Reading Luke for Christmas, chapter 3, December 3, 2019

After Luke has told us the story of John's birth in Luke chapter one, he now gives precise historical information about John as an adult.


Priests were all from the lineage of Aaron, Moses' brother.  There were many priests with different responsibilities, but there was always only one high priest, and he held his position until his death.

The religious system of the day had become very corrupt and the Roman government put in place it's own religious leaders to maintain control over the Jews.  No matter who the Romans called in, the Jews would have recognized Annas as still being the high priest, no matter what the Roman government said.

Facts like Luke gives us most often can be directly verified by other historical sources of times, events, and people.  The Bible always validates itself, but I find it fascinating when there is ancient world history that agrees in every detail.

Isaiah had foretold about John.  "...the voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord'..." (Isaiah 40:3)

John had been set apart from his birth. Luke 1:80 tells us that he became strong in spirit.  He lived outside political influences, even religious or cultural influences were held far off.

He lived in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel. He was born to parents much older than normal, so he could well have been left on his own at a fairly young age.  But in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar's reign, "...the word of God came to John in the wilderness and he came...preaching a baptism of repentance..."  (Luke 3:3 NASB)

 However it looked, John knew he had been given a message and he knew the calling on his life.  John knew it was NOT all about John. In the wilderness of John's life, he got the message from God.  He wasn't putting on his church face, was not looking to make a name for himself, or get people's attention.  But when he spoke, people realized the state they were in.  "What shall we do?" (vs. 12)

The listening audience had heard about the Messiah coming.  All their life they had been taught this story.  "...the people were in a state of expectation....wondering...whether he might be the Christ.." (vs. 15)

John could have had a megachurch.  People crowded to hear him, stood in line to be baptized by him. but still he pointed them to someone else.  "...One is coming who is mightier than I.." (vs. 16)

Greater indeed.





From the heavens a voice announced and introduced the beloved Son of God and Jesus' public ministry began.  (vs. 22)

There would be no waiting, no turning back.  He had been introduced by Father God Himself.

Reading Luke for Christmas, chapter 3, second post

Reading through Luke for Christmas

Chapter 3

#2

.

“When crowds of people came out for baptism because it was the popular thing to do, John exploded: "Brood of snakes! What do you think you're doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God's judgment?

.

 It's your life that must change, not your skin. And don't think you can pull rank by claiming Abraham as 'father.' Being a child of Abraham is neither here nor there—children of Abraham are a dime a dozen. God can make children from stones if he wants.

.

 What counts is your life. Is it green and blossoming? Because if it's deadwood, it goes on the fire."

.

 The crowd asked him, "Then what are we supposed to do?"

.

 "If you have two coats, give one away," he said. "Do the same with your food."

.

  Tax men also came to be baptized and said, "Teacher, what should we do?"

.

 He told them, "No more extortion—collect only what is required by law."

.

Soldiers asked him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "No shakedowns, no blackmail—and be content with your rations."

.

 The interest of the people by now was building. They were all beginning to wonder, "Could this John be the Messiah?"

.

But John intervened: "I'm baptizing you here in the river. The main character in this drama, to whom I'm a mere stagehand, will ignite the kingdom life, a fire, the Holy Spirit within you, changing you from the inside out.

.

.

He's going to clean house—make a clean sweep of your lives. He'll place everything true in its proper place before God; everything false he'll put out with the trash to be burned." (verses 7-17 from The Message) 

.

.

Being born into the right family, a part of the right religious heritage was not sufficient for the people standing before John, and it is not enough for us.  

.

These people who came to hear John’s message heard words that pointed out areas of sin that needed to be addressed. Being plunged in water had no effect without a true change of heart followed by life actions.  And even the decision and intention to do just that would be futile without the power provided by the One Who came after John.  Messiah, Jesus the Christ.  

.

John pointed out the characteristics of the sin in each class of persons who came to hear him, challenged them to stop that sinfulness, awakening the realization that they were helpless to overcome it all, which would in turn urge them to seek divine help.  We all need power outside ourselves for true and complete obedience to God.  

.

Thank You Lord Jesus for leaving heaven to provide just that.  

As we look day after day at Luke’s recorded words, we read about Your birth, and your life....a perfect life lived in human flesh, we look at Your holiness and see our utter filth.  We can’t wash it off, we can’t even will to change it, we need You to come in and do that for us.  You can, you desire that.  

Give us eyes to see, ears to hear, and hearts that are receptive as we allow You to be borne within.

Reading Luke for Christmas, chapter 2, December 2, 2019

The second chapter of Luke gives us information about Jesus from his birth to twelve years old.

Government requirements are the pits.  I complain regularly about them.  Mary was due with her first baby soon, and government required that she travel with her husband back to the city of the family's origin.  That meant Bethlehem.

Mary was still only engaged to Joseph.  (verse 5)  An engagement in their culture was binding and required a divorce decree to negate.  Luke doesn't tell us all about Joseph's visit from the angel of God, but he had one.

Matthew tells us "...an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the Child who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. "She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21 NASB)

Joseph took his pregnant fiance' and traveled some seventy miles walking or riding an animal just to do what the government required.  Be counted.

