Hey all. For some reason last week I had my dates all mixed up. I actually wished two friends Happy Birthday on the wrong days! Fortunately they weren't offended! Last night Dave and I were getting ready for bed and it hit me...tomorrow is the 24th. You see the 24th is a big deal to me. My mom passed away at 11:45 a.m. on February 24th, 2011. It is so cliché to say, but I seriously cannot believe it has been three years. I mean three years! I haven't gotten to talk to my mom is just over three years. I rushed to Ohio two days before she passed away and by the time I arrived she could not longer talk or open her eyes. She didn't respond to anything we said to her those last few days. I had been home a week or so before and at that time she was able to talk and respond. So last night when I realized the 24th was fast approaching I sobbed pretty heartily for about twenty minutes. I told Dave that I still have such pain when I think about what happened to my mom...I mean the physical and emotional part. I feel more pain about that than not having her now. Anyway, I could go on and on about the painful memories of the last few months of her life (and they are too numerous to count) in this blog, but I decided to take a different route.
Ecclesiastes 3:1) There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven...
I have always loved this verse in Ecclesiastes and the following verses also. I remember my mom quoting these verses. You see there is a time to mourn and a time to rejoice. I learned many important lessons during the grieving process of losing my mom to brain cancer. People think if they no longer cry about the loss they are doing so well and have moved on. I don't necessarily agree with that notion. Sometimes I will see something that my mom loved and it will hit me that I can't show her...and I will cry my eyes out. Other times I'll think, "gosh, I wish I could tell Mom what Eli said," and I won't cry, but think how blessed I was to have had such an incredible mother. It comes and goes..flows up and down. That's all okay. I bawled my heart out last night and today I don't feel like crying. I reminisced last night with Dave about some extraordinarily painful memories from the end of her life and right now I feel like remembering some different things about her life.
So here it is a random list of the things Dinah Ann Kruse liked. It is in no particular order and the list is not in order or importance. It's more a list of random thoughts that come into my brain. Some things I'll write about and others are just straight forward. Enjoy.
Spring- She loved planting flowers and watching them blossom. She loved the buds on the trees and shedding horses. She would remind me each winter (several times...Ohio has a long winter) that spring is a promise.
Horse racing- My parent's raised thoroughbreds throughout most of my childhood. My usual chores consisted of watering them, feeding them, and doing other barn work. Many a Saturday was spent stripping stalls. I also spent a great deal of time on the backside of a race track. Much to Dad's chagrin Mom would allow me to miss school to go to the race track. She loved a good horse race. She especially loved the Triple Crown races. Up until she could no longer travel she and my sister traveled each year to Baltimore to watch the Preakness.
The Quarter Horse Congress- As soon as the air cooled and the leaves started to change Mom would anticipate Congress. Spending weeks at Congress each October is truly one of the best memories in my entire life. We would go a lot with our friends, the Nicholls family. Jamie and I would cover every inch of that fairgrounds. Mom is the only person in my family that could watch an entire Junior Western Pleasure class with me...that's about 15 splits! When October rolls around now I feel some sadness still...Mom could no longer attend the last few years of her life. She had been to every single Congress since it's inception in 1967. I know the day will come when the October emotions will go away and I'll just be thankful I got to experience it with her...it'll come.
Her family- She and Dad were an interesting couple...complete opposites that accentuated each other in so many way. She was always annoyed that Dad was never getting gray hair. She colored her hair blond for as many years as I can remember. She said she would stop when Dad went gray...and that still hasn't happened. They were a great team...they ran a business, raised two daughters, impacted people with their faith, and built a beautiful home in all regards. She absolutely loved my sister and I with all her heart. It gave her utter joy that she knew she would see Christy and myself in heaven one day. She knew she could give us the latest fashions, a good horse to ride, and the list goes on, but none of that mattered to her. What mattered to her was that she did everything in her power to get us into heaven. She knew the decision had to be ours, but she was going to set us up for spiritual success. Mom pretty much loved my David. She trusted him with me and knew I was in good hands. Boy did she love Eli too. She insisted on him having Stride Rite shoes...lots of them! Mom didn't live long enough to see Christy get married or meet her stepchildren, but she knew Shane way back when he and Christy were in high school. If I remember correctly Mom was crazy about Shane. I know for sure she would love Shanea, Brayden, and Madison.
The Golden Girls- I remember watching this show with my mom as a kid. My dad often thought it was inappropriate at times! She and I watched this show as much as possible right up until the end.
Rush Limbaugh- I guess I would be considered a "Rush Baby." That is a kid that grows up listening to Rush. I remember her watching Rush when he was on T.V. and had the politically correct fireplace in the background. That was a T.V. screen inside a fireplace mantle with a video of a fire playing. She listened to Rush until only a few weeks before she died.
America- Talk about being Patriotic...she was through and through. She wasn't so crazy about what has happened to America. She loved the principles that America was built upon and actually had a mini-Constitution that she would reference. She believed in limited government and state's rights. She loved personal accountability and was not a fan of government handouts. She believed politicians had overstepped their boundaries...Republicans and Democrats alike.
Camping- Her camper was pretty much her favorite place on earth. It was such a cozy, homelike place. Nothing made her happier than hitching up the dually and heading down the freeway. I am glad she got to take Eli camping before she died.
Horse shows- Mom and I had plenty of early mornings at horse shows. They were the best. She would wake me up early and we'd get my horse loaded and off we would go. The dew on the grass and the warm sunshine were a sign of a good show day ahead. We would get our schooling in, eat breakfast and hurry up and wait. If you show horses you totally get what I'm saying.
Her home- She took her role as a homemaker very seriously. Well, cleaning wasn't her favorite, but other than that! My friends always loved coming over because my house was awesome. It still is one of the coolest houses I've ever been in. She had a tremendous knack for home decorating and loved HGTV. It wasn't just the four walls, but the feeling you get when you step into the door.
Her dog- I remember many of the dogs we had. There was Holly the Sheltie, Jake and Bailey the Corgis, Lacey, Harley, and Sky the Australian Shepherds. We lived on big horse farm so the dogs sure got grubby. I don't think they ever were taken to a groomers...just baths in the barn hose. One of her main concerns before she died was that Dad would take good care of Sky which he is. Boy, she would LOVE my little Olive.
Big hair and general gaudiness- She used to tell me that girls with flat hair couldn't keep their men. I still think of that! Really, she got along well with the 1980's and 90's! She loved bright lipstick, sequins, crystals, and diamonds. Leopard print was a favorite. In fact, Christy and I picked out a leopard shirt with sparkly beads for her to be buried in. Boy, did we get a good laugh out of that...Mom would have loved it!
Ohio State- Talk about being a Buckeye fan...she was it! She was pretty wild over Jim O'Brien (us Ohio State folks know who that is) and Jim Tressel. She never missed an O.S.U. basketball or football game. Actually, she did technically miss them because if the games got too intense she would go play solitaire on her computer. My parent's and their friends went to the Ohio State bowl game in 1999 in New Orleans. We played and beat Texas A&M. She remember how obnoxious the 12th man was! She also thought Maurice Clarett was too darn cute.
The underdog- My mom was one of those people who people opened up to. She attracted people that were just...people. I don't mean that disrespectfully. What I mean is that people that were hurting knew she would be there for them and not judge them. I think she felt that way because she came to the Lord really, really broken. Her life was very difficult and she knew what it was like to live out consequences. Her home life growing up was not ideal and she fully understood the pain people felt. I loved that about her.
Good food- She loved Italian food especially the restaurant Brio. Mom was also an incredible cook and baker. I can still taste her paprika baked chicken, chili, orange/lemon fan bread, apple pie, and chocolate-pecan cake. I am thankful I have so many of her recipes. We left her kitchen fully equipped after she passed away so when I visit my dad I have everything I need to recreate some wonderful meals.
The good Lord- I could write about this for ten minutes, but will keep it short. She knew what it felt like to be far from God. She experienced being changed by God. Her life was one way and after she found Jesus Christ it was another way. Her relationship with God was one of the most real I have ever known. That woman literally wrote on every page of her Bible. We displayed it at her viewing. She listened to static-y a.m. radio Bible studies. She always said she loved Him. I never quite knew what she meant until now. I get it now...it just took me some years of walking with Him. She would tell people about Him, but it was never abrasive. She knew she would just tell people what He had done for her and leave it at that. The last word she uttered through her death rasp was "Christ now." I believe that speaks volumes. I believe what we saw her experience in the last days of her life was not what she was experiencing in her soul.
Authentic people- She knew when you were blowing smoke. I hated this gift she had as a teenager! I'm tellin' ya you could not fool this woman. Christy, if you are reading this you get me. She was an excellent reader of character. I could be wild about a new girlfriend at school and she could meet them once and know they were up to no good. She was so discerning and wise. She used to tell me to pick friends that would hold your rope. She wanted to be around people with character who meant what they said and said what they meant. She was real. She was not perfect and knew it, but she never came across as anything but real. I aspire to be the same way.
