The Morning After

I have been thinking about Mary and Joseph and what the morning after that amazing night of Jesus’ birth might have been like.

The night before must have been difficult for both Mary and Joseph. With no mother or midwife, Mary must have depended on her husband for help in birthing the child. Upon delivering a healthy boy child into the world, we know he was wrapped in swaddling cloth and put into the manger to sleep. What of Mary, did she collapse in hay or straw wrapped in Joseph’s big cloak? Did Joseph rest nearby? What about the affirmation God delivered to them both through the shepherds who came to worship the baby? They told the child’s parents of the angels and the message they had received. This visit was a wonderful AMEN to weary Mary and steadfast Joseph. Everything they had been told about this infant was repeated by the gawking shepherds staring at the Messiah, the newborn King.

What did the morning’s light find there in the stable near that Bethlehem inn? Was Mary, nursing her baby, still musing about those shepherds and their angelic message, and Joseph, stirring up the fire to warm them and their breakfast? Was this the day he was supposed to register with the rest of David’s descendants, according to the governor’s decree? Possibly the stark reality of caring for a wife and now a child, and getting a better place to stay all occupied Joseph’s mind that morning.

What of our morning after Christmas? Where does reality find us? Do we still marvel at the wonderful promise kept when Jesus was given to sinful man as our Savior? Is it part of our reality to have an on-going relationship with Jesus Christ? Do we truly grasp the truth that God took on flesh to experience bodily all we do (except sin) so we will be able to know Him and connect with the true extent of His love?

Hopefully the days and weeks after Christmas find us unwrapping God’s love through His word, through fellowship and the beauty of His creation, which declares His glory so well. His mercies are new every morning and His faithfulness is so very great. May your mornings after find you in the scriptures learning how much God has done to show you His love, forgiveness and grace through the baby in the manger. Doma

Struggling with Acceptance

While I had much to say in October 2011, there was no time to blog. My last post was about modern overcomers. This post is a change of pace for me, it is more self-revelatory. I am probing the idea of acceptance. The situation I am dealing with is my husband's diagnosis of renal failure and heart failure. We have gone through being rejected by the transplant team for my husband could not live through the procedure. So here we are with thrice weekly dialysis, frequent hospitalizations, staph infection, surgical procedures that have to be repeated, and the list goes on. This is our retirement. These are our golden years!

I have been here before, faced with having to surrender to thorny situations in my life. There have been many things to accept that were not in my plan at all. Learning whose plan is actually being worked out in my life is not easy. The thing is, I asked for it! I asked God to work out His will in my life; to do nothing more, nothing less, and nothing else. Now, here I am, face to face with acceptance of what must be His plan, His will, and I am rebelling against it in my inner being.

You all remember the serenity prayer, in particular the part of accepting the things we cannot change and changing the things we can . . .and asking for wisdom to know the difference. Believe me, I do know the difference!

Physical illness can be healed, or else, it can be treated. It can be adapted to over time. But, I confess that setback after setback wears away at a person's soul. My faith is intact, but I am so tired of seeing my husband struggle and suffer. I would do it for him, if I only could.

Whenever I pray, I am confronted by the question: Will you lay aside your efforts to cope and just accept how things are and let Me take care of things? Now, if I heard that out loud in a celestial voice, you can bet I would react much more promptly, but it is a quiet voice inside my head. I am wanting to lay down all my efforts to cope and just rest at Jesus' feet. I guess, for me anyway, that is acceptance. Doma

Modern-day Overcomers

In the book of Revelation, promises are made "...to those who overcome." If you are like me, you think back to the historical times of the Apostle John on the Isle of Patmos and all the dangers, persecutions and stresses of living in a Roman dominated world. In that context, there was so much to overcome by being an active Christian. People were "sawn asunder" (cut in half), beaten and tortured, fed to lions, etc. These people were 'real' overcomers, to my way of thinking. Today we have it so easy, especially in the United States, I would conclude.

