Life as a Christian Woman

I love winter. Most of my friends don’t understand it, they are all warm weather, summer people. But I love the raw beauty of winter.

I was reminded of this yesterday when we had an ice storm. The roads were fairly clear, so my daughter and I went out for a drive. The day was gray, drearly. And ice hung to every tree branch and power line, mailbox and railing. As we drove down narrow streets, we both began to notice a total lack of color, at least what we tend to think of as color. There were no green leaves or yellow flowers. There was no blue in the sky.

But in the stark landscape, you could see God’s hand.

Look at the massive trees, covered with ice. Each tiny twig at the end of a branch perfectly coated  with a thin sheath of ice. The gray of the sky was reflected in the ice. The thin coating gave everything a kind of ghostly appearance. The light coating of snow made sure that no green peeped up from the ground.

It’s so easy to look at the colors of spring or fall, or the warmth of summer, and rejoice in the beautiful world that God has given us. But the beauty of this earth doesn’t hibernate in the winter, it is still there.

I kind of draw a parallel between the cold of winter and the times of our lives when darkness descends, in the form of heartbreak, illness, death or some other heart-wrenching event. Our lives may turn cold with despair, and we may feel isolated, alone.

But God is there.

Life isn’t, and can’t be, all “happy happy, joy joy.” But when we are at our lowest, God is still with us.

That thought should keep us all warm on those cold winter days.

Like much of the nation, we had a major ice storm today. OK, major is probably putting it a little bit strong, but since we live in the south if someone throws an ice cube on the ground it becomes a major ice event!

At any rate, lots of tree limbs were down, electricity was off, schools were out and even cell phone service was out. My oldest was on her way to class at the University (why is it that colleges never close?) and decided to drive around the tree limb that was blocking our driveway. So, of course, she got her truck stuck in the mud and we had to call AAA to get it towed out.

But when the young man from the towing company came out, he didn’t just stop at getting her truck unstuck. After he finished he went back and took care of the tree limb, in the horrible weather. And wouldn’t take any extra money for the service, saying that on a day like that, everyone just needs to help others out.

Hmmm…

Then my five year old and I drove into town to go to my favorite place to eat, Subway. But when we walked up to the store, there was a sign saying that they were accepting cash only, as their credit card system was down. My daughter and I turned to leave when the owner came out and told us that we could come on in and eat, it was on him. He said that if he saw people walk up and read the sign, then turn to go, he was going ahead and feeding them. As I was eating, another man came in who did have cash… and he left an extra $20 to help pay for others who might not have cash.

Interesting…

Seems today’s ice storm was bringing out the best in people.

These are hard times, no doubt. Record numbers of people are losing their jobs, facing financial issues. Homes are being foreclosed. An ice storm would seem to be the last thing that we would need.

Yet as the storm barreled across the midsection of our nation, stories like mine weren’t unusual, they were the norm. Neighbors helping neighbors, strangers assisting strangers.

People caring for those around them.

34) “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

37) “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38) When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39) When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

40) “The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’

Matthew 25:34-40 (New International Version)

Today things will return to normal. Cell towers are already operating again. The ice is melting. Schools are going to be open. Electricity is being restored and branches removed from roads.

But the stories from across the nation of helping hands will stay with us forever.

It is so easy to disconnect from people today. We can email friends, put updates on MySpace, load pictures on Facebook, send thoughts on Twitter, and never have to see another human being. Technology has advanced to the point where we don’t even have to leave the house to work, we can do it all from the house while in our PJ’s!

Technology is replacing human contact for so many people. Any why not? Your computer won’t hurt your feelings or break your heart (unless it crashes!). It’s there when you want it, and if you want it to go away, you just turn it off. It never complains. Having a bad hair day? Your computer doesn’t care, your iPhone won’t tell, and your televisions is loaded with ways to get thinner and younger, all for $19.99.

And if you call now, they will even double your order!

But God didn’t make us to be solitary creatures with our faces jammed in front of computers 18 hours a day. He created us to be social beings. In Genesis, when God creates Adam He realizes very quickly that it isn’t good for him to be alone:

18 The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”

19 Now the LORD God had formed out of the ground all the beasts of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the man to see what he would name them; and whatever the man called each living creature, that was its name. 20 So the man gave names to all the livestock, the birds of the air and all the beasts of the field.
But for Adam  no suitable helper was found. 21 So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. 22 Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.

23 The man said,
“This is now bone of my bones
and flesh of my flesh;
she shall be called ‘woman,  ‘
for she was taken out of man.”

