REAL? OR NOT REAL?

Chalk art fascinates me and I do not understand how something can be drawn on a flat surface and appear real. Lifelike.

This little guy is so cute.

Chalk art is whimsical and a crack in a wall becomes the home of a rabbit.

Then some are ----

Admit it. The bears look real!

These deer appear to be escaping under the sidewalk into a winter wonderland.

Looking at these make you believe there is a cute green character lifting up the sidewalk and that a rabbit lives in the roots of a tree.

If you were walking by the bears, you would, most likely, do a double take and wouldn't you love to walk into that peaceful winter scene with the deer.

Sometimes it is hard to tell what is real and what is not.

REAL? OR NOT REAL?

Life is like that. Many times something or someone seems real. Honest. Until, we realize we are being deceived.

For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect. Matthew 24:24

The Bible warns us to be on our guard because that ole Satan is a sneaky, evil being. He is false. He will lie.

He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down out of heaven to the earth in the presence of men. And he deceives those who dwell on the earth because of the signs which it was given him to perform in the presence of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who had the wound of the sword and has come to life. Revelation 13:13-14

No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 2 Corinthians 11:14

The beast - Satan - wants us to turn from God to him. He will try to convince us he is great by performing "great signs" and promising wonders he cannot give. Satan will even present himself to you in a disguise. He might just show up at your door looking like an angel. You see, Satan is a liar. His words are not real!!! Satan is a liar. He can fake how you see him.

God has not left us on our own to fight those that try to deceive - those that just plain lie to us.

Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6:11

The words and actions of Satan are not real. THE WORDS AND ACTIONS OF GOD ARE! The scriptures are full of assurances as they tell us of God's character. They tell us God does NOT change. They tell us God does NOT lie.

He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a human being, that he should change his mind. 1 Samuel 15:29

To declare that the Lord is upright. He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. Psalm 92:15

For I am the Lord, I do not change. Malachi 3:6

In the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time. Titus 1:2

One last scripture, from The Message, by Eugene Peterson, Hebrews 6:13-18:

When God made his promise to Abraham, he backed it to the hilt, putting his own reputation on the line. He said, "I promise that I'll bless you with everything I have - bless and bless and bless!" Abraham stuck it out and got everything that had been promised to him. When people make promises, they guarantee them by appeal to some authority above them so that if there is any question that they'll make good on the promise, the authority will back them up. When God wanted to guarantee his promises, he gave his word, a rock-solid guarantee - God can't break his word. And because his word cannot change, the promise is likewise unchangeable.

We who have run for our very lives to God have every reason to grab the promised hope with both hands and never let go. It's an unbreakable spiritual lifeline, reaching past all appearances right to the very presence of God where Jesus, running on ahead of us, has taken up his permanent post as high priest for us, in the order of Melchizedek.

I do not know about you, but I WANT THE REAL DEAL. I WANT WHAT IS REAL, TRUE AND UNCHANGABLE!

O God, Dress me in your armor so I will not believe lies nor be deceived by false prophets. Allow my grip on your promised hope to be strong so I will never let go, always trusting in Your unchanging truth. Amen

PRISON

I do not think - no, I know I do not want to go to prison. One time, when I was a Brownie leader, we went to the county jail and, because there were no inmates in one section, we were locked in cells. I DID NOT LIKE THAT. I WANTED OUT!!!!!!!!!

Think there could be an issue with claustrophobia? I know there is because small rooms, rooms without windows or having all the doors shut make me nervous. Strangely, airplanes and elevators are a breeze. Hey, phobias are illogical but I refuse to be a prisoner! (They don't lock you up for speeding do they?)

This line of thought began when I was looking for a scripture about being in a prison.

Psalm 107:10 tells us: Some sat in darkness and the deepest gloom, prisoners suffering in iron chains.

Darkness? Deepest gloom? Iron chains? I do not like the sound of that! Darkness, gloom and iron chains just would not work with my grey hair. I am not going to be a prisoner.

OR -- am I already a prisoner?

The next verse pointed out why these prisoners were suffering. Psalm 107:11 for they had rebelled against the words of God and despised the counsel of the Most High.

Wow! I am in trouble. I have rebelled. Is there any hope? How do I break the chains?

The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him (Jesus). Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor." ..and he began by saying to them, "Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing." Luke 4:17-19, 21

Freedom for the prisoners. I like that part and Jesus is anointed to do just that. I have found my hope! Jesus is strong enough to break the chains that hold me prisoner.

It would be great to say I am the only weak sinner being held captive, but the reality is revealed in Galatians 3:22 -- But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

Each of us is a prisoner of sin. And our sins are different. What is placing you in darkness? In deepest gloom? What is keeping you in iron chains?

There is hope and all you have to do is go to the one that can set you free: Jesus.

Set me free from my prison, that I may praise your name.

Psalm 142:7

A SLICE OF LIFE

We subscribe to one daily, one five-days-a-week and two weekly newspapers in addition to the free weekly paper. Do we read them front to back? Not really but they keep us informed. They reveal a slice of life.

