Memorial Day

My, how time has whizzed by like a whirlwind since my adult children with children have informed us, the grandparents, of our duty and obligation to the annual getaway of the adult only children. To put it in a nutshell, it means we, that is the grandparents, get the opportunity, as my adult children remind me often, to babysit. Well the youngest is three so that is not really babysitting, but then again when you are approaching sixty, almost touching sixty to be exact, three years old is really close to being a baby. And so as the annual trip goes, the adult children gather together and plan for a year their adventure trip, reminding the grandparents, us, of how much fun they will have on this gathering of the brothers and sisters and how I should appreciate how much they like each other, as though that makes their plans easier to encompass for the grandparents, us, to embrace. Ha! It just makes me wonder if I truly can survive another of their annual trips of the brotherhood and sisterhood, because it means we, that is the grandparents, us, get the opportunity, there is that word again, to babysit the adult children's offspring. Don't get me wrong I love those little ones. They are a blessing to me and to my heart. They are fun and full of life. These children of my adult children light up my life and remind me of my legacy. However, and that is a very big however, I know how fully tired I will be and ready, yes very ready, to give these little ones back to my adult children when they arrive four days later. Without any regret, I will close the door behind them when they leave and collapse on the couch, a bittersweet smile on my face that the annual trip is over and yet a good time well spent for everyone!

Women In Ministry

OK...it has been a while, well maybe a long while since I have blogged however I just read a blog by Felicity Dale, co-author of The Rabbit and the Elephant, about women in ministry and it sparked my need to comment. Since I am a woman and since I am in ministry and since I believe all women and for that matter all men are in ministry as Followers of Christ I want to clarify what being a woman in ministry really means. I believe we are all called to be available to share Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit and leave the results to God. To me that is ministry and all living human beings are to do this. It was Jesus' last words on earth. However the kind of ministry I think Felicity was talking about is from a pulpit. While I am OK with a woman in the pulpit (I use this word to refer to the use of a platform which could represent a woman talking to a group)and I have had the opportunity many times myself and enjoy doing so, I believe there is a point that needs not to be missed. In the beginning, when man and woman were created and woman stepped up in leadership and led her husband into biting the apple, I believe at that time her man could have and should have covered her with something like this, "Now honey you know what God says about this. I am taking the leadership here and I am not going to eat the apple. I know you already have taken that bite, but because i love you so much and because the buck stops here as your leader, I am going to not participate in this. I love you very much however I am going to be firm in my leadership role and cover you. I know God will understand because He is a loving God." Now that is leadership magnified. I do believe as a side-note that Eve would have been covered by Adam's obedience...we will never know though will we? So with that said I think it is very important that women grab hold of the value of being an equal partner however also know the equally important value of being under the covering of their husbands. If a woman is not married God is her covering and in all things she must be diligent to seek God's counsel and the wise counsel of Godly people both men and women in her life. If a woman is married she must be under the counsel of her husband which does not matter if he is a believer or not which is a hard concept for a woman whose husband is not walking with Christ as his head. In this way all her ways will be blessed because she is not seeking the limelight for personal glory rather being in submission to God's authority as her ultimate head and then to her husband. I have more to say about this in my next post.

The Snake & The Man

Several years ago I heard a psychologist speak at a co-dependant meeting I was attending, a category I knew I met all the criteria at the time. The noted psychologist told the story of a snake at the bottom of a mountain where a man was preparing to hike to the summit. The snake seeing the man and a possible opportunity slithered over to him ever so kindly and in its sweetest most gentle voice asked the climber, "Good sir, would you kindly take me to the top? You could put me in your pocket and take me out when you get to your destination." The man alarmed jumped back a step and peering down at the snake responded "No, you are a snake and you will bite me!" The snake thinking ahead of the man quickly exclaimed, "I promise I will not bite you. Just put me in your pocket and take me out when you arrive at the top. I will go on my way." The man began to ponder this as the snake did have an attitude of humbleness and after all seemed gentle enough. Maybe the man could help the snake. Being a person of compassion and wanting to help others the man finally, however with a slight hesitation, replied to the snake, "OK I will take you to the top." The man bent down, picked up the snake and slipped it ever so softly into his front coat pocket. After several long hours the man finally stood on the summit. He reached into his pocket and set the snake on the ground. The snake looked up at the man and without missing a beat bit the man on the shin of his leg sinking it's fangs deeply injecting lethal doses of venom. The man startled and confused writhing in pain began shouting at the snake, "You bit me!" The snake quickly began to slide it's slimy body across the rocks however turned back to face the man with a sneering look and eyes as evil as the night hissed, "But you knew I was a snake...."

