tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-362565602024-02-27T23:55:14.323-06:00Postcards from the JourneyJoygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.comBlogger38125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-69847435490845870232015-02-18T11:09:00.000-06:002015-02-18T11:09:23.928-06:00Great is Thy . . . Mirthfulness?While praying this morning, my husband got a little tongue-tied (as sometimes happens in the early morning), and thanked the Lord for His "merthy" instead of mercy. My mind immediately thought, "Oh, yes, Lord - I would love to share mirth with You today!"<br />
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As I imagined Jesus and I sharing a chuckle over something silly, my heart truly longed for that. The kind of relationship we have with good friends that is easy and comfortable and pleasant. I reflected that those moments are possible because of the depth of the underlying relationship. We cannot be light and easy if things are difficult. A married couple with a troubled relationship has few instances of play and laughter. If there is a history of disloyalty, betrayal, constant criticism, infidelity or even abuse, those things weigh down a relationship, and there are very few opportunities for giggles.<br />
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In thinking those thoughts (in a flash--much faster than it takes to write them down), it came to me that God has taken care of all the big heavy things in our relationship. The betrayal and unfaithfulness are all on my side, as well as my indifference and neglect toward Him. Yet He has covered all that--no, He has removed it all with the blood of His Son, so that our friendship has a clean slate. He doesn't remember each slight I have shown Him, every time I chose lesser things over Him, or even the willful wickedness of my dark and depraved heart. The Bible says He <i>delights</i> in me. That brings images of laughter and smiles and "inside jokes" and easiness in each other's presence.<br />
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I remember times when my Father and I shared a good laugh over something, or when I would "catch His eye" over private thoughts that only He knew, but understood perfectly. I wish I had those times more often, and I can, if I pursue a genuine relationship that doesn't allow sin and neglect to weigh it down.<br />
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The joy of the Gospel is that God took care of all the Big Things--salvation, redemption, justification, sanctification, etc.--so that I can share a chuckle and a cup of tea with Him. The deep things of God lay the foundation for those light moments when He and I can just enjoy one another's presence. And when that's good, frankly, there's no one's company I prefer to keep.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-76357069752783759272015-02-18T10:37:00.000-06:002015-02-18T10:37:39.772-06:00Godly Assumptions"Doubt eats away the old relationship with God, but only so a new one may be born."<br />
--John Powell<br />
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Thinking about this, I pictured a branch being pruned. It is not cut off at the trunk, but rather the dead, dry tips are cut off so that the living, fruitful interior branches will grow fuller.<br />
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Often, my doubts come from unfulfilled expectations, or disappointments with God. I have found that if I allow the Holy Spirit to provide insight into the situation, sometimes it is my expectation that is misguided. Of course, God usually has His own reasons for not "coming through" according to my hopes and prayers, but sometimes it has opened my eyes to a bigger picture.<br />
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Let me return to the tree branch. Great truths about God sometimes develop in my mind into assumptions that may or may not be true.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">God is good > He will do good things in my life > He wants me to be happy and healthy > He will make my life easy and comfortable</span><br />
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Now, the beginning premise is a foundational truth about the very nature of God. If I do not see the final conclusion as reality in my life, it makes me doubt the truthfulness of the original idea, and I am tempted to lop off the whole limb and think that God isn't really good after all, but a mean despot who can bring me good or evil on a whim.<br />
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But if we recognize that perhaps there is room for new growth in our thinking, we can allow our assumptions (selfish and immature as they often are) to be pruned away to see a deeper, fuller, more fruitful truth that is waiting to develop. At what point in our "branch" of thought did we become infested with the blight of our own fleshly "wishful thinking" and disconnected from the True Vine? Just because my life is not easy and comfortable, does that mean God is not good?<br />
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I love truth. It is solid, dependable, unchanging. I don't want to tie my tire swing to a branch that will break under the weight of use, but rather one that will support the back-and-forth of my daily life.<br />
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Upon further reflection, and the revelation of the Spirit, my "branch" might now look like this:<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">God is good > He will do good things in my life > He wants me to be strong and faithful > He will use circumstances to bring about a Christ-like character in me > He is faithful even when life is hard</span><br />
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Pruning back my dead assumptions and expectations allows me to see God more clearly, and deepen my relationship with Him. He is far more complex than my formulaic thinking would like, yet so much better than my surface and shallow preferences. I have found a God who is not an ATM, dispensing blessings when I put in the correct PIN, but a loving Father who will stop at nothing to bring me back to Him and to lovingly cultivate a Christ-like character in me. To assume He will give me everything I want is just going out on a limb.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-33585746130787069472015-01-07T16:19:00.001-06:002015-01-07T16:19:23.663-06:00Coins in a HandkerchiefWhen I was very small, my mom would send me to Sunday School with a few coins knotted in a handkerchief for my offering. I couldn't unknot it (perhaps that was by design), so I had to drop the whole little bundle in the plate when it was passed. I assume my teacher would return the handkerchief to my mother, else she would have gone through a lot of handkerchiefs!<br />
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I was remembering that as I reflected that God has given me everything--all that I could possible offer to Him--so that I can choose to give it back to Him. The coins in the hanky were not mine; I hadn't earned them. They weren't discretionary, but had a designated use. I tend to think of my life as an allowance--my time, my money, my talents and gifts--and I can spend them as I wish. But just as if I had kept my handkerchief offering in my pocket, it would have been stealing. Furthermore, since I couldn't unwrap it, it would have been useless to me and would have deprived those to whom it would have been useful.<br />