So here it is...my random list. I could write 100 more. Dinah was a fascinating human being. I miss her.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
For or Through?
The 23rd Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
"A true relationship of trust in God extends beyond trusting Him for something and includes trusting Him through a situation," Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day, page 33.
After I read the above sentence I had to stop for a minute and really take it in. It is common to say we are trusting God for something. Maybe you are trusting him for justice, a new job, a healed marriage, or a healed body. The list is as varied as the personalities of the people praying the prayers. If you are anything like me the main focus of your prayer is asking God to remove the trouble. I don't know about you, but I really enjoy being comfortable. When a problem arises we immediately start binding Satan and doing "spiritual warfare." Now I totally and completely believe in spiritual warfare, after all, the Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 that we should be alert and of sober mind. Our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Like for real, this isn't a figurative verse. By immediately wishing away our thorn what are we missing? By focusing our trust on God for something what are we missing? A lot I say. We would miss out on the wealth of wisdom and discernment we gain during the hardest times of our lives. I would seriously not trade that for having my prayer answered instantly. I love what Joyce Meyer says in her daily devotion Trusting God Day by Day, "I need to learn to not simply look to Him for the results I desire; I need to learn to trust Him through the process of attaining them." I am maturing in my walk with God (thank goodness) and I am starting to pray different prayers.
God is teaching me to trust Him through situations. Rescuing doesn't usually come when I think it should. Actually in John 16:33 He tells us that we will have trouble in this world. Along with that promise comes one that gives me a great deal of peace. Deuteronomy 31:6 assures me that I can be courageous and not terrified because He will never leave me nor forsake me. I have questioned this verse at times. I questioned it big time watching my mother die of cancer. So He's with her? So what. Her vision and hearing are still failing because of the brain tumors. Her mouth is full of thrush because of chemotherapy. She won't get to see Eli grow into the Godly man she claimed he would be. When I pushed aside those feelings for a minute what was really in my heart came through. He was with her every step of the way. He was with her right at the end when she took her last breath and uttered "Christ...now." I do not pretend to have the answers on the why of things. I will bet the farm that she knew He was with her the entire time and would have never, ever wanted anything else. I asked God once to help me understand the whole 'He is with me' concept. He is with me and I still have this huge issue...God, help me make sense of this. I told Him I wanted to be comforted by Deuteronomy 31:6, but just was not. In my heart of hearts I heard this, "well, what if I wasn't with you..." I honestly don't even want to think of what that would be like and I guarantee my mother wouldn't have wanted to know that either!
So why is it easier to trust Him for things more than through things? This took some thought. Trusting Him for something has an immediate connotation. What did you get for Christmas? What did your husband/wife get you for your birthday? See what I mean? Trusting God for something leaves out the wonder. I know what I want and have already determined my desired outcome. Trusting Him for something makes it easier on me. There is minimal responsibility on my part. It is like an immediate miracle. In my case trusting God for healing relieves my discomfort right away.
Now on the flipside, trusting God through a situation is a bigger giant to bring down. T-H-R-O-U-G-H = T-I-M-E. Through is a journey from one point to another and often to get from A to B we have to go through the entire alphabet twice before we arrive. Just hearing the word makes me want to run away screaming, "I want it now, now, NOW!" It takes a healthy dose of God's grace to be patient when we are waiting to arrive. Remember the true definition of patience is waiting with a good attitude. Trusting God through a hard time in life requires me to activate my faith.
So let's take a closer look at the word faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." If you are anything like me that verse is totally confusing. I have read several commentaries on it. Each time I read I think I get it and then I don't. Here are some other ideas of what Biblical faith is. Oh and saving faith is something entirely different and that's not what I am referring to here. Anywho, here are those ideas. I hope they help you.
- taking God at His word no matter our feelings
- accepts God's Word: promises and warnings alike
- having a holy reaction
Using an active faith as I trust God through a troubling situation requires me to trust Him to choose my journey and my outcome. It also relinquishes my control in how long the process will take (ugh). At this point I can pray that my outcome take as long as God deems necessary and not come as soon as possible. Dave and I went through fertility treatments to conceive Eli. It was not an easy time in either of our lives. The treatments were very grueling. If you have ever gone through this process my heart goes out to you. After Eli was born my hormonal health got worse and worse. Incompetent doctors and ignorance on my part made it all worse. I have prayed everyday for over seven years for answers. They are coming in God's timing. Fast forward nearly seven years and I am making positive progress. My human side would have much rather had God give me the nod to my prayers immediately, but He didn't. He is bringing me through the matter. My heart is 100% grateful He didn't answer with a resounding yes when I wanted because I would have missed out on seven years of intimacy with the God of this universe. I am not the same person I was seven years ago and I am so very glad.
By trusting Him to take us through the trial it is giving up all control. It is waving the white flag of surrender. It is saying, "God, I don't know how long this will take. I don't know how this will turn out, but I trust You." I encourage you to rely on His integrity, ability, and character to carry you through. I hope you found this blog entry helpful and it enables you to look at God in a different light. My hope is that it is thought provoking and that you will ask God to show you how my words apply to you and your situation. When I type an entry it is truly like I'm typing it to myself. Pastor Furtick says often that he wishes someone would preach his sermon to himself. I feel the same way about my blog! I am eager to share what God has showed me.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
It seems that the 23rd Psalm is mostly read at funerals. That is surely an appropriate time to read it, but I challenge you to read it right now, but apply it to your life now. I made the fourth verse bold because that is the one I am going to focus on today.
"A true relationship of trust in God extends beyond trusting Him for something and includes trusting Him through a situation," Joyce Meyer, Trusting God Day by Day, page 33.
After I read the above sentence I had to stop for a minute and really take it in. It is common to say we are trusting God for something. Maybe you are trusting him for justice, a new job, a healed marriage, or a healed body. The list is as varied as the personalities of the people praying the prayers. If you are anything like me the main focus of your prayer is asking God to remove the trouble. I don't know about you, but I really enjoy being comfortable. When a problem arises we immediately start binding Satan and doing "spiritual warfare." Now I totally and completely believe in spiritual warfare, after all, the Bible says in 1 Peter 5:8 that we should be alert and of sober mind. Our enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Like for real, this isn't a figurative verse. By immediately wishing away our thorn what are we missing? By focusing our trust on God for something what are we missing? A lot I say. We would miss out on the wealth of wisdom and discernment we gain during the hardest times of our lives. I would seriously not trade that for having my prayer answered instantly. I love what Joyce Meyer says in her daily devotion Trusting God Day by Day, "I need to learn to not simply look to Him for the results I desire; I need to learn to trust Him through the process of attaining them." I am maturing in my walk with God (thank goodness) and I am starting to pray different prayers.
God is teaching me to trust Him through situations. Rescuing doesn't usually come when I think it should. Actually in John 16:33 He tells us that we will have trouble in this world. Along with that promise comes one that gives me a great deal of peace. Deuteronomy 31:6 assures me that I can be courageous and not terrified because He will never leave me nor forsake me. I have questioned this verse at times. I questioned it big time watching my mother die of cancer. So He's with her? So what. Her vision and hearing are still failing because of the brain tumors. Her mouth is full of thrush because of chemotherapy. She won't get to see Eli grow into the Godly man she claimed he would be. When I pushed aside those feelings for a minute what was really in my heart came through. He was with her every step of the way. He was with her right at the end when she took her last breath and uttered "Christ...now." I do not pretend to have the answers on the why of things. I will bet the farm that she knew He was with her the entire time and would have never, ever wanted anything else. I asked God once to help me understand the whole 'He is with me' concept. He is with me and I still have this huge issue...God, help me make sense of this. I told Him I wanted to be comforted by Deuteronomy 31:6, but just was not. In my heart of hearts I heard this, "well, what if I wasn't with you..." I honestly don't even want to think of what that would be like and I guarantee my mother wouldn't have wanted to know that either!
So why is it easier to trust Him for things more than through things? This took some thought. Trusting Him for something has an immediate connotation. What did you get for Christmas? What did your husband/wife get you for your birthday? See what I mean? Trusting God for something leaves out the wonder. I know what I want and have already determined my desired outcome. Trusting Him for something makes it easier on me. There is minimal responsibility on my part. It is like an immediate miracle. In my case trusting God for healing relieves my discomfort right away.
Now on the flipside, trusting God through a situation is a bigger giant to bring down. T-H-R-O-U-G-H = T-I-M-E. Through is a journey from one point to another and often to get from A to B we have to go through the entire alphabet twice before we arrive. Just hearing the word makes me want to run away screaming, "I want it now, now, NOW!" It takes a healthy dose of God's grace to be patient when we are waiting to arrive. Remember the true definition of patience is waiting with a good attitude. Trusting God through a hard time in life requires me to activate my faith.
