behind him. His grandparents walked behind him, capturing it all on video. His mama and grandmama cried.

Tears streamed down my face as the children, uncoached, in unison, began chanting his name. It was an incredibly moving moment and I could feel the strong presence of God, whether or not prayer is allowed in public schools.

I picture a similar scene occurring in Heaven, when we overcome obstacles that we have prayed and struggled with. I also picture a similar scene in Heaven when we finally arrive there for good.

We returned to our classrooms and then to the cafeteria for the award ceremony. It lasted about an hour and the little boy won one of the last awards. He was invited up at the end to read a letter he had written. He thanked everyone for the cards and letters when he was sick and then he thanked everyone for their prayers.

For the second time that day, I saw God in public school.

I wasn’t the least bit surprised to learn that this family believed in prayer. The love and appreciation that glowed off of them as they walked through all of those students, could have only come from Jesus.

He ended up spending the entire day with his friends as they all got ready for middle school. He played some basketball with them on the playground and seemed to really enjoy himself.

The story warmed my heart and touched me to tears all day long, reminding me that we do not require permission to make God a part of our children’s lives.

Cancer doesn’t discriminate. But, love and compassion don’t discriminate either. Jesus loves all children of all colors. All lives matter to Him, not just people of a certain color, no matter what the media may tell us.

A bunch of fifth graders and their teachers, in a small town in rural Georgia, totally got it right. Every one of those people involved got to be the face of Jesus and made Him very much a part of public school.

May they be a shining example for us all.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Holding Out for Transformation

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes things appear dead on the outside, but big change and growth are going on on the inside.
Sometimes things appear dead on the outside, but big change and growth are going on, on the inside.

When my hubby and I bought our house, there were holly bushes growing on each side of our driveway. They are evergreen and require very little maintenance and the deer won’t eat them, so we were happy to have them there. But, as the years passed, they got bigger and bigger and really needed trimming.

Problem was, that since they were so big, the idea of trimming them without cutting ourselves to pieces on the sharp leaves, became a task we kept pushing to the end of our list of things to do. So, the holly bushes continued to grow unchecked until we had issues with them scratching our car doors if we got too close when backing out of our driveway.

The time had come, like it or not, for them to be cut back. I researched on how and when to cut them. They are supposed to be close to impossible to kill, so on a Saturday, we cut them back, way back, and the entire family had the scratches to prove it.

They were really ugly when we finished, very little green left at all, but we knew they would come back stronger than ever.

But, weeks went by and they showed no signs of life. We had some much needed rain and still, nothing, just dead looking stalks.

I examined them every few days and could find no growth. Had we accidentally killed them?

Finally, over six weeks after we cut them, new life appeared. I was jubilant.

The holly had been hard at work regenerating, even though I couldn't see it.
The holly had been hard at work regenerating, even though I couldn’t see it.

I thought about the new growth on that holly bush for several days and every time I checked on it again, there was even more. The holly reminded me how we sometimes want something so badly that we pray and we pray about it.

As time passes, we sometimes begin to lose hope and believe that whatever we are praying about is dead. It can range from anything to a relationship to a dream of some kind. But, perhaps we are too quick to give up hope.

Perhaps, like this holly, even though it appeared dead, there is work going on, on the inside and at just the right moment, the new growth is ready to burst forth.

As I thought about it, I was reminded that butterflies go through the same kind of phenomenon. Who would believe that inside an ugly gray cocoon, that rare beauty will emerge? A creature that crawled on its belly becomes a creature that can fly.

But, it takes time. Transformation takes time.

The good news is that God is incredibly patient with us in our impatience, and even in our lack of faith. But, if we keep praying and learn to wait on His timing, He can create something magnificent out of the ashes.

Growth can burst forth in areas that we had given up as dead, just like my holly bush.

Sometimes I need reminding, perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

More Jesus

Posted on by Wendy
If stress is ruling our lives, perhaps we need more Jesus.
If stress is ruling our lives, perhaps we need more Jesus.

Yesterday morning, a friend of mine posted a link to a blog on Facebook. It was titled “Take a little wine for your stomach (or how to live well in a stressful world.) It was based on 1 Timothy 5:23 which reads, “Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and frequent illnesses.”

Here’s a link, if you would like to read it: http://artofholiness.com/2016/04/20/take-a-little-wine-for-your-stomach-or-how-to-live-with-sinful-people/

Being  someone who has coped with stomach issues caused by stress, for years, I was intrigued and not only did I read it, but I read it to my hubby too. It was a good article which had me thinking all day.

