Category Archives: Today: Make it Count

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November 10, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Fruit of the Spirit, Love & Works, Obedience, Today: Make it Count, Wisdom & Guidance

THE LBD

And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. [Colossians 3: 14 (MSG)]

polydamas swallowtail - NBG595webIn spite of the Netflix show’s title, orange will never be the new black, at least not when it comes to women’s dresses. The iconic “little black dress” was first introduced by designer Coco Chanel back in the 1920s and this piece of clothing has been a woman’s wardrobe staple ever since. Depending on the fashion accessories worn with it, the LBD can be appropriate for just about any occasion. For most women, it’s our basic all-purpose garment. Of course, at my age, my LBD gets more wear with a jacket at funerals than with pearls at a cocktail party. While my husband doesn’t have a little black dress in his closet, he also has a basic all-purpose garment: brown khakis and a light blue button-down shirt that can be dressed up with a navy blazer and tie.

While I consider my little black dress to be a wardrobe necessity (and actually have more than one), the Apostle Paul tells us there is another, far more essential, all-purpose garment we need in our lives—love. The image of slipping into a suit of love every morning appeals to me. How nice to know that a suit of love will always fit, never make me look fat, and match every accessory in my closet! It will never shrink, stretch or fray and doesn’t even need ironing! When I’m clothed in love, I’ll never be over or under-dressed and I’ll always be in style.

Today, as we look through our closets and dresser drawers, let’s be sure to reach for love before putting on anything else. While we’re at it, how about adding the accessories of joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control? After doing that, we’ll be dressed in an ensemble finer than any we’d ever see featured in Vogue or GQ.

So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. [Colossians 3:12 (MSG)]

 

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October 22, 2015

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Challenges & Difficulty, Faith & Hope, Fear & Doubt, God's Word: The Bible, Nature, Obedience, Peace of God, Today: Make it Count, Trusting God, Worry

TUMBLEWEEDS

Russian thistle (tumbleweed)-Kodachrome Basin State Park,UT 009-cropwebThe Lord says: Cursed is the man who puts his trust in mortal man and turns his heart away from God. He is like a stunted shrub in the desert, with no hope for the future; he lives on the salt-encrusted plains in the barren wilderness; good times pass him by forever. But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and has made the Lord his hope and confidence. He is like a tree planted along a riverbank, with its roots reaching deep into the water—a tree not bothered by the heat nor worried by long months of drought. Its leaves stay green, and it goes right on producing all its luscious fruit. [Jeremiah 17:5-8 (TLB)]

The stunted shrub about which Jeremiah speaks is much like the tumbleweed. If you haven’t seen it in real life, you’ve probably seen it blowing across the desert in movies. The tumbleweed is actually the Russian thistle, a common western weed, and has a pretty little flower. Once mature and dry, however, the entire plant separates from the root; shaped like a ball, it looks like the dead shrub’s skeleton. In the western states, you can see tumbleweeds as small as soccer balls or as large as a Smart Car in ditches or tumbling along the desolate landscape.

On the other hand, cottonwoods are hardy trees. Much like the ones mentioned in Jeremiah, they put their roots down near rivers, lakes, and irrigation ditches throughout the southwest. Large trees, they have been known to grow up to eighty feet tall with trunks over five feet wide. Because they grow on the water’s edge, they typically survive prairie fires and can live over one hundred years. The hardy Rio Grande cottonwood even flourishes in New Mexico’s White Sands National Monument, an environment too harsh for most plants. In an area of scorching heat, scant rainfall, relentless winds, poor soil and blowing sand, the cottonwood survives because its roots are planted firmly down into the life-giving water hidden beneath the sand.

Do we want to live as a tumbleweed, dry and rootless in a barren land, with no hope for the future? That is what it will be like if we put our trust in our own strength or that of other people. Or do we want to be like the cottonwood, with deep roots, able to withstand fire, heat, wind and drought? If we put our trust in the Lord, we will never be alone and we’ll be able to survive, perhaps even thrive, in the most stressful of situations.

