The Light Is On

The Power of Gratitude

2012-02-05T12:31:00.000-08:00

The greatest lesson I have learned lately is how being grateful can change my perspective. I have marveled at the way I now see events that have come into our lives. A great example is what before was viewed as a trial, a life interruption and a struggle, (namely dialysis three time a week), is now seen as a blessing.

A life preserving procedure, the transfer and cleansing of the blood from my husband's body and back again involves hours where he is connected to a large machine. It also means we spend lots of time traveling back and forth to the hospital and conversing with each other. I am learning more and more about the wonderful man I married and about myself too. We watch television and laugh and comment on what we see while he sits in the dialysis center's recliner.Sometimes I bring my Bible study and work on it while he doses off.

With gratitude came the humbling realization of God's great and faithful care all through my husband's medical journey. From Cancer to renal failure, to stent changes, heart and lung tests to multiple surgeries to put in a heart catheter and also to create a working fistula, our God has been so amazing in His care. In countless ways I can tell you about God's grace abounding in and for us.

Please allow me to explain a little about stents and fistulas, just so you know how fantastic God is when He works through modern medicine and doctors. The stent goes into my spouses' body at his stoma, the opening created to expel urine into a bag (urostomy). It then proceeds up into my husband's diversion, a fake bladder made from a section of the ileum or small intestine. This diversion connects to my husband's remaining kidney so that organ can drain. This stent is changed every seven weeks to keep it open. The fistula joins an artery and a vein which creates a site where the blood can be cycled out and in during dialysis. A working fistula means the heart catheter does not need to be used for this purpose. My hubby has had three heart catheters implanted, one became infected which was a real 911. Infection in a heart catheter has the potential to kill you! Using the heart cath lowers his blood pressure to a very danger level and stresses the heart, so we are so blessed when the fistula works well.

Further evidence of our gracious God at work is the fact that there was no need for the morphine pump or pain pills after my spouse's five hour cancer surgery where he lost his bladder, prostate and right kidney. He felt no pain despite a long, deep incision from his groin up to his right side. This fact indelibly impressed my mate of God's power and individual providence in his behalf. He loves to relate this fact in conversations with anyone who will listen.

So can you understand how looking at all of these events and struggles with a thankful heart can make it bearable and even more amazing, give joy because of the proof of God's love and care. I hope you will try a little gratitude. It humbles you, but it opens your eyes too. God's blessings to you friends. In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God concerning you! DB

The Morning After

2011-12-25T15:58:00.000-08:00

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

2011-11-15T09:48:00.000-08:00

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

2011-09-15T08:35:00.000-07:00

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

2011-08-18T11:04:00.000-07:00

"...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

2011-07-06T11:15:00.000-07:00

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

2011-06-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

“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

2011-05-30T15:55:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-10T18:27:00.000-07:00

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

2011-05-01T12:56:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-04-13T08:54:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-04-04T08:26:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-25T09:02:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-18T16:46:00.000-07:00

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

2011-03-05T12:41:00.000-08:00

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

2011-02-12T10:50:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-24T17:03:00.000-08:00

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?

In our culture we see so many undisciplined and unrestrained children and adults who make life difficult for everyone around them on a daily basis. We also hear the slogans of the “get along” gang that go like this: Tired of your mate? Get a divorce. Want more than you can afford? Go into credit card debt. Lie, cheat, steal, just so you can get what you think you have to have. After all, there is no right or wrong, it’s all relative.

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

2011-01-20T11:45:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-07T18:26:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-05T14:34:00.000-08:00

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

2011-01-04T10:59:00.000-08:00

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

The Music of Grace

2010-12-25T16:12:00.000-08:00

"For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men" (Titus 2:11)

Finally, after nearly 30 years of trying to follow the LORD, I may be actually 'getting it', that is, beginning to understand God's amazing grace. Just in the nick of time too because I will be leading a Bible study about grace in January. God is a master of timing, so when I awoke at 4:14 am on Friday, December 24 with this scripture and these thoughts going through my mind, I knew the Holy Spirit was helping me prepare for the upcoming lessons by firing me up with an insight I want to share here.

As far as our sin is concerned, God is our Judge, Jury, and Defense Attorney. When we received the grace of God by faith, we received a full pardon. It is not as though we never sinned, it is rather because we sinned and its horrible punishment was exacted from God's Precious Son, Jesus Christ. I knew this in my head of course, but suddenly I felt it and grasped it with my whole being; heart, mind, and will as though it is the dearest truth I have ever believed or heard.

This tiny glimpse of understanding about grace leads me to think of the true story I heard about a master violinist who played in a huge public place. (I think it was Grand Central Station). Dressed in nondescript clothing, he played the finest music on the choicest instrument, a rare Stradivarius, with the greatest expertise, and yet only about seven, out of the thousands of people who passed him by, stopped or responded to the music. To me, God's wondrous grace is like that music: It is undeserved, it is beautiful and awesome, it is free for those who will receive it.

Will I respond to God's grace? Will you? We must give a response. It has to be our love, our humble gratitude, and our willingness to live and die for Jesus; He who came to earth for the express purpose of bringing salvation to all men through faith by way of His matchless grace. Donna

This I Know

2010-12-15T07:44:00.000-08:00

I have been thinking about God's love. Of all the things I know about the Almighty, the fact that He loves me is the hardest to grasp. After all, I know me. I am well aware of all the failures and wrong motives, of the fears and anxieties, the pride and the vanities that exist in my mind and color everything I do and think. Knowing all of the reasons why God should not love me makes His love even more precious.

How has God shown me that He loves me? I have to start with the cross. As I read the scriptures, I can follow God's plan to provide a deliverer throughout the Old Testament. In the gospels and New Testament I read of Jesus coming just as planned and of His dying for the sins of mankind. I read of the church and all the believers who received grace to believe in God's great salvation. I join them by faith for I know I need to be saved daily!

The enormity of God's love and the fact that His love involved sacrifice, speaks volumes to me. Because He loved us so much, the Father gave His Son knowing what would be required of Jesus. The Messiah came to Earth as a screaming, little bundle of flesh, having left His heavenly home to identify with us and save us from the curse of sin. I take refuge in this great deliverance and praise God for expressing His love through His Son, Jesus!

Other ways God has shown His love is by answering my prayers. The No answers always prove to be blessings in the long run. The Yes answers far out number the No's however. The love of God lets me learn how to live by allowing me to struggle, but giving me grace to get through to the other side. The love of God restrains me from doing what I should not do as I listen to the Holy Spirit. His merciful love leads me around pitfalls and through disappointments. His Presence, through His word, through preaching, music and through other people assures me of His love. The fact that He provides for me daily and guides me in decision making also lets me know He cares.

So, I am trying to tell you, that God's love is available, inexhaustible, free and yours to receive through His Son, Jesus, whose birth we are celebrating soon. Receive Him into your heart today, resting in His love is marvelous! Doma

Only A Baby

2010-12-10T04:56:00.000-08:00

That the Son God, Jesus Christ, became one of us is amazing; the way He became one of us is marvelous and startling.

Only A Baby?

Who would have thought that one small being could matter to the world?

Who else would have planned the last detail,

The perfect answer to the dying race?

Who would care so much, and give and give?

Who would dare so much that we might live?

Who would? Who would?

Only a baby?

Who could bring men to their knees,

Living message of love?

Who else could have offered the perfect antidote,

The salvation for the sin-drenched soul?

Who could come in such a humble state,

Endure the pain, the shame, the hate?

Who could be the branch, the bridge, the vine,

The King, the Shepherd, the New Wine,

The broken bread, the offered Lamb?

Who could? Who could?

Have a blessed Christmas, Doma

Love Beyond Understanding

2010-12-05T15:46:00.000-08:00

Words fail me as I contemplate God's great love for us. Having studied and read scripture for many years, I am still overwhelmed by what God actually did in sending His Son and why He did it.

Man's sin must have been repulsive and ugly beyond belief to God. How could He bear to even consider mankind? Yet the LORD loved us. His unchanging plan is to make us His own. So we read in the Old Testament of example after example, time after time how God wanted man to see what sin did; how it separated people from Him. He sent His law through Moses. He spoke through prophets, judges, and circumstances. Still, even after seeing great deliverance and victories, man just did not stay the course and obey God. They followed their neighbors' gods and faded into their neighbors' culture. Compromise and 'just getting along' lead to God's judgement upon His people.

Read the scriptures to plainly see it was indeed impossible for men to please God and obey Him totally. Even amazing heroes of the Bible struggled and failed, like David, Samson, Solomon. We are allowed to see them and their failings to help us know how much we need a Savior to atone for our sins. If it was possible for man to be saved through obedience to the law, then Christ died for nothing! So this was the plan from the foundation of the earth. Jesus, taking on flesh, sharing our humanity with the emotions, struggles and trials - all that meant even when it meant death. Just so we could receive God's love and forgiveness.

Ephesians and many other books of the Bible tell us that this side of the cross, when God sees a believer, one who has a true relationship with Jesus Christ and bears the seal of the Holy Spirit, God looks upon one He loves dearly. He is seeing the image of His son, Jesus, in us. That is how He now sees us, as blameless and righteous, we who stand before Him covered with His love. So that is why I am astounded by what God has done in sending Jesus. There is truly no greater love than the Father's love for us! Let His love bless and enfold you this Christmas season. Doma

Religion Versus Relationship

2010-11-22T07:29:00.000-08:00

One of the most maligned and misunderstood terms is the word Christian. Many people say they are Christian, yet their actions and beliefs are all different. Possibly the only point of agreement is their belief in Jesus Christ and who He is, although there is disagreement about Jesus' identity even among those who claim to be Christians.

Why do you suppose there are so many opinions about Jesus Christ and what it means to be a Christian? This diversity probably exists because we depend on our ideas and not on the scriptures. Therefore, we have as many ideas as there are people, each having varied experiences and each under the influence of some religious teaching or lack thereof. If we come to understand that religion is human efforts to reach God by doing various activities or works to please Him, and get His attention, then, yes, there are a variety of religions and explanations of what Christianity is. So what is it really?

Suppose we could agree on one idea of who Jesus Christ is and what it means to be a Christian. I want to suggest a way to do that is to acknowledge that being called a Christian is a statement of relationship, not a religious term, but a covenant relationship with Christ. You see, Christ made a great exchange, an agreement with us that made such a relationship possible. He exchanged His robe of righteousness, left His heavenly domain and all that was His for the salvation of our humanity and all it entails. He offered us His own life for ours, His gracious offer still stands.

Why would God allow His Son to do such a thing and how do I know this happened? The scriptures tell us Jesus came to make the way to His Father possible through His sacrifice on the cross. Jesus is called "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world". Christ's death was the Father's plan from the beginning. When we understand this, we realize He was not murdered, as some say, rather He gave up His life. If you are curious at all about this exchange and the relationship Jesus wants to have with you, quit listening to other peoples' version of who Jesus is and read it for yourself in the Bible. You will need to put on "spiritual glasses" to understand these things. To get a clear view of this truth, pray that God's Holy Spirit will show you what you long to understand. Your very longing is a precious gift from God. So come, meet Christ, the way the Father has made to heaven, (John 14:6). Right now is a great time to do that. Doma

The Control Issue

2010-11-09T12:00:00.000-08:00

So we think we have control of our lives? Think again! And, do we really want total control of it if, indeed, it is possible? I don't think so. We would then bear the ultimate responsibility for all that happens to us. Are we prepared to do that? Just think of all the people and circumstances over which we really have no say. To even think we have such control is very naive indeed! Perhaps you have read statements like, "I am the captain of my fate". Oh, really? Shout that to the winds of a tornado coming toward your home.

What is a person to do since there is so much we cannot manipulate, plan for or make happen? Well, we can intentionally make Jesus the LORD of our lives every day. He would then have absolute control. He does anyway, but acknowledging Him as our Sovereign LORD, the one who calls the shots in our life's game plan, makes so much sense. There will be less striving, less struggling and worrying if we would just let go and let God be our Authority instead of ourselves.

It was imperative to receive Jesus as Savior once we came to realize our sinful state and what Jesus Christ did to pay the price for our iniquities. While we grasp tightly to the free gift of salvation, we want to keep control of our life, our future. To receive Him as the authority of our lives is not easy. It involves giving up our vise-like grip over all areas of our life on a daily basis. Rebellion and the "I do it myself" attitude of a child shows up in us when we even think of surrendering our lives to anyone else, even the LORD God.

In the big picture of life, it only makes perfect sense to ask God, the Mighty One, to take the wheel, to be in charge. Only He knows us perfectly and He holds our future. So, if you have not asked Jesus to be the Authority over your life today, now is the perfect time! Doma

There is no J in Tragedy

2010-10-11T07:19:00.000-07:00

This is written in remembrance of a tragic, senseless event that happened to touch my world.

