Over Achiever

 

Here was today's to do list:

   • sit up in the chair [check]

   • walk [check]

   • get a few dozen foot rubs [check plus]

   • get an abdominal CT scan [check]

   • transfer to a regular room [check]  Rm 451

   • drink some Gatorade [check]

And one thing not on the list:

   • get a visit from the children

We are so blessed. At this time 5 nights ago, we were all holding our breaths that Will would survive this ordeal. We had no idea that we'd be in a regular room come Friday. 

The next hurdle for this boy is to get his gut to behave. You know how you can feel so absolutely miserable if you've got a good case of nausea? Well, that's Will. His innards aren't playing nicely. He can't keep anything down to speak of -- even just clear liquids. It's going to take a little time to get past this part of his recovery. 

Y'all are such wonderful prayer warriors. You bless us beyond measure! Thank you. 

Pray for sleep.

Will had a pretty good day. He got his NG tube removed and he got up and walked for a bit. 

But he realized how sore and exhausted he was in the process. 

Still, he didn't sleep any last night and he didn't nap any all day. 

After a series of events this afternoon they flirted with putting the NG tube back down. But they are going to wait a little longer for that. 

Now Will is really confused. He really, really needs to go to sleep. Like really. And he can't stop talking long enough to drift off. 

Please pray that he will relax enough to go to sleep. And that he will sleep all night. 

Tomorrow we have to do some more tests. 

Look at Those Eyes

 

When this young man decided to get better, he did it in style!

• He came off the ventilator this morning. 
• He went for a CAT scan thinking he had a pocket of nastiness in the space between his lung and his chest wall. Well, not so much. It was so small, they couldn't even drain it!
• He's sitting up in his bed eating ice chips -- making telephone calls to his children and his friends. 
• He's laughing with his nurse about silly stuff. 
• And he is adjusting to the idea that this is NOT Sunday!

So what's next?

We aren't exactly sure yet. Right now we are just enjoying these blue eyes and sweet smile!

     Great Are You Lord (Casting Crown)

     You give life, You are love

     You bring light to the darkness
     You give hope, You restore
     Every heart that is broken
     Great are you Lord

     Cause It's Your breath in our lungs
     So we pour out our praise, we pour out our praise
     It's Your breath in our lungs
     So we pour out our praise to You only!

Read more:  Casting Crowns - Great Are You Lord Lyrics | MetroLyrics 

No Moles Today -- Maybe Tomorrow

Yesterday we learned about "Whack-a-Mole" in the ICU. Today we kinda cruised through the day with no real issues (moles) to address. 

Unless you consider being unable to wean Will off the ventilator to be a rodent. 

Bless his heart, he got so agitated when they tried to wean him. It was wearing him out. 

So they are going to try to do it again tomorrow. 

How can you pray?

1. For Will to get some serious sleep tonight and to relax. 
2. For peace and calm for him tomorrow as they try to get him off this machine. It is a bit frightening. And because of the drugs, it's hard to rationalize with him. He just needs to relax and follow directions. 
3. For the doctors as they try to determine how to interpret his chest X-rays. There's a question about one spot that is puzzling. He might need a CAT scan tomorrow to determine more definitively what it is. And, of course, how to deal with whatever they find. (This is the one mole that I anticipate might try to pop up tomorrow.) 

God has blessed us countless times this week. Yes, Will is critically ill and we'd all rather be doing something -- just about anything -- else. But His hand has been on our son and on his healthcare team. Will is still getting better -- slowly. His doctors are all pleased with his progress. Thank you for your prayers, messages, hugs, and overwhelming love. We are blessed in spite of our situation!

Whack-A-Mole in the ICU

Remember that game in the arcade? A little mechanical critter peeks up out of the ground and you score points for whacking it in the head before it ducks back down. Just when you think you've gotten all the critters in check, two more pop out at the same time on opposite sides of the board. 

Well, we've been playing Whack-a-Mole in the ICU at St Joe. One crisis has popped up after another and the team has whacked it with their arsenal of drugs and other therapies. Then another one pops up and they hit it. 

