A QUESTION

Questions come at us from every direction.  What is your name?  What is your address?  What is your password?  (Okay, don’t answer that one!)  What is for dinner?  Have you seen my __fill in the blank___?  (Especially if you have a male living in your home because they can never find anything.)  When will the project be done?  Can you stay and work late?  Are the cookies ready for me to take to school tomorrow?

Questions are especially fun at the doctor’s office.  What do you want to talk to the doctor about today?  (Why go over this on the written form, with the registering nurse, and then the doctor?  Just let me tell it once!)  Do you have __check mark a million questions ___?  (Could they just ask, “Has anything on this list changed since your last appointment?”)  Do you feel safe at home?  (This is a question that should be asked of every patient.  Asked when there is no one else in the room or when no one can see what answer you are checking.  I can answer that question YES I feel safe, but many cannot.)

I saw the pain doctor a week ago and filled out the required form.  The medical side was easy.  The shot helped and my pain level has come down from a 9/10 to a 4/5.  Yes, my back still hurts and if I stand very long it really hurts.  Medications are the same.  Then I turned the sheet over.

There are new questions I have never been asked before.  Maybe these are questions related to how I am handling pain.  Have you ever contemplated suicide?  NO!  Do you suffer from depression?  NO!  Do you have someone to talk with?  YES!  Do you feel useless?

And I answered YES.  I had never been asked that question before.  Do you feel useless?  I was surprised to see I had marked YES.  Why would I mark that?  I do many things.  I have kept busy. (Bless the internet and jigsaw puzzles.)  I teach Sunday School.  I write this blog.  I send cards.  I keep our bills paid.  I research and post things on Facebook.  I usually beat Bill when we play Quiddler.  I still … but since June, I cannot stand long enough to dust – that was my job.  Bill sweeps the floor and I dust.  I cannot stand long enough to cook – that was my job and more than once I have had to ask Bill to finish the meal because I had to sit down.  I cook and Bill does the dishes.  Do you feel useless?  And I answered yes.

I want you to know I have not written this so you would feel sorry for me.  I am dealing with this and know what I can and cannot do.  I am not depressed and I am not sitting around going, “Woe is me.  Woe is me.” 

BUT, before I saw this question, I had been feeling “something” and had not been able to put a word to it.  Once I let that word sink into my head, I could deal with it.  And I realized, “I AM NOT USELESS!”  What I can do has changed, but I AM NOT USELESS! 

A second BUT!  BUT it would be very easy for a person to fall into the feeling of being useless.  When, whether for a short time or an extended time, we can no longer do our “job” our self-image suffers.  How we see our self changes and it could be very easy to feel, “I can no longer do what I did, so I guess I am useless.”  Plus, because we may no longer be able to serve in the same capacity, we fear others will see us as useless.

To the caregiver:  As hard as it will be, allow your loved one to do what they are able to do.  (And yes, I have been on both sides.  It was soooo hard to let Bill go for a walk after he had a very small mini-stroke.  What if he had another one while walking?  What if…What if..)  BUT, honestly, sometimes, you can help too much.  Allow yourself to relax.  Take a breath.  And sit there while your patient, your loved one, gets their own drink or chips or ice cream.  They might struggle, but they will feel useful. 

For some reason, I felt compelled to write this.  I do not know who, but someone needs to know that feeling useless can be a side effect of illness.  If you feel this way, tell your caregiver and your doctor.  Let the word useless float around for a bit until you understand: I AM NOT USELESS!  What I can do has changed, but I AM NOT USELESS! 

I BELIEVE

Have you ever used your own words to express what you believe?  Have you ever put pen to paper and written a statement of your faith?  Surprise, surprise…I have.  I am pretty sure I have used these before, but for some reason, these came to my mind and I am using them again.

I BELIEVE MY LIFE HAS A PURPOSE

I wrote this January 2005, after completing Purpose Driven Life and it is taped in the front of my Bible.

The purpose of my life is to place God at the center of my being and to see God in all the world around me.  To be always thankful and grateful for being created by God to be his child and to know I am important to God.

With God at the center of my life, I want my character to reflect that I am a believer and that I make Christ based decisions.

I want the lives of others to be enriched by my actions and words.  I want to help family, friends and strangers move closer to God because they can see the light in my life and hear the story from my heart.

I want to share in fellowship with other believers so we can worship together, using the talents God has given each of us, to encourage each other and celebrate our faith.

A PERSONAL STATEMENT OF FAITH

This was written, April 3, 2011, when a Sunday School lesson challenged us to write our own personal statement of faith.

I believe Jesus is the Son of God.

I believe Jesus walked on this earth and that he brought the love of God

to all who will accept it.

I believe Jesus can heal souls and bodies.

Although I may have times of doubt or times of disobedience,

I believe the love of Jesus is unending and never fails.

I believe Jesus is my salvation.

I believe Jesus died so my sins could be buried with him.

I believe he arose and is with his Father.

I believe Jesus lived so he could present me to his Father

as a forgiven, cleansed daughter.

I grew up repeating the Apostles’ Creed in church.  Sometimes, we memorize this and no longer think about the meaning. 

I BELIEVE THE APOSTLES’ CREED

I believe in God the Father Almighty,

God, not a created idol, GOD.  And I believe there is only one God.

maker of heaven and earth

I do not believe in the big bang theory.  I believe GOD made the world.  The universe.  Made me.  I did not come from pond scum nor did I evolve from apes. 

