New Coat

 

Remember a few weeks ago I shared the stripping of the deck story?  May I now share with you the painting of the deck story?  That’s correct, last weekend we found another two days of no rain, so we moved forward with the second part of our project, painting the deck.  We were going to go about this process with precision!  We went to the home improvement store, got six samples of different paints we wanted to try, painted them on the deck to see what we liked and on Friday evening, went to get our paint and supplies.  We woke up Saturday morning ready to go! 

By Saturday night, we were done with the banister.  Each spindle was painted with precision, and it looked great.  Sunday found us doing the floor.  With the sun beating down on us, the paint was soaked in by each deck plank, making for a very long day!  It was hard work and at the end, both of us were incredibly exhausted and sore, our legs and backs in pain from squatting or being hunched over all weekend.  Then our critical eyes looked at the deck and each other to share, “I think the color is a little off!”  It may be a tad greyer than we anticipated, but we both also knew we weren’t going to repaint it!  It looks great.  The journey was hard but the end result-awesome!

Once again, the process reminded me of our Lord and this Bible verse that I have come to love over the years.  When we decide to put off our old way of life, or rejuvenate our lives in Christ, there are many parallels to painting the deck!

Sampling – finding out what works.  When I need to get a “Jesus adjustment”, I find myself trying some new and different things to focus my attention to Jesus.  I may try different Christian music, read a study book from a different author, or join an online Bible study.  As I’m writing this, I’m thinking about diving into a book of the Bible that interests me.  Just as we tried a variety of paints, look at options that may tell you “That’s the one!”

Hard Work – put in the tough work.  Changing our focus is not easy.  Humans are creatures of habit and moving away from bad habits and establishing new ones is not easy.  It means making a commitment.  What if we had started the deck and by the second day said, “This is too hard.”  This is the same in our Jesus journey.  It may be hard; it may be exhausting.  Body and mind may be sore.  Yet, it is worth it to put on a new attitude in Jesus!

Critical Eye – it may not be perfect.  When I have embarked to put on something new in Jesus, I have grandiose ideas of what that is going to look like.  It NEVER ends up the way I thought it would.  If I decide on a daily prayer focus and I miss a day, my mind says, “You’ve failed.”  If I switch the radio channel away to listen to a different music genre, I believe I have failed.  Jesus doesn’t look at it that way, and neither should we.  We weren’t meant to be perfect, in ANYTHING that we do.  What is so wonderful about Jesus is He gets that, especially when we don’t get that.  He is waiting to put His loving arms around you to say, “I’m proud of you, let’s hop back on and see where the journey takes us.”

The journey of putting on a new attitude in Jesus is not always easy, but it is always worth it!  Is it time to put on a ‘fresh coat of paint’ in Jesus’ name?  Try a few things, put in the hard work, know that you will fail, but get back up again.  I’m sure the result will be AWESOME!

Dearest Jesus, as we journey to put on a new self in your name, help us with each step, guiding us closer to you. Amen!

Are You Deserving?

 

What I witnessed reminded me of when I was rearing little ones.  A mother was trying to provide discipline and a learning moment in the middle of Target.  I heard the child a few moments earlier, yelling and screaming.  The little one was upset about something, and she wanted to ensure her mom knew it.  Mom calmed her down and they continued shopping in the toy section.  The child found a toy she was excited about and asked to get it.   Mom got down to her child’s level and, in a calm voice said, “Do you remember a few minutes ago you were yelling and screaming?”  The child shook her head in affirmation of which mom replied, “Do you think you deserve something special?”

Those words hit home!  In that moment, I thought of Jesus.  There are certainly times when I am that child of a few moments earlier, yelling and screaming at my Lord!  Sometimes, it is because something bad happened that “I” felt should not have happened.  Other times, something good should have happened that did not happen.  With all that emotion, I have screamed out to Jesus!  I was upset and He was going to know about it.  Just like the mom in the scenario above, Jesus calmed me down and opened my eyes to the situation.

Yet, the words that hit home, “Do you think you deserve something special?” is what rang in my ears.  Do I deserve Jesus’ forgiveness?  Do I deserve His love?  Do I deserve a life of eternity in paradise?  I do not deserve ANY of what Jesus has lavishly provided to me.  I AM UNDESERVING!  My daily behaviors prove that I am a sinner.  Whether I am screaming in anger or silent in injustice, my sin is prevalent.  Whether I sin in action or inaction, I am sinning.  The common denominator is that I AM UNDESERVING of anything that my Lord has to offer me.