I was looking at the free paper and discovered:

The paper has a new editor,

the local hospital's transition to a new owner is going smoothly,

a local township's records are being "looked at",

Chester, a neutered Jack Russell would like a new home,

local twins turn 90,

a furniture store would like to sell you a new recliner so you are "ready for the big game",

candidates are registering for election,

16 obituaries were published,

there are a lot of houses for sale,

a young couple announced their engagement,

churches heralded their times of worship,

and,

if you call the right number and for a fee, the snow on your sidewalk, driveway or parking lot will miraculously disappear.

This paper is a slice of life, but it is a slice of only the local community. The other papers fill in the slices from other states and other countries. It takes all of them to make a complete picture of life.

= = = = = = = = = = = =

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" John 1:29

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

Did you notice these say the world? They do not name an individual. They do not say a street. They do not say a town. They do not say a country or continent. They say the world!

My life - your life - is a slice of the world picture. And it takes each of us to make the picture of the world complete.

You are important. You are a part of the very world the Lamb of God came to save.

JESUS HAS LEFT THE TEMPLE

Sunday, January 4, 2015

9:10 AM Leave for church, Matthew 24 Sunday School lesson ready

9:13 AM On the way to church

9:14 AM An idea completely different than I expected to use for class pops right into my brain -- and stays there. Not one of those, in/out thoughts that float around but one that I knew meant the whole lesson was now going in an entirely different direction.

9:30 AM Begin the class with this written on the board:

Elvis has left the building.

Jesus has left the temple.

Yes, the class was staring at the board with the has-she-lost-her-mind look. What did Elvis leaving and Jesus leaving have in common? Or how were they different? Well, let me tell you, once they started kicking around ideas it was one of the funnest (a word created by children that works here) class ever.

Right off they said they were both "Kings" but Elvis was a small "k." It was pointed out that Elvis had fans that were always his fans, but, although Jesus had his disciples and a few followers, those around him changed from town to town.

When Elvis left, he had a destination: his next concert. Jesus, also had a destination: the Mount of Olives. A big difference is that Elvis entertained and Jesus taught.

Elvis and Jesus both left. They quickly came up with the idea that the building was different when they left. When Elvis left the building, the energy he generated left with him. "But what about when Jesus left the Temple?" I asked.

We then thought, "What would our church be like if the Spirit of Jesus left?" The word "empty" seemed to be the final description. Yes, a concert hall would be empty when Elvis left, but only for a short time. Another performer would come along and fill the hall with music again. If Jesus left, it would just be empty. There would be no one to come along and fill the emptiness. The church would just be a building. We did not like that feeling.

Matthew 24:1 begins with, "Jesus left the temple.." Do you want the really great news? WE DO NOT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT JESUS LEAVING US ! ! !

Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirt, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20

We are His. We are His disciples. He is always with us. ALWAYS - TO THE VERY END OF THE AGE.

What an amazing discussion came out of one crazy idea that just popped into a little brain. Or maybe, just maybe, the idea didn't just pop in. Maybe it was placed there for Sunday, January 4, 2015, 9:30 AM, Unity Sunday School Class.

NO FOX NEWS!!!

If you are family, friend or a friend on Facebook, you know I am very outspoken in my religious and political beliefs. I post comments to articles put out by religious and political organizations. And yes, I watch Fox News. Never fear though, I also read newspapers and rely on other sources to make sure I am "fair and balanced." I must admit I know I am right and those that do not agree with me are wrong. (TONGUE IN CHEEK AND WITH SARCASM.)

We have Dish Network and they seem to have a problem with Fox News and renewing their contract, possibly due to greed on both sides. The result is that I have NO FOX NEWS!!! I ended 2014 and am beginning 2015 with NO FOX NEWS! How will I survive?

I have briefly listened to CNN. That is not an option. I tried HLN. Fluff. For the sake of my blood pressure, I know better than to even listen to MSNBC. What to do? What to do?

How will I survive without Fox News?

The answer: Just fine thank you. When Fox and Dish finally settle on a contract, I will again start watching. Until then, I am just fine. There is life without Fox News.

I can get through life just fine without Fox News but I cannot get through life without knowing God is real, Jesus died for my sins and the Holy Spirit is in my soul.

My God is real:

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8

I do believe my God is real. He is not some figment of my imagination. He created this world and all I have to do is look around and I see His love for me everywhere. Water to drink. Food to eat. People to love. And I am His child.

How great is the love the Father has lavished on me, that I should be called a child of God! And that is what I am! 1 John 3:1 (Personalized)

Jesus is the Son of my God and Jesus died for my sins:

For God so loved me that he gave his one and only Son, that because I believe in him I shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (Personalized)

I do believe Jesus came to earth to be my Shepherd. To lead me to the Father. To show the way. To give me eternal life.

