Random thoughts of a harried blogger

June 9, 2015                                                       https://youtu.be/zulKcYItKIA

I was introduced to this song this morning and have listened to it four or five times now.  Click on the link and check it out for yourselves and see if you relate.

I'm tired, friends.  I'm tired of policemen being berated for doing their jobs.  I'm tired of hearing the sadness of people's voices as they discuss being alone because their spouses have left them--and their kids--to fend for themselves.  I'm tired of hearing how awful Obama is, how wonderful Bruce Jenner is, and I'm tired of  Christians being attacked because of taking stands that they think they are supposed to.  This Franklin Graham stuff is getting close to mob mentality and...I'm tired of it.

But what should I do?  Should I do anything?  

I have friends that are black.  I have friends that are white.  I have friends that are homosexuals and some that are homo sapiens.   I have friends that are adulterers, thieves, gluttons, boastful, liars.  I have friends who love the USA and friends who are planning to secede from it if given the opportunity.  I guess what I am saying is that I have friends of all backgrounds, races, preferences, religions, and beliefs.  I love them and they love me.  Do we agree on everything?  Hardly.  Do we practice the same lifestyles?  Not even close.  Are we on the same social platforms?  Same political party?  Do we drive foreign or domestic cars?

Who cares??  Why does it matter??  

Sigh.  I've been pondering this blog for several days now, whether to say anything and if so, how to do so unoffensively.  Or, should I speak boldly about what God says and let that damnation get the offenders in due time?  Should I let the masses hound it out and just sit back as mankind wars against itself, with the "experts" telling one another "truth" and from their pious thrones rule the world?  And just what did God really say about it all anyway?  And that, my dear loves, is where I am now.

Proverbs Chapter 6

¹⁶ These six [things] doth the LORD hate: yea, seven [are] an abomination unto him:

¹⁷ A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,

¹⁸ An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

¹⁹ A false witness [that] speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Galatians Chapter 5

¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are [these]; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

²⁰ Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

²¹ Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told [you] in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

1 Corinthians Chapter 6

⁹ Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,

¹⁰ Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.

And then, blessedly, this verse followed:  

¹¹ And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.

Without Jesus Christ sanctifying us and making us holy, none of us stands a chance.  None.  No one.  While I am not in any way condoning lifestyles of sin, my role here on this earth is not to judge but to reflect Christ.  Did He turn His back on sinners?  No!  Did He deprive them of His presence or did He seek them out purposely?  I'll help you out with that one:  He came to seek and to save that which was lost.  He didn't have to look far then and He certainly doesn't have to now.  We make it so easy for Him, don't we?  

I've been pondering how to take a "Christian" stand on these issues and I've come up with this:  I don't have to.  I don't have to tell the world how I feel about them and the choices they make.  While I am not to turn a deaf ear nor blind eye to sin, it is not my place to condemn.  Rather, I am to convince them by the way I live my life that when Jesus is allowed to clean up a mess such as me, then there is hope.  There is a future.  And there is love that covers a multitude of sins.  I'm living proof of the wonders God can do when sinners confess their need for a Saviour and allow Him to mold us into the image of His Son.  For you see, I was that fornicator.  I was that thief.  I was that gossiper.  Let's not even talk about my pride issues!  Honor my father and my mother?  Ha!  Take things that didn't belong to me?  Put other gods before my God--the worst sin of all?  With a shamed face and bowed head, I must confess that yes, it's me.  These sins and many more that are too shameful to speak of I had to lay at Christ's feet while He took the blows for my crimes.  Those stripes on His back should have been on mine.  That rejection He faced as God had to turn from Him should have been my final and ultimate judgement.  But it's not.  It isn't.  And it won't be.

Why?  Why Stef?  What makes you so special?  And what proof do you have that you won't be condemned?  How do you know that judgment won't fall on you?  I know some of your past and it's certainly not one to brag about.  How can you be so sure that you are forgiven and that these sins won't be held against you?

Sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?  For years I've been trying to figure it out myself, trying to believe that I was actually privy to this wonder.  Surely there must be some mistake.  I know me and my thoughts and my actions.  How could Jesus want a thing to do with me, much less have hand-picked me before time began, knowing the shame I'd bring Him?  I can't answer that one but I do know that I'm His.  I do know He saved me and that He loves me in an indescribable manner and all I can do now is thank Him and try to show that love to others.  He saw what I could be and thought it was enough, enough for Him to die for.  He thinks that about you too, my friend.  

So, in conclusion, if He so loved us, ought we not to love one another?  Can't we stand, side by side, in His truths, in His standards, and in His ways rather than trying to get in His way?  He doesn't need us to defend Him.  He needs us to represent Him, to imitate Him, and to lead others to Him.  We can't do that when we are looking down on others.  Only by interaction and side-by-side contact can we influence those around us.  Stop the shunning.  Quit pointing fingers.  When you quote the Bible, make sure you are doing so in the right context and not distorting the Truth.  Pray about things before taking action.  Perhaps the best thing for us to do is just be still.  God's got this.  He knew this day was coming.  It's not a surprise to Him.  Let's not so easily be shaken either.

What is that smell?!

June 6, 2015

I love Facebook.  Many of the inspirations for my blog come from it.  Case in point:  yesterday a friend of mine shared the following statement that I think you will enjoy:

As I was entering the Home Depot ladies room a cute little girl ( who appeared to be about 7 years) was exiting. She whispered to me "It is going to stink in there. It was my Mom!" Lol. Priceless little children.

