Compassion

I am working with an Adopt-A-Family ministry this Christmas and I am using my developed listening skills to hear what is not being said and filter out what I need to know from the stories that are spilled out.  Imagine being a mother of 6 children under age 10 and two of those children are mentally or physically challenged.  Then add to that, that the father left because he just couldn't take it anymore.  So here you are alone, no family, in the house with 6 kids 24 hours a day.  Unable to have a real job outside the home because you can't afford the special care needed for at least two of your children.  Is this someone who called and poured out a sob story to get help?  No.  Not in the least.  When I called her for a little more specific information as to ages on the children and such, she started sharing just small bits and pieces.  Tough life for her every day. She was glad to have someone to talk to for a few moments!

II Corinthians 1:3-4 says..."Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have recieved from God."

Just amazing.  We are comforted not to make us feel better about our situation, even though that is part of the outcome of being comforted, but rather we are comforted so that we in turn can comfort others....no matter what type of  trouble they are going through.  We are not comforted to comfort those who are only going through what we are going through, but just so that we can comfort in general.  When is the last time you comforted someone.  Have you steppped out of you own "comfort" zone to be a little uncomfortable and support or encourage a fellow human being?  It doesn't even have to be someone you know.  Perhaps they just need you to listen to them or perhaps they need you to stop and look them in the eye and just ask "Are you doing all right?".  How many times have you walked past someone in the store and they have that forelorn look or look so tired and stressed and you just quickly look away?  Sometimes a kind gesture can go a long way in inspiring someone else to encourage people.  I have a friend who will occaisionally pay for her groceries and leave an extra $5 or $10 for the next person in line or pay for the fast food order behind her.  You will never know how far that little gesture goes.  So amidst all the glitter and glamour, listen to the prodding of the Holy Spirit, those of you who are saved, and be a little more comforting in this season that is so hard on so many.  I guarantee your season will be much more joyful!

Proverbs

How many people do you know who love to read or live by Chinese proverbs?  Little quips of wisdom from someone at some point in time that others have adopted as life guides.  Morsels that inspire people to be better people, stronger people, more consistent, steadfast, diligent, etc.  Perhaps you have one or two "proverbs" of your own that you have hanging on a wall, refrigerator or mirror that you look at everday.  I have been reading the book of Proverbs written by King Solomon, who was the wisest man ever to live.  The first 9 chapters are written as an introduction.  He is directing his statements to his son as advice for life.  He states several times "Listen , my son, to your father's instruction." and "store up my commands within you...". 
You can catch the sense of urgency on the part of Solomon that his sons really remember and grasp onto what he has to say.  Perhaps he repeats it because we need to hear things several times before we remember them!  What a gold mine of practical points and poignate vision.  How many things in life have lasted as many generations as the Bible and remained as applicable in their gestation period as they are 3000 years later?  Take the challenge and read just one chapter a day out of Proverbs for the month and see how much you glean from this powerful book?

Complacent or Compassionate?

The book of Matthew is a great book.  Of course, I love the New Testament because it always seems to me to be the best part of the Bible and the most relatable to the events occurring in the modern day.  That is, of course, my opinion.  The Old Testament has wonderful stories and strong foundational truths as well so don't misunderstand me here, as I love the Bible in it's entirety! 

So we have lots of things that happen with Christ where He is healing the sick, the broken and the bruised and leading people to a saving knowledge of Himself.  The Pharisees are following Him and His disciples all around and watching their every move just ready to jump on them for the littlest thing!  They would have to have been otherwise how would they have known that the disciples had eaten some grain from the grain field on the Sabbath?! You  know anyone like that?  Jesus gives the disciples the ability to heal and drive out demons in His name and gives them the Holy Spirit to stay with them after He leaves the earth to return to His heavenly home and is continuously teaching them about compassion and love.  How awesome.

A repetitious act of compassion.  The spirit of a servant and yet the strength of a leader.  