Translation: in typical sepsis fashion, Will is experiencing multi-system organ failure. And they are treating each with supportive care until the sepsis subsides. It is affecting his:

    Kidneys

    Pancreas

    Liver

    Heart

    Lungs

So far, everything that has happened has been pretty textbook sepsis. 

And I am holding onto the hope that for a 29-year-old healthy man, his recovery will be textbook as well -- steady and complete. 

On that note, Will is responding to his therapy!

They have weaned various meds down or off. 

The nephrologist was totally unconcerned about what he saw. 

The infectious diseases doctor feels like they are on the right treatment track. 

The pulmonologist says he's not out of the woods but he likes the progress he is making. 

So we will continue to whack whatever mole lifts it's ugly head. 

And we know the Great Physician is in charge!

He's in Critical Condition

Our life got a big slap in the face today when our son became critically ill out of the blue. 

We talked to him a couple of times yesterday and I thought he sounded like he had the flu. He went to get checked out. Temp 103. Flu swab negative. Chest X-ray negative. So they gave him ibuprofen and sent him home. Fever responded. 

This morning he passed out a couple of times at home so his wife took him back to the ER. 

6 hours later he had been transported via ambulance to a bigger hospital with double pneumonia, sepsis, and acute renal failure. We each said quick "good-byes" and just like that he was intubated and on a ventilator. 

The next time we were able to see him, he had a central line in his neck, an arterial line in his leg, 10 IVs running in, and the ventilator breathing for him. If that won't take your breath away (no pun intended) to see your healthy 29-year-old son like that, nothing will. 

So now what?

I just lost my mother. Am I gonna lose my son, too?

Well, I don't know. 

But I know the One who does know. 

And He loves my son a gazillion times more than I do. He died for him. 

Lord, Before his intubation, I placed Will in your hands because I trust you to hold him firmly there. If it is your will to take him home, I know that he will be so excited to see you! If it is your will to restore him back to us, I will be so excited to see those beautiful blue eyes again. But, Lord, not my will but yours be done. I trust you. 

Hope Not Heroin

This afternoon many people gathered at the steps of the courthouse in support of "Hope Not Heroin."  Nikki spoke from her heart about her dear son, Brendon, pictured here just days before he died. 

Four others spoke about their gut-wrenching experiences.  

 

They were testimonies to the work God is doing in this sick and dying world. 

 

I was impressed by how this community has worked together to try to kick this disease. It seems like we have a long way to go. 

 

Who is our Hope?

Jesus. 

He is the "higher power" who can bring healing to the sick. 

He is the Truth -- Satan (the father of lies) has no power over Him. 

Lord, I claim your power over heroin in Madison County. Bring healing to those afflicted by this disease. Prevent its spread to others in our county. Empower us all to stand firm in our faith in you, our Great Physician. 

The Result of Holiness

We know that we are to put off badness and put on goodness (with the help of the Lord).  Why again is that?

• “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.”  Leviticus 19:2

If we are holy like the Lord, then we can count on life being all rosy and wonderful. Right? 

What happened to Christ as a result of His holiness?

• Criticism (Matthew 9:3)
• Punishment (Luke 23:16)
• Martyrdom (Philippians 2:8)
• Glorification (John 17:2-5)

That doesn't sound like a very easy or wonderful path, does it. But because it is the path of our Lord, it actually is strangely wonderful. Consider the following passage. It speaks volumes about our faith, righteousness, hope, and reward.

"Who  will harm you if you are deeply committed to what is good?

But even if you should suffer for righteousness, you are blessed.

Do not fear what they fear or be disturbed, but honor the Messiah as Lord in your hearts.

Always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you. 

However, do this with gentleness and respect, keeping your conscience clear so that when you are accused, those who denounce your Christian life will be put to shame."  I Peter 3:13-16

Lord give us strength to put off the nastiness in our hearts and to claim your holiness. Prepare us for the consequences and the rewards.

