Beginning of the Beginning

 

The beginning of the beginning!  Seems a bit odd to think that something that is starting will end with something starting again.  Yet, this journey of Holy Week is exactly that.  We have spent the season of Lent walking through reflection of Colossians 3:12. We self-reflected on the words of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience – where we have fallen short and how we can look to our Jesus for the perfect example of those words.  Now it is time to move from that journey to the one that saves our lives.

There are many seasons within the Christian faith that I truly cherish.  The one that holds closest to my heart is Holy Week.  I have always seen it as a week of emotional turmoil.  The joy of today, Palm Sunday, where our Lord receives the praises he so richly deserves.  The somberness of the upper room on Maundy Thursday and the Last Supper.  The devastation as our Lord was whipped, beaten, and died for my transgressions.  And the elation of Easter with the rising of our Savior!

The beginning of this journey, and all of the emotions, does not take us to an end.  It does not take us to the final destination.  In fact, this wonderful Holy Week journey takes us to a beginning – the beginning of our eternal life.  Most journeys find us starting out on a trek and getting to our destination.  If that were the case, our destination should find each of us on the cross, not Jesus.  Our sins should lead us to a life that does not deserve to live.  Our Jesus would not stand for that!

His love is so great, so large, that He did not want our journey to end that way.  He took our place on that cross and rose from the depths of hell so that we can live again, begin a new life with Him in paradise.  Friends, that is good news to sing praises for!  The beginning of Jesus’ journey leads us to the beginning of our eternal journey.  As we walk through Holy Week, may we experience all the emotion, and remember the emotions our Jesus has for us.  Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the beginning of our beginning!

Dearest Jesus, as we remember the journey you experienced during Holy Week, may we never forget the love you showed to us then and show to us today.  Hosanna in the Highest!

Upward Patience

Today will mark the completion of our Lenten journey of Colossians 3:12. We end with patience. This is one that perhaps I struggle with the most.  Defined, patience is the capacity to accept or tolerate a delay, trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset.

When things do not go to the plan, I can find myself getting irritated.  My mind starts spiraling on what will need to change.  My heart may race a little faster.  The same thing happens when I am not patient with another person.  A person may not be speaking fast enough, and I start finishing their sentences.  One may be sharing their thoughts, and I know what the answer is, but they are not getting there fast enough.   I may not often express my lack of patience verbally, but I am pretty certain it is visualized through my body language. 

The result of the situations where I do not have patience?  Everything ends up fine!  My lack of patience gains nothing in the end.  I have learned much by reflecting on these situations throughout my life and it is an area where strides have been made but work still needs to be done.

I have found there is truly only ONE thing that helps me in these situations, asking for Jesus’ help.  Before going into a meeting, an event, or a discussion, I will lean on my Lord for help.  I find myself reaching out along the way, whether it is walking down the hallway or in the midst of preparing for the event.  I lift my thoughts to Jesus and ask Him to be with me, provide me patience, give me open ears and an open mind to be present, knowing that in the end He will be there to walk me through any trials that may result.

This has not been an easy journey for me.  Yet, when I lift my thoughts to Jesus, my heart is steadier, and my mind is more restful.  When I do that, it all becomes easier to manage.  When I have simple faith that Jesus is with me, I am a better person in those moments. 

These last few weeks have had us reflecting on the traits that Jesus wants us to have to be the best version of ourselves, the best version of what Jesus wants in our lives.  I pray that it has been fulfilling for you and that as we walk into Holy Week next week, we do so with reflection, repentance, and hope.

Dearest Jesus, help us to focus our attention to you in situations where we need patience.  May we gain acceptance of the situations without getting upset and know that YOU are in control.  Amen!

 

Loving Gentleness

 

Moving along in our Lenten journey with Colossians 3:12 and a sense of reflection, we turn to the latest word on this path – gentleness.  If we all only responded with a sense of gentleness, how different our lives would be!  As we are beginning to see, many of the values shared in Colossians 3:12 work closely together.  Gentleness continues on that path.  Gentleness can be defined as being tender, mild-mannered, or courteous.  I like the word tender – not tough.  It can even be seen as a bit vulnerable.  When I view the Biblical definition, it may even contain the word meekness.  Once again, I view the world around me, reflecting on my own actions, and there are situations where I certainly would not use the word tender or meekness to describe these moments.

What does one gain by being gentle?  I mean, if we really want something done, how does gentleness get to the end result?  If we want to get our point across, ensuring we are correct, should we be displaying tenderness and vulnerability?  What happened to ‘tough love’?  As Christians, part of our mission is to save the unbelievers.  Shouldn’t we affirm strongly what we know and how they should repent?

