BUT I LIVED

We ask questions as soon as we can speak a one word sentence: Why?  Children ask question after question.

·       Why is a dandelion yellow?

·       Why do dogs chase their tails?

·       Why do I have to eat my veggies?

·       Why do I have to go to bed?

·       Do you love me?

Parents will try their best to answer the questions, but often resort to, “Go ask your mother/father.”

Many years ago, I took a lay speaker class and had to write a message.  It was titled: WHY ME?  I wondered why I was fortunate enough to see, when others were blind.  Why was I blessed with being a mother, when others have empty arms?  You get the idea.  Now I have another question and I cannot find the answer.

My question comes from two events.  In 1998, I died during a simple gallbladder surgery.  It is not unusual for people to die during surgery, but with today’s technology, people survive heart attacks, strokes, injuries, and gallbladder surgeries.  I always told people, “God wasn’t done with me and the devil didn’t know what to do with me.” But the question remained, “Why did I not stay dead?”

And then — October 2022 — a blood infection — doctors and nurses told me, “We thought you would not survive.”  The question from 1998, that was a speck in the back of my mind, became a boulder.

WHY DID I LIVE?  I have talked to a number of people and found that I am not the only person with this question.  Sam (often in the local pool the same time I am) and I got to talking and I told him about my question.  He got a funny look and then said, “I have the same question.  My heart attack … why ...  now what am I supposed to do?”

We all know people who have died and were revived or people who, against all medical reason, recovered.  Those that I talked to ask the question:  “I lived.  Now what?  What am I supposed to be doing?  Surely there is something new or important I am to do. 

BUT, isn’t this a question we all ask?  What am I supposed to do?

~   ~   ~   ~   ~   ~

I started this blog, awake but still in bed, at 6:00 AM, Tuesday, May 23.  I had an appointment so I had to get up, get dressed, and get going.  Finishing the blog would have to wait.  As I was driving, it hit me and my question was answered. 

What am I supposed to do?  What are we all supposed to do?  We are to live!  We are to live right where God put us.  

We are to go to the grandkids games and root for the home team.  We are to volunteer.  We are to go to supper with our loved ones and friends.  We are to go grocery shopping, mow the yard, cook, clean, do laundry, and make the bed.  We are to go to a movie.  We are to eat a cinnamon roll.  We are to walk in the grass and plant flowers.  We are to go to work.  We are to wipe a child’s tears, kiss away the hurt, laugh with them, and read a bedtime story.  We are to worship.  Get the idea?

What are we supposed to do?  We are to live!  BUT we are to live with joy and humility.  We are to be kind and compassionate.  We are to acknowledge the blessings which surround us.  We are to hold others as they grieve and lift them up in prayer.  We are to celebrate babies and birthdays and anniversaries and recoveries.  We are to encourage and support others who are going through trials and accept encouragement and support when we face our trials.  Get the idea?

LIVE!!  THAT IS WHAT WE ALL ARE TO DO.  LIVE - WITH JOY AND KINDNESS AND …….

BUZZARDS

I manage the Facebook page for Urbana Yoke Parish and Monday’s post is called Monday Hodgepodge.  That post can be anything from a cartoon to information about buzzards.  Yes, you read that right:  buzzards.

What pops into your mind when you see a buzzard?  Maybe, “They are ugly.” or “They eat dead animals.”  You would be right on both thoughts, but did you also know:

• Around the world, there are 23 vulture species.
• They have weak feet and legs and cannot carry prey away.
• Lacking a syrinx, New World vultures are nearly silent.
• In hot weather, vultures pee on their legs to cool off.

If you are still reading this, I am really proud of you.  Here is a question for you:  Is it a Buzzard or a Vulture?  If you can tell the difference, you are for sure a birder.  (A birder is a person who spends time watching and documenting bird species.)  There is a difference though.  Vultures are large, bald birds that sniff out dead animals and then have lunch.  Buzzards are smaller than vultures and prefer to hunt, attack, and eat their prey, but they will have an afternoon snack on road kill.  The truth is you may call them whatever you want.  Early colonists saw those birds flying around and assumed they were buzzards like they had back home.  Since there was no internet, they could not access Google to see if there was a difference.  Therefore, the bird is called buzzard by everyone except a Master Birder.  (Yes, after an enormous amount of study, you can be certified as a Master Birder.)

THIS IS INTERESTING, BUT WHAT IS THE POINT?

Genesis 1:20 tells us that God created birds to fly above the earth.  God created the vulture and, although they have a foul reputation, they do serve an important function in God’s creation and His Word.  They pluck out eyes, gather around a carcass, and find plenty to eat in the Book of Revelation.  And ….

YET!  Have you ever watched a buzzard fly?  Have you watched them spread their wings, catch a current, and gracefully rise higher and higher?  Have you watched in the evening?  First one will fly over.  Then another.  Then another.  Buzzards are very social birds.  Another buzzard joins the three.  And they head home.