And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord:

Only Son!!  Not a prophet.  A SON!

who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary,

I accept this as fact!

suffered under Pontius Pilate,

I cannot image the love it took for God to allow this nor for Jesus to accept it, when Jesus was without sin.

was crucified, dead, and buried;

I believe Jesus died on the cross and His body was placed in a grave.

the third day he rose from the dead;

God had sent His Son for a reason; to take away my sins.  Job done!

he ascended into heaven, and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty;

God welcomed His Son.  God wanted Jesus back beside Him.  What father would not want the same?

from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I so want to forget that I will be judged.  But I will be.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,

A part of the Trinity: God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The part of the Trinity that lives within my soul to guide me.

the holy catholic church,

I believe in the church Jesus built upon the faith of Peter and the apostles and continues to be built by the disciples of yesterday, today and tomorrow.

the communion of saints,

I cannot do this alone.  I must have help and part of that help is the support of others who believe in God, the Father Almighty.

the forgiveness of sins,

This is a biggie!!  I do believe my sins are forgiven.  I believe this because Jesus took my sins to the Cross.

the resurrection of the body

The grave will not be able to keep me.

and the life everlasting.

My everlasting life began the minute I accepted the Son of God.  Part of that life is now.  Part of that life is yet to come.

AND JESUS SAID:

A question I need to be able to answer:

But what about you?  Who do you say I am?  Luke 9:20

A question of my faith:

Do you believe that I am able to do this?  Matthew 9:28

Who I am to worship and serve:

It is written:  'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'  Luke 4:8

When I am tired:

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

When I feel like I cannot do life:

My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me.  Yet not as I will, but as you will.  Matthew 26:39

How I am to love:

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it:  'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hand on these two commandments.  Matthew 22:37-40

Who I am to help:

The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'  Matthew 25:40

A warning:

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more.  But I will show you whom you should fear:  Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell.  Yes, I tell you, fear him.  Luke 12:4-5

Be alert:

No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.  Be on guard!  Be alert!  You do not know when that time will come.  Mark 13:32-33

What I am to do and Jesus' assurance:

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 Spirit, 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

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What do you believe?

 

NO WAY! 

No way!!  They are adults!  Adults?  When did this happen?  They should still want me to read to them.  They should be playing with the Roly Poly Bear.  They should be sound asleep, with their head resting on my shoulder.

 No.  I am not talking about my kids.  I am talking about my grandkids, ages 19 to 28.  No more stories to be read.  No more Roly Poly Bear.  No more sleeping with their head on my shoulder.  Six babies that are all grown up, employed, taller than me, and four of the six are involved in serious relationships.  What happens when adult grandchildren came to celebrate changes in their lives?  What happens is that the parents and grandparents sit back and listen as they start to tell stories.

 

They had been warned to prepare a story.  And tell stories they did!  The funny part is that they told everyone’s favorite stories.  Kailyn played hide and seek without telling anyone.  Matthew talked about the goats.  Joshua told how texting can cause confusion.  Nathan told how older cousins convinced him the mints were poison.  The story of Noah blaming his brother (who happened to be in China at the time) for getting the toys out so he didn’t have to pick them up is a classic.  Poor Timothy, the youngest, took the blunt of having stories told about him, but he told about how eating angel food cake caused him to get a broken leg.

Stacia seems to scream if she and Nathan wake up at the same time and are staring at each other.  Megan is temporarily staying at her brother’s apartment and was surprised to find the sink was not attached to the drain.  Bridgette explained how a red marker in the hands of a three year old boy could increase the sales of Mr. Clean Magic Erasers.

I am having a round of sciatica and was amazed Sunday.  The grandkids knew we would have stuff for sandwiches, chips, and homemade ice cream.  They knew they were to provide everything else.  And those babies walked in the door with food!  They also jumped into action when it was time to set stuff outside and when it was time to clean up.  And, miracle of miracles, they did not have to be told to put their phones away.  They enjoyed each other.  They listened to each other.  They laughed and told story after story after story.  Then those babies got into cars and went home.  And my heart was filled to overflowing.

Every family has their stories.  The ones that make us smile the minute we hear, “Do you remember?”  Too often today, instead of telling stories, everyone is looking at their phone.  It is also hard to get everyone in the same place, at the same time.  We need to keep making the effort.

Children.. grandchildren.. great-grandchildren.. do not stay young.  They do not stay babies.  They turn into adults.  I do not know what stage of life you are in, but I have a suggestion.  Enjoy your children as adults.  Enjoy your grandchildren as adults.  Sit back and watch them laugh and share and tell the same stories over and over and over.  Allow them to be adults and bring food.  Allow them to be adults and join in the joy of serving each other.  Too often, especially the women want to take care of everything and tell them, ‘No, I will do that.  You go sit down.”  The problem is they are no longer children to be taken care of.  They are adults.

I am thankful we celebrated and it was wonderful to see the adults each grandchild has become.  But I really do miss reading them a story or playing with that Roly Poly Bear or holding them close.

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I wonder if God looks at me and thinks, "She turned out to be a pretty good adult.  BUT she is still my little girl and I hold her close in my heart."

