Author: admin

Tony and I visit Orr’s Farm Market on Saturdays. We especially love all the fresh produce, you know, apples, peaches, fresh veggies. But, just to be honest, that’s not at all why we go. They have a killer Reese’s Peanut Butter Cookie –that’s why we go, straight up! Over the course of a few years, we’ve become familiar with some of the folks who work there. We don’t know everyone’s name, but we know their faces, we stop and talk. It’s kind of like Facebook friends without the Facebook — Farm Market Friends, I guess. Certain of them we seek out for their advice on the best peaches for canning, the newest you-pick fruit, the timing of other produce, you know just general farmer’s market advice.

One Saturday a few weeks ago as we were next in line at the register the cashier was talking with the folks in front of us. I wasn’t paying too much attention to the conversation until I heard the word that caught my ear – Jesus. There is just something about that name…

I didn’t catch the whole of the conversation, but it was more than obvious that the cashier was witnessing to the customers about Jesus. That moved me in so many ways. Am I alone in my struggle to reach out to others about Jesus? You know, finding the right words, finding the right timing, trying not to be awkward? (Trying to control the witness?) The interesting thing is that there was another time we had overheard her as she walked by with a customer telling of her church’s belief in the healing power of prayer. What I noticed most about this believer was her sincerity. She was genuine. Her love for Christ beamed for all to see. It was the perfect example of how we are to spread the Gospel.

We were next in line and I so appreciated her lesson to me on evangelism and I so appreciate her love for Christ, that I wanted to say something to her, without sounding like the creepy eavesdropper, of course. I simply said to her I love your witness. Her perfectly serious-faced response floored me and over the past few weeks, there hasn’t been a day go by I haven’t thought of what she said. It’s almost haunting.

She said – I would be remiss if I did not. It struck me at the time, but it has struck me even more since then, kind of like a dagger.

I looked up the definition of remiss. You know it’s one of those words you know but you don’t know what it means? Or, you think you know what it means and it could mean something totally different? Or, you use it in a sentence and people look at you either because they don’t expect it to come out of your mouth or, because you have used it in the wrong context. Anyway…

Remiss means – negligent, careless. She said I would be remiss if I did not. I would be negligent. I would careless. Ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch, ouch! That definition from my Farm Market Friend’s statement, when I really think about it, breaks my heart. Jesus died on the cross for me. Jesus died so I could be free, no longer held captive to sin’s hold. Jesus died so that I could live eternally. Jesus died because He loves me so much. Jesus died with me on His mind. Jesus died with you on His mind.

In light of what He has done for me, she’s spot on right! I would be remiss if I did not, we would be remiss if we did not speak the name of Jesus to anyone and everyone we come into contact with. I seem to be able to prattle on about absolutely everything else, but the thing that is absolutely most important — the fact that I have a Savior who changed my life, who washed me clean, who made me new, who adopted me into the precious family of God. Even me! I would be remiss..

I’m praying that I never forget what He’s done for me, and going forward that I am not remiss. The words to this song play over and over in my mind, they’re an amazing reminder.

In a June blog I noted how our fields had just been planted with soybeans.  How the farmer had prepared the field to rid it of weeds but that the soybeans would grow where they were planted because of the right amount of water and sun.  Just like us, we grow where we’re planted, and with the right amount of Living Water and the Son (of which there is an endless supply), our landscapes can be changed from weeds to lush, nourishing, productive beans.

In another few weeks, it will be time to harvest the soybean crop.  The soybean plants have gone from growing among the weeds, to overtaking the weeds, to bush-like plants that are 18-24” tall, to bean-bearing plants.  It’s funny to look at them though because now the actual soybean bush is dying.  The leaves are  turning yellow, soon to be brown, forcing all the nourishment to the bean – technically the legume.

But, here’s another thing I recently noticed.  The deer.  They love them some soybean – leaves.  Isn’t that interesting?  They don’t eat the bean pods, they eat the leaves.  As you can see in the picture, they top them babies right off.  Some of the soybean bushes look like stems with beans hanging on them.   Almost like a Soybean Tree.  The deer are only eating (thankfully, in this case) what’s on the surface, what’s easy to get to, what’s right on top.  They’re missing out (thankfully) on the real bean.  They’re missing out (thankfully) on opening the pods and eating the plump, rich, nourishing beans.   Now I’m not sure why they don’t eat the bean pods (thankfully), but you and I know it is the best part of the plant.  Maybe years ago a deer ate one and said ew that’s gross don’t eat the beans and the deer thereafter did not (we humans are little like that)?  Who knows?  But, it could be because they were satisfied with what was on the surface, what was easy to get to, what was easy to access.  Maybe they were satisfied with just enough.   What does just enough look like for us?

