Visions & Verses

Try a Little Tenderness

Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit,if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. ~Philippians 2:1-4

"What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love..." "All You Need Is Love..." "They Will Know We are Christians by Our Love..."  These songs reveal that culturally, we know that love IS the answer. It is a powerful tool for forgiving, compromising, healing and reconciling. It is the very essence of Christianity. And yet, in our supposed Christian nation, we find very little of it being exhibited on our streets, in our media or by our leaders, not to mention in our churches or the myriad households accross the country. Certainly, it has been prophesied in the Bible:  ^"Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold," Matthew 24:12. But why?

I wonder if the problem is more fundamental. I wonder if we have failed to learn what real love is. The depictions of love in the media are very simplistic: romantic love, familial love, lust. These depictions show love as a contract: if you love me, I'll do x; or as an obligation: you must love your children, your parents, your siblings. These are very far from the Biblical love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, patient, kind, humble, putting others' needs before our own, dealing with personal issues privately. I can't really say that in my 50 some years on the planet I've seen many examples of this kind of love. It is admittedly very difficult. Trying intentionally to live lovingly for the last 20 years has been a real struggle. And living with love conflicts with some strong cultural values, like holding a grudge, publically airing grievances, being right, getting our way, having control, saying 'I told you so'.... 

Love includes concepts of integrity, humility, compassion, compromise, tenderness, kindness, tact, diplomacy and self-sacrifice. These qualities are often portrayed as weaknesses which can be exploited by the savvy or cruel. I imagine very few textbooks on business administration link these qualities with success. And fewer practitioners dare to use them in the world of business, law or politics. Certainly, our recent and prolonged standoffs between the President and Congress are evidence of this.

Our personal actions always have consequences for those around us. Always. Although it can certainly be taken too far, it is nevertheless a good practice to consider the impact our actions will have. On a personal level this will change your life and relationships for the better quickly. On a national level, it can change the world. Politicians might decide to compromise rather than leaving innocent federal workers without a paycheck for months. They might consider actual capabilities and expectations before sending brave, intellegent, highly competent soldiers and patriots into harm's way. They might come to realize that the only way to truly address the exploitation, violence and criminality of illegal immigration is to stay in a chamber room negotiating, compromising and considering until rational, well thought out policy can be revealed and passed. They might come to grasp that although fixing our crumbling infrastructure will take years of work which will not yield them many re-election votes, it is nevertheless crucial for the thousands of people and businesses using our bridges, ports, roadways, power grids and sewers.

And so, my prayer is that we, as a nation, and a world, might wake up to the power of tenderness. Instead of belittling strangers on social media, we might encourage and uplift. Rather than believing the worst about a public figure, we might reserve judgement and pray for them instead. Instead of pointing a critical finger at all that is wrong, we might seek to see what is right, and broadcast and nurture that. Or perhaps seek to fix it ourselves. Mother Teresa, Ghandi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and even Martin Luther all saw injustices that were not being addressed and did not think it beyond them to step up and work for change. They started small, individually, and the rightness of their cause grew into a movement.

All of us have the power to brighten the corner we're in. A kind word or gesture at work. Pitching in at home. Biting our critical tongue. Refusing to repay meaness with meaness. Letting go of the need for the last word or revenge. Gently encouraging those we might have turned our backs on in the past. Nothing else could be more important. Nothing less will change the world for the better.

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. ~John 13:35

 

Pearls of Wisdom

  If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

James 1:5 New International Version (NIV)

In my close circle of friends, the youngest of our children recently turned 18, making us all parents of adult children now. It's quite an adjustment. You know you have to let them go and make their own decisions, but it's hard to sit by and watch. And we find ourselves discussing our children, our hopes and fears for them, and their choices A LOT. Some kids need counseling on slowing down, others need to be pushed forward, all of them need our support and love.

What kids need most of all is wisdom. College and the internet can provide knowledge and data and facts, but it is wisdom that scrutinizes those data and facts and puts the knowledge into action in a way that will be useful. And our world has a very different idea of what is wise compared to Biblical principles. Our society tends to define your worth as person by financial success. What school you attended, what profession you pursue, the type of car you drive or handbag you carry often seem to matter more than personal integrity and character. Hedonistic pursuits of new cuisines, craft beer, wine tastings and the latest fashion and hairstyles often fill up popular social media sites like Snapchat, Instagram and Facebook. Meanwhile, it is a challenge to find photos or stories of people donating their time, possessions or money to charitable organizations or church functions. People know their rights and demand them, with very little acknowledgement that those individual freedoms have always been tempered by the overall rights of the community. We were designed to be in fellowship and community with others, but as a whole we seem much more focused on ourselves and individuals than on 'society', 'the state' or our neighborhoods.