It was not until the middle of last night that my mind came to grips with the current reality that what we as Christians must undergo daily are events and trials to be overcome, making us modern-day overcomers. When we are trying to get by on what little we can make and pay our bills, when we need to cut back on medications to see if we can deal with physical issues on cheaper drugs or do without some of them, when we work at letting go of control of everything and everyone who bugs us; all of these situations need an overcomer attitude. While our tribulations are not of the same magnitude as the early saints, they are just as important to overcome! The same power handles these trials today that fueled the zeal and perseverance of those early believers!

Trouble for a Christian should come as no surprise. The scriptures are full of warnings about tribulation. We are told "In this world you WILL have tribulation. but be of good cheer, Jesus has overcome the world." So our overcoming strength, just as the early churches' is rooted in faith in the LORD. In the scriptures we see page after page of warnings about things like "...overcoming evil with good." Receiving grace and help to be "...more than conquerors in Him who loves us."

Right now, you and I are being fitted with the spiritual garb of the Overcomer. We will inherit the crown of life and so many other promises will be ours, as the book of Revelations states. So, put your mind on the One who helps you triumph over fears, doubts and all this world throws at you. He will NEVER let you down. He wants you to be a modern-day Overcomer for sure. You give Him glory this way!

You give glory, a correct or accurate evaluation of the God you serve, by overcoming the obstacles of your life with His help. This trusting in the grace and strength of God, will directly set you apart and also put you in the throne room at your life's end to hear the "Well done, good and faithful servant." Not that your works brought you through it all, but that His overcoming grace and power held you close and led you there. He is faithful and true. "Faithful is He calls you, who also will do it." What is the "it", you may ask, it is living the overcoming way of life, pure and simple. Doma

Light and Life

"...in Your light, we see light."Psalm 36:9b. As I was reading psalm 36 I came across this phrase and the truth of it just flashed ...like a bright light! When we are walking in the light of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then we can see light.

Light, at the end of our long tunnel of tragedy. A glimmer of light in our seemingly endless dark night. Only in the light of a life lived in Christ can we clearly see what is true about our situation and have hope.

"In Him is light and there is no darkness at all." In Jesus Christ, that is living in conscious fellowship with Him, we have a life led by light, though darkened by circumstances often beyond our control.

No wonder I stumble and fall under a load of sin and trouble at times. I have turned away from the light and am momentarily overcome by the darkness. "Thy word is a lamp to my feet and light to my path." The psalmist knew their was no light without the truth. Jesus is both light and truth. In Him we can see how to live, where to go, what to do next. In studying His word, the Bible, we can see light and expose the darkness.

No wonder the evil one does not want people reading the Holy Bible! Read on, I say! Cherish every word of the scripture as it draws you to the light of life given to us, our hearts' delight, Jesus the LORD. Doma

Blueprint for Prayer

I recently had the privilege of explaining prayer to a friend who asked me, "How do I pray?" Because Jesus gave us the model of prayer, I could easily refer her to the Lord's Prayer, which she knew. She told me she really just thought of it as words and it did not seem like the kind of intimate prayer I had been telling her is possible.

"Oh, but it is." I told her. You see, the Disciples asked Jesus directly just like my friend asked me, "How should we pray?" The Lord's Prayer, commonly called the Our Father, is a very intimate prayer when we think about what we are saying.

At the first sentence, "Our Father, who art in heaven..." Jesus is telling us we can actually call the Creator of the Universe, the Living, Loving God, our very own father God. Jesus shares His Father with us. He could have said, "Oh, Most High God, LORD of all creation," but Jesus wanted to give us that intimacy that a child has with his/her father. Isn't that marvelous!

"Hallowed be Thy name"is the next part of the prayer. We don't use the word 'hallowed' currently. The closest we get is the term Halloween or hallowed evening, which is what October 31st was called, before it became the costume wearing, candy munching, prank filled night it now is. This term means holy or sacred. The name of God the Father is to be spoken with reverence and He is to be worshiped as the holy One. We are to use His name with reverence and awe.

