MY OPINION -FOR WHAT IT IS WORTH

NOT a huge fan of the news, I can only endure short bursts before I am clicking the remote.  I have noticed there seems to be a new trend today of uncovering every foolish thing people in the spotlight have ever done.  There is no grace for the indiscretions and stupidity of youth.  Assault is one thing, but stupidity is completely different. The latest one I noticed is for inappropriate choices in the late 1960's.  In case you are not a math person, that would be 50 years ago.  NOW, I am NOT excusing bad behavior, but I am wondering how many of us could survive the revelation of every bad choice we ever made?  I can assure you I do not want to dredge up some of my personal choices from my mid to late teens.  

No credit is given for the following decades of good.  The one choice in your late teens, in a totally different culture, is not to be excused.  We are trying and convicting and demanding punishment by banishment from public eye without a blink of an eye.  No thought is given to how we might have acted during our "stupid years".  We all just want just punishment for the guilty.  

I seem to remember a great story in The Word, from the eighth chapter of John, about a young woman who was brought before Jesus.  Her accusers were demanding punishment for her sin.  As he stirred the dirt, he requested the one who had not sinned to begin her punishment.  The posse of righteous citizens slowly walked away.  When she was asked where her accusers were, she told Jesus they had all gone away.  He then told her to also leave and sin no more.

SO, I am saying to you, until the accusers are willing to stand under the microscope of righteous examination, I am not listening to all of this.  It is another political game bent on destroying.  What happened to grace?  Is there any willingness to hear the other side of the story?  Are we all to be held accountable for every bad choice and mistake we have ever made.  Are we willing to extend the same forgiveness that has been lavished upon us?

As I thought all of this over, I was reminded that God has forgiven and forgotten my bad choices.  I am so certain of this that those bad decisions do not even come to mind.  The sins of my youth have been removed as far as the west is from the east.  Grace was extended and the slate wiped clean when I called to Jesus.  Why then should they be a topic of conversation over fifty years later?

This is NOT up for discussion.  I am expressing my opinion for what it is worth and I refuse to get into a political debate.   I am asking for you to take the politics out of it and consider if this was your father, your grandfather who was standing accused.  What judgement should he receive? 

For if you forgive others for their transgressions,

 your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 

Matthew 6:14

MARK IN TIME

I have always said, "If you want time to stand still, go sit in a hospital waiting room."  Forever etched in my memory are those long hours spent in the ICU waiting room while my mother was sick.  The people surrounding me became my micro community for those few weeks.  Some moved on, new ones came, but we all became invested in each other because of one common thread, waiting for news.

Recently I received a 3:45 AM text, "Are you awake?"  My friends know my issues with sleep these days!  In an effort to stay asleep, I put my phone on mute at night, but something (we all know Who) woke me up when the screen lit up.  My first response was the friend I play a word game with was having trouble sleeping and up playing, so I closed my eyes to return to dreamland.  When the screen lit up and again, I knew I needed to check it--it was a text.  

A good friend had been up with stomach issues and was supposed to take her spouse for surgery over an hour away.  Their plan was to leave at 4:45 AM.  Could I come take him?  Of course I could!  Throwing on clothes and with a lick and a promise, I was ready to roll.   I had to take the Wonder Dog for a short walk, since I did not know how long I would be gone.  Thankfully, he did not malinger--in fact he thought I had lost my mind by dragging him out at that time of the night.  I pulled out of my garage at 4:30 to make the pick up.

The poor guy was forced to endure Lulu's Medical Transport which included one hour and fifteen minutes each way of my non-stop talking.  I always enjoy hearing the male perspective on things, and do not often get a chance for a one on one conversation with a man.  BLESS HIS HEART!  There he is strapped into the seat belt, my captive audience.  If I had known ahead of time, I would have made a list of those subjects which I am curious about a man's perspective.  Instead he got a random shot gun blast of things that popped in my head.  We all know what a splattering of loose association that can be.

I am certain he was greatly relieved when the nurse rescued him from the early morning barrage of conversation.  So, I settled in to watch the comings and goings of patients and their family and sleuthly listen to nearby conversations.  Most patients had only one person with them, since it was early and the surgery center was for routine eye surgery (is any surgery routine--stay tuned).

After a couple of hours, I noticed an ambulance pull into the parking lot with red lights flashing.  The receptionist flew out the door to redirect them to the side of the building.  By this time, the paramedic was already through the door and refusing to be redirected out of the sight of the waiting room.  He insisted he needed to be immediately admitted with his cases of equipment.  WELL NOW!  My heart is pumping!  The waiting room had filled by this time and we are all looking at one another wondering what has happened and who it happened to.  

For twenty minutes, we are left completely in the dark.  I am sitting there praying it is not my friend, but also knowing if it is not, someone else in this room is about to get unexpected news.  Finally, the ambulance is gone and the "Head Nurse" comes out looking for the family of one of the patients.  Thankfully it is not my friend, but let me tell you for twenty minutes my heart was pumping and the adrenalin was flowing.  The fear of bad news was thick in the room.  