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The Bible says we "rob God" when we withhold our tithes and offerings. But truly, all that we have, all that we do, all that we are--it all was His from the start. So am I robbing God when I choose convenience over hospitality? When I waste night after night on mindless entertainment instead of investing time in my marriage and family? When I use my gifts and abilities to earn a good living but not to benefit the body of Christ?<br />
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My whole life is really just a few coins in a hanky. May I be willing to hand them over when the opportunity comes.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-60660973511928470652013-01-14T11:01:00.000-06:002013-01-14T11:01:37.955-06:00"I hear the most gentle whisper from One<br />
I never guessed would speak to me." Psalm 81 MSG<br />
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God does speak to us. We are His beloved, after all. How often we miss His gentle whispers. We look for the grand gesture--the thunder, the miracle, the trumpet. When these things don't materialize, we think He is silent, when all the time He longs to draw us close with gentle whispers.<br />
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I'm beginning to think that those times we feel that God has withdrawn from us, that He is silent, are just times when we need to learn to hear differently. God never changes, or moves, or forsakes us. Therefore, it is not that He has stopped speaking but that we have stopped hearing. Like a radio station that signs off the air, we need to change the dial and tune in to a different frequency. It is teaching our ears to discern the rare bird's song amidst the twittering of sparrows and the cawing of crows. To sharpen our focus to see the orchid among a crowded garden of petunias. Like a bloodhound, sorting through the myriad scents to find the one trail we must follow.<br />
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God sent Him who was most precious to His heart to redeem us and bring us into relationship with Him. Although we receive great blessing from His actions, they are not for our benefit alone. He wants to have intimacy with us, to share life with us. Why would He withhold Himself from us when He has paid the highest price possible to adopt us into His family? This God, who sees each tear we cry and saves them in a bottle, Who has promised never to leave or forsake us, Who know the number of the hairs on our head--this God would give us the cold shoulder? No.<br />
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First and foremost, He is a Father, not a miracle-worker with flashy signs and wonders nor a grandiose king who interacts with His subjects based on His moods or whims. He is both a miracle-worker and king, but His highest relationship with us is as a Father, an intimate, relational, day-to-day interaction between a parent and child. He has much to say if we can learn to hear.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-7057481105470470602012-07-16T09:24:00.002-05:002015-02-18T10:44:00.670-06:00Reconstructive SurgeryI am afraid. I fear what it will take to conform me to the image of Christ. I am well acquainted with my stubborn selfishness, and strongly suspect that there is a somewhat willful blindness to other obstacles.<br />
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While I would prefer that these walls would be removed brick by brick, I dread the thought that that won't be the way it is. Something tells me that a Jericho experience is what is required, and this is what terrifies me. It isn't the outcome I fear, but the process.</div>
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Most people don't want crooked or misaligned teeth. But most people don't want to wear braces, either. It is painful. Ugly. Inconvenient. A lengthy process. Those who have them count the days until they are removed, and often celebrate by eating foods that had been forbidden.</div>
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It is my prayer that God will do what is necessary to bring me in alignment with His will and good purposes for me. It may be painful, and at times it may get ugly. It is most certainly inconvenient and will probably take the rest of my lifetime. But when it is completed, I will be rewarded with a beautiful smile. His.</div>
Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-2900077769515597392012-07-16T09:10:00.000-05:002012-07-16T09:10:56.451-05:00Love Your EnemiesWhen we allow the Holy Spirit to show us His perspective and see someone through His eyes, it must influence--if not completely change--our own view of that person.<br />
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It's almost like Antiques Roadshow. Someone brings in an old artifact--an ugly dish, a weird figurine, a rusty tool. In their eyes it is distasteful and useless. But once the expert explains its value and purpose, the object becomes a treasure.<br />
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I believe when we pray for our enemies, the difficult people in our lives--those who mistreat and abuse us--we allow God to show us that person in a new light. Not as a thorn in our side or a source of pain, but as a broken, damaged individual. Although they may hurt us, frustrate us and make our lives more difficult, God's mercy and compassion can begin to flow through us. Praying for our enemies opens that conduit for the Holy Spirit to soften our hearts and renew our minds.<br />
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We usually pray for God to remove the hard things in our lives, but God has higher purposes than our comfort and convenience. If we truly want to be a part of God's kingdom work; if we truly believe that our enemy is not of flesh and blood; when we recognize that the spiritual armor we are to put on includes being clothed in humility (not demanding my rights--picture Jesus), then God can truly transform our lives in ways we can't begin to fathom.<br />
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Difficult people are not our problem; they are opportunities for God to change us as well as being part of His plan to change them. But we can only be God's instruments when we see them through God's eyes and let the Holy Spirit guide us.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-77103892023216508652011-08-11T09:13:00.002-05:002011-08-11T09:33:11.564-05:00Don't Worry, It's MeToday I was reading in John 6. Right after Jesus fed the five thousand, he knew that the people would try to make him king, so he withdrew farther up the mountain. In verse 16 it says:
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<br />When evening came, his disciples went down to the sea, got into a boat, and started across the sea to Capernaum. It was now dark, and Jesus had not yet come to them. The sea became rough because a strong wind was blowing. When they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and coming near the boat, and they were frightened. But he said to them, "It is I; do not be afraid." Then they were glad to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land to which they were going. (ESV)
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<br />My first thought upon reading this paragraph was, "Why did they just leave Jesus and sail off without him?" I still don't really get that, but I do know that I am at least as guilty of leaving Him behind and pursuing my own interests, pass-times, etc. so I can't really be too hard on the disciples.