So let's take a closer look at the word faith. Hebrews 11:1 says, "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." If you are anything like me that verse is totally confusing. I have read several commentaries on it. Each time I read I think I get it and then I don't. Here are some other ideas of what Biblical faith is. Oh and saving faith is something entirely different and that's not what I am referring to here. Anywho, here are those ideas. I hope they help you.
- taking God at His word no matter our feelings
- accepts God's Word: promises and warnings alike
- having a holy reaction
Using an active faith as I trust God through a troubling situation requires me to trust Him to choose my journey and my outcome. It also relinquishes my control in how long the process will take (ugh). At this point I can pray that my outcome take as long as God deems necessary and not come as soon as possible. Dave and I went through fertility treatments to conceive Eli. It was not an easy time in either of our lives. The treatments were very grueling. If you have ever gone through this process my heart goes out to you. After Eli was born my hormonal health got worse and worse. Incompetent doctors and ignorance on my part made it all worse. I have prayed everyday for over seven years for answers. They are coming in God's timing. Fast forward nearly seven years and I am making positive progress. My human side would have much rather had God give me the nod to my prayers immediately, but He didn't. He is bringing me through the matter. My heart is 100% grateful He didn't answer with a resounding yes when I wanted because I would have missed out on seven years of intimacy with the God of this universe. I am not the same person I was seven years ago and I am so very glad.
By trusting Him to take us through the trial it is giving up all control. It is waving the white flag of surrender. It is saying, "God, I don't know how long this will take. I don't know how this will turn out, but I trust You." I encourage you to rely on His integrity, ability, and character to carry you through. I hope you found this blog entry helpful and it enables you to look at God in a different light. My hope is that it is thought provoking and that you will ask God to show you how my words apply to you and your situation. When I type an entry it is truly like I'm typing it to myself. Pastor Furtick says often that he wishes someone would preach his sermon to himself. I feel the same way about my blog! I am eager to share what God has showed me.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Jars of Goodness
Today will be a short entry. At least that is my plan! I'm reading the best book right now. In fact, I'm almost done with it and I know it's going to be life changing. It is title, "Change Your Words, Change Your Life." The author is Joyce Meyer. I could read her writing all day long. All of the books I have read by her have been outstanding. The book is all about the power of words. She says that words are like jars. We can either fill the jars with good words or bad. It's our choice. What we fill them with impacts ourselves and everybody around us.
Pretty much every single page is convicting and I have found myself praying my way through the book. Conviction is good though. Conviction is different than condemnation. Conviction is from God and condemnation not so much. I think when we are convicted in our spirits there is hope in it. With conviction, self evaluation, and the strength and wisdom of God we can be more. We can become a better human being. Condemnation just makes us feel downright rotten. Of course my definitions are not from Webster's Dictionary, but rather my own assessment.
As you know, there is so much negativity in the world. Everywhere we turn is a train wreck. I mean it's rather depressing if you watch, listen, or read the daily news. How 'bout we get a cable news channel that reports nothing but good?! I don't mean the false news of good for a certain parties political gain, but genuine good news. A few weeks back Herman Cain dedicated an entire Monday show to nothing but good news. Yep, I love Herman Cain! For example, I recently read that Braxton Miller is returning for his senior season of football at tOSU (raise the roof). Okay cool I thought then I scrolled down to the comment section of the article. I mean it was brutal. People were so mean. I get that some were "joking," but others were not. I also get that feelings run deep in the college football world, but come on people. For the record, I am not a fan of sarcasm because I think more times then not there is truth in what the person is saying. Luke 6:45 says, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." I am pointing the finger of conviction at myself here. I so need to get better at putting out positive words. I'm not necessarily a sarcastic person, but I tend to be much more critical than I need to be. I encourage you to grow in this area and I want to be challenged the same way.
So as I was reading today I got to thinking about all the nice things I think that never see the light of day. I have really, really been trying to share encouraging words with people when they pop into my head. Today, I felt a nudge to text my best buddy, Jessy. I felt like maybe she needed to read something encouraging. Now I immediately thought I shouldn't bother her or she's probably doing fine, but the Lord wouldn't leave me alone about it. So I sent that text. Jess, if you are reading this I hope you don't mind that I shared this. I think the biggest challenge is just getting outside our own heads. What? You aren't as self-minded as me? Well, I still think about myself far too much, but man am I making progress.
Proverbs 15:23 reads, "A person finds joy in giving an apt reply-- and how good is a timely word!"
How great are the Proverbs?! This verse is awesome. If you want to feel more joy just genuinely encourage someone. You never know what that person is dealing with either. Your encouragement may be just on time! We all know there are enough negative words flying around so how about seeing how many positive ones you can put out there. I'm challenged. Are you?
Do you think the treadmills at the gym are kept really clean? Tell the cleaning person they are doing a great job. How about the friendly bag boy at the grocery that pushed your full cart to your car? How about thanking him? Thank the person that held the door for you at the mall. Tell the receptionist at the doctor's office her hair looks pretty if you think it. When the weather got cold here a few months ago the woman that owns the barn where my horse lives asked if I had a blanket for Jessie. My initial thought was sarcasm. Cold? She thinks this is cold? I'm from the north and this is NOT cold I thought. I even thought about telling her Jessie didn't need a blanket...she is a Yankee horse! Then I thought for a second...how nice was it that she cares enough about MY horse to ask for a blanket? Again, I'm not pointing fingers at you and telling you to get better. I desire to improve in this area too. I know I can be a negative, but I truly want to grow to become more Christ-like with the words I use.
I hope you find this encouraging. Again, I challenge all of us to search for good, life-giving words we can share with people. There are so many broken people in the world and so much pain. You never know what someone is dealing with behind closed doors and maybe, just maybe, a kind word may make their day a little better.
Pretty much every single page is convicting and I have found myself praying my way through the book. Conviction is good though. Conviction is different than condemnation. Conviction is from God and condemnation not so much. I think when we are convicted in our spirits there is hope in it. With conviction, self evaluation, and the strength and wisdom of God we can be more. We can become a better human being. Condemnation just makes us feel downright rotten. Of course my definitions are not from Webster's Dictionary, but rather my own assessment.
As you know, there is so much negativity in the world. Everywhere we turn is a train wreck. I mean it's rather depressing if you watch, listen, or read the daily news. How 'bout we get a cable news channel that reports nothing but good?! I don't mean the false news of good for a certain parties political gain, but genuine good news. A few weeks back Herman Cain dedicated an entire Monday show to nothing but good news. Yep, I love Herman Cain! For example, I recently read that Braxton Miller is returning for his senior season of football at tOSU (raise the roof). Okay cool I thought then I scrolled down to the comment section of the article. I mean it was brutal. People were so mean. I get that some were "joking," but others were not. I also get that feelings run deep in the college football world, but come on people. For the record, I am not a fan of sarcasm because I think more times then not there is truth in what the person is saying. Luke 6:45 says, "A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of." I am pointing the finger of conviction at myself here. I so need to get better at putting out positive words. I'm not necessarily a sarcastic person, but I tend to be much more critical than I need to be. I encourage you to grow in this area and I want to be challenged the same way.
So as I was reading today I got to thinking about all the nice things I think that never see the light of day. I have really, really been trying to share encouraging words with people when they pop into my head. Today, I felt a nudge to text my best buddy, Jessy. I felt like maybe she needed to read something encouraging. Now I immediately thought I shouldn't bother her or she's probably doing fine, but the Lord wouldn't leave me alone about it. So I sent that text. Jess, if you are reading this I hope you don't mind that I shared this. I think the biggest challenge is just getting outside our own heads. What? You aren't as self-minded as me? Well, I still think about myself far too much, but man am I making progress.
Proverbs 15:23 reads, "A person finds joy in giving an apt reply-- and how good is a timely word!"
How great are the Proverbs?! This verse is awesome. If you want to feel more joy just genuinely encourage someone. You never know what that person is dealing with either. Your encouragement may be just on time! We all know there are enough negative words flying around so how about seeing how many positive ones you can put out there. I'm challenged. Are you?
Do you think the treadmills at the gym are kept really clean? Tell the cleaning person they are doing a great job. How about the friendly bag boy at the grocery that pushed your full cart to your car? How about thanking him? Thank the person that held the door for you at the mall. Tell the receptionist at the doctor's office her hair looks pretty if you think it. When the weather got cold here a few months ago the woman that owns the barn where my horse lives asked if I had a blanket for Jessie. My initial thought was sarcasm. Cold? She thinks this is cold? I'm from the north and this is NOT cold I thought. I even thought about telling her Jessie didn't need a blanket...she is a Yankee horse! Then I thought for a second...how nice was it that she cares enough about MY horse to ask for a blanket? Again, I'm not pointing fingers at you and telling you to get better. I desire to improve in this area too. I know I can be a negative, but I truly want to grow to become more Christ-like with the words I use.