Oh, my friends, the answer to sharing a sense of gentleness is seen throughout the Bible.  The answer, according to Paul in his letter to the Colossians, is YES, we should be displaying gentleness.  When I think of how Jesus shared a sense of gentleness while He was here on earth, it confirms the importance of bringing gentleness into our lives.  Jesus did not whip non-believers into believers.  Jesus did not push and shove the masses to belief. 

Jesus used His strong hand with a gentle touch.  Stories in the Bible share this in numerous ways.  One of the best is the view that Jesus is our Shephard – gathering His lambs.  He does not strike out in anger with the one sheep leaving the flock but gently guides the sheep back to the flock.  I am sure there are countless times have we left Jesus’ flock!  How many times have we doubted His will or walked against His path?  Jesus is waiting for us when we stray, gently guiding us back.  His gentleness is displaying in full view as He enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday.  He does not enter with a sense of majesty.  He enters on a lowly donkey, sharing a sense of gentleness and humbleness.

It is time for us to show gentleness.  It is time to have a soft touch and a sense of gathering up versus breaking down.  We will always fall short of our ability to show any of these values day in and day out.  Our goal is to move towards our role model, Jesus, in all we do.  His love and gentleness for us is seen each day in our lives.  We deserve His wrath, not His gentleness, for our sinful nature.  Jesus does not work that way!  His compassion, kindness, humility, and gentleness are seen in the way He touches our lives.  May we do the same in those lives we touch.  Let us have simple faith that His will should be done.

Dearest Jesus, you model the word gentleness for us so beautifully.  May we reflect on the ways we can display a greater sense of gentleness to those around us.  Help us to act, and react, in a tender and loving way.  Amen!

Living Humility

 

We continue to progress through Colossians 3:12 as our Lenten journey moves forward.  We come across the value that speaks to me the most, that of humility.  Humility – having a modest view of one’s value or importance.  Many times, it seems as if humility gets confused with a sense of confidence.  Modern society has us focusing on the merit of being confident – at work, at home, in life.  Confidence and humility can actually live together quite well and support each other.  Confidence does not have to be portrayed without a sense of humility.

It is when confidence is outwardly represented at a level where one becomes arrogant that humility seems to have fallen to the wayside.  This can be seen in business, in politics, in medicine and yes, even in the church.  When arrogance overtakes confidence, humility is not seen whatsoever.  So where can we turn to be able to have a view of how confidence and humility can live together?

JESUS!  Our Lord and Savior lived his life in a realm of humility.  I cannot think of any person, dead or alive, who represents the ability to be confident and display humility greater than our Jesus.  Jesus was never confused, never doubted, and never lacked a full confidence in who He was – God’s Son!  Yet, his demeanor brought the sense that he was never too important to show humility. 

For me, Jesus’ humility shined through greatest when He washed the disciples’ feet during the Last Supper.  Jesus knew what was ahead of Him, the torture, the anguish, His death.  Instead of spending the evening with His friends from a stance of displayed confidence, He shined His love through the humility of washing their feet.  We need to remember during Jesus’ times people wore open sandals on their feet, permitting the dust and dirt of the unpaved roads to be caked on their feet.  Yet, our humble Jesus took the action of humility to display, in His last moments with these men before His death, to show them this act of humility.

In our goal to be confident on this earth, are we shirking our responsibility to exemplify humility?  As we reflect on this, are you finding there are times when we take glory for ourselves, forgetting that we are truly nothing without our Lord and Savior?  Living a life with Jesus is knowing that all we have comes from a loving and generous God.  It is not only knowing that, but sharing that, with those around us.  It is also being aware that no matter how good we may be at something, there is always room to do better, know more and be more like Jesus.  My friends, this should always be a path we strive to improve.  Humility is a true gift – one given so generously by Jesus.  May we focus our life, living in humble obedience to our Jesus.  Let us have simple faith that Jesus will continue to teach us each and every day.

Dearest Jesus, please continue to work in our lives.  May we strive to be humble and show the humility that we have in our hearts.  We know that we have nothing without You.  Help us to let others around us know that!  Amen.

Showing Kindness

 

Continuing our Lenten series and focusing on Colossians 3:12, we move into kindness.  This should be easy enough – who isn’t kind?  Let us spend time with that question, who isn’t kind?  Remember, Lent is a time for us to truly self-reflect, and if I spend time on that question, there are a number of times when I may not have been kind. 

·         In moments of frustration, my response may lack kindness.

·         When my plan is not supported by others, my response may lack kindness.

·         If reactions coming from others are not kind, my response may certainly lack kindness.

There are plenty of instances where my reaction has not been blanketed in kindness.  Defining kindness, one can say it is the quality of being friendly or generous.  Do you find that you have had moments such as this – even with your friends never mind those that may be considered acquaintances or strangers?  Forget kindness, I may have responded rudely.  As I reflect, I see this happening with those that I am closest to, that I feel safe to respond ‘any way I want’ without focusing on the fact that my closest family members and friends are those I should be kindest towards.