There is no J in tragedy

What we are remembering today needs to be spelled correctly. It must be looked at soberly and examined for what it really is. Hopeless, helpless and hapless feelings when acted upon result in horrendous consequences for those who are left to pick up the pieces and ask the whys. We’re not going to ask “Why”; we’re going to ask “Where do we go from here” because we have a choice.
Here are three intentional things we can do, starting now.
HOPE - hope is an essential life element. It is a priceless thing. It is within your power and mine to offer it to everyone we meet. A smile, a kind word, a simple courtesy such as saying ”Thank you” or “Excuse me”. It acknowledges our fellow humans. It costs us nothing. We must offer these little gifts of hope to those around us. Some of you do that already. Keep on doing it. If you don’t, why on earth don’t you?
HELP – Help is always available in many forms. Counselors, doctors, therapists, all these professionals are willing to offer help. Their lives are dedicated to helping people find solutions and take positive steps to deal with life stresses. A listening ear of a positive person is so important too. This is another thing we can do; we can listen to each other. Never dismiss someone or assume you have no common ground without hearing them out.
CIRCUMSTANCES - feeling hapless means you feel you are a victim of your situation. It seems that life is to be endured and not embraced for the gift it actually is. Emphasizing the negative and not realistically seeing their situation can lead to distorted thinking. There are positive aspects to life, and also intentional, practical solutions that can be put into place. So, what can we do? We can speak positive words into peoples’ lives. It is our sacred duty. We must do so daily!
Finally, I leave you with the words of a favorite song of Joan Baez:
“No man is an island, no man stands alone. Each man’s joy is joy to me; each man’s grief is my own . . .” Let’s be intentional from now on. Remember when you offer each other gifts of hope, help, and positive words, you are cooperating with Almighty God to encourage and affirm your fellowman and woman. If you do these simple things daily, these actions and words will be your legacy, how you will be remembered. God bless you! Doma

When God Shakes Things Up

2010-10-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

I was reading scripture the other day and came upon Hebrews 12:26-29. Really that whole chapter, but I was most impressed with the part where God shook the earth and "...once more will shake the heavens and the earth." The purpose of the shaking is to show that what remains is what matters. The unshakable One remains faithful and true even if we are not.

So, what is shaking your world? Here is what is shaking up mine. I like to think I am fairly capable of accomplishing whatever is put before me, but right now I have to wear a protective boot on my right foot for several weeks. A possible stress fracture has had me in the emergency room, to a vascular surgeon and a foot doctor, thus the boot.

It gets in the way of nearly everything I want to do, including driving, walking, and sleeping. Wearing it makes my foot feel good, but not my back. You have to balance out your body because the boot is higher than any normal shoes I have. I am so not going to wear one high heel on one foot and the boot on the other! I cannot take any anti-inflammatory drugs to reduce the soreness either due to a kidney danger. So I have to ask for prayer a lot and God does provide some relief.

What application does this have to Hebrews 12:26-29? Well, what really matters in my world; in your world too? Does God put us aside if we cannot accomplish anything for Him? No, not at all. Do we need to slow down and depend more fully on the Lord? Definitely, yes. All of this fracturing came from me not paying attention when I walk, stepping down hard and missing a curb. Likewise, not paying enough attention to how we walk on our spiritual journeys and getting carried away with our part in serving the Lord, all contribute to a shake up.

We also know there will be another day with an eternal shake up that will leave all the dross and inconsistencies of this life behind. "Our God is an all consuming fire." Nothing will matter then, but our standing with God through the blood of Christ. So don't despair if your world gets a shake up once in awhile, wake up, and turn back to Him. He never changes, and that's good news. Donna

The God Your Mind Creates

2010-09-14T09:52:00.000-07:00

We have to be very careful about the image of God we allow into our minds. Why, you may ask? Because we can create a false god so easily. Examples of this false representation of the Lord are heard all the time. "God is love" people say, and that is true. "God is just" other people say, and this is also true. From these statements the conclusion is drawn, "Since God is a God of love, we believe His love is greater than His justice and He certainly won't judge anyone harshly or punish them forever." The natural conclusion is then, "There must not be a hell and everyone goes to heaven." Or, "It does not matter what you believe about God." What a terrible heresy!

We cannot create a sketch of God, filling in the attributes we think He has, and leaving out others we find inconvenient or think are inconsistent with our level of comfort. We would then paint a picture of a Divine Lord of life who changes and vacillates. This creates an image of a god who seems to be thinking, "O, maybe I should change my mind about this or that." Nothing could be further from the truth. God is immutable, so He does not change. He is loving, yet also just. He is holy and perfect in every way. He is faithful, knowing all about us and our motivations.

And as for people going to hell. . . He created that place for the devil and his evil angel followers. Eternal punishment is the final result of a person continuously refusing to accept the way to heaven through Jesus' blood which the Father supplied. Hell as an everlasting destination for a person is a matter of their personal choice. God does not send them there, they choose to go by rejecting Him. God constantly seeks to save the lost and desires everyone to come into His kingdom through the door he provided, Jesus Christ, His Son. It helps to realize that we cannot push people into the kingdom. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one can come to Father except through me." John 14:6. So God is faithfully seeking, knocking on the doors of people's hearts. We do well to remember that sinners do what sinners do and to pray for them like crazy! Only God's grace makes us any different from them! Remember the pit from which you were rescued, the miry clay that held you fast.

So, let's stop trying to create an image of God to match the cultural perspective and seek the truth about God by reading and studying the scriptures. Together with our mighty God we can make a difference in this world, right where we are. Pray for people to open their eyes to recognize the choices they are making; whether they will lead to the joy of eternal life or unending terror and death. We all live forever somewhere.
I know with whom I want to spend eternity and His name is Faithful and True! Doma

At The Center

2010-08-26T04:59:00.000-07:00

Some discoveries just have to be shared right away. Today's meditation and scripture reading revealed some very interesting things to me. I have been reading Galatians about the Law and the Promise made to Abraham. I had previously studied the Abrahamic covenant in the Old Testament, so this was not new to me.

The promise given to Abraham through the covenant "...stood at the center of the relationship between God and His people"until the Law was given. When the Law came, over time, the relationship between God and man seemed to shift. The law was given because of sin. It shows us what sin is. It acts as a tutor leading us into a right relationship with God, growing us up. It is not the center of our relationship with God. It is only given to teach us how to be obedient.

As children of the promise, our obedience comes from believing God's promise. Somehow this line of thinking led me to the rich young ruler in Matthew's gospel. I was always a bit puzzled by the interchange between Jesus and this man. It was a little unsettling, because it asked the question I had asked myself, before I received Jesus as the LORD and Savior of my life. "What must I do; when will I know I have done enough, God?"

He asked Jesus, "What good thing must I do to obtain eternal life?" He was stuck in the rut of believing he could actually do something for himself to receive the promise of God. Jesus told him to obey the commandments, for Jesus knew the young man's heart. The reply of the rich man was a justification of how he was, indeed, obeying the Law. There was no declaration of faith, no acceptance of God's grace in the young man's reply. He went away sadly because he did not believe God's promise, he believed it was all up to him. He seems to be saying, "Well, I have done all I can, but I am not going to make a total commitment to believe that God's promise is enough, surely there is something else I can DO."

So, my point is this: The promise was at the center of God's relationship with us from Abraham until Moses. Then, Jesus Christ came to fulfill the Law and the (words of) prophets. He is the Promise and so He is the center of God's relationship with man once again. D. B.

Asking the Wrong Question

2010-08-18T11:22:00.000-07:00

If you are like me, you have asked the question, "Why?" many times in your life.

Whenever I want to understand anything in order to learn about it, I ask, "Why?" When I come to an understanding of whatever it may be, I can then relax and continue to learn, knowing there is a reason for whatever I am doing or going through.

But, when I come to those situations when there is no answer or no pat answer to my "Why" question, I become uneasy and insecure. Don't you? It is then that I remind myself that I can trust in Christ to hold the future and to reveal as much or as little as He wants to me about it.

Imagine what would happen if I had the answers to all the "Why" questions in my life? For example, would my life be better if I knew why my parents both died at an early age, or why many troubles and illnesses plagued and took the life of other precious family members and friends. If I knew the precise purpose behind allowing accidents, natural disasters, man's cruelty to fellowman, etc. then I would be responsible for such knowledge, and I would assume an unbearably heavy burden with such knowledge. One would have to be God to bear the answers to the "Whys" of life.

I want to suggest that the real question is, "Where am I going from here?"I can decide how I will accept what happens and deal with it with the LORD's help. You see, this is a question for which we can come up with an answer, one day at a time, with His help. Doma

Prayer

2010-08-16T06:46:00.000-07:00

Since prayer is conversation with our God, we can have an on going dialog, or a formal time of meditation and prayer or a combination. Just so we keep in touch! That is the whole point, to stay close to Our Father.

I have found that using the order from the book, What Happens When Women Pray, by Evelyn Christensen, is very helpful. She suggests we follow the A.C.T.S. format. First start with the A, for Adoration. Worship the Lord and fall on your face before Him. Use scripture, or just pour out your heart to Him in love and praise. When you do this, you get things right - you realize He is the mighty One and you are not.

You look at His holiness and see your sinfulness. This humbling realization of our need and our sinfulness just happens when we contemplate His perfection and our imperfections. These thoughts will naturally lead our thoughts to to C - Confession.

Coming before the Holy One, we can be confident He is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (I John 1:9). When we realize the magnitude of His grace and love through the cross, and His precious gift of forgiveness that cost His Son everything, we become overwhelmingly thankful which leads us to T - Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving pours out of our hearts as we think about and understand how amazing it is that we have received so much from our Father. We thank God for all He has given to us, including the gift of faith and of His dear Presence. We are now convinced we can approach our loving God with our needs, worries and fears with confidence.

We have now come to S - Supplication, the time to come and ask for God's help. We know He wants what is for our good. We can come boldly to the throne, trusting God to deal with all we cannot handle and give us wisdom to find our way in this world.

Whether you choose to pray in an orderly fashion or randomly utter "popcorn" prayers all day long, you can be sure the Lord loves hearing from you. You will hear from Him as well. But, that is for another blog entry. You really can pray without ceasing, for every thought can be communication with the LORD! Doma

Psalm of Gratitude

2010-08-01T12:41:00.000-07:00

O Lord, You are sovereign and holy,
You are mighty and powerful,
You reign over all creation.
For You are God.

Yet surely You know me,
You understand what I do,
You see past my actions,
Into my very heart.

Knowing me the way You do,
You still love and forgive me,
For that I am eternally grateful.
Your grace is so precious.

O Lord, You are the Creator,
The stars feel Your fingers still,
And babies fresh from the womb
Bear Your breath.
Bright poppies flame with color,
Skies write your love in the clouds.

I must join with Exodus 15:11
And ask “Who is like unto Thee?”
Glorious in holiness,
Mighty in power,
Doing wonders,
You alone are Our God. D M B

Grasping the Unchangeable

2010-07-30T08:11:00.000-07:00

Change is a certainty in our world. Sometimes it can be painful and sometimes it brings joy. If there is anything that never changes, we would want to grab hold of it, to understand it and build upon it.

Unchangeable or immutable things do not exist in this world. Rocks erode, land forms shift, the ocean continually changes. People grow and change through the very process of experiencing life and aging. Cultures change over time with various influences. But, there is an unchangeable One.

God does not change. The characteristic of God, called immutability should have a profound impact upon us and our thinking! I hope to show you why this fact about our God is so vital to our well-being and to our understanding about life itself.

Because God does not change, we can know His promises are still in force. We know He will deal with us according to what He has said, for His word does not change either. His love is enduring and never failing. We can rest in His love and know He is in control of those very things that are out of our control.

The words always and never only apply to our God. Since God does not change, He still hates sin, yet continues to offer forgiveness and restoration to sinners. He always continues to love people and desires that none be lost and all come to repentance. He offers many chances to people to come to Him through His Son, Jesus. Trusting an unchangeable God makes sense. Trusting ourselves, our feelings, our limited perspective of things or others' finite and changeable views and philosophies just does not make any sense.

Perhaps even Christians may get the idea that God changed somewhere between the Old and New Testaments. Surely you have heard people say, "That was the God of the Old Testament and this is the God of the New Covenant." Perhaps they have never read the entire Bible for themselves and seen with their own eyes the events of history as it displays the unchangeable nature of God. Reading about the unfolding plan of salvation from Genesis 3 through Revelation 22 reveals the unchangeable purpose of our immutable God.

God's love, plans, promises, judgements and words remain unchanged, and I rejoice. I stake my life on what He has said and the truth He has revealed through His Son, Jesus.You can too! Doma

The Garment Mender

2010-07-21T06:31:00.000-07:00

I gave the garment of my life to You today, Lord,
I surrendered it as fully as I could.
"You alone can mend it, Jesus, please do it now", I prayed,
And then I took it back again.

I looked at the tattered edges,
The patience worn too thin,
And with my dull old needle,
I began to sew again.