"They kingdom come..." indicates our desire to see the justice, order, and righteousness of our God reign over this tired, troubled old world we live in. "Thy will be done..." With these words we are asking that the perfect, well-planned way of God Himself be what happens in our lives. These words imply trust in the will and ways of our Maker. Following the request for God's will, the exact places where we desire God to execute His plan is stated, "On Earth as it is in Heaven."

The next phrase is "Give us this day our daily bread." This request for provision is not just for food, but for the daily things that nourish us spiritually, mentally and emotionally as well. All we require to live each day is given to us ultimately from the hand of our Father in Heaven.

"And forgive us our debts (or trespasses), as we forgiven our debtors, (those who trespass against us)." With these very words, we are asking God to forgive us in the identical way we forgive others. What a sobering idea!

"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil." No man can say he is tempted by God, but temptation exists all around us and by asking the Father not to lead us on a path where we will be sorely tempted, we are just making good sense. It is like asking God to make the way my path leads, by His grace, to be clear of obstacles that put me in a position where I may sin. The request for deliverance is so important. Since the heart of man is so often intent on evil, a request to be kept from it is vital. Only God Himself, through the blood of His Son, Jesus can provide total deliverance from evil.

Often the Lord's Prayer is ended with the acknowledgement of our God's sovereignty, "For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever, Amen." So we end where we began, before the Mighty God, whom Jesus said we can call our Father, just as He does. What an amazing opportunity to pray using the very design given by our Savior! I hope you will think about what you are saying the next time you pray this wonderful prayer. Pray it well and pray it often giving your concentration to Him and giving the words the thought they deserve. Doma

What An Invitation

“Come unto me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest…” (Matt. 11:28) Are ready to do this; ready to actually come to Jesus Christ? Are you prepared to lay aside everything when you come to Him in prayer; come to Him with all you are or hope to be?

It is time to come right now. Do not wait until you are in a desperate situation. Please do not put off coming to Him today. At the very beginning of your daily routine, you can come to Him and your day will have the renewed purpose and power which He so liberally offers you.

In coming to Him, we must put aside anxious thoughts, our plans and schemes, our deepest doubts and fears and just approach Him stripped of all that is not simple, plain and honest. As we come before Him, naked in our need, He will meet us where we are. He promises to do so. And, that is not all He does. He gives us assurance that He understands that we are weary and feel heavily burdened. Remember that He became a man and experienced weariness. He knew what a heavy burden felt like too. He will give us the rest we so desire.

That rest Jesus Christ gives us is actually restoration and renewal brought to us by His great strength and power. It fits us for activity and purposefulness, not lethargy and a nap! So come, surrender your heavy load and acknowledge that King Jesus knows best and means what he says. Act upon His wonderful invitation. Wait and see how marvelous it feels to be given over to His will and purpose. Doma

Violence As Entertainment

What can you tell about a person by what he/she calls entertainment? I had this thought again as I finished watching the epic, The North and South. I had seen some of it many years ago and remembered it as I watched. By the time we reached the end of the second book of the DVD series, I thought the next portion would not have as much violence since the Civil War was over.

I did remember from my study of history that it was an unsettling time for our whole country. I expected to see the Klu Klux Klan and the difficult times the South would have and the North too. What I did not expect was the fact the chief villain was still alive in the third book, having survived an explosion of gunpowder ignited by a fire. What I also did not expect was how much I wanted that man dead! Now, this is only a movie, I know that, but I hated the way it made me feel. Although these emotions were brought on by manufactured visual effects, they were feeling real to me, nevertheless.

I decided I had seen enough violence and went to read a book. About 45 minutes later, I glanced at the TV once, just in time to see that cruel villain stab a woman to death. That image is still in my mind. I cannot believe what I gave my time and attention to. I was entertained by watching horrific battles and senseless abuse. And I had criticized a grandson who watches chainsaw massacres!