I would have complained every step of the way.  I have been pregnant.  Twice.  Poor Mary. I know it must have been a miserable several days.

I think we look at the beautiful nativity scenes and the pretty cards and think of these people as super-saints.  There are no super-heroes in the Bible.  They are flesh and blood people, just like you and me.  Just as apt to complaining, getting weary, discouraged, frightened...

It is possible that Mary and Joseph went on to Bethlehem early, to make the trip easier and to be sure they weren't stranded along the way to deliver a baby on the road.  They obviously had arrived in Bethlehem,  Luke says "WHILE THEY WERE THERE, the days were completed for her to give birth." (Luke 2:6 NASB my emphasis)

It is also possible that the 'inn' was not what we think of as a motel.  Katáluma is the word in the original language that our translators have translated as 'inn'.  The word is also used in Mark 14:14-15 but there, it was translated as  'guest room' and 'upper room'.  (" ...Where is My guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?"'...he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready...")



The word that is translated as "inn" in Luke 10:34 is pandocheús, a completely different word.  (The Samaritan found the injured man, "....came to him and bandaged up his wounds... he put him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn...")  So, it is likely that Mary and Joseph were turned away from staying in the guest room of a house.   My mind questions if the people shunned Mary because she was with child but not yet married.  There was no room in the house, but they were permitted to stay in the area where the animals were sheltered.

Luk 2:7  And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. 

Culture customs would have had travelers coming into Bethlehem staying with relatives. The guest rooms and extra spaces would fill up quickly with close relatives, and even those not so closely related.  It was not uncommon for animals to be kept in the lower levels of houses, especially at night and in cold weather.   Maybe they were inside, maybe not...but there was a feeding trough there.  A manger.  Jesus' first crib.

The nativity plays we see may not portray accurately how it happened, but the important thing is that it DID happen.




Luke also tells us about the shepherds.  Every family had them.  It was usually the youngest boy of the family who became the family shepherd.  If another boy was born into the family, that boy would soon take that position as family shepherd. When the sky lit up with angels that night, there were likely several young boys in the group of shepherds.  A sight like that would be shocking for a grown man, imagine a young boy!

After the angel "...stood before them.." (vs.9) and gave them the information about the Messiah having been born, "...there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God.." (vs. 13)   Then "...the angels had gone away from them into heaven.." (vs. 15)

These shepherds did just what many of us would have done.  "...let us go....and see..." (vs. 15)

Can you imagine the conversation?  I think when you have seen a messenger of God, you KNOW you have seen a messenger of God!  They didn't have to be convinced...they didn't doubt what they had seen and heard, and they said. "Let's go see!!"

Just like a child runs expectantly into the living room on Christmas morning, they "...came in haste and found their way to Mary and Joseph and the baby as He lay in the manger." (vs. 16)



Luke 2:19 is one of the most profound verses in scripture to me.  "Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart."

Mary knew she had seen God's angel.  She had heard the message he delivered to her.  Now, she found herself with a newborn baby.  She knew that God had promised a Messiah.  And she had just given birth to the embodiment of that promise.

I don't think my mind could ever have stopped the 'what ifs'. As a new mother of an entirely human baby, I felt so very inadequate!  Imagine knowing that you are responsible for the care of the infant Son of God!




Twelve years later, they traveled to Jerusalem for Passover.  The family had set off to go back home and at the end of the day, Jesus wasn't in the group.  I would have been doubly frantic with the 'what ifs' then!

Oh my...I have lost the Son of God!!  What if someone hurts him?  Or worse!!

But when they traveled back looking for Him, they found Him sitting with the teachers in the temple participating and "...all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding..." (vs. 48)

Then there are more years of silence.  "...Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men." (vs. 52)


My curiosity is peeked.  I want to know about the toddler years, the years before he was twelve and sitting in the temple with the grown men, learning and even participating in their discussion.

I want to know about those years between twelve and thirty.  What about the teen years?  The awkward years when a boys voice changes and his body begins to look more and more masculine.

Those will be topics of conversation on the other side of eternity.  Those are some of the things Mary surely pondered in her heart.

Reading Luke for Christmas, Chapter 1, December 1, 2019 second post

Questioning

When I was in school, we were always told to raise our hand if we had a question.

Had I been any of the characters in the narrative of Luke chapter one, I surely would have had questions too.  Probably even more!!

Zacharias questioned the message of Gabriel.

 " Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." (verse 18 NASB)

Six months later, Gabriel brought a message to Mary.  She too had questions.

"Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?"(verse 34 NASB)

I remember similar questions from Abraham in response to the Lord's promise to give him all the land he saw before him.

" He said, "O Lord GOD, how may I know that I will possess it?" (Genesis 15:8 NASB)

Habakkuk questioned God.

 "...why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he?” (Habakukk 1:13 NASB)





Luke tells us that both Zacharias and Mary had questions for Gabriel, but only Zacharias was struck mute for his interrogatory.   He couldn't speak, and neither could he hear, "...they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called.  And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John."(Luke 1:62, 63 NASB)



When is it OK to ask questions of God? 
When will questioning God get you in trouble or struck mute?!