I tried to use a brand new patch,
But knew it wouldn't do.
Somehow the old life didn't match,
I needed something new.

At last with great reluctance,
I surrendered it once more.
"Oh mend my life, dear Jesus",
I prayed just as before.

Then from the heights of heaven,
A voice came loud and clear,
"I'd gladly mend your garment,
if you'd only leave it here!" Doma

The Lesson of the Bent Maple Tree

2010-06-30T07:40:00.000-07:00

The tree must have grown normally at first. The trunk is straight for the first six feet. Then something happened. The bending process began. The slender vines entwined around the trunk had pulled it down year after year, little by little. The tree, which began straight, ended up bent over, humbled by flimsy vines.

It wasn't the strength of those vines or even the weakness of the tree, it was their persistence, as daily the vines applied pressure to the tree. They attached themselves and ultimately shaped the direction the tree would grow.

Our lives can be like that bent Maple tree without the LORD and His saving grace. The Holy Spirit's power can help us to resist the vines of temptation and habitual sin that pull on us daily.Often we may start out a day with head held high , fortified with great intentions and then the pull and stress of old habits bring us low. That's when it's time to pray.

Please, Jesus, help me to grow in the direction You want for me. Help me listen to Your Spirit and take the way out You always provide for those who are tempted. I need to get away from the old patterns of sin and temptation that have bent me to their will too often. I ask for Your strength to do Your will,the discerning wisdom I need to see these pressures for what they really are,and the presence of mind to come to You for help right away. May I never bow down to anyone or anything but You. Thank you, LORD. Amen Doma

A Clear and Present Jesus

2010-06-16T04:26:00.000-07:00

"The One who is, and who was, and who is to come..." we encounter this phrase describing God in the first chapter of the book of Revelation. It is repeated twice in Rev. 1:4 & 8. I want to explore the first description of God, "The One who is."

The One who is, the Spirit of the living God, given to us by Jesus Christ at Pentecost and when we receive and believe Jesus is our Savior. The indwelling One who "restores our soul", is our "All in all", and is "...the rewarder of all who seek Him." There are so many verses that begin with the statement "God is" ...I think of "God is an ever present help in time of need", and "God is love", and the imposing and startling statement; "Our God is an all-consuming fire"

The simplest terms I can think of in regard to the statement, "The One who is" are these: Right now, Jesus, our Savior, exists in our present with us and we with Him. He is immediately here and we can be assured of that truth. He said, "Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Accepting what He said, believing and acting on it as fact, can restore our soul, our sense of well-being and contentment.

So, with a God who says He has not abandoned us, who is ever present with us, who "...lives to make intercession for us", and stands with us and won't leave us, why do we sometimes feel He is not around? Or, we may feel He does not want to be bothered with our little problems. Or, we may believe the words of a popular song that simply says."...God is busy."

When we think about God in human terms and rely on how we feel, we deny what He has told us. He is the clear and present Jesus. He is! He exists in our now. He wants to restore our souls. We must depend on what He has told us and not on how we feel. Come to Him now as He meets us here in prayer.

O, God, I want to be restored and to see You in my situation. Please reveal Yourself to me and be the "God who Is" right here in my life. Thank you, LORD. Amen Doma

Knowing God

2010-05-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I had a best friend. We spent so much time together people said we were like twins because we became so much alike. This friendship didn't happen overnight. Each of us had to make a move toward the other to show we wanted to be friends. It's like that with our relationship with God!

He has made a move toward a friendship with you, whether you know it or not. He made a "God-sized" hole in the life of everyone and only a relationship with Him can satisfy that need.
Ever wonder what some people are really looking for when they get mixed up with drugs, alcohol, or illicit sex? Or when people are driven to get more and more material possessions and prestige? They are really trying to fill that need God created and which only God can satisfy.

Jesus came to make friendship with God possible. He gave His life in our place to restore us to right relationship with the Father. Now, through faith in Christ, we can be so much more than friends of God, we can be his children and heirs to His kingdom. We will have life forever with Him.

But, how can you expect to spend eternity with a God you do not know? Do you really know God? Do you want to know Him? Right now, if you have the desire to know God, or want to fill that ever empty place inside your heart, then know this - it is God Himself who put that desire in you and He will meet you right where you are!

Prayer: Father, I want to know You. Jesus, I accept Your finished work on the cross. Holy Spirit, please fill this empty place in me and make me whole. AMEN

The Awesome Power of Encouragement

2010-05-02T13:13:00.000-07:00

Encouragement is easy to give. A smile, a word or two, a look that speaks approval. It doesn't cost much, just a little time and a small amount of effort. Anyone can give encouragement. You don't have to be able to walk, or talk or do a thing. It comes from the heart, through the eyes and out. And, funny thing - it comes right back to you. Go ahead and try giving it away without some of it spilling over on you. Doma

The Power of a Little Praise

2010-04-22T08:17:00.000-07:00

Today I was reading Psalm 8 and was surprised by verse two. It says, "From the lips of children and infants You have ordained praise because of Your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." The explanation in the commentary in the New International Version of the Bible says,"... God appoints (and evokes) praise of little children to silence dark powers arrayed against Him."

This is not an old testament idea because we read in I Corinthians that God uses the weak things of this world to shame the strong. In Matthew 21:16, Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2 when children were praising and singing to honor Him in the temple. Simple praise from little ones has tremendous power, according to scripture.

So, all the time spent teaching little ones to pray, praise, to sing spiritual songs, and learn scripture is more important than any of us ever realized. Their praise conquers the enemies of God, softens hard hearts and teaches the children ways to honor the LORD with their hearts, minds, and voices. Sunday school classes are warring against evil every session.

May this realization encourage us to teach our children to praise God daily. This is a mighty defense against wickedness in this world! Even a little song like "Jesus Loves Me, this I Know" makes the evil one flee! According to Psalm 8:2, that is exactly what happens and God planned it that way. Doma

Gardening Wisdom

2010-04-08T09:16:00.000-07:00

When Spring comes, I have to hold myself back. I want to plant seeds in the warm earth at the first sign of sunny days. I remember the first garden I ever helped plant. My grandmother wanted assistance in planting and later weeding her garden.

I knew where we planted the seed in straight rows. We planted lettuce, and lettuce grew. But, when weeding time came, I was not that familiar with what the plants looked like when they were just emerging. I actually pulled out some tomatoes that I thought were weeds. With the patient help of my grandmother, I soon learned which plants were unwanted weeds and which were the good plants from the seeds we sowed.

Working in the soil, sowing the seeds and maintaining the garden, all ministered to my spirit and brought scripture alive to me. We were discerning about what we allowed to grow in our garden. We watered and kept watch on those little plants. Later, we reaped what we sowed.

This is so like our Christian life! Good seed nurtured carefully grows, and the result is a good harvest. For the Believer, the good seed is the Word of God. Isaiah tells us God's word will not come back void, it will bear fruit. Diligent reading and study will bring the seed of God's truth deep into the soil of your thought life. It will guide and direct your path in a way the pleases God.The final harvest in our lives comes when our God, the Great Gardener brings us into his house where there will be great rejoicing.

So, plant those seeds of faith in yourself and others, and study the scriptures. Grow and nurture each other with encouragement and love. Look forward to the great harvest. Doma

The Truth Is Still Alive

2010-04-01T06:15:00.000-07:00

In thinking about all the times the devil tried to stop Jesus Christ from accomplishing the Father's will, I began at the beginning. The evil one has always and will always seek to undermine God's plan. Remember when Joseph was uncertain if he should marry his fiance Mary? One of the choices he had was to stone her, thus destroying the baby she carried. But God came to him in a dream and Joseph married her. Then, exposed to the elements and in unsanitary conditions, Jesus was born. Without the ministrations of a midwife, or even her mother, Mary and Joseph delivered Jesus in that animal shelter.

And He lived and grew. But evil still attempted to end the Salvation story. The ruler of the day heard a king of the Jews had been born. He was stirred up with jealousy and fear. He ordered all the male babies up to two years of age to be slaughtered. Again, Joseph was advised in a dream to take his family to Egypt. The baby was safe and they returned only when God's messenger advised Joseph it was safe.

We do not know how many times during Jesus' childhood He was in danger of being destroyed. Was there a serpent waiting in a pile of wood He was using to build something with Joseph? Were there illnesses that plagued children of that day, and He was spared? We only know He grew in the grace and the wisdom of the LORD.

When it was time for Jesus to begin His ministry, the devil tried three times to tempt Christ so He would stray from His Father's plan. Several times people wanted to stone Him, when His words of truth convicted them of sin and hypocrisy. He would just walk away and they were left frustrated, planning their revenge for another day. Even His disciple Peter did not want to hear of how the Father's plan was to unfold.

In Judas Iscariot, the devil discovered a tool to destroy both Jesus and the Father's salvation plan all at once. One can only imagine his glee and satisfaction. Struggling in the Garden before the traitor brought the soldiers, Jesus was again tempted by the evil one not to go through with the Father's plan, but He determined to fulfill it out of love for us.The subsequent betrayal, the six trials, the beatings and cruelty of that event and finally, the horrible finality of the crucifixion, all made it appear as though Satan had won. But the devil is not all knowing. Jesus did not struggle for His life. He died within three hours because He was doing the Father's will. As He said, He came to give His life as a ransom for many.

We are now on this side of those events and we know how perfectly Jesus fulfilled every prophecy about the Suffering Servant God would send to save us. We know about the Resurrection! We know and we rejoice. We know and we are forever grateful. We know and we are changed!
Christ Jesus victor, lift us out of our fearful, doubting culture and establish us as your Easter people. Amen Happy Easter! Doma

Avoiding Captivity II

2010-03-24T11:38:00.000-07:00

"As a man thinks so is he". To a great extent, what we give our thoughts to is what we are.

Thoughts of acquiring material goods, of wanting more and more, create greedy people. Fueled by media advertising, which purposely creates discontent, one's desire for stuff can get out of hand. The resulting statistics of the great credit card mess prove the validity of this idea; that it all began in the mind with a seed planted, a thought entertained and acted upon.(The book of James talks about this idea, check it out.)

Another example of thoughts gone awry, creating the downfall of many, is the idea promoted in every conceivable form that we deserve to have whatever we want. In fact, we deserve it now! These distortions in thinking have wrought havoc in people's lives.

How do we change our minds and get away from the captivating draw of materialism and sinful desires? It is simply by replacing what we think about. Putting good and wholesome thoughts into our minds. Memorizing scripture is the perfect prescription for setting a captive mind free. Give it a try. Doma

Your Crucible

2010-03-10T12:32:00.001-08:00

Crucible: ORIGIN Latin crucibulum meaning ‘night lamp, crucible’, from crux ‘cross’.

Definition: A container of metal or refractory material employed for heating substances to high temperatures often for the purpose of refining that substance such as gold.

As I consider the trials of life we all encounter, I am impressed by the fact that such a trial might be thought of as the intense heat under a crucible. This container holds the gold as it is being refined by incredibly high temperatures. The crucible absorbs and distributes the heat so the gold will not be destroyed. The precious contents will be melted down and any impurities will come to the surface. Then the dross, that which contaminates the gold, can be removed. What remains after the process is pure gold.

The root of the word crucible is similar to the word crucifix. I picture those who suffer trials as being in Christ as He "takes the heat". Jesus makes sure we are not destroyed by our troubles, but rather are refined through them. These trials are not the petty irritations of life, but the gut wrenching events that catch us off guard, vulnerable and afraid. They may cause mental, spiritual or physical torment. We are held and preserved by Christ as we go through them if we are trusting in Him. He understands suffering, having suffered the ultimate trial and tribulation by His sacrifice on the cross.

Whatever your trial, Christ is there to hold you. Trust Him to keep you from being destroyed. Let His word comfort you and give you hope. Let Him be your crucible. Doma

Avoiding Captivity Part I

2010-03-01T08:09:00.000-08:00

"See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ."(Col. 2:8) Paul is reminding the believers in the church at Colosse not to become entangled again after they have been set free from false teaching through their faith in Christ.

It never stops, the temptation to fall for the allure of human philosophy. As Augustine said, when asked why he became enslaved by false philosophy, "It seemed so reasonable." And, it does have some appeal to our limited reasoning.
You've heard it or seen the ads: "Seven steps to becoming a millionaire"; "Six ways to increase your personality power", "God helps those who help themselves"or "Harnessing the power within yourself."

The hollowness and deceit of these claims is realized when following them leaves us empty. As to helping oneself, and thinking,"Then God will help me". Well, that is an invitation to disaster. It is always wise to start with God because the way to proceed is with His help. By coming under His authority, the One who knows the beginning and the ending of everything, there is a sure, positive result. How much better to trust in the LORD than oneself?