If people are entertained by watching violence and abuse, I would ask how can we not expect it to spill over into our culture? I know it was an old series and the violence was mild by today's standards. I also know that this method by which we seek to entertain ourselves has escalated to new lows of filth and terrifying cruelty, but what does that say about us? I understand violence is sung about as though it is praiseworthy. It is in video games all the time. But, how can we guard our thought life, from which our actions come, if we are being entertained by such violence? It makes me remember the scripture. "As a man thinks, so is he." Indeed! Doma

The Struggle to Surrender

Life is so full of contradictions. We hold tightly to things we need to release and don't always appreciate those dependable, ever present things. Dare I substitute the word people for the word things?I will never forget the day I had to surrender my three boys to the Lord. I knew I was hanging on too tightly to them. They needed to move on and become the men God intended. They were actually 7, 9 and 10 when I committed them to God's care.

I recall the moment clearly. I was making a bed with clean smelling sheets fresh from the clothes line when a question formed in my mind. "Will you give your sons to Me?"I did struggle and cry at the loss of control a true prayer of relinquishment might impose. However, in return, I just knew they would be safe in His charge. Believe me, I reminded the Lord many times of His promise to keep them close to His heart.

There was a night when the wicked one painted an image in my mind that was so horribly clear. In my mind I saw an overturned, out of control motorcycle. I saw some blood, a ditch and fear clutched at my throat. I just knew my son was involved. Turns out he was not the one who got hurt; he was the one who was able to help the injured boy. God was faithful. And He still is!

Early on, I found it very hard to let the little guys go beyond the yard. Next they went to school, and that too was very hard, all three times. I so wanted to control their world and keep them from every harm; solve every problem. This anxiety drove me to my knees many times.I still pray for the LORD to keep His covenant with me and also for Him to keep close their spouses and children. I just know He will. That's the kind of God we have! Doma

Hand Over Hand

When Special Education teachers work with children, especially those who need tremendous amounts of guidance and sensory stimulation, they will often teach tasks by using the “hand over hand” technique. In this process, the teacher puts his or her hands over the student’s hands and directs them to make the letter, or color the picture, or turn the pages of a book. Often students can be resistant and want to do it themselves right away, even though they do not know how.
I cannot help but think that sometimes we need God to do hand over hand with us. We may resist God‘s guidance because we want to do things our own way. Frustrated and weary, we have to surrender to the Master Teacher. We are so blessed that our God is a hands-on God who holds us closely and parents us even when we are supposedly grown up.

O place Your hands on mine, dear Father
Guide me to do Thy holy will
Keep me focused ever
Until Your work in me is through. Amen Doma

What About That Rich Young Man?

Taking bits and pieces of information and then forming an opinion based on this inadequate information is foolish at best. Equipped with only a limited understanding, yet drawing conclusions from what little is known is disastrous! Yet, this is exactly what people who do not regularly read and study the scriptures do. Some folks make public pronouncements, even write books using erroneous information. A bit of truth here, a bit of scripture pulled out to make a point there, that is what is used. It is essential to use the whole counsel of God, that is, use scripture to back up scripture. An example can be found in Revelation where the lamp stands are spoken of and then explained if you only read on. The meanings behind the parables of Jesus were often revealed to the apostles, and to us, so we can understand and learn the truths Jesus was teaching by reading them all the way through. I want us to look at the scripture about the rich, young man found in Mark 10: 17-25. If you look up “eye of the needle” on the Internet, you will find that several articles say these Bible verses are a criticism against being rich. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although rich people may trust in their riches to get them through life, money and the things it buys are powerless to make anyone right with God or get them to heaven. So a rich person going to heaven, given that he trusts in his riches to help him earn his way, would be like trying to get a camel through a needle’s eye. (By the way, there is no evidence of there ever being a gate made too small in the walls of Jerusalem that a camel had to squeeze through it without its baggage and saddle.) The walls and their gates were made to specific plans and no archaeological evidence shows such a gate. This young man had obeyed the Law of Moses since he was a boy and figured he would have Jesus’ approval. But, when he was told he lacked one thing and was advised to part with his possessions, he went away sad and, no doubt, disappointed. What he lacked was recognition of his need for God Himself. This young man had no need for what Jesus had to offer because he believed in his own ability to make himself right with God. However, having read scripture, we know there is none righteous, not one, and we also know the heart of man is incredibly wicked! Those who avail themselves of the whole counsel of God understand that Jesus is the Way the Father has provided and only through Him are we made righteous (right with God).On our best day, with our finest efforts, we fall short. We need God! It is not our riches or money and possessions that keep us from a saving relationship with God, but our own self-righteous attitudes when it comes to our being able to “earn” heaven. While it is true that love of money is the root of all evil, that is NOT what this story was about. Jesus tells us in the Beatitudes we are to be “poor in spirit to inherit the kingdom of God.” He did NOT say we have to have no money, live in poverty, though many do live in squalor, He said we have to be poor, have poverty, and be needy in our spirits. We must recognize our need for God. Here we are then, desperate beyond belief because we have failed again to be consistent in doing what is right. Where do we turn? Will money help us? Will possessions give us comfort? Definitely not! Come to Jesus wherever you are in life. Acknowledge your spiritual poverty, repent of your sins and you will have the blessed righteousness of Christ and be an heir to the Kingdom of God. Now is the acceptable time! Doma