The Quest for Holiness

How then are we to obtain holiness?

Well, first of all, holiness isn't something that we can achieve on our own. It's not like some "new age" self-help program. No, holiness for us is totally dependent on the holiness of God and His giving it to us as a gift . We must remember that and stop trying to obtain it ourselves.

• For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves. It is the gift of God--not of works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
• God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. I Corinthians 1:30 NLT

Secondly, since it isn't our nature, we have to actively seek it from God.

For example, Scripture says we are to consciously throw away the evil intent, nastiness, and mean disposition that we have in our lives. We are to stop tricking others (and ourselves) through double-speak or falsehoods. We are to be thankful for good things that others have been blessed with instead of being jealous that we don't have them ourselves. And we are to stop cutting down others in speech. (see I Peter 2:1 below)  This seems like a pretty good start.

• Why are we not to do these things? Because they are of the flesh. They are worldly. They are human nature. They are not of God. And they are stumbling blocks for others who are more vulnerable than we are.

Scripture also says we are to yearn for pure spiritual milk (Biblical nourishment and Godly instruction, for example) like a newborn baby. (see I Peter 2:2-3 below)

• This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Proverbs 3:8 NIV

So rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander. Like newborn infants, desire the pure spiritual milk, so that you may grow by it for your salvation since you have tasted that the Lord is good. I Peter 2:1-3 HCSB

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him. Psalm 34:8 NIV

Lord, thank you that you want to give us part of yourself -- your holiness. Help us to put off the worldly self and to accept this wonderful gift you offer. For you alone are good. You are holy. You are God.

First we must realize we were created to be holy.

I'd like to tell you a story.  Bear with me. 

Once there was a new believer who was trying to find his way in the world. He was confused because he learned certain things in church but opposite things elsewhere. He wanted to do what was right but felt compelled to follow the lead of his friends. Searching for the truth, he went to his trusted Christian mentor and this is what he heard. 

"Don't live any longer as the unbelievers do, for they are hopelessly confused.

Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.

They have no sense of shame. 

They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

"But that isn’t what you learned about Christ.

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 

"Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy."

Satisfied with this wisdom, he turned to the Holy Spirit to help him in his everyday walk. 

Who was this man?

I have no idea. 

Who was the Christian mentor?

The apostle Paul. (See Ephesians 4:17-24)

Isn't it interesting that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Paul could (and does) give that same advice to believers in the 21st century. But do we listen? Do we embrace his wisdom? 

Lord, renew our thoughts and attitudes through your Holy Sporit. Help us put on our new nature, created to be like You—truly righteous and holy.

A Taste of Grace

Yesterday we saw that Peter encouraged the people to "set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." I Peter 1:13 HCSB

So what is Grace?

You can find all kinds of definitions on-line for the term. I'd like to propose that grace is what God does when he wipes away my sin and doesn't make me pay for it. He made His son pay, instead. According to this definition, then, we don't have to worry about trying to "earn" our way to heaven. We can get there simply by placing our trust in the Lord who conquered sin on our behalf.

• "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." John 1:17 NIV
• "For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people." Titus 2:11 NIV
• "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." Ephesians 1:7 NIV
• "For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." Romans 6:14 NIV

Does this mean that we can live it up and sin all over the place because we are covered by God’s grace?

• "What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?" Romans 6:1-2 NIV

We are to live like obedient children who strive to please their parents. 

We are to be separated from the nastiness of this world and live so that others see Jesus in us.

And, interestingly enough, we are to be holy.

Tomorrow we will look at holiness. Meanwhile, pull out your electronic devices and look up what Scripture has to say about being holy. Let's see if we come up with the same passages.

Lord, thank you for the grace you extended to us through your son, Jesus. Help us to be ever mindful of the cost He paid for our liberty and life.

Hope Affixed to Grace Which Yields Holiness.

"Hope Affixed to Grace Which Yields Holiness"

Huh?

On the heels of teaching the people that they are to have hope, Peter delivers this line.