 His example is that of kindness, empathy and compassion.  Is He accepting of the sinful situations He sees leaving them without instruction or reprimand?  No.  He is constructive.  He admonishes with loving words and reaches out to them where they are with compassion. 

Am I compassionate?  I mentally answered this with a "yes, but..." when first asked the question and then immediately realized my mistake.  Does Christ categorize His compassion or does He show compassion for those around Him without reserve?  It is no doubt without reserve.  Some of us have a higher level of sensitivity to our "compassion" button and some of us can be reduced to tears with a simple photograph.  As children of God we should all have some level of compassion in us and if we have squelched the emotion felt with that compassion for fear of being judged for our sensitivity, look again at Christs life starting in Matthew 9.  If the Holy Spirit dwells in you, as a child of God, then you should have compassion because it was part of who Christ was and is and always will be.  So next time you feel that twinge in your soul, think about what gifts you have that you could use to act on your compassion.  Are you an organizer, or a baker, or an artist, or a builder, or a nurse?  Whatever gifts you have whether a teacher, a servant, a leader, etc., how can you help those you are compassionate about?  Make it a matter of prayer.

The Ill-Tempered Wife

We all have a day when things just don't go the way we had planned.  Sometimes the schedule just doesn't flow as we had hope and other days unexpected "extras" occur and sometimes we just wake up perturbed for no other reason than we woke up on the wrong side of the bed.  I am impressed by how many times Solomon mentions the quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife.  He mentions her more often than he guides the reader to obey and respect their mothers.  If we read Proverbs 21 there are two mentions in this chapter alone of the ill-tempered wife.  "Better to live on the corner of a roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife."  (vs. 9)  "Better to live in a desert than with a quarrelsome and ill-tempered wife." (vs. 19)

This leads me to wonder if Solomon had some challenges with one or several of the wives or concubines he kept.  I am convinced that he repeats this several times throughout the book because it was as predominant challenge in his own home life. Perhaps one day I will count the times it is written but for now I will just generalize.  I would venture to say that even Solomon in all his wisdom was no match for an ill-tempered wife. It is our job as women to make our homes a place of peace, refuge and comfort.  I know that it's not always possible and I realize that there are homes where that is a seemingly impossible task because of other members in the home who are perhaps abusive or ill-tempered for their own reasons, but the wife is structured to keep the home productive and happy.

So lets try to overstep the image of a nagging, quarrelsome or ill-tempered wife and make our homes more comfortable than the corner of a roof and more satisfying than a desert! 

Puffer Fish

It is hilarious to me how you can relate scripture and nature.  Think about the puffer fish.  Not very impressive when it is just floating along and minding its own business but don't let them think you're after them!  WOW!  They just fill up with water and look like a totally different animal.  Their ability to defend themselves hasn't change at all.  What they are going to eat that day hasn't changed.  Nothing about what they are has changed at all but because there was something around that made them feel threatened, they changed their outer appearance.

Well, I've been reading in Proverbs, one chapter a day, and then I have my little Daily Bread that I read out of as well.  I was really impressed with how the readings aligned today.  In I Corinthians 2  Paul is speaking about not puffing yourself up to be anything more than what you really are.  Don't use big words and fancy talk to impress people about your knowledge of the church - or anything for that matter - along with the wise words of Solomon.  Proverbs 19:20 says " Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise."  When you open your mouth about things you really have no knowledge about, you look foolish.  Also stated in Proverbs, even a fool can look wise if he keeps his mouth shut! (paraphrased) 

Proverbs 12:9 says it is "Better to be a nobody and yet have a servant than to pretend to be somebody and have no food".   Paul never bragged about anything other than how he suffered for Christ.  He mentions in II Corinthians 10 that he speaks strongly in his letters but is unimpressive in person and "his speaking amounts to nothing".  He brags about his sufferings and how he has escaped those who want to kill or persecute him in chapters 11 and 12 and finally winds up his bragging in 12:10.  "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then am I strong." 

If Paul, one of the most highly recognized apostles and founder of the Christian church worldwide had nothing to brag about, why do we feel we need to?  Be who you are and be glad that Christ loves you for who you are in Him and not who you make yourself to be.

