Reading Luke at Christmas, chapter 5, second post

“...there was a man covered with leprosy..” (verse 12 NASB)  

Leprosy was deadly, contagious, and ugly.  

Luke was a doctor and he tells us that this man was covered.  The original word means just that. 

plērēs...covered over, fully covered. 

There were strict laws concerning lepers.  If you got leprosy, your life as you knew it was pretty much over.  You were unclean.   You could no longer live like before, no touching, no spreading your disease. 

Leviticus 13 is full of the rules about it.

I think it might have been even worse than hearing the word cancer today.  Hope would be hard to hold on to.  There were no medications like are available today,  no hospitals that specialized in care for that disease.  

“...when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can.....” (verse 12 NASB)

When he saw...

If You are willing...

You can...

When we are utterly helpless and hopeless, may we all be like this leper. 

Oh that we would see Jesus, know that He can, and trust that He is willing!

“...when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." And He stretched out His hand and touched him..”  (verses 12, 13 NASB) 

This leprous man, who had been secluded and untouchable to all others, felt the touch of Jesus   

And was healed.   

Reading Luke at Christmas, chapter 4, third post

I have an afternoon at home, nothing pressing left that I need to do.  Solitude.... some people don’t seem to enjoy it.  I crave it.

“...Jesus left and went to a secluded place...” (verse 42 NASB)

As I read thru the fourth chapter again, This one sentence grabbed me.   Jesus Himself needed a little time of solitude.  

Certainly He was in prayer...but I wonder if His humanity didn’t need the same thing I do?  Time to clear the mind, dump the trash from the brain, unwind the mayhem, and reflect on the events of the time passed. 

If Jesus searched out a quiet place to prayerfully process and regroup, who are we to think we can push thru, day after day, without some moments of solitude with our Creator?  

Maybe the reason some people don’t enjoy solitude is because they do the wrong thing with it?  Perhaps some people just don’t enjoy their own company, refusing to face realities, they do as scripture says not to do...

“ Do not quench the Spirit..” (1 Thessalonians 5:19 NASB) 

There sure have been times when I did not want to hear what that still small Voice was saying! But I know this....He is always always right.  

I am never, ever really alone, but I have felt the most alone in the busiest, most crowded place.  Sitting in my home alone this afternoon, with only this sleeping poodle, it’s just me and Jesus.  

Praise God for Luke and his detailed account of Jesus’ life lived in flesh.  I am so thankful for scripture that comes to life and so vividly applies itself to my own struggles and gives me encouragement that I have a Savior and Friend Who knows just what it is really like...

Reading Luke for Christmas, Chapter 4, December 4, 2019, second post

 “When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.” 

(Verse 14 NASB)

Jesus was assaulted by the enemy’s lies and manipulations, He was made aware of alternate courses of His life, and He walked that time without falling prey to the devil. Forty days!   

I would have felt like “whew..! I’m glad that’s over!” 

But it was not.  

We all go thru seasons of extreme difficulty.  As for me, I doubt I have ever gotten thru them without falling into wrong and sinful behavior.  When things get better, answers are obvious, I rejoice that it’s over.   And then BAM.  Another battle, on the same field of life or a different one.   Or even BOTH,  

Jesus knows what that’s like.  After forty intense, lonely days, it was not over.  

I wonder how often Satan tried again.  Daily?  Hourly? 

We know we have a Friend Who knows the battle ground well.   

Reading Luke for Christmas, chapter 4, December 4, 2019

"Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness  for forty days, being tempted by the devil."
(Luke 4:1,2 NASB)

This is hard. There is no warm fuzzy feeling thinking about Jesus fighting the devil, alone, for 40 long days. FORTY.

Certainly, God Himself has no capacity for evil, and James tells us plainly, " Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.  Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death."
(James 1:13-15 NASB)

Jesus has just been introduced by the very Voice of Father God, and now subjected to a long difficult  period, 40 days of it!

I remember a song years ago, "I never promised you a rose garden."  Indeed.




John had made the path ready, God had spoken, a dove had descended, it was public.  No turning back.

Unless.....

Jesus could have chosen the way of Satan just as Adam and Eve had.  He could have because He was fully man. (a hard concept for us because He alone was fully human while still fully God).

He did not succumb to the devil's lies.  How?  Luke tells us that Jesus was full of The Holy Spirit, and he tells us Jesus' method as He faced Satan's attack.

IT IS WRITTEN.





It is a devil's lie that being a follower of Jesus Christ makes life a rose garden.  We quote Psalm 23 and feel so comforted that "He makes me to lie down in green pastures, and leads me beside still waters. " (Ps. 23:2 NASB)   And He does!  But not always!

Sometimes our Father God allows hard things to come against us.  He allowed His own precious Son to be alone with the enemy for 40 long days!  FORTY.

 At every calculated attack, Jesus responded with what God had said. 

Most assuredly, every single one of us should be following Jesus.  It is absolutely worth it.

But it absolutely will not always be easy.  Just ask Him.  We can not look at Jesus and say 'You don't know what it's like' because He does.  Full well.

Let us purpose to know what scripture says, to prayerfully search it and know it, because it is the only weapon suitable for fighting Satan. 

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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

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“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?

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 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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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) 

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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.  

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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.  

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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.  

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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.