Church only on holidays?  Maybe only on Sundays and a buck in the plate?  A Bible only open on Sundays?  Prayers only when we need something?  Prayers only when we want something?  Giving to those in need only when we have to or only when someone is looking?  Loving God only because of what He can do for me?  That’s leaf work.  Taking in the bare minimum from and for the One who bore it all?

Are we satisfied with just enough…The minimum amount…Only what we have to…when it comes to following Jesus?  Are we satisfied to just top off the leaves and not dig down into the bean?  Are we content to take in the minimum amount?

Growing in Christ involves eating the bean, and not just munching on the leaves.  The real nourishment is in the bean!  What is the bean – vegetable – legume?

The Word of the Lord!  The Word sustains us.  The Word nourishes us.  The Word causes us to grow.  The Word satisfies our hearts.  The Word gives us life – The Word makes us live!  Alive!  In His Word, Jesus said so:

Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; this bread is my flesh offered so the world may live.

John 6:51

In order to be nourished, we must take Him in.  The first step is acknowledging who He is.  But, it doesn’t stop there, that’s just the beginning.  That’s where it starts.  We must not be satisfied with just enough.  We must eat the bean.  He alone is our nourishment.  He alone is our sustainer.  He alone is our provider, our healer, the filler of the holes in our hearts, the balm in Gilead.   But it’s not magic, it’s science – taking in life giving sustenance, life giving nourishment is required for something to live, whether our bodies or our souls.  It is what is required to sustain us, it’s what is required to make us fully alive – alive in Christ!

When growing up and it came to report card days, my mother always used to say to me “if you would just apply yourself!”  I hated that phrase! It always irritated me and usually ended with us both huffing and puffing, but she was right.  I was always content to eat the leaves and not the bean, I was satisfied with what was on the surface, what was easy to get to, what was easy to access, what took the least amount of effort. I was always satisfied with just enough.  Every six weeks, it would end the same way (I’m a super slow learner!), mom was super mad, we’d have a row, some grounding and some tears were always involved. I knew she was right, but because of my immaturity (not that I’ve got so much more now), it felt like she was just being mean, like she didn’t love me – which was the exact opposite!!  She loved me so much she wanted more, better, the bean, for me!

Jesus came with a purpose.

My purpose is to give life in all its fullness.  John 10:10

He did not die on that cross for you and me to have just a little life, to only taste the leaves, which by the way eventually wither and fade.  He came so that we would have “fullness” of life.  He wants us to be complete, whole, totally one with Him.  He wants us to totally saturate ourselves in Him and His Word – not just to learn it, but to actually apply it to our lives – to live it – to be totally alive!  Jesus doesn’t want us to be satisfied with just enough.

I read something this morning that reminded me of Tanker 852, a post from 2018, and the path we’re traveling.

Holy Spirit chill my affections to the world, and warm them toward Jesus.

Scared to death.  That was me, and I don’t scare easy.  So here it is.  On a Wednesday in June Tony and I flew to Florida to move his mom back to West Virginia.  It’d been years since she lived in West Virginia and many of you, especially in January, may wonder why she moved back North.  Duh! Us!

She had rented a 15 foot U-Haul, and a transport trailer for her car.  Just FYI, a 15 foot U-Haul is actually 22 and a half feet long.  This sucker was 40+ feet long.  Just 10 small feet shy of a tractor trailer!  Anyway, it was big.  All in all, these things were the perfect size.

Tony and I left Florida Thursday afternoon.  We stopped overnight in Georgia, and on Friday we continued the journey home.  Home.  Isn’t that a great sound?  Anyway, we’re somewhere in North Carolina when Tony asked if I would mind driving for a half hour or so.  Urch!  Screech!  Ahhh!  Was he really asking me to drive this mama?  Did he know how long it was?  This was not a horse trailer.  Did he know we were traveling 95 on a Friday?  Breathe. The man just wanted to close his eyes for a few minutes.  Where was my servant heart?  I looked at him and said sure, I’d try.  He then asked the dreaded question – “Will you go the speed limit?”  And I said “Only if the car in front of me is going the speed limit because I’m not changing lanes!”  How hard could it be?  All I have to do is stay between the lines.

