Thanksgiving is in the air and most of us are anxiously anticipating a traditional celebration. In today’s culture that celebration is defined by the three F’s: food, family, and football.
Earlier celebrations of Thanksgiving were defined by three F’s, too, but those F’s represented: food, fellowship and…the Father. God was a huge part of the day. According to www.earlyamerica.com: “A Thanksgiving Day two hundred years ago was a day set aside for prayer and fasting, not a day marked by plentiful food and drink as is today's custom.”
Hard to imagine, isn’t it? Instead of pigging out, they went without. Instead of gathering around a table laden with food, followed by a nap or staring at the tube, they focused their mind, mouth, and heart on their provider – God.
While it is wonderful that we continue the tradition of setting aside a day to (hopefully) give thanks, in actuality, God wants us to give thanks to Him daily. And we can even take that a step further to say that He wants our heart to be in a state of regular thankfulness throughout each day.
We don’t have to look far to see something to give thanks for: air, water, food, and clothes are good starters. However, as Americans we are blessed to have many types of assistance to cover our needs, such as The Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, local food pantries, unemployment checks, homeless shelters, and emergency hotlines. We often take this wonderful assistance for granted. It can be easy to forget that not all countries have such provisions for their citizens.
Two other privileges that we are blessed to have in this great country are freedom of speech and freedom of worship. Because of them both, I am able to freely write this column, a privilege that I don’t take lightly.
Having an attitude of gratitude is also the secret to a powerful prayer life. For Christians, being thankful lays the foundation for constant fellowship with the Lord. Actually, having a thankful heart is God’s will for us. In first Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul writes: “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Another added benefit to cultivating a thankful heart is inner peace and joy. When we continue to praise God, even when our circumstances are gray, God blesses us with incomprehensible peace. We are not denying the problem; we are simply not giving in to it. We are keeping our joy in the Lord and in the knowledge that He is in control of all things. He has our best interest at heart, and promises to work out all things for our good.
And that alone is something to be thankful for!
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever (Psalm 118:1).
Thanksgiving Blessings to You and Yours,
Connie
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Friday, November 5, 2010
Tis Only A Season
God is a God of change. This is especially evident by the seasons He created. Spring represents a season of new growth, summer is a season of embracing life, fall is a season of colorful preparation, and winter is a season of rest and dormancy.
God even created seasons in our lives that seem to parallel our earthly seasons: infancy through childhood is an innocent time of exploring our world, teenage years are wrapped around discovering who we are, adult years are dedicated to raising our family and working for our future, and our senior years are a time of rest and reflection.
The first two stages of our lives quickly fly by, but our adulthood can last for decades. This begs the question: how does our Creator want us to spend this very long tenure of life? Does He have plans for us, and if so, how can we know what those plans are?
Throughout Jesus’ ministry we find one major theme: servant hood. Jesus’ life was centered on service to others. He healed people, fed people, and even washed their feet. God has gifted each Christian to serve others, too, and all within the midst of living our daily lives. While pursuing an education, marrying, starting a family and earning our living we are to be sensitive to filling the needs of others. In other words, servant hood is to be part of who we are, day in and day out, all of our lives.
It’s relatively easy to serve others when we have the time, energy, and the financial means to do so. The hard part comes when we don’t feel good, when we are pinched for time, or when we lose our job.
My husband recently joined the ranks of the unemployed, and not by choice. After almost 40 years of service to our country (in some capacity, including the Viet Nam War), he was given a ten day notice that his contractor position was being abolished. Even though we knew this day would eventually come, it wasn’t our plan to have it arrive so soon. And quite honestly, we panicked; that is, until we remembered that God had allowed it. While my husband’s job loss was a surprise to us, it was not a surprise to God. God knew it was coming and He has a purpose for it. My husband and I both know this will be a season of leaning on the Lord in a new way, but we also know it is no time to stop serving or to stop giving. When we do our part and stay obedient to God, He promises to do His part and take care of us.