I have chewed on that most of the day.  Certainly I do not want to be reprimanded for my questions.  Neither do I believe that God is unapproachable.  All I know about His character proves otherwise.  He became flesh! 

He is holy and just, but also has gone to great length to restore me from my fallen state.  As I read Luke's account, I realize that even in this exercise for the next 24 days, He continues to reveal Himself.



Questioning God must never be a disguised demand or an arrogant insistence on my own method. God does not need to justify Himself to His creations.  He owes me absolutely nothing.  My response of faith and obedience must never hinge on my questions being satisfactorily answered.  

I purpose that I do not sin with my mouth in calling Him to justify to me how He sees fit to do what He chooses to do and not do.


I purpose to humbly ask any question I have, and accept the answer I am given.  Even if it is silence.

Reading Luke for Christmas, chapter 1, December 1, 2019

Dear Theophilus.

That's pretty much how Luke begins his account.

Theophilus is a Greek name.  It means "Friend of God".   Jesus said  "....you are My friends if you do what I command you. I have called you friends.." (John 15:14, 15 NASB)

So I am a Theophilus, a friend of God.  I read this book and take it personally.  It is written to me.

As Luke begins telling me the story of Jesus, he begins by connecting the dots of the past with the present.  Herod was king of Judea.  Herod was half Jewish, appointed by the Roman government, and very eager to keep his position.

There was a priest named Zacharias.  He was old, he and his wife had never had children. As a priest, he had the duties of teaching scripture and managing the activities that went on in the temple worship.  There were far too many priests to minister in the temple at the same time, so they had been divided up into groups (1Ch. 24:3-19).

It was Zacharias' turn.  He would finally get to work in the temple that week.  Each morning, the priests would cast lots to see which one would go into the inner sanctuary.  Only one priest entered, the rest took care of the activities in the outside courts.  It was not only Zacharias' week, Zacharias' was to be the one to enter.

It was a once in a lifetime day.  Zacharias would enter the holy place and burn the incense, representing the prayers of the people ascending to God.

As he prayed for the people, I wonder what Zacharias prayed.  Did he pray for himself and his wife?  Surely he had prayed many times for children, yet he had none.  Did he ask God yet again for a son?  It seems so!

 "... the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John." (Luke 1:13 NASB)

After performing the priestly duties,  it was the routine for the priest to come out and bless the people who were present. But Zacharias was delayed in coming out, and when he did come out, he couldn't speak!

After questioning God's angel Gabriel about being given a son, his tongue was silenced.  He would have a few months to think about what had happened to him inside the temple of God. He couldn't discuss it with his wife or his friends.

I think he probably did like Mary would do later on.  Ponder.  (Luke 2:19)

Zacharias' wife Elizabeth did conceived. In her sixth month, Gabriel made another call.  This time to a young girl named Mary.

Good ole' Gabriel gave Mary some life-changing information. He also gave her an inside tip.  Her relative Elizabeth was also going to bear a child.

Mary was very young, but Elizabeth was old.  How sweet of God to give each of these women someone to compare notes with and talk about the miraculous events they were a part of.

Friends.  Family.  Intimately involved in the activity of God.  Who better to share those things with than each other?  Who else could possibly understand so well?

Mary visited with Elizabeth for three months, (vs. 56) then went back to her home.  When Elizabeth had delivered, her non-verbal husband confirmed that the baby was to be named John, even though it was not a family name and would not normally be used.  After writing that confirming detail, Zacharias had his tongue loosed and began to speak again.

I wonder if he ever shut up after that.

"...Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying..." (Luke 1:67 NASB)

He had a LOT to say!

Think of all the questions you would ask him if you were his wife Elizabeth?

What did that angel look like?
Tell me exactly what he said.
What were you praying while you were in there?
Why could you not talk?  Was it your throat?  Your tongue?  How did that feel?

Maybe Zacharias talked about all that, maybe not.  But Luke tells us that after months of silence, Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophetically speak about the coming of the Savior. His own son would have a part in preparing the way for that to happen.

It might very well happen in Zacharias' lifetime.

Preparing for 24 days of the gospel of Luke at Christmas 2019

Our Bibles contain four different accounts of the time of Jesus on earth.

Matthew was a Jew who worked as a tax collector.  His Jewish heritage would have taught him to expect the child Isaiah had prophesied. (Isaiah 9:6,7)  When he wrote his account he presented Jesus, the king of the Jews.

Mark wrote an account that tells us about the things Jesus did.  Mark presents to his readers throughout history, the works and the authority of the One who came not to BE served....but to serve and give His life.

John wrote an account presenting Jesus as the Son of God.  God in flesh, revealing the Father to all of us who have read his inspired words down thru the ages.


Luke emphasizes the humanity of Jesus, feeling what we feel, facing all we face as human beings.  Luke takes us thru the days Jesus in a consecutive order.  Luke was a physician, he writes in a very organized way, presenting the fulfillment of prophecy.

There are 24 chapters in the gospel of Luke, one chapter for every day of December leading up to Christmas.