The Holy Spirit lives in my soul:

Peter replied, “Mary, repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And, Mary, you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38 (Personalized)

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved me, not because of righteous things I had done, but because of his mercy. He saved me through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on me generously through Jesus Christ my Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, I might become an heir having the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:4-7 (Personalized)

I do not deserve nor can I ever earn the love of God nor the gift of the Holy Spirit but God gave me this gift anyway.

How will I survive without Fox News? Just fine thank you.

How would I survive without God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit? I would not.

What about you? Can you survive without your favorite TV channel?

Can you survive without God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit?

My prayer for you during 2015 and beyond ---

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

DO YOU SEE A STORY?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Pictures can evoke such feelings: Joy. Wonder: Peace. Compassion. Fear. Anxiety. Sadness. Pain.

This picture was posted on Facebook (Phyllis's Art, fantasy and contemporary) and I was drawn in. It is so full of emotion. Usually I prefer the feeling of peace or wonder, but the pain in this picture made me want to sit beside her. Made me want to help her.

Can you see her pain? The young lady has her arms folded over her stomach and her head is down. Flowers from the bouquet have fallen onto the floor. Storm clouds cover the sky. She is alone. She looks so alone.

I wondered if she had just told a loved one goodbye. A black dress. Flowers. Hurting. And alone. She looks so alone.

She is safe inside but you can tell the storm has driven her to her knees. There is no shadow of someone standing close by to offer comfort. There are no hands gently touching her shoulders. She looks so alone.

Could she be praying? Could she be asking, "How can I bear this? The pain of this is ……." She looks so alone.

It would be great if life was always a picture of joy, wonder, peace and compassion. Life is not always like that. Life also comes with fear, anxiety, sadness and pain.

This young lady looks so alone. She does not have to be. You do not have to be alone when the storms come into your life. You may be on your knees, in a house by yourself and wondering how will I bear this, but you are not alone. You do not have to carry the burden by yourself or go through the storm alone.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30

Are you weary? Burdened? Do you need rest?

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

CLEANING

Oh my goodness! If you ever hear me say I am going to clean the pantry, please do an intervention and stop me. Such a simple organize-those-cans idea can lead to ---

= a trip to the store to replace outdated spices,

= cleaning the kitchen drawers because when the pantry was cleaned there was shelf space for all those I-don't-use-often-but-do-not-want-to-throw-away things,

= cleaning the shelves because after cleaning the drawers they looked messy,

= washing the canisters, salt and pepper shakers and those measuring spoons that got put away with just a bit of spices on them (probably those outdated ones I am now going to replace) but now look dirty next to the clean shelves,

= the counter tops because when I moved the canisters I saw the flour and sugar hiding behind them,

= which then made the stove top look a bit less than sparkling

and

= drat; now I see the dust on those empty wine bottles that did look just fine before the sink was scrubbed.

HELP!!! Once started there is no end to cleaning. Each clean spot makes the next spot look dirty. Oh no! There is a cobweb……………………

CLEANING ME

All this cleaning made me think about my life. What do I need to clean?

I need to search out things that misuse my time and energy. My hubby would say I should start with those silly games on the iPad. He is probably right.

I need to throw away bad habits. Cannot think of any at this moment but I am sure my kids, grandchildren or friends would be more than happy to point out one. Or two. Or three. Why would Bill not point out my bad habits? He is smarter than that. : )

I need to restock my shelves with patience, understanding, compassion, gratitude and a listening Spirit.

I need to fill a trash bag with my temper, an unyielding spirit and the word but when I am talking to God.

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.

Psalm 51:10

How is your life? Do you need to do a bit of cleaning?

BALANCING THE CHECKBOOK

Do not know about you, but I want my checkbook to balance.

If the amount is off by a "3", I know to check my adding to see if I hit the wrong number on the adding machine. Yes, I still have one and I use it. If the amount is divisible by "9", I know I have transposed figures. These two mistakes are usually pretty quick and easy to find. It is that silly penny I hate!

I will look for a penny. Knowing it must be there somewhere; I will compare the bank statement to the checkbook. I will add and re-add each column. Then, when that elusive penny is found, the world goes back into alignment. A smile comes back to my face. All is right for another month.

A LOST COIN

Jesus is speaking: "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin. In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Luke 15:8-10

Now that is a woman who would balance her checkbook.

NEWS FLASH!

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’      Luke 15:3-6

Are you ready? This is important! Pay attention!!

Are you sitting down? Are you all ears? This IS REALLY important! Paying attention now?  Ready?

WE ARE THE SHEEP!

JESUS IS THE SHEPHERD!

WHEN ONE OF US GETS LOST, JESUS COMES LOOKING FOR US!

Told you it was really important!

REFLECTION

This is my favorite picture taken on our 2006 trip to Alaska. We were traveling on my type of road. Bill calls them "How do you find these roads?" and I call them "There is no one coming in either direction!" So quiet and peaceful! (You did get the there was no one else on the road, didn't you?) Beautiful! The water was so still the reflection was perfect.