Genesis 2: 18-23

In prison, if an inmate gets into trouble he or she is placed in solitary confinement. Setting someone apart, making them be alone, is a punishment. Yet we do it to ourselves everyday, even in the midst of others.

The next time you go out to eat, look at those around you. How many are interacting, and how many have their faces buried in their technology, texting or surfing the internet?

Separation. Aloneness. Even in the crowd.

Today make an effort to get out, to talk to people face to face, rather than modem to modem. If you know someone who can’t get out due to illness, age or other issues, call them and go visit. Bring the world to them.

Reboot relationships instead of your computer!

Inauguration Day.

It’s always filled with excitement and hope. I have been to two inaugurations, in 1981 and 1985 (both were for President Ronald Reagan). I was a member of the University of Tennessee Marching Band, and we were representing the State of Tennessee.

I have such vivid memories of my first inauguration. We got into town, checked into our hotel, and groups of us immediately headed out to sightsee. We took the Metro into the city and hit all the monuments. The next day we visited as many branches of the Smithsonian as we could cram into one day. The city was so shiny and clean, people smiling everywhere.

The day of the inauguration, we headed over to the parade grounds at 9 a.m. Then we waited… and waited… and waited. All together, we waited about six hours before we finally started marching. The parade itself was memorable for, uh, horses. Lots of them. President Reagan was a big fan of horses. Most band members are not fans of horses, especially in parades when we have to march behind them.  We we at last marched past the Presidential reviewing stand, all I remember is Nancy Reagan’ red coat. Then we got on our buses and collapsed.

I remember the excitement of the day, and thinking how wonderful it was to be a part of it all.

It was years later when I learned why the city was so bright and clean. Prostitutes and the homeless were bused out of town for the week. Employees within the District were told to stay home to keep the streets more tourist-friendly. And everything in sight had been polished up and had red, white and blue bunting placed on it to add to the festive feel.

In other words, I got Washington, D.C. in a tuxedo, not it’s usual work clothes.

Which brings me to my point. Not everything is as it appears or seems. We all know this, yet we all seem to fall for it over and over. I heard yesterday that within the last month, every time there was a world crisis President Obama’s approval rating went up. Now, it wasn’t because he was doing anything, because he wasn’t in office yet. It was because people perceived that once he took office, he would “fix” it.

That’s an awful lot to load on one man, isn’t it? Yet time and time again we are ready to place our faith in a politician, an athlete, a spouse, anyone but The One. You remember, The One who is the Alpha and Omega. The One who really can affect change in our world.

God.

He doesn’t care what His approval rating is, or what we think of His policies. But He loves us beyond measure. We can trust Him to do the right thing, always. He’s there, waiting for us to trust Him, lean on Him. All we gotta do is ask!

Now please excuse me while I go watch the parade!

When I was a little girl, my mom and dad would jokingly tell me they were going to bubble wrap me to keep me safe. When I turned 16, my dad threatened to bubble wrap the car (that might have actually been a good idea…).

Wouldn’t it be nice if we could encase those that we love in a protective wrapping? Just bubble wrap them from head to toe before they went out into the world to keep them safe? Or what if we could bubble wrap our own hearts, and keep them from the inevitable heartbreak that we all experience.

None of this is an option, though. It wouldn’t be very practical to go through the world unable to feel, to touch, to hurt. All of this is a part of life, and a valuable part of life. The “hurts” that we get are part of the learning experience. If you touch something hot, you learn that hot things can burn.  Likewise, when we open ourselves up to love and friendship, we also open ourselves up to the possibility of rejection. But if we don’t risk the hurt, we won’t have a shot at the happiness.

But while we can’t bubble wrap the ones we love (and believe me, I have tried!), we can do something even better… bubble wrap them in love and prayer.

Talk to God about the ones you love, tell Him all about your concerns and worries for them. He’ll listen. And then tell the ones you love about God. Tell them how He loves them and how you pray to Him on their behalf every day. They will feel the love from you as well as God.

Love and Prayer. Cheaper and more reliable than bubble wrap!

For all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.
Romans 3:23

Sin is a funny thing. It is so easy to spot… when it is someone else’s sin. We find it so comforting to sit back in our padded pews and think to ourselves, “I can’t believe that (fill in the blank) did that! I would never do something like that!” Yet, when the same situation comes knocking, it seems that we come down from our high horse, make all manner of excuses for our response, and justify the sin in our minds.

Someone tells their spouse a lie. We tsk tsk tsk about how we would never lie to our spouse, we respect marriage too much. But when we turn around a lie, we justify it. “It would have been too upsetting to him” or “he really didn’t need to know the truth.”

We shake our heads when we see someone we know having a bit too much to drink, but if we get a good buzz going we wrap it in the excuse of “blowing off steam.”