A few minutes later I ease slowly onto 95 North, right behind Tanker 852.  I’m praying incessantly, Oh Lord!  Oh Lord!  You know how you pray when you’re panicked and you just can’t find the words?  Trust me, the Holy Spirit was intervening on my behalf.  As we headed on up the road, I noticed that I had been holding my breath.  No wonder I was panicked, blood couldn’t get to my brain.  About this time I was wishing I had taken a deep breathing course somewhere along the line.  As I gripped the wheel, I noticed my hands were white and numbness and tingling were taking over.  I had such a grip on that steering wheel that my fingernails were digging into my palms.  Slap!  Snap out of it girl!  I needed to get a grip, or actually lessen my grip.

I had decided that if I stayed behind Tanker 852 and if I could keep my “load” between the lines, the very narrow lines, that everything would be okay.  Then it started to rain.  Right out of nowhere.  Cats and dogs man.  The panic again.  The rain stopped.  Just stay in the lines.  Then we came upon an entrance ramp.  Tanker 852 moves left.  The panic again.  I gulp and move left.  Just stay in the lines.  Then we go over a bridge.  The joints were not quite even, thus the “Uneven Pavement” sign.  The U-Haul bounced into the air.  My butt flew out of the seat – thank goodness I had that grip on the wheel – I screamed!  Tony jumped.  Breathe.

The farther I traveled, the more I started to relax.  In fact, I started singing that song – Tanker 852 was Pig Pen, I was Rubber Duck…We got a little convoy rockin’ through the night.  Yeah, we got a little convoy, ain’t she a beautiful sight!  Convoy…

Our faith journey is much the same, right?

You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate.

The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose the easy way.

But the gateway to life is small,

and the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.

Matthew 7:13-14

My journey is not unlike the journey of Christian in Pilgrim’s Progress.  I sought the way home.  Christian did too.  He sought “an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away, and it is laid up in heaven, and safe there, to be bestowed, at the time appointed, on them that diligently seek it.”  Evangelist directed Christian to the little wicket-gate – the narrow gate – the gateway to life!  Aren’t we all seeking that?

Trying to keep our lives on that narrow path to yonder wicket-gate is sometimes just as hard as trying to keep that U-Haul in between the lines.  Running off the road on the left or right can be treacherous.  A ditch.  Another vehicle.  A bad decision.  A harsh word.  A bad attitude.  A date with Mr. Worldly Wiseman near the City of Destruction.  We all know what pulls us off the narrow path and causes us to leave the lines, what causes us to crash.

But, God…don’t you love the but God’s?  But God, in designing the narrow path also gave us the means to travel the road to the wicket-gate.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105

The road is narrow but the path is well lit.  Well lit by the bright and morning star — the light of the world!  There is only one path and we’re told it is very narrow.  If we do not have to sometimes walk sideways on the road that we’re traveling, we may need to rethink our road.  If the road is crowded, we may need to rethink our road.  If there are no warning signs or dangers outside of the lines, we may need to rethink our road.

Because of God’s tender mercy,

The light from Heaven is about to break upon us,

To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

And to guide us to the path of peace.

Luke 1:78

Although we may not always understand the route of the narrow road, we can always be assured that the route will lead us to peace, to grace, to life everlasting, to Him – that’s faith!

I am the light of the world.  If you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. John 8:12

Tanker 852 reminded me that we’re all headed down a road.  We must heed the warning signs along the way and keep our eyes focused on the shining light in order to stay the course.

One thing I really like about holidays is that I get to do my thing a little longer since I don’t have to dash off to work.  After barn chores are done, I can return to my desk with the window cracked, listening to the world wake up and the sky to get bright.  The picture above is the view from my desk.  I look out onto the barn and keep tabs on my four-legged and two-legged friends.  And then it happened…da da da daaaa!!!!!!!

I hear a squawk. I didn’t pay too much attention, chickens do that.  But as I glanced up from my screen right in front of that red gate, a hawk had landed on Georgi Girl.  Chicken down!  Chicken down!  She was a squawking, gobs of feathers were a flying, and I’m screaming to Tony downstairs – Hawk!  Hawk!  Hawk!  I run down the stairs, Tony runs out the door, and the hawk flies off.  Georgi Girl is nowhere to be found.  I cried.  I didn’t want to see that.  Some things you just can’t unsee, like plumbers’ pants and a hawk on a chicken.  We searched and searched for the hawk and for Georgi Girl, not because I thought she’d be alive, but because I was determined that that hawk was not going to enjoy his spoils.   We found neither.