Exactly what is a reflection? The noun means:

~~ the act of reflecting or the state of being reflected

~~ an image; representation; counterpart

~~ the return of light, heat, sound, etc., after striking a surface

This got me to thinking. What would my reflection look like?

This is pretty easy to answer. There would be a face with gray hair, eyes looking out through glasses and --- but the Bible says:

As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man. Proverbs 27:19

What if my heart was reflected onto the water instead of my face? Would the image be different?

Would I only see myself? My thoughts? My actions? My feelings? That reflection would be self-centered wouldn't it?

Would I see the influence of others? Their thoughts? Their actions? Their feelings? That would not be a true reflection of who I am. It would be a reflection of how others want me to be.

OR would I see the reflection of the Lord's glory as 2 Corinthians 3:18 tells us:

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.

Wow! I sure hope it would be the reflection of the Lord's glory. That is so much better than a gray haired, self-centered, trying to please others woman that might be looking back at me.

Unveiled face -- Lord, tear away anything that covers my face which will stop Your Glory from shining through.

Transformed into His likeness -- Transform me Lord. Change my attitude, my desires, my goals into Your attitude, Your desires, Your goals.

Ever-increasing glory -- Lord, let my Spirit, the Holy Spirit you placed inside of me, ever increase until my reflection is only of YOU.

I have an amazing idea! Look into the lake with me.

Unveil your face.

Be transformed.

Allow your heart to reflect the Lord's glory.

Give your Spirit the space it needs to grow with ever-increasing glory.

Look again. What do you see now?

OLD FRIEND

I graduated in 1964 and finally went to a reunion. MY 50 YEAR REUNION!! Does that make me old? Of course it does! Unless, that is, you just went to your 75th reunion, then I am just a young thing. I was amazed at how old everyone had gotten. Everyone except me. All that gray hair. Or no hair. Wrinkles sprinkled on cheeks and brows. Some have converted feed really well. (You have to have fed livestock to get that.)

Oh! My hair is gray. I call it character, but my face of character has been created by well-deserved wrinkles. And I have converted feed better than some. Is that how they all saw me?

One of the rewards of going was discovering a classmate/friend lived only 40 miles away. At the reunion, we promised to get together. Get together we did. We started talking at 5:00 PM, at a local restaurant, continued talking at our home where we allowed Bill to enter the conversation on a limited basis and finally said goodbye at 8:30 PM. Hard to condense 50 years into three and half hours. The conversation will be continued.

NOTE: Any former classmates reading this can be assured we only discussed good memories. Gossip waits till the next time!

A VERY LONG TIME

Has it been a long time since you visited with God? Have you had a heart to heart conversation with him? To you it might seem like a really long time, but God is eternal

In the beginning God -- Geneses 1:1

David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, “Praise be to you, Lord, the God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Chronicles 29:10

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” Revelation 1:8

AND during this eternity, God is patiently waiting for you.

Maybe you have tried to hide from God.

You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Psalm 139:1-5

        Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? Psalm 139:7

You cannot hide!

Maybe you have stayed away from God because you thought He would no longer recognize you with gray hair or pink hair or no hair. Or because of your sins.

Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Luke 12:7

Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:19-23

Why did I miss going to all the other reunions? I could make excuses, but that is what they would be -- excuses.

Why do you miss going to God? You could make excuses, but that is what they will be -- excuses.

PINTEREST

"Did you see what she posted on Facebook?"   "What about that tweet?"   "She reads what?"   "Did you know that the NSA is reading your emails and checking your phone calls?"

Everyone knows what we are doing these days. We are very open with our pictures, our comments, our lives. BUT do we stop and think what all this says about us? The Bible tells us that we influence others.

1 TIMOTHY 4 (instructions to Timothy): ¹² Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity. ¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.

PHILIPPIANS 3: ¹⁷ Join together in following my example, brothers and sisters, and just as you have us as a model, keep your eyes on those who live as we do.

If someone checked my Pinterest boards, what would they find out about me?

THEY WOULD FIND OUT I LIKE COLOR.

THEY WOULD FIGURE OUT I AM THINKING ABOUT A 50TH ANNIVERSARY.

THEY WOULD LEARN MY FAVORITE FLOWER IS THE WHITE ROSE AND THAT I STILL HAVE ALL MY MARBLES.

THEY WOULD DISCOVER I HAVE A STRANGE SENSE OF HUMOR.

When I see this, I want to add the caption: "Do you think the big guy knows we did it?"

NUMBERS WOULD SHOW THIS HAS BEEN REPINED 165 TIMES AND LIKED 22 TIMES.

And God said, “I am here.  Do you want to talk now?”

QUICKLY IT WOULD BE UNDERSTOOD THAT I AM ON A JOURNEY.

This long path, in the fog, reminds me of my life journey. I have to trust God that He knows where my path leads. (Because left to myself, I would be absolutely lost in the woods.)

THERE WOULD BE NO QUESTION AS TO WHAT I HOLD ONTO.