Join me in reading the chapters of Luke one chapter as a time as we begin the month of December.  Let us prayerfully ask God to reveal to us in a new and fresh way,both  the humanity and the the deity of Messiah Jesus.

As I begin, I praise God for the man Luke.

Luke was probably a Gentile believer. He was not one of the twelve but could have been one of the seventy he writes about in chapter 10. Although Luke may not have witnessed the things he writes about, he made it his purpose to document the eye witness accounts of his day. Luke knew and spoke to people who did witness what he writes about.

I thank God Luke placed importance on the details, and especially that Luke was obedient as God used him to document for me, all that I learn from his writings.

Reciting

I’ve never had a great memory.  I can tell you what the Bible says, and I can find where it is with my study tools.  I just can't recite it book, chapter, and verse. I am a list maker.  I forget my “to do’s” if I don’t write them down.  I use a calendar and appointment book.  If it’s not on that calendar, it doesn’t happen.

It is so very easy for me to forget stuff.

Except hurts and offenses.  I can recite them to you years after they happen.   Maybe it’s just me...

(I doubt it.)


While doing some bible study, the material being used cited Jesus teaching His disciples in Luke.


”One day Jesus said to his disciples, “There will always be temptations to sin, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting!  It would be better to be thrown into the sea with a millstone hung around your neck than to cause one of these little ones to fall into sin. So watch yourselves! "If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. Even if that person wrongs you seven times a day and each time turns again and asks forgiveness, you must forgive."


The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” …(Luke 17:1-5 New Living Translation)

I guess so.  When instructed to forgive over and over.  And over.  And over.....

Being told to expect hurts and instructed on how to walk thru them.
Head on. Face to face.  Talk about it to THEM, not to everybody else.

Mercy Lord, I indeed do need Your help to do that.  I’d rather stuff it down, wait it out, and hope it gets better.

But over and over.  The same thing?  How can a person do that?  Do you just resign yourself to being a doormat?  Do you train your heart to be calloused so that it doesn’t hurt?

I say with Jesus’ disciples, “Lord, give me more faith!”




He is the answer.  Not me.  He taught His disciples, and us, that small but genuine faith is, in fact, a trust in a very big and completely capable God.  Not a small me.

Not my ability to believe, but His power to carry me thru it.
Over and over.  And over.  And over.

Faith must be focused on HIM, and not on me.
Rather than recite my hurts and counting offenses, I should be reciting the attributes of God.

At the top of that recitation is love.

Mercy. Grace. Long suffering. Patience.

He knows all the details.  Of every situation, every heart, every intention. Mine included.

He is kind. And He is smart. Smarter than me, smarter than you.
He is just.  What He decides will be exactly the right thing, every single time.
He is compassionate.  And above all, He is holy.

I purpose to spend my thoughts on reciting His goodness and His perfect love, not reciting all my complaints.

I purpose to take the small grain of faith I have, trust Him that it is enough, and choose to do as He has instructed.

After all, He IS smarter than me.

I remember to Elthie 2019

Today is her birthday.  Five adults call her Mom.  I call her Elthie.

I was newly married, new to New Boston, and new to Ruby's Beauty Shop.  It was 1974.  Her hairdresser was retiring and she was looking for someone young, someone who would not retire on her.  She tried me out, and we have seen each other  almost ever single week since.

She was kindergarten teacher to both of my boys.  She mothered me time and time again.  She is the most consistent, unwavering woman I have ever known.  Always calm, cool and collected.

She encouraged me when I felt defeated in my career.  She sympathized with me in my valleys, and rejoiced with me on my mountaintops.  She has prayed for me, and even counted me as one of 'hers'.


Eventually,  I began to see her humor.  She is quite hilarious, in case you don't know....


We did a little image makeover a few weeks back and did a very amateur photo shoot.  It was at her suggestion, not mine, but I was quick to see what fun it would be.

She comes in looking almost exactly the same every time.  We change her hairstyle up a little bit occasionally, but her hair texture and hairline limits our choices, and her lifestyle demands something that can be kept without a lot of fuss or extra product.  

A bit of flat ironing and a lot of spray changed her hairstyle completely.  The gals in the salon thoroughly enjoyed this makeover, and they all said I made her look like me!  

She doesn't get all the hilarity of my choice of t-shirt for her.  Maybe her family will....they know how special she is, and how far from Beth Dutton!

I do believe her hair looked much better than mine did that day! 

The jeans I selected for her were distressed but had patches behind the holes, so no skin would show thru.  The flannel lumberjack plaid shirt was oversized, so we tied the front to tailor it a bit for her small frame. 

The graphic T-shirt put an exclamation point to the entire outfit only if you have watched the series “Yellowstone".

 This is her "I mean business pose."  

I have never seen it myself, but I figure her real children might recognize it.

This is her teasing pose. 

Daddy Bill is probably the only one to see it before this day! 

This is the the laughing Mom pose. 

 The joke is all for 'the children' who call her Mom, Mother, Mommy El,  or any other name she is known by.  To me she is a priceless friend, mentor, and above all.....

