Author: admin

So, we know that great feasting day will soon be upon us, literally, our bellies and our hips. Our eyes are focused ahead on that day. We travel around it, we plan around, we cook around, we talk about it, we are zeroed in on that day, it’s a benchmark — Thanksgiving. But, do we actually celebrate the Reason for the Season? What is the reason? Thankfulness.

I’m trying to think a little more instead of just the day, the season. That’s right, there’s more than one season this time of year, despite Thanksgiving items being 75% off before Halloween. The stores completely skip from one receiving “holiday” Halloween, to the next, Christmas. Maybe that’s why we spend so little time in Thanksgiving, in being grateful, because we don’t have (take) the time, we skip the season (month), the world has pushed us forward, and we(I) have obeyed. We plan for December without living in November.

I’m trying to live in November this year. Trying to live out Thanksgiving as more than just one single day, which now we don’t even set aside — Black Friday shopping starts Thanksgiving Day evening.

But, just for a minute, let’s think about what the world would look like if we actually landed squarely in November, Thanksgiving, the “giving” holiday without skipping from one “receiving” holiday to the next. With the world noise around us, how do we do that?

How do we celebrate Thanksgiving? By living Thanksgiving, or Thanksliving? The answer seems almost too easy doesn’t it? Be thankful — not just, yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m thankful, but sincere, reflective, real Thanksgiving. Training our brains to consciously think thankful — yes, it can be done. We should be thankful for everything from chocolate to challenges. How about we pause, take a breath, step out of the chaos in our minds and our lives, for brief periods and allow Thanksgiving to wash over us. Allowing ourselves to celebrate Thanksgiving every single day is refreshing and required.

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. Colossians 4:2

What would our world look like if each of us lived Thanksgiving everyday? We cannot change the attitude of the world, but we can have a major impact on our own little corners and our little corners have little corners. Think of how we can impact the folks around us by planning, practicing, and living Thanksgiving, Thanksliving, every day?

We did some traveling last week in West Virginia to spots I call “God’s Country,” isn’t it all?  I have not traveled far and wide, but to the places I have traveled, West Virginia truly has some of the most beautiful spots on earth. To me, it is God’s Country.

We visited Blackwater Canyon, taking in the scenes from every angle and the absolute beauty of that creation is difficult to put into words.  Some spots were so magnificent and touching that I wanted to cry — just thinking of the unspeakable beauty created by our Creator!  The scenes have stuck with me, mainly because I took lots of pics and I pull up those peace shots often, but also because they gave me perspective, centered me.  In a world that is littered with hurt, anger, violence, busyness, hostility, chaos, aggression, and uncontrolled actions, there is glory. That’s what we have to keep in mind.

It’s funny, as I had all these thoughts swirling in my mind like the fall leaves, I thought back to a post from 2018, Glorious Day, and it gave me some perspective. We often talk about how the Bible is just full of reminders, not by chance, but because we need them! I guess I need this reminder often, because after I pulled the 2018 post out of my archive folder, I see that I also republished it in 2020 and 2021. Clearly, the message is — Beth, remember my glory!

Majesty, worship His Majesty.
Unto Jesus be all glory, honor and praise!
Majesty, Kingdom Authority,
Flow from His throne, unto His own
His anthem raise!

So exalt, lift up on high the Name of Jesus!
Magnify, come glorify, Christ Jesus the King.
Majesty, worship His Majesty;
Jesus who died, now glorified, King of all kings!

GLORIOUS DAY – 2018, 2020, 2021, and now 2022

I’m out walking in the dawn’s early light.  Sun peeping.  Silent.  Cool.  Refreshing.  Observing the work of the Master Artist puts a little spring in my step, a lilt in my tilt, a be in my bop.  I walk with the worst-best dog ever, feeling whole.  The sense that all is right with the world is palpable.  I offer praises to my Maker for the glory of the moment.  I smile.  It’s simply a glorious day!

When I start thinking about my day, reality sets in.  The song stops.  The birds stop singing.  The storm clouds roll in.  The mind reels.  I think of the busyness of the day ahead.  I think of the diagnosis of a friend.  I think of the relationship hurts of another.  I think of the addictions of another.  I think of the loss of a loved one of another.  I think…I think…I think…  As I think, I pray.  As I pray, I look beyond to the scape that only minutes ago made me feel on top of the world.  Have you ever experienced that? Mountain to valley in a minute? Rising to submerged in a second?  Underwhelmed to overwhelmed in a heartbeat?  I wonder to myself, how did I get from glorious to downright gloomy in a millisecond?  I simply lost my mind – no kidding, I completely lost perspective and perspective comes from the mind.

I look out across the field and the landscape has totally changed.  So, I continue to walk, my prayers changing from praise to pleading.  Then I hear this still small voice (now you really think I’ve lost my mind) say “Nothing that happens today will change the fact that today is a glorious day.”  I understand.  In my lost mind I go to all the buts and His voice responds.  But…it’s still a glorious day.  But…it doesn’t change that this is a glorious day.  But…it will still be a glorious day.  Over and over again.  No matter what happens today…it doesn’t change the fact that today is a glorious day.