The nativity is so sweet to look at. It held the Baby Jesus. The image of the New Jerusalem is a vision we hold in front of us.  But the Cross. Oh how we do not want to look at the Cross.  Not only should we look at the Cross, we should take ahold of it and hold on securely.

------------------------------------------------------ I picked these pins because they make me look like a really good person. Am I that careful with my Facebook posts? My words? My actions? My deeds? My life? PHILIPPIANS 4: ⁸ Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. ⁹ Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. The Bible tells us that we influence others. How do you influence others? And me? Like I said, I picked these pins to make me seem like a great influence. Truth is, more often than I want to admit, I would be an absolutely horrible, miserable, lousy influence on those around me. THE ONLY HOPE I HAVE IS TO KEEP THE LOVE OF GOD BEFORE ME AND KEEP DOING MY BEST TO FOLLOW.

DID YA MISS ME?

Did ya miss me? Did you even think, "Mary didn't post a blog this week?" There were three weeks in August when no blog was posted. Did ya miss them? Honestly - the answer is you didn't miss my blog.

That is okay. Our lives are so busy that we notice when more things are added to our day or week, but we don't seem to notice when something is left out. Ponder that for a minute.

When a friend calls, you talk to them and enjoy the conversation. BUT - If a friend stops calling, how long does it take you to notice? A day? A week? A month? When do you finally miss them?

Do you notice when a Facebook friend has not posted? When family pictures stop showing up? When there are no likes to your posts by them? Or do you have so many Facebook friends that you just keep scrolling down the screen. When do you finally miss them?

When someone misses church, do you think they must be on vacation? Do you wonder if they are sick when they do not show up the next week? Do you even think about them the third week? How long before you realize that pew has an empty spot? When do you finally miss them?

Our day gets busy and we push Bible study to tomorrow. Many things grab our attention and we forget to pray. We lay our head down and go to sleep. Does God miss us?

I have been guilty of each of these. When it dawns on me that I haven't heard from a friend, I realize I hadn't made time for them either. When that Facebook friend falls away, I realize I had rarely responded to their posts. When I see the empty spot in the pew, I realize the empty pew seems normal. When God seems distant, I realize I had pushed Him out of my days.

Our lives are so busy that we notice when more things are added to our day or week, but we don't seem to notice when something is left out. Were any of these people missing me? Are they missing you?  I do not know.

Was God missing me? Does God miss you?  This I do know. YES!!!

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty;

he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love,

he will joy over thee with singing.

Zephaniah 3:17

Be assured, a God that saves you, rejoices over you, loves you and has such joy that he will sing over you will miss you. God will not stop calling you. God will not unfriend you. God will not think the empty pew is normal. When you go back to studying the Bible, when you go back to praying, and when you go back to telling God goodnight, God will say, "My child, I have missed you."

FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES

Our minister was trying out a new toy -- a sound system with karaoke. He said he thought he shouldn't be caught singing Friends in Low Places. I told him, "Why not? It is a great song and it could lead to a sermon."

That is when some of the verses started rolling around in my head. I do have friends in low places, because sin puts you in a very low place. And we are all sinners.

Blame it all on my roots

== If only Eve had not taken the first bite and Adam the second, my roots would be way different.

Cause I've got friends in low places

== These friends are called sinners and the low place is where that ole devil wants us to stay.

Where the whiskey drowns and the beer chases my blues away

== Ok. I will have to change this verse to where "the Cross covers" and "forgiveness chases" my sins away.

And I'll be okay

== Yes. Yes I will

I will be okay. You will be okay. Why? Because God loves us enough to send His Son.

SIN

We are not walking around in the Garden of Eden because of sin. It started with just a small sin. Taking a bite from that pretty fruit on just one tree. NO. It started with the not so small sin of disobeying God. It went downhill from there, but God really did want His children to walk the straight and narrow.

First God sent prophets but His children did not listen to them and even roughed them up. People were out there doing all sorts of things. Worshipping other gods. Sacrificing children. Breaking those silly Ten Commandments. The Priests were in it for stature and power. Yup, a lot of sinning going on. Really big sins. Sins that required a big, larger than life sacrifice. God sent His Son.

Today we don't hear much about sin in church. We hear about a loving gracious God. And He is! Also, it seems we get caught in the trap of, "Well, of course I am a sinner. But I only do small, little sins. It is not as if I have ever done a big sin. I am not like (fill in the name) who has (fill in the sin)."

News flash! Sin is sin!!! Jesus came, suffered, died and arose for the tiniest sin each of us commits. Jesus came so we - you, me, and them - have a way to overcome sin. Without Jesus and the payment He made for our sins, we for sure would be with our friends in a low place.

A low place that gets very, very hot.

MY YARD

Welcome to my yard.

Some flowers are new, with lush leaves, and so full of color.

This reminds me of the beginning of life.

Some flowers are a single bloom.

This flower reminds me of alone time. Times when we are reading a good book, walking on a beach or having a quiet cup of coffee as the sun comes up.