When I questioned my friend on the way home if he was aware of the excitement, he said he did hear them talking.  "I can't get her to breath," was what he overheard.  Let me tell you, I immediately thought how I would have felt had I needed to call my friend and tell her this had happened to her spouse.  Going in for routine eye surgery had become one of those life changing days.  A mark in time for the family of that patient.

We all have those mark in time days in our lives.  It can be joyous marks in time-marriage, births, new jobs and other wonderful life changing events.  It also can be explosions of grief days-deaths, divorce, lost jobs, arrests or any event which brings the world crashing to a halt.  We are all sitting in the waiting room of life knowing one or more of these events are on the horizon.  Those days forever alter our life and become life markers.  The point in time we begin to use as a reference--the before and after marker.

  Those days are going to come--some things are unavoidable in life such as death.  What is important is how we continue to live after that point.  Do we listen to what God has promised us and continue down the path He has planned for us?  Do we become stuck in the pain of that moment unable to move forward?  As Believers what is our response to those marks in time?  God's desire is for us to live life to the fullest-whatever it may look like.  Only with His help can we accomplish this.  HE is our strength and portion--He is our rock--He is our fortress and strong tower--He is the One from where our help comes.  With Him even the hardest markers in life can become markers of strength and courage to continue.  There will be markers, but life goes on.  How we use the gift of time is a reflection of our love for Him.  Acknowledge the mark, and then continue down the path being available for His good pleasure until that final mark on this side of eternity.  Do not get stuck in the waiting room, but instead march out the door with His strength and face the day before you.  All for His glory and good pleasure.

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;

perplexed, but not in despair;

persecuted, but not abandoned;

struck down, but not destroyed.

II Corinthians 4:8-9

HAND OF GOD

ABOVE AND BELOW ME

BEFORE AND BEHIND ME

IN EVERY EYE THAT SEES ME

CHRIST BE ALL AROUND ME

BLESSED SABBATH,

DEAR FRIENDS

MEANWHILE HERE IN THE HOOD

ALL MY FRIENDS

WHO CHOOSE TATTOOS

ALWAYS GET THIS WARNING

A FEW WRINKLES LATER

AN EAGLE

CAN BECOME A BUZZARD

SLIPPING AWAY

As the grogginess of the night slowly faded, I began thinking of the words "slipping away."  Of course, having been a teen in the 60's, I thought of this song.  You are quite welcome for getting the tune stuck in your head--Misery loves company!  As I listened to the words, to make sure it fit with my thoughts, BINGO!

As I first began to think over these words which popped into my head, I was mulling over things which slip away.  We will not recount the times as a child I slipped away to avoid work detail nor will I admit to any middle of the night slipping out the door/window for a little midnight joy ride as a teen.

As a "mature" (I use this loosely) adult, I began thinking how easily it is for money to slip away.  $5 here--$5 there ~ and before you know it your wallet is empty and there is nothing to show for it and little memory of what in the world happened to it.  It seems to magically slip through your fingers.  Every month, I declare I am going to keep a detailed accounting to see where I am spending my cash--and every month I conveniently forget.  All I know for certain is there appears to be a hole in my pocket.

Occasionally I go to my brother for advice.  Sometimes that comes back and bites me in the butt, but always make a great story.  When contemplating whether or not I should move back to Ruston from Texas, I talked it over with him.  He told me "You probably have five good years left, so make the most of them."  WELL!  Here I am a year and a half later and the clock is ticking!  I did HAVE to remind him he is two and a half years older than me--SO with my astute mathematical abilities ~ it did not take long to figure out he had two and half GOOD years left at the time.  SO based upon that theory he is on his last leg!

In my latest fishing expedition with him for advice, he has now changed his tune.  (Could it be he realized he was down to his last twelve months?)  NOW he tells me I probably have ten good years left to make hay while the sun shines.  He also is not foretelling me leaving this terrestrial ball, but  it sounded like I would be home rocking and napping from that point on.  I love my brother, and he is a truth teller in my life, BUT sometimes sugar coating the truth would be kind too.  

In MY grand plan, I will rock and roll until the day I keel over from exhaustion and immediately be whisked away to my heavenly reward.  While brother and I were discussing the future, he told me a friend recently told him, "We fervently make our plans, and God is laughing."  As Paul Simon so well put it, 

"God only knows

God makes his plan

The information is unavailable to the mortal man"

The truth is time is slipping away, and as Simon said in the lyrics to the song, "The nearer the destination the more you are slip sliding away."  Yes, the destination becomes nearer moment by moment.  If we are not careful, time will surely slip slide away without any memory of what happened to it.  How we use our limited resource of time is a huge indicator of where our priorities are.  Is your life quickly slip sliding away without you realizing it or are you making the most for the Kingdom with the time you have?  HOW in the world do I emerge from a night of sleep and this pop into my head???  

