It's late and my eyelids are droopy. But having come thus far, I refuse to scratch my efforts to reply to the following comments made by 3 responders to a "Washington Herald" article about Franklin Graham's defense of his friend Sarah Palin. Since I didn't wish to subscribe to W.H.'s Disqus, or use my FB account profile, I decided to post here on my own blog.
Stated comments were as follows:
Thomas:
"That sleazeball isn't going to make her (Sarah Palin) look any better, not one bit!"
Daniel:
"The apple certainly fell a long way from the tree in the Graham clan. Poor choice of political ally for Franklin, his dad was much smarter in his choices."
Kika:
"I guess this sheeple herder guy wants to bring all fundamental Christians to her defense.
There is a lot of them out there. Especially the ones that believe dinosaurs walked the earth around 4000 years ago. " (always room for one more)
Me:
Before making derogatory remarks about Franklin Graham please try demonstrating a little true wisdom, diplomacy, and intelligence by doing your research. Going back several generations (read biographer John Pollock's,"A Foreign Devil in China" on the life of Nelson and Virginia Bell and writer Patricia Cornwell's account of the life of Ruth Bell Graham, for starters), members the Bell and Graham families have devoted their lives in service of humanity regardless of ethnicity, nationality, or any other criteria, such as religious belief's or affiliation of those they help.
Franklin is an awesome, 'regular' guy who is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and pitch right in and serve with volunteers for the Christian aids organization, "Samaritans Purse" of which he is president and CEO.
Samaritan's Purse volunteers are first responders in crisis situations in some of the most remote and dangerous spots in the world. Neither is he ashamed of his faith in Jesus Christ who is first in his life. He is incredibly loyal to his friends, whether it makes him popular or not.
It is rare if ever you will hear from mainstream media regarding relief organizations like "Samaritan's Purse" and what they do, "Friendships," YWAM, or others like them that minister unselfishly to the poorest of the poor and those caught in extreme crises such as earthquakes, ethnic wars, hurricanes, sunamis, refugee camps, epidemics and you-name-it.
For Franklin and his entire family, I have the utmost respect and deepest regard. He would, by the way, not be ashamed to be called a shepherd (sheepherder guy), since his Lord and Master refers to Himself as, "The Good Shepherd." And that He is.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
Friday, October 01, 2010
That the World May Know
The Holy Spirit connects the dots for us in scripture: when we ask, seek, knock, familiar verses may suddenly emerge in new light. When we ask, a willingness, or better yet, an eagerness on our part for more please entreats the Teacher to open up a kaleidoscope of new insight. When we seek, He loves to surprise us as a lover his bride with beatiful pearls and gems from His word. When we knock, God the Father delights to share with us, as he does with the Son, the things that belong to Him.
One of the richest truths Jesus longs to convey to all who seek Him is the mystery of our oneness in Him, in the Father, and in each other. Merely shadowed in the Old Testament, Immanuel, God with us, became reality in the new. Following the Passover meal on the night He was taken, Jesus opened up His heart to His disciples. He spoke of things that would shortly come to pass and began to prepare them for His departure from this world. Later on he would dispense His “Great Commission” to go and make disciples in all the world. But tonight Jesus “desired with great desire” a personal and intimate communion with His chosen band of followers.
In passing the baton, our Lord desired most of all to leave His disciples a legacy of love: to reveal how much the Father loved the Son, and how that love united the Father, the Son, and those whom the Father had given Him. But as an added blessing, it was given not only for their sakes alone, but also for those who would believe on Him through their word. In that hour the disciples could not possibly have grasped how much we, in ours, would bank on that promise. Neither did they anticipate the intervention of years from their day to ours.
In the gospel of John, following His going-away discourse to the disciples, Jesus leads directly into His homecoming prayer to the Father. Embedded in this prayer lies our gem of oneness; but it is one that would have held a startling, almost unbelievable concept for Jesus’ followers. For centuries the Jews had been schooled in God’s inapproachable holiness and inaccessibility to sinful man: it would take the coming of the Holy Spirit to bring to their remembrance and comprehension Jesus’ words and actions that night, as well as to shed light upon many of His teachings during His ministry on earth.
In the disciples’ world culture and tradition placed great emphasis on clout and authority. The lesser served the greater. Especially among the Gentiles who ruled over them was this true but even their own Jewish culture had diminished the original intent of God’s methodology. When Jesus washed His disciples feet, those who had often striven with one another, vying for position and preeminence, had their theology turned upside down. This is why Peter drew back from having his Lord perform the menial task of the lowest of the low: the foot-washing servant. “Serve one another, love one another, esteem one another better than oneself.” To His discples this was a foreign concept.