I transplanted a few of these red gladiolus and they have multiplied!

These flowers remind me of times when we are surrounded by family or friends.

I like to make garden stones and they add points of interest in the flower bed.

These make me think of the things in our lives that add interest and a splash of color.

I call this a brain and you never know where an angel will be.

Some things that add interest can be a bit strange, unusual.  In this case, the outside of the rock hides the beauty within.

Still reading? Hang in there.

Only a few more pictures and I am trying to figure out where this is headed.

This rose has an aroma that hangs in there too. It used to be close to the house and, when the sun hits the siding where this rose used to grow, the sweet smell makes me breathe deep.

Some plants are a joy to behold and some are a joy to eat.

This reminds me that we need to feed our soul with the beauty of God's world and our stomachs with those zucchini before they get too big and take over the yard.

This sweet corn was growing tall. Tall until we had some strong wind.

This reminds me that there are times in life when everything is going great and then, WHAM, along comes a wind that knocks us flat.

As you can see, some stalks stayed flat and some stood back up.

The rain came. The wind followed. The roses all lost their petals.

This reminds me that pruning brings new growth.

The final picture. These blooms are dying. The end of life.

At first that sounds morbid. Then I realized that the end of this life means a new life.

That is the end of the walk around my yard and it does seem to represent my life. At one time, I was new and fresh. Sometimes I am alone and sometimes I join others in celebrations and worship. I add splashes of color to my world and I never know when an angel may appear. I pray my inside is much more beautiful than my outside. At times, I have been knocked down and pruned. So far, I have always gotten up and grown from the experience. I also know that I have more life behind me than in front of me.

My favorite scripture is Psalm 139. Those verses assure me that God is with me when I walk. God is with me no matter where I am.

You have searched me, LORD, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Psalm 139:1-6

Now go for a walk in your yard. And talk to God while you look around. He loves to hear your voice!

TOO PRETTY TO CUT

My hubby loves rhubarb pie so I was the every loving wife and made him one. I cut the rhubarb. I cleaned it. I chopped it. I added the ingredients. I put it into the crust. Okay. It was a Pillsbury crust. I put the pie in the oven. I waited. I took the pie out.

THE PIE WAS BEAUTIFUL!!!

The edges were a golden brown and just enough juice had seeped out to make it shine. The top crust was perfect. And the smell!! The whole house had a sweet aroma with just a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg.

The pie was way too beautiful to cut! But I had made the pie to eat. What to do?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There was a Samaritan woman at the well when Jesus came by and he said to her, "Will you give me a drink?"

The woman was more than a bit shocked. Why did this man even speak to her? Samaritans and Jews did not work and play well together.

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that ask you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

Wow. Living water just for the asking!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There that pie sat. All I had to do was cut it and we would be rewarded.

Yes, we cut the pie and it was as delicious as it looked.

There is only one piece left. Should I allow Bill to have the last piece?

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Samaritan woman made a comment and Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

Living water just for the asking!! Eternal life!!!

Scriptures from various verses in John 4:4-14

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

If we had only looked at the pie, we would have missed out.

If we do not ask for the living water, we will miss out.

Do you want to look at what Jesus has to offer or do you want to receive what Jesus has to offer?

PINTREST

As I strolled around Pintrest, my eyes were drawn to these three works of art.

So many emotions came flying at me when I saw this painting.

Wild on the left, soft on the right.

My eyes moved to the right side and, although the tree was bare and dark, a feeling of peace rested there - as if the tree knew the storm was over. The colors are soft and easy to my eyes. As my eyes moved to the left, the personality of the painting changed. Calm was replaced by blowing wind, tumbling clouds and colors that removed the calm feeling.

My eyes are ever on the Lord, for only he will release my feet from the snare. Psalm 25:15

What a perfect scripture for this! I am the tree and I may be bruised and battered after the "snare" no longer has me, but I am calm because my eyes are on the Lord.

Now this is amazing!!! Thanksgiving Chapel in Dallas, Texas.

When I saw this my eyes followed the spiral to the center. I marveled at the way the light reflected. How the center looked like a perfect jewel. I envisioned a prayer being lifted to God.

I lift up my eyes to the hills -- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2

I lift up my eyes -- My eyes so often lift up. I look up to watch hawks fly and clouds drift. I look up when I seek help.

Totally alone but completely relaxed!

When I saw this picture, it took my breath away.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Can you feel the peace in this picture? The calm in the reflection? It is as if God is saying, "I am here. Do you want to talk now?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What do your eyes see?  Where do you find reminders of God?

WHAT'S FOR LUNCH

(based on John 6:1-14)

Don't ya love children? They are so considerate of their parents. Always wanting to help. Never causing any extra work. There is one boy who caused him mom some worry and extra work.

In a grown up voice, the boy asks, "Mom, I know I have chores to do but Jesus, the man we have been hearing so much about, is speaking today. I really want to hear him. Yes, I know the way. Some of my friends are going. May I go, please? Pretty please with honey?"