I Peter 1:13
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. NASB

How do we prepare our minds?

According to the King James Version (KJV), we are to "gird up the loins of your mind." This brings to mind a man gathering up his robe between his legs and securing it with his belt so that he might be ready to participate in some type of rigorous activity.

The Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) says, "with minds that are ready for action...."

We are to avoid putting things in our minds that will alter our focus.  And, of course, we are to study Scripture and practice what it teaches.

What action are we getting ourselves into?

We could spend some time looking at this more closely, but I think one of the things that we will do is to enter into battle with Satan.  I definitely want to be ready for that kind of action!

What does "sober in spirit" mean?

The Living Bible (TLB) says, "look forward soberly and intelligently."  The HCSB says, "be serious." Sounds like it is time to get our game faces on.

What is this grace that we will have in the end?

According to the dictionary, grace is the free and unmerited favor of God. Perhaps we should look at that a bit, as well.

Based on the verse that comes next in I Peter, we are is to be obedient, to be set apart from the world, and to be holy.  Now THAT is something I want to spend a few days looking at.  How on earth are we who are wrought with sin to be holy? I personally don't think it is possible.

What do you think? Can we be holy?

Sun Shall Shine

Sun Shall Shine

Many of you are aware that I have recently found a love for drawing -- doodling with purpose. I've drawn well over 200 pieces that I've named and cataloged. I've had an art show at the Richmond Area Arts Council. I've got three pieces on display at UK Healthcare.  I've drawn things for new babies, for newlyweds, for Christmas presents, for graduation presents, and just for fun. But about two months ago, I put my drawing supplies in the corner out of the way and out of my mind.

Why would I do that? Because I was working through the illness and death of my sweet mother who lived with me. One day it dawned on me, though, that I hadn't drawn anything in awhile. And, of course, I knew why. I also knew that my creativity would return -- I just didn't know when.

Well, this week something happened at work. We lost a dear friend. When I learned of her grim diagnosis several months ago, I climbed into my husband's arms and wept. It just didn't seem fair. And it wasn't. She was buried on Friday -- way too soon. And it still isn't fair.

But you know what? My friend, like my mother, never lost hope. She embraced the "Sun Shall Shine" theme and people sent her pictures of sunrises and sunsets from the most amazing places on the earth. She always looked forward to tomorrow.

It was Friday that I saw this, her theme, on a lapel pin. It shattered the shackles of my brain and for the first time in several weeks I thought, "I can draw that." So I did.

And I got past the fact that I couldn't take it into her bedroom to show my mother like I had done with, oh, the last 200 pieces I had drawn. And as I write this, it is with tears in my eyes that I realize that my life really is going to go on without my mom. The sun shall shine -- with bright hope for tomorrow. And my hope rests solidly on the shoulders of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who is the son around whom my world revolves.

Thank you, Lord, for your tenderness with us as we walk through life's difficulties. Thank you that you hold the future in your hands and that you have wonderful things in store for us. We look forward to tomorrow.

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Great is Thy Faithfulness

Thomas O Chisholm 1923

Lamentations 3:22-23

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” O God my Father,

There is no shadow of turning with Thee;

Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not

As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be.

“Great is Thy faithfulness!” “Great is Thy faithfulness!”

Morning by morning new mercies I see;

All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—

“Great is Thy faithfulness,” Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter, and springtime and harvest,

Sun, moon and stars in their courses above,

Join with all nature in manifold witness

To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Lord, you are my strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow!

Thank you!

Do You Have an Empty Tank?

What if your hope tank has all run dry?

What if you are empty of optimism altogether– can’t really feel any emotion? What if your head knows that you’ll be with the Father in the end but your heart can’t get past the agony of today. Then what do you do?

That’s when you put one foot in front of the other, as difficult as that is, and walk in what you know.

God is my Father – loving, caring, understanding, patient, kind.

He loves me more than I will ever understand.

He provides for my every need.

He will never leave me.