The oneness model for Chrisitians and His ‘new commandment’ to love one another are truly one and the same. They also have literally everything to do with fulfilling His command to spread the "Good News." In His “High Priestly Prayer” Jesus’ petition to the Father makes clear and perfects this lovely and vital truth: “…that they all may be one; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:21 (KJV)
In verse 23 Jesus deems that last part worth repeating: “…I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one: and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”
Can we grasp the significance of the joining of these several truths? Dot to to dot to dot. The lion’s share of our evangelization of the lost hinges on our fervent love one for another. Like a city on a hill our brotherly love shines as a beacon to the weary traveler. No matter the length and breadth of scholarly studies, this is pure Bible theology: straight ‘from His lips to our ears.’ Though there’s not space enough here to list them all, in the gospel and epistles of John alone scriptures abound that echo this vision of loveliness.
In large measure what the world sees in us is what the world will know it can have access to in Christ. In other words, brotherly love is our most effective testimony. The love of the father, the love of Jesus, is measured to the world in lowly us.
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35. (KJV)
One of the richest truths Jesus longs to convey to all who seek Him is the mystery of our oneness in Him, in the Father, and in each other. Merely shadowed in the Old Testament, Immanuel, God with us, became reality in the new. Following the Passover meal on the night He was taken, Jesus opened up His heart to His disciples. He spoke of things that would shortly come to pass and began to prepare them for His departure from this world. Later on he would dispense His “Great Commission” to go and make disciples in all the world. But tonight Jesus “desired with great desire” a personal and intimate communion with His chosen band of followers.
In passing the baton, our Lord desired most of all to leave His disciples a legacy of love: to reveal how much the Father loved the Son, and how that love united the Father, the Son, and those whom the Father had given Him. But as an added blessing, it was given not only for their sakes alone, but also for those who would believe on Him through their word. In that hour the disciples could not possibly have grasped how much we, in ours, would bank on that promise. Neither did they anticipate the intervention of years from their day to ours.
In the gospel of John, following His going-away discourse to the disciples, Jesus leads directly into His homecoming prayer to the Father. Embedded in this prayer lies our gem of oneness; but it is one that would have held a startling, almost unbelievable concept for Jesus’ followers. For centuries the Jews had been schooled in God’s inapproachable holiness and inaccessibility to sinful man: it would take the coming of the Holy Spirit to bring to their remembrance and comprehension Jesus’ words and actions that night, as well as to shed light upon many of His teachings during His ministry on earth.
In the disciples’ world culture and tradition placed great emphasis on clout and authority. The lesser served the greater. Especially among the Gentiles who ruled over them was this true but even their own Jewish culture had diminished the original intent of God’s methodology. When Jesus washed His disciples feet, those who had often striven with one another, vying for position and preeminence, had their theology turned upside down. This is why Peter drew back from having his Lord perform the menial task of the lowest of the low: the foot-washing servant. “Serve one another, love one another, esteem one another better than oneself.” To His discples this was a foreign concept.
The oneness model for Chrisitians and His ‘new commandment’ to love one another are truly one and the same. They also have literally everything to do with fulfilling His command to spread the "Good News." In His “High Priestly Prayer” Jesus’ petition to the Father makes clear and perfects this lovely and vital truth: “…that they all may be one; as thou Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:21 (KJV)
In verse 23 Jesus deems that last part worth repeating: “…I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one: and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.”
Can we grasp the significance of the joining of these several truths? Dot to to dot to dot. The lion’s share of our evangelization of the lost hinges on our fervent love one for another. Like a city on a hill our brotherly love shines as a beacon to the weary traveler. No matter the length and breadth of scholarly studies, this is pure Bible theology: straight ‘from His lips to our ears.’ Though there’s not space enough here to list them all, in the gospel and epistles of John alone scriptures abound that echo this vision of loveliness.
In large measure what the world sees in us is what the world will know it can have access to in Christ. In other words, brotherly love is our most effective testimony. The love of the father, the love of Jesus, is measured to the world in lowly us.
“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35. (KJV)
Saturday, February 09, 2008
Shadow
just lift the edge
if you would like
the shadow’s edge
grasp it gingerly
with the fingertips
slowly
lift and peek beneath
to see what lies under
another world perhaps-
or nothing
impossible you say
but not if there is
wonder
imagination
vision
for mystery and life
keep secrets
if no oneever tries
and yet you may do so
by thinking it through
for where there is shadow
reality
where substance
shadow
attests to what exists
good evidence
not to be denied
if you would like
the shadow’s edge
grasp it gingerly
with the fingertips
slowly
lift and peek beneath
to see what lies under
another world perhaps-
or nothing
impossible you say
but not if there is
wonder
imagination
vision
for mystery and life
keep secrets
if no oneever tries
and yet you may do so
by thinking it through
for where there is shadow
reality
where substance
shadow
attests to what exists
good evidence
not to be denied
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Humorous Devotional
I worked hard on this article, but when I got to the writing challenge submission area at FaithWriters it was closed for this week's challenge, "Write in the Devotional Genre." This has never happened to me before. The number submissions allowed in any given week is 200. Normally they are well under at closing on Thursday morning. I was dissappointed.