I hope you find this encouraging. Again, I challenge all of us to search for good, life-giving words we can share with people. There are so many broken people in the world and so much pain. You never know what someone is dealing with behind closed doors and maybe, just maybe, a kind word may make their day a little better.
Tuesday, January 7, 2014
Counting Blessings or Battles?
James 1:2-4) Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Acts 5:40-41) His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
Corinthians 11:23-29) Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
I have wondered about these verses because here in America we have religious freedom like no where else on earth. We can talk about Jesus here and not get beaten and flogged. Yes, we may be called a bigot or intolerant, but I will take that any day over being stoned or boiled in oil. So how can I relate James 1:2-4, Acts 40-41, 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 to my own life? My trials aren't exactly like Paul's. James 1:2 says that we should take joy when we face trials of ANY kind. In my mind there are "religious" problems and "everyday" problems. It is very compartmentalized to me. God has been challenging this mindset recently. I also have "religious" dreams and goals and "everyday" dreams and goals. How can these two mesh? Bear with me as I work through this and try to explain it to you. In the end I pray it makes sense...to both of us!
When God allows a trial He desires us to handle it in a certain manner. Notice I said allow and not cause. I will not pretend to understand why He allows certain things and not others. I DO NOT KNOW and will never know on this side of heaven. I believe in heaven we may be privileged to that information. Of course I may be completely off base on that, but will not venture off on that rabbit trail. How are my sufferings sufferings for Christ like Paul talks about? I can directly relate Paul's (or any apostle) actions to his pain. This guy was out of control the Pharisees thought. He actually got stoned on his first mission trip. When the stoning was finished he moved on to preach more. He was being tortured because he wouldn't shut up about Christ. Let's not forget the ultimate sacrifice...Jesus Christ. To say He suffered is an understatement. Anytime we suffer for whatever reason we share a common bond with Christ.
When we go through something really hard it can do so many things for us. It can humble us, it can show us that we are not the masters of our own domain, it exposes us, it can also teach us that we need a Savior. Some people talk a great deal about how blessed they are. I can see how some people's declared blessings would make another feel really low about their own life. I hope when I say I am blessed it doesn't actually discourage another. We are taught to count our blessings and that is all well and good. I mean really, it's really good to count our blessings. It is not only good, but Biblical. If only the bad is dwelt upon we can become very depressed. So keeping your mind focused on the good is smart. I think we should look at the "bad" differently. Dave likes to call them opportunities. So when he does an employee review he shares the good they have done and also their "opportunities." Any challenge is an opportunity to see Christ work through us and to grow in character and perseverance. We all also know the Facebook person that constantly posts negativity and sarcasm. These people dwell on the negative. What about counting our battles? When we count our battles we are saying, "you know what?! I've been through some stuff, but I'm still here. I'm still here standing strong." There are problems we face that are a result of our sin and others problems come because we are living on the great planet earth. My mom didn't get brain cancer because she sinned. I didn't have to have a total hysterectomy because I sinned. Some people do get sick because of sinful lifestyles yes, but it's all between you and your God. Sometimes suffering is a result of poor choices If we approach Him honestly He will show you the root cause and in your humbleness you can work it out with Him.
What I am saying is to be proud of the junk you have been through. Do not be proud that you sinned or caused yourself and others pain, but be proud that your still standing by the grace of God. The pain, the hopelessness, the unholy thoughts didn't beat you. God's power flows through you and you are still fighting the good fight and when you have really, truly experienced God's redeeming grace you can't be quiet about it.
Watching my mother battle cancer and subsequently die was unbelievably hard. I have never, ever felt pain in my heart like that. There were some days that it was hard to breath and when I sat by her bedside I couldn't even understand why God would allow a faithful child to endure this amount of pain. Watching the mortician carry her body out of our front door made me want to vomit. I still remember the robe she was wearing...it was navy and white pinstripe and it zipped up the front. I remember grasping her left behind glasses and sobbing like I have never sobbed before. I remember cleaning out her closet the next day and opening a box that held the beautiful dress she wore to my wedding. You know what though? We all got through it. I can be proud of that scar on my heart because God is still God and He still sits on His throne and will one day send His son to earth to take His followers home. I can say to Satan, "you tried to destroy our faith (especially Dad and Christy), but we are still standing on His promises." We have become more loving, joyful, peaceful, tolerant, kind, faithful, gentle, and have more self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Has my health/hormone situation gone like I wanted? No. Has it all lasted longer than I prayed for? Yes. Do I want to scream some days our of frustration? A big yes! Have I felt let down by God on occasion? Yep. Again, I look to our enemy and say, "I'm still standing and I have literal scars on me from a very unexpected surgery, but you can't beat me and you can't steal my trust in God." I hope you can see how my "everyday" problems transcend that and become "religious" problems because at the end of the day there is a battle between good and evil. I refuse to disown God and live in bitterness and selfishness. I can't disown the very reason for my perseverance. Only with Him can I behave with any remote level of grace!
Earlier I categorized two types of trouble. One is what I call religious trouble and the other is everyday trouble. Paul had some serious religious trouble. Missionaries that are being burned at the stake have religious trouble. Anyone who stands up for Christ that experiences backlash is experiencing religious trouble. The college student who refuses to be like everyone else because they are called by God to be different and experiences teasing and ridicule is suffering religious problems. See what I mean? I have been teased in my life because of my religious views and I have been labeled indirectly (and maybe directly behind my back). I wish I could say I suffered more for these views, but I think living in America in general will minimize that. We are so spoiled still despite the onslaught of taking God out of everything. So how do my health problems factor in here? How does the suffering we endured with my mother's death factor in here? Here is a major point to remember. Are you ready?! Anytime we are faced with a trial whether it be a job loss, a scary diagnosis, a child who is far from God, a chronic health condition, a lost relationship, the list goes on, IF we handle it with love, joy, peace, tolerance, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control we are overcoming evil. We are suffering for Christ's sake because those traits are the traits of Christ. Satan wants us to react with guilt, anger, frustration, despair, depression, victimization, self-pity, etc. Christ has thought of us worthy to suffer for Him. He has trusted us with challenges and has equipped us with the Holy Spirit to overcome evil for good in the middle of our pain. When we really grasp that suffering strengthens us and allows us to experience God like nothing else in the world then we can't keep quiet just like the Apostles couldn't keep quiet in Acts 5:42. I think the list of trials above would be considered everyday trouble, but you can see how I married the two. Even our everyday trouble can strengthen our resolve in Christ and enable us to live bolder in Him.
I listened to an absolute incredible Steven Furtick sermon this past Saturday. I listened to it again today. It pretty much rocked my world. Pastor Furtick talked about how we put blessings and battles into two separate categories. He challenged his listeners to really evaluate those categories. The blessing category is filled with all things we think of as good and the battle category is all the yucky stuff of life. He said many of the items in the loss category need to be added to the gain side. I love that! It really made me think of my own list and how off it probably is. By allowing me to go through some stuff God is actually complimenting me. He's showing confidence in me. He's refining me and making me a much, much stronger more compassionate individual. He is revealing traits of myself to myself that need improved upon. He has exposed friends that ended up not being there when I desperately needed someone and showed me the times I have been a lousy friend. Through my serious trials He has made me bold in my faith. He has made me more understanding and He has also revealed how little I trusted Him. He has stripped away much vanity and exposed me for the spoiled Christian I was. He has revealed how judgmental I was. He has exposed my natural tendencies of complete selfishness and navel gazing. I have also learned how unbelievably stubborn and unforgiving I have been. How can all these revelations be added to the loss category?! My battle column is sure shrinking! It isn't shrinking because my battles have miraculous disappeared. It is shrinking because my perspective is changing. I still have a long way to go. I love the following saying, "I am not where I need to be, but thank God I am not where I was."
I really, really hope this made some resemblance of sense. I have these thoughts in my brain and heart and have to find a way to put words on them. One of my main goals is to encourage you. I want you to be better than you were before reading these entries. I want you to know I am no better or holier than you are! We all have battles both public and personal. As I have matured in my faith I have really held onto the following quote: "Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." I can't even tell you how much I love this quote! I never, ever want anyone to feel condemned by my blog entries. I want you to know God loves you and has an incredible plan for your life. His plans far exceed any you can even fathom for yourself. Ephesians 3:20 assures us that He wants to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. Here is to a 2014 full of "blessings!"
Acts 5:40-41) His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
Corinthians 11:23-29) Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn?