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.  Now glory be to God our Father forever and ever.  Amen.  Philippians 4:19-20

Glorious – full of glory – adoring praise or worshipful thanksgiving – absolute gratification.

Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

In every thing give thanks:  for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Sun going down, I was again walking the worst-best dog in the same spot as this morning.  I look across the fields and at the sky.  I observe again the work of the Master artist.  The clouds show the Earth’s rotation.  Thinking back on the things of the day, even the things that made me briefly lose my mind, the hard things, the scary things, I can thank Him for showing me that “It was simply a glorious day.”  Thank you, Lord.

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

Albert Einstein

Do you ever have those days you just want to get back? You know, you want a do-over. Maybe it was a chaotic day, maybe things didn’t go the way you planned, or should have gone. No matter, that’s just how life goes. It’s just not reasonable to expect roses and sunshine all the time.

But, there are days that I wish I could do-over, not because of the happenings of the day, but because of how I handled those happenings. That’s what I’d like to do-over. You know, the whole attitude and mindset of a crazy day not handled well. You know, anger, frustration, loose lips, the evil eye all the result of a crazy day. Actually, those are not the result of my crazy day, but more like my poor handling — an attitude out of check. Ugh! It’s not what happens in a day, it’s my response to those things that happen. Ugh!

There’s a hymn called Be With Me Lord we heard of a couple of weeks ago at Church. It goes like this:

Be with me Lord, I cannot live without thee;

I dare not try to take one step alone.

I cannot bear the loads of life unaided;

I need Thy strength to lean myself upon.

This would definitely help with the handling of the chaos of life, wouldn’t it? I’ve been trying to memorize this song and it occurred to me this morning that that’s all well and good, but it does me no good to memorize it, if I do not learn from it, call on it, lean into it, and submit to the Spirit. You see, my handling of many things yesterday, and countless other days, would have been different had I really believed those words, called on those words, and lived those words. I could have saved myself a full 14 hours of anger, frustration, self-pity, whining, sugar-eating, temper tantrum-like behavior. In fact, a lot of times I could save myself from the pattern of poor handling, day after day, if I would just go to the Source.

Einstein was right — It’s crazy to think that doing the same thing over and over is going to glean a different result. Handling our days in the exact same way, with the exact same attitude, expecting them to be different. ..Always leaning on self. Rarely leaning on God.

Think what our day may look like (or our evenings after a long day at work) if we (I) didn’t mishandle the happenings of the day. Think about how things could be different in our days if we would live Be With Me Lord. Our aim everyday should be to cling to Christ, not be self-sufficient. We can’t live without Him – not one step alone – we can’t bear the burdens – without His strength. If that’s not what we’re doing maybe we need to look at our prevailing attitude and thoughts — maybe it’s time for a change.

While sitting at my desk this morning a million thoughts are running through my mind, all at the same time. Does that happen to you? You know, the thought super-super-highway? I keep trying to revert my thoughts back to what I’m doing — studying the Word — and things are creeping in, my workday, my to-do list, my after work list, etc., and I’m just fighting for focus. It truly is a battle sometimes. So, I start looking for re-enforcements, those things that will calm my mind so I can concentrate on one task at a time (which is super difficult for a life-time ADHDer) and slowly but surely, as I pick just one thing and read and re-read, the Spirit calms my mind and helps me to focus. That’s where He speaks to me, but mostly that’s where I can hear — in the calm.

As I’m reading through many different things to get to the calm, I came across the following post from 2020 entitled Focus. The funny thing about it is I also came across a completely different post I’d written in 2018 also entitled Focus. Obviously, this is not a new thing for me, looks like about every two years or so I admit the struggle. As I read through that 2020 post, it reminded me of how often I am completely focused on the wrong things — maybe that’s why I struggle?

FOCUS

A funny thing happened the other day at the office…we were tasked with a particular assignment officewide for which we all needed multiple reminders.  This was a particularly important task that needed everyone’s cooperation.  Throughout those reminders we were urged to “focus.”  In response to the last gentle reminder of the task came the following:

I’m sorry.  I lost focus.

I smiled at the apology but I belly-laughed at the explanation.  The more I read that simple statement:  I lost focus, the more I read that explanation, the more convicted I felt – I stopped laughing.  You know that nagging feeling about something in particular that makes you think.  The kind of nagging that makes you know the Lord is speaking to you – that was happening to me right here.  As a Believer, a Follower of Christ, I am tasked to live out my beliefs.   The Lord gives many, many gentle (and not so gentle) reminders to me to focus.  I find myself daily having to say:

I’m sorry.  I lost focus.

Oh, good, I’m glad I’m not alone…  It should be so easy to follow Peter’s directive:  Be alert and think straight… but we just don’t consistently operate like that in this crazy world with the millions of distractions, do we?

