One anothers.....

 Fifty-nine times.....yes, I said 59 times or is that 5 times 10 plus 9 equals 59 times from Matthew to Revelation the phrase "one another" [each other] is used.  And most of them imperative sentences—commands—sometimes polite and sometimes with an exclamation point at the end.

So what?? So we must listen and then obey.  I mean 59 times must mean the command is important and has serious implications.

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." Galatians 5:13 ESV


The question is—do we?  Are we "one another" focused?



Truth is sometimes we are
           and sometimes we aren't.
Usually obedience depends on
   —whether I am busy with "me stuff"
   —whether taking action is safe,  convenient, or pleasant
    —whether I get a return on my time
     —weather—all kinds, inside and
                                      out.


More than any other time of year, in February, around the 14th, the rhetoric around us centers on LOVE, making this a great time to take action and be obedient because many times for many people the day to honor LOVE ends up being
l-o-v-e- short......

       for those in love—a day never doing enough for our "only one"
                                      or a day not getting enough from our "only one"
          for those not in love—a depressing day—designed only to magnify
                                                shortcomings, unlovableness
             for the widowed,
                   the divorced,
                   the caregivers of a spouse who can no longer "love" back
             —a day to remember, ignore and wallow in self-pity.

I know something about the latter.....the self-pity, the remembering, the ignoring—it isn't pretty.

Usually only God actually sees the selfish-pity, smells the stench, hears the inward sobbing since everyone else is too busy with his/her own pain.

So what can be done??  We hate ourselves for falling victim to the "You deserve to be loved." the "It is your right...", "Life isn't fair," lies.

"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. " Philippians 2:3 

Paul Harvey (for those of you who remember) told this story years ago on his "Rest of the Story" radio program.

The leader of the Salvation Army, William Booth, just before his death sent a one-word telegram to all his officers around the world.  Only one word.  A simple word.

The word?? OTHERS.

And certainly the Salvation Army has been a picture of being "other" focused to this day.

Actually the word "others" is not so simple. "Others" a powerful word because it affects everyone in the world—either as a receiver of "otherness" or a giver of "otherness."

  "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.  I John 3:16-18 ESV

Wasn't it actually for "others" that Christ came down to earth?  He came to do His Father's will, to glorify the Father, to redeem/save a people from their sins.  Others......it was all for others......never for Himself....NEVER.

Christ brought "love down" for others.  

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another." John 13:34 ESV

And finally, little by little, we begin to understand that we were loved, deeply loved by the ultimate lover—Jesus Christ
    —not so we would hoard the gift for ourselves,
    —not so we would hide it,
    —not so we could use all that love for our benefit.

  No, we were loved [by Christ at the cross],
     am being loved [by Christ no matter what we do or don't do],
        and will ALWAYS be loved [forever]
              so we can love OTHERS with HIS love.

You see "others" is the opposite of "self."
By being truly "others" centered and focused we can't be self-centered and self-focused. 
So now to find "others" to show God's love and compassion to.

   Just look in your home, next door, across the street, at work, at the gym, mall or restaurant, in the church bulletin, on line, or anywhere there are people
        —pay close attention to their foreheads and imagine a sign written there—"Love me, please."

May each of you have a wonderful day,
      Loving others in such a way that you are love-filled with His changing grace
            Seeing God's showers of tangible grace and love on you every moment
                     Having the beyond a doubt assurance that He loves you eternally

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.  Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love."
I John 4:7-8 ESV

Post Script—I just went to get the mail and found a lovely card from a friend....a friend who is  "others" focused knowing that LOVE did indeed come down for EVERY ONE of His own—thank you.
 And then, in just a few minutes, a call asking if I was okay....someone thinking I seemed down yesterday—love in action, taking a little time, encouraging, sharing God's heart that cares—thank you.

"Count it all joy...."

Larry and I have an anniversary coming up—February 13, not our wedding anniversary but the 35th anniversary of the car accident—an event that drastically altered the path we were going down.  There have been past February's that the date has gone by and I totally forgot the day; but because of this blog and working on "the book," I have been thinking about that day and the days and weeks that followed.

In retrospect, God's preparation for that Sunday and the days and years that have followed was crucial to how I would respond to the changes and the subsequent decision to continue to care for Larry, to carry out the vow I had made just eight-and-a-half years earlier.

Some women have said to me, "God knew that you would be able to take care of him.  You are so strong!"