.....she is a hoot.  

Happy Birthday Elthie.  I sure am glad God sent you my way all those years ago.  

I Can't Walk

Today has been a hard day.  It began with a difficult conversation and they just kept coming.  

As I sat alone this evening pondering the day, as happens very often, a song began to play in my head.  The chorus is very familiar to me.

 "I can't even walk, without You holding my hand."

I had to Google the lyrics to remember the verses, which is the message of the song. 

I thought I could do a lot on my own
I thought I could make it all day long
I thought of myself as a mighty big man
But Lord I can't even walk without you holding my hand

At my age, I manage pretty well most of the time.  I have years and experience under my belt to draw on. I know Jesus, and I know what the Bible teaches. I know the still small Voice of the Holy Spirit.  

I have a tendency to be a 'know-it-all', or so I have been told.  Things are usually black and white to me.  Right or wrong.  Not grey.  I am a rule-keeper.  I believe people should do what they are supposed to do, do what is right, simply because it IS right.  

But they don't.  And I'm afraid that often, neither do I.  

I realized today, that once again, I have gotten out from under the yoke.  While I am capable of much, stronger than some, certainly stronger than I once was, I am still a weakling.  

Oh Lord, I can't even walk without you holding my hand
The mountain's too high and the valley's too wide
Down on my knees that's where I learned to stand
Oh Lord, I can't even walk without you holding my hand

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest.   Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.  Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." 

The words of King Jesus, Matthew 11:29-30 from The Message

Hallelujah. 

Re-Entry

Update on Blake
9.19.19

I am old enough to remember the spaceships landing on the moon.  We watched it on black and white television.  The scariest part to me was the coming back. The understanding I had as a child was that it would simply fall into the ocean.  I wouldn't jump into a swimming pool, so falling from the sky to re-enter the realm of earth, plopping down into the ocean, well, that was a terrifying thought.

Blake will soon be doing his own re-entry. 

Last week, he and Kati moved from the hospital environment to a residence.  There are no nurses, no call buttons, nobody checking on him.  He travels the short distance to the therapy center for a long session, then is taken back to the residence, he and Kati, alone for meals and bedtime. 

Soon, they will make a move back to Arkansas.  They will re-enter life in their house, with their children.  There will be meals to cook, children to bathe, homework to do, children's activities to attend. 

There will also be the continuation of the paperwork, the legal matters still to come, the paperwork to fill out, financial matters to tend to.

Pray they will not be overwhelmed, that no detail is overlooked that will present future problems.

Pray for wisdom in making the decisions ahead concerning legal and financial matters. 

Pray that all the paperwork left to be done will be easily managed, all information easily obtained, and submitted in timely manner.

Pray nothing gets overlooked and slips thru the cracks as they resume life that is not as ordinary as it once was.



Praise God that needs have been met thus far.  Praise Him for people who share the burdens.  Praise Him for friends and family who have worked so diligently, often behind the scenes. 



My sister dealt with mountains of paperwork when our mother was in the nursing home.  She has dealt with even more with our daddy's affairs. 

She stood defiantly in the face of a doctor who said Blake would not be better, ever.  She stood over his bed, prayerfully, until his every breath was no longer threatened.  She and Jason prayerfully made decisions about doctors and hospitals. 

Then she began the paperwork.


Getting disability checks started, Cobra insurance in effect, insurance claims filed, working to find every benefit, and GET it. Morgage relief. Insurance for the children.

If you have never had to do any of this kind of thing, you can't imagine how complicated it gets even when it is for yourself and all information readily available.  This has been a very difficult task, especially for a mother who would love to sit and stare at a son who has been given back from death's door.  But doing all she has done was practical and necessary.

One of the many challenges of this re-entry to life will be taking care of this very important and complicated business.  I hate stuff like that.  Most of us do.  Elizabeth does! 

 Kati most likely will too, and Blake sure will!! 



Elizabeth has filled out a lot of paperwork for other people's benefit. There have been many benefits received because she spent the time and energy seeking them out and jumping thru hoops to qualify for them.  The benefits may last a few weeks, or even a few years.  And she didn't gain a penny.  Someone else did. 

So much of it seems senseless.  Repetitive.

In a perfect world, we would not need insurance.  We wouldn't have to maneuver thru mounds of paperwork.  People would do what they are supposed to do, and not do things they shouldn't.

People wouldn't use their phone driving down the road. 

This world was created like that.  Perfect. But humans made bad choices in the garden and it's been the same story ever since.  Praise God He has put into place a plan to allow us to re-enter that perfect place.  Where people don't do wrong things, where there are no hurts to heal, and no paperwork to fill out. 

 In the coming perfect world, there will only be one place a name needs to be submitted and recorded.  The Lamb's Book of Life is the only paperwork on God's desk. 

I don't know about you, but Jesus has filled out mine. 

"...The courtroom was called to order, and the books were opened."(Daniel 7:10 from The Message)

 "Nothing dirty or defiled will get into the City, and no one who defiles or deceives. Only those whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life will get in."(Revelation 21:27 from The Message)

I don't know about you, but Jesus has met the qualifications for me, and written my name on His book. 

