Top of the World

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Bill and I went skiing in Steamboat Springs yesterday afternoon. There was not a whole lot of snow — not very many runs were open — but we were able to ski enough to totally wear ourselves out! 

Before the day was over, we took the gondola to the top of the mountain where we ate lunch overlooking the valley. Oh my, what a view! And it brought to mind a song that Karen Carpenter used to sing. 

Top of the World

by The Carpenters

Such a feelin's comin' over me 
There is wonder in 'most ev'ry thing I see
Not a cloud in the sky, 
got the sun in my eyes
And I won't be surprised if it's a dream.

I'm on the top of the world lookin' down on creation
And the only explanation I can find
Is the love that I've found ever since you've been around
Your love's put me at the top of the world.

Okay, now that I’ve got you singing this song for the rest of the day, let’s think about it for a minute. 

I’m sure Karen was singing about how she felt because of a love interest. But the lyrics above could totally be talking about yesterday’s view from the mountain. The glory of God’s creation was everywhere and it was breathtaking. The sky, the sun, the snow, the land formations — so very hard to believe. 

At the same time, though, I contemplated the amazing love that I have in my life and realized that I’m on top of the world just about every day. 

• My husband, my soulmate, loves me more than anything. And he makes me laugh all the time! 
• My children and grandchildren love me, too. The backtalking days are over, for the most part, and they seem to appreciate who I am more than ever. 
• My church family loves me. They have always accepted me for my own characteristics and never held me to some standard I couldn’t meet. 
• My sisters and I are very important to each other. Our love goes back over 50 years. 
• I have countless friends all over the globe. We have had wonderful experiences with each other. 
• I can’t even begin to list the many people I’ve worked with over the years that I have appreciated and respected. And I think the feeling has been mutual. 
• But most of all, the Creator of the Universe loves me dearly. And as gorgeous as my current “home” is, He has prepared an even better place for me in heaven. I can’t imagine it. And I can’t wait to see it!

So take a look around today. Check out the beautiful world God has made for you. And reflect on all the people who love you. May you be blessed beyond imagination today!

Lord, thank you for your creation. Thank you for the people you have put in our lives to love us. But most of all, thank you for your love. We don’t deserve it but you give it to us anyway. 

Everything will be alright

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Good things happen to bad people. 

Bad things happen to good people. 

Life isn’t fair. 

Nobody ever said it would be. 

Let’s looks at a passage from the New Testament that might be pretty familiar. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
Romans‬ ‭8:28‬ ‭NIV‬‬

When you’re walking in the middle of a major crisis in your life, this verse might make you want to scream. It also might be somewhat convicting. But it should definitely be a source of hope. 

I don’t think I’m taking too much liberty to break it down like this:

(1) bad things happen to believers

(2) if the believer is walking in God’s will

(3) then God will use the difficulties for good 

So...when something bad happens to you honestly ask yourself these questions:

(1) Are you a Christian?

(2) Are you doing the things that make God proud, walking in His will?

(3) Then you can go to the bank on the fact that He will bring good out of it. 

How do I know?

Look at Job. He lost all his wealth and all of his children died. He got really sick and got hounded by three friends and his wife. Yet he had a good relationship with God. After analyzing his life he came to the conclusion that he had done nothing wrong and was, indeed, honoring God’s will in his life. After a little time, God restored his health and wealth and blessed him with a whole bunch of new children. 

Why did God allow that to happen?

So that I can be writing about this right now — helping someone hang on for dear life. God’s desire is for victory in our lives. He wants us to claim the hope that this verse brings. 

And one day, perhaps we’ll look back at these hardships and recognize the blessings God has bestowed as a result. 

Lord, sometimes it’s hard to understand why we have to go through things. Maybe we’ll never really know. But I pray that we will claim your victory and that we will look forward with expectancy to see what you will do on our behalf. 

Set Apart

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.
‭‭Titus‬ ‭2:11-12‬ ‭NIV‬‬ 

My husband and I are vacationing this week in the Rocky Mountains. We love exploring, not really having an agenda, and just being flexible with our time. And we love talking to people — no shock there. We have spoken with Forest Rangers, restaurant and hotel staff,  and just people we have run into — asking them what they would recommend that we do this week. Suggestions have included fishing, hiking, skiing, biking, and swimming in hot springs. But the two most common suggestions have involved dining and cocktails. 