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<br />But what stood out to me in this short passage was that the seas were rough, they were having a hard time of rowing across, and then they see Jesus walking on the water. And it freaks them out (understandably!). And Jesus tells them, "Don't worry, it's me." And then "they were glad."
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<br />How often have I been in a tough place - situations that I didn't understand; long, hard circumstances that I was struggling to get through. Things happen that cause me to be confused or anxious. What if I had heard Jesus say, "Don't worry. It's me. You may not see or understand, but I am behind these circumstances, working all things for your good. I have deliberately led you here for my purposes, and everything is going to be all right. In fact, better than all right."
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<br />I wonder if Jesus intentionally stayed away long enough, knowing the disciples would sail off without him. What if he set this up? Too often, I just react to life as it occurs, but God isn't like me. He knows it all - the beginning to the end - and sovereignly rules over everything. What if God lets the wind pick up, the seas get rough, my own methods and plans fall apart, just so He can show me that His ways are better, and that I can trust Him? What if, unlike the disciples, I am too afraid or stubborn to let Jesus in the boat? His admittance to the boat greatly shortened their journey; they were immediately at their destination. How often have I made the journey longer and more difficult because I won't let God take over?
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<br />I love that Jesus addresses them so simply and intimately. Not some great pronouncement or rebuke for leaving him high and dry (no pun intended). Just a simple "Don't worry. It's me." I need to stop listening to the wind and watching the waves and be on the lookout for Someone taking a detour that might be better than my regular route.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-41996383249358331802011-07-21T09:49:00.002-05:002011-07-21T09:53:59.663-05:00Lita<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I hate death. I hate the separation from loved ones, the words unspoken, the unfinished business, the permanence. I hate how it looms over us, making us wonder if we’ll live to old age or if some tragedy or disease will shrink our horizon. I hate the hole it leaves behind. I am glad that God hates death, too, and has conquered it on our behalf. But that seems like a far-off reality sometimes, not a present truth.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Yesterday we had to put our 10-year-old German Shepherd, Lita, to sleep. She had a condition called degenerative myelopathy, which causes the spinal cord to disintegrate over time. At first her tail stopped wagging, then slowly she lost the ability to control her back legs. Fortunately, because the nature of the condition is gradual paralysis, she wasn’t in pain. Her back end was just going numb. She was still able to walk, more or less, but her legs would slip out from under her easily. She had to pull herself up stairs with her front legs. It was time to do the right thing, and I am convinced it was the right thing at the right time. She was losing her spark and getting frustrated and depressed that she could no longer chase the ball or jump on the couch. She was losing that part of her that made her “Lita.”</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">I cannot yet write about the details of the joys that she brought to my life. That will take some time to get to that point. The wound is still fresh; the gaping hole is still raw. My husband is grieving as much as I am, and that does bring some comfort. Someone else who feels exactly what I am feeling, who knew her as I did. But I was thinking this morning that when you suffer a pain as deep as this, it feels like the whole bookcase of loss, betrayal and sorrow comes tumbling down, and past hurts and losses are scattered around. I keep tripping on these and it is an odd experience. I have been thinking about my dad a lot lately. This morning I made it almost all the way to work without crying, until I started grieving for my only brother. I never knew Ronnie; he died as an infant over a decade before I was born. He was the only male child my mother bore. I cried over that loss, that I didn’t get to experience having a big brother. I even thought that now, at my age, when he would be in his sixties, it would be nice to have him to talk to. Of course, he might have turned out to be a crotchety, complaining, alcoholic miser, but I’ll never know. Since that life is a blank slate, I was choosing to fill it in with what I most wanted. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal">A friend recently sent me an article about not comparing your pain to someone else’s. That has helped me not to minimize what I’m feeling by dismissing Lita as “just a dog.” She was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">my</i> dog and a part of my family—my everyday, waking up, around the house, bedtime ritual family—and now she is gone. I don’t need to justify my grief. God still cares that I am hurting and offers me His comfort. Grief is grief and pain is pain and the world is full of both. It doesn’t come in sizes, but it is universal. This is my cup for now, and for perhaps the first time I am willing to drink it instead of burying it or distracting myself until it is lukewarm. When I pray for God to heal my emotions, I must take the bad with the good. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Pain is the price of loving, whether it is the pain of separation, or disappointment, or betrayal, or death. And really, in the grand scheme of things, a few days or even weeks of pain is worth the years of love and joy that Lita brought me.</p>Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-31091602577893785342010-10-26T15:08:00.002-05:002010-10-26T15:20:36.988-05:00Pursuing LoveOn Tuesday mornings we have staff prayer in our pastor's office. We pray about needs in the church, upcoming events, and basically whatever we feel led to pray about. Last week, just before we finished, Dave (my pastor) prayed for my husband and me. I was a little surprised, because we hadn't prayed for any other staff members. But hey, I'll take it, right? Later that night I had a long talk with a dear friend, who asked to pray for me before we parted. Two in one day! Since I didn’t feel like there was anything in particular that I was going thru at the moment, I was beginning to get a little paranoid that God was preparing me for some kind of trial or something (why do we always expect the worst?).<br /><br />So the next morning during my quiet time I was thinking about that, as well as the hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” which some friends and I had been discussing recently. Especially the “prone to wander” part of the last verse. And I remembered a song by Chris Rice that has a chorus that says, “How can I be so prone to wander, so prone to leave You, so prone to die? And how can You be so full of mercy – You race to meet me and bring me back to life.” And I realized that it wasn’t that God was equipping me for some coming trial, but that my heart toward Him had been lukewarm, and He was pursuing me to bring me back to Him. Oh how He loves us! I was sitting there during my quiet time just amazed at how personally and individually the God of all creation woos us, drawing us close to Him. Even though I was not rebellious, or wayward, or bitter, my heart had gradually turned from Him, and He so desired intimacy with me that He used other people to get my attention.