They shall neither hunger nor thirst; the searing sun and scorching desert winds will not reach them anymore. For the Lord in his mercy will lead them beside the cool waters. [Isaiah 49:10 (TLB)]

And now just as you trusted Christ to save you, trust him, too, for each day’s problems; live in vital union with him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him. See that you go on growing in the Lord, and become strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with joy and thanksgiving for all he has done. [Colossians 2:6-7 (TLB)]
cottonwoods (NM) -cropaweb

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September 18, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Fruit of the Spirit, God's Grace & Love, Joy, Nature, Today: Make it Count, Trusting God

TOMORROW

bearing fruit -horz web

False Solomon’s Seal, Solomon’s Seal, Bittersweet Nightshade, Elderberry

I have carried you since you were born; I have taken care of you from your birth. Even when you are old, I will be the same. Even when your hair has turned gray, I will take care of you. I made you and will take care of you. I will carry you and save you. [Isaiah 46:3b-4 (NCV)]

Last night, at my mother-in-law’s retirement home, I was nearly run over by a parade of residents in wheelchairs along with several more ambulatory seniors shuffling along on their walkers as they moved toward the patio to enjoy the last rays of the day’s sun. Last night, I caught a glimpse of tomorrow and I’m not anxious to go there. It’s not the white hair and wrinkles—it’s not even the stooped posture and frailty—it’s the lack of independence that frightens me the most.

I’m at a point in life where, when I look at my children, I see what I was like yesterday—or what feels like just yesterday. Then, when I look at my mother-in-law, I see what life will be like tomorrow or the day after. At my age, time passes way too quickly. It seems only a few years ago that we had teenagers and now our teenagers have teens of their own. Wasn’t it just last month when I held the first grand in my arms? I turned around for just a second and now she has her driver’s permit. I’m sure it was yesterday when I stood on the bus so a senior could have my seat—now people offer their seats to me!

As I walk through the park, I’m reminded of the season. Instead of the gaudy colors of summer, I see the yellows, oranges and browns that come with autumn. The asters are just bits of fluff and the black-eyed Susans look naked without their golden petals. Yet, I see another kind of beauty—the beauty that comes with the changing season. In fact, the maples and oaks are more spectacular with their brightly colored leaves. Moreover, it is only when the flowers have faded that they start bearing their beautiful fruit. Old age, like the autumn prairie and woodlands, can be beautiful when accepted gracefully.

Our years are a gift from God. Having outlived all but one of my family members, these years are a gift I appreciate. Yet, I confess to apprehension when I walk into a room and can’t remember why I’m there, forget someone’s name, can’t open a jar, or need ibuprofen for my aching joints. I’m not so sure I’m going to enjoy everything about this next season of life. I don’t relish the thought of eventually giving up my driver’s license, being unable to handle my finances, using a cane or walker, or possibly needing a caregiver. I would much prefer to have the health and vitality of middle age to the frailty of the elderly and so I exercise and watch my diet. Nevertheless, no matter what I do, the years will eventually take their toll on my mind and body.

I’m sure God didn’t ask the flowers how they felt about getting old, withering and eventually dying, and I don’t think He’s going to ask me. I have no choice but to accept this season of life and joyfully prepare to move on to the next. Like the flowers and the people I saw last night, I will turn to face the sun and make the most of the days with which I have been blessed. And, like them, I will gracefully accept the passage of time and bear as much fruit as possible. While I may change and fade with the years, I know that God never will. As old as He is, He’ll never be infirm, He’ll never be too weak to hold me upright and He’ll never become so absent-minded that He forgets my name.