Seek the truth in the scriptures and God will clear the clouds of deception and confusion away by shining the light into the darkness and exposing the fallacies in human thinking and of habitual, meaningless, man made traditions. It is for freedom we have been set free, and don't we love it! And don't we thank and praise our God for leading us daily. Start with Christ, not with some person's ideas and opinions. Start with and end with truth found in seeking Him. Doma

More on Glory

2010-02-28T13:27:00.000-08:00

Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."

The more I consider this verse, the more I am convicted. It all began with Kay Arthur's explanation of the definition of the word 'glory'. The dictionary definition she used said glory is a correct estimate or understanding of the worth of something or someone. Another definition said it means 'weightiness'. Whichever definition is used, the fact is we have underestimated,undervalued, and dismissed the actual power and worth of our LORD God Almighty.

We stand without excuse indeed when we are beneath the starry skies or see individual snowflakes gently falling, or see a baby's shy, gentle smile. All these things declare God's glory. Do I? Do you? Why not? It's because we have indeed fallen short in so many ways.

Holy One, please help us declare your glory in our lives every day. Help us see Your glory clearly and let it lead us to truly worship You. Amen Doma

Miracle, Mathmatically Speaking

2010-02-22T12:55:00.000-08:00

How can a young boy's lunch
Feed such a large hungry bunch?
Loaves and fish in the Master's hand,
Multiplied to equal over 5,000.

Telling them all to have a seat,
(No one was expecting such a feat.)
Everyone fed with left-overs besides
Divided by 12.

Twelve baskets of scraps
He more than met the need
The Master loves to nourish and feed
Add expectantly trusting to your prayer life.

Why don't we expect
Extravagant grace
From the Master's hand?
Subtract habitually doubting from your faith life.

Lord, please teach us how to approach your throne with boldness, still aware of your great holiness, but also conscious of your compassionate, loving care. Amen
Doma

The Presence of God

2010-02-08T08:53:00.000-08:00

Are you convinced of the fact of God's Presence with you at all times? What about those times when you don't feel He is there; when your circumstances are difficult, even heart wrenching. You can know His Presence and be convinced of it in an undeniable, unshakable manner if you will ask for it, actively seek it and do not give up. Scripture is full of assurance of the LORD being with His own. God does not lie!

Once you come the full realization of the fact that God really means it when He says He will never leave you, you will have questions, like me. As I came closer and closer to the startling reality of God Almighty actually here with me, I had to ask myself,"What will have to change?" When I choose to believe He is actually here, right now, how will that change me and my thoughts, words, and actions? Not that you and I are not already believers who try to be obedient and faithful to the LORD we love, but isn't it different when the one you love and long to please is right there with you? Of course it is!

The moment I decided by faith, that indeed, God is right here, I was awed beyond words and deeply touched. Please, believe me when I say He wants His Presence to be recognized by you and through you. This is what glorifying God is all about - acknowledging His Presence. He is here for you and for me. He is here, through fire, storm, grief, pain, joy, triumph, life's struggles and....death. He is here, right now, here with YOU! See Isaiah 43:2 -3 Doma

Unloving Tolerance

2010-01-22T04:36:00.000-08:00

It is very sad to realize that many people now believe tolerance for evil doing is a demonstration of love. The truth is, tolerating sin in someone we care about is exactly the opposite of love. To lovingly and honestly confront somebody you cherish concerning violating God's commands is the most loving thing you can do.

I see it like this, your child wants to cross the street, but there is a red light. Would you say he has the right to choose to violate the law concerning red lights? Of course not! Tolerance is being taken way, way too far. It falls into the "peace at any price" and, the "live and let live" category. Mind your own business all right, while someone you love is being destroyed by sin. But, you are being tolerant and that is so very important!

What does the scripture say about such actions? Jude tells us in verse 23 to"...snatch others from the fire and save them." These others he spoke of had been fooled by false teachings like the new "tolerance" that allows everything evil and corrects nothing and calls it the loving thing to do.

In fact, it is now the mantra among some intellectuals that, " there is no good or evil, everything is relative". We've all heard it. But, making such a statement is a confession of gross ignorance. It defies common sense and, of course, challenges the LORD Himself who said, "the heart of man is evil, who can fathom it."

The way of undiscerning tolerance without real love or considering what God requires of us, is a dead end. It is a free-for-all, an invitation to mindless chaos and disorder, and finally, to eternal death. Surely that is not what we want! So the next time you are told to be tolerant of evil, use your spiritual sword to cut away the ruse and find the motive. Get to the truth of the matter. Do the loving thing and admonish, encourage and pray with the people you love. It's the right thing to do! There are eternal consequences. Doma

The End of Questioning

2010-01-15T08:42:00.000-08:00

Are you asking difficult questions that seem to have no answers. If you had all the answers, you would be God. And, you know you're not!

Satified with answers
Reasoned out with care,
I continued smuggly
As long as life was fair.

But cruel circumstances
Struck me here and there,
And now more questions stop me cold,
Reason fails me and I know,
All my questions will fade away
When I see Your face.

All my questions will be gone
Like morning mist on a summer's day.
When I see Your face,
When I see You, LORD, face to face.

The Work of Repentance

2010-01-11T08:53:00.000-08:00

I have been examining the concept of repentance. Since it has often been defined as agreeing with God about our sinfulness and need to change, what would this agreement look like? To what standard must I hold myself if I want to be in agreement with God about my life style, my behavioral choices, my thought life?

In nearly every book of the Bible, we are told to be obedient to God and what His requirements are. He has clearly set the standard. The commandments were given by God Himself to Moses. Those same commands were summarized by Jesus when He said, "... love the Lord your God with your whole heart, mind and spirit and love your neighbor as yourself". These are the warnings we must heed in order to be obedient and truly repentant. "By them (the commands of God) is your servant warned and in keeping them there is great reward." Psalm 19:11

So did God understand how difficult obeying would be and how often we would have to confess our failures? Of course He did! The laws teach us what sin is and the Holy Spirit helps us understand our need to repent. I see repentance then as an ongoing process. I am no theologian or Biblical scholar, but I read so many scriptures which point out as Paul did that "What I want to do, I don't do and the evil I don't want to do, I keep doing." (My paraphrase of Romans 7:19.)

The absolutely terrific news is the conclusion Paul came to; the same answer that is our answer. "Who will rescue me from this body of death?" This is what Paul asked as he lamented over his sin. The answer is still the same - Christ Jesus our LORD! Repentance leads us to the cross. The cross leads us to the empty tomb and the ultimate victory over both sin and death which is ours in Jesus. He is God's perfect answer and our answer to the sin problem.

Can we change? Can we turn away from sinful habits and agree with God that He is right about us, that we desperately need Him? Yes, we can do that, through faith in Christ whose kindness leads us to repentance every day, every hour until we see Him face to face. Doma

A Look at Repentance

2010-01-06T12:17:00.000-08:00

I am exploring the idea of what it means to repent. Looking at scripture helps immensely. Repentance, in the Old Testament appears to be a condition of God's favor. It makes sense to me, for if we want to please God and be in right relationship with Him, (have His favor), we must repent. However, lest we get caught up in the idea that obtaining God's favor means we DO something mainly for the purpose of getting Him to Do something for us, we need to examine the If/Then statements that appear throughout scripture.

"If you turn to the Almighty, you will be built up, you will put iniquity far from your tabernacles."Job 22:23. And also "If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways: then I will hear from heaven..." II Chronicles 7:14. These are all things His people should have been doing already; turning to Him, humbling themselves, praying, seeking His face, turning away from sin, (repenting) as their response to the Almighty One.

When Jonah finally quit running away and preached his message to the people of Nineveh, God had prepared their hearts to repent in advance.We need to understand that it is God, the LORD alone, who leads His people to repentance. So, one way to come to repentance is through heeding God's warnings. Another way to come to agreement with God about our sinful condition and need to change is through God's kindness. "It's your kindness that leads us to repentance..."

What greater demonstration of the great and bountiful kindness of our God than the Savior's death on the cruel cross!

Now, if the work of repentance in us starts with God and ends with God, what is our part? It is just as II Chronicles says: humble yourself, pray, seeking His face and turn away from your wicked ways.

So, next time I will explore what that will mean to you and to me. Until then, I will be praying from Isaiah 37:15 that He will "...revive the spirit of the humble and revive the heart of the contrite ones ." Doma

Try a different "R" Word

2010-01-04T13:13:00.000-08:00

This is the time of year we think about doing something new. We talk about resolutions and starting fresh. I want to suggest you join me in a more exciting pursuit. Instead of making resolutions we often fail to keep, let's try the other "R", repentance.

It is far more than saying you will not do ___ again. It is much more involved than tearful regrets and confessions. The real meaning of repentance is: Agreeing with God on the condition of your heart and turning away from the routine of sin that has become habitual. We need to examine what the actual process of repentance is; where it begins and where it leads us.

In the next few posts we will explore this topic and learn together what it really means to repent and why we have to do it to grow in our faith and be truly obedient to God.

Will it hurt? Will it be worth it? Do we really have to change? How will all this work and whose idea was this anyway? We will answer all these questions using scripture, the brains God gave us and some timely quotes from Christian teachers and thinkers like Oswald Chamber, for one.

Until next post, be thinking about and looking for examples of repentance in the Bible. Blessings to you. Doma

Only a Baby?

2009-12-17T11:54:00.000-08:00

Only a baby? Who would have thought that one so small
Could matter to this world?
Who else would have planned the least detail;
The perfect answer to the dying human race?
Who would care so much and give and give?
Who would dare so much that we might live?
Who would, who would?

Only a baby? Who could bring wise men to their knees?
Who else could have offered sin's antidote;
The solution to the sin-sick soul?
Who would be willing to come in such humble state,
Endure the shame, the pain, the hate?

Who could bridge the chasm over yawning death,
Be the way, the vine, the Shepherd too?
Who was born a King, yet had no throne?
Who could be the broken bread, the offered Lamb?
Who could defeat the enemy by His blood alone?
Who could? Who could?

Long ago before the world was formed,
The Father asked His Son to go to earth
To become an infant, only a baby,
To enter flesh, to experience human birth,
And He did all of this because He wanted to!

Fulfilling prophecies of the suffering servant,
The baby grew up and was crucified.
But, don't forget the rest of the story,
More prophecies are yet to come true
He's coming again, this time in glory.
I am excited, how about you?
Maranatha! Doma 12/2009

Advent Awakening

2009-12-14T05:52:00.000-08:00

People are decidedly testy this year. Other Christmases the spirit of generosity and kindness came out in the way folks behaved in long lines at the stores. Not so this year!
Short tempers, rudeness, and a general spirit of "Get this Christmas over already!" That is what I have sensed in the people around me.

Could it be that we are tired of buying gifts no one really needs. Or do we feel compelled to buy something expensive for people because they expect it? Or could it be we are stressed from spending too much on things that are the latest and greatest fad, but we know will just sit around after January and be unused? Are there too many people on the list and not enough money to buy things that will satisfy them? Or so we think.

I guess I am getting a little crabby too. I now recognize that the great grandkids are old enough to want a present under the tree too. There are seven of them, and twelve grandkids, three with spouses and of course there are three sons, three daughters-in law, and a husband who has everything and needs nothing. What do my people really want and need? I can start with giving them my thoughts and attention.

To give them my earnest attention, I have decided to change what I have been doing. I am praying about what I will be giving this year. It is going to be very simple, and not cheap, but of reasonable price. I am making things, thinking carefully and praying, as I said. I must remember this is the birthday of the King, Jesus Christ. I believe I will start with Him and how to honor His birthday and go from there. Does that help you? It does help me. I will bake a Jesus' birthday cake, give lots of hugs and kisses to the ones I love. I will also eat, laugh and pray.I am investing time and thought. No price can be put on that. Want to join me in this rebellion? Doma

Snowflake Message

2009-12-08T13:26:00.000-08:00

Snowflakes swirl like mini-tornadoes,
Spin, grow dizzy, then fall down.
Wind whistles softly like a wanderer,
Then it wails as one longing to be found.
Layer upon layer, whitest white,
Snow drifts form, declaring winter’s might.
_____________________
Snug and warm I watch and wonder
About each flake and how it’s shaped
Each one different, yet containing
Six pointed figures delicate as lace
_______________________
If I grab one it will be gone;
A momentary work of art.
Why would God take time to make it?
It’s a gift straight from His heart.
Beauty tells of God’s great glory,
But the message may be lost.
Life that’s written in His writing,
Tells of beauty and great cost.
___________________
Snow is falling like a curtain,
Blurring all the things we see
God is calling in each snow flake
“You are precious, made for me.” Doma

The Timing of Answers to Prayer

2009-12-03T11:27:00.000-08:00

In past posts, I have examined prayer. I try to stay close to scripture when it comes to knowing how to pray, but there are patterns of God's response I cannot deny. For example, I have found that God's answer comes when that answer will bless the most people.