So as I learn to let go of my children and let God work in their lives and their decisions, I pray constantly for them to be granted God's wisdom. Wisdom to make right choices, wisdom to be Godly people and not worldly people, wisdom to not be satisfied with what is 'good enough' but to strive for whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—anything excellent or praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). Most of all I pray for them to have the wisdom to choose God -- to ask themselves in any situation or conversation, 'what would Jesus do?' In our highly individualized society, it's good to remind ourselves and our kids that our daily prayer should be to be less like us and more like Jesus. Because, truly, only the sacrificial, intimate love of Jesus can bring love, peace and inner contentment to our current world.

He Lives!

 

 He was despised and rejected—
    a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief.
We turned our backs on him and looked the other way.
    He was despised, and we did not care.

 Yet it was our weaknesses he carried;
    it was our sorrows that weighed him down.
And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God,
    a punishment for his own sins!

~Isaiah 53:3-4 New Living Translation 

There are many mysteries in the Bible, many things that puzzle and confuse which we are left to accept by faith. However, for me, the most troubling mystery is the depth of sin the human soul is capable of. When I watch reports of ISIS's actions, school shootings, mail bombs or fire doors locked to leave hundreds to die, I have a difficult time accepting that people could make willful decisions to do such unspeakable acts. 

And then there's Jesus. Clearly he was a man without malice. He could have rebelled against Roman rule, rejected the legitimacy of Herod as king, or the authority of the Sanhedrin and High Priest, but he didn't. Instead he made sure to obey and encourage the obedience of his followers. He had plenty to say about how the priests administered God's law, but he never violated the scriptures. He could have scoffed and turned his nose up at depraved sinners such as adulteresses, tax collectors, centurions and thieves, but he didn't. Instead he offered them repentance and forgiveness. He could have avoided the lame, the sick, the blind and others who were 'unclean', but instead he offered healing and salvation. He could have separated himself from the gentile Romans, or the despised Samaritans, but he didn't. Rather, he offered them the same healing and grace and forgiveness that had previously only been offered to the Jews. His ministry and miracles were not for his own benefit, in fact it is clear that he wore himself out in his teaching tours and healing missions. He truly was a good man, in every sense of the word.

So how is it that his very own disciple accepted payment to betray him? That his own religious leaders conspired, not just to condemn or punish him as the law commanded, but to put him to death which was not their law? How is it that his King was willing to accept the execution of a religious Jew at Passover? How is it that the Romans, knowing he was not guilty of a crime worthy of death, were willing to crucify him at a time when the city was filled with Jews on their religious pilgrimage? How could those Roman guards find so much enjoyment in torture, and mock a man who was clearly suffering in great pain?  I can't answer that. I look in my heart and I can't find enough hatred, anger, greed, or fear to be moved to condemn an innocent man. It is a heavy thing to carry blood on your hands. I suppose in some global way we all bear responsibility for systems that have been unjust or oppressive and led to the suffering of those we don't even know.  But in Jesus' case, even when given the opportunity to show mercy and release him, they cried 'Crucify him!' all the louder. 

The mystery of man's inhumanity to man makes the case to me that we are all in need of a savior. We have all fallen short of the perfect love that God intended us to show. We have all been selfish and self-righteous and substituted our will and desires for those of God. And for that reason, Jesus had to die. Not because of the will of some hard-hearted leaders, but because of the will of God -- God's desire to grant us forgiveness and bring us into relationship with Himself for eternity. Jesus' resurrection was God overturning the decision of sinful men, and replacing it with His perfect grace!

Although he was crucified in weakness, he now lives by the power of God. We, too, are weak, just as Christ was, but when we deal with you we will be alive with him and will have God’s power.

~2 Corinthians 13:4 New Living Translation

 

For the Beauty of the Earth

So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

~Genesis 1:27-31

The Pope came last week and when he said that we must care for the Earth and protect it for future generations, quite a few feathers got ruffled. But this was literally God's first command to us. He gave us everything and only asked us to care for it all.