Proverbs 16:20 states "Whoever gives heed to instruction prospers, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord."

Don't be a Donkey

A Donkey?!  What do you mean exactly?

Well, a donkey is a pack animal in that it carries a load for its master.  We read in Matthew 11:25-30 that Christ is talking about how the wise don't understand this concept but that little children do.  "Come to me all you who are HEAVY LADEN and I will give you rest."  My husband and I had a discussion last evening that wound around to him sharing with me that he feels badly when I do not take the time to relax.  I work all day long and into the evening just like every other Mom and wife.  He showed concern that I burden myself and work myself to exhaustion and am not taking care of myself like he would like to see me doing.  I understand a little more all the time that he loves me and that is why it upsets him that I am not taking care of myself.  To a man that is a measure of how we, as women, love them.  If I don't take care of myself, I am not showing him I love him.  Additionally, God doesn't measure our performance and our worth by how busy we are all the time.  He commanded us to take a break one day a week and rest from our labor.  We should not evaluate each other by how busy we are.  I love that Christ values the mindset of a child so much, too.

As a child, when they are exhausted, they come to a parent and want to be carried.  They lay on our shoulders in complete submission and quietness.  Oblivious to what is transpiring around them.  We pick them up and all their baggage (toys, clothes, books,etc) that they were toting along with them and carry them without complaint to a place where they can rest.  That is what Christ wants to do for us.

I challenge you to take care of yourself.  Show your Heavenly Husband how much you love Him by taking the time to rest.  Let the child in you lay your head on the Father's shoulder and let Him carry you off to a place to rest and recharge.  Just think about how much more productive and blessed you will be after a good rest!

The Wonder of Nature

I was reading devotions the other day in Job 36 and was really pleased at the forgotten scripture.  This is very near the end of the book and it proves Job's love for God the Father as he as sat all this time with his friends while he was being tortured by Satan with God's permission.  He remained ever faithful.  I sat this particular morning and listened as the raindrops fell .... a sound we have not heard hardly at all this summer.

He draws up the drops of water, which distill as rain to the streams;  the clouds pour down their moisture adn abundant showers fall on mankind.  Who can understand how he spreads out the clouds, how he thunders from his paviliion?  See how he scatters his lightning and commands it to strike its maek.  His thunder announces the coming storm;  even the cattle make known its approach.  At this my heart pounds and leaps from its place.  Listen!!  Listen to the roar of his voice, to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.  He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven and sends it to the ends of tyhe easrth.  After that comes the sound of his roar;  he thunders with his majestic voice.  When his voice resounds, he holds nothing back.  God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;he does great things beyond our understanding.  He says to teh snow, 'Fall on the earth,' and to the rain shower, 'Be a mighty downpour,'  So that all men he has make may know his work, he stops every man from his labor.  The animals take cover; they remain in their dens.  The tempest comes out from its chamber, the cold from the driving winds.  The breath of God produces ice, and the braod waters become frozen.  He loads the clouds with moisture; he scatters his lightning through them.  At his discretion they swirl around ovedr the face of the whole earth to do whatever he commands them.  He brings the clouds to punish men or to water  his earth and show his love.

I especially love the verse that states "he stops men from their work so they may take notice of his work."  I remembered back to how many days of rain that I have had to stop and wait and how much less productive it was for me to work through the rain than to just stop and soak it in.  Resting in a quiet place while God cleaned his earth.  How wonderful of Job to elaquently state this observation, inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Who is responsible?

I sat in church yesterday and listened as the pastor repeatedly stated that we are not responsible for our salvation. I was really taken back by that statement. I don't agree with him at all. Perhaps the granting of salvation is God's responsibility and God's alone, however, the cognitive choice for us to follow the path to salvation and hit our knees asking for the blood of Jesus to cover our trangressions falls solely on us. So make no mistake about it. You're responsible to make the choice for salvation or not. What destiny have you chosen for yourself?