But I thought since I have not posted in a long while I might just as well copy it in here. Hope you enjoy. The title is:
But I thought since I have not posted in a long while I might just as well copy it in here. Hope you enjoy. The title is:
Take Shoulders
For reasons I can't explain - the sermon wasn’t boring or anything - people's shoulders began to manifest themselves to me in a pronounced way. I think it was the shape. The more I contemplated them, the odder they seemed. I mean, here’s this globe head, after that a stem; and then these square lumps we call shoulders just jutted right on out there.
I speculated. “Hmmm… wonder why God made shoulders? Well, let's see." They’re good to hang purse straps from, or as a place to pin corsages. To prevent jackets sliding off?” But what else?“I know! Shoulders are great proof humans didn’t evolve. But then I realized evolutionists would claim apes had pre-shoulders or something. I argued with imaginary scientists.
“Pre-shoulders, according to your way of reasoning, would only develop into actual shoulders only for species survival. Like apes with weapons on their backs might tend to develop shoulders. But why would apes bear weapons? ” That silenced them: they had no answer.
“Well, does God talk about shoulders in the Bible?” this time I interrogated me. (Really, the sermon was good that Sunday. I planned to do a word study when I got home.
From Strong I learned the English word shoulder or shoulders appears 61 times in the Bible: 55, OT, twice, NT. Mostly shoulders had a negative connotation: they had to work too hard, they were belligerent, or somebody was sacrificing those of animals. A few times God was removing something from them and that was usually good.
Jesting aside, the shoulder fixation did get me thinking how God sometimes uses unorthodox methods of getting my attention. He works in strange ways or maybe He works with strange people, but I sensed Him telling me shoulders have spiritual implications in need of personal enlightenment.
“How do I use my spiritual shoulders then,” I asked? My word-study scriptures resonated.
When the Lord is trying to get my attention, do I “refuse to hearken, and pull away the shoulder, and stop my ears, that I should not hear?” (Zechariah 7:11) Do my thoughts drift aimlessly in prayer or quiet time? (Does my mind wander in church?)“
Are my shoulders pillows of comfort, or do I “thrust with side and with shoulder, and push all the diseased with my horns, till I have scattered them abroad?” as I just read in Ezekiel. Have my thoughtless words ever run anyone off from church?
Do I “shoulder in” on private matters that don’t concern me? Gossip?
Do I “bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but I myself will not move them with one of my fingers? Or do I “bear another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ?” Do I raise the bar for my friends, lower it for me? Do I want them to be there for me, but I’m too busy when they have a need?
Because I’m such a ‘strong Christian’ do I with pride carry my own burdens, or do I lay them on Jesus wide shoulders, “casting all my cares on Him, because He cares for me?” Do I toss and turn and worry, or give my problem to Him and leave it there?
And for my last but not least question: do I point lost folk to Jesus that He might shoulder their burden of sin?
“For what man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.” (Luke 15:4-6)
On second thought I take back that was my last. I have one more. Are you a bizarre person like me? If so, you might be willing to pursue my line of reasoning by asking a question of your own:
“To what use have I put my shoulders lately?”
Monday, April 09, 2007
Happy Easter
We had an awesome service and sermon at church on Easter. Our pastor used John 20 as his main text, focusing on the devotion of Mary Magdalene to her Lord and how it is our devotion and the way it impacts our lives that is most important.
Paraphrased, "Christianity at it's essence is not a theological, academic excercise. It is relational, devotional, impacting."
One thoughtful observation of his centered on Mary's response to seeing the angels, one at the head, the other at the foot of where Jesus body had lain. She didn't say, "WOW! Angels!" and then go off into a torrent of questions about angel life.
Like a bulldog Mary honed right to her main concern: "They have taken away My Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him." She was not going to allow the eye-popping, mind-boggling, heart-stopping sight of supernatural messengers from heaven sidetrack her for a single minute.
"Sir if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away."
A common girl grappling with the body of a grown man was a ludicrous thought, but Mary wasn't thinking about logistics. In her zeal and devotion, she leaped past every earthly obstacle.
Our pastor is an excellent Greek scholar and frequently translates entire passages for us from the original. In fact he has large portions of the Bible committed to memory and is able to give comprehensive, contextual references from almost any point in scripture.
