Granny’s Garden Looks Good

April 3, 2013 4 comments

purple weedsOne gorgeous spring day, my grandson and I were in my kitchen having a conversation about the nice weather. I pointed out to him that I had already put my patio furniture outside, and we would soon be able to plant a beautiful flower garden. He looked out the window at my weed-infested flowerbeds and replied, “But, Granny, your garden already looks good.”

In his eyes, the purple flowers produced by the weeds made a good-looking garden. While his assessment was delightful to me, I knew it was flawed because, having seen exquisite flowerbeds before, I recognized that, in its current state, mine was very ugly.

My grandson’s perception of what constituted a good-looking garden was skewed because his standards were minimal and based on limited knowledge. This same principle can be applied to an individual or a society when the perception of what is good or evil is based solely, or in part, on the thoughts, practices, and writings of fallen man and not on the standard supplied to us by God in His Word.

I believe my grandson will adopt a more stringent requirement for what constitutes a beautiful garden if he’s exposed to lovely flowers. In the same way, the more time we spend reading, studying, and meditating on God’s Word, the more our moral standards will be aligned with the standards God requires of us–made possible to all believers by His Spirit living within us.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” 2 Timothy 3:16.

Categories: Bible, Devotionals Tags: , ,

The Message of God in an Asteroid and a Meteor

February 20, 2013 Leave a comment

asteroidTwo rare events happened in our atmosphere on Friday, February 15th.  I definitely see a message from God in both of them.

Before Friday’s close fly by of asteroid DA14, the media bombarded the public with information about asteroids. Each time I heard a reporter talking about the millions of space rocks out there, I marveled at how our planet has escaped being hit or destroyed by one of these celestial bodies. How have we been spared? The answer is in Isaiah 45:7:  “I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things.”

Clearly, our loving God, who created the asteroids in the first place, continuously protects Earth from being seriously damaged by them. Until He decides such a planet-shaking event will occur, every asteroid, every comet, every meteoroid, stays in its God-appointed place away from our earth’s atmosphere. The fact that He allowed such a close encounter on Friday, and that the occurrence was broadcast worldwide, only served to emphasize His hand in the other rare event which happened on the very same day.

Early Friday morning, before asteroid DA14 whizzed by our planet, a meteor, 50 feet wide, slammed into Chelyabinsk, Russia. Scientists say a meteor of this size impacts our earth every decade or so, but most of them simply fall into the ocean. The fact that this one injured almost one thousand people and heavily damaged a city made it an extremely uncommon occurrence.

Officials from NASA immediately declared the asteroid and the meteor were not connected. These were two rare events that just happened to occur on the same day. However, I disagree. I believe the two incidents are connected. I believe they’re connected by the message God delivered on Friday.

While NASA and other scientists assured everyone they knew the asteroid’s path and were tracking its every move, God allowed an unforeseen meteor to enter earth’s atmosphere. This unexpected cosmic rock was God’s way of reminding mankind that scientists can never accurately predict what God will send upon planet Earth or when He will send it.

Mathematicians tell us—astronomically speaking—the odds of these two events happening on the same day were 1 in 100 million. The improbability of this is a clarion call to worship an Almighty God who governs the heavens and the earth.

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.” 1 Chronicles 29:11  

Categories: Theology, Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

Bits and Pieces 1/28/13

January 28, 2013 Leave a comment

puzzle%20piecesWebsite Lists All Free Books Available On Amazon:  I love reading books on my Kindle for iPad, and it’s so much better when they’re FREE.  Freebook Sifter is a website which lists all the free books on Amazon.  The link provided here opens to Christian fiction, but if you click on the e-book tab, you’re able to choose any kind of book you like. Click here for Freebook Sifter.

Did Jesus Sing While He Lived Among Us? The answer from several New Testament passages is yes! I’m sure He also laughed, and I suspect what made Him laugh was an inexpressible joy we’ll only know when we see Him face-to-face. Here’s a great article about Jesus and singing by Tony Reinke. 

It Could Have Been Me:  This is such a great reminder that  all our steps are ordered by God. Whatever comes our way (or doesn’t), may we thank Him daily for His grace.  Read Lisa’s blog post on “When It Could Have Been Me” here.