I do not deserve anything special.  None of us do.  The good news is that Jesus came to let us know WE ARE DESERVING.  We deserve His love.  We deserve His forgiveness.  We deserve eternal life.  Why?  Because WE BELIEVE.  We believe in His death and resurrection.  We believe in His forgiveness.  We believe in life eternal.  We believe because we are loved.  Brothers and sisters, we DO deserve something special – we deserve Jesus!  We are part of His kingdom.  We are HIS children, and His love is greater than anything we can fathom here on earth. 

To answer the question?  We are deserving of all Jesus gives to us.  In return, may we ask for forgiveness of our sins.  May we have the faith and hope that only Jesus can provide.  May we rest in the peace that passes all understanding.  Our simple faith takes us on the path from undeserving to deserving.  It was Jesus’ walk to Calvary that gives us the ability to take that path.  In the end, the mother told her daughter she deserved it because she loved her.  Remember, you are deserving as well, because Jesus loves you.

Dearest Jesus, thank you for bringing me from an undeserving person to a child of your kingdom, deserving of all you give to me.  May my heart always remember to give you thanks and praise!  Amen.

Pilgrimage of Provision

 We watched as they came.  They came from afar and they came from nearby.  They walked in groups, and they walked alone.  They sang songs of praise and they prayed silently.  They came!  I had never seen a pilgrimage before, but I had the true honor of seeing one this past week.  We were visiting my husband’s family in Costa Rica this past week.  On August 2^nd, they pay tribute to Costa Rica’s patron saint, the Virgin de Los Angeles at the Basilica De Nuestra Senora De Los Angeles.  The story is a fascinating one and I encourage you to explore this a bit.

What I want to focus on is the people.  People from across the country make the trip to Cartago, by foot, to be a part of this celebration.  Many make the 13-mile trip from the capital, San Jose to the Basilica in Cartago.  Folks who live farther away will start the trek much earlier, some as early as 15 days prior, to experience the celebration.  For over two hundred years, this ritual has taken place.  Our location was Tres Rios, the town next to Cartago, so we were able to watch thousands of people walk to the basilica.  Yet, our venture also took us over to Puntarenas the day before, where we saw people walking towards Cartago, up incredible hills, and unpaved roads.

I found these folks so inspiring.  Their love for their Lord and their belief was amazing.  Some made the trip to thank God for blessings they had received.  Others were setting afoot to ask for healing, either for themselves or others.  Whatever their reason, there was no denying that their Lord meant something to them – so much so that they stopped their lives for a moment and decided that this was so especially important.  Families with little children and strollers were walking.  Then the unthinkable happened, it started to rain!  Not just a sprinkle, it rained!  That did not stop one person.  They walked with rain ponchos, they walked with umbrellas, or they walked letting the rain drench them.  Yet they continued to walk.

I hope one day to make this pilgrimage, to join in this festival.  For whatever reason each person walked, their faith led the way.  God’s path for us takes us in many directions.  We may choose to follow His way or our way at the crossroads of life. If we choose to walk in our path, it may prove to be ‘easy’ and ‘less difficult'.  Walking the road God plans for us may be tougher and filled with questions.  It may be tough, uphill climbing.  It may be rugged with unpaved roads.  It may be filled with downpours of doubts and demanding situations.  Yet the journey, and our faith along the way, will yield the greatest gifts of forgiveness, love, and the knowledge of life eternal.  Brothers and sisters, wherever your journey may take you, ensure that it is God’s journey.  May His guidance provide you with the pilgrimage to the cross, and the grace, mercy and love that comes at the foot of the cross!

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the journeys you provide for us.  Help us to walk in your path and guide us to the life you have prepared for us.  May we join in the pilgrimage to the cross of love and forgiveness.  In your name we pray – Amen!

Stripping It Away

This weekend was a special weekend in New Hampshire.  I believe it was the first weekend of this summer, where we had dry weather for BOTH days of the weekend.  For many folks, that meant time at the lake or the beach.  Others enjoyed a beautiful dinner outside with family and friends.  For some folks it could have meant a great hike in the woods.  For hubby and me?  We stripped and sanded our deck!  Nothing screams summer more than THAT activity.

As Juan pushed and pulled the sander across the planks of wood, I watched the old stain being removed and the beautiful wood that we used to put the deck together come shining through.  Plank by plank, the deck became softer, and the true wood was beaming.  After a few hours, we had accomplished the task that we had been waiting to tackle for so long.  Of course, the second task of re-staining/painting the deck will soon be upon us.  Yet, for now, there is a sense of accomplishment.