More and more though, he has been talking about the futility of mere academic Christianity, such as arguing for hours, as he recently witnessed during a pastor's conference, over proper tense for a verb.
"If if walk out of that place to pass without incident a person in pain or need, I am become nothing but a modern-day Pharisee, swallowing camels and gagging on gnats."
In the midst of all the pre-Easter and Easter activities I did manage to get in a bit of Bible reading and studying on my own of some of the seasonal texts. I would like to share in the form of a short devotional some of what God seemed to be showing me.
More Than Proof is Love
After His resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples. He stood in their midst and said, “Peace to you.” They thought He was a ghost and were terrified. He said, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” Luke 24:39
More Than Proof is Love
After His resurrection Jesus appeared to His disciples. He stood in their midst and said, “Peace to you.” They thought He was a ghost and were terrified. He said, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” Luke 24:39
He showed them His hands and feet, but they still dared not believe and wondered. Jesus asked the disciples if they had any food, so they gave Him fish and honeycomb. He took it from them and ate it.
In John 20:27, we see Jesus summoning Thomas, “Reach your fingers here, and look at my hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into my side. Do not be unbelieving , but believing.”
I receive more here than documented proof for doubting disciples. I sense a mixing of brotherhood blood. I feel love demonstrated.
In effect Jesus was saying to them - and to us, “Doubting is a painful state to be in. Your doubting is part and parcel with human weakness, one of the stripes of the flesh I took upon myself. As you suffer pain in your doubting, so I suffered pain of beating and the cross."
"See, I have kept the nail-prints and side-wounds: they show I am one with you forever. When I suffered I took on your suffering, when I died I took on your death. As I was resurrected, so you will be resurrected.”
We think we need tangible proof to believe: sight, taste, touch - or something academic or scientific. But the greatest proof of all is shared pain, shared victory. Jesus hands and feet and side were his proof. Not so much the feel of them, or the seeing, but love the animating force that defined them.
That is why we can say with Thomas, “My Lord, and My God!” We know, as he did, that it is our God Who is as near and as real as our own beating heart - our Lord Who is alive again.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Ladies Retreat
Ladies Retreat, Twin Oaks Ranch
Posted on 2007-03-19
Hi y'all,
I've been away for a few days but I'm home now after attending our church's very first ladies retreat in Buda Texas. This past weekend in spite of the fact my body had to adapt to lots of things it wasn't accustomed to, my spirit came back refreshed. Sharing a cabin with four other ladies (one of whom snored like a logger): trying to relax on a rough plank in a sleeping bag with people coming in and going out at odd hours; and attempting to eke lo-carb meals out of hi-carb fare, all were challenges I survived. I am so glad I was privileged to attend.
"In His Image" was the theme Bev Armstrong, our keynote speaker, chose for our time together, introduced during the first session on Friday evening. Bev broke ice that evening by urging us to imagine, then define, our spiritual shape to the person next to us. Several of us looked at one another with a question mark above our heads, but others caught on fast. When called upon to describe their shapes the quicker studies in the group came up with some interesting shapes to share.
To name a few, there was a square, an isosceles triangle, a circle, an oblong, a star, and others - even one squiggly. A few ladies volunteered to explain their reasons for choosing the shapes they did. The oblong said she was a less than perfect circle; star said her points stood for all the different roles she had to play as a mother - triangles were similar. Squares and rectangles said they were more black and white types, with definite edges and boundaries. The squiggly said she felt like she had to be flexible because so many demands were made on her that she had to slip from one identity to another at the drop of a noodle.
After hearing some of the women explain themselves I got a better idea of what was meant. I decided I was a spaghetti because my thoughts are all interconnected. But before I could interject my shape the squiggly lady spoke up and since I felt they were so similar I kept mine to myself. (It seems like that happens to me often in group settings. I think of this brilliant insight and someone else pops out with it first. Always leaves me feeling kind of deflated, you know.)
On Saturday we learned why we had been called upon to think about character shapes. Our speaker drew a circle on the board with a cross inside forming pie-shape divisions or sections within, each one representing ways that God re-shapes us. You see in the beginning of creation we were made in His image, the perfect circle representing a perfect shape. But after the first humans sinned in Eden that shape became distorted. Hence the cross inside the circle to show how God provides a new beginning at Calvary for those who believe.
The upper left section represents the Cross or death of Christ on the cross; the upper right is The Word, or scripture; the lower left is Prayer; and the lower right is our involvement with one another. Each has an impact that is vital to restoring God's image to us. On Saturday, three sessions dealt with the cross, the Word, and Prayer, respectively. The last service, Sunday morning, centered in our relationships with other Christian women.