PUNCTUATION IS POWERFUL

How many punctuation marks are there and how good are you at using them?  Do you know the proper place for a question mark?  That one is really easy.  How about an exclamation mark?  Quotation marks can be a bit tricky.  When to use a colon and when to use a semi-colon creates a real problem.  Thinking about punctuation might take you back to the horror of getting your composition marked in red. 

Period:      the full pause with which the utterance of a sentence closes: end, stop

Comma:    a punctuation mark, used especially as a mark of separation within the sentence: a pause, interval

Colon:       used chiefly to direct attention to matter that follows

Yes, I know.  My blogs are full of punctuation and grammatical errors.  Spell check hates my fragment sentences.  I consider my blogs as very, very casual English.  BUT there is a problem with being very, very casual when we read.  We make a comma a period and, therefore, we miss the point of the sentence.  We stop at a colon and do not finish reading the important part.  Or, we do not read the whole chapter and miss the conclusion.

Before going any further, I am sure you are thinking, “But I have favorite verses and you often only use one verse at the end of your blog.”  We all have our favorite verse/verses.  I often go to Psalms 139.  When I pull a verse for my blog, I make sure the meaning in the Scripture is the same as the meaning in my blog.  Now back to how stopping at a comma, colon, or semi-colon can change the meaning of passages.

What if we read Romans 3:9-31 and do not read in the commas, semi-colons, and colons?  Or what if we only read verses 9-11 and part of 20?

What shall we conclude then?  Do we have any advantage?  Not at all!  For we have already made the change that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin.  There is no one righteous, not even one.  Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight.

By picking some verses, parts of verses, and stopping mid-sentence, these verses sound like doom and gloom.  No hope whatsoever.  Using just these verses to make a point or present a message would be wrong.  Why?  Because the meaning of Romans 3 is completely distorted.  Please read the whole chapter where you find sentences like this:

·       The righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.

·       There is no difference between Jew and Gentile, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, (Comma NOT a period) and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 

·       For we maintain that a person is justified by faith apart from the works of the law. 

There is no doom and gloom in Romans 3.  Yes, we are all sinners, BUT God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement.  That is LOVE.  Jesus shed his blood.  That is SACRIFICE.  God is the God of Jews and Gentiles.  That is ONE GOD. 

When reading the Bible, read the whole chapter.  Know what happened at the end of the previous chapter and see how the chapter carries to the next one.  And, don’t change the punctuation.   Stopping at a comma means you might only read the doom and gloom and not find the redemption.

PS:  How many punctuation marks are there in the English language?  Good luck finding the exact answer.  There are 14 or there might be approximately 14.  There are 16.  There are 26.  Take your pick.  Plus, watch out for the decision on using the Oxford Comma.

 

Ouch

Who moved the footstool?  Who put it in my way?  As if having sciatica wasn’t enough, I stubbed my toe.  Is it broken?  I do not know, but it sure is black and blue and it hurts!  Woe is me.  Woe is me.

There is one problem with my opening sentence.  I know who moved the footstool.  There are only two of us and … and … (big sigh) I am the one who moved that footstool.  And it is a big footstool.  It is not as if it can hide.  But (Funny how often we use the word “but.”) But my mind was on at least three things and the aforementioned footstool was, obviously, not one of them.  Turn around, move foot forward, and contact.

If you are laughing, it is okay.  Laughter is good for us.  As a matter of fact, a very good friend, Sharon, and I had lunch the other day and I am surprised they didn’t ask us to leave.  We got the giggles.  We laughed out loud.  Very loud.  We had tears.  All because I told two old stories.  But (there is that word again.) But aren’t the old stories sometimes the best?

Many, many moons ago, I left hubby in charge of the kids and off I went to a meeting.  When I came home, they all began speaking at once.  Kittens.  Yarn.  Fireplace.  Giggling and laughing.  Finally, I got them to slow down and tell me the story about the kittens.  Trying not to laugh and giggle, they began:

“The two kittens were playing and daddy had a bright idea,” one said.  The other picked up, “He tied their tails together with yarn.” Back to child one, “They were so fun to watch.  They were rolling on the floor and batting at the yarn….” Bill chimed in, “It was funny, until …”

“Until what?” I asked.  They all three said (as if they had rehearsed it), “Until the log fell in the fireplace.”  “And then?” I slowly asked.  Laughing and looking at each other, “And then the kittens ran in opposite directions with the yarn holding them back.  It was hilarious.  The yarn was pulled tight.  Dad used his knife to cut the yarn.  The kittens went flying!”

With that my friend, a cat lover, began to laugh.  Picturing this, she laughed harder.  If you tell a cat story, you have to tell a dog story.

The kids were older and we had a Saint Bernard: Priscilla.  Prissy was a neighborhood favorite with all the kids.  I would look out and there would be someone’s child, quietly petting our dog.  But the story I told Sharon was about the day I was working in the garden.  I could hear the kids laughing and they were in the basement.  I wasn’t sure what they were doing, but they sure were having fun.  Then the back door opened.

I heard, “Mom.  Mom.  Look!”  Five kids filed out the door with the Saint Bernard bring up the rear.  AND — are you ready?  AND the Saint Bernard was dressed in long johns.  Shirt on the front.  Pants on the back, with her tail sticking up through the fly.  And I laughed until the tears flowed.  I wished I had been there to watch them put their dad’s long johns on a very big, very patient dog.