Now I’m all for experiencing local cuisine — and so far we’ve had some good food. But neither Bill nor I drink. In fact, I can say pretty definitively that I have only been in a liquor store four times that I can remember. Alcohol has just never appealed to us. In fact it scares us — or we have a healthy respect for it. I know how out-of-control I am once I eat the first cookie from a package. I’ll consume them all in one sitting. So I figure that I would probably have the same lack of self-control with alcohol. So I leave it alone. (Wish I had that kind of discipline with sweets!)

So where am I going with this? 

God’s grace teaches us to say “no” to worldly passions that our culture considers to be acceptable — but that we feel would compromise our walk with Him. 

Agree with me or don’t. But sometimes there are lines that as believers we just shouldn’t cross. And through God’s grace we can “live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.”

Happy Birthday, Daddy

Monday, November 27, 2017

Dear Daddy,

Today is your 92nd birthday. Since you’re not here I’ll just have to celebrate it for you!

Although some of my friends used “dad” or “father” to address their paternal parent, to me you were always my daddy — my personal friend and mentor. Should I have used a term which showed more respect? No. I couldn’t have loved or respected you more. I used the lovely word that fit you the best. Daddy. 

I remember spending time with you doing all kinds of things: applying drywall mud, painting a room, mowing the yard, building a little barn, camping, water skiing, whistling, learning how to letter a poster board with a well of India ink. You taught me how to look at the brighter side of things. You always found spiritual lessons in everyday situations. 

You were my biggest cheerleader. No, you didn’t whoop and holler and jump up and down for me. Your support was much stronger than that. You entrusted me with many of your skills and allowed me to use them my own way. You were so proud of my educational achievements and often you would introduce me teasingly as your daughter who was “into drugs!” “Daddy!” I would exclaim. And then you would explain that I was a pharmacist. Silly boy!

You loved my choice of husbands. You taught him about finances among other things. You modeled for him how to treat his wife (not that Bill didn’t already know but it was important for him to see it) and his children. You showed him and me and our children what God was like — full of grace and love. 

Did you know that I wear a small silver anchor around my neck in your memory? You were, of course, in the Navy years ago. But more than that you were always my anchor in life. You were so solidly grounded in your faith and you taught me how to be confident and spiritually grounded as well. You are a very big reason why I have never been adrift in life’s sea. 

To say that I miss you on this day would be an understatement. But I’m so glad you are with your heavenly daddy. I wouldn’t bring you back for anything. I love you, daddy, and I’ll always be your little girl. 

Happy Birthday!

Patience

Memory Verse 2017 -- Week 47

Sunday, November 26, 2017

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

and teaching them to obey 

everything I have commanded you. 

And surely I am with you always, 

to the very end of the age. 

Matthew 28:18-20

This is not just a verse about taking the Gospel to the entire world. It is also about discipling and teaching new believers everywhere. 

And it comforts us with the promise that the Lord is with us forever. 

Spend the week focusing on this scripture: 

• Read the verse in your Bible. 
• Read the passage before and after it. 
• Write it in your journal. 
• Ask the Lord to show you how it applies to your life. 
• Put it on a piece of paper and post it in a prominent place in your home so that you can see it often. 
• Put the words to music. Make up a tune or use one you already know. Singing always helps in the memory process. It's a left brain / right brain thing. 
• Always memorize the scripture reference with the verse so you can remember where to find it in the Bible. 

Psalm 100

Saturday, November 25, 2017

Shout for joy to the LORD, 

all the earth. 

Worship the LORD with gladness; 

come before him with joyful songs. 

Know that the LORD is God. 

It is he who made us, and we are his; 

we are his people, 

the sheep of his pasture. 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving 

and his courts with praise; 

give thanks to him and praise his name. 

For the LORD is good 

and his love endures forever; 

his faithfulness continues 

through all generations.

Psalm 100

My Bible Study class has been looking at Leviticus for the past few weeks. We’ve read about God giving Moses the directions for building the tabernacle. He was very specific. Nobody went into the holy of holies on his own initiative — unless he had a death wish. 

Many aspects of the tabernacle pointed to Jesus Christ and the atonement He would bring upon His crucifixion. One of the very important benefits we have as believers is that we can now go into God’s presence at any time without fear. 

And if you think about it, as Christians we are constantly in God’s presence because His home is in our hearts. How cool is that? We can talk to Him 24/7 one-on-one and we’ll have His undivided attention. All because of Jesus. 

So. . .

Read the 100th Psalm once more with Jesus’ sacrifice in mind. It’s pretty awesome. 

Lord, we come before you with humble hearts as we reflect on our sinful condition. Thank you for our release from bondage through your precious son. We rejoice in your presence and praise Your Name. You are our Creator. You are God and we are your people. 