"Lunch? No, I won't be back for lunch. Oh, mom. I am not a baby. If it will make you happy, fix a lunch and I will take it with me," he said. Under his breath he muttered, "And I bet it won't be a peanut butter sandwich. It will probably be the same old fish and bread. Whoopi."

So off the boy goes. See him? There in the middle of the crowd walking over the hill. He keeps looking around for his buddies but he is beginning to think their moms wouldn't let them come. He thinks, "I am going to hear this Jesus even if I have to do it by myself!"

"You said your name is Andrew. Come with you?" the boy asked. "Why? Yes I do have some food but it isn't much and to be honest it is cheap bread and fish. Not a lot you can do with so little. Besides, have you even tried to count the people? There must be 5,000 men. Plus the women and children. I can guarantee you what I have in this sack won't do it."

The next thing the boy knew he was in front of the whole crowd. Standing there with his sack lunch and looking right at Jesus. Then Jesus speaks to the boy and asks if he will share his lunch.

As everyone sat down and received their fill, the boy thought, "No way is mom going to believe this. And I thought it was a miracle she even let me come."

IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU

It was cheap bread and some fish. Barely enough for one boy but enough to feed thousands.

It could happen to you. You could be asked to share something you have.

When you read about this miracle, do you picture Jesus sitting at the bottom of a hill? Do you picture families sitting in groups, relaxing and eating? Do you see men discussing what they had heard preached this morning? Do you see women taking care of children?

When you imagine this miracle where is the boy? Do you see him hand his food to Jesus? Do you see him watch as Jesus turns a little bit of food into basketfuls? Do you see the wonder in his eyes? Do you see him realize he helped others?

All the footnotes say this shows Jesus is the supplier of our needs. He is the bread of life. And it is true. But it also shows how we help Jesus. How Jesus can use what we have to feed others. To feed their bodies. To feed their faith.

What do you have Jesus can use? And "nothing" is not the correct answer! There is something unique about you. God made you special and gave you a talent, a gift, to use. Yes, it might be hidden but you can find it. Look deep. Deeper. Look outside of the box you put yourself in! Still looking? Feel like you have nothing to give? How about a few suggestions?

Call someone who is lonely

Visit a shut-in

Send a card to encourage a friend

Bake some cookies for the fire department

Teach a small group study

Help someone learn to change a tire

Teach plumbing to new homeowners

Babysit so a new mother can have a break

Plant vegetables to share

Read to those who cannot see

The list of possibilities can be long. God does not expect you to do them all. Maybe he only expects you to do one. Maybe he wants you to share some cheap bread and fish.

THAT'S THE DADDY I WANT

(based on Luke 15:11-32)

I do believe this is the most discussed, most preached, most one sided parable there is. Let’s get the given out of the way: Yes, this is a parable about us coming home to God. Coming home after we have taken his blessings, wasted them, hit rock bottom and hoping we will be forgiven.

My problem is I think the older brother is getting a bad reputation he does not deserve. I do not think he is mad about his brother coming home. I do not think he is even mad about the fattened calf. He might have been a bit upset about the ring, but who knows for sure.

Here is the visual. The older brother has been out working all day. He is hot, tired and sweaty. All he wants is a shower, clean clothes, supper and the remote control.

Confused the older brother asks a servant, "What is all the fuss about? Is my father okay? He isn't ill is he? Where is he? Is he in bed?"

The servant, really too busy to stop and talk, says quickly, "Your father is fine. Your brother is home." Then he adds, "We are having a party to celebrate. The fatted calf is almost done."

Now angry, the older brother yells, "Fatted calf? Did he give him a ring too?"

"Father! Father!" he yells as he runs into the house.

Smiling the father said, "Settle down, son. Your brother is home. I saw him …"

"You were watching for him?" the older brother asked in an indignant tone.

"Why yes," the father replied. "I saw him when he was still a long way off and ran to him, threw my arms around him and kissed him. We are now having a party to welcome him home."

The father said, "You have worked hard and everything I have is yours, but your brother is no longer lost. He is home and we have to celebrate."

IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU

“My son you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But…” You see, it is the little word "but" that causes the problem.

It could happen to you. You can be steady and loyal and still not get the fatted calf.

The older brother wanted a father who was so excited to see him he would run to meet him. He wanted a father who loved him enough to throw him a party. He wanted a father who showed love. Not one who said "but." My take is the older brother was upset because he wanted his brother’s father.

Are you more like the older brother than you want to admit?

"I always did the dishes when I was told and I kept my room clean, but he leaves everything a mess. Why doesn't he get in trouble?"

"Just because she stayed out past curfew doesn't mean I will. Why am I punished for her behavior?"

"But that piece of pie was mine. I told you I was going to eat it later. Why did you let him eat it?"

The problem is you expect your parents to be perfect. To be everything you need. To be fair. To love you. To protect you. Here is where a "but" comes in. BUT no parent is perfect. No parent is always fair. No parent can protect you at all times. No parent except one.