By now, Sharon was literally leaning over in the seat.  The waiter looked our way.  Diners were wondering if they could move to other tables.  Tables away from two old ladies laughing so hard they had tears.

So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad.  Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.  Ecclesiastes 8:15

Laughter! Joy!  What a wonderful gift God has given us.  Today find joy.  Find something that makes you laugh until the tears roll down your cheeks.

LEARNING FROM ALL AGES

You might want to grab something to drink or nibble on and get comfy.  This got a bit longer than normal.

I hope you have enjoyed the series on learning from all ages.  It is true from those in the Bible and those around us. 

LAUGHTER

Who doesn’t love a baby?  But they just lay there.  They cannot really teach us anything.  Sure, we can read about Isaac, Moses, and John the Baptist and learn.  But we know the rest of their story.  What about the babies here and now?  What can we learn from them?

We certainly can learn to laugh.  Babies make the cutest faces.  We shouldn’t, but we laugh when they pucker up, trying not to cry, and that ole lower lip is quivering?  We receive great joy when they lift their head, look in our eyes, and smile.  And I don’t care what the medical community says…it is not gas, it is a smile.

A BASKET

We can learn to trust.  A baby recognizes the face of a loving mother and the sound of a father’s voice.  They trust them to provide for needs.  In a crazy world, we can find people to trust.  Family, friends, neighbors, and our church family. 

SILENCE

We can learn to be silent and listen.  A single voice or sound can be heard when we are silent and when the world around us is silent.  Silence is getting harder and harder to find.  Music.  The phone.  The TV.  Video games.  Talking just to fill the quiet.  For some reason we find silence threatening.  But, it is in the silence that we can hear God’s voice.

A VOICE IN THE NIGHT

Silence – a great lead into hearing a voice in the night.  If you have children, you totally understand hearing a voice in the night.  A parent, at least mothers, because dads seem to sleep through chaos, can hear the slightest sound right before a child gets sick or the click of a door that opens after curfew.  The voice in the night also might be an older child reading to a scared brother or sister.  Or a parent listening as their almost-adult child asks for advice.  To hear these voices, we must be listening.

A LOST BOOK

I am not exactly sure how to tie in a lost book.  I doubt if any of us has found a book as important as the Book of the Law.  Well, maybe we might find something else from our past to pass to the next generation.  We might pass on a very old school bell.  Our grandson graduated from Ball State University and will be teaching history.  My grandmother taught school 1901-1904 and her school bell is now in the possession of said grandson.  He also received items from Bill’s mother, who taught school.  A lost book or a very old school bell can use the past to touch the present.

A KNOCK AT THE DOOR

Everyone knows what it is like to wait for a knock at the door or to hear an unexpected knock.  The table is set.  The turkey is in the oven.  The potatoes are peeled and the green beans are bubbling away.  Then you hear it.  Knock.  Knock.  Someone runs to the door and shouts, “Grandma and grandpa are here.”  And you realize that little Johnny left them standing on the porch.  He was so excited.  Then there is the other knock.  The one no one wants to hear and the door no one wants to open.  We will leave that door shut as long as we can.

AN ANSWER

Where do you go when you have a question?  Do you stop someone on the street and hope they know the answer?  Or do you seek a wise advisor?  Of course we don’t stop a random stranger.  We go to someone we trust. 

A JAR

“Did you hear the latest about ‘you know who’?”  “Yes.  I couldn’t believe it.  Shush…behind you.”  And with a smug smile, you nod and do not speak. 

Oh, the people we consider not worth our time and the people we consider beneath us.  They sound different.  They look different.  They smell.  They will never change.  They do not belong…. The Samaritan woman was an outcast – an outcast by community standards.   And yet, Jesus asked her for a drink.  Why don’t we do that? 

This one stumps me.  I am not sure how to tie the Samaritan woman to the society we live in.  Until – until I see someone talk to a homeless person or a family taking items to the thrift store or food being put in a food box outside the library or a church doing a service Sunday and helping the community or two children, oblivious to community standards, only seeing a friend.

PASS IT ON

This one is easy.  TELL THE STORY OF SALVATION.  LIVE YOUR LIFE SO THE LIGHT OF JESUS SHINES THROUGH. 

TRUMPETS AND CYMBALS

There are so many ways to discover the gift of faith.  We can read the Bible and go to Bible studies.  We can worship in church.  We can attend Sunday School.  We can sing.  Music is such a part of worship.  Music is the glory of God told using trumpets and cymbals and pianos and drums and guitars.  Listen to the words.  Open your heart and let the sharps and flats and treble clefs and whole notes and all that other stuff that a musician understands sink in.  Make a joyful noise!!!

HANDS

Oh, the miracle of hands.  How can anyone look at the hands of a newborn baby and not say AMEN.  Hands can bless and reach out.  Hands can give comfort and the joy of feeling a gentle touch.  Hands can work and hands can rest as a prayer is said.  Hands are a miracle and are best used as you obey God.

A CROSS

A cross is an instrument of death or the CROSS can be the instrument of receiving eternal life.  Which cross a person claims is a personal decision. 

LEARNING FROM ALL AGES

As I reread learning from all ages, I realized this can be taken two ways.  We can learn from those from past ages, the creation of mankind to today, and from all ages, young to old.  We can learn.