Sin is sin. It doesn’t change. And we cannot be immune from it. Everyone that has walked this planet, with the exception of Christ, has sinned. You and me. Preachers and church members. Billy Graham and Mother Teresa.

All of us.

What sets us apart as Christians should be that we have humbled ourselves before God and asked His forgiveness, knowing that through Christ’s death on the cross forgiveness is freely given.

The verse at the top of this page is familiar to all Christians. But what precedes and follows it in the scripture is equally as important

But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made
known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness
from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe.
There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory
of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the
redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented
him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood…
Romans 3: 21-25

Bear with me, but it is time for me to do a sports story.

But while it is a story about an athlete, it is much more. It is a story about how a seemingly minor act can impact hundreds of thousands of people.

Tim Tebow is the quarterback for the national champion Florida Gators. Now, before you think that I am a Gator fan, let me stop you. I am not. I am actually a Tennessee fan, and Tennessee and Florida have a heated rivalry, very heated. But Tebow is the kind of athlete who transcends rivalries, and any real fan should be able to appreciate him, both as an athlete and person.

Tim Tebow is a great young man. He is a team leader, excellent quarterback, and won the Heisman Trophy, given to the nation’s top football player, as a sophomore (the first time a sophomore had ever won the award).

Beyond that, he is a Christian. Not just a “I want to thank God for this victory” Christian, but a Christian who gives up his summer and spring breaks to go into the mission field. He was born in the Philippines to missionary parents. He was homeschooled, and at age 15 spoke to more than 10,000 high schoolers in the Philippines.

Tebow always writes a Bible verse in his eye black (the smudge of black that athletes put under their eyes to reduce glare). All season he wrote Phil 4:13 (Philippians 4:13)… “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”

But on the night of the national championship game against Oklahoma, he changed the message to John 3:16… “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”

And here is the interesting thing… for a period of time that night, during the game, John 3:16 was the most searched item on Google. (Click here to see the spike for searches on John 3:16 during the title game)

That’s right. While watching a football game, the game for the national title, fans who saw John 3:16 in Tebow’s eye black stopped and googled the verse to see what it was.

Talk about a testimony. Literally hundreds of thousands of people who Tim Tebow will never meet got a taste of God’s glory that night, simply through a camera shot of a college kid’s face through a football helmet.

Tebow views football as a stage he has been given to profess his faith. He doesn’t shove his faith down anyone’s throat, but he stands for what he believes in.

Now, not everyone loves Tim Tebow. In fact, there is a wonderful article about him in USA Today by Christine Brennan, and the majority of the comments that follow the story are negative. But they are negative in, frankly, a sad way. They pounce on him, they say they will be glad when he is done and out of football. They say they are sick of him. And they say that they think he gets too much glory.

On that last point, I have no doubt that Tebow will agree. I’m sure he would much rather the glory go to God.

Click here to read the USAToday article on Tim Tebow by Christine Brennan.

We’ve all heard the phrase “he’s in a better place” when someone passes away. But are they really?

Think about it. How many times have you said that phrase when someone died, but the reality was that you had no idea what place they were in? Heaven? Hell?

But we want to comfort ourselves with the idea that everyone we love, that we care for, is in heaven. We picture them healed and whole, sitting at the feet of our Lord. Wonderful picture, but is it reality?

While we can never really know the heart of another, there are always cues that we can draw from. And our mission on this earth is bring other to God, so shouldn’t we start with those closest to us?

But sometimes those are the hardest conversations to have. It’s easier to pick up and go halfway around the world to witness for a week than it is to talk to the ones we love about their relationship with Christ as their savior.

Maybe it’s time to focus on those closest to us, to take an inventory of those around us and see where they stand spiritually. It may be hard, and it could cause some friction.

But think of the reunion in heaven one day!

God of Wonders

Songwriters: Marc Byrd and Steve Hindelong

Lord of all creation
Of the water, earth and sky
The Heavens are your Tabernacle
Glory to the Lord on high.

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy.
The universe declares your majesty
You are holy, holy

Lord of Heaven and Earth
Lord of Heaven and Earth

Early in the morning
I will celebrate the light.
And when I stumble in the darkness
I will call your name by night.

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy.
The universe declares your majesty
You are holy, holy.

Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and Earth!
Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and Earth!
Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and Earth!

God of wonders beyond our galaxy
You are holy, holy.
The universe declares your majesty
You are holy, holy.

Lord of Heaven and Earth
Lord of Heaven and Earth

Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and Earth!
Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and Earth!
Hallelujah to the Lord of Heaven and Earth!