I have no one in heaven but you; I want nothing on earth besides you. My body and my mind may become weak, but God is my strength. He is mine forever. [Psalm 73:25-26 (NCV)]

People ought to enjoy every day of their lives, no matter how long they live. [Ecclesiastes 11:8a (NCV)]

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September 16, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Joy, Love & Works, Salvation: A New You, Sharing Our Faith, Thanks & Praise, Today: Make it Count

LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you! [Psalm 145:10 (ESV)]

Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. [Isaiah 60:1 (ESV)]

“I Sing a Song of the Saints of God” [Lesbia Scott]
I sing a song of the saints of God, patient and brave and true,
Who toiled and fought and lived and died for the Lord they loved and knew.
And one was a doctor, and one was a queen, and one was a shepherdess on the green;
They were all of them saints of God, and I mean, God helping, to be one too.
They loved their Lord so dear, so dear, and his love made them strong;
And they followed the right for Jesus’ sake the whole of their good lives long.
And one was a soldier, and one was a priest, and one was slain by a fierce wild beast;
And there’s not any reason, no, not the least, why I shouldn’t be one too.
They lived not only in ages past; there are hundreds of thousands still.
The world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus’ will.
You can meet them in school, on the street, in the store,
In church, by the sea, in the house next door;
They are saints of God, whether rich or poor, and I mean to be one too.

cathedral of st francis - Santa Fe8546webAs a girl, one of my favorite hymns was, “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God.” I joyfully sang of the doctor (Luke), queen (Margaret of Scotland), shepherdess (Joan of Arc), soldier (Martin of Tours), priest (John Donne), and the one slain by a beast (Ignatius of Antioch). Although I wasn’t anxious to be devoured by lions, the thought of being in company of such a stellar cast of Christians gave me great joy. The fact that I, simply by knowing Jesus and by loving to do His will, could be one, too, was even more exciting.

Although it’s been years since last singing it, I thought of that hymn when touring the Cathedral Church of St. Francis in Santa Fe recently. Several saints had been beautifully depicted in the stain glass windows. It was a sunny day and the light shone magnificently through the colored glass. I was reminded that the saints of the New Testament weren’t dead; they were living individuals who had dedicated themselves to the worship and service of the one true God as revealed through Jesus Christ. In fact, all Christians are called to be saints of God—to live their lives in a way that reflects their faith in Christ. We all can be saints of God if we allow the Son’s light to shine through us as brilliantly as the sun did in those windows.

Saint: one separated from the world and consecrated to God; one holy by profession and by covenant; a believer in Christ. [Easton’s Bible Dictionary]

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. [Matthew 5:14-16 (ESV)]

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September 14, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works, Today: Make it Count

BENIGN NEGLECT

Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable? [Proverbs 20:6 (NLT)]

A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. [Proverbs 17:17 (NLT)]

What a person desires is unfailing love. [Proverbs 19:22a (NIV)]

Remember that children, marriages and flower gardens reflect the kind of care they get. [From “Life’s Little instruction Book,” by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.]

DSC01958webIn July, I wrote about the weeds that had taken over our long-neglected garden. It wasn’t just the garden that suffered in our nine month’s absence; the beautiful antique silver in the china cabinet had tarnished. Although I pass that cabinet several times a day, I’ve ignored the gradually darkening silver for nearly three months. I had good intentions and meant to get out the polish but other activities kept presenting themselves. Now, with less than a week before leaving again, polishing silver hardly seems worth the effort and the task will be postponed until next summer.

While the silver can wait, relationships with friends and family don’t survive that sort of benign neglect as easily. Unfortunately, we all tend to grow complacent in our relationships, especially the long-standing ones, and we stop making the effort necessary for them to flourish and grow. Relationships, like gardens, need to be watered and fertilized and, like silver, need to be taken out, dusted off and polished on occasion.

My silver has neither feelings nor legs so, whether polished or not, it isn’t going anywhere. Stuck in my cabinet, it will still be there next summer, as will my weed-filled garden. People, however, can leave unsatisfactory relationships to find other, more satisfactory, ones. I certainly plead guilty to being inattentive and careless in my relationships. There were so many friends I meant to call, so many people I meant to see, so many things I meant to do for friends and family, but something else always seemed to interfere and my good intentions remained just good intentions.