My first thought was in today’s super secular society with very little respect for God, I’m surprised some alcohol selling establishment doesn’t have the quote emblazoned in neon somewhere, touting that the Bible says we should all get sloshed for our health.

We’ve become pretty skilled these days, at making the Bible say, what we want it to say.

But, anyone who knows anything about the writer of that letter, Paul, would know that there’s no way that was Paul’s intent. Paul, however, was no stranger to the strife that goes on in churches and he was writing his young friend a letter of encouragement.

Churches are made up of broken people, kind of like gyms are often made up of people who aren’t in the best of shape, but are trying to get fit. Broken people can make us crazy and if we try to control or fix them, we are creating a ton of stress for ourselves.

The bottom line is, we can’t control or fix them.

For that matter, we can’t fix anyone in our lives, not even our own kids, spouses, or friends. We can share the truth with them. We can pray for them. We can pray with them. But, in the end, only Jesus can actually change them.

I think Paul was telling the younger man who was newer to the faith, to relax. Making himself sick over things he couldn’t control was useless, so perhaps he should drink a little wine. In other words, to chill out because God was in control.

But, then my hubby shared his thoughts about a deeper meaning and they were even better. He pointed out that wine, in Christianity, represents the blood of Jesus. Water was great and Timothy needed it to live, but to thrive and to not be riddled with stress and anxiety, which was leading to his health issues, what he really needed was more Jesus.

The same goes for us today. We tend to worry about everything, to the point of making ourselves sick. We try to fix and change people. We stress over all kinds of situations completely out of our control. We wonder if God is listening to our prayers. Is He going to help us or liberate us?

He has done even better. He sent Jesus to redeem us. Sure, a little wine may help to relax us. But, if we really want peace, we need more Jesus.

A Facebook post reminded me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

 

Never Be Afraid to Grow

Posted on by Wendy
It's always amusing to see something grow that people say can't be done.
It’s always amusing to see something grow that people say can’t be done.

I was recently watering my African Violet. It’s a plant that came in a tiny pot. Because of their size, people often put them on window sills to add color. They make special pots for them and everyone who knows anything about growing them will tell you that you have to buy those special pots because they have to be watered from the bottom not the top.

I have no idea why. That’s just what I was told.

You pour water into the saucer and the plant soaks it up as needed. I followed all of the planting rules and the plant flourished, so I bought a bigger pot. It then outgrew that pot. I searched relentlessly for the right pot to put it in. I never could find one. They were all too small.

In desperation, I re-potted it in a normal pot and began watering it from the top. I figured it had a good chance of dying, but it was going to die anyway if I left it in a pot way to small for it.

Months went by and it didn’t die. It thrived. It’s been years since I have watered it the correct way, but I water it regularly, give it lots of sun and feed it with African Violet food. It couldn’t be happier and at the moment still needs a bigger pot.

As I was marveling at my plant and its progress, I am reminded how often we don’t try new things or follow dreams because someone, maybe many someones, have told us that we will likely fail.

If we want reminders of that simply not always being the case, nature is always a good place to look. When my hubby and I planted a cutting from his grandfather’s fig tree, we were told it wouldn’t bear fruit for at least a couple of years. Imagine our surprise when we had a few figs the first year we planted it.

The fig tree reminds me to always expect surprise when we are dealing with things that grow, and that goes from plants, to children, to relationships, to our faith.

When God calls us to do something, we should expect wonder; we should expect the impossible. Perhaps we have outgrown a tight space of some type like my violet, and He’s calling us to try something bigger. It could be a call to lead or branch out in some way.

We can be tempted to stay right where we are. It’s what we know. We are comfortable being watered and fed in exactly the same way, but when He calls us to try something different, we can expect big things, even though others may doubt.

Sometimes, we can thrive and produce new fruit immediately, like my little fig tree. Sometimes it may take a little time, like my violet. Either way, when we act in obedience and faith, the results are often breathtaking and we find it hard to believe we were ever reluctant to take a new risk.

An African Violet reminded me today to never be afraid to try something different when God calls us to. Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

Fearless Faith

Posted on by Wendy
This pin apparently struck a chord with a lot of people.
This pin apparently struck a chord with a lot of people.

I pinned the above quote on Pinterest a few weeks ago. I don’t really spend that much time on Pinterest. Quite frankly, it usually frustrates me. I’m not all that creative and I certainly can’t build a house out of wooden pallets, or a coffee table, or even a shelf. That kind of art is simply not my gift.