<br /><br />I flipped thru my CD’s, looking for that Chris Rice CD, but could only find one with hymns on it. Fortunately, “Come Thou Fount” was on it, so I decided to listen to that instead. After that song was over, I just left the CD on. I couldn’t believe it when the next song was “O Love That Will Not Let Me Go.” I’m not even that familiar with that hymn, so I looked it up in a hymnal. Isn’t that just like God to MAKE SURE I got the message of His pursuing love? If He would allow His own Son to be crucified in order to reconcile us to Himself, would He not make sure we knew how much He loves us? If we have ears to hear, eyes to see and a heart that truly desires Him over all else, I believe He WILL speak to us. Every believer ought to have an inner "photo album," or maybe scrapbook is a better term, for the mementos God has given us along our earthly journey to remind us how abundantly, how deeply, how personally He loves each one of us.<br /><br />Maybe that's why I call this blog, Postcards from the Journey, to share some of my mementos of God's faithfulness, wisdom and love!Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-13594205716754429672010-04-19T11:28:00.002-05:002010-04-19T11:30:18.036-05:00LovableRecently I was thanking God for how much He loves me, and just thinking about how His love transforms me. And I realized that because He loves me, I am made lovable. There is nothing in me—no personality trait, no goodness, no kindness, no amiability, no wisdom—that would make anyone else love me. There is nothing in my natural self that has any worth, apart from Him. Nothing that anyone would desire or delight in except for the good things I have been given by Him, or have learned from Him, or have experienced in Him.<br /><br />As I meditated on that, I realized that the things I love most in other people are really reflections of God. Since we are made in His image, those things that draw me to others are really qualities that God has, and has planted in them. Whether a friend has a great sense of humor, or a family member has wisdom and insight, or when I sense a kinship with another Christian, it really is God’s image represented in them that attracts me and seals our relationship. If God is love, as His Word says, than all real love is founded in Him, and He delights when His children experience Him through loving relationships.<br /><br />So when I think of my family and friends, those with whom I have really good relationships, I am doubly thankful. Not just that God brought them into my life, but that He has given me the capability to have relationship with them. That I have people to share life with, to laugh with, to pray with, to give me advice, to hold me accountable, and to walk with me on this journey. That God in me reaches out to God in them – deep cries out to deep. So that we can go beyond shallow acquaintances and move into something real, lasting, refreshing and of genuine worth.<br /><br />God’s love makes me loving and lovable, and He’s doing the same in you!Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-81034328076613684872010-03-26T14:19:00.002-05:002010-03-26T14:29:55.163-05:00I am currently hosting a women's study group in my house every week. We're going through the book, "Confessions of a Good Christian Girl," by Tammy Maltby (I highly recommend it). This week's chapter was on the issue of striving - constantly doing more and trying to be better at everything. Yet we feel insignficant and cannot find rest. I shared this with the "good Christian girls" last night.<br /><br />Let’s take a look at water. It is the universal solvent, and is necessary to sustain all forms of life. We use it to hydrate our bodies, clean our houses, irrigate our crops, water our animals, extinguish our fires and launder our clothes. We find recreation at pools, waterslides, rivers, lakes and beaches by the sea. Water is a coolant in our engines and air conditioning systems. It supplies food directly (fish and seafood) and indirectly. We use it in cooking. Artists use it in watercolors and sculpture, pottery and mosaics. It even carries away our waste.<br /><br />Yes, every living thing depends on water. Often, in our daily lives we feel like everything depends on US. We’re the soccer mom, cook, employee, committee member, wife, friend, sister, teacher, chauffer, and, of course, good Christian girl. For some of us, we strive to excel in every area, and constantly feel like failures when we can’t deliver. We can’t be the best at every role we play, yet we keep trying, working harder, doing more, setting higher standards—all the while smiling brighter and taking on even more.<br /><br />Well, we can’t do it all. Tammy Maltby wrote, “We feel inadequate because we are inadequate.” That’s right. God made us inadequate to take on the world and solve every problem and meet every need. That’s His job. Even He doesn’t keep everyone happy all the time, yet we try to. We strive to feel significant because of all we accomplish, all we contribute, all we do. But we can never be more significant than who we are, or rather whose we are. We are significant, important, worthy and special because God is our Maker, Father and Friend. Nothing we do can add to that.<br /><br />So, going back to the water. I believe God gives each of us various resources—gifts, talents, personality traits, physical and mental abilities, relationships and education. Out of these resources we are to take care of our families, keep ourselves healthy, and minister to others (either in formal ministry or in our day-to-day lives). We are to be responsible citizens, safe drivers and good friends. Most of all, we are to live as children of God. Yet our resources are limited. It’s like having a bucket of water. Water is necessary for so many things, yet we cannot do everything that is needed with what is in our bucket. We may have enough drinking water for a day, or enough water to mop the floor, or maybe water the lawn. But God is the ocean. He can take care of all the necessities around us that we cannot stretch ourselves enough to fill.<br /><br />So each day we should ask Him how He wants us to spend the resources we have. Maybe reading a book with your child is more important that day than cleaning the window blinds. We don’t have to do both, although we often try. Resting in God doesn’t mean we don’t do anything; it means we only do what is necessary for this time. He will refill our buckets as necessary. It may be the outpouring of His Spirit in a worship service, or the gentle rain of a friend’s encouragement, or the dewy freshness of seeing a scripture passage in a whole new way. And when it seems like life is demanding more than you’ve got to give, and your bucket looks dangerously empty, remember to stand on the promise that God gave: “My grace is sufficient for you,” (2 Corinthians 12:9). That’s true for your bucket as well as everyone else’s.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-10828248086751971182009-01-19T09:39:00.002-06:002009-01-19T09:43:14.563-06:00An Earthen Floor<meta equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 11"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CDOCUME%7E1%5CADMINI%7E1%5CLOCALS%7E1%5CTemp%5Cmsohtml1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> </w:Compatibility> <w:browserlevel>MicrosoftInternetExplorer4</w:BrowserLevel> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:latentstyles deflockedstate="false" latentstylecount="156"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><style> <!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:63.35pt 1.0in .5in 1.0in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.2in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> </style><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">I was going to use this for a Christmas card one year, but I don't know . . . I'm not sure people would "get it," with it's unusual meter and meandering message. Give me some feedback.
