Up Against a Brick Wall

When speaking with a good friend recently, she described her dilemmas. Yes, there were many. She ended by saying she was up against a brick wall. I visualized this: my long-haired blonde, athletic friend facing a brick wall. I emailed her with-- "Perhaps you need to change directions, go around the wall, or turn back." She emailed with, "Kathy, I'll probably just kick it down and run through it." I had to smile as I wrote back, "But, then, dear friend, you will stumble on the fallen bricks and one or two of them may hit you on the head as you run through." We could at least both laugh at the picture of all of this.

The truth is that we all travel broken roads--roads filled with rocks and ruts. Sometimes, even the pebbles or sand in our sandals get to us--the little things that niggle at us on a day to day basis.

Another thought: if you have a brick wall before you, are you seeing Jesus? We need to run the race, finish the journey with our face towards Jesus--not facing a brick wall. Since I like analogies, Isaiah 40:28,31 tells us that if our hope is in the LORD we will soar on wings like eagles. I'm going to picture myself running the race with God lifting me up--me flying over walls and not stumbling through them--on my way to a heavenly destination.

Ready to fly?

What Does Your Name Mean?

During Biblical times, a person's name told something about them. For example, Ruth meant beloved companion. You may remember from the Bible story that she refused to leave her mother-in-law...  In another story, Rahab, the woman who gave lodging to spies and them sent them off in a different direction to protect the Israelites, means a trustworthy and helpful woman. Never mind the fact that she was also a prostitute.

Names can describe expressions of hope, family history, birth circumstances, or places. For example, one of my grandson's name is "Hudson" as he was born soon after the plane crash on the Hudson River when all were saved by an astute pilot.

Do you know the meaning of your name? Did your parents choose your name because of its meaning? My husband chose our son's name; however, his name means he makes his mother laugh, so Isaac was a suitable name.

Betty means my God is bountiful. Lois means a superior woman. Lillian, resembling a lily. In my next book, the central character is named Cassandra, which means, helper of men and disbelieved by men. Possible? You'll see...

When writing the book and considering the meaning of names, I did a little research into the many names we call God: Yahweh, Lord, Jehovah, Creator, All in All, Ancient of Days, Abba, Father, I AM.... In a particular devotional, the author referred to him as Loving Mystery.

Our names are precious to us for whatever reason. Check out the meaning of your name and consider how its meaning may be tied into the God that created you, a God who considers you precious in his site.

May our heart's desire be to live in a way that honors His wonderful name!

BFF

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-10 reads Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work. If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up.

Many of us have been fortunate to have a Best Friend Forever in our lives. Some of us have more than one. These special people allow us to complain, cry, laugh. In turn, they are honest, give encouragement, and simply accept and love in spite of our faults and difficulties. However, when I think of these very special persons, something is missing. I can not talk to them every second of the day; they don't know ALL my thoughts. Because of their own life difficulties, they can not humanly take care of my every need.

However, there is One who can love unconditionally every second of your worst day; you can talk to Him whenever you feel like it. He even hears your sighs, He knows you better than your BFF.  He is your Savior. He is your Eternity.

He is the Ultimate BFF.
Truly....

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. Jeremiah 29:11-12

Time for prayer?
He's already listening.

He Made Me Do It

It's an excuse I remember using and hearing as a child: "He made me do it." ....

Although, as adults, we may not use the phrase or even think He made me do it--we may use it as an excuse to act and think the way we do. Mind games, disrespect, ridicule, or ignoring are ways we treat those who cause us emotional distress. Or, we simply do not validate their worth or work. After all,  they deserve it; didn't they make us do it?

We each have authentically difficult people in our lives--at the work place, at home, the guy next door?

The natural response to a difficult person is to dish out what they gave. Part of becoming closer to Jesus is to take the high road. You can voice to God the pain you feel, but, then, you take the high road by remembering a phrase like, "What would Jesus do?"

Someone told me to imagine Jesus' presence between my difficult person and me when I respond....  It made it impossible for me to say anything nasty or hurtful. If you think the person is undeserving of a kind word, say nothing at all, or a simple, "I'm sorry you feel that way."

Lest you think you have become a total whimp or doormat, know that only a person with an inner strength and a vision of something greater than all this on earth is able to do this....
Life is very short.
Love is life
Life is love.
Choose wisely....

Holy, Holy, Holy...

Early Sunday morning, as a child, my family stood up in church and sang, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, early in the morning our song shall rise to thee..."

I haven't really thought of the meaning of "holy" until recently. Hebrews 12:14 tells us Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will ever see the Lord.

Used over 600 times in the King James Version of the Bible, holy needs to be considered. When I googled the word,  it used phrases such as belonging to God, consecrated to God's service, conformed to the will of God and that it comes about with gradual development... Easton Bible Dictionary.

Holiness in the highest sense belongs to God. So, is it not awesome that He calls us to be holy? Talk about setting the bar high....

Leviticus 20:25 reads You are to be holy to me because I the Lord, am holy, and I have set you apart from the nations to be my own.

Lest you think this verse is only intended for the Israelites of the Old Testament, how about 1 Peter 1:16... for it is written: Be holy, because I am holy.

Something to think about--

One might feel that trying to be holy

would be confining, limiting.

However, it is likely that it might free you.

Something to think about--


I'm Not Much Good at Singing....

In high school, I decided to join the chorus. Being a part of chorus meant a weekly lesson. I will never forget this lesson as I became aware of the fact that I could not sing--at least, not on-key. When the instructor asked me to match the pitch of the key he fingered on the piano, I gave an attempt; he snickered. (He couldn't help it). He tried another key with the same results. He kindly placed me in the alto section and told me to try to sing like those standing next to me. No more lessons would be needed.

If our children received a "needs improvement" on their report cards under music, I understood. They couldn't help it. It was genetics.

Did you know that song originated with God and creation? ... God laid its cornerstone--while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy? Job 38:6-7

Can you imagine such a site and such sounds? ... Stars and angels singing and shouting for joy?

The Bible tells us that God will rejoice over us with singing [Zephaniah 3:17], He will surround us with songs of deliverance [Psalm 32:7], and we will praise Him with singing lips [Psalm 63:5][James 5:13] ... and the mountains will burst into song before you and all the trees in the field will clap their hands. [Isaiah 55:12]

Mountains bursting into song? Trees clapping their hands? Is this for real or simply an analogy?

Revelations presents a glorious reigning Christ and Satan's final doom when every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them singing:...[Revelations 5:13]

I choose to think this is not an analogy, it will be for real, and I want to be there when every creature in heaven and on earth, every creature, is singing. My song and pitch will finally be perfect. Just imagine....

Every person has a melody of his or her own, each a new melody for the universal chorus. --
       Elizabeth Sherrill

Amazing Creation

I recently read in a Lutheran periodical that dust from the Sahara Desert in Africa can be found in South America's Amazon jungle. 182 million tons of this dust is picked up yearly and wind swept 1600 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to the jungle. This dust contains phosphorus, a nutrient necessary for the Amazon's maintenance which is often washed away during rainstorms. Impressive....

I am constantly reminded of the awesomeness of God's creation and how there is a connection for all of it and all of us. And, a reminder that we are each a part of this body of Christ and here for a reason. Something BIG is going on and we are each a part of it. Perhaps, if we each did the thing He gave us to do, the world would be a better place--"thy kingdom come."

God is love. This God of love created the world and all that is in it. There is an order to the days, seasons, river courses, the way of the wind....

It is His plan and promise to bring all that we see and are--all that is and will be--into one love, the love of Christ. A love that no death can defeat. Awesome God. Amazing creation.