Who Knew?

It’s was very early in the morning, 3:30 AM to be exact. Something was going on few people ever observe, but I was a witness to this incredible event. What was it, you may ask. Well, as unbelievable as it may seem, the appliances in my house were actually conversing. The conversation went something like this: Refrigerator: “I am tired of making ice. It’s winter, why do they need ice anyway. I’m done! I’m not doing it anymore. Is anyone with me?” Stove: “Yeah, I hear you! Why do I have to tell them what time it is? They have clocks. I think I will just stop giving the time. Hey! Why not go the whole way? I’m going to stop timing and telling them when the oven is preheated or what temperature I am. They’re supposed to be smart. Like I said, they have clocks.” Clothes Dryer: “Could you guys speak up so we can hear in here? Washer and I have issues too!” It was when the laundry room appliances began their whining that I sneezed. You could have heard a pin drop. Later on in the day, my husband and I talked about replacing the stove and fridge. We measured them and searched on-line for some good replacement models. Amazingly, the refrigerator and the stove seem to be working better lately without us even calling a service technician or even shopping around. You may not believe me, but next time one of your appliances dies or has a malfunction, notice how quickly another appliance follows suite. I tell you, they talk to each other! It’s the untold conspiracy. And, could you actually save money by threats and intimidation toward wayward appliances? Get out your tape measures at the first sign of a glitch from an appliance and find out for yourself. We are not helpless against this insidious plot. Doma

Buyer Beware

Basic Marketing Tactics 101 (or how to manipulate customers’ thinking)
1. Create a rapport between customers and yourself by finding a common link so they will be inclined to be too polite to seriously confront or question outlandish claims.
2. Make exaggerated claims that cannot easily be disproved.
3. Convince customer she/he will be saving money by spending money. (This statement is 100% inaccurate since the only real way to save money is NOT to spend it!)
4. Use peer pressure to advantage.
5. Leverage guilt to an art form by helping the customer realize she MUST justify her/his spending on your products, therefore it MUST be and do exactly what it claims to be and do. (This is a subtle form of brain washing.)
6. Convince customer no other products could possibly do the job as well. (This is actually untrue!)
7. Finally, play the guilt hand even more so the customer feels she is actually doing what is right and good by buying your overpriced products and it would be wrong for her/him not to purchase them.
· Learn to expect exaggeration and to discern the truth and facts from false claims.
· Learn to say “NO!” You will be blessed.
· Tell yourself that the salesperson has the main motivation of separating you from your money.
· Ask yourself if you could do without spending money on this product right now and do you have something that is already working for you?

Grace: It's not just for dinner

Misunderstood, mystical, even to some people, mythical, the word "grace" is hazy and hard to grasp intellectually. Even though it is the subject of prayers, songs, and poems, grace is not rightly appreciated or understood apart from the scriptures.