Yes, buzzards are hard on the eyes.  They eat dead stuff.  Their vomit stinks and is used to ward off anyone who gets too close.  And …

Sinners are hard on the eyes.  Their actions are against the Word of God.  What comes out of their mouths is spewed to ward off anyone trying to get too close.  And …

YET!  Have you ever watched a sinner after they find Jesus?  Have you watched them spread their wings and catch the Spirit, as they gracefully rise higher and higher?  Have you ever watched on a Sunday morning, as one walks in the door of the church?  And then another.  And then another.  Forgiven sinners are very social.  Another joins the three.  And they are in the Lord’s House of Prayer.

I guess we are like buzzards.  We – each of us - serve an important function in God’s creation and His Word.

 PLANTING THE GARDEN

Bill has the garden planted.   There are rows of lettuce, green beans, sweet corn, tomatoes, and bell peppers.   Because I made the decision to no longer can green beans and tomatoes, he has cut back on the size of the garden.   When he was planting for us and our kids, he would plant six rows of corn and six of beans.   He would add ten tomato plants and a like number of pepper plants.   This year it is two rows of beans, three rows of corn, six pepper plants and six tomato plants.   

You will notice I said, “Bill plants the garden.”  I used to. 

One year, I planted a garden that did not come up.  Nothing!  Nada!  We finally figured out why.  Seems an overabundance of manure had been spread in that area and it burnt up the plants.  That year there were empty jars in the pantry. 

I planted, hoed, harvested, and canned all the goodies the years we lived in Michigan.  Plus fruit from the many orchards surrounding our home.  We moved back to Indiana and I continued my garden work —- until the day the planting and care of the garden changed hands.

There I was, working away in the garden.  The beans and corn were in the ground.  The tomatoes were planted.  I was rather proud of the progress I had made that day.  Then Bill came home. 

Mr. My Rows Are Straight said, “Your rows are crooked.”  I replied, “You get more in a crooked row.”  I saw no reason to use stakes and a string to make a straight row.  A hoe handle worked just fine and was much faster.

Then Mr. Equal Spaced Plants said, “Your tomatoes are too far apart.”  I replied, “They will be easier to pick that way.”  Why trip over plants when there was plenty of space?

To this day, I do not remember what the third comment Mr. Garden Planting Know It All made.  I just remember handing him the hoe, that still had dirt on the end of the handle from making rows, and said, “No problem.  I will turn the planting and care of the garden over to you.”  Although I continued to help harvest and preserve our bounty, I have not planted or tended a garden since.

PLANTING SEEDS

Our Sunday School Class is studying the Parables and we are ready to discuss the Parable of the Sower found in Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23, Mark 4:1-8, 18-20, and Luke 8:4-8, 11-15.  Read this and then ask yourself: 

• Am I a sower of seeds (God’s word)?  Or do I keep the seeds for myself?
• Where do I plant seeds?  Do I only plant seeds with other believers or do I get out of my comfort zone?
• Do I get upset if I sow seeds and they do not sprout (the person does not care)?  Or am I willing to sow seeds and realize they might need tended by someone else to make them grow?

Now go be a sower of God’s Word and have a blessed weekend.

 

As you can see, the date is a bit old.  We decided to see a new area of God’s world and the week seemed to be more of making sure we were on the correct road than thinking about writing a blog.  What to do?  What to do?  Look back, of course.  Picking a past blog on prayer was accidental, but  since the church I attend is a praying church, I thought this was appropriate.

Friday, May 13, 2011

PRAYER - A NEED? A PRIVILEGE? A DUTY?

TODAYS SCRIPTURES:

Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the Lord. Genesis 4:26

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16

PRAYER - A NEED? A PRIVILEGE? A DUTY?

The other day I heard an interesting message on prayer and it got me to thinking: Is prayer a need? Is prayer a privilege? Is prayer a duty?

Do we need to pray? The Bible says God knows what is in our hearts and he knows what we require before we even tell him. So, why pray if it is not essential for God to understand our would likes and our must haves? 

The question, "Do we need to pray?" is answered by no and yes.

Does God need us to pray so he will know what we require? No. Do we need to pray? Yes! We need to know that God is quite clear on what we would like and what we must have! Just kidding! We need to pray so the Spirit himself will intercede when we just do not have the words or the energy to express our true needs. And God, who searches our hearts, knows the mind of the Spirit and they work together in the harmony of God's will. (Based on Romans 8:26-27) Prayer is a need!

Is prayer a privilege? This question can also be answered yes and no. If you consider a privilege something that only a few of the elite are entitled to, then the answer is no. 

But if you consider a privilege something that is a benefit, an opportunity, an honor or a pleasure, then the answer is yes! What other faith is so great as to have their gods near them the way the Lord our God is near us whenever we pray to him? (Based on Deuteronomy 4:7) Prayer is a privilege!

Is prayer a duty? This question has only one answer: YES! Prayer is something we have to do. It is a responsibility. An obligation. Why?

Prayer is a duty because Jesus prayed and we, who with uncovered faces reflect the Lord's glory, are constantly being changed into his likeness. (Based on 2 Corinthians 3:18) It is our duty to live in such a way as we reflect the likeness of Jesus. Jesus prayed. We must pray. Prayer is a duty!

A question for you:  Do you have trouble praying? Trouble finding the right words? Use your own words or find scripture passages that you really like and make them personal. Use I, me and my. But remember, no matter how you say it, God loves to hear you pray. God is listening!!! He will hear you!!!