He surrounds me with majesty in His creation.

He is the author of peace.

I chose to have hope.

You are my hope.  

And eventually your heart catches up with your head and you start to feel the good things again.

The sparkle starts to come back to your eyes.

The pain in your innermost being starts to subside.

Putting one foot in front of the other becomes a little less deliberate.

And your worship of the LORD is full and natural and heartfelt and complete. Because He is greatly to be praised.

Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.

You are magnificent.

Your creativity and imagination are beyond my comprehension.

You are more wonderful than all of your creation.

You are beautiful – lovely.

You are compassionate and merciful.

You are love.

You are faithful and keep your promises.

You, alone, are worthy of praise.

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23

Emily Gives Hope Again

This video is precious. (If you've never seen the original YouTube video, Google it under something like "3 year old donates hair.") What a tremendous expression of hope for children. And this 5-year-old gets it. 

http://m.huffpost.com/ca/entry/9809286

"Is Hope an Emotion or a Choice?"

"Is Hope an Emotion or a Choice?

I've been doing a little reading about hope. I've thought about it as wishful thinking and as confident assurance about the future. But I've never really thought about it quite like this....

Hope is a "secondary" emotion that usually arises as a result of feeling empowered. Likewise hopelessness is a result of feeling powerless. Either way, it isn't an emotion that manifests itself just out of the blue. That's why they call it secondary -- not because it's of lesser importance. 

Hope can either be a verb or a noun. Did you ever think about that? I know. Probably not. This is my mother the English teacher coming out in me!

"I hope to see you soon." "Hope" is an action so it's a verb. 

"I have hope in the Lord." Here "hope" is a thing or a noun. 

"I refuse to give up. I'm hoping for a miracle." This is not an emotion. It's a choice. It's a decision. 

“As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.”

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭71:14‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, does this hope sound like a decision or an emotion? A noun or a verb? And why would the psalmist always have it? And what about us -- can we have that same hope? If so, then shouldn't we be praising Him like all the time?!

Lord, thank you for Jesus who is our Hope. May we chose to claim His hope daily and praise you constantly. 

Now THAT is Hope

"Now THAT is Hope"

I think Scripture is so cool because no matter how many times you read it, when you least expect it something phenomenal jumps right out at you. I Peter 1:6-7 did that for me last week.

"You rejoice in this, though now for a short time you have had to struggle in various trials so that the genuineness of your faith -- more valuable than gold, which perishes though refined by fire -- may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."  I Peter 1:6-7

I don't know how many times I have read this as: even though you are going through something rotten, just remember that by standing firm, you will bring praise, glory and honor to Christ Jesus.

Although I do believe that to be a reasonable goal for God's people, I'm not exactly sure that is what the last part of it actually says. Perhaps it means ...so that the genuineness of your faith may result in YOUR praise, glory, and honor from God at Jesus' return. I have never thought of being the recipient of HIS praise, glory, and honor.

So why should that surprise us -- that God would want to pat us on the back?  Don't we long to hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant?" Matthew 25:21 And isn't He the ultimate daddy who is proud of us His children and wants to give us affirmation? I may be alone but I'm a little more comfortable with the idea that HE is the one who will get the praise, glory, and honor. Nevertheless, I'm not sure that's what this verse says.

So according to I Peter, my hope of heaven means that I have confident trust that my inheritance is imperishable, uncorrupted, unfading, and that God will tell me how proud He is of me. Now THAT is hope!

"Hope: What Is It?"

"Hope: What Is It?"

I hope it won't rain during our cookout.
I hope the Giants win.
I hope I have enough money to make ends meet this month.
I hope you get well soon.
When I die, will I go to heaven? I hope so.

What do all these statements of hope have in common? They are all wishes. If all we have is wishful thinking regarding our eternal future, then we have NO hope.