There have been times, as much as I hate to admit this in such a public forum, when my children may have wanted my attention when they were little, and I did not respond in kindness.  In fact, I may have responded with a sense of annoyance.  Their timing was off, and I was busy with other things, only to feel horrible a few seconds later when I responded with a lack of kindness.

Once again, we focus on the life of Jesus as our example of kindness.  To me, nothing expresses Jesus’ love through kindness more than when He invited the children to come to Him.  As the disciples rebuked those who were bringing their children to Jesus, Jesus’ response was one of kindness.  “Let the children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”  Mark 10:14. Jesus’ kindness through love has a variety of scenarios that talk to us, as humans, on how we should react in kindness.

Imagine a world where we did not experience Jesus’ kindness.  More importantly, imagine a world where we were not the source of Jesus’ kindness.  My friends, it is not easy to express kindness in all situations.  Yet, especially in today’s world, kindness is needed each and every day.  We have joy for we have experienced Jesus’ love and kindness through his journey to the cross.  May we be the kindness that needs to be seen in the world around us.  Let us take the first step of kindness to a stranger – offering a cup of coffee, a smile, a moment of our time, a warm meal, a soft touch.  The world speaks of random acts of kindness.  What time better than now, than today, to act upon Jesus’ love in kindness!  Do you know how?  Have simple faith that Jesus will show you – just ask!

Dearest Jesus, your examples of kindness inspire us to be better people here on earth.  Guide us and teach us through your Holy Spirit to be kind in our actions, our responses, and our lives.  In your kind and loving name, we pray.  Amen!

 

True Compassion

 

It is Lent, a time when we self-reflect on our lives, the ways that we have fallen short, and understand why Jesus’ Walk to the cross means so much to our sinful selves.  This Lenten season, we will be focusing on the values listed in Colossians 3:12. Every time I read this verse, I cannot help but look at my daily life and question myself if I am ‘clothing myself’ the way Paul has asked us to.  When I do this, the reflection shows definite room for improvement.  In the next few weeks, we will reflect together, see where we fall short, ask for forgiveness, and take steps to walk closer to Jesus.

The first value shared in this special verse is compassion.   Defined, compassion is when one can appreciate or feel someone else’s pain or suffering and takes action to help alleviate it.  There are two parts of this word that my focus turns to.  The first is feeling someone else’s suffering.  In compassion, I believe that part of the definition means to do so without judgement.  That can be difficult to do.  Often, we may feel someone else’s pain, but it can come with a sense of “they got themselves into this mess because ____________,” judging.  Self-reflecting, I cannot say that my compassion has not had some sense of judgement at times.  Maybe not outwardly, but in my heart.  True compassion does not come with judgement.  True compassion comes with understanding. 

Our dear Jesus lived out compassion at the highest level and is a wonderful role model for us to follow.  Did he ever criticize the woman at the well?  He pointed out the facts and moved on, not dwelling on her sins, but giving her living water.  Did he condemn Mary Magdalene for the demons she had once possessed?  No, He welcomed her into His ministry.  There was no judgement, only true compassion.  What does that mean for us, my friends?  Our compassion should follow suit. 

The second part of the definition takes action.  It is not having this level of understanding or feeling someone else’s suffering (that is empathy).  The second part states, “takes action to help alleviate the suffering.”  It means doing something.  It means stepping out in faith.  How often do we not take action because we do not know what to do or say, leaving it to the next person the afflicted person meets to take action?  Self-reflecting?  Too often to count. 

Once again, Jesus teaches us so much in so many ways.  Back to the woman at the well.  He did not just have empathy for her, He gave her the greatest gift – Himself!  He gave her the sustenance she needed to live!  Mary Magdalene was invited into the apostolic circle.  Jesus had choices just as we have choices in these types of situations.  He chose action!  So often, I may acknowledge, but forget, or worse, choose not to take action.

Action is not difficult.  It is having a conversation, writing a note, offering a helping hand.  It is taking of our time, talent or treasures and putting them into action!  The world is full of people who need help, who need us to be compassionate.  Now is the time, my friends!  Now is the time to feel others’ hurt, others’ pain, and then take action to help.  Let us walk in Jesus’ steps and have true compassion!  Let us walk in simple faith!

Dearest Jesus, thank you for modeling the value of compassion.  As I reflect, I know I am not always modeling this behavior.  Please guide me to understand without judgement and to take action! Amen.