We trek out of the fields and back to the barn to count my chick-chicks.  I’ve got two black, two white, one red (may Susan rest in peace) and Ethel.  I counted four.  I went into the barn and back in the corner behind the wheelbarrow I could hear a peep-peep.  One more found.  Now I have all five.  And just at that moment, I see another movement behind the wheelbarrow.  It’s Georgi Girl!!!!!  I cried.  With a little food, I coaxed her out.  Miraculously, she was not injured.  She had only a huge bald spot on her back.   When he swooped in to get her, he got all feathers! 

The whole thing happened so fast.  Chickens are smart, they know how to protect themselves and she was only out in the open for a second.  But that’s all it took.  One second of letting her guard down and the predator had swooped in.  Georgi Girl and Black Girl hid out in the barn all day.  The other four hid out under a tree in the backyard all day.  They all sought shelter, a safe place to reside until the drama and likely trauma subsided.

The whole time we’re searching for Georgi Girl, all I could think about is that it happened so fast.  She let her guard down for just one minute!  But, doesn’t the Bible warn us of the same thing?  Don’t be caught unawares?  I don’t know about you, but with the speed of life, sometimes my confused priorities (more oft than not), and the more likely, my abject complacency, I could easily be caught unaware.  I can be just like Georgi Girl who had gotten a little comfortable out in the open and let her guard down.  She got a little careless.  But Jesus tells us to be ready.

“Watch out! Don’t let your hearts be dulled by carousing and drunkenness, and by the worries of this life. Don’t let that day catch you unaware, like a trap. For that day will come upon everyone living on the earth. Keep alert at all times. And pray that you might be strong enough to escape these coming horrors and stand before the Son of Man.” Luke 21:34-36

Here, He’s warning us straight up.  Watch out!  Be on guard!  Don’t get mired in this life!  Don’t get caught in the trap!  Be alert – the world needs more lerts!  Make yourself strong!  Be prepared!  For what?  For His return!!

There will be signs in the sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among the nations, bewildered by the roaring of the sea and the surging of the waves. Men will faint from fear and anxiety over what is coming upon the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Luke 21:25-27

Jesus told His disciples, be on guard, look out, don’t be dulled by drink, don’t be foolish, look for the signs, I’m coming back!  Do we do that?  I mean spiritually.  Are we eating meat or still drinking milk?  Are we growing and maturing in the Spirit?  Are we preparing for His return, for His restoration, or are we too dulled by this life on earth?  Are we faithfully working to tell others of His return, redemption and restoration?  Are we ourselves ready for His return, His redemption and His restoration?  His return is a scary thought for some folks.  We prefer not to think about it.  Maybe because we doubt His word and that scares us?  Maybe because we don’t doubt His word and that scares us? We must come face-to-face with the Father now, before his return, in order to be redeemed and restored when He returns.  We mustn’t be caught unaware.  But, look at the promise He gives!

“So when these things begin to happen, stand straight and look up, for your salvation is near!” Luke 21:28

Don’t be afraid of His return, be prepared!  Stand straight and look up – be on the lookout for Him, don’t be complacent, don’t be caught unaware.  Jesus spoke these words 2,000 years ago and we have been awaiting His return ever since.  We know not when.  My lifetime, your lifetime, who knows?  God.  But, as we wait for His return, we must live like redeemed, restored and rescued people, because we are.

I want to be ready when Jesus comes
I want to be ready when Jesus comes
One day the Lord’s gonna crack the sky
And the dead in Christ shall rise;
I want to be ready when Jesus comes

No man knows the day or the hour
When the Lord will surely come
That’s why you need to get your house in order
Don’t let Him catch you with your work undone;
You’ve got to get ready, oh yes, when Jesus comes

Dottie Peoples

Motion sickness – ugh!  Anyone else ever experience motion sickness? 

In a car?   On a roller coaster?  Spinning in circles?  Scrolling a computer screen? 

You peak a hill and the car seems to float down over the other side. Airborne.  Your stomach ends up in your throat.  The roller coaster climbs foot by foot, reaches its peak, then swiftly descends the tracks.  Your stomach ends up in your throat.  Your eyes focus on a computer screen.   Spin, spin, spin to the bottom of the page, lines and words fly by.  Your stomach ends up in your throat.  Do you notice the down?