There are a lot of people in this country who have recently been forced to switch careers or move into smaller living quarters due to a sudden job loss. It’s tough out there right now, but if we remember that it is only a season, and that God has allowed it for a reason, it can be easier to face. After all, He is a God of change. When He says, “I want to do a new thing,” we need to trust Him and keep our hand in His. We need to face it, not run from it. We need to remember that this “imposition” is part of His overall plan for our life. Someday we will look back and see the good that came from it. We will see several secondary changes that turned our scary journey into an intimate time of growth with the Lord, which could not have taken place any other way.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Eccl. 3:1)
Praying you enjoy this season of your life,
Connie
God even created seasons in our lives that seem to parallel our earthly seasons: infancy through childhood is an innocent time of exploring our world, teenage years are wrapped around discovering who we are, adult years are dedicated to raising our family and working for our future, and our senior years are a time of rest and reflection.
The first two stages of our lives quickly fly by, but our adulthood can last for decades. This begs the question: how does our Creator want us to spend this very long tenure of life? Does He have plans for us, and if so, how can we know what those plans are?
Throughout Jesus’ ministry we find one major theme: servant hood. Jesus’ life was centered on service to others. He healed people, fed people, and even washed their feet. God has gifted each Christian to serve others, too, and all within the midst of living our daily lives. While pursuing an education, marrying, starting a family and earning our living we are to be sensitive to filling the needs of others. In other words, servant hood is to be part of who we are, day in and day out, all of our lives.
It’s relatively easy to serve others when we have the time, energy, and the financial means to do so. The hard part comes when we don’t feel good, when we are pinched for time, or when we lose our job.
My husband recently joined the ranks of the unemployed, and not by choice. After almost 40 years of service to our country (in some capacity, including the Viet Nam War), he was given a ten day notice that his contractor position was being abolished. Even though we knew this day would eventually come, it wasn’t our plan to have it arrive so soon. And quite honestly, we panicked; that is, until we remembered that God had allowed it. While my husband’s job loss was a surprise to us, it was not a surprise to God. God knew it was coming and He has a purpose for it. My husband and I both know this will be a season of leaning on the Lord in a new way, but we also know it is no time to stop serving or to stop giving. When we do our part and stay obedient to God, He promises to do His part and take care of us.
There are a lot of people in this country who have recently been forced to switch careers or move into smaller living quarters due to a sudden job loss. It’s tough out there right now, but if we remember that it is only a season, and that God has allowed it for a reason, it can be easier to face. After all, He is a God of change. When He says, “I want to do a new thing,” we need to trust Him and keep our hand in His. We need to face it, not run from it. We need to remember that this “imposition” is part of His overall plan for our life. Someday we will look back and see the good that came from it. We will see several secondary changes that turned our scary journey into an intimate time of growth with the Lord, which could not have taken place any other way.
“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.” (Eccl. 3:1)
Praying you enjoy this season of your life,
Connie
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Everlasting Evergreens
Dusk was falling and the dishes were piled high that evening in late October. As I filled the kitchen sink of our old country home with hot soapy water, I felt compelled to keep looking out the kitchen window. Our tree farm was dotted with thousands of sweet-smelling pine trees and evergreens. They looked beautiful to me, yet the previous owner told us they were unmarketable because they hadn’t been trimmed for years.
“Maybe we should bulldoze them and start over,” my husband Chuck had begrudgingly suggested.
I couldn’t believe they were worthless. With the soft light of dusk shadowing their majestic frames, the trees seemed alive to me and glowed with an ominous allure.
I continued washing the dishes, yet my mind was on the pines. Then, out of nowhere, I heard a luring voice inside me say, “Walk among those trees and pray over them.”
I obediently peeled off my gloves and without a word to anyone, slipped quietly out the front door.
