Right before my fabulous vacation, (I told you last week about it) a series of horrible events went down. They were
unfortunate and unstoppable. I'll ask right now for privacy for what
happened exactly. Don't ask me. But it was worked out so that only two
men in my church knew about this horrible series of events happening to
us.
After all of it went down, these two men in my church DID
NOTHING AT ALL TO HELP US IN THE LEAST. They bear the title "Pastor" and
"Assistant Pastor."
I WAS A FURIOUS SCREAMING MESS.
I'm no
pew surfer. I am up doing the service aspects of church like nobody's
business. I did the food for our church's first funeral, and I work in
the nursery. YOU"D THINK!!!! When the poop hit the fan, THEY"D BE THERE
FOR US LIKE I WAS FOR THEM CONSTANTLY.
Well, they would have been, but God stopped them from coming. They just didn't see it. They weren't being allowed to see it.
I railed, screamed, nasty emailed, and called.
Finally one of them quietly asked, "Why are you acting like this?" I prayed for the answer, I didn't really know.
God
said, "you have been so ill used by the past pastors in your life, you
have made looking for a good man in the ministry your idol and all
consuming passion."
Do I win for "WORST IDOL EVER EVER???"
God
called to me in Hosea 2:14-17 when I finally stopped screaming. I
sat in my wilderness and sobbed as the Sovereign God told me that he
personally wanted to rescue me. He personally wanted to Woo me. He
personally wanted to be my God and have me love only him. If my pastors
had come on white horses, my idol would have grown HUGE in my eyes and
would never have been smashed down.
Having said all that, my
pastors are really really good men. I've been screaming like an ever
loving banshee, and they have just let me and listened.
But now, they are not my idol anymore.
NOW I have my God in His proper place again. I'm going to be fine.
And
the original nasty thing is all cleared up and taken care of. It is
over and it all happened so that God could smash my idols of clay.
While chatting with friends, I find that the topics of wife, mother, and homemaker often surface. I very much enjoy these topics, as well as these titles I hold in my own life. I also enjoy what the Bible has to say about these rolls in our lives, which is why I am disheartened when so many women buy into the lies of this world. The ones that tell us that what the Bible says is no longer relevent to us now. Genisis says: But for Adam [h] no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs [i] and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib [j] he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. 23 The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman, [k] ' for she was taken out of man." Another version is this: God said, "It's not good for the Man to be alone; I'll make him a helper, a companion."...... I do firmly believe that my Husband has a very specific calling and that my calling is to be his "helpmate" . I am often greeted with defensive friends who think differently, however they very strongly believe the Bible IS relevent to their husbands in Ephesians when it says: 25Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26to make her holy, cleansing[b] her by the washing with water through the word, 27and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30for we are members of his body. 31"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh."[c] 32This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband. How is this so? We are not able to take pieces of the bible and stand firm on them as "Whole Truths" and at the same time look at other passages and say they are simply not relevent to us today. Satan feeds us lies....and it is easy to listen to when everything and everyone around us seem to go against what the Bible says. I was made to be that loving encouragement for my husband, to help his be the very best at what God has called him to. Now, take those negative "cave-man" thoughts out of your head for just a second! The ones that say "well are you just going to sit around and be at your husbands beck and call?" or "so you don't get to do anything you want to do with your life". It is quite the opposite, I have the honor and joy of walking through life with my very best friend, working together with him to accomplish God's purpose. Our lives compliment each other in such a unique and beautiful way. Another passage that has been on my heart lately is in Titus: 4Then they (older women) can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. another version is: Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior. Notice this passage talks about being " busy at home". This is yet another passage that I receive so much flack on! I love being busy at home. Working to create that atmosphere that we as a family crave. There is so much work to be done in the home, trust me when I haven't been busy at home..it shows. My systems are all out-of-order, the house is messy, the clothes are not cleaned, and food is not prepped...etc. There is however a greater worry here. If you are not busy at home, are you busy away from home? Carting kids form one play-date to the next, exhausting everyone along the way? Or if you are still home but not busy, then are you idle? Proverbs 31:27 says, "27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness." Sitting idle allows us the chance to do so many harmful things through, well boredom, not to mention the gossip that often ensues on these adventures. So whatever the "busy" is for you, enjoy the blessing of that in your home. When talking with a dear friend of mine recently on this very topic her words were" I am more and more convinced that Satan wins a victory every time He convinces one of us to believe the lies of the world. We are surrounded by people with the view that our worth comes from what we do, not who we are and most definitely not who we are in Christ. I often get the eye roll, either openly or internally, from people when I share my conviction that my husband was made for what he is doing and I was made for him. How archaic, right? But no! God's design for us and for our families has not changed and I am convinced that we become ineffective (and Satan wins!) when we lose sight of that to which God has called us and for which He has made us!!! Some say it is easy for me to say because I have a good husband, a good marriage, etc. No! I say we are blessed because of our obedience. I say we fight, as you said, for marriage and family (where Satan targets most often), and we trust that God knows better than the world and Satan, the prince of this world and the father of lies, what is best for us. God's word is for us today . It is! It is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness." I had to quote her because I cannot agree with her more..nor could I word it better.I often receive that very same reaction, "It is easy for you to do because you have a great husband and a great marriage" I cannot agree with my friend enough, we are blessed by our willingness to obey God in his calling to us. I am not willing to conform to this world and it's expectations of me, I will strive to conform to Christ and His expectations. So, what if the world is wrong and the Bible is right.....now there's a thought.....