Action to Rest

 

Rest!  In today’s society?  That may seem like an oxymoron.  The world seems to be moving faster and faster.  If we don’t ‘keep up’ we may fall behind.  Therefore, we try to keep moving like the Energizer bunny or Dory in “Finding Nemo” who shared that famous quote, “Just keep swimming, just keep swimming.”  Between family responsibilities, children’s responsibilities, work responsibilities and church responsibilities, we can seem as if we are on a treadmill and not be able to get off!  Then the body just gives out – either we just can’t move and have to rest or we get sick and we are forced to rest.  Enter the guilt!  Yes, the guilt if you just need to rest.  Thoughts can rush in as to what we should have been doing while resting or realizing the list you may have made for yourself is not getting accomplished.  In enters the guilt.

 My friend, our God gives us the most wonderful example for rest when He rested on the seventh day of creation.  God spent six days creating this world that we live in.  His creation is what we call our earthly home.  Not just the earth, but all in it.  Yes, every living creature, the sky, the earth, the sea – all of it.  Talk about a level of responsibility!  Then He rested on the Sabboth, the seventh day.  That is what Sunday is all about, the day of rest.  Yet, we tend to cram in as much as we can in a week, even on a Sunday.  When I was young (just a few years ago), stores were not open on Sundays.  You couldn’t ‘head over to the mall’ or just ‘skip into’ a store.  It was like Christmas Day today – nothing was open and you went about your day. 

 Imagine for a moment.  Imagine if you were to truly rest on Sunday, spending the day with family or friends.  Enjoying each other’s company and the wonder of the world around us.  Having an extra cup of coffee or spending time playing a game with the children instead of getting them to soccer practice or dance class.  I have good news everyone.  Rest is not out of our reach.  We need to build it in!

It may mean we don’t overcommit.  It may mean we actually schedule rest into our Sunday, almost as if it is something on our list to do.  It may mean giving yourself permission to put your feet up and close your eyes.  It may mean reflecting back to our Lord and settling into His arms of rest, His arms of comfort and His arms of peace.  He wants this for us, but we need to action it!  God knows, more than anyone, the importance of stopping and resting. He is giving you permission to rest.  Please don’t underestimate this incredible gift. 

 As we enter the Lenten season, with Ash Wednesday upon us, let us build rest into our Sundays.  May we take time to reflect on our Lord and all that He so graciously has given us, including His Son.  It’s time – to take action to rest!

 Dearest Father, we thank you for showing us the importance of rest.  May we mirror your example and build rest into our Sunday.  Help us to focus on you and your gifts.  Help us to enjoy these gifts in a way that will rejuvenate us to walk each day forward in You.  Amen!

Kind Love

 

The last Sunday in February and we are rounding out our monthly series on Love!  1 Corinthians 13 has been aptly named, “The Love Chapter”.  In this chapter, Paul is speaking to the church of Corinth.  Corinth had become morally corrupt, and the word ‘love’ was having less and less meaning.  In walks our friend Paul to help set the record straight.  Paul has a way of just putting it out there!!  During this chapter, Paul outlines what love is, and what it is not.

There are days when I do not give much thought to life outside of my own circle.  When I reflect on that, it is because I have more control over my own circle.  I can react the way I want, I can engage or disengage if I choose.  It is simpler.  Days when I step back and look at the world around me, in a way, we are living in Corinth.  There is good out there, but it seems to be overshadowed by so much hurt, so much destruction and a lack of patience and kindness. 

In walks our verse for today.  Paul shares what love is.  It is patient.  The Oxford definition shares patience as tolerating delay, trouble or suffering without getting angry or upset.  Patience!  Oh, my friends, may I confess, there are days when I lack patience.  Sitting in traffic, waiting for someone, something not going the way “I” want it to proceed – lack of patience arises.  Certainly, I am not showing any love during those situations.  When I think back on those times, I am in ‘my’ circle.  I have control over how I react.  I step back and many times, I lift a prayer to Jesus, asking Him for the patience I am lacking.

Kindness?  We all agree that we are kind.  Defined, kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.  I regard myself as a kind person.  In fact, I was voted friendliest in high school!  But there is more to kindness than being friendly.  Am I always generous?  Am I always considerate?  When I bring those words into the mix, the evaluation can be a bit more critical – and rightfully so.  Generosity is so much more than material items, it means your time, your emotion, and your forgiveness. 

My friends, we may find the world around us not exuding much patience or kindness.  That can be true.  Yet, it does not mean we need to succumb to that world.  We are God’s children.  We live in His world.  Bring the greatest of what Jesus has given us, love, with us each and every day.  Wake up with a patient heart.  Live the day with kindness.  Show the world you are a child of God and that the love we know we have in Jesus lives with us throughout the day.  We will stumble; we are human!  Yet, if we do our best to move forward with the love that God knows we can, we could actually change the world, even if it is in our own circle.  If we put enough circles together, we can get to infinity.  Let us bring an infinite amount of love to the world! And as Paul says, “Love never fails.”  Let us show we are Christians by our love!!

