WHO STOLE THE COOKIE? 

Now, if you ever chaperoned an elementary class on a field trip, the title either made you smile or cringe.  One person would begin, “Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? ”  Everyone would shout, “Not I.”  The first person would then say, “Then who?  ”  They would look around, pick a person, and continue, “Sally stole the cookie from the cookie jar.”  Sally would jump in with, “Who me?”  The bus load of very excited children would shout, “Yes you!”  Sally would come back with, “Not I.”  To which the very loud voices of 30 children would shout, “Then who?  ” Sally would slowly look around and say, “Billy stole the cookie from the cookie jar.” And it would go on and on and on.  It was a circle song which every chaperone was thrilled to see come to an end.  UNLESS … unless they heard, “99 bottles of beer on the wall …”

I actually enjoyed field trips with the kids.  I touched a snake at the zoo because the kindergarten kids said they knew I would not touch it.  I learned how the town water plant worked and all about the Dewey Decimal System.  I went to Chicago three times.  I went with our son’s class, with our daughter’s class, and once when they needed an extra adult.  Rarely did they assign a woman to be with boys, but there were three boys, in our son’s class, that they thought I could use my mean-mommy-face and control them.  Our son heard the three boys plotting to go in the Chicago Museum restroom and yell.  They laughed because they knew I would not come in.  Our son told them, “Don’t do it.  She will open the door and be in there faster than you can blink.” They didn’t try it.  Actually, we got along pretty good.  I guess the legend of my mean-mommy-face had proceeded me.

I loved going with kids on field trips.  When the school called, I always said, “Yes.”

Two blogs back, we left Jesus being attended to by the angels.  He was triumphant after being tested by the devil.  Last week I asked what controlled your life.  Let’s meet some guys who thought they were in control of their lives.  They were fishermen and they were good at it.  Then one day, they met a man.  A man who would change their world.

From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew.  They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen.  “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people.” At once they left their nets and followed him.

Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John.  They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets.  Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him.
Matthew 4:17-22

Do a gazillion questions come to mind when you read these verses?  

• When asked what they did, up to now, Simon called Peter, Andrew, James, and John would say, “I am a fisherman.” What were they to say now? 
• Why did they “at once” drop their nets and go?  Didn’t they have responsibilities? 
• How could James and John leave their dad standing in the boat?  Was Zebedee shouting for his sons to get back in the boat and take care of the nets? 
• What did Jesus see in them?  What made him pick these common, ordinary, hardworking fishermen? 
• What did they see in Jesus?  Did they stare at Jesus’ eyes and see into his soul?  Did they take his outstretched hand and feel a handshake that conveyed trust and strength? 
• Did they wonder, “What have I done?  What just happened?”
• Did they realize they had just lost control of their lives?

 ————————-

Have you lost control of your life?     

• Have you accepted Jesus and then wondered what just happened? 
• Why did you accept Jesus as your Savior?  Did you feel him in your soul?   
• What does Jesus see in you?   
• Can you follow the path Jesus has for you?  Even if it would mean walking away from all that is familiar to you? 
• Can you “at once” follow Jesus? 
• What do you call yourself now?  Can you tell people, “I am a Child of God.  A believer in Jesus Christ.  A forgiven sinner.”

The disciples turned over their lives to Jesus.  They gave up control.  Their lives changed.  Isn’t that what we are to do when we add our sins to the Cross and accept forgiveness?  Aren’t we to give up control?  Do we turn our lives over to Jesus?  OR  Do we put those sins on the Cross, accept forgiveness, and then stay in the boat? 

You have a choice.

 Do you stay in the boat? 

OR

Do you leap out of the boat, run to Jesus, and say,

“I GIVE UP CONTROL OF MY LIFE AND WILL FOLLOW YOU!”

 

THE WEATHER

Hello from the land of “it is cold.”  My fellow blog writer, Pastor Larry, http://larry-fromthepastorsdesk.blogspot.com started his blog on weather, but when there is snow in Louisiana, Florida, and my favorite spot, Orange Beach, Alabama, the weather is going to be on everyone’s mind.

The weather often controls our lives and those that report the actual weather and the predicted weather love it when the weather acts up.  Oh the excitement when a storm is coming in and, if it is a tornado or hurricane or a snow storm, the excitement goes to a whole new level.  They are over the top.  People pay attention.  People reorder their lives when they see the weather maps.  The weather reporters are hyped up more than a toddler who ate a whole basket of Easter candy.