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">
<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">An earthen floor,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">Worn smooth by many sweepings<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">And sandaled feet<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">That bring in the dust of this small town<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">A mouse or two,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">With timid, furtive creepings<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">And water spilt<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN">When clay jars tip or fall onto the ground<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN"><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="" lang="EN"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">An earthen floor</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Upholds all the possessions</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Of this household</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Unorthodox and begun so recently</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Some hand-me-downs</p> <p class="MsoNormal">From kindly friends and neighbors</p> <p class="MsoNormal">A few new things</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Made with skill and care for this young family</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">This earthen floor--</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Not polished stone or marble,</p> <p class="MsoNormal">A brownish gray, slightly sloped</p> <p class="MsoNormal">And with its share of scars--</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Today upholds</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The first footsteps of a Child</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Whose ancient feet</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Once danced among His voice-made stars</p> Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-20983192767682181812008-10-01T16:24:00.002-05:002008-10-01T16:28:58.259-05:00BuffetMay I never ensky You as Lord<br />Without embracing You as Lover<br /><br />May I never know You as companion<br />Unless I'm willing to kneel before You as King<br /><br />May I never call forth Your power<br />as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah<br />Without weeping<br />over the Lamb that was slain<br />and seeing the blood on my own hands<br /><br />Oh, God, forgive me for reducing all You are<br /> into small manageable trinkets<br /> that fit in my pocket<br /><br />I repent of treating the vastness of Your deity<br /> like a buffet,<br /> where I can pick and choose<br /> what to taste<br /> and what to leave behind.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-25249293437967160592008-10-01T16:04:00.002-05:002008-10-01T16:23:59.904-05:00Rescued Ones"Turn your gaze to heaven and raise<br />A joyful sound<br />The sound of salvation come<br />The sound of rescued ones . . ."<br /><br />When I sing those lines about salvation and rescue, I get an image of prisoners in a concentration camp. Having heard the sounds of battle getting closer each day, they line the fences looking to see who will reach them first. When the first vehicles pull into view, they rejoice to see the flags and emblems of their liberators.<br /> How much more have we been rescued from! The beating down of our hope, the torture of our own guilt, the malnourishment of our souls, the theft of our inheritance. The casualties all around us and the very stench of death and dying; the endless atmosphere of impending doom.<br />Because of this barren environment, we have been reduced to mere biology--so focused on just surviving that our humanity has been lost. We are victims, but we have also become thieves and deceivers, looking out for ourselves. Survival of the fittest, right? And of the craftiest and those who keep their wits about them and don't give in to sentimentality.<br />So the first glimpse of that cross symbolizes more than just an opened gate.<br />It means redemption of all we have lost.<br />It means restoration of all that has been destroyed.<br />It means rescue from the dominion of a defeated captor.<br />It means a rebirth and recognition of our identity.<br />It means a new life. My old debts are done away with. Some of my old relationships are gone. But the deepest and most enduring are with those who know. Who have shared the same experience of suffering, shame and salvation. Who bear the tattoo of their previous imprisonment, but also the remembrance of rescue. We don't talk about the prison much, but we have a common appreciation for the rich goodness of simple things. There is a bond, a brotherhood of salvation, that gives us a depth of gratitude beyond gladness for food and shelter.<br /><br />We are the redeemed.<br />We are the restored.<br />We are the rescued ones.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-20934188753939474202007-11-27T13:11:00.000-06:002007-11-27T13:17:03.920-06:00Christmas Card 2006<p style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >It</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >’</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >s no wonder that they could not understand<br />This Messiah in a manger</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >,</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" > this God</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >-</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >become</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >-</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >man</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >;<br />Undiminished deity here in our skin<br />So human without</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >, </span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >yet so holy within</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >.</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" ><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p><div style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;"> </div><p style="text-align: left; font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >Don’t dismiss the divine for the way it appears</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >;<br />May God open our eyes</span><span style="font-size:100%;">, </span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >and unstop our ears</span><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-size:100%;" >.<br />Let us not be so lulled by the common and plain</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91); font-family: georgia;font-size:100%;" >That we miss the majestic hidden in the mundane</span><span style="font-family: georgia;">.