Or we can be a grumpy, know-it-all, who gets mad/aggravated when a sweet little child breaks off your favorite rose, brings it to the door, and, with an adorable smile, says, “I got this just for you.”

THE END

TRUMPETS AND CYMBALS, HANDS, AND A CROSS

Last week, you read about four women in the Bible.  Josiah needed guidance and he received that guidance from the prophetess Huldah – a woman.  The Samaritan woman met Jesus and was offered living water.  Eunice and Lois were role models for Timothy.  The women of the Bible are valued by God.

Today I want you to look at three men.

TRUMPETS AND CYMBALS

Have you heard about Jeduthun?  Think hard.  Got it yet?  2 Chronicles 35:15:  The musicians, the descendants of Asaph, were in the places prescribed by David, Asaph, Heman and Juduthun the king’s seer.  Jeduthun was a musician and not just any musician.  He is listed above Psalms 39, 62, and 77.  Now that is special.  Plus he was the king’s seer, which means he had insight into what God was saying by his visions.

But, why am I using Jeduthun?  He set the psalms to music.  Music which speaks to our soul.  Many traditional and contemporary hymns (You know.  Contemporary songs written since Amazing Grace in 1772) are based on the Psalms.  Songs such as, Nearer My God To Thee, I Love To Tell The Story, I Am Not Alone, and On Eagle’s Wings. 

The scriptures name Jeduthun as chosen to give thanks to the LORD and he was responsible for the sounding of the trumpets and cymbals ….. 

HANDS

“Ananias!”  House of Judas…Saul …praying … Ananias … place hands … restore his sight?

I am sure Ananias had these thoughts:  Are you kidding me?  You want me to go where?  You want me to --- you do know this man has permission to make prisoners of any who follow you don’t you? 

“Go!”  Ananias went and placed his hands on Saul.  He said, “Brother Saul, the Lord – Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here – has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

This story is told often.  It is told that Saul regained his sight.  A miraculous healing of body and soul.  BUT this story is about obedience.  Saul went to Damascus and waited.  Ananias faced an enemy and called him Brother.

A CROSS

Picture the three crosses.  Jesus is the focus of those gathered.  Many cry and wait for his final breath.  The two thieves are of no importance.  They have no value. 

People mock Jesus and offer him wine vinegar.  And the two thieves are .. are ignored.  Until – until one criminal insulted Jesus, “Aren’t you the Messiah?  Save yourself and us!” 

The other thief rebuked him.  “Don’t you fear God,” he said, ‘since you are under the same sentence?  We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve.  But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”  Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

We do not know the names of the thieves. What we do know is that one of them saw the truth.  One of them heard words that changed everything. 

MEN IN THE BIBLE

How amazing that just a few verses, sometimes only one or two, can hold such lessons for us.  Jeduthun turned words into music and inspires us to really listen to the music.  Music helps us give thanks and can touch our very soul.  Ananias and Saul faced their fears and were obedient.  The thief died with an assurance of paradise.

There are so many men in the Bible and we hear their stories.  We hear and learn.  But sometimes, we need to seek out the music maker and be inspired.  We need to look below the surface and realize how brave Ananias and Saul were to go toward the enemy.  We need to be like the thief and see the truth.

Next week I will try to tie the blogs on babies, youth, women, and men together.  How will that go?  Come back next week and see.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURES:  2 Chronicles 35:15, 1 Chronicles 16:41-42, Psalm 39, 62, 77, Acts 9:10-18, and Luke 23:32-43

AN ANSWER, A JAR, AND PASS IT ON

Last week, you read about three kids/young adults.  From Samuel we learned that when we listen, we can hear the Lord calling us.  From Josiah we learned that hearing the Word can change a heart and soul.  From Rhoda we learned that the sound of a voice can bring great joy.

Today I want you to look at the actions of four women.

AN ANSWER

Josiah (In last week’s blog) heard the words of the lost Book of the Law and his life changed and he realized that the Law had been neglected by generations.  Josiah needed guidance and sent his advisors to the prophetess, Huldah. 

Huldah said unto the advisors that the LORD was going to bring disaster to everything written in the book because the nation had forgotten Him and turned to idols.  She also stated that this would not happen until Josiah was buried in peace.

This would not necessarily be the answer I would want to hear, but the answer is not what I want you to see.  I want you to see a person who needed advice and, in a time when women were not exactly high on the status pole, a woman answered Josiah’s question. 

A JAR

I want to shout, “Stop Jesus!  If you do this you will be on the evening news – again.  You know the Jews and the Samaritans ….. “  I might as well of kept my mouth shut.  He never listens.  Yup, he is sitting down.  Why is that woman coming to the well now?  Why didn’t she get her water this morning like the other women?  Maybe this one time Jesus will not speak …. Too late.

We all know the story.  The Samaritan woman came to the well and Jesus asked her for a drink.  A simple request that ended … ended with Jesus telling the woman, “I who speak to you am he.”  No longer was she on a mission to get water.  No longer was she afraid to go among the people. 

She said to the people, “Come, see a man who told me everything I ever did.  Could this be the Christ?”  The Samaritans came to him, believed, and invited him to stay. 

One woman – an outcast – a woman with a bad reputation – and Jesus offered her living water.  This one woman told her town and they came to believe because they heard for themselves.