Honor Thy Parents

I have not done well in this category. I've challenged and spoken badly about my mother for years. Even as I type this I feel that I want to write "Because.......". However, I will restrain myself. I read in the Daily Bread this morning about setting up a legacy,basically. Setting up to take care of the parents in their old age and getting ready to be an active example for the children you have and those around you. I say those around you because I know, in my own life, there are people that I have looked up to who have taken such great care of their parents and had such wonderful relationships and I have wanted to emulate them. It is true in some respects that we are a product of our environment, however, if you don't care for your surroundings, FIGHT to change them.

Life looks different to me now. I am regrettful that my mother is so far away but will need to set an example for Hannah to follow with regard to parents. Perhaps what we do with Nancy will be an engraining example for her.

"Honor you father and mother, as the Lord has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the Land the Lord your God has given you." Deuteronomy 5:16

I believe God knew it would not be easy to either be parents or to be children. He did not command us to obey our parents....but did expect us to honor them. We only get one set of parents, good or bad though they may be, and we will love them for who they are whether we want to or not because we are wired that way. So the last quote from the Daily Bread today is "Honoring our parents is learned by example." That is the line that struck home for me.

Love is Kind

We reviewed that Love is Patient. The second line in the Love chapter is "Love is Kind". At first you may think, "Yeah, of course it is!". Why would we have to be reminded that love is kind? think about your everyday life and how you interact or react to the ones around you that you already love and those that you should loving. Are you kind? The deep breathe for "patience" that you take before you react, is it followed only by kind words or is it just a preemptual response to the ensuing boil over?

I know that for me, in my every day life, I often forget to be kind. As I read in Ephesians 4 this week, I am reminded of a few things. One, "In your anger, do not sin. Don't let the sun go down on your anger." Vs. 26. then if we drop down to verse 30 we see a list of things that are not Christ like behaviour and therefore would not be loving. "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice." And then here we go..... vs. 32 "Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." Then, in

Chapter 5:1-2 "B e imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of LOVE, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Imitators of God....what a challenge that statement is! So our impatience, behind the back comments and dirty looks aren't godly?! Hmmmm. Love is kind. Simple, to the point and yet, oh so challenging.

LOVE

February is the month we celebrate those we love. Lovers, girlfriends, boyfriends, husbands, wives, best friends.....you name it, if we love it we celebrate it this month. Candy, flowers, chocolate, jewlery, cards, fancy dinners and the list goes on. What part of the celebration that we obsess over do we find the characteristic of love as listed in the Love Chapter, I Corinthians 13?

The very first complete sentence in this chapter is "Love is patient." Not love is patient if or love is patient when. Simply, Love is patient. Period. No excuses or prerequisits. How well do you follow this simple statement? I know, for myself, that I don't follow it as well as I should. That's for sure. And that counts for every loved aspect of my life. Daughter, husband, dogs, friends, family, you name it.

Why would that be the first statement on the list? Before selfishness, envy, jealousy and so on. Amazing isn't it? Or maybe it's not very amazing at all. God knew the nature of the beast He created and knew that above all else we would need to be so very careful, sensitive, understanding and PATIENT! It really will make you stop and think for a moment when you are about to loose your cool and you think.....this person is driving me CRAZY! Take a deep breath, look to the Lord and be still in your heart while you let Christ take over.

The Deep Freeze

Have you ever noticed that when you are coming into the heart of the cold of winter. The time when it freezes everything solid, that it freezes the ground so cold and hard that it looks smooth and impenetrable? A freeze so cold and forebearing that you could never imagine that life would again push through it and the hope of spring is forever away. Then you come to a point every winter where the cold seems to surrender to the cries of nature and finally gives in to a small thaw. Just enough of a thaw to make mud. The kind of mud that slips off the frozen depths below it. A thaw that puts you in mind of the coming spring. Lets you know of the coming warmth and the hope of new growth as well as the beauty of blossoms, the greenest greens of the entire year, colors so vibrant they take your breath away!