Sing to the Lord

Friday, November 24, 2014

Psalm 95:1-2

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;

let us shout aloud 

to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before him with thanksgiving

and extol him with music and song.

Mother used to love to hear her children sing. She loved the harmony. She loved the girls. And she loved to hear us sing about the Lord. 

How much more does God love to hear His children singing praises to Him. It is a sweet sound to His ears. 

This thanksgiving and every day, let us sing to the Lord. Let’s remember the unmovable foundation that is our salvation. Let us thank Him with all of our beings. 

Thanksgiving Day

Thursday, November 23, 2017

Give praise to the Lord, 

proclaim his name;

make known among the nations 

what he has done.

Sing to him, sing praise to him;

Tell of all his wonderful acts.

Glory in his holy name;

Let the hearts of those 

who seek the Lord rejoice.

Psalm 105:1-3

May your home be full of warmth and peace on this Thanksgiving Day. May God bless you richly. 

For the Beauty of the Earth

Wednesday, November 22, 2017

For the Beauty of the Earth

lyrics by Folliot S. Pierpoint

music by Conrad Kocher

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth,
Over and around us lies;
Christ our God, to Thee we raise
This our hymn of grateful praise.

This is another solid Thanksgiving Hymn I’ve sung for years. And the world around us is glorious, indeed, all because of our Creator. 

Don’t let another moment sneak by without stopping to admire the Master’s handiwork. And be glad for the senses we have to enjoy it with. He is so good to us. 

We Gather Together

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

According to Wikipedia:

"We Gather Together" is a Christian hymn of Dutch origin written in 1597 by Adrianus Valerius. . . . It was originally set to a Dutch folk tune. In the United States, it is popularly associated with Thanksgiving Day and is often sung at family meals and at religious services on that day.

This song takes me back to junior high for some reason. And I’ll always associate it with Thanksgiving. 

We gather together to ask the Lord's blessing;
He chastens and hastens His will to make known;
The wicked oppressing now cease from distressing;
Sing praises to His Name, He forgets not His own.

May this year be a time of reflection and praise for the Lord’s blessing. He loves us very much. 

Thanksgiving is Coming

Monday, November 20, 2017

Come Ye Thankful People Come 

(Henry Alford & George J. Elvey)

Come, ye thankful people, come,
raise the song of harvest home;
all is safely gathered in,
ere the winter storms begin.

God our Maker doth provide
for our wants to be supplied;
come to God’s own temple, come,
raise the song of harvest home.

I can imagine the Pilgrims singing this song. After a long, laborious summer, they worked together to bring in the harvest and tuck it away for the winter. They thanked the Lord for His provisions and sang praises to Him. 

This is Thanksgiving week. How has God provided for you and your family? What songs will you raise to Him?

Memory Verse 2017 -- Week 46

Sunday, November 19, 2017

From last week, we learned the first four components of the prayer for salvation:

1. Lord Jesus, I am a sinner, but I’m sorry for my sins. 
2. I want to turn from my sins; I am willing to begin a new life with Your help. 
3. Thank You for shedding Your blood on the cross so my sins could be forgiven. 
4. Lord Jesus, please forgive my sins and come into my heart and life right now. 

I’m not sure why we try to make salvation more complicated than this. God made it simple enough for children to grasp it yet adults struggle to make it harder. We try to make ourselves good enough first. Or we beat ourselves up over not being worthy of God’s gift. We’ve got to stop that nonsense. 

God does not intend for any to be lost but desires that all find eternal life through Him. It’s up to us to accept His gracious gift and to share what we’ve found with the world. 

(If you have any questions about these steps and how they apply to your life, feel free to comment on my blog, message me on Facebook, or call me.)

Spend the week focusing on these steps: 

• Write them in your journal. 
• Ask the Lord to show you how they apply to you. 
• Put them on a piece of paper and post it in a prominent place in your home so that you can see it often. 
• Pray that God will give you the opportunity this week to share these steps with someone. 

Don’t Just Sit There, Do Something

Saturday, November 18, 2017

This week we have looked at several terms that have to do with appreciation for others. 

• Gratitude
• Thanksgiving 
• Respect
• Chivalry
• Honor

As nouns, these words just sit on the couch doing nothing. But as verbs they require action. So what are we going to do to get them busy? 