PASS IT ON

Timothy was raised by his mother, Eunice a Jewess, and his grandmother, Lois.  His father was Greek and is not mentioned in the scriptures.  Eunice and Lois must have been extraordinary examples of how to live, because in Paul’s letter to Timothy he said, “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded now lives in you also.”  Later in the letter, Paul says, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures…”

Eunice and Lois did not know what the future would hold for Timothy.  They did not know he would travel with Paul.  They did not know he would pastor a church in Ephesus.  They taught him how to have a sincere faith.  They taught this infant how to find salvation through faith in Jesus. 

WOMEN IN THE BIBLE

A very young king sought advice from the prophetess, Huldah.  Jesus talked with a woman most people would have shunned.  Eunice and Lois lived their lives in such a way that Timothy grew in faith and used his knowledge to lead others to find salvation.

It sometimes seems that there are very few women in the Bible.  I could be snarky and say it is because men didn’t want to acknowledge that women had worth, but it really doesn’t matter what men think.  All that matters is that God valued women.  All that matters is that Jesus considered all women children of God.  Sometime look up women of the Bible.  You know all about Mary, Martha, Esther, Miriam, and Eve, but what about Abigail, Dorcas (Tabitha), Deborah, Puah, Joanna, Jael …………

Next week will be on men.  Maybe I can find a couple hidden in a passage or two.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURES:  2 Kings 22:11-20, John 4:1-30, 2 Timothy 1:5, 3:14-15, and Acts 16:1

A VOICE IN THE NIGHT, A LOST BOOK, AND A KNOCK AT THE DOOR

Last week, you read about three babies who were born for a specific purpose.  Isaac continued the covenant line, Moses brought the Israelites out of Egypt, and John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus.  But they were adults when their service to God began.

Today I want you to consider the actions of three children/young people.

A VOICE IN THE NIGHT

Hannah wanted a child and, in her anguish, she prayed to the LORD Almighty.  Eli, the priest, heard her prayer and told her, “Go in peace, and may the God of Israel grant you what you have asked of him”  Hannah’s prayer was answered and she named her son Samuel.  True to her word, Hannah gave Samuel to the LORD and he ministered before the LORD under Eli.

Have you ever fallen asleep and thought you heard something?  A noise?  Someone knocking on the door?  A voice?  Samuel heard a voice.  Samuel heard a voice calling his name three times.  Each time he went to Eli, but Eli had not called him.  Finally, Eli realized the LORD was calling the boy.  When the LORD came and stood there saying, “Samuel!  Samuel!” 

Are you ready for how Samuel answered this time?  Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”  I do not know how old Samuel was, but he would have still been a kid…a young boy.  And he realized he was a servant to the LORD.  And he listened!  And he continued as Israel’s leader all the days of his life.   All the days of his life!!! 

A LOST BOOK

Josiah was eight years old when he became king.  HE’S A KING?  ONLY EIGHT YEARS OLD?  Shouldn’t an eight year old be out playing with his friends and learning reading, writing, and arithmetic?  What in the world would an eight year old know about being a king?  Apparently a lot.  He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD and followed completely the ways of his father David, not turning aside to the right or to the left. 

When Josiah was 26, he had honest carpenters, builders, and masons begin the repair of the temple of the LORD.  This sounds like a lot for a 26 year old to undertake but what came next changed his life.  A lost book was found.  Not just any old book.  This was the Book of the Law.  When Josiah heard the words, he tore his robes.  He learned the LORD was angry because those who had gone before Josiah did not obey the words of this book, they had forsaken God, and burned incense to other gods.  The message from the LORD was severe.  His anger would burn against this place and his anger would not be quenched. 

Look back to one sentence:  When Josiah heard the words, he tore his robes.  Because Josiah had a responsive heart and humbled himself, the LORD said, “Therefore I will gather you to your ancestors, and you will be buried in peace.  Your eyes will not see all the disaster I am going to bring on this place.”  Josiah renewed the covenant in the presence of the LORD.  Then he removed shrines, mediums, and spiritists, the household gods, and idols.  Passover was celebrated.

A young boy became a young man and the Bible says:  Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did – with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with the Law of Moses.

Josiah reigned in Jerusalem for 31 years. 

A KNOCK AT THE DOOR

Time for you to use your imagination again.  Picture this happening:  Peter had been arrested!  People wanted to pray for him and gathered at the home of Mary, the mother of John, also called Mark.  Many people were praying and praying and praying for Peter. 

On the other side of town, an angel woke Peter up.  The angel of the Lord told him, “Quick, get up?”  Peter dressed, put on his sandals, and left the chains behind.  They passed the guards, went through the door, walked a block, and suddenly the angel left him.  Imagine Peter’s confusion.  He is out of prison, but where should he go? 

Peter was set free.  He went to Mary’s house and knocked on the door.  A servant girl named Rhoda went to answer the door.  When she heard Peter’s voice she was so overjoyed that she left him standing there and she ran back to the people, who were praying, and exclaimed, “Peter is at the door!”  But no one believed her.  “It must be his angel.”  Rhoda kept insisting and Peter kept knocking.  Finally, they opened the door and were astonished.  Peter motioned for them to be quiet.