Do you know your Creator, your Heavenly Father, your God loves all of his children equally. He loves you unconditionally. He is watching and waiting for you to come home.

That is the Father you want!

And your Heavenly Father has gifts for you so exorbitant they will make a robe, sandals, ring and even a fatted calf seem like pocket change.

COME ON DOWN

(based on Luke 13:10-13)

My goodness. The black words in this section have caused a whole movie in my brain! The set is a synagogue and the time is a Sabbath morning. The extras are milling about and the director is giving last minute directions. Everyone is ready. This is Take 1.

Jesus is the center of attention. He is speaking. He is teaching. The men are crowded around and wearing their best robes. The ruler of the synagogue is watching every move Jesus makes. He is listening to every word. He is wondering what the people see in this guy.

On the outer edge of the men, where they belong, are the women. Do you see them leaning forward trying to hear? Holding onto each word. Standing on tippy toes trying to get a glimpse.

Then Jesus stops speaking. Out of all these people, Jesus sees the one woman no one else sees. She is there. Clear in the back. Not standing tall. Not seeing Jesus because she is so crippled. So bent over. For eighteen years she has only seen the floor.

All eyes are on Jesus but he has his eyes on a crippled woman. Can you hear Jesus calling her to him? In front of everybody! How do you think she felt walking through the people? Did they clear a way for her? Were they mumbling about how bent over she was? Did they wonder what was going to happen? Then Jesus -

Then Jesus set her free from her infirmity and put his hand on her. Can you hear the tenderness in his voice? Can you imagine the feel of his touch? Can you picture the woman slowly straightening her back? Standing tall! Standing upright! Can you see the tears on her cheeks as she looks into the eyes of Jesus? Can you hear her praise God?

Can you hear her telling everyone, "My life is different today than it was yesterday!"?

IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU

A crippled woman, unseen by those around her, but seen by Jesus. Healed and standing tall, this woman could now see where she was going.

It could happen to you. You can be healed.

Can you picture the joy of the crippled woman upon being healed? Think of your everyday activities and how hard it would be to do them bent over. But how often do you stay bent over because you refuse to forgive, hold a grudge or hang onto a sin?

What joy would come into your life if you didn’t have to carry those burdens?

How much better would your life be if you allowed Jesus to set your free?

Talk to Jesus about setting you free. Life is much better when you are standing straight and can see where you are going.

Your tomorrow can be greatly different than your today.

Go ask the crippled woman. She will gladly share her story.

SILENT

(based on Luke 1:5-25 and 1:57-80)

"Man I sure have a new compassion for those who cannot speak. Nine months without being able to talk seemed like an eternity. Especially when I had such a great story to tell," Zechariah thought as he held his newborn son.

Zechariah, a priest, and his wife Elizabeth were upright in the sight of God. They followed those commandments and regulations. They were content but their family was only two. They had no children. No children until -- Let Zechariah tell you about it.

"I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was burning the incense when an angel appeared. Having an angel pop in on you is a bit out of the ordinary. My mind went from what I might have done wrong to fearing what he would say."

"Then the angel said not to be afraid and my prayer had been heard. Well, I pray a lot so I wasn't sure exactly which prayer he was referring to until he said my wife's name and she would have a baby. A baby?"

"Then I made a mistake. I pointed out to an angel - the angel Gabriel - God's messenger - that Elizabeth and I were a bit old to be having a baby. Gabriel seemed a bit upset with me questioning his good news and informed me I would be silent until after the baby was born. I wish I could pull those words back into my mouth."

Can you picture Zechariah going home and not being able to explain they needed to get busy and prepare a nursery? Can you see the struggle he went through knowing his son would go before the Lord? Can you picture the wonder in his eyes because the angel mentioned Elijah in the same breath as he mentioned his son? But he was silent.

After nine months, Zechariah finally gets to speak, "And you, my child, ……"

IT COULD HAPPEN TO YOU

Zechariah learned he would become a father and he was to name the child John. He was told the baby would be a joy and a delight and many would rejoice because of his birth. Zechariah had such great news but was silent.

It could happen to you. Do you have good news but remain silent?

There is danger in remaining silent. (You are thinking, "I am not a speaker. I cannot get up in front of people and talk. Speaking is not my talent." Keep reading because this is not about speaking to a group.) When you remain silent, you may cause your family and friends to question your faith. If your faith is not important enough to talk about, it must not be a big part of your life.

Luke could have written a very short, "John was born and prepared the way for Jesus." Instead Luke wrote many verses about Zechariah, Elizabeth and John. Luke wanted his friends, family and all generations to know about John the Baptist. Can you see Luke smiling as he sent this wonderful news to his friends. Can you imagine the joy his friends felt when they read the news Luke had for them? Luke did not remain silent. His message was important.

Zechariah had to be silent for nine months. Nine long months. Months when he could not tell about the glory of God and what was about to happen.

Do you have good news to tell but remain silent? Is your faith important enough to share? Important enough you cannot keep it to yourself?