I have wondered about these verses because here in America we have religious freedom like no where else on earth. We can talk about Jesus here and not get beaten and flogged. Yes, we may be called a bigot or intolerant, but I will take that any day over being stoned or boiled in oil. So how can I relate James 1:2-4, Acts 40-41, 2 Corinthians 11:23-29 to my own life? My trials aren't exactly like Paul's. James 1:2 says that we should take joy when we face trials of ANY kind. In my mind there are "religious" problems and "everyday" problems. It is very compartmentalized to me. God has been challenging this mindset recently. I also have "religious" dreams and goals and "everyday" dreams and goals. How can these two mesh? Bear with me as I work through this and try to explain it to you. In the end I pray it makes sense...to both of us!
When God allows a trial He desires us to handle it in a certain manner. Notice I said allow and not cause. I will not pretend to understand why He allows certain things and not others. I DO NOT KNOW and will never know on this side of heaven. I believe in heaven we may be privileged to that information. Of course I may be completely off base on that, but will not venture off on that rabbit trail. How are my sufferings sufferings for Christ like Paul talks about? I can directly relate Paul's (or any apostle) actions to his pain. This guy was out of control the Pharisees thought. He actually got stoned on his first mission trip. When the stoning was finished he moved on to preach more. He was being tortured because he wouldn't shut up about Christ. Let's not forget the ultimate sacrifice...Jesus Christ. To say He suffered is an understatement. Anytime we suffer for whatever reason we share a common bond with Christ.
When we go through something really hard it can do so many things for us. It can humble us, it can show us that we are not the masters of our own domain, it exposes us, it can also teach us that we need a Savior. Some people talk a great deal about how blessed they are. I can see how some people's declared blessings would make another feel really low about their own life. I hope when I say I am blessed it doesn't actually discourage another. We are taught to count our blessings and that is all well and good. I mean really, it's really good to count our blessings. It is not only good, but Biblical. If only the bad is dwelt upon we can become very depressed. So keeping your mind focused on the good is smart. I think we should look at the "bad" differently. Dave likes to call them opportunities. So when he does an employee review he shares the good they have done and also their "opportunities." Any challenge is an opportunity to see Christ work through us and to grow in character and perseverance. We all also know the Facebook person that constantly posts negativity and sarcasm. These people dwell on the negative. What about counting our battles? When we count our battles we are saying, "you know what?! I've been through some stuff, but I'm still here. I'm still here standing strong." There are problems we face that are a result of our sin and others problems come because we are living on the great planet earth. My mom didn't get brain cancer because she sinned. I didn't have to have a total hysterectomy because I sinned. Some people do get sick because of sinful lifestyles yes, but it's all between you and your God. Sometimes suffering is a result of poor choices If we approach Him honestly He will show you the root cause and in your humbleness you can work it out with Him.
What I am saying is to be proud of the junk you have been through. Do not be proud that you sinned or caused yourself and others pain, but be proud that your still standing by the grace of God. The pain, the hopelessness, the unholy thoughts didn't beat you. God's power flows through you and you are still fighting the good fight and when you have really, truly experienced God's redeeming grace you can't be quiet about it.
Watching my mother battle cancer and subsequently die was unbelievably hard. I have never, ever felt pain in my heart like that. There were some days that it was hard to breath and when I sat by her bedside I couldn't even understand why God would allow a faithful child to endure this amount of pain. Watching the mortician carry her body out of our front door made me want to vomit. I still remember the robe she was wearing...it was navy and white pinstripe and it zipped up the front. I remember grasping her left behind glasses and sobbing like I have never sobbed before. I remember cleaning out her closet the next day and opening a box that held the beautiful dress she wore to my wedding. You know what though? We all got through it. I can be proud of that scar on my heart because God is still God and He still sits on His throne and will one day send His son to earth to take His followers home. I can say to Satan, "you tried to destroy our faith (especially Dad and Christy), but we are still standing on His promises." We have become more loving, joyful, peaceful, tolerant, kind, faithful, gentle, and have more self-control (Gal. 5:22-23). Has my health/hormone situation gone like I wanted? No. Has it all lasted longer than I prayed for? Yes. Do I want to scream some days our of frustration? A big yes! Have I felt let down by God on occasion? Yep. Again, I look to our enemy and say, "I'm still standing and I have literal scars on me from a very unexpected surgery, but you can't beat me and you can't steal my trust in God." I hope you can see how my "everyday" problems transcend that and become "religious" problems because at the end of the day there is a battle between good and evil. I refuse to disown God and live in bitterness and selfishness. I can't disown the very reason for my perseverance. Only with Him can I behave with any remote level of grace!
Earlier I categorized two types of trouble. One is what I call religious trouble and the other is everyday trouble. Paul had some serious religious trouble. Missionaries that are being burned at the stake have religious trouble. Anyone who stands up for Christ that experiences backlash is experiencing religious trouble. The college student who refuses to be like everyone else because they are called by God to be different and experiences teasing and ridicule is suffering religious problems. See what I mean? I have been teased in my life because of my religious views and I have been labeled indirectly (and maybe directly behind my back). I wish I could say I suffered more for these views, but I think living in America in general will minimize that. We are so spoiled still despite the onslaught of taking God out of everything. So how do my health problems factor in here? How does the suffering we endured with my mother's death factor in here? Here is a major point to remember. Are you ready?! Anytime we are faced with a trial whether it be a job loss, a scary diagnosis, a child who is far from God, a chronic health condition, a lost relationship, the list goes on, IF we handle it with love, joy, peace, tolerance, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control we are overcoming evil. We are suffering for Christ's sake because those traits are the traits of Christ. Satan wants us to react with guilt, anger, frustration, despair, depression, victimization, self-pity, etc. Christ has thought of us worthy to suffer for Him. He has trusted us with challenges and has equipped us with the Holy Spirit to overcome evil for good in the middle of our pain. When we really grasp that suffering strengthens us and allows us to experience God like nothing else in the world then we can't keep quiet just like the Apostles couldn't keep quiet in Acts 5:42. I think the list of trials above would be considered everyday trouble, but you can see how I married the two. Even our everyday trouble can strengthen our resolve in Christ and enable us to live bolder in Him.
I listened to an absolute incredible Steven Furtick sermon this past Saturday. I listened to it again today. It pretty much rocked my world. Pastor Furtick talked about how we put blessings and battles into two separate categories. He challenged his listeners to really evaluate those categories. The blessing category is filled with all things we think of as good and the battle category is all the yucky stuff of life. He said many of the items in the loss category need to be added to the gain side. I love that! It really made me think of my own list and how off it probably is. By allowing me to go through some stuff God is actually complimenting me. He's showing confidence in me. He's refining me and making me a much, much stronger more compassionate individual. He is revealing traits of myself to myself that need improved upon. He has exposed friends that ended up not being there when I desperately needed someone and showed me the times I have been a lousy friend. Through my serious trials He has made me bold in my faith. He has made me more understanding and He has also revealed how little I trusted Him. He has stripped away much vanity and exposed me for the spoiled Christian I was. He has revealed how judgmental I was. He has exposed my natural tendencies of complete selfishness and navel gazing. I have also learned how unbelievably stubborn and unforgiving I have been. How can all these revelations be added to the loss category?! My battle column is sure shrinking! It isn't shrinking because my battles have miraculous disappeared. It is shrinking because my perspective is changing. I still have a long way to go. I love the following saying, "I am not where I need to be, but thank God I am not where I was."
I really, really hope this made some resemblance of sense. I have these thoughts in my brain and heart and have to find a way to put words on them. One of my main goals is to encourage you. I want you to be better than you were before reading these entries. I want you to know I am no better or holier than you are! We all have battles both public and personal. As I have matured in my faith I have really held onto the following quote: "Be kinder than necessary because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle." I can't even tell you how much I love this quote! I never, ever want anyone to feel condemned by my blog entries. I want you to know God loves you and has an incredible plan for your life. His plans far exceed any you can even fathom for yourself. Ephesians 3:20 assures us that He wants to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine. Here is to a 2014 full of "blessings!"
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
Redemption
I have been thinking a great deal about this concept of redemption the last few days. I think it started from watching ESPN's Youngstown Boys. It was a documentary type program about Maurice Clarett and Jim Tressel. It was SO good. If you haven't seen it please check out ESPN to see if they are replaying it.