The Bible teaches that hope is a confident trust in God regarding the future.
"...those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land." Psalm 37:9
"Then you will know that I am the Lord; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." Isaiah 49:23
"Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at His coming." I Peter 1:13

And I'd like to propose that the Lord, Himself, IS hope -- that confident assurance.
"Lord, you are the Hope of Israel." Jeremiah 17:13
"For you have been my Hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since my youth." Psalm 71:5
"[I am] Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope...." I Timothy 1:1

When I asked Him to make His home in my heart, He filled me with Himself -- with hope.
"Behold, I stand at the door [to your heart] and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come into him and eat with him and he with me." Revelation 3:20

So what is hope? Jesus Christ is hope. It is through Him that I have the confident assurance that I will spend eternity with him in heaven. 

"Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and into an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for you."  I Peter 1:3

"Hope in the Midst of Horror"

"Hope in the Midst of Horror"

September 11, 2001 was a day we'll never forget.  The horror.  The fear. The shock. The suffocating magnitude of the tragedy.

For awhile our nation rallied together around our flag and stood in unity as a nation. We clung to the hope that we would recover and be even stronger than we were before. But as great as we were as a country, that was misplaced and empty hope. Wishful thinking.

Fifteen years later, we aren't much better. In fact, in many ways we are worse. So is that it? Is there no hope for us?

"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 will I hear from heaven,
forgive their sin
and heal their land." II Chronicles 7:14

Yes, we have hope. If we do what is prescribed above, God will heal our land. We have the confident assurance that He will do what He has promised.

Today there were many memorial services for the 9/11 victims. I was reminded yet again of the horror of that day. But more importantly, I am reminded through God's promises that life is not hopeless.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

New Series: "Hope"

If you've been following my posts, you've probably noticed that yesterday's blog was a little different from the others. After I finished up the "Hurt Feelings" series, I wanted to just write about whatever was on my mind. Yesterday I posted soon after supper so you got -- a recipe.

Today, however, I'd like to transition to a new series on hope. I think that makes perfect sense coming on the heals of hurt feelings since it is only by our faith in the Lord and our hope of heaven that we can make it through such difficulties.

So what is hope anyway? I would suggest that we might define it in at least 2 ways: as the world sees it and as the Bible portrays it.

Give me some examples as we get started.
What is hope?
How do you hear it used in everyday conversation?
How do you see it in light of Scripture?

Tortilla pizza

Bill really likes a thin crust veggie pizza. So tonight I made us each one -- on a flour tortilla. It was pretty tasty!

Here's the trick, though. Assemble the pizza on a cookie sheet covered with aluminum foil. Then when it comes out of the oven, slide it aluminum foil and all onto the serving plate. Otherwise, it becomes extremely difficult to handle because the "crust" is so thin. 

And I enjoyed folding my pieces over like a taco in order to eat them. I'll have to say, it turned out really well. 

flour tortilla

tomato sauce + basil + oregano

pepperoni

thinly sliced Roma tomatoes

sliced green olives

diced onions

diced green pepper

pizza cheese blend

Bake at 325 for 10 minutes. 

Night for Life

Tonight I had the privilege of attending the Pregnancy Help Center's Night for Life Banquet with my sister, Rachel. What a blessing all around.

As I flipped through the program, I came upon a lovely tribute to my mother. I don't remember their ever having done a memorial page before. It was so touching. Mother really did love the ministry of the PHC. It was so sweet that they remembered her.

Tonight's program made me think back to the summer of 1997 when we realized that our prayers had been answered and we were going to be getting a little baby girl. Now, eighteen years later our baby is a freshman at the University of Kentucky in the pre-nursing program. I just cannot put into words how grateful I am that Lizzie's birth parents chose life for her. Our family was made complete the day she was born.

Lord, thank you for the life you breathed into us when we were born. Thank you for the eternal life you gave us through the life of your Son. Thank you that we have the ability to affect lives around us for you every day. Give us the wisdom and strength to make you proud.

