Author: [email protected]

He awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the seas, “Peace, Be Still”.  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.  Mark 4:39

I watched Hurricane Michael  with many emotions last week.  Our relatives and friends were in its path in Madison, Tallahassee, Donalsonville, Thomasville, and Dothan, and our Mama’s condo that has been in our family since 1975 was near the eye of the storm.  There’s nothing one can do other than watch, wait, and pray.

I had heard that in the eye of the storm there is a calm and a strange peace.  I found that the eye is calm because the strong surface winds that converge never make it there.  The force all around the eye deflects the wind from the center causing the wind to rotate around the eye leaving the center very calm.  The irony is that even though its calm and peaceful in the eye, all around it are the most dangerous winds of the storm.  Thus, the proverbial calm before the storm.

Life and the eye of the storm have so many similarities.  Most of the time we can feel like we are either in the middle of a storm, just through a storm, or preparing for the next storm on the horizon.  God grants us the eye of the storm to renew our strength, reaffirm our faith, and rest in the power of His love and care.  We feel His peace while the winds of the storm are all around us.

No one is exempt from storms in our life, and we can’t stay in the eye forever.  We may not understand why storms come, but we can use these times to draw closer to God and thank him for the ways these storms bless us!  Storms come and go, but the love of God is constant.

Thankfully, all our family and friends are safe.  Our hometown is being referred to as “ground zero” of Georgia.  The physical damage is massive, but God has brought us through and He will be with us to sustain us.  Our prayer is for the folks in Donalsonville and surrounding areas, many farmers who have lost their crops, businesses, churches, and families as they pick up their lives using God as their eye.

When the storms of life are raging, stand by me;  when the storms of life are raging, stand by me.  When the world is tossing me like a ship upon the sea; thou who rulest wind and water, stand by me.  Charles Albert Tinley                                                     

 

 

 

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything with prayer and supplication make your requests known to God.  Philippians 4:6

I have a terrible habit of thinking a problem or a decision to death – overthinking it.  I wonder what would be a better way, will my way work, what will happen if it doesn’t work, should I suggest this, should I wait, should I say what I really feel, and on and on it goes.  While I am over thinker, Randy acts.

Years ago when we were moving our daughter into her first dorm room at Ole Miss, there was an occasion to illustrate what happens when we take too much time to think through a problem, a situation, commitment or spiritual growth.

Ashley and her roommate, Carrie, had purchased a loft for their dorm room from a couple of girls who were moving to an apartment.  The purchase was a great idea in theory, but the loft was made to fit a room in another dorm, so after we hauled it through town on the back of a truck,  moved it up three flights of stairs, and put it together, realization set in.  The lofts didn’t fit.  We could squeeze them in, but the person on the top bunk couldn’t raise their head without hitting the ceiling.

We pondered what to do while frustration mounted.  The girls laid on the bunks, tried the top, and generally continued thinking. We were running out of time, and the two dads were getting just a bit impatient to say the least.  It was obvious to all that it wasn’t going to work.  It was too late to sell them or harvest parts, so, rather than waste anymore time thinking, Randy opened the window, saw a dumpster below, sent the girls down to make sure no one was in the way and began to throw the lofts piece by piece out the window!  Problem solved!  No more thinking needed.

There comes a point when you say “enough is enough” and take action.  Whether it be a commitment, a decision, or just a destination – you can’t overthink everything.  William A. Lawrence said it best, “On the plains of hesitation bleach the bones of millions who, at the dawn of victory, sat down to wait and think, and while waiting – died.  When is comes to making a decision, our greatest adversary is inertia.  We need to take action.”

 

Then Jesus said, “but whom do YOU say that I am?”  Matthew 16:15

We have in our home a beautiful sculpture of Jesus healing the blind man which was a precious gift from the church on the occasion of Randy’s twentieth year of service.  It is not only perfect in detail, but also meaningful in so many ways.  When you look at it on a daily basis, you begin to see many things about Jesus that you might not think about otherwise.