While watching the replays of the '02-'03 season, especially the Michigan game and the National Title Game, Dave and I got goosebumps several times. We forgot just how insane that season was! There were so many close games! It was low scoring back then. A few that stood out were the Purdue game where the final score was 10-6. 10-6 people! That was the famous "holy Buckeye" game. Then you have the Penn State game (I was at that game!)...13-7. We beat Wisconsin by only five, Illinois in OT, and the 12th ranked Wolverines by five points. That was the good ole days of defense! The Michigan score was 14-9. Back then there was not a Big Ten title game so we knew that if we could clinch the win in The Game we were headed to the NTG in Tempe. When the replays of the Miami game came on Dave and I were able to reminisce about the interception in the end zone, Maurice's strip, the pass interference call on Chris Gamble, the final score by Maurice Clarett, and the goal line stand. What a year that was!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6LiLngusVM
Your welcome.
Okay, enough of reliving the good ole days. The premise of the show is a close and personal look at the life of Maurice Clarett. If your not familiar with him here is the short of it. He took the football field by storm that season. He was a true freshman and was a rock star in Columbus, Ohio. Watching the replays I was reminded just how insanely talented he was. Really the sky was the limit for him. He was living a professional football life in college and soon fell out of favor in Columbus and was eventually kicked off the team. He sued the NFL for early entry in the league, but lost the case. He tried out for the Broncos a few years later and completely bombed at the combine. The story documents his downward spiral that eventually landed him in prison sentenced to 7-1/2 years and then his rise back up. If you are from Ohio you remember the sad mug shot of a once hero. It was sad. Buckeye football went on though and Maurice was all but forgot about.
Youngstown Boys doesn't go into too great of detail about what really changed Maurice's life. I was curious so I did some searching online and on Facebook and Twitter. His posts seem to be very inspirational with references to God. I also noticed on his personal website that he was doing guest speaking at churches all over Ohio. I found a few podcasts and videos. I watched them and was soooooo amazed. This guy found Jesus Christ and his life completely changed. His testimony is absolutely incredible. Actually his whole story is absolutely incredible. My mind cannot fathom growing up in the environment he did or living the life he did. In a testimony he gave at a church he talks about the process of finding Jesus and the men in his life that mentored him. He talks about finally understanding that Jesus could make him a new creation. He tells a story about not having a home and not being able to find one because he is a convicted felon. God worked it out and one landlord was willing to give Maurice a chance at renting her apartment. The whole story is so touching. There is something completely endearing about him. He also tells some pretty sweet stories about the '03 title run!
Redemption- 1. improving of something: the act of saving something or somebody from a declined, dilapidated, or corrupted state and restoring it, him, or her to a better condition
2. redeemed state: the improved state of somebody or something saved from apparently irreversible decline
3. atonement for human sin: deliverance from the sins of humanity by the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross
The dictionary gave me the definition for redemption that is above. After reading it I thought number three should be number one. It is the foundation for true redemption, for true change. Maurice explained how he believed in God, but couldn't come to terms with his past sin. He said he finally understood that Jesus Christ was what he needed. Number three on the list simply explains what the ultimate redemption is. It is the atonement of our sins, through Jesus' death on the Cross. Maurice also goes into great detail about how a mentor taught him to apply the Scriptures to real life, especially life on the other side meaning outside of the prison walls. He mentions how he felt completely hopeless and depressed. His circumstances appeared to be irreversible as the number two definition states.
You see we can't ever be truly improved without Jesus. We can act better and contribute to society, but that bridge between our sin and God can't be closed without Jesus. One of my favorite verses is 2nd Corinthians 5:17. It reads, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here." How great is that! I can say that I have never, ever experienced anything in life like Maurice Clarett has. I have no idea about that level of misery and depravity. The truth is though, sin is sin. Big sins and little sins are just something we label. In God's eyes sin is sin. Any sin separates from God. Redemption is such a beautiful word. When it comes out of Jesus' mouth it is a life-giving word. I would venture to say Maurice would agree.
http://184.154.122.108/~mycchur/mauriceclarett.php
While watching the replays of the '02-'03 season, especially the Michigan game and the National Title Game, Dave and I got goosebumps several times. We forgot just how insane that season was! There were so many close games! It was low scoring back then. A few that stood out were the Purdue game where the final score was 10-6. 10-6 people! That was the famous "holy Buckeye" game. Then you have the Penn State game (I was at that game!)...13-7. We beat Wisconsin by only five, Illinois in OT, and the 12th ranked Wolverines by five points. That was the good ole days of defense! The Michigan score was 14-9. Back then there was not a Big Ten title game so we knew that if we could clinch the win in The Game we were headed to the NTG in Tempe. When the replays of the Miami game came on Dave and I were able to reminisce about the interception in the end zone, Maurice's strip, the pass interference call on Chris Gamble, the final score by Maurice Clarett, and the goal line stand. What a year that was!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6LiLngusVM
Your welcome.
Okay, enough of reliving the good ole days. The premise of the show is a close and personal look at the life of Maurice Clarett. If your not familiar with him here is the short of it. He took the football field by storm that season. He was a true freshman and was a rock star in Columbus, Ohio. Watching the replays I was reminded just how insanely talented he was. Really the sky was the limit for him. He was living a professional football life in college and soon fell out of favor in Columbus and was eventually kicked off the team. He sued the NFL for early entry in the league, but lost the case. He tried out for the Broncos a few years later and completely bombed at the combine. The story documents his downward spiral that eventually landed him in prison sentenced to 7-1/2 years and then his rise back up. If you are from Ohio you remember the sad mug shot of a once hero. It was sad. Buckeye football went on though and Maurice was all but forgot about.
Youngstown Boys doesn't go into too great of detail about what really changed Maurice's life. I was curious so I did some searching online and on Facebook and Twitter. His posts seem to be very inspirational with references to God. I also noticed on his personal website that he was doing guest speaking at churches all over Ohio. I found a few podcasts and videos. I watched them and was soooooo amazed. This guy found Jesus Christ and his life completely changed. His testimony is absolutely incredible. Actually his whole story is absolutely incredible. My mind cannot fathom growing up in the environment he did or living the life he did. In a testimony he gave at a church he talks about the process of finding Jesus and the men in his life that mentored him. He talks about finally understanding that Jesus could make him a new creation. He tells a story about not having a home and not being able to find one because he is a convicted felon. God worked it out and one landlord was willing to give Maurice a chance at renting her apartment. The whole story is so touching. There is something completely endearing about him. He also tells some pretty sweet stories about the '03 title run!
Redemption- 1. improving of something: the act of saving something or somebody from a declined, dilapidated, or corrupted state and restoring it, him, or her to a better condition
2. redeemed state: the improved state of somebody or something saved from apparently irreversible decline
3. atonement for human sin: deliverance from the sins of humanity by the death of Jesus Christ on the Cross
The dictionary gave me the definition for redemption that is above. After reading it I thought number three should be number one. It is the foundation for true redemption, for true change. Maurice explained how he believed in God, but couldn't come to terms with his past sin. He said he finally understood that Jesus Christ was what he needed. Number three on the list simply explains what the ultimate redemption is. It is the atonement of our sins, through Jesus' death on the Cross. Maurice also goes into great detail about how a mentor taught him to apply the Scriptures to real life, especially life on the other side meaning outside of the prison walls. He mentions how he felt completely hopeless and depressed. His circumstances appeared to be irreversible as the number two definition states.
You see we can't ever be truly improved without Jesus. We can act better and contribute to society, but that bridge between our sin and God can't be closed without Jesus. One of my favorite verses is 2nd Corinthians 5:17. It reads, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here." How great is that! I can say that I have never, ever experienced anything in life like Maurice Clarett has. I have no idea about that level of misery and depravity. The truth is though, sin is sin. Big sins and little sins are just something we label. In God's eyes sin is sin. Any sin separates from God. Redemption is such a beautiful word. When it comes out of Jesus' mouth it is a life-giving word. I would venture to say Maurice would agree.
http://184.154.122.108/~mycchur/mauriceclarett.php
Monday, December 9, 2013
Words, Words, and More Words
Hey all! I hope you all are doing well. Christmas is sneaking up on us, isn't it? It's a wonderful time of year for so many reasons. The first of course, is celebrating the birth of our Savior. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I have been missing snow. I miss the feeling of Christmas with the snow, chilly weather, and cozy nights with the fireplace on. It just doesn't feel the same with a temperature of 70 outside. Today is 43 and drizzly...pretty much like Ohio weather minus the beautiful snow days.
I promise to get to my point, but have to give you the lead up to it so you can understand my thought process. Something AWFUL happened this weekend. It started at approximately 8 p.m. on Saturday night. If you are from Ohio you will totally get what I'm saying. Ohio State lost. I know, I know if your not an tOSU fan you probably 1. don't care, or 2. are glad we lost. Here is the deal though. I have no animosity to Sparty. Actually, I kind of like Sparty. _ichigan folk are torn between TTUP (That Team Up North, i.e. _ichigan) and _ichigan State. 'Little brother' ruined all our hopes and dreams of playing in the Title Game and to some extent, thinking we would never, ever lose as long as Urban Meyer was our coach. Quite frankly, I dreaded getting to the Big Dance and being embarrassed yet again. I could go on and on about how our defense stinks and Carlos Hyde should have been given the ball to get that 4th and 2 with about five minutes to go in the game.