First we have to recognize that God loves us. In spite of our shortcomings and inconsistencies, He longs to have a relationship with us. That’s why He made us. Seriously. And He loves us so much that He gave His beloved Son to die on the cross in our place so that we could have eternal life with Him. If you think about it, 

• God is grateful for us. 
• He is thankful for us. 
• He respects our right to make our own decisions — He doesn’t make them for us. 
• He is the ultimate gentleman toward us — not pushing Himself on us or demanding that He get His way. 
• And He reserves a place of honor for us when we join Him in heaven. 

The second thing we need to do is to look internally to find the blessings that God has placed there. 

• Be grateful for how God has taught us and has caused us to grow. Recognize these areas and express our gratitude to Him. 
• Be thankful for all the many blessings God has poured out on us. Thank Him specifically for each of them. 
• Respect ourselves as God’s special creations. Recognize our strengths and give God credit for giving them to us. 
• Cut ourselves some slack. That’s the advice we’ve probably given our friends on countless occasions. So we should do the same for ourselves. God did. 
• Stand up proudly in honor of whom God has made us to be. 

The rubber really meets the road with this last thing. Look all around at people and circumstances and hunt for ways to exercise these words of appreciation — to heap affirmation on people everywhere. 

I think we would be surprised at what would  happen if we would take these three steps. 

Honor

Friday, November 17, 2017

hon·or

ˈänər/

noun

1. 1. 

   high respect; esteem.

   "his portrait hangs in the place of honor"

   synonyms:

   distinction, recognition, privilege, glory, kudos, cachet, prestige, merit, credit; importance, illustriousness, notability;  respect, esteem, approbation "a mark of honor"
2. 2. 

   a privilege.

   "the great poet of whom it is my honor to speak tonight"

   synonyms:

   privilege, pleasure, pride, joy; compliment, favor, distinction "she had the honor of meeting the First Lady"

verb

1. 1. 

   regard with great respect.

   "Joyce has now learned to honor her father's memory."

   synonyms:

   esteem, respect, admire, defer to, look up to
2. 2. 

   fulfill (an obligation) or keep (an agreement).

   "make sure the franchisees honor the terms of the contract"

   synonyms:

   fulfill, observe, keep, obey, heed, follow, carry out, discharge, implement, execute, effect;  keep to, abide by, adhere to, comply with, conform to, be true to, live up to

Have you noticed recently that many families are ruled by the children? They dictate what they will eat and when. They go to bed when they feel like it — if at all. They talk badly to their parents and no one corrects them. 

I wonder when this trend started. And I wonder if it would be so prevalent if we still used the Ten Commandments as a guideline for living? 

Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.”
Deuteronomy‬ ‭5:16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Perhaps we should shift our focus toward this commandment. And while we’re at it, perhaps we should evaluate how we honor our Heavenly Father. Like gratitude, I’m pretty sure it’s hard to honor someone without action. I can say I honor Him. But unless my actions support that sentiment, they are only words. 

...Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained.
1 Samuel‬ ‭2:30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

How can we honor the Lord? 

How can we honor our parents? 

Let’s put our words into action. 

Chivalry

Thursday, November 16, 2017

chiv·al·ry

ˈSHivəlrē/

noun

1. the medieval knightly system with its religious, moral, and social code.

   • historical

     knights, noblemen, and horsemen collectively.

     "I fought against the cream of French chivalry."
   • the combination of qualities expected of an ideal knight, especially courage, honor, courtesy, justice, and a readiness to help the weak. 

     synonyms:

     knight errantry, courtly manners, knightliness, courtliness, nobility;  bravery, courage, boldness, valor, heroism, daring, intrepidity; "the values of chivalry”

So at what point did chivalry take on the meaning. “holding the door open for ladies and elders?” 

Is chivalry dead? 

I was interested in seeing what the “urban dictionary” had to say about chivalry. Here we go:

Chivalry: Something women complain is dead even though it cannot logically exist in an equal society, which is something women say they want.

Jessie lamented about the death of chivalry while she lambasted the days when men oppressed women (which was a time when chivalry was common). 

Interesting. 

I guess I equate chivalry with courtesy.  I happen to think that you can show courtesy to people without insulting them. In fact courtesy should be just the opposite of an insult. It should show honor and respect. 

So in our world of upside down political correctness. I’m probably missing some key underlying problem with chivalry. Oh well. Guess what, if I’m going into a business along side someone in a wheelchair or a person with a stroller. I’m gonna hold the door open for them. Or if I see somebody struggling with a heavy load of some sort, I’m going to extend a helping hand. Guess I’ll just have to be upside down. 

Respect

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

re·spect

rəˈspekt/

noun

1. 1. 

   a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements.