As the sander went back and forth, stripping off the old stain covering, it gently reminded me of how our dear Lord strips us!  There are many ways that he does this for us:

·         Stripping off OUR plan.  When our ways do not align with God’s ways, He always is able to strip us from the things we should not be doing – finding ways to nudge or (or sometimes drag us) to His will.  Remember the time when you thought YOUR plan was better than God’s?  Then your plan fell through?  He is stripping us of our own intentions to follow His intentions.

·         Stripping off OUR ego.  Our God believes in humility!  You need to look no further than his own son, Jesus, to see how humility can be lived in our lives.  When we get ‘too big for our britches,’ God finds a way to remind us to live a life of humility.  We encounter someone who needs our help or our time.  We are not ‘too good’ to help anyone in need.  The story of the Good Samaritan is a perfect picture of how we can live our lives and our God can strip our ego to live a life of humility.

·         Stripping off OUR sin.  When the weight of sin and wrongdoing covers us, Jesus comes in to strip us of all that ugliness and helps to let our light shine through.  Just as the sander stripped the old stain off and the beauty of the wood came through, such is the case with us sinners.  When we go to Jesus with our sinful ways, He quickly reminds us of the great sacrifice He made on our behalf, stripping all sin away from us, so that we can have a relationship with Him in eternity.

The stripping of us can be healthy, and always is needed.  When you believe things are being taken away from you or that your plans are being stripped away from you, remember that Jesus died on the cross to strip us of our sins – letting our light and beauty shine through.  It is time to strip the filthy garments and put on the robes of righteousness.

Heavenly Father, thank you for stripping us of things that are not good for us, especially stripping away our sin.  Your love will clothe us with all that we need – including eternal life!  Give us the simple faith to believe!  Amen.

 

Troubled Peace

 

Life is Hard! I’m sure each of you are saying, “You got that one right!” Life is hard. It is filled with challenges and difficulties. It is filled with trials and despair. It doesn’t take long for us to look at lives around us, or even at our own lives, to see troubled situations. In my line of work, Human Resources, we hear about people’s lives and the trouble they are facing. It could be health issues, financial woes, relationship strains, or worse. It takes its toll to hear what happens with folks. Then you turn on the news and you hear more despair – people hurting each other, little disagreements leading to violence and war. My heart breaks at the end of each day. Peace seems to be replaced with distress.

I know in my own life, when times of challenge and despair would arise, the peace that I deeply cherish would wane. I would sit in the church pew and beg God to give me peace, to rest my heart from hurting and my mind from worrying. I would pray for answers to questions on how this could happen and why would these situations continue. I would cry myself to sleep in agony of these things.

God was very deliberate in letting Christians know that just because we believe in Him and eternity, it did not mean our lives would be filled with roses and rainbows. In fact, in James 1: 2-4, He states, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” It is hard to see joy during trials. It is difficult to have peace amongst agony. So how do we get through each day? How can we let the worry go and gain rest?

It all rests in the hands of our Lord! A belief in Jesus, knowing that he brings us grace and mercy, knowing that this world is temporary and that our heavenly place awaits, knowing that He has overcome anything that this world can throw at us, gives us that peace! My soul and body can only rest when I am at peace. I have come to realize that this world cannot give me the peace I need to react to the things of the world. No massage, no yoga, no drug, no alcohol, and no food can bring me the peace my soul and mind needs. The only way I can receive the gift of peace in times of trouble is by covering myself with Jesus. I read His word, I listen to Christian music, and I sit in a church pew and ask for forgiveness – for lack of trusting Him to execute His plan, not mine. When I do that, peace overflows and as the great hymn says, “It is well, it is well with my soul”!

Friends, life is hard! It can bring despair. Yet rest in the assurance that there is One greater than any challenge we may face. Put your life into God’s hands. Resolve yourself to Him. Feel the peace wash over you, knowing He is in control. Our tribulations may not magically disappear, but our ability to trust in the One that can help you through those tribulations will bring the peace necessary to see the next day! Peace to you!

Dearest Jesus, thank you for giving to us the gift of peace. Help us to be reminded during difficult times that you are there for us, wanting to hold us and guide us, ready to give us the peace we need to see the next day. Amen!

Birthday Wisdom

 

Birthdays have always been a big part of our family experience.  When the children were smaller, they would come home from school to balloons, their favorite meal for dinner and, of course, the cake!  We believe in celebrating them – whether we can all be together or not.  Today we do our best to ensure each family member knows we are glad they are here for another year. 