Thinking about all He has given us led me to remember my favorite Hymn, "For the Beauty of the Earth" by Folliot Pierpoint, 1864. From the glory of creation to the joy of family and friends, to the wonder of our senses and faculties, to the mystery of salvation and reconciliation with God, this hymn really says it all. And I am especially fond of the last line of each verse, "Lord of all, to thee we raise this our hymn of grateful praise." After a little research I found that this hymn was originally a poem, and my favorite last line was originally "Lord of all, to thee we raise this our sacrifice of praise." I like it either way. I am profoundly grateful for everything mentioned in the hymn, the earth, the universe, family, the church and especially Christ Jesus, and it doesn't seem like much of a sacrifice to praise God for all of these blessings. I heard this verse once, though, and it put a new twist on it for me:

But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. -Psalm 22:3, King James Version (KJV)

God inhabits, or is enthroned in the praises of His people. Our praise is valuable to Him, and He considers it to be a valuable sacrifice. And it is easy to find things to praise Him for, starting with the beauty of the earth, especially in Autumn when the leaves begin to turn.  

I'll leave you with the words of the hymn to meditate on and hopefully you will start to feel that gratitude and hope welling up from within you and pouring over into praise of our great and glorious God!

For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of ear and eye,
for the heart and mind's delight,
for the mystic harmony,
linking sense to sound and sight;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For thy church, that evermore
lifteth holy hands above,
offering up on every shore
her pure sacrifice of love;
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

For thyself, best Gift Divine,
to the world so freely given,
for that great, great love of thine,
peace on earth, and joy in heaven:
Lord of all, to thee we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.

 

 

 

We'll Get By With a Little Help From Our Friends

 

Acts 2:42

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

 

If you're like me, you're finding the nightly news very depressing. I wake up singing 'this is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it' and end the day wondering what fresh Hell tomorrow will bring.

 

Really, it should come as no surprise to any Christian that we live in a tragically fallen world filled with evil. And as the day of His coming nears, we know things are destined to only get worse. Still, as I strive daily to see people as God sees them, and so see events as God must view them, I can't help but be brokenhearted.

 

I see so many lost, hurting people in desperate need of love and compassion and care and I know that I cannot save them all- we can't save them all- GOD can't. Despite the best efforts of caring Christians, there are those that cannot or will not see the Light. There are some that will reject our love or our caring. Of course, we keep striving anyway.

 

But it is worth remembering two things as the signs of the times intensify and the path narrows and evil seems to be prevailing: 1. God wins in the end and 2. We need fellowship with other believers.

 

God wins in the end, and it will be glorious! Justice will prevail and Goodness will reign! We will be surrounded by the light of love, and there will be no more sin, no more pain, no more sorrow, no more death! Wow! But, until that time, we need to be about the Father's business and it will get harder. Our encouragement, motivation and support comes from fellow believers, all devoting ourselves to study, prayer and fellowship. God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone, and He knows it is not good to try to be a Christian 'island'. Find fellow believers who follow scriptural teachings and who will support you as we go into all nations making disciples. The time is short, the harvest is ready, but the workers are few. We need to stick together in that City on a Hill working to transform the world one changed heart at a time.

 

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. ~Matthew 5:14

No Greater Love

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ~John 15:13 

Sacrifice -- willingly giving up something precious to you to another, especially to God.

Sacrifice is hard. Americans are not big fans of it as a whole. My guess is that it is because we value Freedom so highly. We want to be able to do, to believe, to say whatever we want without restriction. Yet sacrifice, by its very nature, means restricting your freedom. When you sacrifice something, you give up your right to it to another.

We sacrifice our time, our money, our talents for people or causes that we care about. Rarely do we consider making these sacrifices for strangers, although in some cases we will. A bigger sacrifice of our health, security or livelihood is even more rare. But to sacrifice our lives -- that is the supreme sacrifice.

Jesus sacrificed His life in this world to give all of us a life in the next world. It was hard and painful, and although Jesus wished there was another way, he obeyed the Father and accomplished His mission.

Our military has been making a similar sacrifice daily for centuries now. They put themselves into the middle of a deadly situation to accomplish the mission of freedom and security for their nation and people all over the world. They are on the front lines of the battle between Good and Evil, and they continue to advance the causes of Freedom, Justice and Security year after year at great cost.

