Remember?

This morning I had cinnamon toast  and chocolate milk for breakfast.  Yummy!


I know, what's the point?  Well, I remember having that for breakfast (not always cinnamon toast, but toast) almost every day of my life as a child and on into junior high school.  It was quick, it was easy, it was consistent.  It's not something I have very often now, but when I do it seems to bring back a flood of memories.

My brother was always up at the crack of dawn.  My mother had to drag me out of the bed.  My brother liked 'toast with the butter melted'.  He also had a 'behind' name rather than a 'last' name.  Last time I checked (sometime in the early 2000's) he still held the record at Hood Junior High School for the longest discus throw.  His record was one of the oldest standing.  Amazing.  A friend of mine who taught PE at the school tells me that she loved to watch him during class because he was so athletic and had so much fun competing. 

My cousins talk about things that happened when we stayed with our Papa and Mamma on the farm.  Their memories are detailed and specific.  I don't remember many details or specific events, only that we had great times together.  I do remember staying with an older cousin and going shopping for all kinds of toys with her last pay check of the summer.  I remember her mom being really angry with us over that, but can I just say it was one of the best times ever for both of us?

Memories can be comforting, or they can bring us pain.  Sometimes they are accurate, and sometimes they are not.  God requires us as a people to remember.  Throughout the Old Testament He commands the Hebrew people to erect stone monuments along the way.  He tells them, "You put the stones up so when you're walking along someday and your son/daughter asks you why that stone is there, you can tell them how I delivered you and made you safe and what a great and magnificent God I am".   (Kay's paraphrase)  During the last supper Jesus instructs His disciples in the same manner.  Remember me when . . . .

I'm thinking He wants us to do the same thing in our new 'modern' world.  Do you have memories of tough times that God has led you through?  I do.  Do you have memories of fantastic, unbelievable times of blessing in your life?  I do.  Do you have memories of when you really blew it, and you really don't ever want to think about those at all?  I do.  Do you have memories of specific times when God was revealing powerful truths about Himself to you?  I do.

I won't bore you with any of those stories right now.  Some will probably show up during the course of this blog.  The point is that we remember, and in remembering, we recall the glorious works of a magnificent, all-powerful God who loves us and calls us into relationship.  Wow!  That's worth remembering!!! 

PS -- He wants you to share those mighty works with someone too -- a good place to start is with your children.  It's even more rewarding when you can remember them together.

You Deserve It!

In the past few months my attention has been caught by commercials that try and sell their products by claiming I "deserve" it.  I've even heard the phrase in conversations with friends and relatives.  Quite frankly, it kinda creeps me out.  Don't misunderstand--this hasn't been an overnight realization.  I would love to think that I "deserve" only the best of everything.  But alas, God has been revealing to me that in fact, what I "deserve" is death and hell. 


It all started a few years back with my rights.  I'm an American, therefore, I have certain rights and privileges.  Somewhere along the way I've translated the idea to mean that in every area of my life I have rights, even in my relationship with Christ.  (which, by the way, should transcend everything else in my world)   I can't pinpoint the time this began to change, only that it did.


Maybe it was when Grandma had her stroke, and I was angry because it was her... (those who know can finish out the thought).  Maybe it was when we were working crazy hours with kids who weren't able to live with their parents, and we were all wearing hats we hadn't been hired to wear.  The kids certainly hadn't "deserved" their circumstances.  Who was I to complain about mine?  Maybe it was when my high school senior was on the team that lost an epic game which ended a 30 year tradition.  His class didn't "deserve" that infamy.  In all of those events there were multiple emotions:  anger, grief, guilt, fear, strife, weariness....


In these times (and many others), there's the battle of just making it through.  And then, we come along and add the extra burden of telling God and others that we don't "deserve" to have any of these things happen to us.  After all, we have rights.


And then the Spirit of a holy and righteous God gently (because He knows we're dust) begins to speak.  God created a beautiful, perfect world in order to draw us into relationship with Him.  He created Adam and Eve to begin the journey.  They screwed it up.  Did He "deserve" that?  He developed a relationship with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to make known His character.  They screwed it up more.  Did He "deserve" that?  He delivered them time and time again from their enemies.  Did they "deserve" that?  He sent His only Son to bear the sin of everyone--past, present, future--to make a way for relationship with us.  Did Jesus "deserve" that?  Well obviously, this could go on and on. 


And yet, out of His love for us, He still uses all manner of creation to draw us to Himself.  Yes, we "deserve" death and hell.  Instead, He grants us mercy, grace, and sweet, sweet peace.  He "deserves" our love, devotion, and adoration.  Certainly not the whining we (or maybe just I) usually give.  

So next time someone tells you what you "deserve" remember what it is you really "deserve."  Trust me, I'll be doing the same--it's become that 'song' that won't get out of my head.

Beginnings

Since 2008 we've had many new beginnings in our world.  New jobs, new cities, new state, new addresses, new church home, new friends . . . well, the list could go on and on.  The most exciting by far has been the addition of two beautiful grandsons, Asher and Kayden.  It could be--and quite frankly has been--overwhelming at times.

I've started a new on-line Bible Study this week over Psalm 119.  This first week has reminded me that we have new beginnings with God every day:  to bask in his glory, to be amazed at his mercy, to be in relationship with him.  Scripture says, "his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lam 3:22,23)  Indeed.

My husband has encouraged me to blog for several years.  New beginnings, right?  Okay.  Let's do this.