Man sees things but sometimes doesn’t perceive. Webster says,to perceive  is understanding or realizing something for ourselves.  When we perceive, we must take what we’ve heard or thought and see it for ourselves rather than the way our parents, friends, or others see it.

First when we see Jesus for ourselves, we begin to see Him in a different way.  The sculpture shows the rugged hands that performed so many miracles used in a gentle, personal, caring way as He touches the eyes of the blind man.  You see that He cares for each one of us individually.

Secondly, when we see Jesus for ourselves, we see others in a different way.  The sculpture shows a hurting man humbling himself before Jesus as a child might before his/her parents.  He didn’t think he was worthy, but he asked Jesus for healing because he wanted to perceive Him for himself.  We begin to realize that each person is important to God, and we are none more or less important to Him.

Lastly, when we see Jesus for ourselves,  we see ourselves in a different way.  We begin to know that we are all sinners in need of a Savior, and we are no more entitled to God’s grace than any one else.  We see that grace is a gift offered to those who know Jesus.

The most important thing one can know in this life is who Jesus is to you personally because that is the how each person can find their way to the Father.  At that point, we can know that sins are forgiven, grace is granted, and we have found the Kingdom of God.  We all need to do it for ourselves.

I say to you, love your enemies, bless those that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them that spitefully use and persecute you.  Matthew 5:44 

History records an incident when General Robert E. Lee was asked by Confederate President Jefferson Davis to give his opinion about an officer in his command.  He gave a glowing report.  One of the officers in attendance was amazed and said to Lee, “General do you know that the man of whom you speak so highly to the president is one of your bitterest enemies and never misses an opportunity to criticize you?”  “Yes,” said Lee, “but the president asked for my opinion of him, not his opinion of me.”

In this age of social media, instant news, and critical reporting of those in public offices, entertainment, sports, and local politics, it would be refreshing to hear someone speak of the positive characteristics each  of these people possess.

It takes someone of character, compassion, and courage to take the high road in the character bashing that we are witnessing and speak words of praise instead of condemnation.  It takes very little effort to respond in kind to a critic, but it takes a Christlike character to turn the other cheek and respond with kindness.

When we respond in kindness, it defuses the enemy’s criticism, it increases our value as a person, and it shows a fair minded and generous nature which exemplifies Christ.

Although this sounds like a high standard in this time of “jumping on the band wagon” to point out all the character flaws in others, it is the standard that Jesus set and practiced throughout His life.  He is calling us as Christians to see others through His eyes and point out the positive in our fellow men instead of dwelling on the negative.

As I pray for our country and world today, my prayer is that we can begin to speak well of our fellow man.

Be not afraid – I will rescue you.  I have called you by name – you are mine.             Isaiah 43:1

I followed the story of the youth soccer team trapped in the cave in Malaysia with great interest and many prayers.  It was an incredible rescue, and an amazing feat that no lives were lost.  I know that one of the boys was a Christian, and that he was the one who spoke English as well.  The community that awaited him prayed religiously for his rescue and return.  These boys relied on skilled professionals and on God.  They couldn’t take control of the situation – only trust others for their rescue.

Contrast this serious situation with my grandson, Reese.  During a recent vacation with his family, he was in the resort pool with a lifeguard present who was trained to rush to the rescue of swimmers in need.  Reese is an excellent swimmer, on the swim team, and pretty much a fish in the water.  On this day, however, he thought it would be fun to fake a drowning to see what it felt like to be rescued.

He began to thrash about and go under in the water only to emerge and thrash some more.  The lifeguard did indeed rescue him, and as he was preparing to pull him to safety, Reese looked up and confidently said, “Thanks, but I’ve got this”, and swam away.  Needless to say, there were consequences for this trick – I heard that security was involved.