As I was growing up my family regularly prayed for several missionaries. Many of them were in our home for a meal or an overnight visit at some point. I remember thinking it must be a challenge to move to another continent and be so far away from one's family and friends. Two of my siblings are now missionaries. I have a sister who lives in Turkey with her husband and six children, and my brother lives in Brazil. My sister and her family were in the US for several months in 2009-2010. They returned for a two month visit last summer. I had planned to spend at least a week with them, but due to pregnancy complications I was unable to drive last summer. They came up and spent one hour with me in the hospital one day in July, and I met their youngest son for the first time. They plan to return for another visit next summer. Over a four year time span I will have spent a grand total of one hour with my sister. My youngest will be almost two years old before they will meet him, and their youngest will be over a year old before I meet her. These experiences have given me a better grasp of Luke 14:26 that uses the word "hate" to teach us that we must place our relationship with Christ as a higher priority than our relationships with our mother, father, brother, sisters, etc. Technology makes it easier to bridge the gap, but I still really miss them. Now when I pray for a missionary, I often find myself also praying for their extended family back at home who have to wait years to see a sibling, niece, nephew, or grandchild.
A friend of mine recounted a recent experience in which he spent time doing outdoor activities with a young woman, and met some other friends along the way. Now, this young woman has a bad reputation, however, she has been working to turn her life around. Unfortunately, her past was no secret from these other friends, and my friend was accosted by them later, wanting to know how he "ended up with 'THAT"?!" "Don't you KNOW about her reputation?" I can't remember how he responded, but knowing him as well as I do, I am certain that he messed with them a bit. My initial response was a fierce anger toward a group of ignorant, self righteous Pharisees. I told him that I would have handed each of them a large stone and said, "Here you go! So who wants to go first?!" WHO DO WE THINK WE ARE??!! This girl is trying to get her life back on track! She has started to go back to church, and the so-called "church people" want to crucify her!
WHERE IS THE LOVE? WHERE IS THE MERCY FOR HER THAT WAS EXTENDED TO US? WHO WILL REACH OUT TO HER AND OTHERS LIKE HER?
The Lord has been dealing with my heart and my thinking as He has been bringing people into my life who don't fit into the usual molds that the traditional church has used in the past. I was blessed to be raised in a loving family who attended church regularly and taught me to love Jesus. There are so very many people out there who were not so fortunate, but Jesus is just a passionately in love with them! Oh, how we have misrepresented Him to them!! The church, in many ways, appears to have lost touch with the heartbeat of Jesus for these precious ones, when loving them and allowing God to transform them is what they need. I saw a church sign yesterday that stated, "Receive Jesus if you don't want to burn." Can someone please explain to me how that makes Jesus attractive to the world in any sense?! I want to tell people, "JESUS LOVES YOU PASSIONATELY!!!" PERIOD! I want people to feel His love and hear His heartbeat and see His goodness when they encounter me. I will encourage them to build relationship with Him. My heart yearns for those who may never show up at a church, that they may fall madly in love with Jesus when they realize that He truly does love them! Remember, the news is supposed to be GOOD!!!
People come in all sizes and shapes,
have different skin tones and hair. I saw all kinds of people
at the amusement parks on vacation.
We are all made in the likeness and image of God.
Kinda makes ya think. If we are all
so very different, yet still made in the image of God,
what does God look like?
The bible describes God as having hair like
shining wool, so curly white hair, right?
Skin shines like brass, He has a tan with healthy & shining skin?