A few others have said they would do just as I had done if anything were to happen to their husband, but I know in my mind, that I wouldn't have.  If I had known ahead of time what was going to happen, I would have run the other direction as fast as I could. But praise the Lord, I didn't know and while I didn't know what was coming, my wonderful Lord because of His steadfast love and faithfulness was preparing me, growing me in the knowledge and wisdom of His grace.

You see God doesn't give us trials because He knows we are strong enough to handle them....He gives us the trials to test us; to help us understand that we can't handle them.  God wants us to depend on Him and to praise Him for who He is and His Work in our lives—all of it.

Funny thing is the preparation centers around the one thing—our knowing Him through His Word.

All those verses I had learned growing up in Sunday School and then in Vacation Bible School became very real to me.  In those early years of my life, I earned many awards for Scripture memory.  I even memorized whole chapters at a time and once for my memory work earned a week at Junior High Summer Bible Camp, a life changing experience.

Because of injuries in the accident, I ended up with double vision for months and found reading exhausting since I had to wear a patch on one eye, alternating eyes each day.  But the verses I knew by heart came back one after the other as I got up each morning giving me comfort, truth and guidance.

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 
II Corinthians 2:9

"I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." Galations 2:20

"I can do all things through him who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13


One passage that I said over and over again, especially as I laid down to sleep was Psalms 23....

"The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures. 
He leads me beside still waters. 
He restores my soul. 
He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 
      I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
     your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; 
      you anoint my head with oil; 
     my cup overflows.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, 
      and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

God was leading me.  I wasn't alone.  He was right there, in me, strengthening me. Since that day, I have been in the process of learning to be more and more aware of His presence.  The Holy Spirit is  always there reminding me of truth, leading the way, praying for me, helping me to be honest about myself and my dependence on God.

Looking back I saw that a Foundation of Truth had been laid through the years because of all the Bible verses I had stored away.  The teaching from solid pastors teaching God's Word faithfully had laid a strong framework for truth. 

Soon after the accident I began receiving advice from friends and family about what I should do.  But when the advice came, the Holy Spirit was able to impress on me certain verses of truth from Scripture that really kept me on that level path I talked about here. [click on here and it will take you there.]

I'm sure each of you can only imagine some of the advice—a few actually thought I should divorce Larry, "After all, you have your whole life ahead of you."

Or "You have needs that Larry can no longer meet."

"What about the children?  You need to focus on raising them, not taking care of Larry."

Most of the time this came from those who weren't believers but some of it came from people I respected.  Sometimes I wondered if they were right....as time went on, I realized it would be easier if I didn't have Larry's 24/7 care to deal with.

But always, always, the Spirit reminded me of the vow I had taken on August 17, 1968.

"...for better or for worse, in sickness and in health."  This was certainly the "worse" and "sickness" part of that vow, but God had promised to never give me more than I could handle.  Paul had said we would have trials.

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you." 
I Peter 4:12

Just a few months before the accident, I had told my Lord that I wanted to be used by Him to bless others, to reach others with the Truth of His Gospel.  I often thought about that request of mine and knew from the book of James that God has a purpose for our trials and running away wasn't the solution.  Joy was.


"Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1:2-4 ESV

Reflecting on God's goodness and grace

Every day is a good day to reflect on the goodness of God—today three verses in Isaiah help me see a little of what God's goodness and grace look like.

All thanks to my God and Savior Jesus Christ.


 
"The path of the righteous is level;

you make level the way of the righteous.

 In the path of your judgments,

  O Lord, we wait for you;

your name and remembrance

are the desire of our soul.

  My soul yearns for you in the night;

my spirit within me earnestly seeks you."

Isaiah 26:7-9

Father,
—Thank you that You take our hand and guide us through the hard places; the uneven places, the places with pot holes—making the path level.

—Thank You for Your perfect path for us that makes us look to you for help, that draws us to our knees as we slowly but surely learn to trust You and Your plan for our life.

—Thank You the path that certainly leads to your judgment but your Righteousness clothes me—covers my sin with the Righteousness of your Son who died for me.  Covers me so that you call me "righteous," and I am.  Wonder of Wonders!!!!

—Thank You for putting your Spirit within me so that indeed Your Name and Presence are the desire of my soul. 

—Thank You for night, darkness—the lack of activity or pressure or some thing needing my attention. Only in the night can there be a pure yearning for you—not in words but by my soul and spirit.  Only then is the real need communicated with honesty—through the Spirit.