For 18 years I prayed for a loved one to recover from an addiction. Daily struggles we experienced were like being in a deep, dark valley with no way out. During the intervening years between the prayers and the answer, I did not give up, even though I was challenged on the right and left to just walk away. Now, I know my Irish stubbornness was not the main reason I was able to persist. God gave His precious gift of faith and I studied the scriptures. I read how we are encouraged to persevere in prayer. I also listened to Bible teachers and one of them said, "As long as there is life, there's hope." How true that is!

On the day my prayer was answered, it took me by surprise. All those years! All those prayers! Here I was, open-mouthed in awe, totally surprised by God's amazing answer. The timing was perfect. My dear one was healed, our family was blessed, extended family and friends were touched. We felt like a showcase of God's grace because we were and still are.

So, I am saying to you to trust in God's timing to answer your prayers. I like the scripture from Hosea 2:15b that says, "...(I) will make the valley of 'trouble' a door of hope." That hope in times of trouble is Christ and trust in His love. Never stop believing He is able and willing to answer your prayers. Please remember with me that you and I bear a deep responsibility when we pray. We must be sure to check our motives, make sure we are being obedient to Him and are dealing with any sin in our lives.

You've maybe heard there are three possible answers to prayer: Yes, no, and wait awhile. Every answer is perfect for you and timed impeccably. God will do no less. Doma

Being Sequestered

2009-11-24T08:55:00.000-08:00

A phrase came to my mind the other day as I was praying. It was the idea of being "sequestered" like a jury who is taken to a place where they are able to focus on coming to a verdict. They are sheltered from the outside world, from its distractions and influences.

Here is how I found the reality of the concept of being sequestered in Christ: I am presently recovering from what was to be a very minor surgery. Turns out it sapped my strength and the drugs used had a very draining effect on my energy levels. This situation, coupled with a low potassium level, left me exhausted and miserable. Both the surgeon and my primary care doctor had given me the choice of waiting until December 22 or going ahead with the November date. Anyone who knows me, knows I do not like to postpone something my mind is made up about. Perhaps I should have waited . . .

Now, however, I am finding delight in taking my time conversing with my LORD all day long, spending much more time than ever before. I have no outside obligations and I can pray, meditate and study His Word as I want. Of course, there's laundry, resting, cleaning, cooking and did I mention - resting.

Being sequestered in the Father's love and in His Presence is a calming and refreshing experience. Instead of being bored, I am grateful for this change of pace. I prefer being as active as possible with lots of projects to challenge and inspire me to service, but this quiet, peaceful time has turned out differently than I had thought it would.

So, if you get slowed down by illness, or a delay, you can think of it as an invitation from Our Father to stop and be sheltered for a bit, if only to hear His heart speak of His love for you. Have a blessed Thanksgiving! Doma

Those Important Little Words

2009-11-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

I always like teaching prepositions. I sometimes use a desk and have a student be in the desk, on the desk, over the desk, by the desk, with the desk, etc. Those little prepositions or connecting words make so much difference. Example: You are not in the desk when you are by the desk. Sometimes these parts of speech in the English language are words that explain position or location.

I do not know any of the biblical languages, but I know how painstakingly they were translated, and I have studied many versions of the Bible. I am inclined to believe that Oswald Chambers' favored translation of Galatians 2:20 is the accurate one. He uses the phrase of Christ, instead of in Christ when he is describing the faith we have received and by which we are able to live the Christian life.

Here is the verse: "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me."

Look at those little italicized words! Note our positions - We are crucified with Christ. Christ lives in me. I live by faith - that is, His faith. He actually gives us faith which becomes our means to trust in Him and be saved. As it says in Ephesians 2:8, "By grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God, not of works lest anyone should boast" It is not some faith I generated because of some experience I had. Oh no! This faith is a gift of God so nobody can brag about their great faith acquired by diligent study or spiritual experiences. This faith is His and He has blessed us with it. He authored it and He finishes its work in us.

I get upset when someone implies a person whose prayer was not answered or who was not healed just "didn't have enough faith". The truth is it's Christ's faith, totally adequate, wonderfully effective and paid for by His blood. This is the faith given to the believer.

Yes, people like me don't avail themselves of the full benefit of this wonderful God-given faith. In fact, I know some people who equate faith with their denomination. There is no way you can get that interpretation from these verses. The scripture says what it says, in my view, and I am so glad He has gifted us with faith. How about you? Thank Him today! Doma

Captive Thoughts

2009-11-10T07:36:00.000-08:00

Captives are often pictured as being dragged away, violently kicking and screaming, resisting with all their might. This is the picture I have in my mind when I think of the verse that says "We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."

The King James version, which I memorized, says it like this, "Casting down imagination, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every though to the obedience of Christ."

Here's how I see it. I am dragging my thoughts before the throne of Christ. They are sinful thoughts, they are useless imaginings, they are going to capture me if I don't deal with them.
Before I knew Christ Jesus, when I did not have something to do to actively occupy my mind, my thought life was a wasteland full of soap operas and romance novels.

We need to submit our thought life to God. Those imaginations or speculations are the "What ifs" the "If Onlys" and the other useless things we spend time thinking about. Sometimes we may have thoughts that reason away God and His truth. They seem so "intellectual" and culturally logical. But, they are false and empty. They will lead to sin.

We are responsible before God for our every thought. Jesus even said certain ways of thinking are equivalent to actual sin. Remember His conversation that a man who looks at a woman and lusts after her is guilty of sin? Just as if he had really done it, just as if he were an adulterer, because he is, in his mind. The same is true of a woman, she has become unfaithful in her mind, so she is!

When are you going to realize the battle is raging around you and in your mind as well? You have already surrendered if you are not taking your thoughts captive before Christ.

So how do you do that? You ask Christ to be the LORD of your conscious and unconscious mind. You purposefully input only good things into your mind. One thing to put in your mind is scripture. It is not as hard as you think. It is actually a joyful and peaceful practice. Do you not see that you are what you think!

Are you going to be a captive, or are you going to take your thoughts captive before they lead you into sin? This is the challenge of this verse. Are you up to it? Doma

Where are you . . .

2009-10-26T07:35:00.000-07:00

Good advice from Col.Potter of M*A*S*H: "If you're not where you are, you're nowhere!" For the 4077th Mobile Army Surgical Hospital, Christmas was approaching, the war was dragging on, and everybody just wanted to be home, or anywhere else.

The reason this little piece of advice resonates with me is this; it says be content where you are. For this moment, I cannot change my situation, but I can look around and be blessed by the good things, the wonderful people who surround me. For me, this saying of the Colonel's goes right along with the scripture verse, "Godliness with contentment is great gain."

By setting our sights on things above and yet being grateful for what we have, that is the path to true contentment. More money and more stuff will just encumber you, while the simple things of life, those most basic blessings, they are what bring peace and joy.

Not convinced yet? Are you always waiting for the next big break or the next big raise? Are you looking ahead with anxiety and thinking sometime soon I will have all I need to be content? I guarantee it won't happen if you have not learned to be content right now. You may be like the billionaire who when asked how much money it would take to make him happy said, "Just a little bit more."

So, make up your mind that today and right here you are content. Live in the moment with the grace of God holding you. Live a full and peaceful life with God's help. Doma

The View From the Pew

2009-10-14T14:43:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but the view from the pew, or in our case, the folding chair, looks pretty encouraging. The church has new babies, little children, preteens and teens, parents, grandparents and even some great grandparents. This is a place they come to for soul support. How much they receive depends on how hungry and open to the good news of the gospel they are. Here for them is the scripture preached in a straight forward manner. Here also is fellowship offered and available. What is taken away depends on the attitude of the folks who come.
I don't see much to criticize, because we are not up to our eyeballs in the social gospel, but rather steeped in the living words of the Bible. This truth does not change. It is a worthy meal ready to be ingested any time, particularly available to enjoy on Sundays because of faithful preachers who adhere to the Truth. How very blessed we are! May God help our pastors and bless their obedient faithfulness. Doma

The Pledge Examined

2009-10-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

"One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." These words are in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America. Every aspect of this phrase bears close scrutiny.

One nation . . .I remember the idea termed the melting pot. That idea, we were taught, was that people coming to America would put this country first and their native country second. We would all be Americans. We were really proud of that idea. It was not perceived negatively until years later.

Some people come to this country and preserve their native heritage uppermost and consider themselves Americans second. They enjoy the benefits of America but don't consider themselves Americans. There is nothing wrong about one's native heritage, but we are not "One nation" as long as there are little cultural communities speaking their native tongue almost exclusively and isolating themselves from mainstream America.

"Under God" is the phrase most under assault in the Pledge. Whose God? Or should God even be mentioned? Well, His name is inscribed all over public monuments in Washington D.C. and throughout the country. His name was invoked in the writings and speeches of the most of the Founding Fathers. This was once a nation considered to be Christian because the majority of its citizens were Christians.

"Indivisible" seems to imply that the nation cannot be divided, but recent rhetoric and media bias does nothing to unite this nation and everything to be divisive. I have not seen any positive result to this negativity.

"Liberty and justice for all" . . .well, it depends on which part of the ALL you happen to be. With the media stressing negative cultural values and educational trends geared to taking the place of parents, the liberties of many people are being compromised. As for justice, you get what you can afford to pay for should you end up in court in this fine country.

It seems the wording could say "One nation, fragmented by dissension, with no moral compass and no absolute values for all." Please pray for our nation to be brought to its corporate knees and acknowledge the One who brought us to this beautiful land. Doma

The Dangers of Falling Short...

2009-09-28T09:23:00.000-07:00

Let's more closely examine the verse Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." Well, I know for sure I am in the category of ALL, because that word doesn't exempt anyone. As far as the wording "...have sinned...", if it just said "all sin", then it would be more accurate to me. Currently, not a day goes by without some "falling short" or missing God's mark of holiness on my part. How about you?

Since I am not a scholar of Bible linguistics, I cannot truly examine the nuances of each word, but I have a passion to understand the ideas suggested behind the words. And, the concept of falling short, means to me, failing to properly estimate God; Who He is and the power and awe, the respect and love He alone deserves.

What are the consequences of not giving God the glory or estimation He should have? Futility, for one. How many things in our lives can we control-really? How much of a mess do we have to make on our own without realizing we need Someone to help us. It really gets tiresome being your own god, doesn't it? This Someone has the power to change our lives and if we accept Him as our LORD, He can give us godly contentment in any situation.

Our opinion of God is reflected in every decision we make, whether to go our own way, or to ask for His help. To underestimate God, fail to give Him glory, is to go it alone in this cruel world and continue being snared and tripped up by old habits and sins. Don't do it. Seek Him while He can be found, ask for His help, knock on heaven's door. In finding Him and His love and forgiveness, receiving answers, and opening your heart to Jesus Christ, you will be fully satisfied and begin to know the glory; the true estimate of Our Priceless Savior. You have everything to gain. Doma

The Tragic Underestimate

2009-09-25T12:52:00.000-07:00

If you read my last blog entry, you know I like Kay Arthur's definition of "glory" which she found and put into her book, LORD, I Want To Know You. Glory is defined as having a correct estimate or opinion (of someone). So then, nature, by virtue of its amazing content is glorious, speaking volumes about the estimation of a masterful Creator and His workmanship. And the night sky rivets our attention causing us to respond in awe at its great expanse and the precision of the movements of the heavenly bodies. Our opinion of our God soars beyond what our mere words can express as we observe all He has placed before us.

Therefore, considering all of creation and all of mankind, doesn't it seem to you that people still underestimate God; don't give Him the glory or hold Him in the highest esteem He deserves. In fact, I would suggest that the verse in Romans 3:23 that says, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God", is really saying "All have underestimated and have an erroneous opinion of our great God"!

Don't we think we can handle life ourselves? Haven't you caught yourself thinking, "God is too busy for my petty problems." Or, "God can't possibly do anything about me and my situation; it's too far gone." Haven't people turned their backs on God believing He does not hear their cries? They do not know how great and wonderful and loving He really is. They don't realize how He loves to give and give. "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its Savior." John 3:16 & 17 Now that's a God who deserves glory upon glory; a God who loves and gives beyond what we can estimate, a glorious God! Doma

Glory - What is it?

2009-09-11T07:45:00.000-07:00

Glory: To give the correct estimate or opinion of (someone or something)

With this definition in mind, scripture all makes so much more sense. Looking at nature the quote from Isaiah, "The whole earth is full of His glory" makes amazing sense. Nature in all its splendor, power and variety gives the correct estimate of the Creator God, Elohim, just by its existence and content. Likewise the heavens "declare the glory of God" with its myriad of stars, planets, galaxies, and phenomenal complexities. Anyone who has looked through a microscope at those things which exist unseen with the naked eye surely knows something of the glory of God.

From the microscopic world to the telescopic view, the seen and the unseen, all of creation states clearly the glory or correct opinion of God by existing and functioning in its proscribed manner. But what about man? Author Kay Arthur says "...you are to live in such a way as to give all creation a correct opinion or estimate of who God is." (LORD, I Want to Know You, pg. 23) For this we were created; for God's glory.