Basically, my theory is this, take every good quality
you can think of that is attractive, and you have a picture
of God.
It is refreshing to view His creation, we humans,
in this light.
When I do this, it helps me to appreciate what He has made,
instead of looking down upon others
and my own imperfections.
Made in His likeness & image......ahhhhhh. I am fearfully
and wonderfully made, even with crooked teeth.
Dexter will sound the warning of strangers at the door, a passing motorcycle, the nightly visit from the neighborhood cat, and even a fly buzzing around by barking and leaping from his perch on the back of the couch with such fierce energy that sometimes I think he should be wearing a cape. However, when a thunderstorm rolls through, at the first flash of lightning he transforms from Super Dog to Mr. Scaredy Dog. He shivers, quivers, paces, and pants until I have to literally wrap him in a blanket and hold him like a baby.
It makes me wonder how many of us humans try to pretend that we are the big dog, afraid of nothing and totally in charge when underneath it all we are shaken by the rumble of the storms in our lives. During these times we could lean on others and draw from their faith, but sometimes we catch ourselves trembling in the corner instead trying to handle it alone.
In Matthew 8:23-27 Jesus calms a storm that the disciples thought was going to destroy them. They were astonished that the winds and the sea obeyed Jesus. In the midst of my storms, I need to be reminded that He is in control and trust Him to be my shelter.
A few weeks ago, Iris and I kept having the same conversation. She'd read about a study of monkey mothering that involved abandoned baby monkeys and the robotic mother substitutes some researcher had built to test out his pet theories
I usually zoned out around the description of the robot mothers and was at the uh uh, uh uh, yes, mmhmm" phase. We'd finish the conversation and she'd look at me closely. A few days later she'd go at it again. It was Groundhog Day until I finally listened.
The robot monkey mothers were of three kinds. Those that never punished and were always accepting, those that only punished, and those that did both. The monkey "mothers" that were loving but set boundaries were loved the most.
Knowing she finally had my attention, she said, "You're like that, Mom. Your kids all love you the most because you love us and you set boundaries for us. We really love you, Mom."
Yes, I melted and went all ooey-gooey inside. In the weeks since I finally listened, her advice has been an undergirding for those tough boundary moments and for those moments when I feel like a failure, like yesterday, when I lost Iris in the Air and Space Museum. We were two panicked monkeys, and have spent most of the time since hand in hand. She keeps telling me my favorite story and I keep counting heads.
This week is black raspberry picking season. For the next few fleeting days, my daughter
and I go out daily to harvest those juicy black jewels to bake, freeze, and eat
out of hand. We go out, armored in
jeans, long sleeves, sneakers or boots, and hats. Our hands still end up looking like they’ve
been attacked by a vicious pack of kittens, and there are times when I can be
seen running through the woods away from a particularly-nasty mosquito, but
all-in-all, we consider the berries worth it.
There are a few life lessons we can take away from the process of berry
picking. First, always wear your armor.
If you have it, put it on and use it!
I made the mistake of wearing a less-protective pair of shoes one time,
and regretted it. The Bible says that we
should put on the whole armor of God to help us deal with everything the world
throws at us. (Ephesians 6:11-13) Be thankful for whatever protection you have,
and use it! I know I am very thankful for my hat, which has saved me from
many-a mosquito bite. Next, things that
seem out of reach might not be. As we stretch and balance like ballet dancers,
many times on one leg, we are able to get to beautiful berries we never thought
we could reach. The effort stretches us
out of our comfort zone, but we have a much bigger harvest from it. Come at problems from a different
perspective, and don’t give up looking too soon. I have learned that you can trust your eyes,
your outlook, but just to a certain point. Don’t get too confident in your own sight. Beautiful clusters hide under leaves or just
around the bend, waiting to be found if only you look at the place from a
different angle. Go around your bush again,
and you will be surprised by what you missed, and glad you tried one more time.
Stir up those leaves and go treasure-hunting!
Pain is part of the process.
Berry bushes have many thorns, and they are the unforgiving sort. We have to learn to be gentle even while in
the grip of a thorny embrace, or we will crush the fruit. No black raspberries are free: you pay the price of pain, and there’s no
getting around it. Life is full of pain
and full of joy. The question being, “Is
it worth it?” If so, be careful not to
squash the joy because of your pain. When
you learn unrelenting gentleness, you learn inner strength. Berries are a gift from God, and the labor
involved can be part of that gift. Enjoy
your gift of life: may your harvest be great and your thorns few. 