Since it would require too much space and time I won't go into detail about each of the ways God has planned for us to regain His image. I will however give you a very terse synopsis. On the cross Jesus said, "It is finished!" That means our sin debt was paid in full at the cross - our separation from God repaired. The victory of our salvation was actually won 2,000 years ago. There is obviously however much to be done in respect to our regaining the glory of God's original shaping. While salvation is assured, the scriptures speak of the judgement seat of Christ - according to the material of which they are made our works are either burnt up or rewarded there: gold, silver, wood, hay, stubble. Kingdom works are precious metal that does not burn. Selfish works are the wood, hay, or stubble. This leads us to the next reshaping tool.
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. How do we make the will of God on earth reality? The scriptures reveal God's mind, His will. The Word of God is the tool of God to change the people of God. Scripture is God-breathed. They self-validates their Godly origin and usefulness for equipping the saints. The Word pierces our attitudes; it has convicting power.
Prayer. Pray the scriptures. This is a wonderful way to communicate with God in His own language. Begin with praise. Psalms is an excellent place to pray praises. Pray the scriptures for your family, your friends, your church, your nation and its leaders. Place your own name in the scripture of request, then pray it back to God.
To complete the circle we must love others as self. Do not use group prayer, or prayer with a prayer partner as a way to manipulate others. Pray to God, not to your group or prayer partner. Don't try to "fix" someone. Instead, come alongside, point to Christ. Bev gave wonderful example of Lydia, a New Testament business woman of means, being in harmony with a former demon-possessed slave girl. Lydia opened her home to Paul and Dr. Luke, her beautiful couch perhaps to be stained by their bloody backs. Lydia had a choice to make. She chose correctly. Bev spoke of the three-strand cord in Proverbs, suggesting we ask God to bring us someone of His choosing for us to interact with, for just one year. Both parties in a discipleship relationship have something to gain. It is never one sided. Women under the influence of the Holy Spirit can make a tremendous difference in their church and community.
On Saturday evening we had quiet time with God, individually under the stars. Afterward we came together around a bonfire and shared our hearts. I shared how He spoke to me about standing on His airhose. I was stopping Holy Spirit flow, suffocating myself with my own selfish pursuits. Into the fire went our mistakes, repentances, regrets, baggage. We were cleansed and bonded together as one.
To end on a lighter note I will share one of the more humorous incidents that happened at retreat. Each lady at registration was given a gift bag filled with frilly girl-type items. One of the items in each bag was a container of liquid hand soap. I know because I read the label. In our cabin I was the first to pull mine from the bag. I set it on the lavatory for all of us to use. But it was not until the second day that I observed one of my cabin buddies removing her container and squishing some of the pink liquid into the palm of her hand. She was at the time sitting on her bunk. I remarked how nice she had gotten hand lotion. "I only got soap!" I complained. She started to read her label. It said HAND SOAP. We had a good laugh.
Later at lunch around a table of about 8 ladies we were recalling the incident to a friend. She said, "Oh! That was soap?!!" I rubbed it all over my body after my shower this morning." Of course since we were already giggling you can imagine the peals of laughter this new revelation provoked. We teased her with all kinds of scenarios. If we saw bubbles coming out from under her cabin door we would know she was in the shower. We told her she better only wash one leg or an arm at a time. "Doesn't it itch?" we wanted to know. "Not really," she said. "I just feel a little slick." When I told my husband later at home he said she best not get caught in a rainstorm. Our sweet-natured friend took it all in good humor, joining with us in poking fun at herself.
Until next time, be sure to read all your labels.
Posted on 2007-03-19
Hi y'all,
I've been away for a few days but I'm home now after attending our church's very first ladies retreat in Buda Texas. This past weekend in spite of the fact my body had to adapt to lots of things it wasn't accustomed to, my spirit came back refreshed. Sharing a cabin with four other ladies (one of whom snored like a logger): trying to relax on a rough plank in a sleeping bag with people coming in and going out at odd hours; and attempting to eke lo-carb meals out of hi-carb fare, all were challenges I survived. I am so glad I was privileged to attend.
"In His Image" was the theme Bev Armstrong, our keynote speaker, chose for our time together, introduced during the first session on Friday evening. Bev broke ice that evening by urging us to imagine, then define, our spiritual shape to the person next to us. Several of us looked at one another with a question mark above our heads, but others caught on fast. When called upon to describe their shapes the quicker studies in the group came up with some interesting shapes to share.
To name a few, there was a square, an isosceles triangle, a circle, an oblong, a star, and others - even one squiggly. A few ladies volunteered to explain their reasons for choosing the shapes they did. The oblong said she was a less than perfect circle; star said her points stood for all the different roles she had to play as a mother - triangles were similar. Squares and rectangles said they were more black and white types, with definite edges and boundaries. The squiggly said she felt like she had to be flexible because so many demands were made on her that she had to slip from one identity to another at the drop of a noodle.