Dearest Jesus, we live by the knowledge that you loved us so much, that you died on the cross for us – all of us!  May we take that knowledge and live out the love you so abundantly give to us.  May each of our love circles bring the world an infinite amount of love.  In your love-filled name I pray, Amen.

Love Deeply

 

Love is hard.  It is not for the faint hearted.  Whether it is spousal love, sibling love, parent love, children love, friendship love - it can all be hard.  With a spouse, you start your marriage on your wedding day, thinking every day will be that wonderful.  When they bring the new baby home, you may believe you will be close forever.  The support of a parent may feel like you can do anything you want.  The birth of a child has us believing they will love us for a lifetime.  A close friendship can feel as if love is never-ending.  There are times of true joy and exuberance. 

In love, there are other times of disappointment and pain.  Our spouse does not share love the way we expect.  Our siblings turn cold shoulders.  Our parents discipline us.  Our child turns their back.  Our friend walks away.  We enter a love relationship with the expectation of it always being the ‘high’ of our life, never the ‘low.’  The key word in the last sentence is EXPECTATION.  I know I have entered many relationships with the picture-perfect expectation of what “I” think love looks like.  When that picture does not materialize, disappointment sets in.  The result?  Hurt feelings and a sinful nature of thoughts and actions.

Our verse for today shares so much of not when or who we should love, but how we should love.  Any relationship worth cherishing is worth the work, hard work.  What does that look like?  It is time to exit the picture of unicorns and butterflies and focus on the reality of living in a fallen world.  Each of us is a sinner.  Yes, my friends, it is not always the ‘other’ person who is a sinner, we are as well.  Our behaviors, our thoughts, our actions will also yield a sinful life.

This love verse reminds us of that.  As Peter reminded Christians long ago, we need to work had at love each other.  We need to dig deep and remind ourselves why we have this relationship with the other person, and then we need to do what Jesus does for us each minute of each day.  Forgive.  “… love covers a multitude of sins.”  It also covers a multitude of unmet expectations.  If we are setting expectations, let us review them periodically.  If the expectations have been set together with the other person, a check-in may be worth conducting.  If expectations are set silently, then there needs to be a check-in of how realistic they are, and certainly a conversation of sharing.

Love conquers all.  It conquers the hard stuff.  It conquers our sinful nature.  It conquers unrealistic expectations.  It conquers disappointment.  I cannot imagine how hard I have made it for Jesus to love me!  My sins, the constant disappointment, the actions, and words that I am sure leave Him saying, “Why did she say/do that?”  As I reflect on my own sinful nature, I have to also turn to my Savior, who rushes in and whose love does not just cover a multitude of my sins, but ALL of my sins.  Let us take a page from Jesus’ book, once again, on how to live our lives.  May we love so deeply that sins are covered by our love.  The strength to do that can only come from our simple faith in Jesus – He will provide.

Dearest Jesus, thank you for being our guide of how to love each other here on earth.  May we deeply love all those around us, knowing that our own sinful nature is as strong as their sins.  May our love cover a multitude of sins.  Amen! 

No Barriers

 

We were driving through the Green Mountain National Forest yesterday in Vermont.  Such true beauty, even in the middle of winter.  On either side of us were incredible mountains and mountain views.  One can truly feel as if they were in a mountain tunnel, with no way to escape but to move forward or backward.  As we continued on our journey, I looked out over the mountains and brooks and the expanse of meadows.  It gave new meaning to ‘being in the middle of nowhere.’

Throughout our marriage, my husband and I have often discussed the dream of living far removed from civilization.  As much as we believe it will bring peace and relaxation into our lives, there is also a sense of distancing - being separated from people.  There are days that this separation sounds like pure joy.  Yet, as we all know, there are pros and cons to every life situation, including separation from civilization.

I have always loved this particular verse in the Bible.  Whether there are days where I value a sense of isolation or days that isolation brings me sadness, I can revel in the fact that I am truly never alone.  No matter where I am, or more importantly, what I do, my Jesus will always love me and be near me.  I have to admit, there have been times in my life when I wished I could be separated from Jesus.  Sins that I have committed or thoughts that I had led me to try and ‘be separated’ from Jesus.   Why would I want that separation?  I do not want Him to be disappointed in me.

I then think about this distance from Jesus and my heart aches.  The one person who I can always rely on, why would I want any barrier between Him and me?  Then, this verse comes to mind and is the reminder I need that Jesus will always be with me, regardless of physical distance, or sinful distance.  Living in the knowledge that my Jesus’ love will surround me, blanket me, and never leave me provides me the comfort my heart and soul need.