The air was cool and crisp and smelled of rich earth and heady pine as I made my way through row after row of Norway spruces and white pines. How I loved that holiday scent and the happy, carefree, childhood memories of Christmas past it conjures. Add to that the fact that pine trees don’t completely shed their needles, giving a sense of permanence and stability, was comforting, as well.
I found myself connecting to the trees in a way I never had before. They were part of God’s creation, alive and vibrant. Like me they weren’t perfect, yet they still had a reason for being. I noticed the matted grass under the trees, evidence of where deer had rested. And I heard the light rustling of feathers as birds settled in for the night in the thick pine boughs. I realized these trees were being used by God to bring protection to His creation. Suddenly Psalms 148: 7 and 9 filled my heart: Praise the Lord from the earth… you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars.
I prayed over the trees, thanked God for them, and asked Him to bring us a buyer. I knew in my heart the trees had worth, and with the many expenses of the farm we needed the money. Even though I had previously contacted several nursery owners and none were interested (including our friend, Bill), I still had hope.
As I descended the hill toward home I thought of Philippians 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” God had shown me the needs of His creation and that He was taking care of them. He knows our needs, too, and will take care of us.
Chuck was on the porch as I ran up to him, exclaiming, “I was praying over the pine trees. I know they are worth something.”
“Okay, Honey. I’ll call Bill again tomorrow if it’ll make you feel better,” he responded, half-teasingly.
At that moment the phone rang. I expected it to be Bill… and it was!
When Chuck finished talking to him, he shook his head in disbelief. “Bill wanted to know…if we still had some trees for sale.” Chuck paused and swallowed hard. “He has an interested buyer.”
God will supply all our needs. Our part is to walk with Him and be obedient, trusting in His perfect timing.
“Maybe we should bulldoze them and start over,” my husband Chuck had begrudgingly suggested.
I couldn’t believe they were worthless. With the soft light of dusk shadowing their majestic frames, the trees seemed alive to me and glowed with an ominous allure.
I continued washing the dishes, yet my mind was on the pines. Then, out of nowhere, I heard a luring voice inside me say, “Walk among those trees and pray over them.”
I obediently peeled off my gloves and without a word to anyone, slipped quietly out the front door.
The air was cool and crisp and smelled of rich earth and heady pine as I made my way through row after row of Norway spruces and white pines. How I loved that holiday scent and the happy, carefree, childhood memories of Christmas past it conjures. Add to that the fact that pine trees don’t completely shed their needles, giving a sense of permanence and stability, was comforting, as well.
I found myself connecting to the trees in a way I never had before. They were part of God’s creation, alive and vibrant. Like me they weren’t perfect, yet they still had a reason for being. I noticed the matted grass under the trees, evidence of where deer had rested. And I heard the light rustling of feathers as birds settled in for the night in the thick pine boughs. I realized these trees were being used by God to bring protection to His creation. Suddenly Psalms 148: 7 and 9 filled my heart: Praise the Lord from the earth… you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars.
I prayed over the trees, thanked God for them, and asked Him to bring us a buyer. I knew in my heart the trees had worth, and with the many expenses of the farm we needed the money. Even though I had previously contacted several nursery owners and none were interested (including our friend, Bill), I still had hope.
As I descended the hill toward home I thought of Philippians 4:19, “And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” God had shown me the needs of His creation and that He was taking care of them. He knows our needs, too, and will take care of us.
Chuck was on the porch as I ran up to him, exclaiming, “I was praying over the pine trees. I know they are worth something.”
“Okay, Honey. I’ll call Bill again tomorrow if it’ll make you feel better,” he responded, half-teasingly.
At that moment the phone rang. I expected it to be Bill… and it was!
When Chuck finished talking to him, he shook his head in disbelief. “Bill wanted to know…if we still had some trees for sale.” Chuck paused and swallowed hard. “He has an interested buyer.”
God will supply all our needs. Our part is to walk with Him and be obedient, trusting in His perfect timing.
