A CROW, A BLUE JAY, AND MOSQUITOES

It is a beautiful evening.  The sun is getting closer to sinking below the trees.  I see a Monarch butterfly and think about the journey it will take.  There is not much traffic so it is pretty quiet.  Just a wonderful fall evening.  A great way to close a successful day.

Peaceful … quiet … a good book … what a.  …… Oh for goodness sake.  It is not that I don’t like to hear birds, but honestly what did the blue jay do that upset the crow?  One minute they were minding their own business and then you would think the world was coming to an end.  Crows can be very loud and bossy.  The blue jay must have had a bad day, because the louder the crow got, the louder the blue jay got.

And, then … they quit.  It was over as fast as it had begun and I thought, “What was that all about?”  Did they see me sitting there, all relaxed, and decide to annoy me?  Did one bird get in the other bird’s personal space?  Were they describing how an intruder had eaten at “their” bird feeder? Whatever the reason, they had been successful at interrupting my tranquil thoughts.

I tried to read, but the blue jay was walking around the tree and the crow was out in the yard.  I could feel their eyes on me and I knew, the minute I started reading, they were going to go at it again.  I closed the book.

As if the birds weren’t enough, the mosquitoes decided to join the Pick on Mary Club.  How in the world such a tiny thing can make such a loud noise when it dive bombs my ear is beyond me.  I refuse to be dessert for mosquitoes.  I pick up my book and go inside!

The ending of a good day has now been spoiled by a crow, a blue jay, and mosquitoes.  I might as well go to bed.

(The King’s decree) Who knows?  God may yet relent and with compassion turn from his fierce anger so that we will not perish.”

When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened.

     Jonah 3:9-10

The people of Nineveh were going to be safe.  Jonah should have been thrilled.  But no!

But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry.  He prayed to the LORD, “Isn’t this what I said, LORD, when I was still at home?  That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish.  I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.  Now, LORD, take away my life, for it is better for me to die than to live.”

     Jonah 4:1-3

I am not going to go to that extreme, BUT I did allow something as silly as a crow, a blue jay, and buzzing mosquitoes to spoil my evening.  What about you?  What do you allow to spoil your day?  Or your evening?  Or your life?

Every so often I have absolutely no idea what to write.  This week is one of those times.  I started two and they went no where.  I listened.  I waited.  Nothing.  I looked around.  Nothing.  So, I looked back and tried October in various years.  BINGO.  I wrote the following October 28, 2016.  Why is this particular blog appropriate?  My daughter, aka my concert buddy, and I are going to a Matthew West concert tonight.  I am excited to see him in concert again.  I am ready to be his back up singer.  

Enjoy…….

 SINGING BACKUP

Now, anyone who has ever sat beside me in church knows I cannot sing.  And just think about my poor hubby who has no choice but to sit beside me.  (Although I do notice he stands at arm’s length when holding his side of the hymnal.)  

My one sister asked me, “Why do we sound alike when we talk but you cannot sing?”  My own children (bless their hearts) once told me, “Yes, mom, the minister said sing out, but he did not mean you.”  Family can be brutally honest.  

Although that is the reputation I have locally, it is another story in the larger world of music.  What most people do not know is that I havsung backup with many famous artists.  No.  Really, I have but I will not give you my entire resume.  Neil Diamond and the Statler Brothers allowed me to join in on more than one occasion.  I am waiting to hear back from Matthew West and Garth Brooks.  Hopefully, they will also be repeat performances.  And tomorrow night I am singing backup for Casting Crowns!

Are you wondering how those closest to me cannot appreciate my hidden musical talent?  It is not that they cannot appreciate me.  It is the fact that the musical greats I have backed up ---- Well, they cannot hear me.  I am sure Garth Brooks was not aware of my joining in when I was in the first row of the lower section of a big venue.  And, although he was standing in the aisle right beside my chair, Matthew West must have heard about my musical un-ability because he did not offer me the mic while he sang “Hello My Name Is.”

I know who these people are but they do not know me. The “knowing” must be on both ends to have a real relationship.

I do not sing back-up for Jesus from the front row of the lower balcony.  I sing back-up for Jesus from my heart.  From my soul.  I want His ears to hear the joy with which I sing.

I want to have a real relationship with Jesus.  I do not want him to only know me because I sat in a row or section at a service or bought a ticket.  I want him to know because He has heard my voice when I prayed and I have felt His companionship in my soul.

I want a real relationship with Jesus.  I want to know him through His words.  I want to see Him in the glory of a sunrise and hear Him in the laughter of a baby.  And I want Him to know me through my tears and my joys.

I want a real relationship with Jesus, the Shepherd.  I want to know the Shepherd’s voice so I can follow Him.  I want the Shepherd to know me so I will not be lost. 

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

…his sheep follow him because they know his voice.