We can all struggle with separation, whether physical or mindful.  We can all struggle with the sense of being removed from ones we love.  Sometimes those barriers are in mileage and location. Other times, the barrier may be in estrangement.  Certainly, other times may be a result of health reasons, leaving ones we love to have barriers to knowing us and loving us the way that we knew all our lives.  This can be a difficult pill to swallow and often can result in loneliness.  My friends, if you are struggling with any barriers between you and your loved ones, do not lose hope.  You will always have love in your lives.  Jesus is ALWAYS there to shower you with His love and is there to bridge those barriers with heartfelt memories and joy of reuniting in heaven.

Love shows itself in so many different ways.  May we hold on to the simple faith that Jesus’ love will reign in our lives.  May we continue to be the beacon of love to those we connect with.  May Jesus continue to shower His love on you!

Dearest Jesus, thank you for not letting anything come between your love for me.  Help me to be reminded when the world can feel isolated that you will continue to let your love cascade over me.  May this knowledge bring a smile to my face and peace to my heart.  Amen!

Love in Unity

 

Let the Love Flow!!  As we begin the month of February, I will be focusing on love verses, and all the examples Jesus helps us to see love throughout the Bible. I have to share; this crossed my mind, especially this past week.  Day after day, I saw situations where love was absent.  There were small places and large places, but around every corner the need to be first, or right, or better, or pride, took over the need to be together.

It started with a snowstorm we had on Monday.  Driving to work that morning, I was amazed at the people who could not wait, who could not let others in on a merge, who needed to blow their horns in anger, versus having compassion for others driving in the snow.  I got to work safely and pondered about the folks who performed those acts.  If they had reacted just a tad differently, they would not have started their day off in a more giving way.

Throughout the balance of the week, I continued to see it again.  People lashing out to others instead of responding with love.  The need to prove “I am right” or “I am better than you” took center stage.  It tore at my heart to see the body language of the folks who were the recipients of this behavior.  The look of rejection or lack of self-worth was all over their faces.  I thought about my actions over the past week, and I am certain that I, as well, did not respond with love in all situations.  There were times when I could have chosen different words or different actions to provide a better outcome.  Reflect with me.  Have there been times when you could have responded with love? I can guarantee that although we may want to respond this way, time or pride can get the better of us. 

Paul reminds us of something important in this particular verse.  Love binds us together in unity.  As I look around my small world and into the larger one, we all could use a bit more love.  Instead of finding ways to bring division, let us find ways to bring unity.  It starts in our own families – opportunities for us to share love versus contentious behaviors.  It starts at work, having patience for the new coworker who is demonstrating difficulty for ‘catching on’ to new processes.  It starts at the grocery store by letting someone who only has one item to your thirty to go in front of you.  And, just maybe, it shows up on the road, by letting the person take that great parking space versus you ‘gunning’ for it.  Building people up.  Binding people together.  This is the love that Jesus wants us to share.  Think about the incredible and unconditional love our Savior shows for us each and every day.  Think about the unity He has brought into your life.

It is time to ‘let the love flow’ and show the love Jesus has for us to others.  It is time for us to build people up and bind people together in the unity of love.  May we all focus on this in the coming week and find a way to share God’s love with those around us.

Dearest Jesus, you so freely share your love with us.  May we learn from the way you love us and love others.  May they know we are Christians by our love!  Help us to identify moments where love needs to be present – and may we be the ones to bring that love.  Amen!

 

Worry

 

It was a week – a week filled with many emotions.  At times, there was celebration and joy.  Other times there was heartache and sadness.  Times of laughter and times of crying.  Our lives bring many ups and downs.  Yet, when they happen within hours of each other, it can take a toll on our emotions.  That was my week.   I woke up Saturday morning exhausted, trying to rationalize the efforts of the week and determining what I could have done differently, what I could have done better.  I reviewed the events many times.  Although I was exhausted, there was a common thread – worry.

Progressing through the week, I realized that upon each event, the happy ones along with the ones filled with sadness, there was worry.  Worrying can be consuming.  Worry can be exhausting.  As I walked into each day, I realized that there was an element of worry for each situation – providing the emotional exhaustion I was feeling.  This worrying feeling is actually something with which I am familiar.  For all of the strides I try to make to live my life as God wants me to, I fail in this area.  I may give my worry to God, only to ‘take it back’ when what I gave to him is not fulfilled the way “I” want it to be fulfilled or in the timeline “I” had.

This week, I tried something different.  I entered each day with specific prayers for the day.  Knowing what the day entailed, I prayed for specifics.  Once I reflected back, I realized that God had actually answered my prayers – each and every day!!  I decided to take a step out of the worry and into God’s grace at the beginning of each day.  He heard my prayers and provided for me.  Yet, I fell back upon the stressors I have always felt – the worry I always had in these situations.  How foolish of me!  God provided for me, just as I asked, and I slipped back into a feeling of worry that there was no need for!