—Thank You for the yearning that You have put within me.  The yearning that makes me look for Your work, Your creative power all around me.

—Thank You for my soul—empty without You, my soul wanting to be filled, crying out for its Creator and Keeper.

—And Thank You for the Word, the Revelation, the very YOU who is the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life to all who believe in You.
Amen

And continuing my list of 1000 gifts.......

#260.... a massage, almost forgotten, but needed

#261....sunshine....bringing brillance into west facing rooms every afternoon but subtle light to meet the morning complete with cup of tea and His WORD

#262...a friend with the promise of the best tomato plants to plant in a few weeks....

#263...grown children to share ideas with

#264...cards of encouragement sent and received

#265...the view in winter from the couch—a magnificent mountain—created by a magnificent God!

#266...Grains of Sand magnified....I had no idea of the beauty

#267...clouds....snow....fog.....who knows? But covering the foothills and Pikes Peak with Sunshine on this side. Spectacular!!

#268...ideas to cook, to make, to share, to encourage, to read, to love,.....it's called pinterest

#269...encouraging words from friends, family, readers who were touched by words written last week

#270...more flowers blooming inside to remind of what is to come...primroses

#271...my new cup "Love Came Down" to remind me of the Author of Love

#272....plungers.......indoor plumbling......running water

#273...music......to calm, to encourage, to sustain

#274...movies....."Smile" to remind about hurting children and parents

#275...coffee, Kenyan coffee beans, home roasted by my son.  Amazing....no need for flavors

And now to clean my house....and dwell with joy in the presence of the Lord.

"You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11

Also connecting today to Ann at A Holy Experience.   

—

Love is not a feeling...

I just finished reading Ann at A Holy Experience today (2/01/2012). Her writing today is a beautiful expose on love between a man and a woman and how that love makes each complete.  It is more than that but you have to read it for yourself and cry your tears, and laugh with joy as she describes it so well.

I have known that kind of love.  Love from a man who loved me well, who cherished me, who loved me in so many ways every day.  He was a father who loved his children well—Greg was his side-kick as they gardened together, worked on wood projects, played together; Renee was "Daddy's little girl" and Larry loved nothing more than sitting in his chair with her on his lap. And he was eager to meet our third child that was due to arrive in June. Together, we were looking forward to the years ahead—the good times, the memories we would make, and our love which would only grow stronger.

I couldn't imagine life without Larry, without his shoulder to cry on, without his ear to listen, without his wisdom, without his love, his arms, his strength.  He was my rock and my life revolved around him.

And then on February 13, thirty-five years ago, life changed.  A car accident left us a changed husband and father—a child-like man who needed our care, our understanding, our love day after day, week after week.

And now approaching the anniversary of 35 years, it is still about love.

A few years after that accident I confessed to a preacher who had come to share during a Spiritual Life Conference in a country church that I felt guilty about something....."You see," I said, "I don't really love my husband, Larry, now a child, like I did before—for those first 8 years of our marriage—before he changed.  I don't love him like that anymore....."

He took my hands and told me his story....his wife, after bearing 5 children, had a total breakdown and spent all of those little one's growing up years in their state's mental hospital.  She was suddenly released when the youngest was a senior in high school and then he had cared for his wife, she wasn't better but in his care, until she died.

Looking in my eyes, he said, "Love is not a feeling.  Real love is a decision—a decision to love no matter what the other person can or can't do for you.  Don't ever forget that. Love is not a feeling."

God and his steadfast love and faithfulness have never failed me.  It is His arms that are around me.  It is His strength I depend on.  It is His love that surrounds me, that holds me as I continue to love my husband.

Has it been easy?  Never.  Have I failed?  Often. Do I ever wish for my other Larry?  Many times.
But God in His goodness planned this path for us.  Why?

 "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.  For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,  as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." II Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV

And that is what it is about—an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.

[the last picture includes Larry and I at my dad's 95th birthday celebration "Happy Birthday, Dad!" Check it out.]




 

"Love your Neighbors"

The Holy Spirit in me, in you, in each one of God's children, isn't quiet.  We just have to listen, be quiet, hear what he says.

"...even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him.  You know him for he dwells with you and will be in you."  John 14:7

"But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you."  John 14:26

And lately I see Him working in brothers and sisters, teaching us, helping us remember what Jesus said about neighbors.