After hearing some of the women explain themselves I got a better idea of what was meant. I decided I was a spaghetti because my thoughts are all interconnected. But before I could interject my shape the squiggly lady spoke up and since I felt they were so similar I kept mine to myself. (It seems like that happens to me often in group settings. I think of this brilliant insight and someone else pops out with it first. Always leaves me feeling kind of deflated, you know.)
On Saturday we learned why we had been called upon to think about character shapes. Our speaker drew a circle on the board with a cross inside forming pie-shape divisions or sections within, each one representing ways that God re-shapes us. You see in the beginning of creation we were made in His image, the perfect circle representing a perfect shape. But after the first humans sinned in Eden that shape became distorted. Hence the cross inside the circle to show how God provides a new beginning at Calvary for those who believe.
The upper left section represents the Cross or death of Christ on the cross; the upper right is The Word, or scripture; the lower left is Prayer; and the lower right is our involvement with one another. Each has an impact that is vital to restoring God's image to us. On Saturday, three sessions dealt with the cross, the Word, and Prayer, respectively. The last service, Sunday morning, centered in our relationships with other Christian women.
Since it would require too much space and time I won't go into detail about each of the ways God has planned for us to regain His image. I will however give you a very terse synopsis. On the cross Jesus said, "It is finished!" That means our sin debt was paid in full at the cross - our separation from God repaired. The victory of our salvation was actually won 2,000 years ago. There is obviously however much to be done in respect to our regaining the glory of God's original shaping. While salvation is assured, the scriptures speak of the judgement seat of Christ - according to the material of which they are made our works are either burnt up or rewarded there: gold, silver, wood, hay, stubble. Kingdom works are precious metal that does not burn. Selfish works are the wood, hay, or stubble. This leads us to the next reshaping tool.
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. How do we make the will of God on earth reality? The scriptures reveal God's mind, His will. The Word of God is the tool of God to change the people of God. Scripture is God-breathed. They self-validates their Godly origin and usefulness for equipping the saints. The Word pierces our attitudes; it has convicting power.
Prayer. Pray the scriptures. This is a wonderful way to communicate with God in His own language. Begin with praise. Psalms is an excellent place to pray praises. Pray the scriptures for your family, your friends, your church, your nation and its leaders. Place your own name in the scripture of request, then pray it back to God.
To complete the circle we must love others as self. Do not use group prayer, or prayer with a prayer partner as a way to manipulate others. Pray to God, not to your group or prayer partner. Don't try to "fix" someone. Instead, come alongside, point to Christ. Bev gave wonderful example of Lydia, a New Testament business woman of means, being in harmony with a former demon-possessed slave girl. Lydia opened her home to Paul and Dr. Luke, her beautiful couch perhaps to be stained by their bloody backs. Lydia had a choice to make. She chose correctly. Bev spoke of the three-strand cord in Proverbs, suggesting we ask God to bring us someone of His choosing for us to interact with, for just one year. Both parties in a discipleship relationship have something to gain. It is never one sided. Women under the influence of the Holy Spirit can make a tremendous difference in their church and community.
On Saturday evening we had quiet time with God, individually under the stars. Afterward we came together around a bonfire and shared our hearts. I shared how He spoke to me about standing on His airhose. I was stopping Holy Spirit flow, suffocating myself with my own selfish pursuits. Into the fire went our mistakes, repentances, regrets, baggage. We were cleansed and bonded together as one.
To end on a lighter note I will share one of the more humorous incidents that happened at retreat. Each lady at registration was given a gift bag filled with frilly girl-type items. One of the items in each bag was a container of liquid hand soap. I know because I read the label. In our cabin I was the first to pull mine from the bag. I set it on the lavatory for all of us to use. But it was not until the second day that I observed one of my cabin buddies removing her container and squishing some of the pink liquid into the palm of her hand. She was at the time sitting on her bunk. I remarked how nice she had gotten hand lotion. "I only got soap!" I complained. She started to read her label. It said HAND SOAP. We had a good laugh.
Later at lunch around a table of about 8 ladies we were recalling the incident to a friend. She said, "Oh! That was soap?!!" I rubbed it all over my body after my shower this morning." Of course since we were already giggling you can imagine the peals of laughter this new revelation provoked. We teased her with all kinds of scenarios. If we saw bubbles coming out from under her cabin door we would know she was in the shower. We told her she better only wash one leg or an arm at a time. "Doesn't it itch?" we wanted to know. "Not really," she said. "I just feel a little slick." When I told my husband later at home he said she best not get caught in a rainstorm. Our sweet-natured friend took it all in good humor, joining with us in poking fun at herself.