So how are we doing as Christians in making clear through our thoughts, words, actions and attitudes a correct estimate of the God we serve? Time for a heart check? Me too! Doma

The Back Side of the Fence

2009-09-08T13:23:00.000-07:00

"Isn't painting the back side of the fence just as important as painting the front? Same paint, same job."

This is the question that came into my mind just before I woke up one morning. I had been dreaming about many people who were busy painting a long white picket fence. I didn't recognize anyone, but I was the only one painting the back side, the side that doesn't face the road, the side that few would see or notice. I remember I was taking my time, making sure every area was painted thoroughly. Getting this job done was a passion for me, in my dream.

Thinking about my dream helped me realize God approves, understands, and in fact, it is His idea for me to get involved with "back side of the fence" issues, those things other people may not even notice. The woman with the worried look cradling her sick baby in the clinic waiting room, the teenager who walks the streets alone at odd hours of the day or night, the newly widowed woman who goes to the neighborhood grocery five or six times a day because she is so lonely, all of these people need a smile and some encouragement. Doing these simple actions won't make headlines or be noticed, but they are every bit as important as ministering on a world-wide scale with media attention.

I need to remember that. Maybe you do too. Let's keep on paintin'.

Dear Father, help us to have a servant's heart and the ability to see the needs others may miss, knowing that nothing done in Your service is trivial or unimportant. Amen Doma

Loser's Lament

2009-08-28T08:57:00.000-07:00

Feel like a factory recall?
Struggle with a basic flaw?
Never quite making the cut.
Stuck in a loser's rut.

Never the winner,
But honorable mention.
No total loser,
And still in contention.

Second place,
Second best,
Second fiddle,
There's no rest.

Ever better,
But never best.
The grade is passing,
But there's a new test.

If this is how you feel
You're in good company
So tired of striving
Never really arriving.

How about the unthinkable -
Surrender and yield!
Place your life in God's hands;
Release frantic efforts
At so called perfection.
Opt out for God's love
And His strength and protection. Doma

Details

2009-08-24T08:20:00.000-07:00

Details, details, details, often so important yet sometimes overlooked. Our God does not overlook details. When the tabernacle was being built, every single detail was carefully orchestrated by the LORD. The colors, materials, skills needed and sizes and shapes of all the appointments in the tent of meeting were described and clearly made known to the workmen who were building it.

Now wouldn't a God who was meticulous down to the exact composition and design of a water pitcher be concerned with His current dwelling place - you? If God's Spirit dwells within you through Jesus Christ, then you are the tabernacle of the Living God. The implications of His residence within the believer are startling.

Wouldn't a God who detailed his earthly physical dwelling be infinitely more interested in the details of His temple inside each of us. He says to us, as He said to Israel, "I will be your God and you will be my people." It is He who calls us, supplies us, sustains us down to the least detail.

So does the God of heaven care about you and your needs? The answer is a resounding, "Yes!"
From an aching tooth to rent money, God does care. He is Jehovah Shammah, the God who is there. Take heart and recall His words that He "...never leaves you nor will He forsake you, even to the end of the age." Believe it, Christian! Doma

The Truth

2009-08-12T12:59:00.000-07:00

I do not understand how truth can be relative. When someone makes this statement, I sense right away I am likely going to hear an opinion and not actual, factual truth.

I have been saddened by the struggle some have distinguishing between fact and opinion. Often other comprehension skills are not well developed either. False conclusions are drawn, either because of a failure to concentrate and read carefully or not taking the time to do so. Another problem is understanding inferences or implied meanings. Sometimes just decoding the basic meaning of the words on a page impairs comprehension.

Why mention all of this? It's because the flippant phrase that "truth is relative" is sometimes coming from someone who has not read or researched a truth, any truth, yet he or she wants so much for there to be a secure foothold to use to get through life. But what if the truth is knowable? What if the truth is not some nebulous something, but a Someone? What about a Living Truth millions believe in and hundreds saw after His resurrection?

To whom am I referring? In the scriptures, specifically in John's Gospel, Jesus is speaking, "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one can come to the Father but by Me." Now that is easy to understand. Accepting it takes faith and faith to believe in the Truth is a gift God loves to give. Doma

Nothing like the right word

2009-08-01T16:52:00.000-07:00

Mark Twain said the difference between the right word and any old word is "the difference between lightning and a lightning bug."

The power of a well-chosen and timely word cannot be underestimated. Since we will be called to account by Almighty God for our words, let's be very cautious and try to think before we speak. Language has great power to create moods, attitudes and inspire actions. Verbal abuse wounds last long after the speaker is dead. A kind word takes on a life of its own, nurturing and encouraging in dark and troubling times. Your tongue has power to hurt and to heal, to lift up and to tear down. You can choose purposefully to speak with precious, anointing words and phrases. Blessing and cursing both come out of our mouths. I say, "Choose to bless."

I know it's difficult to stop and think about your word choices, but remember the time someone said something encouraging or wise to you and you were impressed by it - still are, right?

Why not be the one who gives careful thought and chooses intentionally to build someone up today? It costs you nothing, yet it can really mean something to someone. Now, I am not talking about flattering words, but real, specific words that express valid affirmation.

"Nice hair" is one thing, but, "I really like the way you are wearing your hair now. The color brings out your eyes." I'd say she's going to remember that and you! Or to him, "Good job!" How about, "I really appreciate the way you pitched in and helped me get that done. I respect the fact that I can count on you to care enough to give me a hand." Specific, pointed, real words that qualify as communication. Let's try it - OK? Doma

Too Old to Matter

2009-07-30T08:42:00.000-07:00

Here is what is on my mind today. Upon listening to commentators concerned with the direction the health care debate is going. I, once again, got caught up with the implications and the "what ifs" of our future as a nation.

It seems, from their comments, that eventually this country will be in civil war of sorts. The healthy, young, productive people versus the older, ailing, less productive retired people. The conversation included remarks by one of the President's health advisers, a doctor himself and a brother of one of the President's main advisers. He is purported as saying "...doctors are taking their oath too seriously." (You know that oath that says they will "...do no harm.") That statement is bone-chilling! This statement reminded me of Tom Daschle's remarks about older people "learning to live with " their ailments. The implication was that older people use too much Medicare money.

Next, the conversation turned to a gentleman who sought help from his state for drugs to recover from an illness. A reference was made to a law which is actually on the books in two of our states. Ailing and older people will be supplied with drugs to commit suicide. The man in their conversation, was offered drugs for assisted suicide, but not drugs to prolong his life or heal his illness.The age of this man - 53 years old.

The logic: Older people are just in the way and should gladly give up on life so the more necessary people can live and be in good health. If you are young, this may seem a bit reasonable, but I hope not. If you are older than 40, than you may want to watch your back. If you are over 60, you need to pray none of this becomes law!

Am I steamed! You bet! But-I have to calm down and consider all of this in light of the fact that God is still in control. The Almighty Creator of the universe has the final word, not some smug doctor, politician or pseudo-intellectual futurist with negative, godless views. God reigns still and ever! That is how I keep my balance, by resting in the truth of God's sovereignty. So can you. Doma

Celebrate the Ordinary Day

2009-07-28T10:53:00.000-07:00

Ho hum! Another ordinary, normal day here on planet Earth. Not much is happening, not much is changing right now and things are bordering on boring. Well, great! This is a good thing.

Don't we all know people who seem to go from crisis to crisis. The drama queens, the sensationalists, make every day a trial or a stress packed event. Living unintentionally and having life catch them off guard, not contemplating consequences, these folks are the stress laced, adrenaline junkies who seem constantly on the ragged edge. Or, they are the victimized, low energy, depressed ones dragging their egos behind them through dark, endless days.

Surely there has to be a balance for these people, an ordinary, "catch your breath" kind of day once in a while? I thank God for plain, common days, and for the ability to live intentionally considering the consequences of my words and actions daily. It has not always been this way for me. I have been both a person with a victim-mentality and a drama queen. I am here to say that without Godly balance I could not even come close to enjoying a quiet, common day.

There is peace in laying out your day before God early. Seeking Him intentionally as the source and organizer of each new day is the best way to start. Whether the events of the day are predictable and boring or full of opportunities and new obligations, bring all before the throne of grace right away. There is strength and power in giving the day back to the Provider, Jehovah Jireh. He will partner with you to make it a good one, no matter what! Doma

Trust, The Precious Commodity

2009-07-23T12:45:00.000-07:00

Listening to the radio today, I heard a man say we trust people we think we really know. Yet I remembered another quote from years ago, "No one can accurately predict or guarantee the behavior of another person." So, considering these quotes plus years of experience with human nature while raising a family and working, I have to make my own statements about trust.

To trust anyone totally is a huge risk. No matter who they are or claim to be. We really must trust God first. We go to Him and ask Him to help the person we are wanting to trust to be a trustworthy person. But, if we have not come to a relationship with the living, loving God, we can't really let go and trust Him to do that!

Start out with making yourself available to God by praying, communicating with Him. Read the scripture and see what Jesus is like. He said, "... when you have seen me, you have seen the Father". I am trusting Jesus Christ and leaving my doubts, fears and anxieties at the cross. He has proven to be completely trustworthy at all times.

At the cross and most of all at the empty tomb, there is proof of God's trustworthiness. He kept His word, sent the Messiah, and has prepared a place for those who trust in Him. I believe Calvary is a great place to start trusting God. Doma

Alligator's View

2009-07-16T04:46:00.000-07:00

It's time to lighten up. Please imagine with me a reason that an alligator might pass up a meal. (Just humor me!)

An alligator with a toothy grin
Saw a portly redhead in leopard skin.
The sight of her he found incredible.
He thought her bad taste quite inedible.
Doma

Life Unraveling

2009-07-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

What happens when everything in life begins to quickly unravel like a favorite old sweater caught on a nail? All you were certain of and trusting in is suddenly in jeopardy. For some Americans, this is happening right now. Their jobs are being eliminated, their investments have decreased in value, their bills are unpaid and stress is affecting their health. Marriages flounder and the future looks bleak. Depression, fear and anxiety haunt many,many people.

If you happen to know someone who is struggling and you are one of the people who is not, then you have a sacred obligation. You are being blessed to be a blessing. Your "good fortune" is not just a coincidence and not just for you. Your brothers and sisters need you. They not only need a friend to listen and to pray for them, but may need more from you. Your heart must be tender before God, for He may ask you to share your blessings with others.

To share only material blessings is not enough, however. For long-term recovery, strugglers need faith. They need soul support. Jesus said, "Come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest." It is in introducing battered, hurting people to the Savior that you are giving eternal blessing to those tired, troubled ones. Reluctance to share the blessings of faith in Christ has eternal consequences. Isn't the Savior's "Well done, good and faithful servant" more important to you than what some critical person may say about your witnessing to others?

Help people put life's puzzle together again with Jesus as the missing piece. His love is the one certainty we can rely on forever. Take Him at His word! Doma

Trust Rests

2009-06-30T05:32:00.000-07:00

Jeremiah 6:16, Isaiah 30:15 "In rest and returning shall you be saved." Returning to God, putting your trust back in Him and not in your own efforts, you can rest. The burden is no longer on you alone.

Job, of all people understood the need to trust God. He had lost everything, and for no obvious reason, through no fault of his own. His three friends who came to console him actually made hurtful accusations instead of giving comfort. He might have given up, feeling His God could no longer be trusted. But, Job did not surrender to doubt or unbelief.

He called on the only one who could vindicate or justify him. He said, "I know my Redeemer lives." (Job 19:25) Since the only One who could be trusted was God, Job knew that the accusations against him had only one answer, the answer only a perfect God could give.

Only the Savior can answer our accusers and the "Accuser of the brethren", the devil. So if you are being accused without cause, by others, by your own false guilt, check out Job's story. If you have so many things going against you today, call on the One who can be trusted. In Him you will find the rest and peace, the justification and vindication only He can provide. Just ask! Doma

Put Your Armor On

2009-06-23T05:01:00.000-07:00

In Ephesians 6:10 - 18, the Apostle Paul gives a direct order - twice. He gives a clear reason for the order. Let's review what it says. "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power." "...put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes."

Paul takes the time to explain that we do not fight against flesh and blood, but against the forces of hell. We know from experience that the schemes of the evil one enter our mind, enter our world, enter our field of vision with tailor-made temptations and attacks aimed exactly at our weaknesses. We would be powerless without our God. He has made special provision for our defense; we must use it!

The majority of the spiritual weapons we are to put on are defensive. Only one is offensive. We are to actually arm ourselves with these pieces of armor so we can "stand our ground when the evil day comes." You'd have to have been in a coma not to recognize that the day of evil is here.

The word "stand" is used three times to emphasize the idea of remaining strong and in "battle mode". So stand in prayer and put the armor on piece by piece every day. The entire armor represents Christ Himself. So we are obeying the command to put on Christ when we put this armor on.