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;" class="MsoNormal"><br /><span style="color: rgb(27, 61, 91);font-family:JI-Groved;font-size:22;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style=""><span style=""><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p>Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-33529983896075906672007-11-27T11:16:00.001-06:002007-11-27T11:22:58.845-06:00Obey, Know and LoveI was reading a daily devotional this morning, and it was written from Jesus' point of view. One of the things He said (according to the book), is along the lines of "When you pray about My will, don't ask for the strength to obey it. Instead, pray to know Me and to love Me, and then you will delight in My will."<br /><br />I really thought about that, and I think it is so true. If I truly know Jesus, that will without a doubt cause me to love Him, and doing whatever He asks of me will be my delight. As each of these increases (knowing Him more, loving Him more), my will has got to become less and less important, and the joy of serving Him grow stronger and stronger.<br /><br />It's the same with worship. If I pray to see Jesus, really see Him, I can only respond with worship, for He is truly beautiful and good and loving and wise and powerful. I don't pray for the Holy Spirit to make me a worshiper, but rather that He would open my eyes to see Jesus.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-49484172235518558202007-11-20T09:51:00.000-06:002007-11-20T10:45:35.648-06:00New IdentityI was reading in Colossians this morning, about how God has taken away the written code, with its rules and regulations, and done away with it, nailing it to the cross. And it made me think . . .<br /><br />There's a movie out now about a guy who is raised from birth to be an assassin. He doesn't even have a name, just a number. So I thought about someone like that, who has killed dozens of people, and for all intents and purposes has no conscience or remorse - killing is just his job and he's very good at it. So he gets caught, is brought to trial, and because of the numerous witnesses and overwhelming evidence he is convicted. All that's left is the sentencing. Of course, he gets the death penalty (and who cares about cruel and unusual punishment? The guy's a monster.)<br /><br />After the sentence is handed down, the judge comes down from the bench, walks over to the killer and embraces him. The convict is already cuffed and shackled, but the judge wraps his arms around him and the guy is nearly lost inside the judge's black robe. But somehow, when the two come apart, the judge is wearing the orange jumpsuit and the handcuffs and shackles, and the assassin is wearing the black robes. The killer is confused, but the judge looks him in the eye and something passes between them before he is led away to death row.<br /><br />The killer goes back to the judge's chambers, removes the robe, picks up the car keys and leaves. He goes to a nice house in the suburbs and assumes the life of a respectable citizen. What good fortune! He doesn't really understand what happened, and he keeps thinking someone is going to catch on. But after a day or two he starts to relax. It's hard, since he's never been a respectable citizen before, and he's a little lost. Still, he tries his best, as he knows how his story could have ended.<br /><br />Since the judge (the real judge) has waived all rights to any appeals, his execution is carried out quickly. But the weird thing is, he shows up at his old house, knocks on the door and is face-to-face with the convicted killer. The killer thinks it's all over and prepares to go back to prison, but no, the judge isn't going to turn him in. Everyone thinks he's dead anyway, and good riddance. But the judge shows the convict how to use the lawn mower and trim the bushes. He goes with him shopping and shows him how to pick the best produce. Since the judge had speaking engagements and social obligations, he coaches the convict on what to say and how to act in those situations. The convict finds an entire network of friends and relationships that he had never experienced before. Sometimes, when he was driving or standing in the checkout line, he'd get exasperated with someone or annoyed and would start to slip into his old habit of anger and force. But the judge would lay his hand on his arm, and the convict would remember that he was no longer that person. Once in a while someone would look at him closely, as if they recognized that he was not the judge, but then they would relax and the suspicion passed.<br /><br />As time went on, the killer wasn't just acting the part of the judge; it became who he was. He never completely forgot his past, but it was like another lifetime, a distant memory that became harder and harder to recall. There was always the remembrance that this life wasn't really his life; but one that belonged to someone else. He was just the recipient of extraordinary mercy and grace.<br /><br />I hope that I learn to live this life as if it is not my own. Along with the benefits and blessings of belonging to Christ, there are also responsibilities to live up to the standard He has set for me. It is up to me to choose which life to live, His or mine. And His is definitely better.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-5865927100741570842007-11-08T13:54:00.000-06:002007-11-08T14:03:37.686-06:00Profanity<p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "STOMP_Blue Highway";"><span style="font-size:130%;">I think that I shall never see<br />Wise men who use profanity.<br />Those who merely curse or swear<br />Show no wit, or style, or flair;<br />Whose phrases all are rather crude,<br />Are dull and childish, and also rude.<br />Those who think vulgarity<br />Similar to hilarity,<br />Reveal a mind both weak and small,<br />With no deep thought involved at all.<br />So if you choose to spit and spew<br />In language that is rather "blue,"<br />The rest of us will all be knowing<br />Your lack of smarts indeed is showing.</span> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:BRADDON;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <span style=";font-family:BRADDON;font-size:20;" > </span>Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-18128631283188896112007-11-08T12:01:00.000-06:002007-11-20T10:45:59.180-06:00Super Power<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" >Flesh<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" >Arch-enemy of my spirit<br />Nemesis of my soul<br />Dark super-villain bent on my destruction<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" ><o:p> </o:p>Faster than my resolve<br />More powerful than my self-control<br />Able to break tall promises with a single temptation<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" ><o:p> </o:p>Who will save me from this body of death?