This has to be the big one!  Off they go.  Weather reporters travel to small towns and big cities.  They will be ready!  They wait for the front to move in.  They warn people to be ready!  They…

They see the storm front change and the storm does not happen.  The storm of the century becomes a windy day.  The snow is a dusting.  The weather reporters scramble to explain away there was a warning.  And people put their emergency kit back in the closet and try to figure out what they are going to do with the five extra gallons of milk and six extra loaves of bread.  They realize there will be school and they will have to go to work.  There will be no watching TV and no drinking those three extra cases of beer.

Yes, the weather can control our lives.  It determines if there will be school, if it is possible to get to work, if a home will be destroyed or safe, and if lives will be lost.  OR  Weather can mean an amazing day at the beach, a hike through a woods, a successful fishing trip, or a day in the park with the kids.  We pay attention to the actual weather and the predicted weather.  Then we adjust our day accordingly.

“Then we adjust our day accordingly.” My question is: What else do we allow to control our days?

Are we so set to a schedule that we tell a friend we do not have time to talk?

Are we so addicted to our phone that we ignore the people in the room with us?

Are we so self-focused that we do not see the hungry or those in need?

Yes, the weather can control our days, BUT, what about the other things we allow to control our days?  What if we set aside our schedule and took time for our friends?  What if we put our phone down and enjoyed the people in the room with us?  What if we looked outside our small world and actually saw those that are hungry and in need?

BUT, what about the other things we allow to control our days?  What if ________________________?

 

 

 Information to help you understand this blog.  The scripture used is Matthew 4:1-11.  You will find I use “day 42” and will wonder why I am using day 42.  Jesus fasted 40 days and 40 nights.  The tempter came to him on day 41.  The main question:  Can we make it through the fasting (40 days and nights) and the day we are being tempted?  Can we make it to day 42?  The day when we can say, “Satin tried, but I refused to fall into his trap, refused to bow down to him, and told him to go away.”

 CAN I…….

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.  After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry.  The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”  Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’”

40 days and 40 nights!  Now I might look at those rocks and think, “Some warm wheat, with butter would taste pretty good right now.”  I might look at the tempter (Satan) and see he had a bigger plan than me eating a slice of bread.  I might … Okay, take the might out.  I would hesitate just a smidgeon.  After all, my tummy is way past grumbling.  40 days empty.  My tummy is shouting, “Give me some pancakes, with syrup and peanut butter.”  Would I turn to the tempter and say, “No.  I can make it to day 42.  Besides I want the Words of God.  They feed my soul.”

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple.  “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down.  For it is written:  ‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’”

40 days and 40 nights!  I do believe that I would be extremely shaky.  Standing up there on the highest point of the temple would be more than scary.  What if I fell?  Every bone would break.  Every organ …..  But the devil says the angels would catch me.  Why is he asking me to do this?  Ah ha (picture a light bulb over my head)!  Would I look at the devil and say, “Hey devil.  I might be hungry and weak, but I know God will protect me and I don’t have to test him.”  I can make it to day 42.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor.  “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

40 days and 40 nights!  I must say the devil is persistent.  I love mountains and the world does look different from up there.  You can see for miles and miles and miles.  Everything? Would I consider the value of all the houses and businesses and the cattle and EVERYTHING?  I am a good person and could use all that wealth to help others.  My mind is not working at 100%.  I am so hungry and weak.  40 days and 40 nights … would I have the ability to turn away from having enough to fulfill my every desire?  Looking the devil in the eyes, would I shout, “NO!  I ONLY WORSHIP THE LORD MY GOD! I WILL NOT SERVE YOU.  I can make it to day 42.”

Satan has many names.  He is called tempter, devil, and evil one.  His name changes and he comes to tempt and destroy us when we are at our lowest.  He comes on the 41st day when we are hungry and tired.  He comes when our bodies are vulnerable.  When our minds are not thinking straight.  Can we make it to day 42?

Satan has many names.  He is called patient because he can wait until he finds the exact second to tempt us.  He comes on the 41st day when a loved one had died and our grief makes us weak.  When the pain racks our body and we want relief.  When an unanswered prayer has made us question our faith.  Can we make it to day 42?

Satan has many names and many traits.  He can look like the answer to our every need.  He will offer us food and comfort and promise us the end to our pain and he will use our questioning as a wedge to drive between us and God.

40 days and 40 nights.  A day of temptation.  Can we make it to day 42?

 WHAT IS BREWING? BEGINNING?

The line “winds in the east, there's a mist comin' in like something is brewin', about to begin” is from the movie, Mary Poppins.  Are there times, in the Bible, when this statement would apply?

For sure the statement would apply to Noah. What was brewing was something called rain and what was about to begin was the building of an ark. Can you picture Noah hammering away and his neighbors laughing at him? I bet none of them offered to help. I bet not one of them offered him a cup of coffee or a meat lover’s pizza.