Our most desperate moments can lead us to complete faith in and reliance on God.  We pray to Him, call on Him, and ask Him to rescue us.  When He answers our prayers and begins the rescue process, we can respond with complete trust and faith, or we can be decide not to accept the rescue and answer, “Thanks, but I’ve got this.”

Jesus rescued us all by dying on the cross.  We’d do well to accept the life preserver He offers.

Lord, make me an instrument of they peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy.  Grant that I may not so much seek to understand as to be understood; not seek to be consoled, as to console; not so much seek to be understood as to understand; not so much to be loved as to love; for it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned; it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.                                 St. Francis of Assissi

We lost our last remaining aunt this week, my aunt Joanne.  Joanne’s father was a Methodist minister, she played the piano and the organ, sang beautifully, was the choir director of our church for 55 years, and the choral director at my high school for 30 years.  She touched so many lives in so many different ways, and she was an inspiration to many, including me.

She, my uncle, and three cousins grew up next door to my family in my hometown, and there are so many memories associated with those years.  On any given night, you could find the four adults sitting around the piano while Joanne played in our living room singing, laughing, and enjoying the fellowship.  You pick the song and Joanne could play it!

From the day Randy and I told her we were getting married, she was a constant cheerleader for the minister and his wife.   I’ve never forgotten her encouragement, support and love.  I will miss her greatly.

She and my mama did a beautiful musical arrangement of the quote above, and I think the words fit her perfectly.  She lived a life of giving, not only, to her husband, her sons, their wives, her grands, her great grands, her church, her community, but also to her God.  Her faith, beauty and love, are unequaled.

The heavenly host gathered with her now are having a great time making music.  The choir is growing and making incredible praises in song because the “coach” is there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.  Psalm 147:3

Recently, I’ve become aware of how many times I hear others (and myself) use the expression, That just breaks my heart.  The conversation can include poverty, disasters, hunger, illness, addiction, divorce, but the words come out in the same tone and with the same feeling of emotion as if we know how those people actually involved might feel.

The truth is, we don’t know how others feel until we’ve actually lived what they have lived.  It costs us nothing to say the words, That just breaks my heart, and continue living our unaffected lives.

The heart is a vital thing as it is the muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the rest of the body.  It is at the center of the entire vascular system.  The main purpose of the heart is to keep blood that’s full of oxygen flowing through the body.  It is crucial to your survival.

I thought I knew what things break my heart, but I didn’t. Last week a beautiful baby girl was born into our family.  She was perfect in every way except that her heart was broken.  It wasn’t able to pump life giving oxygen to the rest of her body.   Most of us got to see her for a moment, touch her sweet body, and offer a prayer for her.

God blessed this family by sending Charleston to us.  He gave her the best parents, grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins.  He knew that these people would fill her short time here with so much love and caring that she would feel it.

God’s grace allowed her Mama and Daddy to hold her, hear her sweet cry, to see her eyes open long enough to say “hi”, and to fight the good fight.  She was a warrior, courageous and beautiful.  In a week’s time, she has made us all stronger, bonded us, made our faith stronger, and shown us the true meaning of love.

Our hearts are breaking, but we known she is with her loving God, and those who have gone before.  We are so thankful for strength God sends to help us through challenging times when we are broken.

The doctors and nurses who supported, encouraged, and cried with us are special people who God sends like angels.  We are so thankful for  them.

 

 

 

 

Behold, a woman of the city who was a sinner, upon learning that Jesus was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment and standing behind him at his feet, she began to wet his feet with her tears, wipe them with the hairs of her head, and anointed them with ointment.  Luke 7:36

There are times in life when sprinkling, measuring, or calculating emotions or sins just doesn’t work – we need to pour it out and seek God’s grace. There comes a time when we need to forget all the inhibitions that bottle us up, and just be real with ourselves and God.  Like this woman, we need to be willing to pour it out.

We first need to pour out gratitude to Jesus for all the ways He finds us when we have strayed, the way He loves us in the midst of our faults and failures, and the way He accepts us back into the fold each and every time.  Gratitude is the language of our faith in Christ, and it changes things.