   "the director had a lot of respect for Douglas as an actor"

   synonyms:

   esteem, regard, high opinion, admiration, reverence, deference, honor

Whom do you respect the most and why?

• teacher
• pastor
• family member
• someone in the military 
• someone at work
• a government official
• a neighbor

There have been some pretty special people in my life whom I have respected wholeheartedly. My daddy was one of them. He was something else. He was smart. He was kind. He had such a dry wit. He made the most incredible things with his hands and did the most beautiful calligraphy. He loved my mother more than anything and took such good care of her. And his girls were the apples of his eye. He modeled for us what unconditional love was all about and helped us see a portrait of our Heavenly Father. He was unselfish and even-keeled. As I grew up I knew I wanted to marry somebody like my daddy. 

And I did. 

The most respectable person I have ever known is, in fact, my husband. He is passionate about his calling to the ministry. He loves to preach. He loves to visit people. He knows everybody’s name and is friends with everybody. He loves his children and always makes time for them. He is the most unselfish man I have ever known. He is honest. He is dependable. He is loyal. And He is foolishly in love with me! I think I’ll keep him. 

What’s sad is that most people can’t say these things about their parents or their spouses. 

So do people have respect for you? I read an article yesterday about respect by Kevin Daun which I thought was pretty practical. Here is the link to it and a brief summary of it. 

https://www.inc.com/kevin-daum/7-things-really-respected-people-do.html

Respected people do these things:

1. They under promise and over deliver. 
2. They are comfortable in their own skin. 
3. They never leave anyone behind and find ways to include everybody. 
4. They are problem solvers — not blaming others along the way. 
5. They love to learn and to teach others what they know. 
6. They acknowledge and encourage others. 
7. They love life and make things more enjoyable for others. 

Who came to mind as you read these items? 

Maybe you and I will be more like this when we grow up. 

Thanksgiving

Tuesday, November 14, 2017

thanks·giv·ing

ˌTHaNGksˈɡiviNG/

noun

1. 1. 

   the expression of gratitude, especially to God.

   "he offered prayers in thanksgiving for his safe arrival"
2. 2. 

   (in North America) an annual national holiday marked by religious observances and a traditional meal including turkey. The holiday commemorates a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621, and is held in the US on the fourth Thursday in November. A similar holiday is held in Canada, usually on the second Monday in October.

Thanksgiving is one way to express gratitude — to be thankful to God for His provisions. We do have a special time in the fall of the year in the United States when we celebrate this. But we can show thankfulness at any time. 

What are you thankful for and to whom do you need to express it?

• Do we thank our families enough for who they are?
• Do we show thankfulness to our co-workers for helping us with things?
• Do we say thank you to all the different people who show us small kindnesses every day?
• How do we treat those people who are supposed to be nice to us, like waitresses or people at a cash register or ministerial staff or healthcare workers? Should we thank them even though being nice or helpful is just an expectation of their jobs? 
• Do we recognize God’s blessings in our lives and do we specifically thank Him for them?

I don’t know. It seems like we are a people who just expect things to happen and don’t show a whole lot of thanksgiving in return. But we sure do fuss if things don’t go the way we plan. Immediate gratification. Selfishness. Entitlement. Call it what you want. We can sure be brats sometimes. 

But I think the same statement I used yesterday applies today. Thanksgiving isn’t thanksgiving unless you do something about it. 

So look at your life. Find the wonderful things in it. Thank God for His provisions and tell others what He has done. 

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭100:4-5‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Gratitude

Monday, November 13, 2017

grat·i·tude

ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/

noun

1. the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

   
   

By definition gratitude isn’t gratitude unless you do something about it. 

Gratitude involves an element of thankfulness paired with an appropriate action. 

For what can we show gratitude?

• The service of our Veterans
• The receipt of a gift
• The gift of life from our parents
• The gift of eternal life from our Lord

If you’re particularly thankful for something this week, why not turn it into gratitude by showing appreciation for it or returning and act of kindness for it. 

Bill and I are establishing a friendship with a World War II Veteran who lives at the Veterans nursing home in Wilmore. We enjoy hearing stories from his military days but we also like to talk baseball with him. He's a Giants fan! We have expressed our thanks to him for his military service, but our act of gratitude is actually spending time with him. He has no family. And we don’t want him to be so totally alone. It’s the least we can do for him. 

How do you show gratitude? Does your family know you are grateful for them? Do your co-workers know you appreciate them? Does God know you’re thankful for His blessings?