We are up, then down.  We climb to the top, then down.  We start at the top, then down.  The ill feelings or sickness always seem to start in the down?  While porching today I’ve been thinking about how I allow myself to be pulled away from His Presence.  How I allow myself to be pulled down – down to the valley.  Sometimes it’s a slow descent.  Sometimes I’m flying down the road of life and it’s a sudden, seemingly unstoppable descent.  When I am Living in His Presence, I envision God on His Holy Mountain.  When I am on the down, I fail to stay in His Presence and I walk the lonesome valley.    Sometimes I can brake on the down – sometimes my brakes fail me.  I feel sick.

Here’s the thing – if I didn’t experience the up I wouldn’t know there’s a down and if I didn’t experience the down, I wouldn’t yearn for the up.  We are allowed the down so we can see the up.  We are allowed to experience life distant from God to fully appreciate how desperately we need Him for this life.

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.  My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved; he that keepeth thee will not slumber.        Psalm 121:1-3

The Word tells us exactly how to deal with the down.  The valleys.  The  discontent.  The time.  The money.  The relationships.  The job.  The illnesses.  The rush and hurry.  The worry.  The world.  It seems so simple.  Not so much.  The Psalmist tells us to lift our eyes unto the hills where our help comes from.  Where our up comes from. Eyes are made to see.  To reveal.  To experience the Presence.  Lifting our scaleless eyes to Him.  To Him, who is able to do more than we can think or imagine.  To Him, the One who is able to heal us of all our illnesses, our downs, if we simply touch His robe.   Turn your eyes upon the One who does not sleep but draws us back to the ascent – back to the mountain of the Lord – back to His Presence – Jehovah Jireh.

My Worst/Best is messed up.  Her schedule that is.  Instead of wanting to go outside at 5:45 am for our morning stroll, the last couple of days she’s wanted to go out at 5:00 am!  I love to walk in the first hint of morning light, however, at 5:00 am it is pitch black.  Without the light to help us see what we need to avoid in the dark, that’s a dangerous time to walk in our neck of the words especially since I’ve recently smelled a skunk on our path.  P-U!

What I noticed in the pitch black today was the lights.  In the darkness the lights shone.  Some lights super bold, some lights were mellow, some white, some yellow, some were distant, some were welcoming, some were barely perceptible.  Then I took a look at the sky.  Millions and millions of lights shining in the universe.    The light of hope against the backdrop of despair.

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”  John 8:12

What a promise.  Following Jesus takes us out of the darkness and into the light.  The light of eternity.

Just as Jesus is the Light of the World, we believers are called to be the same.

You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.  Matthew 5:14-16

Sometimes our light will be bold and bright, sometimes our lights will be white and pure, sometimes glimmers in the distance, or shining brightly for all to see.  The fact of the matter is that any light in the darkness will shine.  The brighter the light shines though, the less darkness there will be.

Shining sometimes seems a daunting task in our world today.  We shine, we flicker, we fail to fan the flames, we’re snuffed, we’re coals.  Jesus understands that.  But we need to remember that no matter what happened to Jesus, no matter the adversity, the trials, the persecution, the hatred, the physical pain and suffering, the heart pain and suffering, no matter…Darkness can never overcome the Light, the Light always overcomes the darkness.

We must persevere in our shining.  Jesus did no less.

Those who are wise will shine as bright as the sky, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever.   Daniel 12:3

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!
This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

Everywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine!

All around the neighborhood, I’m gonna let it shine!

All around my place of work, I’m gonna let it shine!

Walking through the grocery store, I’m gonna let it shine!

Won’t let Satan snuff it out, I’m gonna let it shine!

Let it shine!  Let it shine!  Let it shine!

I was flipping through a notebook and was reminded…

Speaking to the Lord is sometimes hard, isn’t it?  Well, it’s not actually hard, we make it hard, maybe.  Oh sure, it’s easy to speak to the Lord when we’re in need, when we want something, kind of like the Wish Doll from the gumball machine, right?  But I don’t think we (specifically I) truly understand the enormity of prayer.  Oh sure I pray, but am I effectively communicating with God?   The enormity of the Lord is indescribable, uncontainable, we cannot take Him lightly.

At the beginning of 2021, yes 2021, I committed to unpackaging a little bit further my relationship with God.  You know, take those steps to remove the bow, open the box, delve inside a little deeper, pick up the gift and put it to use.  I got this notebook and I started writing down questions that came to me as I read.  I wanted to poke myself with questions that would make me think – not just surface work and a bless your heart, but questions that would cause me to grow in Him and that could only be answered by cozying up to Him.  You know, questions that would actually change me  (geez, what a slow process).  So, I started writing down these probing questions and then I started writing down prayers.  The questions and prayers may have been prompted by a verse I read or something I saw.