How sad but true this story is for those who think they are making wise decisions but know in their hearts their choices will prove as fatal as the mans. The mans mistake came because he did not seek counsel about the snake nor did he trust in himself to believe what he knew to be true. The man let the snake tell him he was not a snake. He also went against common reason and began to believe that compassion meant listening to a false statement and acted on his heart of mercy rather than realizing sometimes compassion must say "No!"

GOOD ENOUGH?

In my humble opinion I think we need the extremists, the tree hugger and the “crazy religious folks” as AxeMan calls them (from another blog) to balance the universe. It causes us to strike a middle ground offering some sacrifice to each to make peace. However because of this the friction is growing in America and across our great world. How does this affect me as a HUMAN? I must use my influence wisely. After searching I have come to conclude for me I can not take credit for being a ‘good human.’ Left to my own device I fall short. I also have come to the conclusion that I can not take credit for any ‘good’ I might do. Oh sure I can ‘be’ good when I want to be good but to be ‘good’ all the time…can’t do it! That brings to point another conclusion of the judge of GOOD. Who judges my good? Is it you another HUMAN or is it by my own standard of measure? How much is good enough? If I feed the poor what about the other poor I did not feed, since there will always be the poor. If I give money, what about the money I did not give and used for some selfish act to satisfy a selfish desire. Who is the judge of my giving? It is too much to bear to be both judge and jury of my own destiny. Guilt and shame and condemnation are the judge….I can never be GOOD enough! I have come to the conclusion after careful study and analysis that the universe is too big and complex, too beautiful and beyond my understanding. And after careful study have concluded there is a God and He created it all. It is His measure of GOOD I live by and not my own. It is He in me that produces the desire to ‘BE’ a better HUMAN and it is by His measure I serve others and in this serving I find peace.

Desired Love

It is the longing of every heart to be loved, a deep rich thirst quenching love. A love of selfish desire of satisfying depths. A love that goes far beyond outward appearance and inward dysfunctions. A love that listens with admiration and desire. A love with passion and greatness in its ambitions. How can this love be found? Every man, woman and child cries out in their search for the elusive love that for brief moments makes it's human presence known. The longing and pain for lack of this love pushes us to pursue the fleeting glimpses and settle for the moments, precious as they are, yet without lasting fulfillment. Jesus says He is a living water always fresh and satisfying. His love is everlasting without confines or restrictions His love is beyond measure or depth. God says this love can only be found in Him...John 3:16.

http://dynamicliving4u.com/

Listen first to the video in the Title then come back to read the blog. While the event posted at the end of the video is long past the message will live on forever. Do you believe God loves you? It is truly the separation of the believer. How can we say we believe and not believe wholly the purity of God's great love? I do not think we can. It goes back to my blog post on looking in the mirror. What do you say about yourself when you look in the mirror? Does your message reflect how much you are loved just the way you are? This is a tough question and it is one I am working on. I can not give what I do not own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxOytYLlhiQ

First click on the link in the title page and listen to an amazing diamond in the rough. Then come back to read the blog. I know we have heard several people like Paul Potts lately who have incredible voices however have been judged by what is seen on the outside. I tell the ladies I mentor that the real person is the one on the inside when they close the door of their home to outsiders. When we hear these talents we are thrilled with their abilities and quite amazed and yet perplexed because we find ourselves asking the question, "where have you been all your life?" It seems some of these hidden talents tend to be older, yet I admit some have been younger, but it is the older ones we marvel most about. Because news spreads fast, venues like youtube and others quickly alert us when these talents are discovered. Yet on the outside and until they open their mouth, judgement is still persistent. Even after the talent is exposed a makeover becomes one of the first priorities, oh not necessarily by the talent themselves but by the important people looking on. Why is that? Actually truth be known it helps to remove the judgement about the person. In real estate the first impression known as 'curb appeal' sells the house. Anyway, much like these new found talents God is looking for the person on the inside. He isn't much concerned with what you look like on the outside. Are you a diamond in the rough waiting for your talent to be exposed? Perhaps you say "I can't sing!" Well neither can I. In fact I am accused of being tone deaf, but that is another story. Or you might have said, "I do not have a talent." Ouch! Ask God to show you His talent that He created you to share with the world. It is there. Don't judge yourself by the outward appearance. Ask God to help you look deep inside. What is your passion? The talent is probably submerged there. The world needs the diamond you might have had hidden all these years. Take a deep breath and step on stage.....