Rhoda was Overjoyed when she recognized Peter’s voice.  She was so excited to know he was out of prison that she didn’t open the door.  She just left him standing there.  The people, in the house, were Astonished when they finally went to the door.  What wonderful emotions.

KIDS – YOUNG ADULTS – WHAT DO THEY KNOW

We often pay little attention to the kids/young adults around us. After all, what do they know? Let them be quiet and listen.  Let them learn. Let them grow up and then - and only then - will they have matured enough to be heard.  BUT sometimes, these kids and young adults can teach us a thing or two.

Samuel heard the LORD calling him and he listened and obeyed.  He didn’t make excuses.  He served --- he served for a lifetime.

Josiah became a king at eight years of age and ruled with his soul, heart, and wisdom.  He heard the lost words that changed his heart and soul.

Rhoda had Joy the moment she heard a voice.  They had been praying and just like that, their prayers were answered.  And she didn’t back down when they did not believe her.  Peter is at the door!  Rhoda was full of joy!

I guess we can learn from kids.  BUT – what about women?

TODAY’S SCRIPTURES:  1 Samuel:1 and 3, 2 Kings: 22 and 23, and Acts 12:8-17

 

LAUGHTER, A BASKET, AND SILENCE

LAUGHTER

Picture this: Sarah, Abraham’s wife, was minding her own business.  Going about her everyday activities.  You know, sweeping the floor, doing the dishes.  Trying to stay as cool as possible and working very hard to not say to Abraham, “Here I am, slaving away, in this heat, and there you are sitting at the entrance to our tent blocking the breeze.”  She thought, “Oh Sarah, he has worked hard all morning.  Let the old man sit and relax.”  Sarah went back to her chores. 

Abraham suddenly saw something.  There were three men standing nearby.  He quickly went toward the men and bowed low to the ground.  “If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by.”

Abraham stuck his head in the tent and shouted, “Bring some water!  Bake some bread.  Use the good flour.  Our guests deserve the best.”

As they were eating, they asked, “Where is your wife Sarah?”  Abraham replied, “In the tent.”

Get ready for here comes the good part.  Ready?  Remember Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old.  100 AND 90!  Then the LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”

Sarah laughed at the idea of her having a child at this stage of her life.  Sarah delivered a bouncing baby boy and Abraham named him Isaac, which means laughter.

A BASKET

The Pharaoh was more than a bit concerned over the birth rate of the Hebrews.  They were increasing in number and that had to stop!  The Hebrew midwives were instructed to kill every baby boy born.  Instead of killing the babies, they told the king that the Hebrew women delivered the baby before they arrived.  The king went to plan B:  ALL Hebrew baby boys are to be thrown into the Nile.

A Levite woman gave birth to a son, hid the child for three months, and then put the baby in a basket.  The basket was placed in the Nile and floated to where the Pharaoh’s daughter bathed.

The baby grew older, became the son of the Pharaoh’s daughter, and was named Moses, which means I drew him out of the water.

SILENCE

Zechariah was excited to be the one serving as priest before God.  He was to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.  Everyone was outside praying while Zechariah lit the incense.  An angel of the Lord appeared to him and he was gripped with fear.  Oh, admit it.  If an angel of the Lord appeared to you while you were doing your morning prayers, you would be “gripped with fear.”  Back to the story.  Even though Zechariah and his wife were righteous in the sight of God, observed all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly, he was wondering what the angel wanted with him.  The angel told Zechariah to not be afraid.  I am sure he was thinking, “That is easy for you to say.  You are an angel.  The angel of the Lord.”

Then Zechariah heard the angel say, “Your prayer has been heard.  Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you are to call him John.”  It was at this point that Zechariah should have kept quiet.  Instead he asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this?  I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel.  I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and tell you this good news.  And now (get ready for the angel to show his power) you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”

Elizabeth delivered a baby boy and she declared, “No! He is to be called John.”  Zechariah wrote on a tablet, “His name is John.”  John, which means God gracefully gave.

AHHHH -- A BABY

Women smile and go “ahh” when they see a baby.  Men look, nod their head, and go back to what they were doing.  We do not look at a baby and say, “This child will be an astronaut.”  Or the President.  Or a teacher.  But God had special plans for these boys.

Isaac obeyed his parents, obeyed God, and continued the covenant line.  Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, ….  And Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah.

Moses had a different life than Isaac.  His birth was hidden, he was raised in a palace, and he committed murder.  He hid until one day he said to God, “Here I am.”  With those three words, Moses became the person to bring the Israelites out of Egypt.

John was not allowed to drink wine or fermented drink and he dressed funny.  God had a special job for John.  He was to bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God and prepare the way for Jesus.

Three special babies who grew up to obey God. 

BUT — Does God also have special plans for children before they become adults? Read next week to find out.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURES: Genesis 18:1-16, 21:1-7, Exodus 1, 2:1-4, 10, and Luke 1:5-25, 57-64

BEING A WOMAN

I would like to point out a few things about being a woman.

HAIR:  We want our hair to look perfect, but that is not as easy as it sounds.  A really great beautician is the only person who can get a cow lick to cooperate.  When doing our own hair, it takes half a can of spray or number 18 mousse to control one cow lick.  Are you a woman who colors your hair?  Then your greatest hair fear is that your color will be discontinued.  When this happened to me, two very sweet, older-than-dirt ladies asked about my hair.  When I explained why I was trying a new color, they quickly said, “Well, don’t get that one again.”  I didn’t.