But, I do sometimes look for ideas for specific projects and I also look for spiritual inspiration there from time to time. I have written about fearless faith before and how Christians are called to live boldly, so “The phrase ‘Do not be afraid’ is written in the Bible 365 times. That’s a daily reminder from God to live everyday being fearless,” was a perfect pin for me.

What I didn’t expect was the amount of re-pins that came from that quote. Almost everyday, I have received a notice from Pinterest that someone else has re-pinned my pin. I laughed it off at first, but then I really began to think about it and pray about it.

What was God trying to show me?

Perhaps it’s that Christians are living in a lot of fear right now for many reasons. We have a presidential election coming up and for many, we feel that there’s no good candidate to represent us and our values. How can we possibly vote for either one?

We have a national debate going on about which sex should use which bathroom. Should people actually be able to choose?

Police officers are being shot in the streets simply for being police officers. Race relations are beginning to look more like they did in the sixties than in the year 2016.

Americans are angry, but we are also afraid. The future of our country seems awfully bleak to many. I suspect that’s why this pin has been so popular.

Realistically, as Christians, what are we to do?

First of all, we need to pray. We need to pray that God will raise up leaders who will seek His will. Then we need to pray for wisdom on who we should vote for. The Bible tells us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

After much prayer, we have to vote for the candidate who God puts on our hearts and after doing that, we need to pray for that candidate.

If we need some courage, we can seek it from the scripture. We worship the same God who changed the murderous heart of Saul to the Jesus loving, church building heart of Paul.

We need to pray for peace in our country. We need to pray that our young people will stop rebelling against authority as we ourselves seek to try to follow the will of God in our own lives.

We need to remember to put on the entire Armor of God, found in Ephesians 6:10-6:17. We need to remember the words of Jesus in Mark 5:39-40 “He got up and rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?'”

The storms are raging right now. There’s not doubt about it, but we have to remember that we worship the God who made the seas and the wind and we are redeemed by the One who can quiet them with a single command.

God is still in control. Do not be afraid.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂

 

A Faith Oasis

Posted on by Wendy
Sometimes if you want some beauty in your life, you have to be willing to do your part.
Sometimes if you want some beauty in your life, you have to be willing to do your part.

I was gazing out my window yesterday at my barren, unappealing deck. It was covered in yellow oak tassels and sticks from all of the wind we have had lately. Both tables were covered in debris as well. As I looked out there, It thought to myself that I really would like to look out there and see an oasis.

I would like to have brightly colored tables and flowers blooming in pots scattered about. Almost as soon as I thought it, a little voice popped in my head that said if I wanted an oasis, a place of beauty and rest, then I should go create it.

I pushed it to the back of my busy mind as I had a million other things to do, but I eventually found myself out there. I got my hubby’s blower and cleared of the mounds of oak crud. I took a six-pack of impatiens that I already had and dug around for some brightly colored pots I already had as well.

I cleaned off the tables and made a mental note to get some paint. It wasn’t finished, but it was a start and sometimes that’s all you need.

It occurred to me as I rolled up the hose and then the cord to the blower that we often have the ability to create an oasis of sorts in many areas of our lives.

Many of us get the importance of prayer, but we neglect to take the physical steps to create the beauty and peace that we seek. We pray for stronger or happier marriages, but we continue to treat our spouse in the same way that ended us up in the desert. We pray that our children will know Jesus and draw closer to God, yet we fail to take them to church regularly or talk to them about our faith.

We pray for a promotion, but continue to arrive a few minutes late to work and take long lunches. We pray for a better job, but don’t send out any resumes.

Many of us long for a stronger faith, but we don’t read the Bible or make intentional time for prayer. I remember hearing Joyce Meyer tell a story once about having a conversation with God. She would speak and He would speak right back to her. I remember wanting that kind of relationship with Him, but not knowing how.

Was she special? No. She was intentional. She read the Bible. She prayed. She asked questions to those who had been Christians longer. She learned obedience. She helped to create an oasis in her relationship with God.

And so can we. There is always hope for whatever areas in our lives seem to be in the desert. First we pray for direction and sometimes that direction is to wait. But, sometimes that direction is for us to do our part. We can count on God doing His a hundred percent.

We are physical and spiritual beings. Sometimes the most difficult step to take is the first. Yet, when we want real change we have to be willing to take it.

Sometimes I need reminding. Perhaps you do too.

Have an awesome day!

Wendy 🙂