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Psalm 90:12

THE BACK DOOR

Recently as I walked out the back door to take the Wonder Dog for his morning walk, I was startled to find I had not dead bolted the back door. As I walked into the garage, I discovered I also failed to put the garage door down last night.  This is very unusual for me as I have a nightly routine which includes locking all the doors and putting down the garage door.  My thoughts were distracted at bedtime and though I am certain I locked the two doors I can see from my throne in the living area, I failed to secure the all important back door.  Not only was I open to invasion, but I had invited the invader to enter through the unseen back door.  You see the garage door and back door are not visible from the street.  Someone could have walked down the drive, and been in the garage and house before anyone was aware there was danger lurking.  

Being raised a country girl and with two brothers, I have never been a "Fraidy Cat".  LONG ago I learned to conquer those fears of break ins, home invasions, and all sorts of badness from potentially lurking bad guys.  I do lock my doors at night and take precautions, but I really never think about the possibility of being vulnerable.  I went to bed that night, took my melatonin and slept the fitful sleep of advanced (see I did not use the O word) age.  I count on the fact that my light sleeping habits and one ear always open will make me aware of any break in.  Since I have been wearing my fitbit and tracking not only my activity, but also my sleep, I have become aware that I only sleep less than 30 minutes a night of deep sleep.  This opens a thirty minute window when someone could have gotten in the welcoming open back door, been in the house, and robbed me blind or worse.  I left the back door open to the potential of danger.

Our personal safety often depends upon our vigilant awareness of our surroundings and taking the proper precautions.  I invited trouble when I forgot to check the locks.  Obviously, I survived my dropped guard, but I left the door open to danger.  An open invitation for an attack upon my life.

So it is with our spiritual lives, we are told to be on guard and vigilant for potential attacks. We all know one of his favorite tactics is to come at you the back way.  A sneak attack leaves us reeling from the surprise.  Do not leave the back door open by neglecting to safeguard your heart.  Stay in The Word, Diligently Pray, and Claim His Promises.  Do not invite attack, instead keep your spiritual guard up and always be aware of the danger lurking waiting for you to put your guard down.  Do not issue an invitation for invasion, keep your backdoor locked.

Watch over your heart with all diligence

Proverbs 4:23

WATCH OUT!

I should have known to be on  guard!  Things were going great spiritually!  I was seeing growth, learning new truths, and experiencing a deepening of my prayer time.  WHAM!  The old sly one hits me where it hurts!  He knows my weak spots and he used that knowledge to attack and distract me.  For three days, I am back in the cave trying to sort out what just happened.

We learned recently in our new study there are two places you have to be constantly on watch for a sneak attack-

The places I pose the biggest threat to the enemy and his purposes.

My fleshly tendencies, innate passions, and weaknesses. (I like to call that my proclivities because that word must be a onomatopoeia for these.)


Not only was I seeing personal growth, but small group was experiencing the same.  The crafty one will do whatever he can to stop this.  "Satan will predictably want to cripple you in the area of your life where doing so will most directly defame God and hinder His church."  Priscilla Shirer He effectively knocked me back 10 years in a few hours.  Then while I was down---he started whispering in my ear--telling me lies from the pit of hell.  Doubting myself, I became so immersed in the drama, I became a prisoner of my own doubts and fears rendering me useless for the kingdom.

BUT GOD---  having the sense to cry out, He answered my prayer of anguish and began to remind me of Who I am in Him.  Who are you going to believe--ME or him.  Truth was spoken into my life and I began to remember what I know.  "All things are used for good for those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose."  Even this!  

Far greater men and women than me have suffered spiritual attacks.  The answer always begins with prayer.  "Prayer is the mechanism that brings down the power of heaven into your experience.  It is the divinely authorized method that activates your spiritual armor and makes it effective.  Prayer alerts the enemy to your awareness of his intentions while safeguarding you from his attacks.  Unless prayer is a vital and thriving part of your life, you will never achiever spiritual victory."  Priscilla Shirer

Three wasted days licking my wounds.  Here is the thing about licking wounds, dogs will begin licking a wound or irritation and keep on and on--licking the same spot until it becomes a full fledged "hot spot".  Raw--oozing--infected flesh--the dog will not leave it alone and it just keeps getting worse and worse.  So it is with the wounds received from the enemy, if we are not careful--we will lick--lick lick--lick lick lick until all we can think about is going back and licking that same spot over and over.  We have become a habitual licker who thinks of nothing but the wound.  Until we break the power of wanting to lick the wound--we are useless to anyone--especially God and His Kingdom.

I have FAR more important things to be doing than sitting around thinking about my wounds.

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling:

for it is God who is at work in you,

both to will and to work for His good pleasure.

Philippians 2:12-13