Until next time, be sure to read all your labels.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Perils Of The Undermice
Sharing my latest!
“What do you think about this?” Over a cup of hot coffee, I was jawing with my fellow writer friend Ross about animated movie script ideas.
“You got a mice couple, call ‘em Ikedrom and Molly, never had any kids. Live in the walls of an old abandoned apartment building. Old man, he’s happy, the way things are. But the wife, she’s freaking out because she wants a kid so bad. Nags Ikedrom all the time.
One day they find a blankie on their doorstep. Turns out, there’s a newborn kitten wrapped inside. Molly wants to keep it, Ikedrom thinks Molly’s nuts. They argue. Molly digs in, takes matters into her own paws. She drags the blankie inside - names the kitty Rehtse, feeds it from an old rubber glove of Ike’s.
Before long Molly realizes Rehtse is getting too big for her blankie and their apartment. She needs Ike to help her figure out a way to move Rehtse someplace roomier- but close enough so she can still look after her. So she makes up with Ike. Idea is maybe he can find a closet or an attic or something in the building and create an opening from there into their apartment.
Ikedrom agrees to venture into the wide world of their building to see what he can see. Next morning at daybreak, he sets out.
“Wait a minute,” Ross interrupts - rather rudely, I’m thinking. “Plot sounds kind of’ fantastical to me. Nobody’s gonna’ buy it. You know, suspension of belief and all that!”
“Patience, friend,” I counter him, “there’s a thread. Besides, you the myth-king of all time, are telling me my story’s too fantastical?”
“Well, all right,” my friend relents, but with a martyred look on his face. But try to get on with it, will you? Just give me a rough outline.”
Okay, I’ll try but I’m not sure I can do justice just hitting the high points.” I taste my coffee and frown deeply. Ross has been jabbering so much, it’s gotten cold.
“Anyhow, so Ikedrom crawls out a crack, climbs a vine, and re-enters through an air-duct. Once inside he starts to look around and sure enough finds the perfect hidey-hole for Rehtse. But before he can make it back to tell Molly, he overhears two renegade cat denizens, Namah and Manah, plotting against the big hama-hama cat of the neighborhood, Sure-Usa-Dak-Uben.
So happens big guy is a champion of the under dog mice folk and has just made a decree in their favor. The two traitors don’t like it so they’re gonna’ do him in.”
“Nope, nope, story line’s never gonna’ work!” Its Ross again, rearing back in his arrogance.
“What do you mean it won’t work? I think it’s great!”
“Audience won’t sit still for it. Too weird! But do go on!”
“Thanks buddy, I think I will!” I clear my throat.
“As soon as the coast is clear old Ike rushes back home to tell Molly what he overheard. They write a note to Sure-Usa warning him of danger and the plot against him is foiled. Sure-Usa writes it all down on a sticky-note, but then forgets all about it.
Months go by and Rehtse grows into a little beauty. She loves her adoptive mice parents but senses it’s time to move on. Once in the hood, she becomes queen of the hop. Sure-Usa notices Rehtse, Rehtse notices Sure-Usa. They become inseparable and begin wedding plans. Rehtse doesn’t tell Sure-Usa about her mice relations.
Before you know it a new dastardly plot arises in the enemy camp. Namah and Manah are spreading it that mice cause golden tumors on cats. All mice are declared enemies of the state and are to be exterminated. Without realizing what he’s doing, Sure-Usa signs the bill.”
“Oh my goodness!” Ross is shaking his head, determined not to let me get a word in edgewise.
“Please!” I hold up a hand. “I’m almost done.”
“Ikedrom goes looking for Rehtse - finds her basking at her ease. Tells her about dastardly plot, enlists her aid. Rhetse agrees but demands backup: all mice have to give up cheese for Lent. Mice of the hood agree.
Meanwhile, Sure-Usa can’t sleep one night, finds wadded-up note under him is reason. Reads note that Ikedrom saved his life one time. Gives Ike a new suit of clothes.
Rehtse hatches plan. Invites Sure-Usa, Namah and Manah to a party. Rehtse confesses her humble beginnings to Sure-Usa and rats on Namah and Manah. She begs a mice reprieve for her adoptive kinfolk. When Sure-Usa catches Namah and Manah trying to claw Rehtse, that corks it. He banishes them to Pied Piper land. Rehtse, Sure-Usa, Ikedrom and Molly all take a cruise together. On Namah and Manah’s money.”
“Now see, that didn’t take too long!”
“Well, it might be okay,” this was quite a concession for such as Ross. But I couldn't help but wait for the other shoe to drop. And it did.
“But I have just one question… (here it came) why a weird name like Molly?”
“I don’t know,” I said, after thinking about it a minute or two. I scratched my head, “That’s just her name, I guess!”