Has this happened to you?  You pray for God’s grace, God’s mercy, God’s help, and He delivers!  Yet, you continue to live your life as you did prior to his answered prayers out of habit.  God gives us the strength to live past bad habits.  He delivers us from the “old ways and provides a new beginning” for each of us, free from our hold habits.  It is in our free will that we need to move past those habits, even when it comes to worry.

I learned something this week – that the blessings of answered prayers give us the opportunity to be freed from the chains of old habits and to live in God’s light.  Yes, it was an exhausting week, but God delivered me and others.  I need to spend less time worrying about when and how God will show up and realize He is there for each and every minute.  My trust has to be that His blessings will outshine my worry, for His goodness and His grace.  Let us work on seeing God’s hand in all that encompasses our lives, realizing that the old habits we have can be thrown out and His new mercies will shine!

Heavenly Father, thank you for answering prayers.  Please open my eyes and my heart to see the answers you provide.  Help me to rid the worry of my life and lift the bad habits associated with worry.  Let me see Your light shining through challenging times, and may my voice be raised in praise.

Prepare

 

It is winter in New England.   Snow is coming.  We have not had a true ‘plowable’ snowstorm yet this season.  That is how we define if the snow is going to be ‘worthy’ of our time or not.  If it is plowable, we know that it is something to keep our eye on and start planning.  It does not stop us from moving in these parts!  We just plan for it.  Grocery stores are busier than usual.  People ensure they have enough groceries, more importantly the correct groceries.  I saw a lot of hot chocolate in the carts of families that were shopping! 

Preparing for winter snow takes on many different scenarios.  The plow trucks ensure there is salt and sand to spray on the roads after they plow.  Some roads actually receive pre-treatment, which helps to melt the snow as it arrives.  Folks make sure they have snow scrappers in their cars and in their containers to be utilized for home snow blowers or generators in case power goes out.  Although this is not a huge storm, preparation is the key!  Once all is done, the waiting begins.  When those first flakes fall, it is a beautiful site.

All this preparation made me think about our verse for today.  Prepared!  Are we prepared for our Jesus’ return?  Unlike the weather maps, the news reports and the apps on our phones that let us know when the snow is coming and how much we will get, we do not know when Jesus will be returning.  Our preparation for Jesus’ coming needs to be completely different than the snowstorm preparation.  We are unaware of Jesus’ timing; thus, we need to be ready at a moment’s notice.  The question stands, are we ready to meet Jesus and how can we be prepared?  I thought about this for some time and found the best answer for this in Luke 12: 35-38. Jesus shares this story of preparation, how a servant is always prepared for their owner to return. 

³⁵ “Be ready and dressed. Have your lights burning. ³⁶ Be like men who are waiting for their owner to come home from a wedding supper. When he comes and knocks on the door, they will open it for him at once. ³⁷ Those servants are happy when their owner finds them watching when he comes. For sure, I tell you, he will be dressed and ready to care for them. He will have them seated at the table. ³⁸ The owner might come late at night or early in the morning. Those servants are happy if their owner finds them watching whenever he comes.

This is such a beautiful illustration of how we need to be ready.  Have our lights been burning – are we exuding the love of Jesus to others so “they know we are Christians by our love”?  Are we opening our doors to those who are knocking?  Are we ready to care for others?  Are we HAPPY to do these things?  We prepare for many events in our lives on earth, from daily events like school and work to larger events like vacations and weddings.  Are we prepared for the biggest event of our lives, meeting our Savior?  I am going to do my best to ask this question every morning and try to live my life the day ahead as if He was coming.  What a glorious day that will be! 

Dearest Jesus, help me to be reminded every day to live my life as if you were returning soon.  May my actions, my words and my thoughts align with your expectations.  Help me to be prepared to see Your face!  Amen.

 

Overstepped

 

Anyone who knows me will share with you – I am a planner!  I plan almost everything in my life.  My days are filled with planning what duties, chores, errands and even rest time I will have.  Dinner meals are always planned for the week – or every two weeks.  Vacations, once again, have me planning much the same.  What time will we wake up, when we need to go for breakfast, what attractions we will see, where we will be having dinner, are all decided upon – typically before we even get on a plane or in a car!   To be honest, I truly cannot remember the last time I woke up and did not have anything planned for the day.  I think it would truly “stress me out” more than being ‘enjoyable.’  I have spoken with many of you that do much the same.  Planning is a natural part of your days, ensuring that there is a map for the day and goals to attain.