Pregnancy Help Center Medical Center
227 W Irvine Street
Richmond, KY   40475
www.madisonphc.org
www.pregnantwhatnext.org
859-624-3942
855-364-9424

Food for Thought

I heard a story once about a little girl whose night time chore it was to feed the dog. She took out a can of dog food which captured the attention of the pet. As she talked to the dog, she carefully placed the unopened can of food into the dog bowl and said, "Here you go, boy. Here is your supper."

Puzzled by what her daughter was doing, the mother watched intently. After encouraging the puppy to eat the supper without the can being opened, the girl finally said, "You know little one, this is a lot like the Bibles that people have one their shelves. If they don't open them up, they can't eat what's inside."

With that, the little girl opened up the food and scooped it into the bowl for the dog to enjoy.

Lord, give us the insatiable desire to consume your Word -- to savor it and to long for more.

"Moving On" Dealing with Hurt Feelings

"Moving On" 

Dealing with Hurt Feelings

Over the past few days we have looked at how Saul reacted to a perceived insult, how David reacted to a real-live insult, and who is insulted today (i.e. anyone).
We have talked about why people are insulted.
We explored some normal responses to hurt feelings.
And we explored some Scripture that showed us how we should respond.
We've even shared a couple of examples of hurt feelings along the way.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could now come up with an algorithm of sorts to help us to know how to respond when insults come or feelings are injured? Here's the closest thing we came up with in Sunday School. See what happens if you walk through these Scriptures in light of your situation.

1. I Peter 5:7  "Cast your cares on Him, because He cares for you."  See Psalm 55:22
   (He loves you more than you can fathom -- yes, He died for you.
   And He wants to carry your burden.)
2. I Peter 2:1-3 "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation...."
   (Remove the negative, crave the Word, and grow up.)
3. Exodus 14:14  "The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still."
   (Romans 8:31  "And if God is for us, who can be against us?!")
4. Philippians 4:6, 8  "Do not be anxious about anything but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
   (Spill your heart out to the Father. Don't leave anything out.)
5. II Timothy 1:7  "For God does not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and soundness of mind."
   (If God doesn't give us fear, then where does it come from? And who defeated Satan at Calvary? So Claim Jesus' victory and praise God for His strength, love, and clear thinking.)
6. Philippians 4:8  "Finally... whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things."
   (Who is Truth? Who is King? Who is Righteous? Who is Pure? Who is lovely and admirable? Concentrate on Him!)
7. II Corinthians 1:3,4  Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."
   (Praise the Lord. Give Him the credit for working things out. And help others in the same boat.)

And there you have it -- a prescription for dealing with insults and hurt feelings so that you can move on in peace.

Father, this is all so easily said. Give us the strength to put your Word into action.

 

"But you're my Friend!"

Dealing with Hurt Feelings

Perhaps one of the hardest situations to deal with regarding hurt feelings has to do with the relationship between the offender and the offended -- friends, spouses, father and son, etc.

"If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it;
if a foe were rising against me, I could hide.
But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend,
with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God,
as we walked about among the worshipers."  Psalm 55:12-14

Read the entire chapter of Psalm 55 and you'll see that not only was David crushed, he was anguished, terrified, and afraid.  Initially, as he poured his heart out to his God, he expressed despair. This assault by his companion had caught him by surprise and he quaked. But as he talked with the Lord about the wickedness of his enemies, he never lost faith. He concluded the chapter with the resolution to trust and depend on his God.

"Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.  ...but as for me, I trust in you."  Psalm 55:22-23

Lord, sometimes we are baffled, dismayed, and confounded by what our friends do to us. I'm reminded that even YOUR closest friends abandoned YOU when you needed them most.  So you, of all people, understand what we are going through. Thank you. Give us the strength to put our trust in you no matter what.

"Sticks and Stones"

"Sticks and Stones"

Dealing with Hurt Feelings

"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."

Hogwash!

Why is it that we try to act like words are innocuous when the reality is that they can absolutely crush the spirit?