Often referred to as a prayer before meals or the something that only certain holy people can receive, grace is the subject of many, many scripture verses. It has been simplified to mean God's riches at Christ's Expense or defined as God's unmerited favor, yet it is so much more.

"By grace are you saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God and not of works, lest anyone should boast."(Ephesians 2:8-9) Looking at this well-known verse, we see that grace comes through faith. So, believing God favors you with eternal life through faith in His Son, Jesus, and that this very faith is a gift of God, this is the action of grace in the believer's life. This grace should impact our lives as nothing else can. Amazing, abundant and available are all adjectives that apply to God's grace. Grace should move us toward God and energize us to serve others. Grace is all-sufficient for every need we have and is ours in Christ, offered to us freely yet at a great price. "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace ." (Ephesians 1:17)

We know grace and truth came through Jesus Christ when we read John 1:17. So to think grace is merely a perfunctory prayer recited before meals or is limited by some earned favor of human goodness is obviously erroneous.

To get a handle on grace we need to look at many Bible verses to see how it operates in the lives of believers and in the church. "Now I commit you to God and to the word of his grace, which can build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20:32) Here we see grace at work building up faith and confirming the promise of the New Covenant among those set apart, sanctified. And in another verse, "I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!"(Galatians 2:21) Here we see God, the giver of grace, who understands how we stumble under the weight of the law and our sinful nature, freely granting His righteousness to those who believe in His Son, Jesus, the crucified and risen One.

There is so much to learn about grace, but I leave that to you to honestly seek it out. It is sufficient to say that I won't, and I hope you won't, say grace is just for dinner anymore! Doma

Some Thoughts About the Race

The whole idea of running in a race as a metaphor for the Christian life is something I have been examining. Running is something I do only as an expedient, so the main part of the metaphor I like is the idea of being chosen to be on a running team to begin with.

Another aspect of running is the training. I recall a nephew who put weights on his ankles when he was training for track. He took them off when he was actually in the race. They would have slowed him down considerably. I remember Paul saying we need to "put aside every weight" so we can run. Those weights he referred to were habitual sins that trip us up and hinder us from doing well in the life race.

I also remember the crowd Paul talked about. That "great cloud of witnesses." I imagine those who have gone before us looking down, yelling heart felt shouts of encouragement, unheard by us, but nevertheless urging us to keep on, even when we are tired of running.

In Paul's letter to the Hebrews, he does not accentuate the idea of a competition in racing, but rather an individual's effort to persevere and "run with patience the race that is set before us."
The idea of a crown at the end is intriguing. King Jesus will be there to see us finish and we will cast our crowns before Him out of love. See you at the finish line! Doma

The Great Race

Could it be that I have not had anything to say? Don't bet on it! I have not written in this blog lately because I believe it is a sacred opportunity to say something worthwhile. I examine every thought that seems appropriate for this blog before I ever type a word.

The topics I will be exploring in the future are varied. One such subject is the race of life. I am not talking about the Rat Race, as some folks refer to life, but the race Paul speaks of in the scriptures, the great Race of Faith.

In using this metaphor of Paul's for life lived as a Christian, we must first see how we got started in the race. We don't have to go far in the New Testament or even in one specific book to read of the way we were chosen to represent Christ in this race. In John's gospel we read that Jesus chose us; we did not choose Him. In Ephesians we also see we were chosen. Remember how great is was to be one picked for a team? Your heart pounded; you felt so good. You did not want to let your coach and team members down. You felt unworthy and unsure, but here was the coach choosing you - how utterly cool!

Isn't it phenomenal to know the God of the universe chose you and me to be His own? That is where I want us to start as we consider the great race of life; where our starting line is, how we train, and where we finish.