"And he answered, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27

       —At church a few weeks ago, a sermon, "Faith You Can See" by Brian on I Thessalonians 1 was powerful.

       —And then Sunday School, Del Tackett and the Truth Encounter which is all about reaching out to neighbors—the ones that live next door.

       —And now, Proverbs, our Women's Bible Study,........and my next lecture, in four weeks,  to cover the chapter "Words about Neighbors."

 I see a pattern here, something planned ages ago and now the Holy Spirit reminding a lot of people what Jesus said over and over and over, a work that God is doing in a lot of people—it must have something to do with my neighbors...... Did you notice I said MY neighbors, even the ones with no names........

When I look in Scripture there are 119 references to neighbor..
 and most say, "....love your neighbor...."

And I remember.....

Years ago, back in South Dakota, when Larry was teaching and Greg and Renee were toddlers, a new family moved into a rental, just across the alley—neighbors.  I'm a friendly person but when the Spirit said, "Take them some bread......and invite them to church," I rebelled. "Couldn't do that" I whispered, "I mean, they could be..........Muslim............or Catholic.............or Canadian.........or Independents."

But that Voice wouldn't stop for 3 days and my disobedience continued........and my excuses.  Finally in desperation I screamed, "OKAY, ALL RIGHT!!!  I will make the bread and I will go but You will see, I'm right!"

So I made the bread, kneaded it hard,  and I walked, slowly, very slowly, pushing Renee in the stroller with Greg lagging behind, around the block.  I knocked on the door and to my dismay.....it opened.  
"Here's some bread I baked......welcome to the neighborhood." I quietly said, with a smile, expecting rejection.

We talked, she wasn't Muslim, or didn't sound that way, whatever that is.  She was nice, friendly, and also had two toddlers.......we could be friends, good friends. 


Finally, I said it, "Have you found a church yet?"
  
"No, we haven't.  We've visited several, but there are no Baptist churches and that's what we have always gone to."

The air went out of me.  I thought, "So YOU knew all along.  YOU knew why I was to come and talk to her.  Okay, YOU win. Sorry."

Then when I could breathe again,  I told her about our church which was a mile away, not Baptist, but like Baptist and they would like it.  They came.

Older now, much older, I wonder what my real fear was.......I think I know.  If she were any of those "different than me" brands or others I knew nothing about, I wouldn't be able to answer questions if she had them.  I was afraid of the unknown....and I didn't want to fail.

"...but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect," I Peter 3:15 ESV

Now I hear over and over about loving my neighbors.  Not to love them because of what I want to happen or how I want to change them, but just to love.  It means taking bread, or soup, or time, or words to encourage......it means maybe getting involved in messy lives, or being rejected, or even taken advantage of.  It also means being open and honest, vulnerable and real.  It means letting the steadfast love God has showered on me, filled me with, forgiven me with, letting that same love go out from me to love others.  Instead of saying "But!" I will need to say, "I'll go."

And I will prepare by knowing my God well, and trying to understand the world so I do have an answer....and I will, in my God's strength, pray for my neighbor's asking for opportunities to love well no matter who or what they appear to be.  Love, real love, love come down for you and me to share with gentleness and respect. 

"For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Galatians 5:14

Graces abound...

  THE DARKLING THRUSH
            Thomas Hardy

I leant upon a coppice gate
  When Frost was specter gray,
And Winter's dregs made desolate
  The weakening eye of day.
The tangled bine-stems scored the sky
  Like strings of broken lyres,
And all mankind that haunted nigh
  Had sought their household fires.

The land's sharp features seemed to be
  The Century's corpse outleant,
His crypt the cloudy canopy,
  The wind his death-lament.
The ancient pulse of germ and birth
  Was shrunken hard and dry,
And every spirit upon earth
  Seemed fervorless as I.

At once a voice arose among
  The bleak twigs overhead
In a full-throated evensong
  Of joy illimited;
An aged thrush, frail, gaunt, and small,
  In blast-beruffled plume,
Had chosen thus to fling his soul
  Upon the growing gloom.
  
So little cause for carolings
  Of such ecstatic sound
Was written on terrestial things
  Afar or nigh around,
That I could think there trembled through
  His happy good-night air
Some blessed Hope, whereof he knew
  And I was unaware.