In red.

Hallelujah. 

Obstacles

I sat in a Bible study  class recently that used Mark 16 as a way to start a discussion.  We were asked to read the passage, talk to the ones near us about what it said, then we were to have a class discussion.

It was a great ice breaker to begin meshing a room of women from all walks of life, backgrounds, ages, and lifestyles.  We were very diverse, having one thing in common....a searching for Jesus and studying the Bible to better know Him and what He has said to us.  

I encourage you to read that chapter too.  Maybe read it right now, before you read anything I have to say.....

Did you?  If not...why?

As I read this passage that morning, scripture recorded in our Bible once again pointed out something personal to me.  Obstacles.  Reasons I don’t....reasons I quit...

Reasons? Or excuses? 

In this passage, it’s all been done.  Jesus was born, He lived, He taught, He showed by example, and He was dead. 

The women in the narrative had set out to do what women did.  A man they loved was in a tomb, and the customary thing to do was to tend to the body as culture directed.  But there were some circumstances that were out of the ordinary.  

Obstacles. 

To be connected to this Jesus, of whom the Romans had just executed at the Jewish religious leaders request, was risky.  What if the Jewish bigwigs saw them?  What if the Romans continued to kill Jesus’ followers?  They could be next!

Only these three women braved it, the other followers stayed behind, mourning and weeping. (Mark 16:10 NIV)

The first obstacle they pushed past was their fear.  Yet on the walk to the tomb, they thought of another obstacle. The stone.  “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” (Mark 16:3)

I’m sure the enemy was in overdrive, he thought he was  victorious when Jesus was dead.  Certainly he wanted Jesus’ dead body to rot in that grave.   But that devil was defeated, and the world would see the evidence of it. 

But if he could just convince these women that the obstacles were too great......

I’m afraid the fear of the Romans would have kept me with the others, crying into my tea glass.  And even if I had started out toward the tomb, remembering that big stone would have just reminded me it was no use walking all that way. Go back and have another glass of self-pity tea and weep a little louder. 

Obstacles. 

I wonder how many times I have assumed there to be an unsurmountable obstacle, when God would have moved it.   Maybe He already had, and I just didn’t know it. 

These women had an incredible experience at that empty tomb.  I have no doubt that in hindsight, they were so glad they didn’t let obstacles hinder them from the experience!  

I haven’t seen the empty tomb. But I’ve seen what can happen because He was not contained in the grave. Death is no longer the final word.  

Hallelujah. 

Do You Know My Jesus?

There have been two very visible examples of God answering my prayers in recent years. 

Jet was two years old when he picked up a loaded pistol off of a low table while in someone's home.
Blake was on his way to work when a car topped a hill in his lane.

Both of them were critically injured.  Both of them given little chance of survival, and even if they lived the outlook was grim. 


But God...



As I woke up in the middle of the night tonight, with some things heavy on my heart, a melody came to me...

Do you know....my Jesus?
Do you know...my Friend?

Beyond any doubt, there is someone reading this that does not.  Is it you?

The words continue...

Have you heard...He loves you?
And that He will abide til the end?


 "The Light shines in the darkness..." (John 1:5 NASB)

The gospel of John will introduce you to Jesus.  As you begin to grasp all the truth of Who Jesus is, you will come face to face with who you are. And it won't be pretty.  My furniture looks dustless until a light is turned on.  The brighter the light, the more dirt shows up.


Just as law points out our sin, it points out our need of help.  We can't fix what is wrong.  We can't achieve perfection. We see Jesus being just that.  Perfect. Without flaw. 

Yet, we can not un-do what shouldn't have been done. We know the 'Thou shalt not' list and realize we have violated the list.

Jesus never violated the list.  And He has given us His record to claim as our own.   Law defines our need, Jesus fills our need. 

Will you claim it?  Will you accept it?  Or do you insist on continuing to try to fix things yourself? 




In the beginning, God said  "Let there be light"; and there was light." (Genesis 1:3 NASB)

Still, He is the One Who can make light appear out of darkness. 
Still, "God rescued us from dead-end alleys and dark dungeons. He's set us up in the kingdom of the Son he loves so much,  the Son who got us out of the pit we were in." (Colossians 1:13-14 from The Message)

Do you know my Jesus?

If you don't, let John introduce you to Him.  He knew Him personally, walked with Him, ate with Him, talked with Him, watched Him interact with people, listened to Him teach... 

Do you know my Jesus? 

If you don't, let me also introduce you. 

He has answered prayers in very visible ways in recent years.  Most of my prayers are private.  Many I still wait to have answered.  But I know this...He is willing.


Are you?

Update on Blake
September 8, 2019

Blake's 86 year old grandfather, my daddy, was with me in our home for a couple nights last week. When Blake was so gravely injured and still in Texarkana, I had my daddy one day and asked him if he wanted to go see Blake. 

He told me that day he didn't think he could do it, but he was afraid if he didn't go, he would never see Blake again.  He did want to see him, and he didn't. He didn't want to see him like he was.  He was afraid to go, and afraid not to.