What a sacrifice it is to give up a potentially more lucrative career to serve their country. What a sacrifice it is to give up time with their families, precious time watching their children grow and learn. What a sacrifice to leave the comfort and familiarity of their homeland to travel to nations with different languages and cultures and foods. What a sacrifice it is to strap on a weapon and put the responsibility for another human's life on their shoulders every day. What a sacrifice it is to give up their will, their decisions, their desires and to obey commands day in and day out.  What a sacrifice it is to know that their health, their wholeness, their very life might be demanded of them.

Although I have lived with and known many brave military men and women, I cannot truly comprehend their willingness to make those sacrifices on my behalf. It humbles me beyond measure that generation after generation stares sacrifice in the face and marches bravely into the fray.

It's a small token - so small - but please know that you have my utmost respect and unending gratitude for the sacrifice of your service to this great nation. Thank you!

We Won!

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ~Romans 8:37 New International Version 

Baseball, basketball, Football -- in most sports it's pretty easy to determine the winner and pretty quickly, too. But how about in your faith?

When we watch the news, there seems to be very little victory to be found. Ebola continues to spread it's deadly pall over West Africa, ISIS continues it's march of terror through Syria and Iraq, Russia and Ukraine continue their struggle for control, countries all around North Africa and the Middle East are embroiled in ideological uprisings. Even in the West, political discussion has devolved into a war of words with no real winners, but plenty of losers waiting for politicians to act.

The War on Drugs, the Fight against AIDs, attacks on the Constitution, combatting Terrorism, the War on Poverty, the Fight against Racism, combating Global Warming...so many battles waged -- but not much victory.

Should we throw our hands up in defeat? Should we concede that history demonstrates that things have always been bad and always will be, so why bother? No way!

Romans 8 is one of the greatest Christian pep-talks of all time. If you are feeling discouraged, just read it again. It contains some of the most memorized verses of the New Testament and with good reason -- it promises us Victory! Tuck these verses into your heart for the challenging times:

28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In Christ we have personal victory: victory over sin, victory over hardship and persecution, victory over death. But in Christ we also have Total Victory: Christ has overcome the world, overcome death and will bring Heaven to earth to reign forever in righteousness! And thanks to our adoption into the family of God, we will be there to reign with Him -- how awesome is THAT?! The world will be healed and whole and every tear will be wiped away (Isaiah 25:8, Revelation 7:17,Revelation 21:4).

So who has won the battle of Good v. evil? Christ Jesus! And through Him, us! Don't hang your head in discouragement and defeat! As the beloved hymn says: "  

           This is my Father's world.  
	O let me ne'er forget 
	that though the wrong seems oft so strong, 
	God is the ruler yet.  
	This is my Father's world:  
	why should my heart be sad?  
	The Lord is King; let the heavens ring!  
	God reigns; let the earth be glad!
        ~Malt­bie D. Bab­cock, 1901

 

 

The Few, The Proud...

"I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land..."

Hey blogging sistahs, I just now realized that August is almost gone, and I've barely checked in!  Squeezing in a last bit of summer fun and getting the kids off to school kept me busier than I thought!

I had a very proud moment yesterday -- one of my proudest, in fact.  I have my own American Hero living with me.  I suppose husband hero worship is not entirely healthy, but it's hard when he's a God-fearing police officer, former soldier, part-time cowboy who spends time at home with me instead of at a sports bar with the 'boys'.  And just in case you think I'm overstating the case, here's my proud moment:  he was honored with an award from the Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security, in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  That's a mouthful!  Anyhoo, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff was there, as well as ICE agents and law enforcement from around the country.  My hubby got a very nice framed award and a picture with the Asst. Sec. herself.  He said it was all just a 'dog and pony show', and it was -- but he and the rest of his inter-agency team stopped a terrorist insurgency group from acquiring military weapons and machinery to kill school children (seriously) in their own country, and sell to other unfriendly countries.  Now, really, they ARE heroes -- am I right?!

And you'll be proud and happy to know that all over our fine country, there are fine enforcement agents catching international child sex slave rings, stopping illegal document rings, interdicting fraudulent and unsafe knock-off products, stopping international murder-for-hire rings, and keeping foreign governments from gaining access to our top secret technology.  There is plenty of evil in the world, but for all our issues, America is still blessed with dedicated, diligent men and women who are willing to forgo bigger paychecks and risk their lives in order to lend their talents to protecting the public.