Thankgiving for graces,
#239  .....for warm days in January
#240 .....for books, The Heavens, to expand my view of the universe and GOD
#241 .....a phone call from youngest son
#242 ......a brunch to look forward to with friends
#243 ......YOUR grace to a redeemed sinner who needs grace over and over
#244 ......unexpected laughter with a friend concerning the cat
#245 ......more seed catalogues bringing hope
#246 ......computer to keep up with friends and meet new ones
#247 ......Hallmark movies to make me smile and cry (A Smile As Big As The Moon:will air again on    
Hallmark channel this coming Saturday and Sunday)
#248 .....son to change florescent light bulbs in ceiling

#249 ......sermon to challenge from Sermon on the Mount
#250 .....gym time with sister

#251 .....beef stew, slow baked, comfort food
#252 .....anticipation of a new adventure
#253 .....words to express inner thoughts and focus
#254 .....green apricot tea—aroma, flavor, moments of stillness
#255 .....notes, encouraging, challenging, saying thank you
#256 .....seeing YOUR work in others
#257 .... a perfect picture of a perfect bird
#258 .....lap cat bathing in sunlight
#259 ....a poet's words to express well thanksgiving for God's creation

Lord, 
Thank you for the Hope of eternity with you, 
        no tears, no sin, no time.
Thank you for Hope, here in this time,
       sunrise, sunset and spring
Because of Your creative Creation and the Cross
       We have Hope never ending.
Thanks and praise to You,
Amen

Linking today with Ann

"The Fear of the LORD is the beginning...."

 Lecture on Proverbs, to be shared tonight and tomorrow, is written......words on paper...... The Lecture

But there is always so much more God has shown me, taught me, filled me with than fits in 25 not-enough minutes—8 pages—give or take a few paragraphs.

The lesson, chapter 2 in,  Proverbs: The Ways of Wisdom, is titled "Foundation; a Relationship with God".

Amazing how God works in our lives to prepare us for what is coming.
    And rest assured it is always His work, not mine, not ever.
          He works, He has a plan, He has a purpose.

For months now God has been giving a restless desire for more of Him,
     His presence, 
          less of me, 
                less of worry, 
                     less of stress, 
      Him in my thoughts, 
           my desires, 
                my motives
                     my worship.  

Along the way, there have been
    glimpses of what that means,
       encouragement that He is indeed giving me the desire of my heart,
            hope for more to come—more of Him.

And now in working on a talk, He has said,  "The  fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge (wisdom) ....."

So we look at words—knowledge, wisdom and fear...
       and He shows Himself to be faithful as He leads and guides, teaches, instructs.
I try to be open,
     with listening ear,
          eager heart,
                thirsty for His water,
                           hungry for His bread.





God has worked in me, encouraged me, confirmed desire, changed me a little/lot over months.....
so now I pray that He uses His truth, His Word, His Spirit to encourage, confirm and change His children.

One thing I wanted to include in the words I put on paper but they didn't fit, or flow, or work came from a blog of Ann VosKamp's sharing a list— 10 Steps to Stay Alive To The Beauty of God's World.  It comes from John Piper's Desiring God website and is something he heard from a professor in college.

It is so important to know who God is, to know what He has done, to know how big He is.

It is only when we know a little of who He is
that we can worship at all,
                that we can give thanksgiving for what He has given me/us

                                because then we an say with David (Psalm 8):

¹ O LORD, our Lord,
   how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory above the heavens.
 ² Out of the mouth of babies and infants,
you have established strength because of your foes,
   to still the enemy and the avenger.

  ³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,
        the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
                       ⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,

      and the son of man that you care for him? 

Three of the steps in the "10 Steps" first stood out to me—I'll start there.

    #1.  At least once every day I shall look steadily up at the sky and remember that I, a consciousness with a conscience, am on a planet traveling in space with wonderfully mysterious things above me and about me.

    #6.  I shall open my eyes and ears.  Once every day I shall simply stare at a tree, a flower, a cloud, or a person.  I shall not then be concerned at all to ask what they are but imply be glad that they are.  I shall joyfully allow them the mystery of what Lewis calls their "divine, magical, terrifying and ecstatic" existence.

     #9.  I shall not allow the devilish onrush of this century to usurp all my energies but will instead, as Charles Williams suggested, "fulfill the moment as the moment." I shall try to live well just now because the only time that exists is just now.

There are more.....but this is enough....now.

Will you start also....asking God to help you?