And then.....it freezes again! But this time, the freeze leaves gaps in the defrosted and refrozen earth. Gaps that hold ice crystals and air. A freeze that traps motion so that when the final defrost in the spring actually happens, nature can pick up right from where it left off. Withour those gaps in the ground, how would the crocus and the daffodils be able to penetrate their frozen beds?

God just amazes me. He does the same thing with our lives. Freezes us and waits for us to wake up before we pick up and go again. Sometimes the spring rains have to change our whole landscape with an avalanche of rain or an ice storm that kills off all the imperfections that were starting to take over our lives. We always assimilate to the potter with the clay but the winter freeze and thaw has the same affect. Think about what is frozen in your life today and where the gaps of air and ice crystals are that He is getting ready to have burst forth with wonder!

Highs and Lows

It is funny to me how we focus so much on being happy. How happy are you? Is happiness really a good moderator or should we rather look at how content we are? Yesterday we looked at how life can change to meet the path God has for us. How we can make plans that don't include God's plan for us. If we look again at Genesis 39, we will see that Joseph's life took a dramatic turn. Some may say it took a turn for the worse!

Joseph was in a position in Potiphar's house where the only person over him was Potiphar himself. When Potiphar's wife couldn't get her way with Joseph, she turned his life upside down. Her lack of control and self seeking attitude changed Joseph's life from a ruler of a high ranking household to a prisoner. Did Joseph curse God or wallow in self pity? No! He sought what God's purpose was for him now, in his new location and was blessed for his dedication.

Paul said "Be content in whatsoever state you are in." Can you say that?

Man Plans, God Laughs

We spend so much of our lives dreaming dreams and making plans. How much time do we spend seeking God's will for our lives? God's dream for our life? My devotions this morning were about Joseph and how God redirected his life and through it all Joseph was faithful to God and "God was with him".

I have strayed, for sure, from the benevolent protection of my God. I have sought my own way. Yet, He changes my path around to go back in the direction He wants me to travel. Who knows how I would have gotten to where I am now if I had stayed on the straight and narrow road from the beginning. Yet, so many of the roads I have traveled have prepared me for where I am now. Having some time off in the winter prepared me for an entire fall and winter with a newborn in the house. I even babysat my boyfriends granddaughter one winter, which gave me insight to how children need to be inspired and stimulated and how very porous they are.

I spent another whole winter living on my own in an old house cutting and splitting firewood, stoking the fire and keeping the house, then got a job in the spring only to be laid off, which to me was devastating! I figured out how to make money by selling baked goods at a farmers market. I am interested to see what the Lord has in store for me now.

A career I can take my daughter with me to work. The ablility to use the talents and skills that He has allowed for me to develop. I am so interested to see what the next turn in the road will be. Thank you Lord for your grace and the hope you give us each new day. The opportunity to awaken each morning and have a new day full of possibilities. What can we do today? Look at your path and see what is it that the Lord is preparing you for? How is your life like that of Joseph in Genesis 39? Can you say the Lord is with you? Are you seeking Him first and then making your plans?

I love Proverbs 16:9 " A man's heart plans his way but the Lord directs his steps."

New Year Decorations!

I certainly have not been as attentive in my postings as I would have hoped. But now that the move is over and we are more or less settled and the baby is on a regular nap schedule, I can spend some time in the afternoons working on endless job searches, drawing, my workouts and cooking!! Today I took some time to go outside in the snow while Hannah was napping and watch the voracious birds at the feeder. I took my camera with me and was able to capture some of the wonderful birds hard at work to keep fueled while the large snowflakes blanket the rest of their world.

I am always awestruck at how little birds never seem to get cold or frostbite. Sometimes you can even see them sitting in a tree all covered in ice! Amazing the design from the master Creator. My crabapple is dappled in reds, beiges and blacks as the Cardinals, Juncos, Tufted Titmice and the Chickadees all take turns at the feeder. I could not have decorated my little crab apple any better than the Lord has done it! How truly fortunate I am to be able to bathe in the wonder of this creation while my own little wonder sleeps away.