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me

– just as the Father knows me and I know the Father –

and I lay down my life for the sheep.

John 10: parts of verses 3-4 and verses 14-15

I do not just want to “know” Jesus.  I want a real relationship with Jesus!!!!!!!

 THE KITCHEN

How many times have you sung:  Zacchaeus was a wee little man, A wee little man was he.  Yup.  One of those songs we learn in our youth, but one that pops into our mind the minute we see that wee, little man’s name.  We know he was short and that he had the ability to climb a tree.  

Then, Jesus walked by.  You need to picture Jesus leading a large group of people.  They wanted to be close to Jesus.  They wanted to hear every word he said.  They were shocked when Jesus said he was going to go home with Zacchaeus.  Zacchaeus - THE CHIEF TAX COLLECTOR.  Zacchaeus - A SINNER.  Zacchaeus was excited about this, but what about those in the kitchen?

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. 

All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭5‬-‭7‬

But what about those in the kitchen?  Were they excited about having unexpected quests?  Think about it.  How many times had they served guests?  No one would want to eat with a tax collector!  No one … except Jesus.  The kitchen staff looks to the head chef,  “What are we to do?  All we prepared for tonight was grilled cheese and potato chips.”  The head chef, took a deep breath, and walked to the pantry.  Opening the doors, the head chef realized there was only enough for their boss.  That cheapskate only gave them enough money for the bare minimum.  Now they were to prepare a meal for some guy named Jesus and his crew.   PREPARE A MEAL - WITH WHAT?  

But what about those in the kitchen?  Does anyone consider them?  Oh no!  They were expected to prepare a surprise meal.  Until now, they were invisible.  

But what about those —— the invisible people?  Can you see them?  Really see them?  Are you having trouble seeing them?  Let me help.

The shelves do not fill themselves.  Groceries do not magically travel from the back room to the front of the store.  Do you see the person putting soup on the shelf?  

Today’s dirt does not go away on its own.  Little shoes carry a lot of dirt into the school.  Lunch trays are dropped.  Do you see the person cleaning the school?

The tools do not stay on the tray.  The tools do not jump from the tray into the surgeon’s hand.  Do you see the person, hardly looking at the tray, hand one tool after another to the surgeon?

Blessings do not just lay around.  They are not hidden away at the back of the closet.  Do you see hope and forgiveness and grace and mercy and love .. a true, eternal love … being handed to you by the scarred hands of Jesus?  

Do not be an invisible Christian!  Be sure to keep your pantry filled with the words of the Bible.  Refill the shelves daily.  Glow with a light that all can see.  Use words and actions to show compassion.  Do not sneak in the church’s side door. Use the front door.  Enter with your head up and your eyes radiating the joy of fellowship.  Sing out!  Use your voice to sing to the heavens.  Use your ears and mind to hear and understand the worship message.  Use your prayers to give thanks.  

DO NOT BE AN INVISIBLE CHRISTIAN!!

 A CONFUSED TREE

We have a confused tree.  It has lost almost all its leaves.  The limbs are now visible and we can see the ones that are straight and the ones that seem to have arthritis.  Sorta like life.  Sometimes our way is straight and smooth.  Sometimes our way is gnarled and bends where it should not.

That is not the confused part.  Here, it is early fall and the weather is beginning to cool down.  Trees are turning different colors.  Harvest has begun.  We will shortly have a hard freeze.  Winter will be around the corner.

All is going as planned, except for one branch, on this one tree.  It is confused.  It thinks it is spring.  There are new leaves. There are buds.  There are delicate pink flowers.  It is as if this one branch has confused its seasons.

For everything there is a season, 

a time for every activity under heaven. 

A time to be born and a time to die. 

A time to plant and a time to harvest.

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭3‬:‭1‬-‭2‬ ‭

And I bet Jesus is smiling over this confused branch.  I bet he is pointing out the flowers to the angels.  

I bet he is saying, “That is what I want my children to do.  I want them to grow in faith.  I want them to learn from my Word and gain wisdom.  I want their roots to be deep into the foundation of faith.  I want them to be strong.   I want them to feel the love of God giving them a beauty that cannot be held back by a calendar.  I want them to see their worth and BLOOM!!”

Are you growing in faith and blooming?  Well, bloom away!!!!!

 THE LOST CREDIT CARD

The credit card was not where it belonged!  Panic!  In today’’s society, a credit card floating around can be more than a piece of plastic.  It can be charges made while we hunt to make sure the card is not in the house.  We called the places it might have been left or dropped.  No one had found a card.  Another search of the house.  The car.  The truck.  NO CARD!  All while visions of the number being given to store after store.  

“Oh, Lord, I know it is a small thing, but please lead us to the card.  Amen.”

