HAVE YOU EVER...grieved?

            This week we celebrate the life of my Dad.  He passed away 7 years ago from pancreatic cancer.  He had been married to my mom for 35 years.  They met right out of college at their first teaching job.  He had 2 daughters and now 4 grandkids.  We all miss him every day.

            Grieving is a natural part of life.  I can say that now.  Up until 7 years ago – I had no idea what grief was.  I had been sad.  I had lost other family members and friends.  This was shattering.  Real grief changed my life.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.  Matthew 5:4

            I don’t like change.  I lost my father.  My mom moved further away.  I was a stay at home mom with 2 young children.  I had nothing to focus on but my grief and the changes in my life.

            My oldest child had just started kindergarten.  I remember how everyone changes when they go to college, fall in love, get married, and have kids.  But I still didn’t like change.  I like routine.  The mundaneness of my life.  Nobody rock my boat!  Especially, you God!

            Paul said in 2 Corinthians chapter 1 that God comforts us in our troubles so that we can learn to comfort others as well.  In Revelation 21, John experienced God’s plans for us in heaven.  God will wipe away every tear.  And most of all I know my father loved the Lord.  Someday, as 1 Thessalonians 4 says, my family has the hope that Jesus will bring us all to be with him in heaven. In God’s timing. 

            Change made me grow as a person.  It was all part of God’s plan.  My life has changed more in the last 7 years than in the last 39, because of how God has been working in my life.  Because I finally accepted the changes, God is also working through my life. 

HAVE YOU EVER…changed?

Psalm 46:1-2; Romans 8:18

  

HAVE YOU EVER...sent a kid to school?

This time of year, everyone has mixed emotions.  We are all going back to school.  For me, I just love a routine.  Some moms need a break from their kids.  I know many parents are busy taking back to school pictures.  I am crying because my son is almost a teenager and going to middle school.  I’ve seen a lot of kindergarten mom’s boohooing too.

We send our kids to school to learn academics, but we know that it is also a social event.  In the mid-eighties, Edwin Hutchins coined the term distributed cognition.  And since the sixties they had been studying how interactions among people in a continued environment; mainly the work place, effect cognition. 

Cognition is socially distributed.  Our environment affects us as a culture and community.  Working with others also affects us.  We learn and solve problems better together.

Now, there are even more ways to distribute cognition.  Phones, computers, and tablets distribute from person to person.  These objects create a collaborative internet world.  We all believe that the internet is the best way to learn because it has become more accessible.  EASY.

I don’t need to give you statistics.  Our kids were born technology geniuses.  They start younger and younger holding remotes and using their little fingers to swipe screens.  Even their school books are online. 

Romans 12:2 says do not conform to the pattern of this world.  We are all addicted to technology.  It is so easy to reach out to someone far away.  It is also too easy for our kids to see or say or do something on these machines they cannot take back. 

This year our entire school district – kindergarten through twelfth grade have been issued chrome books.  I am excited because it is going to be easier for teachers, students, and parents to link school and home learning.  I am scared to death that my kid will break theirs first.  I am also afraid of what kind of trouble they could get into with this type of access.  Just because my kids have chrome books for school does not mean that any of the technology rules are going to change at our house. 

Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you.  

Proverbs 4:25

While creating a safe and successful learning environment is a goal for our schools, we still have a responsibility.  Just because our kids say, “I got this,” doesn’t mean they do.  My prayer is that they fix their eyes on Christ and make wise decisions.  I am praying for only wholesome things to pass in front of their eyes and that they see the importance of that too.

HAVE YOU EVER…prayed your kid through school?

  

Proverbs 13:20; Colossians 3:2;  1 John 2:15-17

HAVE YOU EVER...had hope?

And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.  Romans 5:5

            You hear me saying, “I hope” this or that will happen all the time.  I also have hope in people.  I am a trusting person.  I believe that there is good in everyone.  Recently, I have really noticed that people have hope in me.  They count on me to behave or react in a certain way, because I am a Christian.  Non-Christians are watching and waiting for me to fail and I do.  I am a sinner.  Christian or not I fail.  Everyday.