The first item we put on is the belt of truth. We remember Jesus said in John 14:6 "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life, no one can come to the Father but by me." The truth holds our Christian life together. The belt of truth encircles out waist and the waist is the middle of our body, therefore the truth we know of God holds our lives together.

The next article we dress in is the breast plate of righteousness. The book of Romans explains how we are made righteous (right with God) through Jesus Christ. So we have righteousness covering our vital organs and especially our hearts. We know in our minds and hearts that we are in right standing with God because of the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross.

We have foot wear too, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the readiness to take the good news of the victory we have over sin and death through Christ. Wherever our feet take us, we take along the wonderful message that sets captives free. It's like running to tell fellow slaves that Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation and our lives will have a brand new future. Only this news is everlastingly and eternally better because death has lost its power and cowers in defeat and sin has lost it stranglehold upon us through God's great grace.

Next we must take up the shield of faith. With this weapon we can "extinguish the fiery darts of the evil one". Made to attack our areas of vulnerability, the fiery darts are aimed strategically. Without the shield of faith, we are going to be pierced and give in to temptation. This shield is mentioned throughout scripture. "...the life that I live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20. The translation I used said "by the faith of the Son of God" and others say "by faith in the Son of God". Don't let that bother you because anyway you look at it, the faith we have is a gift of God and not acquired by works, so nobody can boast about it. Since God is the author and finisher of our faith, He has given us the right amount for where we are right now. Don't let anyone tell you don't have enough faith, it is your shield!

Now for your head gear, you put on the helmet of salvation. This piece of the armor protects your mind because it is the knowledge of the completed work of Christ and all that means. Your doubts and fears about life and death can be put to rest since your destiny is securely held by the nail-pierced hands of the risen Savior. You can know whose you are and why you are here. You have access to the very throne of grace. Jesus Himself is praying for you. You are truly saved for life forever and conversely, saved from everlasting death.

The defensive weapon is put on last. It is the sword of the Spirit, the mighty word of God. As Dr. David Jeremiah says, "it is the Rhema in the Logos of God." It is the "sayings of God" in the book of God, "like an individual sword in an armory". These words are the individual memorized scriptures with which you can meet the trials and temptations of your daily life. The Holy Spirit aids us in memorizing; He brings these sayings to mind at just the right time, but we have to input them before they will be brought to our minds. That is why we need to memorize scripture, so we will be able to disarm and defeat the enemy with the mighty two edged sword that can cut so deeply it ". . .divides soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12) God's word can free us from the strongholds of sin, pry lose the tentacles of bad habits, and free us from paralyzing fears and anxieties.

Having put on all this armor, we are told to pray and how to pray. We are advised to be alert. Good soldiers are always armed and alert, ready for battle because it will come. "But be of good cheer" Jesus has overcome the world. We are not fighting alone or left as orphans, we have the Holy Spirit to help us. But that's another subject. PUT ON YOUR ARMOR DAILY! Doma

Remembering My Daddy

2009-06-19T15:54:00.000-07:00

I have specific smells, sounds and sights that make me recall my Dad. The odor of gasoline and oil in a automotive repair shop, the wail of steel guitar in a country song, and the sight of a long, low Lincoln from the late 50's all bring my Daddy to mind.

Other smells that don't carry such great memories are whiskey and stale cigarette smoke . I am intentionally going to try to concentrate on the good things I recall about him, however.

He loved to sing and made up little ditties putting in my name or Mom's name. He would sing long and loud, just to irritate my Mother; "I don't care what Mama don't allow, I'm gonna drink that whiskey anyhow." He called me his sweetheart when I was little. He took me with him sometimes. Often I spent hours in the car waiting for him to come out of wherever he was.
Since there were no rest areas, if we needed to go, we had to pull over to the side of the gravel road to "drain our radiators". He would always have a pint of whiskey under the front seat and a fifth of Jim Beam in the trunk whenever we went some place.

It is so hard to tell you about him without mentioning the drug that ruled his every waking moment and our lives. But we did do some normal things together. We camped out, we fished, we water skied, and we took trips to Iowa and the Black Hills. It was always the same, however, he would take us to wherever we were going and then leave us for awhile. He had to get more alcohol, find the good time.

I believe my Dad had a good sense of humor, a sense of honor, a conscience, (however seared and numbed),and a compassion for the down and out. He also carried a deep hurt. He did not have the best family life growing up. His family were "yellers" and the whole town knew it. He suffered from the delusion that no matter what, he could never be good enough for his family, for himself or for God even. He gave up even trying and became self-absorbed and self-centered, deciding to please himself in any way he desired.

He was a generous man, to a fault. I guess he thought he might buy friends or buy respect. He was moody and unpredictable, melancholy and depressed. He had suffered many losses before he even reached 21. He had been back from WWII only two years, had established a business and then tragedy struck. Losing his wife in a one car roll-over accident was too much to bear. He never really recovered.

I am choosing right now to remember the pranks, the happy songs, and those times he called me his sweetheart. I am honoring, respecting and forgiving him. He was, after all, human and heir to all that involves. The only regret I have is not being able to share Christ with him.

I became a Christian five years after he died. Will I see him again? Only my Heavenly Father knows that for certain. So, Father God, I want to thank You for being my Abba, my Daddy, now. Doma

Seeds And Seedlings

2009-06-15T05:37:00.000-07:00

While working with plants and flowers, growing some from seed and buying some of them, I have made some observations about life. Maybe I can compare the plants grown from seed to those purchased and grown as seedlings. And to compare them even further, I will use these plants as metaphors for the Christian life.

People who are fortunate enough to be grown with the seeds of the Gospel sown into their lives early are so blessed. Perhaps they have never known what it is like to be on "the search", the quest for meaning in their lives. I have no idea how it would be to come to the blessed knowledge of Christ and come into a relationship with Him at an early age. For me, the Christian life, as I first understood it, was nothing but hard work and striving toward unattainable perfection.

I guess I was one of the older seedlings brought into my Father's garden. When I was first planted into the soil of the Gospel, I was already 30 years old. I know how difficult the search for direction and meaning in life can be. I never realized meaning and purpose could be in the person of Christ and a relationship with Him. I thought working hard at doing good works would give my life meaning. I hoped at best to be useful to God, and at least to earn a little favor in His sight. That was the best I could hope for. My motives were far from perfect, they were actually an attempt to manipulate the Most High!

Burnout was soon on the horizon for my new found Christian life. I actually got the whole concept backwards. I really could bring nothing to God, I had nothing to give but my own self.
Here is the way it is, God gave His Son so that whosoever (that would be me) could have eternal life through faith in Him. Even the very faith I profess isn't mine, but it is the gift of God, so I cannot boast about it at all.

Can a seed tell itself to grow? Can a small tree tell itself to become taller? Of course not! So it really depends on who the gardener is in the garden as to how much you, as a seed or plant, actually grow. You just have to yield, cooperate. The proof of your relationship with Christ will be the fruit. The work you do will come from your connection to the living LORD. It will be an outpouring of your love, a response to Him, not a means to manipulate or earn His love. You already have that!

So here we are growing, I hope. Thriving and being nourished by the Divine Gardener, we bear fruit that shows we are rooted deeply in the truth of the Gospel. Doma

A Call To Surrender

2009-06-09T08:46:00.000-07:00

Personal note: When a person receives encouragement from someone who is dear, it means so much. For this reason-because of your affirmation, I will keep writing blog entries.

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 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 keep close their spouses and children. I just know He will. That's the kind of God we have! Doma

Purpose for This

2009-06-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

Is anybody reading, enjoying, learning, or laughing in response to anything I write?

I rely on the comments section for feed back. No one will contact you. No one will be offended if you disagree with anything I write. Someone will be very appreciative if you write a comment - me. I even removed the Followers icon on the blog. I don't want followers, just readers!

My purpose in writing today is to ask for a response to this blog's content and for encouragement to keep writing here.

I guess I write most often just to examine how I feel about certain issues and to sort out those feelings. I also use this posting site to sort out my beliefs. It has been good for me, but I really wanted it to be helpful to someone else.

I am considering just going back to pen and paper journaling. I still do some of that anyway. Can anyone give me any reason to continue to post to this blog? Doma

What Is Beauty?

2009-05-30T14:02:00.000-07:00

What does it take to be beautiful? According to our culture, it takes just losing a few more pounds or another surgery, if you are talking about superficial beauty that is. And, that is how most people judge others. Aren't there many kinds of beauty?

A prime example is someone like Susan Doyle whose beauty is in her voice, her attitude and confidence. Did you all see the video clip of how she was first received when she came on stage? That was a case of classic vindication by the Almighty. As she approached the stage, she was the butt of jokes and verbal abuse. People rolled their eyes and looked askance at Susan for having the audacity to even come up on the stage. But, when she sang, oh, when she sang, people who seconds before were so very critical and self-righteous in their opinion, were brought to their feet. There were tears and clapping. It was wonderful! It was right. They were wrong about her and her beauty. It was beneath the surface.

To the eyes of the poorest of India's poor, one of the most beautiful faces they ever saw was that of Mother Theresa. Her wrinkled, kindly face and gentle touch were beautiful to them. Her beauty was in her spirit and shown through her loving service.

How fleeting is the beauty of this present age. This kind of pulchritude can be bought and paid for. It can be coaxed and sculpted. It can be achieved by being tweezed, waxed, massaged and toned, but such beauty fades away.

There is another beauty to come that will never fade away. When we see the Beautiful One face to face, "...we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is." Then, and only then will we be truly beautiful - forever. Doma

The Eternal Perspective

2009-05-23T07:56:00.000-07:00

It seems after every rant of mine, I have to get my thoughts together and pray. Turning to the Source of strength and stability, my Savior, Jesus Christ, I know that if the world spins dizzily into a muddle of economic chaos, it won't affect eternity. Reclaiming the eternal perspective is the sanest way to approach all that is happening around us.

Wars, economic fluctuations, poverty and disease have always been part of the human condition. Certainly none of this is a surprise. Resting on the certainty of a Sovereign God's control brings peace and blessed assurance to those who believe. Focusing on God's character and promises, His covenant with believers and His Word, brings us to a good place - dependent on the only One who can actually do anything effective and long lasting about any of these problems. And, if He chooses not to act by removing or correcting any of the trials and tribulations we experience, then so be it! He does have the last word and He has provided the eternal remedy for our failures; the sacrifice of Christ Jesus that puts us in right standing with the Almighty. Heaven is our ultimate goal. If we had heaven on earth, we would have nothing to hope for or desire.

So we can know our ultimate future. We can even enjoy the Presence of the LORD right now, and we can rest in His care. Therefore brothers and sisters, fret not. Trust in the LORD and don't depend on an analysis by a news commentator or your own meager understanding. In ALL your ways acknowledge Him, recognize His promises and provision. He will make your path straight. Doma

Thoreau Had A Point

2009-05-21T11:07:00.000-07:00

I cannot help but think about Henry David Thoreau's essay called "Civil Disobedience" as I hear the latest news. Especially pertinent is the quote of Thomas Jefferson which Thoreau included and has become famous. "That government which governs best, governs least." Thoreau saw government as a sometimes necessary evil. He exercised his conscience and refused to pay a tax in protest of the government's involvement in a war. For that he was put into jail. While there, he was amazed that "this is the best use it (government) can make of me." He also mused that although his physical body was locked up, his mind was free to think as he wanted.

How does all of this apply to the present day and the situations in which we find ourselves? Well, government involvement in nearly every aspect of our lives is rampant. Not only that, it is becoming domestic policy to see federal monies used to "bail out" company after company and now, perhaps a state too. Government control always seems to follow the money it gives. Oh, and about that money, where is it coming from? It's the ultimate in paying it forward, only instead of getting it back, our grandchildren will be paying it back long after we are gone. Hopefully the history books will explain why this all happened and be truthful.

Some government is very necessary for safety, national defense and stabilization of national currency and commerce. But, the direction government interference and control is heading may make captives of us all. We may end up wondering if the menial make-work government supplied job is the best we can hope for, or when the bubbles of the Social Security System and Medicare will burst. With fewer people working and paying their Social Security tax, with the withholding taxes being reduced for those who are working, no wonder the foundation of Social Security is shaky and commentators say its demise is inevitable. By the way, does anyone remember that Social Security was a trust? It was borrowed from with abandon and little regard for its initial purpose.

I have to agree with Jefferson and Thoreau. Less government not more is best. Panic is promoted by the media so we now have a runaway situation and are being taken advantage of by the present administration. We need to vote our way back into sanity before things go too far. This is my opinion and I am very grateful to have the right to air it without reprisal - a right still protected by our Constitution. Doma

Born Hoping

2009-05-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

Psalm 22:9 "But You are He that took me out of the womb; You made me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts."

We are born hoping. Did you know that? We start out as very hopeful beings. Then, life happens to us and with it sometimes loss of hope.