The other morning I was getting ready for work.  I kind of have a process for getting ready – wash my hair, wash my face, brush my teeth, put lotion on my face, stick some product in my hair and I’m ready to roll.  I’m doing my thing, thinking about my day and what lies before me, and I notice that something is really wrong with my face – it’s super chapped and when I try to smile, where I can get my face to move, it feels like it’s cracking.  Ahhhh!!!  What in the world is going on – this is not  part of my daily routine.  Then it dawns on me – I had just moisturized my face with hair gel – yes, ooey, gooey hair gel!  Ugh!  I was gettin’ it with my daily routine and I LOST FOCUS!!!   I was supposed to be focused on getting my hair gel in my hair, but I was focusing on the day ahead instead, the wrong thing at the wrong time!   How in the world can that happen?  Duh!  Beth lost focus. 

I note both of these focus lessons occurred within a couple of days of each other.  His gentle reminders… Beth, don’t lose focus.  He says the same to you.  So, exactly what should we be focusing on, there’s a ton of stuff happening out there, right?

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.  Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.  For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.  Colossians 3:1-3

Right there it is.  It could not be spelled out more clearly for us.  Ok, but if we have to live here for now, what does it look like, how do we do that?  We focus in on the eternal not the temporary, looking at everything we do and everything we are with Heaven’s eyes, with Heaven’s priorities in mind.  We look at our lives here, in the temporary, with God’s perspective, eternity.

Guard your heart above all else,

for it determines the course of your life.

Avoid all perverse talk;

stay away from corrupt speech.

Look straight ahead,

and fix your eyes on what lies before you.

Mark out a straight path for your feet;

stay on the safe path.

Don’t get sidetracked;

keep your feet from following evil.  Proverbs 4:23-27

We guard our hearts, watch our mouths, look straight ahead, follow the narrow road, and focus, lest we fall into sin.  Putting hair gel on my face is not exactly evil, but it’s a great example of what can happen when we lose focus – things can quickly get sticky when our focus takes a detour.  Who knew you could learn so much from hair gel?

So, how do we stay focused on eternity in the tasks of our daily lives?  We cannot will ourselves to focus, that obviously does not work, that’s relying on human power instead of on God’s power.   We focus on the only One who can give us all we need to protect us from the distractions of this world.  If Jesus is our focus, if we live for Him, if the Kingdom of God, eternity, is our primary concern, He will give us all we need.  Don’t lose focus.

So, I’ve lost another one of my girls — Red Girl, formerly known as Georgi Girl, has gone missing. The irony of it is that I had just republished a blog on September 7, 2022, about her narrow escape from a hawk in 2019. Free ranging chickens are sort of like cats, they have many lives, until they don’t.

I went to the barn Monday night to tuck in my critters and in the coop were my two Black Girls, but no Red Girl — no offense, we name them by color because we otherwise couldn’t tell them apart.

I waited a bit for her to show up, as they always do, with the hint of the night star. I chirped for her, no answer. I went looking around in all the chicken hiding places, not a sighting. Tony came out, we walked the woods and the fields and up on the ridge, all the while calling chick-chick… we heard not a peep, literally.

I returned to the barn to button up the Black Girls for the night. They were sitting in their coop staring out the door. As flock animals, they were looking for her, a part of their flock was missing. Now we believe there was a little bit of Wild Kingdom going on at the barn that day as the Black Girls were quite skittish and refuse to come out of the barn. Red Girl never returned. I’m a little bit sad although I knew we gave her a happy life. Not all chickens get watermelon, grapes and tomatoes as treats.

Here’s the thing that sticks with me most…she’s just gone. Here one second, gone the next. There’s absolutely no trace of her. Not a feather, not a peep. She vanished, she’s gone, in the twinkling of an eye, without a trace. At first I thought, wow, maybe that’s how the rapture works, then horror struck me that if it was, I might have been left behind! Although I’m talking about my chickens here, I don’t make that statement lightly. It is an excellent reminder of how quickly things may change. The Lord has warned us of this:

“So you, too, must keep watch! For you don’t know what day your Lord is coming. Understand this: If a homeowner knew exactly when a burglar was coming, he would keep watch and not permit his house to be broken into. You also must be ready all the time, for the Son of Man will come when least expected.” Matthew 24:42-44

I love the way William MacDonald puts it: “The Son of Man will come when least expected by the masses. Therefore, His people should be on the tiptoes of expectancy.”

Standing on our tiptoes – looking for Him, searching for Him, straining to see Jesus, finding Him in the Word until He returns to the world.

I will forever remember Red Girl for her narrow escape from death (the first time) and for how quickly she was vanished (the second time). It is such a good reminder that we must live as if the Lord were coming back every single day. We have no earthly idea when He’s coming back and the Bible says it is impossible to predict, and we just shouldn’t spend our time trying to figure it out. We have no earthly idea how long each of us will be on this earth before we quickly vanish. But, He has given us every idea of how we are to live until we do, it’s in His Word.

When the moment comes for us to vanish, will we be found to be people of the Word or people of the world? Will we be standing on our tiptoes or will we be caught flat-footed?

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.