Friday, September 24, 2010
The Missing Piece
When my daughter Chelsea was young we enjoyed going to garage sales together. They were like treasure hunts to us; we never knew what unique item or great deal would be unearthed with each stop.
When Chelsea was of preschool age she would scour every sale in search of board puzzles, thoroughly scrutinizing each one to make sure all the pieces were accounted for. She loved putting them together and would spend hours at it. As soon as she finished one, she would flip it over and assemble it again, thrilled each time her picture was complete.
Before long she wanted more of a challenge and she quickly graduated to several-hundred-piece puzzles. As a teenager, she enjoyed displaying her completed masterpieces on her bedroom walls.
But one garage sale gamble of a large, 500 piece puzzle, did not pay off. After several days of laboring over it, just as Chelsea was putting the last few pieces into place, she realized it was one piece short.
“Oh, no. I have to throw it away, Mom,” she lamented. “It’s missing a piece.”
I felt bad for her and quickly suggested that we search for it. We looked all over her room, on the floor, under her bed, and even inside her closet. The search, however, proved futile.
“I wonder if we could make a fake piece to fit in its place?” I offered, knowing when I said it that it wouldn’t work, but wanting desperately to help.
Finally, I begrudgingly assisted Chelsea in throwing it away.
Later that evening I began to ponder the similarities of how each one of us is just like that puzzle; each of us are incomplete, too. God purposely creates in us an emptiness in our lives that can only be filled by a relationship with Jesus. While many of us attempt to fill that void in our life by “making a fake piece” through indulging in outward pleasures, God’s word tells us that we will not have inner peace until we make peace with His Son. When we sincerely ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins and come into our heart to live, He fills the void inside of us, causing our hearts to overflow with love and joy, and especially …peace.
Jesus completes the picture between God’s holiness and man’s sinful state. Jesus is the perfect fit.
When Chelsea was of preschool age she would scour every sale in search of board puzzles, thoroughly scrutinizing each one to make sure all the pieces were accounted for. She loved putting them together and would spend hours at it. As soon as she finished one, she would flip it over and assemble it again, thrilled each time her picture was complete.
Before long she wanted more of a challenge and she quickly graduated to several-hundred-piece puzzles. As a teenager, she enjoyed displaying her completed masterpieces on her bedroom walls.
But one garage sale gamble of a large, 500 piece puzzle, did not pay off. After several days of laboring over it, just as Chelsea was putting the last few pieces into place, she realized it was one piece short.
“Oh, no. I have to throw it away, Mom,” she lamented. “It’s missing a piece.”
I felt bad for her and quickly suggested that we search for it. We looked all over her room, on the floor, under her bed, and even inside her closet. The search, however, proved futile.
“I wonder if we could make a fake piece to fit in its place?” I offered, knowing when I said it that it wouldn’t work, but wanting desperately to help.
Finally, I begrudgingly assisted Chelsea in throwing it away.
Later that evening I began to ponder the similarities of how each one of us is just like that puzzle; each of us are incomplete, too. God purposely creates in us an emptiness in our lives that can only be filled by a relationship with Jesus. While many of us attempt to fill that void in our life by “making a fake piece” through indulging in outward pleasures, God’s word tells us that we will not have inner peace until we make peace with His Son. When we sincerely ask Jesus to forgive us of our sins and come into our heart to live, He fills the void inside of us, causing our hearts to overflow with love and joy, and especially …peace.
Jesus completes the picture between God’s holiness and man’s sinful state. Jesus is the perfect fit.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Always an Example
We are always being watched by someone. Each one of us is an example to others, good or bad. Christians in particular are being watched by the world, especially when we go through tough times. While some people watch us to see how strong our faith is, others are actually looking for a good example to follow when they themselves face challenging situations.