I love ESPN and couldn't resist checking it out after our game. If your a Buckeye you are used to getting zero love on ESPN. I read a few articles about our game and I couldn't help but scroll down to the comments. I do this pretty often because the comments are usually pretty entertaining when the sarcasm isn't directed at my team. All the comments I read were not written by Ohio State fans. Some people were funny with their comments, but others were just down right sarcastic and mean. One person said they hated Urban Meyer and was glad tOSU lost. Another person speculated that Meyer would probably call 911 after the game because he thought he was having another heart attack. One poster said that Urban Cryer would probably fake another heart problem and quit because he knew his team sucked all in guise that he needed a break and time with his family. According to one person he knew his Gator team was terrible so he quit because he was "sick." Oh and he left the SEC because he was afraid of Nick Saban and he knew he could win in the B1G.
Before you think I'm too serious let me propose this. Maybe our words have power. Maybe they really matter. Some people claim to be "brutally honest" when in reality they are just being jerks. Contrary to popular belief we are not entitled to sharing our opinion. I 100% believe in freedom of speech by all means. What God has been showing me over the last few years is that our words are powerful. We are not entitled to spew out everything that comes into our heads. I have found this a huge challenge as my personal health trial has gone on and on. I get in crappy moods and just want to "vent." Usually my dear husband is the recipient of this venting. Poor guy. He wants me to share my heart with him, but he does hold me accountable for my words and the heart behind them.
Proverbs 18:21) The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
James 1:19) Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger...
Romans 14:11) It is written: "As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God."
The above Bible verses show us how important words are. The old saying "sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you" is so untrue. A hurtful word to a child can impact them for life. Jumping to assumptions about a person rather than really listening to their side of the story can break up a friendship. One day our tongues will acknowledge the Lord. Our words mean something. This morning I was listening to Joyce Meyer on my walk. She's such a hoot and is such an amazing teacher. The series was titled, "Your Mouth and God's Power." The premise of the teaching was that our words impact others around us and ourselves. She teaches that we need to get into agreement with what God says and not what we feel, think, see, or what others say about us. We may feel unlovable and worthless because something told us we were, but God says I am the apple of His eye (Deut. 7:6) and I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). There are some symptoms that I'm still dealing with that are very difficult. I can't even fathom not living with them. It seems impossible that they could be relieved eventually. Matthew 19:26 says, "Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” So my time is better spent speaking what God says and not what I feel.
Joyce even described how I can actually block God's power and anointing in my life with my negative speech. She described a time when she was critical of a fellow preacher. She felt their preaching wasn't direct enough and they were not good at holding the sermon together to teach a main point. She voiced this to her husband. After that she started having a very hard time preaching. She just dreaded having to teach and couldn't wait until it was over. She had never felt this way before. Weeks went past and she couldn't shake the feeling. She prayed and prayed and God seemed silent. Finally her husband said he thought it had something to do with her critical attitude. She prayed and fasted the following day and God revealed the same thing to her. I thought that story was fascinating!
It was interesting to hear these sermons after reading all the hateful comments about Urban Meyer. Reading them really got me thinking about the issue. Hearing Joyce cemented what God was trying to teach me and still is. When I'm frustrated, discouraged, angry, whatever I must speak words of trust in God, faith, hope, and peace. I want my words to impact the people around me in a positive way. I want them to feel hope and peace. I want them to feel better about themselves and be encouraged. I have a loooooong way to go, but with God I can get there and so can you.
....and at least we beat _ichigan. :-)
I promise to get to my point, but have to give you the lead up to it so you can understand my thought process. Something AWFUL happened this weekend. It started at approximately 8 p.m. on Saturday night. If you are from Ohio you will totally get what I'm saying. Ohio State lost. I know, I know if your not an tOSU fan you probably 1. don't care, or 2. are glad we lost. Here is the deal though. I have no animosity to Sparty. Actually, I kind of like Sparty. _ichigan folk are torn between TTUP (That Team Up North, i.e. _ichigan) and _ichigan State. 'Little brother' ruined all our hopes and dreams of playing in the Title Game and to some extent, thinking we would never, ever lose as long as Urban Meyer was our coach. Quite frankly, I dreaded getting to the Big Dance and being embarrassed yet again. I could go on and on about how our defense stinks and Carlos Hyde should have been given the ball to get that 4th and 2 with about five minutes to go in the game.
I love ESPN and couldn't resist checking it out after our game. If your a Buckeye you are used to getting zero love on ESPN. I read a few articles about our game and I couldn't help but scroll down to the comments. I do this pretty often because the comments are usually pretty entertaining when the sarcasm isn't directed at my team. All the comments I read were not written by Ohio State fans. Some people were funny with their comments, but others were just down right sarcastic and mean. One person said they hated Urban Meyer and was glad tOSU lost. Another person speculated that Meyer would probably call 911 after the game because he thought he was having another heart attack. One poster said that Urban Cryer would probably fake another heart problem and quit because he knew his team sucked all in guise that he needed a break and time with his family. According to one person he knew his Gator team was terrible so he quit because he was "sick." Oh and he left the SEC because he was afraid of Nick Saban and he knew he could win in the B1G.
Before you think I'm too serious let me propose this. Maybe our words have power. Maybe they really matter. Some people claim to be "brutally honest" when in reality they are just being jerks. Contrary to popular belief we are not entitled to sharing our opinion. I 100% believe in freedom of speech by all means. What God has been showing me over the last few years is that our words are powerful. We are not entitled to spew out everything that comes into our heads. I have found this a huge challenge as my personal health trial has gone on and on. I get in crappy moods and just want to "vent." Usually my dear husband is the recipient of this venting. Poor guy. He wants me to share my heart with him, but he does hold me accountable for my words and the heart behind them.
Proverbs 18:21) The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
James 1:19) Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger...
Romans 14:11) It is written: "As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will acknowledge God."
The above Bible verses show us how important words are. The old saying "sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you" is so untrue. A hurtful word to a child can impact them for life. Jumping to assumptions about a person rather than really listening to their side of the story can break up a friendship. One day our tongues will acknowledge the Lord. Our words mean something. This morning I was listening to Joyce Meyer on my walk. She's such a hoot and is such an amazing teacher. The series was titled, "Your Mouth and God's Power." The premise of the teaching was that our words impact others around us and ourselves. She teaches that we need to get into agreement with what God says and not what we feel, think, see, or what others say about us. We may feel unlovable and worthless because something told us we were, but God says I am the apple of His eye (Deut. 7:6) and I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). There are some symptoms that I'm still dealing with that are very difficult. I can't even fathom not living with them. It seems impossible that they could be relieved eventually. Matthew 19:26 says, "Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” So my time is better spent speaking what God says and not what I feel.
Joyce even described how I can actually block God's power and anointing in my life with my negative speech. She described a time when she was critical of a fellow preacher. She felt their preaching wasn't direct enough and they were not good at holding the sermon together to teach a main point. She voiced this to her husband. After that she started having a very hard time preaching. She just dreaded having to teach and couldn't wait until it was over. She had never felt this way before. Weeks went past and she couldn't shake the feeling. She prayed and prayed and God seemed silent. Finally her husband said he thought it had something to do with her critical attitude. She prayed and fasted the following day and God revealed the same thing to her. I thought that story was fascinating!
It was interesting to hear these sermons after reading all the hateful comments about Urban Meyer. Reading them really got me thinking about the issue. Hearing Joyce cemented what God was trying to teach me and still is. When I'm frustrated, discouraged, angry, whatever I must speak words of trust in God, faith, hope, and peace. I want my words to impact the people around me in a positive way. I want them to feel hope and peace. I want them to feel better about themselves and be encouraged. I have a loooooong way to go, but with God I can get there and so can you.
....and at least we beat _ichigan. :-)
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Whatever You Do...
Hey all! I have SO much brewing in my brain right now I couldn't possibly put it all on paper (or the computer screen). God has been super busy with me. Let's just say that for now. Something did come to mind this afternoon that I wanted to share with y'all.
Eli takes piano lessons each Thursday. The instructor comes to Eli's school and teaches. It's a private lesson built into his school day. It's great because 1. Mr. Little is a dear man, and 2. we don't have to go somewhere else for the lesson. It's super convenient. I have been known to spy on the session from time to time. Well, I should clarify...Mr. Little knows I'm watching, but Eli does not. Call me a hover mom if you wish, but I like to know if my little guy is being respectful and doing what he's supposed to be doing. A few weeks back Eli got in trouble in class for not listening and focusing on the instruction. Eli is six so no one expects him to sit like an adult, but what we do expect is that he be respectful and not a know-it-all. He sometimes has a better idea on how to do things. He also LOVES to talk. When I say "love" I mean it's his favorite thing to do on the planet. Time and time again Dave and I tell Eli that he is to be wise. Wisdom comes from listening to those who are more experienced than you. There is a time to figure things out on your own and a time to take the instruction of counsel. We teach him to listen more than he talks. The verses below are two that we reference often.