Please join me in expressing gratitude to God for this great privilege of wearing His team's colors. Acknowledge as fact that you are chosen to receive His great love and lavish grace. Look forward to the whole course as you "...run with patience the race set before you, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of your faith." See you at the finish line, Doma

Go Along To Get Along

I am reposting this entry from last year. I feel so strongly that this message is important now as never before.

What I want to say is my opinion. Many people gave their lives so that I and other people can freely express ourselves. What I am saying is neither inflammatory rhetoric or untrue. I want us to examine what we are becoming as a nation. History could repeat itself with a new twist. I believe an old and dangerous attitude can bring our country to ruin.

In Nazi Germany, when some people became aware of what was happening around them, they chose to ignore it. Their thinking was: “Go along to get along” with those around them. As we now know, horrible atrocities were perpetrated upon innocent people at that time in Hitler’s Germany and elsewhere. Sadly, many people just went along with it. It is interesting to consider that had enough of them spoken out, the results might have been different. There would have been certain risk for sure, but if large numbers of people at all levels of society had loudly and persistently objected, who knows what might have happened? I do not presume to sit in judgment upon anyone. I was not there, and I realize that self-preservation is a very strong motivator.

I bring this history to our attention so we can consider if today the same mentality exists as an undercurrent of cultural thinking in our country. Although many people do know what the scriptures say about sin, they choose to go along with it. They sit on their discernment, afraid to use their brains and express their opinions freely. Cohabitation, sex outside of marriage, fornication ( by both hetero and homosexuals), adultery, drunkenness, gluttony, selfishness, greed, all of these behaviors are scarcely ever mentioned or objected to by preachers or anyone. Why? It is because we have to “ Go along to get along” or we will be called bigots, narrow minded freaks ,politically incorrect, homophobes, and other nasty labels. It’s easier to go along . . .It’s necessary to get along. Or is it?

Even academia does the “Get along” thing. They believe everyone has to “be a winner” so they dumb down school text books and courses and alter grading so everyone can succeed. This creates an artificial sense of acheivement for students who are, in reality, just mediocre at best. Of course, everyone’s self esteem is a top priority. In reality, everyone cannot win and some days are just hard on our esteem. People learn from failure and rise above esteem issues when they have real goals, clear values, self discipline and motivation. In other words, when they know who they are in relation to the great God of the universe who loves them and gave His son for them.

When will this trend of being out of touch with God’s truth, and out of sync with God and His commands ever stop? Who will speak out against it? The church? Christians? Peter spoke to an endangered early church when he said, “We ought to obey God and not men,”(Acts 5:29). When we ignore what God says in the Bible, we are putting ourselves, our families, and our country at risk of great destruction like ancient Rome. Will violence and wanton sexual debauchery continue to feed our minds via the Internet, movies, TV and video games? Will we be over run by barbarians who respect no one and have no rules like Rome was? There can be no other result. Are you willing to “Go along to get along”, or will you stand up for what you believe before it is too late? Doma

Once again - Asking the wrong question

Why? Why did God . . . ? Why didn't He . . .?

Well, I don't know why God does many things. I have gotten to the place where, as I have stated before in a previous post, I just ask "Where do we go from here?" I rarely ask "Why?" questions of God anymore.

I think I know the reason I don't ask those kinds of questions: God does not have to answer to me, He is the all-knowing one, wise beyond comprehension! Scripture tells us, "Our ways are not Your ways...". God has the big picture. He is into long range planning as Ephesians 1:4 and 5 tells us.

So, if you are tempted to call our almighty God into account for something you don't understand, I would say to ask yourself if this line of questioning is showing proper awe and reverence? Is getting a rational. humanly acceptable answer more important than trusting the LORD? By asking the alternate question, "Where do we go from here", you are asking for guidance in handling the "Why?" aspect of your circumstance and you can expect an answer to be forthcoming. Doma

Confessions of a Hypocrite

Admit it, aren't we all less than we hope to be? Don't we all fail at times to do the very things we want to do and find ourselves mired in the muck of what we earnestly wanted to avoid? I have often wondered where we would be if the apostle Paul had been a hypocrite and not admitted to the struggles he had. As he continued to try to reach the prize of knowing and serving Christ Jesus faithfully, he said he did not do what he should and did the very thing he did not want to do. He knew he needed a divine rescue. It was this humble admission and his obvious need for Jesus, for the grace offered at the cross, that kept Paul going. That is what keeps us going too.