How Much Money Am I Supposed To Give Away? The short answer Tim Challies gives is “enough that it matters.”  His full response is insightful and could serve as a springboard for a family discussion on giving. Read it here.

Categories: Bits and Pieces, Books Tags: , , , ,

Trusting God: Even When Life Hurts

January 11, 2013 1 comment

Trusting GodTrusting God: Even When Life Hurts by Jerry Bridges is a MUST read if you are hurting, but even if “hurting” is not a label you would pin on yourself right now, it’s still a book you should read.

By exploring God’s Sovereignty, God’s Wisdom, and God’s Love, Bridges not only enables you to understand and know God better, he also provides you with the tools to maintain your house of faith when you go through pain and suffering.

“Why did God let this happen?” is a question Bridges explores in great detail.  His answers are insightful and full of Scripture.  I’ve always believed God is in control at all times and in all ways, but after reading this book, I’ve added a new word to that concept–God’s loving control.

Categories: Books, Devotionals, Sorrow Tags: , , , , , ,

Having A Dinner Party?

January 10, 2013 2 comments

table settingI’ve discovered having a successful Quiet Time is a lot like having a dinner party.  To have a successful dinner party, you’ve got to plan well.  I do that by asking myself several questions.  Who will I invite to the party?  What will be the main course?  What will I use for a table decoration? Will I use the good china or my everyday dishes?

It’s the same with having a daily devotional time. I have to plan for a successful outcome by asking some pertinent questions. What version of the Bible will I use?  Will I read the Bible through this year or study one book at a time?  Will I record my thoughts in a journal? What’s the best time for me to be alone with God? 

I seldom have a party without something unexpected happening. There might be a quick solution to the problem, like making a fast trip to the grocery store when the ice maker stops working.  Sometimes, however, there is no easy solution, and things just don’t turn out the way you’d hoped, although your guests will probably not notice when things go wrong.

You need to expect the unexpected during your Quiet Time too. There will be days when the telephone rings, the dog needs to go out, or the kids wake up early. At those times, you might be able to resume your appointment with the Lord.  On the other hand, some interruptions don’t have quick solutions, and your daily devotional time may seem like a failure, although I doubt the Lord will ever feel your time with Him is ever a failure.

My most enjoyable dinner parties aren’t necessarily those rare ones where everything turns out beautifully. Instead, it’s the one where I forgot to make the gravy because I was hearing about my friend’s hurt feelings or the one where I decided to stop looking for the wooden salad bowl so I could hear a funny story from someone who never tells funny stories.

Having an enjoyable daily Quiet Time may not always involve high moments of ecstatic wonder or theological insight. A pleasing time with the Lord may be consumed with painful confessions or heartbreaking requests. Yet, in the end, the real reason for having a Quiet Time, like the real reason for the dinner party, is to set aside time in your day for sharing yourself with a friend.

Complimentary words from guests as they leave your home when the party’s over are always nice to hear. But, listen to these complimentary words from the writer of Psalm 119 after spending time with the Lord, “How sweet are Your words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” (Psalm 119:103)

Make 2013 the year you followed through on your commitment to have a daily Quiet Time.  I think I’ll try to have a few more dinner parties too!

Categories: Bible Tags: , , ,

Bits and Pieces 12-24-12

December 24, 2012 Leave a comment

puzzle%20piecesWhat Are We Doing To Christmas?   In this blog, Bob Kauflin writes of three ways we can miss the beauty and wonder of the Incarnation: we can sentimentalize, sanitize or spirtualize Christmas.  If we do one or all of these, we miss the glory of the Incarnation.  Read the article here.

Angels We Have Heard On High:  Although we mainly associate angels with the Christmas story, Joel Miller writes about the ministry of angels to all believers. Read his Angels: Friends of the Faithful here. 

A Last Minute Stocking Stuffer: It’s not too late for this last minute stocking stuffer. I love this idea for a gift.  All it takes is a 7-day pill organizer.  Read about it here.

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Categories: Bits and Pieces, Christmas Tags: , ,

Consolation And Celebration At Christmas

December 15, 2012 Leave a comment

mangerAs I’ve listened to news reports from Newtown, Connecticut, where the elementary school massacre took place, I’ve heard reporters say this tragedy is made worse because it has occurred at Christmas. Several families in the community are even taking down their Christmas decorations because they just don’t see how they can celebrate Christmas now. If I were one of those parents or grandparents, I’m sure I would be tempted to do the same thing.