MAKEUP:  There are a few women who feel totally comfortable with no makeup or just a dab of lipstick.  For most women, makeup is a line item in the family budget.  A morning routine of washing our face, putting on protective cream, adding a foundation to even out skin tones, deciding what three colors of eye shadow to use, carefully applying mascara, drawing the shape of our eyebrows, using blush to make our cheeks all rosy, and topping it all off with lipstick can be done in 15 minutes.  This is not a complete list and new and improved items are available daily.  Warning:  Applying makeup should not be done while driving.

CLOTHING:  What could I say about clothes?  Having never been someone who loves to shop and because I am way past size 0… Now that is a place to start.  How can there be a size 0?  Really?  Size 0?  Fashions come and go.  Back in the good-ole-days there were clothes for church, clothes for school, and clothes for playing/work.  Wearing your shirttail out was frowned upon and skirts above the knee were scandalous.  Today, you can buy Doice & Gabbana distressed (Code for we are charging extra to rip your jeans to shreds) cargo straight-leg jeans at 40% off or a mere $1,652.  If you do not have that amount and lack any modesty whatsoever, you can get jean shorts for $607.  These shorts should only be worn, as advertisement, by women who find their source of income on street corners. 

CLOTHING SUB-CATEGORY 1:  Girdles.  We called them girdles.  Now they call them shape wear.  No matter the name, why are women still punishing themselves?  Putting on that article of elastic is a full body workout.  They go from below the breasts to mid-thigh -- how do you go pee in those things? 

CLOTHING SUB-CATEGORY 2:  Bras.  The original bra was the brilliant idea of French inventor, Herminie Cadolle.  Bless her heart.  This article of clothing, created to lift and separate, is easier to get on than a girdle, IF you can put your arms behind your back and get the hook in the right eye.  Putting on a bra should count toward your annual physical as arm/shoulder mobility and finger dexterity.

SHOES:  Wow!  A three-inch heel gives the illusion of slimmer legs.  They look sexy!  They … ruin your feet, knees, ankles, nerves, blood flow, hips, back, and contribute to the risk of falling.  Oh but those Moon Star Shoes, by Antonio Vietri, put the finishing touch to my outfit.  And they are only $20 million… yes you read that right.  Three inch heels sure are sexy!  Do not forget the pantyhose.  They can cost a few bucks or hundreds.  And no matter the cost, they are hard to put on and can get a run the first time you wear them.  After that, they make good dog chews or a way to store onions.

MENSTRUATION:  The monthly curse!  When defining menstruation, monthly is a relative term.  There is no normal “period.”  It is different for every woman.  Some suffer – really suffer – and some breeze right through it.  I always thought it would only be fair if men had the periods.  Now I know this would never work.  Men would never make it through one time of bend-over, kill-me-now cramps.  Time passes and the randomness gets even crazier.  Women can go months without having a period, think they are into that time of life, and then – wham – we have to find that box of pads we stuck in the back of the closet.  Moving on –

CHILDBIRTH:  Childbirth is a wonder and a blessing.  Some women have an easy time during delivery and some – let’s just say, some do not.  Labor hurts and, prior to the epidural women receive today; pushing out a 5-10 pound baby was painful.  And required stitches.  Women, sadly, still die from childbirth complications.  Even more heartbreaking is the number of women who abort their babies. 

BEING A WOMAN:  WHY HAVE I WRITTEN THIS?

Woman:  An adult female person,

an individual of the sex which conceives and brings forth young

Being a woman has absolutely nothing to do with hair, makeup, clothing or shoes.  Being a woman has everything to do with how God created us. 

Even if for some medical reason a woman is not able to conceive or chooses not to conceive, women have a reproductive system which makes it possible to conceive and to carry and deliver a baby.  Women are wonderfully created to breastfeed.  Women are different from men and have a wider pelvis, broader hips, larger breasts, less facial hair, higher body fat, on average are shorter, and are less muscular.

I  AM  A  WOMAN

And I am appalled that the definition of “woman” is being changed to include transgender women.  These are not women.  They are males, from very young boys to adults, who are being encouraged to enter an unrealistic lifestyle.  They are males who think tucking a penis can make them a woman or taking medication can change their sex.  They are males and, no matter what state of reality they live in, they cannot produce breast milk.  They are males who enter women’s sports and use their muscular advantage to achieve the gold, which they could not achieve when competing against other men.  They are anatomically correct males who, for some reason, think they have the right to appear naked in women’s restrooms, and locker rooms, and should be given accommodation in a female’s hotel room, prisons, and hospitals. 

God created me, in my mother’s womb, to be a woman.  And I refuse to accept this new meaning for the word woman.  A new meaning which diminishes and makes a mockery of all women. 

This blog could be rewritten and titled Being A Man.  This blog would then include the women who are encouraged to enter an unrealistic lifestyle where they think they are men and take medication to change their sex.  Where they dress and undress in men’s locker rooms and use men’s restrooms.  Where they swim in public pools topless and bind their breasts to appear flat chested.  But they are not flat chested and they are not men. 

These men and women are being encouraged to live in an unrealistic world and they are demanding that everyone affirms and joins in their delusion.  I REFUSE!