I’ve never written down prayers before I just always prayed off the cuff.  Sometimes rambling, over wordy (ahem), distracted, empty (admittedly) prayers, other times meaningful, growing, connecting, Spirit among us prayers.  Writing down prayers can be profound.  There’s something about seeing the words on paper that make you look at them differently, they somehow have a different impact.   

I worked on this project until about April 2021 and I could use a reset, so here we are.  From January to April my focus changed, it evolved, ever so slowly, not because of Him, but because of me.  After a time, the Lord brought other things to my mind and I was able to pour those out to Him.  Eventually those prayers evolved into prayers for the ones I love that don’t know Him.  We all know folks who don’t know Jesus.  Scripture and prayer can change the world, but not if we don’t use it.  I pray you are encouraged to dig deeper, write the Word out, write your Prayer out.

January 1, 2021

Do I have a teachable spirit?  Am I eager to be changed?  Do I cling to my old ways forsaking His newness in me?  Do I have an open mind?  Am I willing for my mind to be renewed?

-So many probing questions when just one would take a lifetime to answer.

Thank you Lord for bringing these questions to mind!  Thank you Lord for guiding my journey!  Thank you Lord for your transformative power!  Thank you Lord for having a steady infinite attention span!  Thank you for so completely understanding me – I don’t even understand myself, but I will trust in the plans you have for me.

Thank you Lord for the questions and the answers.  Teach me!  Change me!  Open my Mind! Amen.

 O Lord, you have examined my heart

And know everything about me.

Psalm 139:1

Daddy and I went to eat last week at a popular breakfast spot on north end.  As we’re waiting for our order, I noticed these gumball machines.  Now, what kid doesn’t like gumball machines?  These gumball machines are always filled with kid goodies and always strategically placed right at their eye level.  No matter where you see them, when a child walks by, they’re leaning into them.

One gumball machine specifically caught my eye.  Top right – Wish Dolls.  How enticing.  Who doesn’t want a Wish Doll?  Now I’m not exactly sure what a Wish Doll is, but I would expect it to be exactly what it says, a Wish Doll.  They appear to be some type of spun fabric or yarn figures each a different color, each dressed differently.  As the ad says – Collect Them All.  Now I’m thinking, if it is such a powerful doll, and it can grant my wish, why do I need more than one?  Maybe each doll only has one wish.  I don’t know. I mean who wouldn’t buy seven wishes for $5.25?

Breakfast came and we ate, but I couldn’t stop thinking about these Wish Dolls.  Obvious you say – who takes a snap of gumball machines. Later, as I looked at the picture of the bank of machines, their appeal dawned on me.  If you put in your coin, you get what you want.  Look at all the promises made for just a few coins.  I can get what I want if I give up just a little.

Silver N Gold – look at those treats – bling dollar signs, a bling motorcycle, a bling peace sign, a bling crown, a bling dog bone and something else that I just can’t tell what it is, but it’s bling so who wouldn’t want it?  I’m not sure who could pass this up for .75.  Put your money in and you are shiny, bright, and people will notice – even your dog.

Then we have the Pokemon machine.  Now this is a little better deal.  For .50 you can get trading cards and a Sugar Skull Tattoo with a rose or a cross on its forehead.  What do you say to that gem?

The bottom row has the very best deals of the day.  At .25 you can get Seedlings.  Fruit shaped bubble gum with candy seeds at only 35 calories a fruit!  Milk N’ Cookies Fun-Erasers!  You can erase your mistakes with 0 calories.  Acrylic Rings and just plain ole Bubble Gum.

Harmless, right?  Hmmm.  Deceptive, right?  Hmmm.  Give a little bit of what you have away and you will receive a small something that is well…junk.  The gumballs have lost their flavor before you’ve gotten to the car, the tattoo has only half stuck to your arm, the bling has turned your neck black, the eraser has gummed up and cannot get rid of your life mistakes, and none of your wishes have come true despite having all seven chances.

The world’s concept is you put in your money, you can get what you want.  This is just not true.  You put your money in and you get nothing lasting in return.  It’s deceptive.  The evil one is the master of deceit.  The Apostle Paul cautioned us more than once about being deceived.

I am telling you this so no one will deceive you with well-crafted arguments. Colossians 2:4

As adults we look at those treats and we can see their lack of value (but that doesn’t stop us).  We look at those treats and say we’re not going to waste our money on that (but we do).  We try to encourage our children and teach them that the promises that are made on the front of those gumball machines are either impossible (Wish Dolls) or short-lived (Bubble Gum).  We try to teach our children to ignore the eye-candy.  But, sometimes we adults are easily lured into the promises of the world too, aren’t we?  Sometimes we adults are too easily deceived.   