Have you encountered some hope killers lately? People who make promises, who let you down, or they lean on you too much or treat you with disrespect. Some folks live to take the air out of others' balloons or squash their dreams. They say they are just being practical and it's for your own good. The truth is they envy your hope.

Need a hope transplant today? I know a Great Physician who specializes in hope. He said "I know the plans I have for you . . . plans for a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11
Ask, seek, knock, He loves to lavish hope on His people. Read scriptures on hope in the Bible. They are a sure prescription for deep sadness and disappointment, and it is free for the asking! Doma

Crazy English Language

2009-05-14T08:43:00.000-07:00

Man, am I ever glad I can speak and write the English language fluently because it really takes determination to learn it and use it properly. I have studied French, German and Latin. I am not, and never was a fluent communicator in any of those wonderful languages. I am considered fluent in English just because it is my native tongue. I did, however, major in English and teach it also, so I ought to have fluency.

What makes the language so complicated is the fact the origins and sources of American English are so varied. Latin, French, Spanish, Greek, German, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Native American, African American, and many other languages influence the English language. Spelling rules are weird because of word origins. Grammar rules are different in English from most other languages. In addition, English is always changing and adding words. Meanings of words are constantly changing too. Keeping up with it all can be daunting.

Here are some examples of confusion:
mice - mouse, but not spice - spouse, give - gave, but not live - lave. And, those wonderful words that never fail to confuse like sight, site, cite, your, you're, there, their, they're.

Mix in a little regional accent and you call your grandmother Grammar in Boston. Down South she might be called Grammaw. The word for a policeman and a bottom feeding fish sound exactly alike in New York City (cop/carp). You drive a cah (r) in New Jersey, but it is a carrr in the Midwest where people use rrrr a lot at the end of words that actually end in R. Of course there is the infamous wash which is warsh up north. The R is added and subtracted at will in many regions for no reason other than popular usage.

You can memorize all the rules, get a degree in English, teach English and be a published author and still only be scratching the surface of the complexity of this amazing amalgam of languages we call American English.

So, yes, I am so glad I know English and can read and write it. Thank God if you are an English speaker from birth. It would be so frustrating to have to learn it all over again. My hat is off to those who are learning and diligently seeking to become fluent in American English. Doma

Sink or Grab the Lifeline

2009-05-11T05:44:00.000-07:00

GET A LIFE!
Old saying, often used as an insult-right? The implication is you're a loser in life. But you can't get a life until you know the Lifegiver. He throws you a Lifeline. So are you drowning in trouble and self-pity? Will you take His lifeline-or leave it. Your choice!

Enjoying God

2009-05-11T05:11:00.000-07:00

I have really been enjoying God lately. Sitting quietly in His Presence in my kitchen or out on the deck listening to the birds and watching the sunrise; I am enjoying God so much. So is it because I have time to do the listening, time to sit on the deck? Was He there all along and I was just too busy? Yes, that's it. He was and is here all along. I was the too busy one.

To think I have missed this great pleasure for years. To realize all I needed was a few minutes to quiet my heart and mind and be still makes me sad.

When I contemplate the blessed assurance of my eternal future, and yet consider the certainty of problems to come, I know God is both with me and for me. He is on my side. The scriptures are very clear about all of this.

And why and how can I have such peace and assurance and enjoyment in the middle of tensions and trouble on this earth? It has to do with God's character. So much about our relationship is up to Him. He initiated my search for Himself. He led me through multiple dark and treacherous valleys and never left me alone. He has been unfailingly faithful, He reveals truth, gives love, peace and wisdom. Understanding God through the scripture gives insight into life. I can live without having all the answers of why things happen. Through studying the Bible, I am learning how to rest in God and enjoy Him.

I really cannot quite express what happens, but when I come to Him in prayer-I genuinely do enjoy Him. I know you can too. Take a deep breath, sit down and "Be still, and know that I am God." Knowing we are not God is plain to see and understand! Acknowledging who God is and His control over everything that comes our way gives great peace. So, get your Bible, put your feet up, and get to know the soon and coming King.
Prayer: Father, please reveal Yourself through your Son, Jesus Christ, by the power of Your Holy Spirit as we pray and read scripture today. Let us come and adore You, enjoy You, O LORD. Doma

The Watchman On The Wall

2009-05-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

From Psalm 130 "...My soul wait for the LORD more than watchmen wait for the dawn."

It must have been very frightening being a watchman on the city wall at night. People depend on you to stay alert and you get tired as the long night wears on. If enemies are going to strike, they are probably out there in the dark right now waiting to sneak over the walls. Every sound is magnified and must be analyzed. You certainly are eagerly watching for the first faint signs of the new day. With the dawn, your watch is over, relief and rest are yours. Your job completed, you go home and all is well with the city.

We need to be alert and watch also. Sin can sneak up on us. By apathy, bad habits, cultivation of excuses for not doing the good we know we should do, and sheer spiritual laziness we can be ambushed by sin. We need the LORD. We don't have to wait long, just ask for his help now. Don't wait until everything seems dark and you are on edge, anxious and fearful. Don't consider prayer a last resort. Come to Jesus, for only He brings light and real rest. His Spirit fortifies and guards your life. Trust His watch care. Doma

Seek Me and You Will Find Me

2009-05-04T12:25:00.000-07:00

If you are seeking God, guess who instigated your search!

Upside Down World

2009-04-28T14:48:00.000-07:00

Should we be worried and fearful about what we hear on the news? Is our culture going amok?What can we do about it? Will your worrying change even one thing?

I am amazed at how fickle and gullible people are concerning things that scripture declares as being blatantly wrong. Our parents and grandparents would be in total shock if they were all alive and saw and heard the nonsense that is being said and acted out in our country, under the protection of the law. None of this is a surprise to Almighty God. Scripture does speak of a time when good will be called evil and evil will be called good. It seems this may be that time.
I have heard that people who are against abortion, for marriage between a man and and a woman, and go to church, are actually considered dangerous. Welcome to Upside down World.

Well, we need to be dangerous in one respect only and that is in the great love and compassion we have for others. Nothing can resist the pure love of God that casts out fear, the love only He can give us to share with others. We do need to recognize it is futile to expect folks who do not hold to our same beliefs to act, think, and speak as we do. Instead of condemning them, we must pray for them, live uprightly before them, and faithfully show them Jesus in our relationships.

We need the LORD and His Word to keep us on the right course. Right now, living in this country is like being in an airplane that has lost it's bearings and is flying upside down in a cloud bank. We just have to pray for God's help and mercy on our country and upon all those we hold dear. Doma

A Traveler's Lament

2009-04-22T12:08:00.000-07:00

This poem came out of an experience of mine. I and a plane filled with passengers were told the captain who would pilot our aircraft was late. We were in a small plane on the baking tarmac at the Phoenix airport. Sky Harbor is what the facility is called. The only thing to remotely suggest a harbor was the waves of heat rising around us. As we sat there perspiring, I wrote this short traveler's lament.

The captain is late,
Well, isn't that great!
He's holding us up,
I guess that's our fate.
It's past time to go.
I'm certain he'll show,
But as we wait, the time goes slow.

How very annoying.
It's getting quite old,
As we roast on the tarmac,
Our lives on hold.

Here he comes with a MacDonald's sack.
We can see he's eating a big Mac,
We all want to just give him a whack.
He's all relaxed, but we're about to crack.

We talk of getting even, of paying him back.
We'll sing 99 Bottles of Beer on the Wall,
Followed by verses of Kumbaya,
All the way to Omaha.
That will serve him right for making us wait,
Just maybe then he'll learn not to be late!
Doma

Noah and Adam

2009-04-17T07:11:00.000-07:00

"Noah's Lament"
Noah, was racking his brain,
For he had never seen rain.
But God said, "Make a boat,
Make it strong, make it float"

So slowly the floating zoo took shape,
With two of everything - zebra to ape.
Then the lightning it flashed,
And the rains quickly splashed.

By the way, did God say
Where you park an ark? D.B.

"Caught"
Adam, when God came to call
Was hiding, he knew he had sinned.
He was all leafed and vined,
But he couldn't find
A pocket to hide the apple core in. D.B.

We Were There

2009-04-10T18:57:00.000-07:00

How fickle the crowd
Who only yesterday
Praised Him loudly
With words of honor,
Highest praise.
Today they crucify,
A bloody cross they raise.

Did I say "they"?
But I was there,
And so were you.
Only yesterday I praised,
Swore to obey,
And not turn back.
Today, I betrayed Him,
My palm branch lies crumpled,
In the trash. Doma

Go With The Victor

2009-04-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

Easter is the whole point of Jesus' life on earth. He conquered sin and death when He took our punishment on the cross, died a cruel death and then was buried in a tomb. By rising again, He is the clear eternal Victor. I don't know about you, but I am going to trust and follow the ultimate winner - Jesus Christ the Risen Lord!
Happy Easter, from Doma

Religion versus Relationship

2009-04-03T04:46:00.000-07:00

One of the most misunderstood terms, in my opinion, is the word Christian. Many people say they are Christian, yet their actions and beliefs are all different. Possibly the only point of agreement is their belief in Christ and who He is, although there is disagreement about Jesus' identity even among those who claim to be Christians.

Why do you suppose there are so many opinions about Jesus Christ and what it means to be a Christian? Probably because we depend on our ideas and not on the scripture. So we have as many ideas as there are people, each having varied experiences and each under the influence of some religious teaching. If religion is seen as humans' efforts to reach God, by doing various activities or works to please Him and get His attention, then, yes, there are a variety of religions and explanations of what Christianity is. So what is it really?

Suppose we could agree on one idea of who Jesus Christ is and what it means to "be a Christian". I want to suggest that Christianity should be a statement of relationship, not a religious term, but a covenant relationship with Christ. You see, Christ made a great exchange, a covenant with us that made such a relationship possible. He exchanged His robe of righteousness, left His heavenly domain and all that was His for our humanity and all it entails. He offered us His own life for ours. And, His offer still stands.

Why would God allow His Son to do such a thing and how do I know this happened? The scriptures tell us. Jesus came to make the way to His Father possible through His sacrifice on the cross. He was not murdered, as some say, rather He gave up His life. If you are curious at all about this exchange and the relationship Jesus wants to have with you, quit listening to other peoples' version of who Jesus is and read it for yourself in the Bible. You will need to put on "spiritual glasses" to understand these things. To get a clear view of this truth, pray that God's Holy Spirit will show you what you long to understand. Your very longing is a precious gift and a sign of an honest seeker. So come, meet Christ, the way the Father has made to heaven. Right now is a great time to do that. Doma

The Great Exchange

2009-04-02T11:26:00.000-07:00

Jonathan, son of King Saul, heir apparent to the throne of Israel. David, a shepherd, the youngest son of Jesse. God bound them together at the heart with a deep loving friendship. They were moved to make a covenant between themselves by exchanging robes, belts, armor and weapons. All that represented the one was given to the other. They identified fully with each other, committed to be one in heart, defending, protecting even to the point of being willing to give their lives for each other.

Jesus, Son of the Living God. Mankind, sinful, weak and needing deliverance. God the Father gave His promise to "Save with an outstretched arm" those with whom He made a covenant. Jesus exchanged His divinity for our humanity, putting on the robe of flesh, leaving His heavenly kingdom behind to become like us, identifying fully with us. In exchange, we receive His salvation and the robe of righteousness. Christ identified fully to the point of giving His life for us.

Have you made the Great Exchange with Christ Jesus? Your old life for the new life of eternal hope and peace He offers. Today is a good day to do that. Doma

The Lesson of the Chicken Egg

2009-03-31T04:30:00.000-07:00

Our family was struggling financially back in the 1980s. We spend time together on various projects, but the one that taught us the most involved five eggs and a little yellow incubator.

Faithfully we turned the eggs and kept the water level and light just right. We put an X on one side of the shell and an O on the other to make sure we were turning them properly. We watched and waited for the eggs to hatch. By putting an ear close to the incubator, you could hear a slight scratching or pecking. Finally, cracks would develop and the chick's beak and then more and more of it would emerge. They were all hatching successfully, except one.

We decided to help that chicken along in the hatching process.Carefully, we removed pieces of shell. Worn out from the struggle, the chick seemed grateful to be free. But wait, it's dying! It just fell over and stopped breathing. What went wrong?

The newly hatched chicks are gathered around the light for warmth. They are active and appear strong and healthy. Do you suppose that epic struggle they went through to get out of the shell is what made them strong; able to survive in their world?

Could it be that struggles and adversity are designed to strengthen us too? I believe strength is forged in the bonds of suffering. The divine Blacksmith knows the precise amount of heat to apply to make a fine tool of you. So when pressure hammers away at you, or the cold waters of disappointment cover you, that is when you are being shaped into a person who will survive and thrive in this world. And, He never takes His eyes off the precious person He is forming - strong, resilient, capable, a tool reflecting His workmanship. Doma