Noah had such a faith and trust in God. He did not really know what was brewing and he did not know when it would begin, but he did as God instructed.

What about Zachariah? I do not think he had any idea that something was about to begin. There he was going about his business. Performing the acts of a High Priest. This was something he might only do once, maybe twice, in his lifetime. He would have taken this honor extremely serious. He would have been focused when something started brewing and something most certainly did begin.

The Arch Angel, Gabriel, came to tell him that his prayer had been answered. Gabriel was not there to answer the prayers of that day. He was there to tell Zachariah that his prayer for a child would be answered. Zachariah had most likely given up on this prayer. From all I could find, Zachariah was in his mid-late 80’s when the angel told him there was going to be an addition to their family. Elizabeth was no spring chicken either. How could she conceive? She was barren!

But nine months later, that something did begin: a bouncing boy was born. Can you image taking care of a baby when you are 90? Or having a teenager when you are 105?

The adulteress woman knew things were brewing and she was in fear of what was about to begin. This story is called the adulteress woman, but it really has little to do with her. If killed, she was collateral damage. And why her? We know the woman was caught, but I suspect the woman was set up. Those “religious” people were still trying to get Jesus and they knew there was no way out this time. No matter how he handled this situation, he would be wrong.

All of this did not mean much to the woman. She was scared. She did not know what would happen. She just knew that kneeling in front of this man called Jesus would be the last thing that ever happens to her. She knew she would die and those stones would hurt. But (that word that changes so many of our actions) Jesus knelt and drew in the dirt. His words then caused confusion. He was telling the men to throw those stones. She waited. Then she heard stones being dropped and those that were with sin started walking away.

The adulteress woman was waiting to die. Instead she was told to go and sin no more.

The line "like something is brewing and about to begin" happens over and over in our lives and it always leads to something we dread: CHANGE. Noah had to change. His life changed completely as he took on a monumental task. Zachariah had to change. He was going to be a daddy. The adulteress woman had to change. She was to sin no more. And I bet each of them were not sure how to handle the change in their lives.

How do you handle change? Do you embrace it? Do you just go along with it? Do you fight it? I hope you embrace it, because change is going to happen. And, honestly, if you are not changing … if you are just standing still … wanting everything as it is this moment … God cannot use you. He needed the woman to stand up. He needed Zachariah to believe. He needed Noah to pick up a hammer. What in your life is brewing and something about to begin? How do you need to change so God can use you?

Sooooo, Stand up. Believe. And pick up that hammer.

 MKR

Are you wondering what MKR stands for? It could be Mary’s Kind Regards. It could be, but it is not. MKR stands for My Kitchen Rules. No not “my” kitchen. A TV show from Australia. The contestants are teams of any combination — mother/son, father/daughter, friends, relatives, married couples, almost married, or thinking about it, work buddies. These home cooks go through various cooking challenges and, like all shows of this nature, are eliminated one team at a time.

I love this show and always have my favorites and my I-do-not-want-them-to-win. There is one thing for sure. I am glad God does not …

“What are you glad I do not do?”

Wow, it is only the first day of a new year and you need to have a conversation with me already?

“It is nice to see you too, Mary. You are avoiding my question. What are you glad I do not do?”

I am glad you do not judge me against what others do. You judge me on my actions and my faith.

“That is …”

And when I am going through challenges, you are there to help me through them. You do not toss me to the wolves and say, “Good luck.”

“Yes, that is …”

And I do not have to be something (as in the show a home cook) to qualify for all you have to offer. I am a believer. I am enough!

“You are …”

And on the show, only one team wins the title and the $250,000. All, who believe, win your prize. All are freely given the title “Child of God” and all are freely given eternal life.

“Can I get a word …”

Well, I assume you have something to say about this.

“I can say this much. You still interrupt me! Maybe that should be your resolution: I will not interrupt God.”

Don’t make resolutions. They do not last long enough to bother.

“My goodness, child. No wonder you do not know what I want you to do. ‘I will listen’ could be another option for a resolution.”

Mouth zipped.

“I doubt that, but mixed in with all your words are things you should remember. I judge fairly, will always be with you during trials/challenges, and offer my gifts freely to all who believe.

And never forget, you are my child and you are enough.”

I am enough. I don’t have to feel like I am not good enough. Or try to be something I am not. Or change so I fit in. God said I am enough. Wow. I want to shout so the world hears: I AM A CHILD OF GOD. I AM ENOUGH!

Now this is the way to start a New Year. A conversation with God when I am not in trouble.

It is a new year and a great resolution would be to begin each day by saying, “I am a Child of God. I AM ENOUGH.”