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:9;" ><o:p> </o:p></span><br /><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" >Eternal Champion<br />Hero of my heart<br />Rescuer of the redeemed<br />Light of the world<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" ><o:p> </o:p>Bend my will until it is intertwined with yours<br />Break the hold of earthly desires on my affections<br />Lift my head, that I may see your salvation<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" ><o:p> </o:p>Defeat my enemies within and without<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style=";font-family:";font-size:11;" >Biff! <span style=""> </span>Slam! <span style=""> </span>Ka-pow</span><span style=";font-family:";" >!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-59632435916768926082007-11-08T11:43:00.000-06:002012-07-16T09:15:34.955-05:00Graceland<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t get grace. I mean, I am a grateful recipient of it, but I don’t “get” grace. And I don’t mean that I can’t understand how or why God extends grace to us; I realize it is beyond my comprehension and I’m okay with that.</div>
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<o:p></o:p>What I don’t “get” about grace is: how do you live in grace? Once you receive forgiveness, how do you go on without either vowing to try harder the next time, or throwing up your hands and giving up, admitting your sin nature is too strong for you, and just living like a sinner until the guilt and conviction push you to repentance again? How do you find the balance, if there is one, between righteousness and real life?</div>
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<o:p></o:p>It seems I am in constant struggle with my self-tendencies, repenting yet never getting victory over them completely. It doesn’t seem right that I should just give in; how can I be a reflection of a holy God when I can’t even be consistent about cleaning my house or balancing my checkbook? Let alone purify my thought life.</div>
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<o:p></o:p>Grace is God’s gift to us—His goodness and favor extended without any relation to merit, of which we have none. But isn’t it cheapened when we live in sin, enjoying His benefits while living for ourselves?</div>
Here’s an illustration of what I mean: It’s like Jesus goes to the back alleys and bars and hands out invitations to this big party at his house. He hands them out at the Laundromat and to work crews doing community service picking up trash along the interstate. He knocks on doors in the trailer park, giving them to grumpy fat chain smokers who are annoyed that He interrupted <st1:place st="on"><st1:placename st="on">General</st1:placename> <st1:placetype st="on">Hospital</st1:placetype></st1:place>. He gives some to derelicts on park benches, who are too paranoid because of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to pick up the envelope. Hookers are a little puzzled at this guy who gives them something without asking for anything in return. He slides one across the counter at the fast-food place, toward the catatonic teenager with piercings and poor customer service skills. He probably drops off a few at corporate headquarters, country clubs and government offices, too. <br />
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<o:p></o:p>Anyway, although it seems random, these invitations are all personally addressed specifically to each individual. They give all the usual information: date, time, address. They also give very specific instructions on how to dress and what to bring. According to the invitation, a limousine will pick each person up at an appropriate time to ensure a timely arrival.</div>
So the big day comes and we screw it all up. We miss the limo because we’re dumpster diving or watching Judge Judy or waiting to add fabric softener to the rinse cycle. We’re forgetful procrastinators who are too self-absorbed to adequately plan and prepare. Our good clothes are at the cleaners and we’re too broke to buy what we’re supposed to bring. But hey, a free meal is a free meal, and it’s nice to see how the other half lives, so we go anyway. We show up late, dirty, empty-handed and in our underwear. <br />
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Jesus, ever the gracious host, meets us at the door with a warm smile, politely not mentioning our tardiness, appearance, or the fact that dinner is getting colder by the minute. He embraces us, squeezing us so tight we’re left breathless, as if each of us were a long lost friend. He instructs us to go into the guest bedroom, where we can freshen up and put on the clothes laid out on the bed (as if He knew we would be underdressed).</div>
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<o:p></o:p>After a quick shower in a luxurious marble bathroom, we arrive in our new clothes at the dinner table. The other guests look a little freshly-scrubbed themselves, with awkward smiles and shy eyes. During dinner, Jesus engages us all with colorful stories and conversation, all the time drawing us in with questions and genuine interest. Some, no all of the guests need a little work on our table manners and etiquette, but Jesus acts like He doesn’t notice.</div>
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After a scrumptious dessert, we are encouraged to roam around the house and grounds, which are spacious and beautiful. On the terrace at the back of the house, lanterns are hung, but they don’t interfere with the brightness of the stars. We mingle and get to know each other, marveling at it all, the place, the food, our Host, and just the good fortune of being invited. We compliment each other on our clothes, even though we all know that we showed up in a ratty slip or torn boxers.</div>
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<o:p></o:p>Okay, so far so good. I know God has lavishly blessed us and forgiven us, but how do you go on from there? How do you not return the suit to the closet and slip out into the night (after thanking the Host, of course, or mentally promising to send a note)?</div>
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I mean, every party comes to an end and then you return to real life. That’s what makes parties special events. It would be exhausting to have a party that never ends, like New Year’s Eve without a midnight. After a while everyone gets bored, or drunk, or irritable, and then falls asleep. End of party. Nothing left but the icky feeling in your mouth the next morning and confetti in your hair.</div>