I indeed laughed out loud as I pictured this scenario.  Can't you just see the mortified look on the little girl's face and then picture the mom who couldn't have been far behind meandering out as though nothing out of the ordinary had taken place?  How hard it must have been to keep a straight face (in more ways than one if you catch my drift--or the drift that was left behind).  

As children of God, do you ever wonder what scents we are leaving behind?  When we leave a place, is there a fragrance of something pleasant or do we instead leave a stench and have people holding their noses and wanting to get as far away from there as possible?


2 Corinthians 2:15 tells us

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 

I don't know about you but I for one surely love to follow my nose to things that please it.  Roses, fresh-baked chocolate-chip-pies like I am about to bake for my favorite seven-year-old grandson, the smell of the earth after a solid rain, and who doesn't love the smell of bacon frying and popcorn popping?  On the other hand, popcorn that is burning, a woman with too much perfume, and little boys who use their little bottoms to make dreadful noises and smells are most unwelcome in my aurora.  

Today, as we do whatever it is we have planned, let's purpose to leave behind an aroma that makes people stop in their tracks, turn around to see what that wonder was, and make our Lord Jesus proud of His kids.  Let's create a hunger for those nearest us to want more of that spectacular fragrance to fill their hungry hearts and to create an appetite to learn more of Jesus.  Most importantly though, let's be sure we can truly give them the bread they need.  Are you prepared to share the gospel today?  Let's see if we can get a little help first, shall we?

Dear Lord God, today is another opportunity for us to be lights for You.  You have given us a day to honor You and my prayer is that we all check up before leaving our homes today and make sure we have our dress in place.  May we not have too much Bible and not enough of You.  May we not be overbearing in our knowledge but subtle in our love so that others are attracted to what our testimonies are saying in spite of the things that might come out of our mouths.  

Should someone leave a room where we have been, may the remarks be favorable so that others are enticed to come in and see what the fuss is all about rather than dread taking another step into an arena that is foul and stinky.  Help us, I ask, to be pleasing to those we encounter today and may they smile when we pass and think "I wish I was like that!"

Thank You for this day, Father.  As my family and I celebrate my oldest grandson's special day, may we delight in him the way You delight in us.  In return, may we glean more knowledge of just how very much we are loved by You by the way we love this special boy?  Thank You for him, my other two gsons, and my family.  Thank You for teaching me how to love.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.

The Eyes Have It

June 4, 2015

Yesterday after going to the doctor, I went to get my prescription filled.  As luck would have it, it wasn't quite ready so the girl sweetly asked me to come back in about five minutes.  You know how it is when you've finally taken that step to go see a doc to confirm what you already knew--that you're sick and need an antibiotic--but then you have to wait to get the medicine you need when all you really want to do is go home and burrow?  Yeah, that's how I felt too.

I drove back around, fully expecting to be told that it still wasn't ready when instead, this kind young gal took my card, concern in her voice as to if I had one of those high-deductible medical plans, and apologizing that the medication was so high.  As she handed me my receipt and told me I should probably not take it on an empty stomach, I gave her a real look instead of focusing on getting things back in my wallet.  "I hope you feel better soon," she cooed and, touched that she genuinely seemed to care about my welfare, I looked her fully in the face to thank her when I realized that she too was just going through the motions.  Oh, her tone was perfect and had her supervisor been watching, she probably would have gotten the highest marks.  Unless...

Unless she had looked into the same dead eyes I was seeing.  

Remember back in the '70s when The Eagles sang about not being able to hide those lyin' eyes?  What about those memes you see all over Facebook that talk about the most beautiful smile hiding back the pains?  How many times have you heard or said "Have a nice day" to someone that you really could care less if s/he did or not?

Ouch.

I used to get so aggravated at people whom I was talking to that had on sunglasses.  I just didn't feel I was communicating with them unless I could see their eyes.  Still feel that way actually, but I understand it more now.  It's their way of pretending, of hiding, of not letting one see the windows to their souls.  My grandsons have mastered this technique when it comes to certain topics of discussion, knowing that those pretty blues of theirs will tell me truths that they'd rather not open up about at this time.  And I think that's why cell phones and texting are so popular:  without being face-to-face, it's easier to not see eye-to-eye what is really going on with one another.

Remember that song by Robert John, also from the 1970's, "Sad Eyes" when he asked his old love to turn the other way 'cause he didn't want to see her cry?  Yeah, sometimes the truths in eyes are just too much to bear.  As for me though, I'd much rather see what you aren't saying than to believe a lie, half-truth, or insincere word.  

One last song title for you:  "The Eye in the Sky."  The Alan Parsons Project sang it and sometimes I think of God as The Eye in the sky, looking at me, reading my mind, knowing my soul.  Comforting and kind of scary at the same time but mostly, it's good.  He knows my thoughts before I think them anyways.  He collects the tears I cry in a bottle.  I don't have to pretend with Him.  Jesus Himself said in Matthew 6:22-23:

"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light.  But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"

Sisters (and you brothers too should any of you be reading this blog), let's let our lights shine today. Let's let our eyes be sincere and match the tones of our voices. And if you are downtrodden, don't be afraid to let someone see into your soul. We're all in this together. It's okay to ask for help.

Let's pray!

Dear Lord, thank You for keeping me straight. The lessons You teach me through others is constant and I hope that I apply these truths to my own walk so that I may better represent You.

Father, as I go about my day, may I look a little deeper into the windows of the ones around me? May I take a moment to see if the tone of their eyes matches the voice speaking to me. Help me be aware of others' needs more than my own is my prayer so that I may be more like You. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.