            Have you ever been in a court room or watched a case on TV?  If it is a juicy case setting, you might have heard a judge tell someone that they were, “held in contempt.”  This means that the person was being disrespectful, causing a disturbance, or just blatantly disobeying the rules of a courtroom.  We find this interesting and exciting.  Why do we find someone disobeying rules intriguing?

            God sent his son to die on the cross for us one time for all of our sins.  We weren’t even born yet.  God knew how many times we were going to sin.  You cannot count how many times you sinned last week let alone your whole lifetime.   Why do I keep making the same mistakes?  Why do I keep falling for the same intrigue? 

           

When there is contempt, there is no hope.

            This statement says it all.  I hope in the Lord, but I do not have enough consideration to change.  I believe that Jesus Christ saved me, but I still feel worthless and undeserving.  The Spirit speaks to me through the Bible, but I do not regard following God’s word each day as important as my worldly ways.  Each day, God could be sitting in a large judge’s chair pointing a finger at me saying “I find her in contempt!”  But he’s not.

The LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love. 

Psalm 147:11

            I am a child of God.  I get up every day and read my Bible and ask the Lord to guide me that day.  I do my best.  Yes; I fail, but I keep trying.  I am still growing in Christ.  My hope is in Him.  I’m going to do better today. 

HAVE YOU EVER…been held in contempt?

  

Psalm 18:3; Proverbs 13:12; 2 Peter 2:10

HAVE YOU EVER...listened to your parents?

let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance-  Proverbs 1:5

An acquaintance of mine on Facebook is a painter (The Magic Brush).  She recently posted pictures from her own house.  She had prayed over her children a special word and then painted it over the entrance of their door.  For example, one of her children had the word faithful painted above their door.  She said that we need to tell our children who they are and who God wants them to be OR sees them to be.  Throughout their lives there are going to be people who tell your kids who they are or what they are and they won’t have your children’s best interest at heart. 

Today when I was sitting and listening to our pastor’s sermon, I remembered a story about my father.  It is father’s day.  Dad has been gone 6 years now.  He has always and still is my spiritual cheerleader.  He understood that my love language was words before Gary Chapman did.  (I have told you this story before but there is a little more to it.)

One evening, we were having dinner with another family and my parents were bragging on my sister.  I might have been thirteen.  My sister is brilliant.  We spent many of our family vacations following her all of the United States to some sort of academic competition.  I never cared.  I got to go on vacation.  The next day, my father came to me and apologized to me for gloating about my sister.  He told me that I had done many things that made him proud.  He also said, that I might not always be the smartest kid in the family, but I was wise.  God had a plan for my wisdom. 

It is 25 years later, I remember this story from time to time.  God placed it in my heart for a reason.  I do not believe that I am a very wise person, but I strive to be, because that is what my father told me.  Our pastor was preaching on wisdom today.  Pastor Blake said that the key to living well is wisdom.  The key to wisdom is to trust God and fear God.  We need to have the ability to apply knowledge and in doing so respect and revere our Lord’s plans for our lives. 

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.  Proverbs 1:7

Wisdom is a big word.  It is used 41 times in the book of Proverbs.  I have been praying words over my children for a while now waiting to tell them my chosen word for this time in their lives.  I am praying the words “gentleness” over Alex and “dependable” over Jax.  My children already could be described with these words.  I want them to remember that I knew that God was using these traits in their lives. 

I also want to praise my Heavenly Father for giving me an earthly father and husband who seek His wisdom and share(d) it with me. 

HAVE YOU EVER…sought wisdom?

Proverbs 4:5-7; Proverbs 9:10; James 1:5

HAVE YOU EVER...written a paper?

When I was a freshman in college, one of the first nonmusic classes that I walked into was Old Testament History.  I had had some issues with my enrollment the recent spring and so I was stuck in a class with all ministry majors.  My dean signed me into the class; I am sure breaking some fancy rules, because I DID NOT belong in this class.  Everyone around me was mainly male and much smarter than me.  It was one of my all time favorite classes EVER!

Dr. Bing Bayer was one of the most amazing teachers of God’s word that I have ever heard.  I never missed a class and he is one of the reasons I am obsessed with the Old Testament.  Our final was to write an exegetical paper.  I still don’t know what that means.  It was supposed to be like 25 pages long.  In an essence you were creating your own commentary on a scripture passage.  These smart boys chose 1 verse or something like Proverbs 31.  I chose the ENTIRE book of Jonah.