Do you have any relationships that could be suffering from benign neglect? When was the last time you told your spouse or a dear friend you loved him or her? When was the last time you did an unexpected kindness or joyfully made a sacrifice for a friend or family member? When was the last time you offered a willing ear or lightened a loved one’s load? When last did your actions say, “You are important and I cherish our companionship?” When was the last time you worked on your relationships, watering and feeding them so they’d blossom? When was the last time you looked at your relationships, savored their beauty, and took the effort to make them shine? I’ve got a few calls to make; how about you?

Love cannot endure indifference. It needs to be wanted. Like a lamp, it needs to be fed out of the oil of another’s heart, or its flame burns low. [Henry Ward Beecher]

This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. … Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. [1 John 3:11,18 (NLT)]

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September 8, 2015

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Attitudes & Behavior, Bible Stories, Family, Friends & Fellowship, Love & Works, Obedience, Today: Make it Count

DINNER GUESTS

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place. … to show him sympathy and comfort him. And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great. [Job 2:11-13 (ESV)]

Tanzania sculptureLabor Day weekend at the cottage was to be our last opportunity to enjoy time at the lake until next summer. Family would be visiting most of the time and the little guys were sure to keep us on the run. Closing the house for the season also meant a lot of chores: the house cleaned, sporting equipment brought up from the lake, deck furniture scrubbed and stowed, windows washed, the pantry emptied, and so on. The last thing either of us wanted was more work.

Before the kids and grands arrived, we had one day to quietly (and leisurely) finish up some tasks. It was also the only day we’d be free to spend any time with our neighbors until our return next June. The husband is suffering from a debilitating form of dementia so time with them is precious. By next summer, the man we’ve come to know and love may no longer even remember us. The easiest thing for us would have been to take them to dinner at a local restaurant but the noise would make it difficult for our hard-of-hearing friend and the crowd would cause him discomfort. While dinner at our house was the obvious solution, neither my husband nor I felt we had the time to spend shopping, prepping, cooking and cleaning up.

The Bible is filled with stories of friendship and people who found time for one another: Ruth and Naomi, Jonathan and David, Elisha and Elijah, Abraham and Lot, and Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Even Job’s three friends spent several days with him sitting at his side. A friend loves at all times, not just when it is convenient, so we knew we had to spend time encouraging and loving on our neighbors. Somewhat reluctantly, we invited them to dinner. Panic briefly set in as we scoured the kitchen to see what provisions we had. Cheese and homemade cookies for the appetizer and dessert were found in the freezer. We had enough tomatoes for a salad and the refrigerator held the ingredients for two easy make-ahead side dishes. A quick trip into town would provide the entrée in the way of an already prepared rotisserie chicken. Typically, our dinner party preparations are more complex, involving lots of prep work, but the Holy Spirit reminded us that friendship has nothing to do with an impeccably set table or a gourmet meal; friendship is breaking bread together in love. Perfection isn’t necessary in friendship; presence, however, is. Friendship is accepting and loving one another in our imperfection. While it’s good to remember friends in our thoughts and prayers, real friendship actually sits beside them whenever possible. Jesus gave his life for his friends and few of us will ever be asked to do as much as that. A little inconvenience now and then is a small price to pay for the blessings of friendship and the opportunity to share Christ’s love.

Father, thank you for the blessing of friends—brothers and sisters connected to one another, not by blood, but by their love for one another. Thank you for gifting us with people with whom we share good times and bad, sorrow and joy, laughter and tears, health and illness. May we never hesitate to be as generous with our time as our friends are with theirs. Guide us to love in the way we hope to be loved and to do for one another in the way we want to have done for us.

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. [Proverbs 17:17 (ESV)]

Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. [1 Peter 4:8-9 (ESV)]