Seeing my hubby and his Major walking down the streets of our nation's capitol in their dress blue uniforms with gleaming brass buttons and gold braid made me just swell with pride and with hope for the future.  Don't let the media fool you -- there are plenty of good people in this country, doing good, and teaching their children to be good, responsible citizens and to love God.  I'm proud to be striving toward that goal, as I know you all are too.

Thank you Lord for all the rich blessings you have bestowed on this country and its citizens -- for the amber waves of grain, for our rich natural resources, for our democratic republic, for our brotherly love.  Thank you for our affluence and influence, and guide us to use both wisely.  Watch over our soldiers and public safety officers as they endeavor to protect our freedom.  And as we watch the news and feel troubled about our country and our world, remind us, Lord, that You are in control.  Fill us with Your peace that all is according to Your plan. And please Lord, keep blessing America.  Amen.

 

The Nature of Freedom

I'm really trying to stay away from politics and focus more on love, but I got this as an email today, and it pretty much summed up the way I feel about things.  It also exemplifies why I couldn't continue practicing law in good concious (though I truly respect Christian lawyers and judges who do).

The following is a poem written by Judge Roy Moore from Alabama. Judge Moore was sued by the ACLU for displaying the Ten Commandments in his courtroom foyer. He has been stripped of his judgeship and now they are trying to strip his right to practice law in Alabama! The judge's poem sums it up quite well.

America the beautiful,
or so you used to be.
Land of the Pilgrims' pride;
I'm glad they'll never see.

Babies piled in dumpsters,
Abortion on demand,
Oh, sweet land of liberty;
your house is on the sand.

Our children wander aimlessly
poisoned by cocaine
choosing to indulge their lusts,
when God has said abstain

From sea to shining sea,
our Nation turns away
From the teaching of God's love
and a need to always pray

We've kept God in our
temples,how callous we have grown.
When earth is but His footstool,
and Heaven is His throne.

We've voted in a government
that's rotting at the core,
Appointing Godless Judges
who throw reason out the door,
 
Too soft to place a killer
in a well deserved tomb,
But brave enough to kill a baby
before he leaves the womb.

You think that God's not angry,
that our land's a moral slum?
How much longer will He wait
before His judgment comes?

How are we to face our God,
from Whom we cannot hide?
What then is left for us to do,
but stem this evil tide?

If we who are His children,
will humbly turn and pray;
Seek His holy face
and mend our evil way:

Then God will hear from Heaven;
and forgive us of our sins,
He'll heal our sickly land
and those who live within.

But, America the Beautiful,
If you don't - then you will see,
A sad but Holy God
withdraw His hand from Thee.

~~Judge Roy Moore~~

Land of the Free, Home of the Brave

I'm taking a risk with this post.  I was told at a young age never to talk about religion or politics, but danged if they aren't just my two most favorite topics.  They don't mix, I suppose, but then again, they must mix if we are to have any kind of justice here on earth.  Of course, we are only human, so our government and attempts at justice will be flawed and imperfect.  'Judge not...' and yet we must have judges as long as we have sin and crime.  So, seeing as how God created government (Romans 13:1), and how America was founded on the belief that we have certain, inalienable rights endowed upon us by our Creator, and how we're being inundated with 'election news' daily, and how Independence Day is right around the corner, I thought I'd urge you to consider your freedom.  I'm not endorsing any particular ideology or action, other than to suggest that true change may take more than the current system is offering.  Pardon my fervor, I was in the moment:

 

I received an email today about Veterans, suggesting that it is they who have kept America free.  Now, I revere and respect the contributions of veterans very much.  However, I would like you to consider that it is NOT the veteran that has made us free, but individuals committed to the ideals of freedom.  In the case of the Veteran, so much so that they were willing to risk, and even give up, their lives.  But do not for a moment hesitate to understand that it is EVERY American’s duty to protect our rights and to ensure that our freedoms are still intact.  Consider that very carefully as you watch presidential debates, listen to Congressmen discuss what to do about the economy and the war, as you step out to cast your vote.  ‘We, the people’ have the power, and we merely loan it to our representatives.  When they begin to take our freedoms away, or disregard the Constitution that creates the very government they are a part of, we must act decisively, and not merely give up or give in to a ‘2 party system’ or the power of the rich ‘fat cats’ all over the world who inject our politicians and parties with money and power.  We have a duty to keep America free – you and me...and the Veterans.

'I will walk in freedom, for I have devoted myself to your commandments. I will speak to kings about your laws, and I will not be ashamed.'  ~Psalm 119:45-46