See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ. Colossians 2:8

This world we live in is incredibly powerful.  More powerful than we are to resist.  But not more powerful than the Lord to overcome. Hallelujah! If we are connected to the Lord, our choices become easier.  If we are connected to the Lord, we can resist the deception, with His help.  But, if we are not connected to Him, there is absolutely no way we will resist diving in to the world because we were all made to seek something.  For believers we know that that something is the Lord.  For those of the world, they’re still putting their coins in trying to be filled, trying to get the prize, too often being deceived.  The gumball machine says quarters only.  The Lord says why spend your time and money on things that will not save you? Come.

“Is anyone thirsty?

Come and drink—

even if you have no money!

Come, take your choice of wine or milk—

it’s all free!

Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?

Why pay for food that does you no good?

Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.

You will enjoy the finest food.

Isaiah 55:1-3

Don’t fall for the kid goodies, the candy at eye-level. Lift your head.

How did Noah get those animals in the boat?  That’s what I want to know.

They came into the boat in pairs, male and female, just as God had commanded.

Genesis 7:9

Two by two they came into the boat, male and female, just as God had commanded.

Then the Lord shut them in.  Genesis 7:15

When I read these verses the other day my first thought was — Why is this stated twice?  My second thought was — How?  My next thought – How long did it take?  I think of my animal loading experiences and can just imagine what Noah and his boys went through to load the boat.  Moses made it sound like the animals just sauntered up the ramp, smiling all the way:  “…they came into the boat…”  It’s not only quite possible, it’s probable that they did.  None of my loading experiences have ever been like that.  Yours?

In running around to horse shows when Livi was younger, we had our share of animal loading.  Some easy, most not.  In the horse world, one of the most dangerous things to do is to load and unload a horse from a trailer.  If an animal does not want to load, you cannot make it load.  You can lead a horse to water but can’t make them drink kind of thing.  We had this horse named Logan.  There were times she walked right up the trailer ramp right into place.  There were other times when two grown men pushing on her butt could not make her walk up that ramp and into the trailer.  When she planted her feet you knew that that 900 pound animal wasn’t going to budge unless she wanted to.  Frustrating.

Then there was the time we were headed home from the Youth Fair and our horse Reese would not get on our trailer.  He would walk to the ramp, look at Livi like I told you I’m not getting on that thing, and then duck right off the edge – dangerous.  Three hours later, no lie, we finally got him to load, on another trailer.  Kind folks dropped our horse at our house and we dropped their horse at their house.  Frustrating.

Then there was the time that we had to load our rooster Edward into a carrier to return him to the breeder.  Remember, no boys allowed.  Trying to wrangle him into that crate without hurting him or hurting us was, well, like herding – a rooster.  Frustrating.

There was also the time years ago I remember trying to get my cat Noel in the car to go to the vet.  That one drew blood – on me, not her.  Frustrating.

Have you ever seen kids at the Youth Fair trying to load a pig?  I think that’s where the term pig-headed came from.  Frustrating.

Think of your animal loading experiences and then think about Noah and the boys.  There were only eight of them in total – four men, four women.  I picture the men handling the animals and the women setting up housekeeping in the ark.   It is estimated that there were 45,000 animals on that boat.  Ponder that.  I started thinking about the how.  How did they round up all those animals?  Did they gather as they went and put them in corrals until the boat was complete?  Did they make a list of animals and then check them off as they entered?  Maybe an Excel spreadsheet?  Yes!  How about a layout so that every animal got into the right stall?  Were the insects put in a jar – with holes of course?  What about the birds – cages perhaps?  Maybe each was tagged and scanned as they entered?  Did you see that rabbit hole coming?

Anywho.  It sounds so simple doesn’t it?  Round up 45,000 animals, get your kids and get on the boat.  This was an incredibly huge feat.  But God, don’t you love those words, was in control.  Noah was a righteous man.  He was an obedient man.  God told Noah to build an ark, and he did.  I feel fairly confident that Noah did not stress over the details like I did with the “How’s”, and it wasn’t even my project.

Do we get bogged down in the details and forget about the Big Picture?  What was the big picture here?

The big picture.  Many years after Adam, God found the world to be so wicked that He was going to destroy it.  There was only one righteous man – Noah.  So, God gave the Earth a do-over.  Wipe it out, start all over.