“What do you think about this?” Over a cup of hot coffee, I was jawing with my fellow writer friend Ross about animated movie script ideas.
“You got a mice couple, call ‘em Ikedrom and Molly, never had any kids. Live in the walls of an old abandoned apartment building. Old man, he’s happy, the way things are. But the wife, she’s freaking out because she wants a kid so bad. Nags Ikedrom all the time.
One day they find a blankie on their doorstep. Turns out, there’s a newborn kitten wrapped inside. Molly wants to keep it, Ikedrom thinks Molly’s nuts. They argue. Molly digs in, takes matters into her own paws. She drags the blankie inside - names the kitty Rehtse, feeds it from an old rubber glove of Ike’s.
Before long Molly realizes Rehtse is getting too big for her blankie and their apartment. She needs Ike to help her figure out a way to move Rehtse someplace roomier- but close enough so she can still look after her. So she makes up with Ike. Idea is maybe he can find a closet or an attic or something in the building and create an opening from there into their apartment.
Ikedrom agrees to venture into the wide world of their building to see what he can see. Next morning at daybreak, he sets out.
“Wait a minute,” Ross interrupts - rather rudely, I’m thinking. “Plot sounds kind of’ fantastical to me. Nobody’s gonna’ buy it. You know, suspension of belief and all that!”
“Patience, friend,” I counter him, “there’s a thread. Besides, you the myth-king of all time, are telling me my story’s too fantastical?”
“Well, all right,” my friend relents, but with a martyred look on his face. But try to get on with it, will you? Just give me a rough outline.”
Okay, I’ll try but I’m not sure I can do justice just hitting the high points.” I taste my coffee and frown deeply. Ross has been jabbering so much, it’s gotten cold.
“Anyhow, so Ikedrom crawls out a crack, climbs a vine, and re-enters through an air-duct. Once inside he starts to look around and sure enough finds the perfect hidey-hole for Rehtse. But before he can make it back to tell Molly, he overhears two renegade cat denizens, Namah and Manah, plotting against the big hama-hama cat of the neighborhood, Sure-Usa-Dak-Uben.
So happens big guy is a champion of the under dog mice folk and has just made a decree in their favor. The two traitors don’t like it so they’re gonna’ do him in.”
“Nope, nope, story line’s never gonna’ work!” Its Ross again, rearing back in his arrogance.
“What do you mean it won’t work? I think it’s great!”
“Audience won’t sit still for it. Too weird! But do go on!”
“Thanks buddy, I think I will!” I clear my throat.
“As soon as the coast is clear old Ike rushes back home to tell Molly what he overheard. They write a note to Sure-Usa warning him of danger and the plot against him is foiled. Sure-Usa writes it all down on a sticky-note, but then forgets all about it.
Months go by and Rehtse grows into a little beauty. She loves her adoptive mice parents but senses it’s time to move on. Once in the hood, she becomes queen of the hop. Sure-Usa notices Rehtse, Rehtse notices Sure-Usa. They become inseparable and begin wedding plans. Rehtse doesn’t tell Sure-Usa about her mice relations.
Before you know it a new dastardly plot arises in the enemy camp. Namah and Manah are spreading it that mice cause golden tumors on cats. All mice are declared enemies of the state and are to be exterminated. Without realizing what he’s doing, Sure-Usa signs the bill.”
“Oh my goodness!” Ross is shaking his head, determined not to let me get a word in edgewise.
“Please!” I hold up a hand. “I’m almost done.”
“Ikedrom goes looking for Rehtse - finds her basking at her ease. Tells her about dastardly plot, enlists her aid. Rhetse agrees but demands backup: all mice have to give up cheese for Lent. Mice of the hood agree.
Meanwhile, Sure-Usa can’t sleep one night, finds wadded-up note under him is reason. Reads note that Ikedrom saved his life one time. Gives Ike a new suit of clothes.
Rehtse hatches plan. Invites Sure-Usa, Namah and Manah to a party. Rehtse confesses her humble beginnings to Sure-Usa and rats on Namah and Manah. She begs a mice reprieve for her adoptive kinfolk. When Sure-Usa catches Namah and Manah trying to claw Rehtse, that corks it. He banishes them to Pied Piper land. Rehtse, Sure-Usa, Ikedrom and Molly all take a cruise together. On Namah and Manah’s money.”
“Now see, that didn’t take too long!”
“Well, it might be okay,” this was quite a concession for such as Ross. But I couldn't help but wait for the other shoe to drop. And it did.
“But I have just one question… (here it came) why a weird name like Molly?”
“I don’t know,” I said, after thinking about it a minute or two. I scratched my head, “That’s just her name, I guess!”
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