I told daddy about how serious Blake's injury was.  I told him there were some very bad possibilities, and I told daddy we must pray hard and trust God.  I know daddy struggled in his thoughts, fearful, and saddened.

We have shown him pictures, and told him about Blake's progress.  I'm sure he has even been shown some video clips on someone's phone.  But, Saturday morning as I sat with him at my dinner table having breakfast, I sat my iPad up in front of him and gave Kati a FaceTime call. 

I didn't tell him, I just let the picture come on on that iPad of Blake's face.  Daddy was so surprised. 

Kati flipped the camera around and scooted about 15 feet back so we could watch as Blake stood up out of the wheelchair he was sitting in, walked quite steadily towards the camera, stopped and turned to hold onto the bannister of a bridge they were standing on, leaned over and looked around, turned back to the camera and spoke and waved, then walked back and seated himself in that wheel chair.

My daddy was thrilled. 


The rehab facility takes the patients on an outing every week.  They call it recreational therapy, and it is such a wonderful part of what they do for patients.  Living life, not just being a patient. 

Saturday, they were at a Botanical Garden in Atlanta.  Blake began telling us about how beautiful it was, that he had never seen anything like it.  He said there were plants that had been made to look like figures and shaped beautifully.  He sent me pictures, (on his own phone!) and Kati sent me more.

It was indeed a spectacular place, I can only imagine how much more beautiful and awesome to be there in person. 

I thought about how my shrubs have gotten overgrown and out of hand.  Seeing these beautiful shapes and knowing how much work is involved in keeping the ones trimmed just around my house, I know there are hours spent on trimming these beautiful things, carefully, meticulously, not over cutting, not failing to trim off what needs to be cut....  Hours of work!

Pruning requires the right tool.  Use the wrong one, you do damage.
Pruning improves not just the looks, but the strength and health of the plant.
Pruning produces new growth.

There are SO many lessons to learn, just from looking at the beauty that is a result of careful pruning.  Pray we all will be submitted and open to God's pruning in our lives like that!  Even when it might hurt.  But the pruning produces such beautiful results.




Tuesday, Blake and Kati will move into a residence that the Shepherd Center has for patients who do not live in Atlanta, and who no longer need in-hospital care.  This is a huge step, and we are so thankful.  Praise God for the multitude of prayers answered.  Every single prayer has been granted. 

This move will mean Blake will discover and face whatever challenges are presented in life at home.  There will be no nurse call button.  Kati will of course be with him, and the two of them will begin to work those things out. 

Pray for patience with each other, as there will surely be some challenges.  Pray for humor.  I ask God to give them both laughter as each struggle is faced. 

Praise God these struggles to come are not life threatening, we praise God for seeing Blake thru those.  Pray that both Blake and Kati will not lose sight of from where they have come.  Life may very well be different from this day forward, but it is LIFE, and it is to be lived WELL.  Far more so than even I had hoped or imagined.  But, that's our God.... "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think..." (Ephesians 3:20 NASB)

How I praise Him tonight that He has granted more than I expected.  I pray He will work in spiritual ways just as magnificently!  Aunt Connie has had her faith muscles stretched yet again, some pruning done, and hopefully, some beautiful new growth will be a result.  May He do that for each of us as we say "Yes, Lord" and submit to Him.

He is always, and only...good.

Hallelujah. 

Glory

I often use the word 'glory'.  It is a very complex word, one used in scripture a great deal to describe our Creator God.

I had a wrong idea about it at one time.  I wondered....why does God need to be glorified?  Is He some super-duper egomaniac, needing His ego stroked? 

It is hard to wrap my finite mind around an infinite God in all His glory.  It is a bit like describing beauty.  How do you do that except point out something that is full of beauty? 

That is my way of thinking about the glory of God.  When I can visibly see and witness the working of His divine nature, I have seen glory in a very small way.  When I can participate with Him in displaying His beauty, be an instrument in His Hand in some small way...that is when I am glorifying God. 

God has no ego that needs to be stroked.  He doesn't need me to do or say anything that can make Him bigger or better.  He doesn't instruct me to glorify Him for His sake....He instructs me to glorify Him for someone else's sake.  We are to glorify Him so that mankind around us will know Him. 


The enemy uses the same tactic over and over to attack and prevent me from doing just that.  He succeeds more times than I care to admit.  My writing is one of the things He attacks.

"Well....aren't you special?"
"Look at how many people are interested in what you have to say."

Just as satan did when he tempted our Lord Jesus, He does with me.  And I am no Jesus....but it is my purpose to keep my heart focused on bringing Him honor and glory, not myself. 



I began journaling years ago, I moved to a blog, and even self-published some of my writing in a book. I am not ashamed of them, but I guard against being caught up in satan's temptation to be prideful. 


I am nothing special.  Except that Jesus has cleansed me and placed His Spirit within me. It may not be as visible as someone else's shortcomings, but I fail Him miserably. 

Often.

When you see or hear me say "Glory!", it is just my way of pointing to something visible that has God's beautiful Fingerprints all over it. 

He is so good.  Always, and only.  Good. 