When I was a child, birthdays were an important thing in my family as well.  Mom always prepared a great meal and a great cake!  As I grew older, birthdays became bittersweet.  On my 30^th birthday, I miscarried with my second child.  Birthdays took on a different meaning then – a gentle reminder of loss.  When I was diagnosed with cancer at the age of thirty-six, I wondered how many more birthdays I would have.  When I divorced, I contemplated how many birthdays would be ahead of me that would find me alone. 

Through the challenges of those birthdays, I was also able to gain perspective.  I knew then, as I do now, that our Dear Lord had plans that I did not know.  His wisdom will always be far greater than mine!  I have been blessed that He has provided me opportunities to take a glimpse into His wisdom.  He provided me with the love of family and friends to guide me through the tough birthdays.  He gifted me my husband, the love of my life, who has and continues, to make my birthday a special event.  He provided me wisdom to ensure health and healing, both body and soul, so that my years could continue! 

Our Lord’s wisdom comes in many ways.  Certainly, reading the scripture gives us insight and wisdom to help guide our lives.  How do we gain that wisdom?  By reading that scripture, digesting it, and living by it.  He also gives us pastors and friends in Christ to provide understanding.  And He provides birthdays to help us realize that through His wisdom, we can live another year.  As the years move on, we can become melancholy about birthdays.  Let us be reminded that they should be celebrated with joy and thanksgiving in all the blessings that God has provided.

As I celebrate a milestone birthday this year, I reflect upon all my other birthdays – the ones that have been incredibly joyous and the ones that have been challenging.  They ALL have brought wisdom and have taught me lessons that I continue to take with me into the next year.  For my family and friends who have guided me and helped me through all my birthdays, I am truly blessed!  You have brought me joy, peace, and love – thank you.

Heavenly Father, thank you for providing us wisdom to celebrate our birthday each year.  May we seek ways to bring wisdom into our lives along with thanking you for all the blessings you bestow upon us.  In your name we pray.  Amen!

Hope in the Rain

 

Rain is a gift from God.  It waters our crops, makes our grass a lush green, and fills our rivers and lakes.  Lately, in New England, it seems that this is the ‘gift that keeps on giving’.    Especially on the weekends!  Either one or both days of the weekend seems to have drowned out plans for many folks.  Yesterday, I watched our neighbor prepare for a graduation party for her son.  He was the last to graduate high school and she put up the balloons, put out the tablecloths and even put up a tent in case it rained.  As I watched people huddle underneath the tent to gain cover from the pelting rain, it wasn’t long before people were running to their cars to go home.  Plans ruined.

There have been many times in my life where I felt as if I was in constant rain.  Circumstances around me seemed to be constantly drowning out the life I was trying to lead.  Difficulties led to a feeling of pelting rain beating against me.  Although I could see good things around me like the lush grass, I wasn’t receiving much goodness.  The sun wasn’t shining on me, and the weight of non-stop rain led me to look at the negative in everything.  Hope seemed far away.

Hope may have left my heart, but God never did.  He was there, through all the rain.  As I focused on each piece of my life that was going wrong, He was focusing on me – helping me to grow, to learn, to re-direct my life in a way I never would have gone without his intervention.  As the rain was pouring down on me, he was preparing me for the sun.  The sun eventually did shine, brighter than I could ever imagine.  I refer to that time in my life as my “Noah” phase.  The rain came down and flooded me, but God stopped the rain and just like the second time Noah sent out the dove and it didn’t return, hope came.

Friends, I’m not sure if you are in a Noah phase of your life.  Does it feel like the life you are living is filled with clouds and darkness?  Do you feel as if the circumstances of this world are drowning you?  Rest assured that God is with you, caring for you, shaping you, preparing you for the day the sun will come again.  He is there through the rain and is your ark of hope.  Turn to Him for safety.   Know that these days of rain will lead to sunshine – brighter than you could ever imagine.

For those of us living in our sunshine?  Let’s reach out a hand to those who are in their Noah phase.  Grab a cup of coffee and listen.  Make a meal and lighten the load.  Send a note of hope.  Be the sunshine on someone’s cloudy day.  God created us to do good for others.  Take the step of goodness.  It may be the ray of sun that person needs to gain hope!

 Heavenly Father, may we always remember you are there during our ‘rainy season’.  Help us to turn to you for hope, for peace, for safety during these seasons of our lives.  May we know that the sun will come and all the shaping you did to us during the rain will help us to shine brighter.  In your name we pray, Amen!