Living a life like this is extremely efficient.  I get many things done and much is accomplished.  Yet may I share a secret with all of you?  It may be efficient, but it is exhausting.  It is the thing that keeps me up at night (among many other things).   There is always a to-do list that is never finished.  It is what I worry about (what if ____________ does not get done).  It is efficient yet filled with constant pressure.  I establish the plan.  I execute the plan.  I beat myself up if the plan is not executed correctly! My agenda!

This verse has provided the course direction I have needed in the past, and the course direction I need today! God wants us to use our gifts and talents that He provides to us on this earth.  That means planning.  Yet, when the plan we make overtakes the steps He wants us to make to get there, we have overstepped.  When our plan outweighs God’s plan, we have overstepped.   When the plan we set makes us so exhausted we are not operating with God’s will and being the person God wants us to be, we have overstepped.  God’s plan will always be the plan of choice, but when we work towards our plan so strongly, and we are not stopping to see if we are meeting God’s plan, we have overstepped.  Dear friends, God’s plan is perfect – absolutely perfect.  When we reflect on the plan that He has for our lives, we will see that His steps are perfectly drawn to the plan He has created for us.  In striving to ensure we complete everything, let us not let us distract our eyes from the steps He has asked us to take.  May our steps not be diverted by our agenda, but may our steps always follow the ones He has given to us.  How do we do this?  Instead of using time at the end of each day to review my check marks next to my to-do list that day and start planning the next, I will be using this time to see if what I accomplished aligned with God’s plan and am I walking in His steps.  Honestly, this will not be easy.  Yet course direction is necessary for me.  If it is for you, please join me!  Let us ensure we are walking in the steps God has asked us to – ensuring our personal plan is not overstepping God’s plan.

Dearest Lord, help me to not overstep!  May the plans I make for my days align with the goals you have for my life.  Help me to ‘check in’ to ensure my steps align with your steps in every way and that they are pleasing in your sight.  Amen!

People Pleaser?

 

Welcome to 2025!  Often when I enter a new year, I reflect on the past one, look for accomplishments and gaps, and see where I want to strive to close those gaps for the next year.  I used to be a strong New Year’s Resolutions person – only to be disappointed over and over again by my lack of attaining all the resolutions I set out to achieve.  Although many of the resolutions I would set would work on self-identified items, they were typically so I could be better for someone else.  How could I be better at work?  How could I be better as a wife/mother/daughter?  How could I look better?  See the picture?  My goals were an attempt to please someone around me, or even trying to please myself!  I used to set the goal, outline a plan for success, review it weekly, and look for attainment.  Small gains were seen as huge victories, only to be short-lived!  Please tell me you have been here as well!

My view changed a few years ago.  When I began the accomplishment/gap evaluation, I looked at my life here on earth, but I also turned my focus from being a ‘people pleaser’ to being a ‘God pleaser.’  To be honest with you, when I looked at it that way, the gaps became chasms.  Did I live the type of life He wanted for me?  Was I being the person He wanted me to be?  My self-evaluation continued to show me where I fell short on this earth.  I would leave this exercise feeling as if I would never get there.

Friends, my evaluation is correct.  We will never get to be the perfect earthly person.  Only one lived perfectly on earth, our dear Jesus.  No matter how hard we try, no matter how much effort we put against it, we will continue to fall short of the perfect Godly person.  We are a sinful bunch – natural sin takes over the day we are born.  The sinful nature continues each and every day we live here on earth.  There is absolutely nothing we can do to change it.  Yet, that does not give us the right to put our Christian values aside when we are with folks who are gossiping about others.  That does not give us the right to treat people deceitfully because someone asks us to.  That does not give us the right to give up who we are or who we aspire to be in God’s light because we want to please people here on earth.  Setting the goal of being a God pleaser versus a people pleaser will mean never reaching the goal!

Here is the best news of the day – God does not expect us to reach the goal here on earth!  God’s expectations of us is to focus and try.  He expects us to read His word, digest it and live it out in this earthly world.  He expects us to do our absolute best to obey His commandments and share His love with others.  Not achieving the end goal in this case is not a disappointment.  Each step we take in this goal brings us closer to Him!  Moving past being a people pleaser and becoming a God pleaser gets our focus away from ‘me’ and brings us closer to ‘Him.’  How do we know when we have achieved this new goal?  We will see it every day in the path we follow in His name.  We will look at life differently, we will start seeing the world through God’s eyes and appreciate ALL things, the little and large achievements.  We will see that we are wonderfully made by God and that He, even with all of our sin, is proud of us.  Proud enough to be called His children.  Let us work hard on being a God Pleaser this year.  We will stumble, but each step will be bringing us closer to our heavenly Father!

Dearest God, help us to focus our eyes upon You!  May we move away from trying to please people and move closer to trying to please you.  Help lay the path that I can follow and help me to open my eyes to see it.  Amen!