Click here to listen to Third Day sing God of Wonders

There is so much going on in all corner of our world, and so much of it is bad. I pick up the newspaper each day to read of businesses closing, people suddenly out of work. Desperation is written on the faces of so many. Suicide rates are creeping up. Families are losing their homes, their hope.

But we need to stop and remind ourselves of our wonderful world, the world we have been gifted with. There is so much more positive than there is negative. We need to look at our lives and see what we need as opposed to what we want.

Look at the verses of this beautiful song. While the first verse offers praises to God for His creation, acknowledges His mighty power and the wonders of this universe, the second verse goes deeper.

“Early in the morning I will celebrate the light. And when I stumble in the darkness I will call your name by night.”

This one verse goes to the heart of our faith, and to the heart of prayer. We should praise God in all things, call out His glory. The writers speak of waking and praising God for the rising sun. But they go on to say that in the darkness, we will humble ourselves and call His name.

Pretty good metaphor for our present day. Many of us are suffering through a “night” period of life, a dark time. But as we stumble through this darkness, call out to God. He is there, and He will restore us. He longs to help guide us back into that bright light.

Take the time to listen to this song. It is both a prayer and a praise. Enjoy!

I have been having one of “those” weeks. You know the kind, where you start out with your plans and just a few hours into Monday it has all fallen apart for one reason or another? Just when you think you have planned for the absolute worst that could happen, it gets even worse?

That was my week.

But it all served to remind me that, while I love to plan my life, rarely does it go along the path I think it will. God’s plans are usually different, sometimes radically so.

I remember graduating from high school and starting college. I assumed I would marry by the time I was 22 or 23 (I hadn’t met the guy yet, but I was sure he would come riding up on his white horse in plenty of time to meet my deadline). I would work a couple of years, have kids, they would be off to college by the time I was 45, and my husband and I would spend the rest of our years traveling the world.

Ah, dreams…

God’s plan? Oh, I met Mr. Right, ok. When I was 38! I had my daughter at 45. By my math, by the time she is out of the house, I will be, um, a little older than I had planned.

But God’s plan was perfect. He knew this week was coming. The surprise that was lurking for me was never a surprise to Him.

He knew. He knows.

And isn’t that a great comfort? To know that our God has a perfect plan for us, that He is with us in good times and through those inevitable storms?

If we stay focused on the cross, and on His love for us, there is no storm we can’t weather.

So hold on tight. It might be a bumpy ride, but the One in control will make sure the ride is safe!

It’s beauty that captures your attention, personality that captures your heart.

We spend so much time making sure our outer appearance is the best it can be. Advertising screams at us to use this cream or that hair color, all in the attempt to wow those around us.

But too often we neglect the “inner beauty.” My mom used to nag me constantly, “Beauty is as beauty does.” I would roll my eyes and pity her sad, old fashioned outlook on life. But inner beauty is what gets you through life, your inner strength, class, demeanor.

As Christians, we need to ramp it up a notch. Our inner beauty must be developed through God. Once we have accepted Christ as our Risen Savior, we must light that torch inside of us and let it shine brightly to those around us.

My father-in-law loves to tell the story of his first trip to New York City, back in the 1950’s. He saw a beautiful woman waiting on the sidewalk. By his description of her, it is obvious that she made an impression which lasts 40 years later! He was admiring her, when she turned and spoke to her friend, and what came out left an even stronger impression. She was foul-mouthed and rude. And his image of her turned on a dime in that one instant.

She probably never saw him, or knew that he was admiring her beauty. And that is how it is with all of us. We take so much time to fix our hair, make-up and clothing in order to impress the world, but is what comes from the “inner” us making an impression? When we speak, do we reflect God’s love and glory?

This morning, as you get ready to face the world, make sure you take time to “beautify” on the inside!

I remember one Christmas, way too many years ago, when all I wanted was a baton. I was about 8, and wanted to be a majorette in the worst way. My Dad told me there was no way I was going to get a baton, that I would end up breaking everything in the house. I was so disappointed, but when Dad said no, he meant no.

Christmas morning we were opening gifts. I was opening dolls from grandparents, clothes from aunts and uncles (boo!) and lots of toys from Santa. There was one gift that I kept pushing to the rear. It was in a brown tube marked “Map of the United States” and was from my Dad. My Dad was big into maps and learning states/countries. Finally, when all the gifts were opened, I sat back, thrilled with my haul.

“Don’t forget to open that one,” my Dad said.

“I already know what it is,” I said. “It’s a map of the U.S. I don’t need to open it up.”

He egged me on. “C’mon, we need to make sure all the states are there.”