Hallelujah.

Apology

I need to apologize.  I can’t remember the names of all the people I need to apologize to, but there are a lot.  Some of them, I probably didn’t even know their names in the first place.

There has been a lot of time passed since the offenses occurred. Years in fact. The offenses are stacked up and have been forgotten.

Until that still small Voice reminded me of them today.

You see, I have become what, at one time, I would have been impatient with, annoyed at, and critical of.

When I was younger, I expected those who were older, ( about the age I am now), to have it all together.  They should have life experiences that made them wise.  They should be able to deal with life’s problems and bring about quick solutions. I found little excuse for people who let things be, who didn’t butt heads with error.

A quick mind and sure memory were things I thought little about, it was natural to me. WAS being the key word.

I am not as old as Methuselah, but I am not young anymore either. I notice that I no longer have the capacities to multitask.  I don’t recall information quickly.  I dont recall details, and I am apt to forget absolutely any thing and any one.  I am quite sure I probably repeat myself, ask the same questions, and tell the same stories.


Ugh.

So I apologize. To whomever I once patronized for being slow to learn something new.

 I apologize to those who missed the turn on the highway.  To the ones who didn’t see that the light had turned green, and the ones who were watching traffic around them and were too slow to get thru the intersection before the light turned red.

I regret my impatience with drivers who couldn’t figure out which lane they needed to be in, even in spite of the painted arrows on the highway.

I apologize to the shoppers in line in front of me who waited until the checker was completely finished before they thought to dig out their check, cash, or card.

I regret my disdain when older people told me the tales of their youth and I was uninterested and bored at having to hear the same story again.

I am sorry that I may have left some older person out of the loop, too busy to be bothered or slowed down.

I wonder how many hurt feelings I have left behind, how many time I have assumed all was well, when in fact it was not. I wonder how many times I sped thru the hours of my day and looked right past people who mattered more than I gave them credit.

I know now how that feels.

At this point, it is me who is missing their turn and having to make the block and go back.  I am the one forgetting how often I have told you that story.  I am the one that has to have everything I need to remember written down.  I am the one that would appreciate being shown that they have value and worth.    Not an ego boost, but simply acknowledged.     Not pampered, but not ignored and overlooked.

Dirt Collector

We were given a little robot vacuum cleaner for Christmas.  It is a very small little round thing that passes over the floors to clean them.  It runs on a rechargeable battery, has some sort of GPS type programming that will direct it back to the charging station when the battery gets low.  Kinda spooky really...

I was gracious when we received the little dirt collecting gift.  But honestly, I was not expecting to enjoy the thing.  I didn't expect it to do much.  I mean, how much dirt can a battery operated, self-propelled vacuum cleaner collect?

You would be shocked.  I was.

I came home from work one day and Rosie was doing her thing.  (Remember The Jetson's? And their Rosie the robot maid?)  We were sitting in the living room on another night and I heard a sound...Yep, it was Rosie.  She was coming down the hall.  It is a little creeply, but we are getting used to it. 

Rosie has a small compartment that catches what she picks up off our floors.  When she makes her pass thru our house, that little compartment is packed full of dust, lint, and little bits of trash.  Every time it is packed full, from one day to the next.  And there are only two people and a small poodle in this house! And the two people are gone all day 5 days of the week!

We are clean, grown adults.  The dog is old, does't shed, and sleeps all day long.  Where in the world does this all the dirt come from?!?

I keep expecting Rosie to do her job and the compartment to be empty.  No.  It is full.

Every. Single. Time.

There is always some dirt to collect isn't there?  If you go to all the corners, look closely at the beaten paths, you will find some dirt. 

I kinda liked it when I didn't know it was there.  Now that I do, I want Rosie to do her thing every day. 





The Lord has used this little dirt collecting machine to illustrate several things to me. 

People too can find dirt.  I can find dirt. Persistence and close scrutiny will reveal plenty of it.

It won't take much scrutiny for you to see it in me, and I can easily find it in you.  None of us are without flaw, we all have dirt in our lives.  We all have those dusty corners and paths we tread daily, paths where we drop little bits of our unclean words or unkind and un-Christlike behavior.

The Holy Spirit can certainly find dirt.  In my life, in my behavior, in my attitudes, in every nook and corner, it is there and He can pull it out of the hiding places.  All I must do is allow Him to roam around my heart and mind like Rosie roams my house. 

I purpose that I do not attempt to hide the filth. I want to be clean.  And to be clean, it must be a continual process.

I purpose to attend to my own house. It is not my responsibility to collect the dirt in yours. And even if you are inspecting mine, I purpose to be confident that God has got me in His hand.  Your scrutiny can not negate what His cleansing power accomplishes.

But I can. By my own rebellion and disobedience. 


Lord God, help me to leave the dirt collecting to you.  And while you are at it, help all of us do the same. 






" Keep your behavior excellent .... so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." (1 Peter 2:12 NASB)


" Be careful how you behave among your unsaved neighbors; for then, even if they are suspicious of you and talk against you, they will end up praising God for your good works when Christ returns" (1 Peter 2:12 The Living Bible)