However, what’s the “celebration” of Christmas all about? It’s a moment we set aside to rejoice in the wonder of God becoming a man. That’s what we’re celebrating.  However, He didn’t just come to live as a man. He didn’t come to earth as the God/Man to see what it was like to live as a human being. He was born so he could die “that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”  Hebrews 2:14-15.

When we are dealing with the sorrow of losing a loved one at Christmas, we can console ourselves and celebrate at the same time because Jesus came to do away with death. Isaiah 25:8 says, “He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.”

In the gospels, there is both rejoicing and weeping as the story of Jesus’ birth is told. Luke says the shepherds were glorifying and praising God, while Matthew says there was weeping and loud lamentation when Herod ordered all the children two years and under to be slaughtered.

Besides the sorrow of death this Christmas, there will be the sorrow of loneliness, of rejection, of disappointment, and of suffering. Yet, consolation comes through celebrating Emmanuel, God with us.

Categories: Christmas, Devotionals, Sorrow Tags: , , ,

What Is Beauty?

December 3, 2012 3 comments

Eyes Wide OpenAfter receiving several inquiries about why I haven’t blogged in several months, I decided it was time for me to get back online. For the past six months, I’ve been working on another writing project—more about that in a later post. Taking a break from something we routinely do is a good way to get a new perspective. A friend of mine took a vacation from Facebook. She decided it was a waste of time, and it was keeping her from spending time with her family. Now, she occasionally checks it out, but being off for several weeks helped her to reorder her priorities. She says she sees Facebook differently now.

 Seeing things differently is what Steve DeWitt’s book, Eyes Wide Open, is all about. After reading it this summer, I have a different perspective on beauty. This is a book about the beauty of God, but also about why God created beauty in the first place.

 DeWitt says the beauty we experience on this earth—in whatever form it takes—is a whisper, a shadow, of the real Beauty. However, so often, we end up worshipping the shadows instead of the real Beauty.

 Here’s a quote from DeWitt’s book:  “Beauty is both a gift and a map. It is a gift to be enjoyed and a map to be followed back to the source of the beauty with praise and thanksgiving.”

 The following video was both a gift and a map to me.

Categories: Books, Personal, Uncategorized Tags: , , ,

Here’s What “I Am”

June 12, 2012 2 comments

 

 

 

I am enjoying the slower pace of life since retirement.

I am grateful for the cool weather and good rains we’ve had this Spring.

I am wondering if the Dallas Cowboys can possibly get their act together this year.

I am reading Tim Keller’s The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness.

I am memorizing the book of Ephesians (and hoping I will have it done by the time the Lord calls me home).

I am praying for friends who are hurting and in desperate need of God’s special touch.

I am playing a game with an opponent on Words With Friends who beats me by 100 points
every time we play, so maybe he’s cheating?

I am reflecting on the sermon I heard Sunday from passages in Ecclesiastes:  “Fear God,” says the wise man.

I am wishing Norman had a more comfortable, attractive library.

I am hoping the gophers in our backyard will be curious and explore the enticing little traps we set for them. 

I am amazed at how quickly time goes by when I’m writing.

I am grateful to the “I AM” for His allowing me to be His child forever.

 

 

Categories: I Am Tags: , ,

Bits and Pieces 6/9/12

June 9, 2012 Leave a comment

The Day I Accused My Wife Of Infidelity:  Seeking an “extra” revelation from God or wanting to feel we have an insight not given to every believer can take us down a dangerous path, as C. Michael Patton explains in his blog at Credo House Ministries.

People Do Good Things And Bad Things:  You will enjoy reading the insights from Tim Challies on how different religions view the universal concept we all share about how our right and wrong acts must balance each other out.  Read “The Ledger” here.

Film on the book of Job:  Desiring God, a ministry arm of John Piper, announced the release on iTunes of “JOB the Film.”  This is an animated work of Piper’s poetry interpreting the Old Testament book of Job.  It is a moving film answering “why do people suffer.”  View the trailer below.

Categories: Bits and Pieces Tags: , , ,