Even the psalmist said: “My bones suffer mortal agony as my foes taunt me....”  Psalm‬ ‭42:10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

But, you know what? Insults and hurt feelings can go both ways.  Chances are we are not only victims of harsh words, but we dish them out as well. What if in an act of self-preservation we say something that cuts someone to the bone? What if, after a hard day at work we come home and bite the head off of a family member? Or what if all we heard as children was that we were worthless and good-for-nothing so we continue to tell ourselves that to this day? We need to take a good hard look at our own lives and lay our failures at the feet of the Savior. 

“When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”” John‬ ‭8:7‬ ‭NIV‬‬

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."  I John 1:9

Lord, we have focused on how other people hurt us. Help us to be mindful of how we hurt them or even how we hurt ourselves. Forgive us. Thank you for your grace. 

"Andrew Knows" 

Dealing with Hurt Feelings

I hurt "Andrew's" feelings not too long ago at work. I didn't really mean to but I did. What was particularly amazing about this situation was how he handled it. 

One morning, a couple of days after our conversation, Andrew appeared and asked to speak with me privately. He had spent some time in reflection and had come to the following conclusion:
   I had been right to talk to him that day.
   He had deserved the correction I had given him.
   But I had confronted him in front of my co-workers and it had hurt his feelings.

Now Andrew is a pretty conscientious guy. He is kindhearted and level-headed. And he had a good point. I listened to him intently, conceding that I should have chosen a different locale for our conversation. 

After some heartfelt discussion we shook hands -- actually I think I hugged him -- and that was that. Since then there hasn't been any tension between us. I think we're good. 

Andrew showed me how to deal with someone who had hurt his feelings. 

Which leads us into tomorrow's topic . . . .

"Kat Fight"

Dealing with Hurt Feelings

One of my friends -- "Katrina" -- told me this story. 

When she was working at a job many years ago, there was one woman -- "Sandy" -- who was particularly intimidated by her. She made life very difficult on the work front, accusing her of things she had not done, etc. At first, Katrina was hurt by the fabrications but was determined not to give in to the temptation to retaliate. Interestingly, over time, she realized that the other co-workers didn't much like Sandy and hadn't really believed what she had said anyway. But still, the hurt was deep. Why would she try to discredit her like that?

One day, Sandy announced that she was resigning and moving to another business in town. Her two week notice almost gone, Kristina realized that no one was throwing a going away party for Sandy. Convinced that it was the right thing to do, even though she really hadn't gotten over the hurt feelings, Katrina coordinated a nice little party for Sandy. The other co-workers were glad to come and eat snacks and cake, but that was about it. During that party, Sandy realized that it was Katrina who had put it all together. With tears in her eyes, she hugged her and thanked her and acted like she was her best friend. Katrina was -- well -- speechless.

Over the next few years, Katrina's and Sandy's paths crossed a few times. Sandy always treated Katrina like a long-lost friend. They never talked about their differences. No apologies were ever given. But somehow Katrina's unexpected kindness had done the trick.

Did you know that "kill them with kindness" is not Scripture? Even so, it seemed to put to death the ill-feelings in this story. Do you have a "hurt feelings" story that ended well? Feel free to message me if you'd rather keep it private. Or respond below for everyone to see.

Lord, whenever hurt feelings grip us, show us how to respond in a way that would bring you glory.

What Does the Scripture Say We Should Do?

Dealing With Hurt Feelings

• I Peter 3:9  Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
• Matthew 5:11  Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
• I Peter 4:14  If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.
• Isaiah 51:7  Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals or be terrified by their insults.
• I Peter 2:23  When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate: when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
• II Timothy 1:7  God has not given you a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.
• Matthew 6:14  For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
• Proverbs 3:5-6  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your pathway straight.

Speaking from experience, it is really hard to do these things listed here. In fact, for ME to do it is impossible! Only by the power of the Holy Spirit can healing come from life's hurts. Only by trusting in HIM can I put one foot in front of the other and walk through the pain. With great consolation I know that I am not alone. For wherever I am, He is.

Lord, help me to submit to your Spirit when someone hurts my feelings. Help me put away the old selfish response and embrace your attitude of peace and love.