God told Noah to build a boat – a really big boat.  Picture this, one and a half football fields by one football field and four stories high.  A really big boat.  So, Noah built a really big boat.

Can you just imagine the enormity of this task?  Can you imagine the details that needed to be attended to?  Right down to who loads first. 

But God – love those words – was in the details.  How do we know that?  He gave Noah the boat dimensions, because He knew how big it needed to be.  Noah didn’t know how big it needed to be.  He didn’t know how much it needed to hold.  If Noah had been worried about the “how’s,” he wouldn’t have been able to focus on his God given task of building the boat.  If he’d been hand wringing about how will they load, what order will they go in, how will I feed them, etc., he wouldn’t have been able to boat build.  He would simply have been worrying about things he couldn’t do anything about, he couldn’t control.

God’s words are written to encourage and teach us.  Noah teaches us that if we focus on what God tells us to do – build a boat – He will handle the rest – He will take care of the details – He will control what we can’t.  We have to trust that.

So, what do we focus on?  Do we focus on details, the how’s?  Sometimes, He tells us to.  Do we focus on things we can’t control?  Sometimes, even though we’re not supposed to.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord.  “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”  Jeremiah 29:11

Noah was a righteous man.  God’s plan was to save the earth through Noah.  How?  Build a boat, get the family and animals on it, and get out of there.  God took care of the details.  Noah just had to obey.

So, what’s God’s plan for us?  Build a boat (a relationship with God), get the family and animals (get our houses in order) on it, and get out of there (lead others to Christ – go and tell everyone you meet!).  God will take care of the details.  We just need to do what He tells us.  Be obedient.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this:  I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Matthew 28:19-20

Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.  Whoever believes and will be baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Mark 16:15

It’s so easy to get bogged down in the details.  The details of life, the details of church.  The only detail we truly need to be concerned with is God.  We don’t need to worry about how we’re to get others on the boat, we are to take them to the boat and let God do the loading.

For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until Christ returns.  May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation – those good things that are produced in your life by Jesus Christ – for this will bring much glory and praise to God.  Philippians 1:10-11

I was going to bow out of my blog today. I’ve been a little under the weather. I’m fine. It’s just that the thing we have all been trying to avoid for the past two and a half years finally caught up with me. Part of it was being in the wrong place at the wrong time — where ever and whenever that might have been, but upon reflection, I think part of it may have been lack of self care on my part.

Has that ever happened to you? Something happened as a result of what you did or did not do? I think this probably happens to us a million times a day but most times the consequences are inconsequential.

I’ve had plenty of time to reflect while on my back, or at least plenty of time for me, a whole three days. Those who know me know that if I’m down for three minutes I’m a spaz case, so you can just imagine my reflections…

One conclusion I’ve come to is that some things in life you just can’t control — like this illness. There’s no rhyme nor reason to it. But another conclusion I have drawn is that sometimes we do have control over some things in our life, we simply choose not to take control. For instance, how we take care of ourselves. You know, our bodies, our minds and most importantly, our Spirits.

I’m grateful for laying on my back, which hurts from laying on my back — you get that don’t you? You’re weird, you say. Laying on my back has given me time to assess life, mine specifically. It’s given me perspective on what is really important. I think we probably all do that self assessment when things aren’t going well and we’re looking for hope on the other side. You know — when I get off this couch, i’m gonna…work less, be less stressed, get my head straightened out, eat heathier, exercise more, take better care of myself, my family, clean my house more (well, maybe not that one). The list goes on and on though, right?

And truth be told, those are exactly the things I should be doing and will be doing, at least for the foreseeable future, before the world speed creeps in again and i’m back on the merry-go-round gripping the mane with legs flying behind until I land on the couch once more.

So, the point to all my brain fog ramblings is this — control what you can control. God has made us sensible, rational people – body, mind and Spirit. True, we can’t always control our bodies. I’m told only the aliens have control of our DNA (wink, wink). But we can control how we treat them. What’s going into the temple? Is the temple being strengthened?

What about our minds — the thing He gave us to think with, to reason with, to make sound judgments with? True, we can’t always control our minds either, but we can control a lot more than we think. What goes into our minds forms our reasoning and our judgments. Garbage in — garbage out.

What about our Spirits — here’s the one thing we have absolute control over. Not to sound like a New Ager or anything, but we do have complete control of our destinies. We have two choices — we get to pick. Maybe not necessarily how we arrive, but we absolutely have control of where we end up.

But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control.
Philippians 3:20-21

Body, mind and Spirit. Control what you can control.