“Ok,” I agreed reluctantly. Man, opening a wall map of the U.S. Nothing says Christmas like that, huh?

Only, as I’m sure you have already guessed, it wasn’t a map… it was a baton. A shiny, silver baton, just like the college majorettes used. I still have it (and for the record, I have never broken anything!).

It had been wrapped in such a way as to be unappealing, compared to all the gleaming gifts under the tree. But it was the one I wanted the most, I just had to open it up to find that out.

For many, that’s the way the Bible is. The wrapping isn’t fancy. There are lots of words, and not all of them are exactly compelling (you know who you are, Leviticus and Numbers!). But the gems are hidden in there, the gift that God gave us for how to live our lives. The great prophets, foretelling the birth of Christ, and the New Testament, with the Greatest Story Ever Told, along with the words of St. Paul.

We are at the cusp of the New Year. Many of us lead incredibly busy lives. But we need to open God’s gift to us and spend time with Him in His book. It isn’t always an easy read, some of it isn’t pretty, and it can be hard to dig through in sections.

But I guarantee it will fit perfectly and you won’t have to return it!

I went to the most beautiful wedding the other day. It was the kind of wedding that kind of spoils future weddings for you, because nothing can possibly compare. Perfectly beautiful bride, stunningly handsome groom. Twinkling lights, sparkling gowns. Smiles everywhere.

I think my favorite part of the ceremony was right before the bride started down the aisle. About six little boys and girls came down the aisle, ringing bells and saying, “The bride is coming, the bride is coming!” I admit, I was prejudiced, since my daughter was one of the bell ringers, but it was so cute!

After the bride’s grand entrance, we sat down and the service began. Before the preacher launched into the verses and text that we all associate with weddings, he spoke for a few minutes on marriage in today’s world. And he said something very interesting, very true, and yet something that I guess I had never quite distilled in my brain.

He said that there are two types of marriage in today’s world, marriage and Christian marriage. The two have similarities, but have key differences. Every marriage has a base, a foundation. Whether it is money, sexual attraction, companionship or any of a million reasons, there is a starting point. But in a Christian marriage, the foundation is God. There can be no substitute, there can be no wiggle room. God has to enter into every decision, from “is this the person I should marry?” to “till death do us part.” God has to be at the center of family finances, children, everything. And any marriage with that foundation will thrive.

Now don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying there will be no fights, no knock-down, drag-out battles. I like to think that my husband and I do a fairly decent job of keeping God at the center of our relationship, but boy can we go at it… in fact, on the way to the wedding we were having a loud “discussion” on a few topics of interest! But we also know that we have made a vow before God and that He holds us accountable to Him for the state of our marriage and family.

In other words, he’s stuck with me!

When we were planning our wedding 10 years ago, I wanted to make sure that everyone who came had a good time (many had to travel long distances). As we went through premarital counseling at church, the pastor asked if we were stressed out over all the decisions, and reminded us that weddings can be very hard on a relationship.

But my future husband and I assured him we were fine. You see, we had made an agreement beforehand. The wedding ceremony was for our families and friends.

The marriage? That was for us, ordained by God.

That took all the stress out of it!

Well, it’s finally over. The gifts have been opened and played with (or returned!). The kids have already started planning for their birthdays. Relatives have visited, trees taken down, and now it is time to resume normal life, whatever that is.

But I do have one suggestion that you might find interesting.

For starters, I admit that I love Christmas cards. I love mailing them and I love getting them. I am one of those that enjoys hearing what people are up to, even if it is only once a year. There are some folks that I exchange cards with that I haven’t physically seen in years.

A couple of years ago, I read about a family that saves all the cards they get each Christmas. I started to skip the article because I was convinced that it would be one of those crafty articles, and I am far from crafty.

But as I continued reading, I found a simple idea that will keep those cards from becoming just more items in a landfill.

What the family did was take the cards and put them in a box. And each night at the dinner table, the family would pull out the card on top and say a prayer for the sender. Then the card would go back into the box, on the bottom, where it would begin it’s trek back up the stack.

There are a couple of things at play here. First of all, you would need to be together as a family most nights to accomplish this task. Hard, yes, but not impossible. And this keeps your mother’s fourth cousin, Zelda, closer to your heart. It’s hard not to be close to someone when you are praying for them.

The way I figure it, if you got 30 cards, and prayed for one sender each night, you would end up praying for each one 11-12 times in the course of a year.

Talk about the gift that keeps giving!

And what a wonderful sentiment to include on your card to them next year: “Our family prayed for you this year.”

I Thessalonians 5:16-18, says “Be joyful always; Pray continually; Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Jesus Christ.”