Everyone knows the story of Jonah.  The exciting miracle of God allowing Jonah to live after being swallowed by a whale is what most people would remember.  Not me.  What stands out most to me is that Jonah did not do what God asked him to do.  Yes, God used him to show a miracle to the people in the boat.  We all have experienced the miracles of this story because it made it into the Bible.  And we see God’s mercy to the Ninevites.

That is why Jonah said no.  God’s mercy. 

He prayed to the LORD, “O LORD, is this not what I said when I was still at home?  That is why I was so quick to flee to Tarshish.  I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.”  Jonah 4:2

Jonah was God’s prophet for 50 years.  He knew of God’s great compassion for all mankind.  He had already judged the Ninevites and did not want God to forgive them.  Yikes!

I hear kids say, “I hate you” to other kids all of the time.  We have seen too many “hate crimes” in our word today.  People are stepping up to be a judge and jury of things they are very ignorant about.  We need to examine our hearts more and share God’s love with everyone.  At least, try to be an example for our own kids. 

You don’t have to go to a foreign country that you “hate” to show God’s compassion.  Just open your eyes before making a hasty judgment.  God always has a plan, even when you say no.

HAVE YOU EVER…shown God’s compassion to others?

Isaiah 49:13; 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

HAVE YOU EVER...prayed for yourself?

And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had

with you before the world began.  John 17:5

Jesus prayed for himself.  Why would Jesus need to pray for himself?

(Jesus) made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.  Philippians 2:7

Jesus became flesh – human.  God had this plan from the beginning.  Jesus was also there before the world began.  He still loved us so much that he dwelt among us.  Jesus needed to speak to the heavenly father the same way we should need that communication.

This prayer in John is beautiful to me.  I could read about the glory of God all day long.

Beth Moore says, “God’s glory is the way He makes Himself recognizable.”

My Bible commentary says, “and the death by which Jesus would glorify God would lead to eternal life.”

Here Jesus knows his death and resurrection are near.  The battle has just begun.  But when it is over, we will see God shining through Jesus’ capture of the grave.  The gift to us is glorious salvation!  Eternal life!

Our salvation should be “recognizable” to all.  God is not done with us.  The battle rages on.  Praise the Lord this Easter season.  Celebrate your salvation with others!

HAVE YOU EVER…celebrated salvation?

Daniel 7:13-14;  Hebrews 2:9

HAVE YOU EVER...seen a children's message?

I was visiting another church not too long ago with family.  As we sat in the balcony, I could look around and see more than I usually see at my church.  My view is either from the front right corner or the choir loft.  I was enjoying a different view for a change.  I caught something out of the corner of my eye.  It was green and it was moving on the floor of the back of the stage.  I discovered to my surprise that it was a small boy sitting on the floor under a woman playing the keyboard. 

Soon after that, they had all of the children come forward for a children’s message.  The kids sat on the front steps of the platform while a woman read some scripture and introduced some more women to the side of the stage.  These 3 women were being celebrated for having started a bereavement committee at the church and serving for 35 years.  Their loyal faithfulness touched many lives.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.  2 Corinthians 9:12

I started thinking about all of these women and their children.  My husband and I sing in the choir and play in the orchestra.  We have been involved with many different activities in our church, but we have always wanted our children to worship with us on Sunday mornings.  This was more difficult when they were babies and toddlers.  We did send them to the nursery, but as soon as they were 3 they were sitting with us in church.  Sometimes we took turns participating in the orchestra and choir.  Sometimes our kids sat with friends or other family. 

I believe that it has been easier for me as a woman to use my kids as an excuse to get out of serving.  I am so thankful for people that don’t feel this way.  They are an example to the rest of us.  Of course, there are seasons in life that you just cannot serve.  But If God is calling you to serve than serve.  He will make a way. 

Oh, may all who go before us find us faithful.  Watching the children’s message I had continuous songs of faithfulness running through my head.  I am thankful for those who are faithful and I pray that I become more faithful too. 

HAVE YOU EVER…been faithful?

Micah 6:8;  1 Corinthians 12:4-6