We need to pour out guilt.  I find that it is so easy to carry around guilt for things I did, things I didn’t do, things I should have done, things I said that hurt others, and the list goes on.  Guilt is that awful feeling of remorse for breaking a moral code, and one will do anything to get rid of that feeling. Pour it out, there is “no condemnation” for those in Jesus Christ.

We need to pour out regret.  Everyone has regrets, but when our regrets are not dealt with directly and receptively, it just leads to more regret.  This load of regret just begins to hold a power over us, and we can’t break the cycle.

Finally, we need to pour out good deeds.  Good deeds are something that comes naturally if your heart is right.  You just want to pass on the love you have for your God.  Good deeds don’t make everything right with God, but the Grace He offers does.

When we take that alabaster jar and pour out gratitude, guilt, regret, and good deeds, we find that we receive a whole lot more than we give.

But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.  1 Peter 3:15

Thinking back to high school and college football games, the chant, Hold That Line was and still is ever present. It was intended to give support to those defensive players who were attempting to stop the offense from making first downs, touchdowns, etc.   I learned a lot about football just knowing that the chant is always used for the defense not the offense.  As I watch our grandsons play, the chant is even more meaningful.

This chant is now proving to be one that Christians, churches, and all people of faith are being forced to use as we are now on the defensive.  The secular world is enveloping us in the philosophy that religion needs to play no part in our society.  If you attend church regularly, believe in the Bible, abide by the rules of your denomination, and try to live as Jesus did, you are made to feel as though you are the one who is wrong.

People seem to be offended by the subject of God, and they are quick to voice their objections.  While the Christian community remains silent, the world is taking God out of the equation right before our eyes.  It is considered politically incorrect to stand up for Jesus and His teachings.

What’s a Christian to do?  Well, I am no expert, but it seems that there are a few common sense alternatives, and maybe we could start by asking ourselves a few questions.  Do we know that under the constitution, freedom of religion is  granted to all?  Do we know our responsibility as Christians according to scripture?  Do we know what the Bible says to us?  Do we know what our denomination believes?  Do we know what is happening in our denomination?  Do we know what our own churches are doing to help us affirm our faith?  If not, why not?  The power of any organized religion can be found in the pew.

We can’t sit on the sidelines and chant Hold That Line if we are not willing to get involved, get off the bench, and declare “Put me in, coach” and use me to hold that line!

 

 

 

 

 

To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven.  Ecclesiastes 3:3

The countdown to kickoff has begun at our house, and with it, comes the assurance of fall.  I can’t wait for the leaves to turn, the temperatures to fall, the fire to be lit, and the sound of cheering to begin.

Just like the weather, our lives are lived in seasons, and it’s probably a good idea to begin to recognize where we are in life’s seasons and start maximizing each one.  Although, it’s hard for me to believe, I think the winter of my life is either here, or it is really late in Fall.

In spring, we begin to look for God’s purpose in our lives and prepare for it the best we can.  In summer, we tweak the purposes from spring and begin to carry them out.  In Fall, we take those purposes and begin to work harder and smarter to achieve them while we begin to transition to winter.  In winter, we assess our accomplishments, enjoy our rewards, pass on helpful advice, and take our bows on a job well done.

No season can last forever, and we are only meant to be fruitful during our time.  As we prepare for seasons to come, it’s important that those coming into seasons behind us don’t forget the fruit that was borne before them.  The person in each season can learn from those who have experienced the seasons and learned from each one.

Lately, I have heard so many friends who have lost a parent, a friend, or a trusted mentor utter these words, “I wish I had made time to listen to them more and taken their advice to heart.  I regret the time I wasted.”  This includes everything from family to career advice.  I pray that we all take time to listen to those seasoned folks in our lives.

Every generation stands on the shoulders of the generation that came before.  Jealously guard the values and principles of our heritage; they did not come easy.  Ronald Reagan