If someone makes the accusation of hypocrisy against you, you can humbly admit you have missed the mark, then tell them this is the exact reason you need a Savior. Perhaps such an accuser may understand and admit that they too need a rescue from God! Doma

Musing On Yesterday

Never thought I’d long for your dandelion bouquets,
Or the sound of your loud rock music.
Never knew I’d wish for a redo of all the time with you;
Of the struggles we went through,

Never figured I’d miss the messes,
Or the sloppy runny-nose kisses,
The enforcing your curfew on late nights,
Enduring “It’s not my turn for chores” fights,
But . . . I do!

Didn’t figure on seeing you in my mind’s eye
Flying around the three-wheeler track,
Around the barn that’s all gone now.
Sometimes I reminisce and go back.

I miss my little boys, even though they are men.
Sometimes, just for a moment,
I want them all back and little again.
Yes . . . I do!

So I watch their little boys
Who are now men and their daughters too
I guess my job is still not through
There are more bouquets to come my way
And more loving to do. DMB 01/05/11

Life Observations

I am going to stray from my usual writing style and content to share a few personal insights, so bear with me and give me some feedback, please.

One does not live as long as I have (68+years) without the temptation of thinking maybe some knowledge has been gained from life's experiences. I thought that perhaps some of this wisdom is worth sharing.Here are three things that I believe are essential to know in order to live a life that is worthwhile:

First and foremost, you cannot live your life without a relationship with God. Well, actually, you can do it 'your way', if you want to do it all alone and do it the hard way. Scripture tells us "There is a way that seemeth right to a man/woman, but the end thereof is death."Guidance from God and reliance on Him takes so much pressure off your mind and brings peace. Since the LORD never changes, all His promises are yes and amen for you. He still says "Ask, seek and knock". His Son, Jesus Christ, "Ever lives to make intercession for us." That means God is there 24/7 to help us and Jesus is praying on our behalf to His Father. The Holy Spirit is our Helper to give us discernment and speak to our conscience. Now I do not want you to think that God is at your beck and call. That is not what I am saying at all. When you are seeking help and guidance, His Spirit is the very one who leads you to God's merciful throne. When your relationship is right with God, you are at His service and a very fine place that is to be! (But those adventures in His service are for another blog entry.)

The second piece of advice I believe to be useful and true is that you have to live with a view to tomorrow. You cannot be narrow in your thinking. Decisions today have consequences for the future, so you need to be careful about details like how you spend your time, money and energy. Even your words can come back to haunt you so they need to be deliberately chosen also.

This leads me to the third important thing I want to share and that is to be intentional in how you live your life. There is even a web site, Intentional Living with Dr. Randy Carlson, and radio program by the same name, that covers just that. It is just so basic. You cannot live your life being a victim; blindsided by the events and circumstances that come your way. Everyday, you can choose to do one intentional thing that will make your life and others lives better. You can plan ahead, you can organize, you can make lists or set goals. Whatever you choose to do, change one thing for the better today, and this year. As I have heard so often and told others, "It is insane to believe that doing the same old thing will give different results." You can change outcomes by changing one simple thing. Maybe it is an attitude about someone or something that needs an update. Quit downloading negative thoughts and change to positive ones about your problems or problem people.

What I do know and am certain of, I have learned thoroughly from experience and from scripture. These last four tidbits are for you to take to heart: God is good all the time. Life is hard for a reason. You can never hope to earn your way to heaven, but "We are saved by grace through faith...it is the gift of God lest anyone boast." There is a heaven and a hell and it sure isn't here on earth.

I will conclude with this thought: Life is too precious to be lived by trusting in luck or chance. I pray you will choose life lived in the love of Christ Jesus! Doma