How I wish I could say we instantly found the card.  BUT we did not.  We searched again.  We pictured where it might be.  Not there.  We looked in drawers again.  Not there.  

It was time to bite the bullet and call to report the card lost.  I dreaded that call.  Reporting the card missing meant a new card would be issued.  It meant four businesses would have to be notified and the number changed on automatic payments.   I dreaded that call.  

Once more a wallet and a purse were searched. I felt like the card was in the house, but maybe that was wishful thinking.  Maybe that was my prayer, but maybe the card was really lost.  Maybe …. Maybe.

“I found the card,” Bill said. 

We joined hands and prayed, “Thank you Lord for leading us to the card.”

A deep breath left my lungs.  My shoulders relaxed. I put away the information I no longer needed to report the lost card.

Lost and found.  FOUND … what a sweet word.

It is amazing where Jesus FOUND people.

He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭19‬:‭3‬-‭5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Zacchaeus was found in a tree.

Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭23‬:‭510-‭53‬ ‭

Joseph was found going against the Council.

A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.

‭‭Mark‬ ‭1‬:‭40‬-‭42‬ 

The man was found in need of healing.

Where did Jesus find you?  Were you looking for him?  Were you defending him?  Were you in need of healing?

OR — Are you still lost?

 DO YOU SEE ME?

Have you ever felt invisible?  I have.  Have you ever walked into a room and felt like everyone there was more important than you?  I have.  Have you ever felt like you didn’t fit into the role people put you in?  I have.  Have you ever felt like you were not good enough?  I have.

I also think 100% of the people who read this have, at one time or another, felt the same way.  

The crippled woman was invisible.  People walked by her without giving her a second thought.  Just another bent over woman.  Someone to ignore as they went through their day.  Then, she met Jesus.  Everyone saw her as she walked through them and went to Jesus.  She was no longer invisible. 

The widow woman had no value.  She had no standing in the community.  When she went to the synagogue, people looked down on her.  Then Jesus saw her. There was no article in the paper to make her famous.  There was nothing on TikTok or Facebook.  But, Jesus saw her put her wealth in the collection and she would be rewarded when she took her final breath.

He was just one of hundreds.  Thousands.  He was a fisherman.  Doing his job.  Doing what was expected of him.  Then Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew met Jesus.  They dropped their nets and walked away from family/community expectations and stepped onto a new path.  They became fishers of men.

He was possessed.  Not a simple possession either.  He had to leave his family and live in the graveyard.  He was often very violent - chained and guarded.  A man so crazy and tormented that he was not good enough to live as a normal man.  Then he met Jesus.  He returned to his home.

Normal everyday people.  People who were  invisible.  People who were poor.  People working jobs they were expected to do.  People who felt as if they are not good enough for one reason or another. 

UNTIL THEY MET JESUS.  

People like each of us.

UNTIL WE MEET JESUS.

1

 9-11

Today’s blog asks a question about 9-11. 

September 11, 2001 — 25 years ago.  Shouldn’t we forget?  And anyone under 33 only remembers what they have been told.  Shouldn’t we forget?  2, 606 died in the World Trade Center.  184 died in the Pentagon.  40 died in the plane crash.  Plus thousands died later.  Shouldn’t we forget?  HELL NO!!!!!!!

We should never forget the hate that 19 Islamic Jihadist held in their heart.

We should never forget.  To forget allows the hate to continue and the hate to repeat their actions.  

We should never forget and this country must stand guard or we will turn our freedoms over to those that hate us, one inch at a time.  Muslims are allowed to shut down Brooklyn streets to say their prayers and Christians are prohibited from praying outside an abortion clinic.  To speak out against the actions of Muslims earns you a label of Islamophobic.  So we are quiet.  Muslim groups want Sharia Law over US law.  And we do nothing.  

The hate did not overcome us on September 11, 2001.  They did not break this country with planes.  BUT they are using a new tactic.  One inch at a time.  One request to have their faith given priority.  

And when will we become like Nigeria?  Or parts of Egypt?  When will we fear for our lives if we refuse to deny our God?  When will we be like other countries that compromise instead of standing strong?  When will we have real no go zones instead of hidden no go zones?   When will we hold the Muslim businesses to the same laws that we hold Christian businesses?  When will Christians be allowed to go to a dedicated prayer room in schools?  When will burkas be removed to show the face of the person getting on the plane or voting or entering a building when hooded sweatshirts are not allowed?  I could go on.

At the top of my Facebook page, I have:  IF I AM SILENT, I AM RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OUTCOME.  I refuse to stop speaking out.  But I am only one voice and I fear that too many voices are silent.  Too many voices have forgotten 9-11.  Too many voices have forgotten the horror of seeing bodies falling from the World Trade Center.  Too many voices are silent and the outcome will be the death of the USA — one inch at a time.

Should we ever forget?  HELL NO!