I was blessed to have one of those life changing Christian-based examples when I was just a child of eleven. While attending my grandfather’s funeral I witnessed an inner strength in my grandmother that has stayed with me all of my life. My grandparents had been married for more than 50 years and I knew that Grandma loved the Lord with all her heart. But what really surprised me was the peaceful countenance she displayed throughout the entire funeral process. I had assumed she would be absolutely devastated; after all, fifty years is a very long time to live with someone. But when I witnessed her serene demeanor, I was taken aback.
I did not know Jesus personally during that time. I did know, though, that my grandmother had a relationship with the Lord that was a priority in her life. She made an impression upon me at a young age simply by praying out loud regularly and leaving her Bible lying open when I visited her. I knew she regularly had Bible studies with friends and that she attended church whenever the doors were open. Grama was a sweet, peaceful person who would readily throw her head back in laughter when she was tickled by something.
Even though I didn’t completely understand my Grandmother’s faith, I was definitely drawn to it, and never more so than at my grandfather’s funeral. When I finally saw my Grandma’s face in that sea of mourners, and then witnessed her inner peace throughout the funeral process, it drew me to her Jesus, even as a child.
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14).
God has used that memory of “faith amidst the storm” countless times in my life. It is one of those “pillar of strength” reminders of the peace that can only come from a relationship with Jesus; a peace that passes understanding. Most gratefully, that same peace is now helping me to endure my own struggles in life.
That’s not to say we shouldn’t cry or grieve over the loss of a loved one; even Jesus openly wept. But God wants us to “not be as one without hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). That is, in our sorrow we still believe that God is sovereign. We are to live our faith, even through the tough times, with the hope of tomorrow.
While weeping may remain for a night, rejoicing comes in the morning (Psalm 30: 5). We can rejoice in the promises that God give us, so that after we are gone, our memory, too, will be a pillar of strength to others, pointing them to our heavenly Father.
The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7 NLV).
We are always being watched by someone. Each one of us is an example to others, good or bad. Christians in particular are being watched by the world, especially when we go through tough times. While some people watch us to see how strong our faith is, others are actually looking for a good example to follow when they themselves face challenging situations.
I was blessed to have one of those life changing Christian-based examples when I was just a child of eleven. While attending my grandfather’s funeral I witnessed an inner strength in my grandmother that has stayed with me all of my life. My grandparents had been married for more than 50 years and I knew that Grandma loved the Lord with all her heart. But what really surprised me was the peaceful countenance she displayed throughout the entire funeral process. I had assumed she would be absolutely devastated; after all, fifty years is a very long time to live with someone. But when I witnessed her serene demeanor, I was taken aback.
I did not know Jesus personally during that time. I did know, though, that my grandmother had a relationship with the Lord that was a priority in her life. She made an impression upon me at a young age simply by praying out loud regularly and leaving her Bible lying open when I visited her. I knew she regularly had Bible studies with friends and that she attended church whenever the doors were open. Grama was a sweet, peaceful person who would readily throw her head back in laughter when she was tickled by something.
Even though I didn’t completely understand my Grandmother’s faith, I was definitely drawn to it, and never more so than at my grandfather’s funeral. When I finally saw my Grandma’s face in that sea of mourners, and then witnessed her inner peace throughout the funeral process, it drew me to her Jesus, even as a child.
“Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” (Mark 10:14).
God has used that memory of “faith amidst the storm” countless times in my life. It is one of those “pillar of strength” reminders of the peace that can only come from a relationship with Jesus; a peace that passes understanding. Most gratefully, that same peace is now helping me to endure my own struggles in life.
That’s not to say we shouldn’t cry or grieve over the loss of a loved one; even Jesus openly wept. But God wants us to “not be as one without hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). That is, in our sorrow we still believe that God is sovereign. We are to live our faith, even through the tough times, with the hope of tomorrow.
While weeping may remain for a night, rejoicing comes in the morning (Psalm 30: 5). We can rejoice in the promises that God give us, so that after we are gone, our memory, too, will be a pillar of strength to others, pointing them to our heavenly Father.
The peace of God is much greater than the human mind can understand. This peace will keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Phil 4:7 NLV).
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