Proverbs 1:5) ...let the wise listen and add to their learning...
Proverbs 1:7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Back to the piano lesson. So today Mr. Little calls me to share with me that Eli did not behave in piano lessons again today. He wanted me to know that he got after him a bit and Eli started to cry. He said Eli was talking a lot and not allowing Mr. Little to show him how to play. When Eli got in the car he said piano went well, but that he was naughty a little. After chatting a bit I told Eli that there were going to be consequences. He told me that he wouldn't play Wii. I think he picked that because he doesn't really care all that much about Wii. Eli had to call Mr. Little on the phone to apologize and I also took away Floppy.
OH.MY.GOODNESS. He freaked out. Crying, nose running, trying to talk me out of it...the whole nine yards. He tells me that he's not happy and I'm supposed to make him happy. He asked if I cared he was unhappy. I explained that my job was to teach him and guide him so he can grow into a Godly man. He told me Floppy makes him happy. Ay-yi-yi. Dave is much better at consequences than I am. I don't give in, but I want to! I think it's the horse person in me. I'm used to making my horse stand in the middle of the arena until they drop their head after a less than stellar training ride. My mom used to tell me, "Anna, you have to have more time than the horse." So true in the horse world AND the parenting world. Back to the situation with Eli.
When we got home he asked if he could earn Floppy back today. There are occasions when we allow him to earn something back. Those are special occasions. I told Eli my mind was made up and Floppy had to stay in the car today/tonight. I then got blamed for causing him to not be able to snuggle with Floppy in bed tonight. It was brutal people.
When we got home Eli raced into the basement to do "something." I figured he was up to something down there, but he was very upset so I let him be. About five minutes later he came back up with a heart colored red with the words "Anna love." It was precious. I knew he was trying to win Floppy back. His face was pink and his eyes watery. I hung his offering up and told him Floppy had to stay in the car because disrespecting Mr. Little and acting foolish was not okay. He goes back into the basement and comes back with two more pictures. He tried so hard to change my mind. I picked Eli up and told him I loved his gifts more than anything, but he has to have the right heart when giving gifts. Gifts are just that...gifts. They are given because you love someone not to get something out of them.
After this situation I thought of our relationship with God. I can parallel so much of parenting with our relationship with God. I didn't tell you the above story to make you think I'm a perfect mother. Heck, I'm far from it and I know it! By the grace of God do I only have any inkling of an idea of how to parent this little human. How many times have I prayed or read my Bible or done any of those things to try and "butter" God up, so to speak. Even if I don't do it blatantly I wonder how many times it's in the back of my mind. I think that God will think I'm good or at least better than some other people I know.
I have gone through a really tough time the last 6-7 years and I have thought many times about what I could do to change God's mind. Is there anything else I can do to make God change the circumstances?! Maybe if I volunteer at church or maybe if I only listen to Christian music? What if I take Communion? or maybe I can do two Bible studies today or pray an extra five minutes? I fully understand that by His grace I am saved. I know I can't work my way into heaven with huge tithes, long Bible studies, or hours spent at church. I know there is absolutely NOTHING on this planet that makes me good enough for heaven. Yet when it comes to my trial I have felt that maybe just maybe there is something I could do to get Him to do something I wanted. Eli did something he shouldn't have. Sometimes we do things we shouldn't and therefore have consequences. Other times God allows troubles to come our way to grow us up in our faith.
After the situation with Eli today I will have a new and refreshed outlook on my offerings to God. Essentially everything we do is an offering to God. Whether we are cleaning our home or reading our Bible...it is for Him. I am going to really evaluate my motives and my heart before I pray, study the Bible, or do anything else for God. I want to do those things because I love Him and want to make Him smile.
Colossians 3:23) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters...
Eli takes piano lessons each Thursday. The instructor comes to Eli's school and teaches. It's a private lesson built into his school day. It's great because 1. Mr. Little is a dear man, and 2. we don't have to go somewhere else for the lesson. It's super convenient. I have been known to spy on the session from time to time. Well, I should clarify...Mr. Little knows I'm watching, but Eli does not. Call me a hover mom if you wish, but I like to know if my little guy is being respectful and doing what he's supposed to be doing. A few weeks back Eli got in trouble in class for not listening and focusing on the instruction. Eli is six so no one expects him to sit like an adult, but what we do expect is that he be respectful and not a know-it-all. He sometimes has a better idea on how to do things. He also LOVES to talk. When I say "love" I mean it's his favorite thing to do on the planet. Time and time again Dave and I tell Eli that he is to be wise. Wisdom comes from listening to those who are more experienced than you. There is a time to figure things out on your own and a time to take the instruction of counsel. We teach him to listen more than he talks. The verses below are two that we reference often.
Proverbs 1:5) ...let the wise listen and add to their learning...
Proverbs 1:7) The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Back to the piano lesson. So today Mr. Little calls me to share with me that Eli did not behave in piano lessons again today. He wanted me to know that he got after him a bit and Eli started to cry. He said Eli was talking a lot and not allowing Mr. Little to show him how to play. When Eli got in the car he said piano went well, but that he was naughty a little. After chatting a bit I told Eli that there were going to be consequences. He told me that he wouldn't play Wii. I think he picked that because he doesn't really care all that much about Wii. Eli had to call Mr. Little on the phone to apologize and I also took away Floppy.
OH.MY.GOODNESS. He freaked out. Crying, nose running, trying to talk me out of it...the whole nine yards. He tells me that he's not happy and I'm supposed to make him happy. He asked if I cared he was unhappy. I explained that my job was to teach him and guide him so he can grow into a Godly man. He told me Floppy makes him happy. Ay-yi-yi. Dave is much better at consequences than I am. I don't give in, but I want to! I think it's the horse person in me. I'm used to making my horse stand in the middle of the arena until they drop their head after a less than stellar training ride. My mom used to tell me, "Anna, you have to have more time than the horse." So true in the horse world AND the parenting world. Back to the situation with Eli.
When we got home he asked if he could earn Floppy back today. There are occasions when we allow him to earn something back. Those are special occasions. I told Eli my mind was made up and Floppy had to stay in the car today/tonight. I then got blamed for causing him to not be able to snuggle with Floppy in bed tonight. It was brutal people.
When we got home Eli raced into the basement to do "something." I figured he was up to something down there, but he was very upset so I let him be. About five minutes later he came back up with a heart colored red with the words "Anna love." It was precious. I knew he was trying to win Floppy back. His face was pink and his eyes watery. I hung his offering up and told him Floppy had to stay in the car because disrespecting Mr. Little and acting foolish was not okay. He goes back into the basement and comes back with two more pictures. He tried so hard to change my mind. I picked Eli up and told him I loved his gifts more than anything, but he has to have the right heart when giving gifts. Gifts are just that...gifts. They are given because you love someone not to get something out of them.
After this situation I thought of our relationship with God. I can parallel so much of parenting with our relationship with God. I didn't tell you the above story to make you think I'm a perfect mother. Heck, I'm far from it and I know it! By the grace of God do I only have any inkling of an idea of how to parent this little human. How many times have I prayed or read my Bible or done any of those things to try and "butter" God up, so to speak. Even if I don't do it blatantly I wonder how many times it's in the back of my mind. I think that God will think I'm good or at least better than some other people I know.
I have gone through a really tough time the last 6-7 years and I have thought many times about what I could do to change God's mind. Is there anything else I can do to make God change the circumstances?! Maybe if I volunteer at church or maybe if I only listen to Christian music? What if I take Communion? or maybe I can do two Bible studies today or pray an extra five minutes? I fully understand that by His grace I am saved. I know I can't work my way into heaven with huge tithes, long Bible studies, or hours spent at church. I know there is absolutely NOTHING on this planet that makes me good enough for heaven. Yet when it comes to my trial I have felt that maybe just maybe there is something I could do to get Him to do something I wanted. Eli did something he shouldn't have. Sometimes we do things we shouldn't and therefore have consequences. Other times God allows troubles to come our way to grow us up in our faith.
After the situation with Eli today I will have a new and refreshed outlook on my offerings to God. Essentially everything we do is an offering to God. Whether we are cleaning our home or reading our Bible...it is for Him. I am going to really evaluate my motives and my heart before I pray, study the Bible, or do anything else for God. I want to do those things because I love Him and want to make Him smile.
Colossians 3:23) Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters...
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