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But what if this party wasn’t like that? What if Jesus said to stay, and we slept in the guest rooms on silk sheets and awoke to waffles for breakfast? What if our party clothes were exchanged for nice comfortable jeans and a polo shirt and sneakers? What if . . . we never left?</div>
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What if, day by day our table manners improved and we learned how to play croquet and prune the rose bushes and the food was always good and we discovered that all the other people were interesting and good and funny, even though they disagreed with us sometimes? Is it possible that over time our memories and longing for Oprah and Starbucks and People magazine would fade as we became more accustomed to this new way of living? Would our old identities dim, so that we are no longer addressed by our former nicknames, like Lefty or Stinky or Flo or “Ready Betty” (or worse), and started living up to the names Jesus calls us, like Beloved and Beautiful and Bride. What if, each night we dumped our sweaty soiled clothes in the hamper and awoke to find them clean and pressed on the chair? What if, when Jesus asked us to do something, we considered it an opportunity to repay His kindness, and did it out of love instead of as an act of obedient service or grudging duty?</div>
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<o:p></o:p>Is that what living under grace would be like?</div>
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If so, I’m going to <st1:place st="on">Graceland</st1:place> to see the King.</div>Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-68350282517555692962007-11-08T11:34:00.000-06:002007-11-08T11:37:24.946-06:00SundayIt's Sunday.<br />The day of the week when You rose from the dead.<br /><br />Resurrect Yourself in my life.<br />Roll the stone of my cold, hard heart away<br />And reveal Yourself in all Your power<br /> In all Your goodness<br /> In all Your joy<br /><br />Let me hear You speak my name, like Mary did,<br />And I will know that You <span style="font-weight: bold;">live!</span>Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-69319044591738078632007-11-08T11:05:00.001-06:002008-04-21T11:18:39.486-05:00Circle Up<blockquote>Circle up, circle up around the throne,<br />Old and young, saints of every history<br />Great and small, angels all, and seraphim,<br />Grab a hand, twirl a dance,<br />Circle up and worship Him<br />Grab a hand, twirl a dance,<br />Circle up and worship Him.<br /> --Chris Rice</blockquote><br />How awesome it will be to see "saints of every history" dancing like children around the throne of God! Former drug dealers twirling with Sunday School teachers; alcoholics and prostitutes clapping and rejoicing alongside "church ladies" and deacons. What a source of joy to our Father! How He must long for the day when His family is complete and home! We can only look forward to a misty notion of what we can imagine that day will be like, but God . . . God already knows every detail--the reaction of each person, the expressions on each face, the music, the menu for the wedding feast--how much more is His delight in seeing come to pass this event that has been centuries in the making!<br /><br />Won't it be an amazing, joyful time of praise and wonder when we finally see one another as God has seen us all along--as He created us to be. Without the wounds, weights and warping that we received while living in this fallen world and wrestling with our own sin nature. The shy and the shamed will both be free enough to dance around the throne. We will be light of heart and light of foot as we rejoice before the source of our salvation, redemption, restoration, healing, wisdom, adoption and wholeness. No one will sit out this dance; there will be no wallflowers. No steps to learn, just a spontaneous reaction to being at last in the presence of Him who loves us so completely and passionately and without reservation.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-47241320193998331792007-11-07T11:46:00.000-06:002007-11-07T11:49:44.327-06:00Fireflies<p class="MsoNormal" style="font-family:georgia;"><span style=""></span></p>Do you wonder?<br />Do you know?<br />Where do all the fireflies go?<br /><br />After summer,<br />Could it be<br />They become the autumn leaves?<br />Lovely colors<br />Drifting down,<br />To lie at last upon the ground?<br /><br />When winter winds<br />Start to blow<br />Do they become the flakes of snow?<br />Dancing, flying<br />On the wind,<br />To lie upon the ground again?<br /><br />In the springtime,<br />Do they grow<br />As daffodils all in a row?<br />Sunny faces<br />Shining bright<br />'Til their return to fiery flight?<br /><br />Here's what I think<br />Fireflies do<br />After summertime is through:<br /><br />When cool nights come<br />They will fly<br />To find a place up in the sky<br />And many twinkling,<br />Starry lights<br />Are fireflies waiting for summer nights.<br /><br />(c) JF 2002<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><br /><span style=";font-family:";font-size:18;" ><o:p></o:p></span></p>Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-38055146442760978322007-11-07T11:44:00.000-06:002007-11-07T11:45:33.790-06:00Sonrise<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 22pt; font-family: CHONG;"></span></span></p><blockquote>From the rising of the sun, to its going down, the Lord's name is to be praised. <br />Psalm 113:3</blockquote><br />Worldwide, the sun is always rising.<br />Somewhere, Your praise has just begun.<br />Let me unite with those whose praise<br />Starts with the rising of the sun. <br /><br />-February, 2001 Richton Park train station<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-size: 22pt; font-family: CHONG;"></span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt; font-family: CHONG;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36256560.post-86628053459701769442007-11-07T11:38:00.000-06:002007-11-07T11:43:13.752-06:00Tissues and TwigsI’m oft in need of tissues<br />As I contemplate my issues<br />And the slings and arrows cast upon my soul.<br />Verbal sticks and stones CAN hurt me<br />And the pain -<span style=""> </span>it does alert me<br />That all’s not well in part, nor in the whole.<br />Still the hurts on heart and mind<br />Caused by those who are unkind<br />Do not keep me from the path that I must take.<br />Mere twigs and rocks may scar,<br />And sharp words and jabs may jar,<br />But mere tolerance won’t be the move I make.<br />For there is a greater need<br />Than a “live and let live” creed,<br />And it’s hard to give to those who show no merit.<br />But I’m called to greater gifts<br />By the One whose calling lifts<br />Me toward a mercy He gave me, and I must share it.Joygermhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04860207787077241149noreply@blogger.com0